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LOS ANGELES (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — Comedian and actor Gilbert Gottfried has died, his family announced on his official Twitter account.
Publicist and longtime friend Glenn Schwartz told The Associated Press that Gottfried “died from recurrent ventricular tachycardia due to myotonic dystrophy type II, a disorder that affects the heart.”
“We are heartbroken to announce the passing of our beloved Gilbert Gottfried after a long illness,” his family wrote on Twitter, “In addition to being the most iconic voice in comedy, Gilbert was a wonderful husband, brother, friend and father to his two young children.”
Gottfried is best known for his distinctive voice and his emphasis on crude humor. He was a character actor in numerous roles in movies and television, including the parrot Lago in Disney’s “Aladdin,” and as Digit LeBoid in the PBS Kids show “Cyberchase.”
Gottfried’s early breakthrough roles came from appearances on MTV, a short stint on NBC’s “Saturday Night Live,” and as business manager Sidney Bernstein in the Eddie Murphy feature “Beverly Hills Cop II.”
Gottfried was also well known as the voice of the Aflac duck in a series of commercials for the insurance company until 2011.
Known as a ‘comedian’s comedian,’ Andrew Dalton with the AP described Gottfried’s comedy as ‘fiercely independent and intentionally bizarre… as likely to clear a room with anti-comedy as he was to kill with his jokes.”
In a statement, Gottfried’s friend and podcast co-host Frank Santopadre told the AP, “Gilbert’s brand of humor was brash, shocking and frequently offensive, but the man behind the jokes was anything but. Those who loved and him were fortunate enough to share his orbit knew a person who was sweet, sensitive, surprisingly shy and filled with a childlike sense of playfulness and wonder.”
Gottfried was good friends with fellow comedians Bob Saget and Louie Anderson, both of whom had passed away in recent months. In January, Gottfried posted to Twitter a photo of the trio with the caption, “This photo is very sad now. RIP Bob Saget and RIP Louie Anderson. Both good friends that will be missed.”
Gottfried was 67 years old. | https://www.wane.com/news/comedian-gilbert-gottfried-dead-at-67/ | 2022-04-12T21:19:49 | 0 | https://www.wane.com/news/comedian-gilbert-gottfried-dead-at-67/ |
(The Hill) – Longtime political columnist and commentator George Will quipped that former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin is “ready to be 1/435th of the House of Representatives,” adding that if she won election to the House it “doesn’t really matter much.”
Will made the remarks in response to a question from NewsNation host Ashleigh Banfield on Tuesday during Nexstar Media Group’s corporate management meeting in Dallas. Banfield asked Will if Palin, who recently announced a run for Congress in her home state, was ready for another job in government.
“Ready to be 1/435th of the House of Representatives? Sure,” Will said. “Because in the grand scheme of things, that doesn’t really matter much.”
Palin announced her candidacy for the seat vacated with the passing of the late Alaska Rep. Don Young (R) just 45 minutes before the filing deadline for the race.
She was endorsed by former President Trump earlier this month, who called her “tough and smart” in his statement backing her.
Will said he would not be surprised to see Trump endorse candidates who are likely to win House and Senate races during this year’s midterms, as an effort to shore up his “prognosticator” brand and build support while mulling a potential run for the White House again in 2024.
“You notice he’s not saying anything about the Senate race in Ohio,” he noted.
Will, during separate remarks, proposed a new way of creating better, less polarizing candidates for president, including “disqualifying anyone who has served as a senator,” from running for the White House.
“It would improve the Senate remarkably,” Will said. “You wouldn’t have all those people just biding their time there. Second, it would improve our pool of presidential candidates. We used to get our presidents from governors, who have run something larger than a Senate office, who have been accountable for more than 1/100th of a legislative body.”
The Senate, Will argued, “has become a purely performative stage where people strike poses, issue statements, and make gestures — but it’s not involved in serious government.”
Part of the ambition seen in modern politicians dovetails with an increasingly partisan cable news landscape, Will suggested.
“We’re suffering from an epidemic of confirmation bias … and an addiction to synthetic anger … People don’t watch cable news for information, but for ratification of their beliefs,” he said.
A columnist at The Washington Post for years, Will was hired by Nexstar Media Group in January to serve as a senior contributor to cable outlet NewsNation’s nightly news program. Nexstar Media Group purchased The Hill last fall. | https://www.wane.com/news/george-will-dismisses-palin-quips-senators-shouldnt-be-able-to-run-for-president/ | 2022-04-12T21:19:56 | 1 | https://www.wane.com/news/george-will-dismisses-palin-quips-senators-shouldnt-be-able-to-run-for-president/ |
FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) — Inflation continues to increase the prices on necessary items and the spike is climbing has been climbing over the year at rates the country hasn’t seen before. The consumer price index has been released and shows how the Midwest compares to national percentages.
Overall for the Midwest, it was an 8.6% increase year over year, and 8.5% nationally.
Rachel Blakeman, the director of the community research institute at Purdue Fort Wayne, says this is not similar to years prior. She says that the goal for inflation by the federal reserve bank is a 2% year over year increase. Blakeman says in many ways that’s an invisible increase as opposed to the sticker shock consumers are currently seeing. ‘
Blakeman says no one is escaping prices increases at this point, it’s more a matter of how much you are able to absorb without other costs. She says that this rate should not continue for years to come.
The cost increase in food and groceries over the last year most of the time has nothing to do with the food itself.
“The past two years have been incredibly financially challenging for many people and families. Back in April 2020, we were concerned about record unemployment rates while we were starting to see supply chains fray – remember empty shelves for groceries and toilet paper?” said Rachel Blakeman, director of Purdue University Fort Wayne’s Community Research Institute. “Fast forward to today, and we have inflation rates we haven’t seen in more than 40 years, hitting necessary items so it’s nearly impossible not to feel the pinch regardless of income level. For households without much budget elasticity, regardless of total income, these increases are hitting hard, and they don’t seem to be letting up any time soon.”
Ben Hoffman is a poultry farmer in Fort Wayne. He said that his prices have increased due to packing products.
“In 2020 and early 2021 I was paying $0.37 for a package that chicken breasts go in. By the end of 2021, that went up to $1.10. It’s frustrating just to put a product in one little package costs $1.10, that’s not even the product, and then the label goes on and you have almost $1.40 for just the way it looks,” Hoffman says.
Hoffman predicts that prices in packing goods will normalize in 2024. | https://www.wane.com/news/local-news/inflation-spike-is-at-rates-the-country-has-never-seen-before/ | 2022-04-12T21:20:02 | 1 | https://www.wane.com/news/local-news/inflation-spike-is-at-rates-the-country-has-never-seen-before/ |
(NewsNation) — An unimaginable tragedy is sending chills through a small Georgia community.
On Saturday, someone walked into the Lock Stock and Barrel shooting range in Granville, about 50 miles outside of Atlanta, and gunned down owners 75-year-old Richard Hawk and his wife and their 17-year-old grandson Luke.
The local coroner made the gruesome discovery that the shooting victims were his parents and his son.
Investigators say the three were killed in what appears to be a ruthless robbery. The person responsible got away from the range with an estimated 40 guns, plus the security footage from the shop.
While authorities returned to the range Monday afternoon looking for clues, Blake Harr stopped by to pay his respects.
“These people went out of their way to help others and it’s just senseless for his to happen,” Harr said.
While investigators track down leads, the close-knit community is in mourning.
“Hurt, frustrated, confused. Why this place, why these people?” Harr said. “Those guns weren’t worth the lives that were lost.”
The shooting suspect is still on the run. Authorities say there is a $15,000 reward for information leading to the person responsible for the deadly shooting. The investigation continues. | https://www.wane.com/news/manhunt-underway-after-georgia-coroner-finds-family-dead/ | 2022-04-12T21:20:08 | 0 | https://www.wane.com/news/manhunt-underway-after-georgia-coroner-finds-family-dead/ |
(NEXSTAR) — A ride operator at a county fair in Florida is recovering from his injuries after getting stuck between metal plates on the platform of an amusement ride on Friday.
The employee reportedly became stuck while attempting to “recover some property” for one of the patrons on the ride at the Clay County Fair, according to Chief Jeff Johnson of the Clay County Sheriff’s Office.
“Long story short, the operator was trying to do a good deed. And he had bad timing,” Chief Johnson said at a press conference on Saturday.
Footage of the victim trapped under the plate — with only half of his upper body visible above the ride platform — was shared to Facebook by a guest at the fair. The victim could also be heard calling out in pain while several people attempted to get help.
The victim remained trapped under the plate for around 15 minutes, Clay County Fire Rescue Chief David Kuykendall said. He was transported to the hospital after first responders were able to maneuver the plates to allow his body to “slide right out,” according to Kuykendall.
A representative for the Clay County Fair said the employee was expected to recover.
“We are happy to hear that the employee will make a full recovery and only small injuries were reported,” a spokesperson told Nexstar.
Officials in Clay County were also quick to confirm that the ride itself was functioning properly at the time of the accident.
“The ride had nothing to do with this … all the agencies that needed to be contacted were contacted, and the ride is up and running today,” Johnson said Saturday.
News of Friday’s incident comes only weeks after Tyre Sampson, a guest at Orlando’s ICON Park, was killed after he fell from a tower ride in late March. An accident report released in the wake of Sampson’s death revealed that his harness was still in a “down and locked” position when he slipped from the seat.
The ride’s manual also indicated that Sampson may have exceeded the weight limit for the ride, and should not have been allowed to get on. | https://www.wane.com/news/ride-operator-at-florida-county-fair-becomes-stuck-in-metal-platform-suffers-injuries/ | 2022-04-12T21:20:14 | 0 | https://www.wane.com/news/ride-operator-at-florida-county-fair-becomes-stuck-in-metal-platform-suffers-injuries/ |
ELKHART, Ind. (WANE)–A routine Monday morning traffic stop in Elkhart County turned into a drug arrest where Indiana State Police discovered methamphetamine, heroin, syringes, and pills.
According to Indiana State Police, Trooper Luis Alvarez stopped a tan 2005 Mercury traveling east on Indiana Toll Road near the 90 mile marker for a traffic violation at 3:46 a.m.
During the stop, Trooper Alvarez found that the driver, Amanda Garner, 39, of Elkhart did not have a valid drivers license and had an active arrest warrant in Elkhart.
Another passenger in the car, Cary Beadle, 39 of Elkhart, initially gave Trooper Alvarez a fake name. Beadle also did not have a valid drivers license and had an active arrest warrant in St. Joseph county.
A third unnamed male passenger also did not have a valid drivers license, but was released at the scene.
A search of the Mercury revealed 33 grams of suspected methamphetamine, suspected heroin, 10 syringes, and pills.
Garner was arrested for Possession of Methamphetamine, Possession of Paraphernalia, Driving While Suspended-Prior, and the active warrant. Garner was later taken to the Elkhart County Jail.
Beadle was taken to a hospital after a medical emergency. On Tuesday, Beadle was arrested for Possession of a Narcotic, Possession of Heroin, Possession of a Controlled Substance, Possession of a Syringe, and Identity Deception as well as for the active warrant. Beadle was then taken to Elkhart County Jail. | https://www.wane.com/news/traffic-stop-in-elkhart-turns-into-drug-arrest/ | 2022-04-12T21:20:20 | 0 | https://www.wane.com/news/traffic-stop-in-elkhart-turns-into-drug-arrest/ |
The products and services mentioned below were selected independent of sales and advertising. However, Simplemost may receive a small commission from the purchase of any products or services through an affiliate link to the retailer's website.
If the winter weather left your hair a bit dry and lackluster, a hair mask is a great way to hydrate and nourish your locks. Using a hair mask not only makes your hair soft and shiny, but they can also repair split ends, which in turn makes it easier and quicker to style, saving you time during your busy mornings.
Not all hair masks are created equal, but this Sunatoria Premium Keratin Hair Mask for sale from Amazon has everything your hair craves, like vitamin E, omega 3 and omega 9 fatty acids. Vitamin E replenishes the shine that hair loses when exposed to chemicals, heat and styling products, while omega 3 and omega 9 increase moisture and hair elasticity.
Regularly priced at $27.50, it is currently on sale for less than $20. But you can save even more by clipping a coupon to take an additional 10% off, which brings the final price to $17.81. That’s a savings of nearly $10, or more than 35% off.
The mask is also made with 100% top-grade hydrolyzed keratin, which can deeply repair and condition hair while providing restoration and lasting protection. While it can be used on all hair types and textures, it’s great for dry, damaged, brittle and color-treated hair. Sunatoria promises it’s sodium, sulfate and paraben-free, and that it’s quality tested to ensure purity.
Using the mask is simple: first apply it to washed and towel-dried hair, spreading it throughout your hair from scalp to tips. Wait 5-10 minutes, then rinse your hair thoroughly.
The Reviews
With nearly 5,000 reviews so far, the Premium Keratin Hair Mask has an overall rating of 4.6 out of 5 stars, with 79% of reviewers giving it a perfect grade. Customers say it’s definitely recommended, smells great and leaves their hair soft and silky smooth.
One reviewer who gave the mask 5 stars says she recently went to the salon with semi-healthy hair, but after a lot of bleach was used on her hair, she worried about damage and a bought the mask.
“I was worried about damage, even though I had a keratin treatment before my hair was done. I feel a little ripped off since I spent so much more at the salon when I could’ve just gotten this product. Before I used it, my hair was SO DRY and brittle. About 3-5+ pieces of hair per brush stroke came out. Even when I brushed in the same exact spot immediately!!!” she wrote. “My hair literally feels like I had a treatment from the salon. I’ve noticed a dramatic decrease in breakage and my hair doesn’t tangle quickly anymore. The scent is lovely. It smells professional. Very powerful the first day. I will not wash my hair for three days after using this mask or use absolutely any heat on it”.
There are a few negative reviews, with a handful of people saying the mask did not work for their hair and they either didn’t notice a difference or that it seemed to dry it out.
Other Options
If you’re looking for a hair mask, but want something a bit cheaper, this Arvazallia Hydrating Argan Oil Hair Mask is less than $13 for roughly the same size container.
The argan oil hair mask deeply conditions, detangles, hydrates and revives dull and dry hair. With close to 39,000 reviews, it has a rating of 4.4 out of 5 stars, with 72% of customers giving it a full 5 stars.
You can also buy a two-pack of a different keratin repair hair mask, this time from Natural Formula, that also comes with a serum. The package of two 11.8-ounce masks and two 4.8-ounce Keratin Intense Hair Serums was priced at $32.99 as of publication time.
The serum is formulated to rebuild strands from within and forms a protective coating around straightened hair, while the mask is formulated to restore, nourish and strengthen hair.
Have you had any luck with keratin hair masks? If you’ve wondered about them, it seems like a good time to grab one at Amazon.
This story originally appeared on Simplemost. Checkout Simplemost for additional stories. | https://www.wmar2news.com/get-this-highly-rated-keratin-hair-mask-35-off | 2022-04-12T21:20:41 | 1 | https://www.wmar2news.com/get-this-highly-rated-keratin-hair-mask-35-off |
The products and services mentioned below were selected independent of sales and advertising. However, Simplemost may receive a small commission from the purchase of any products or services through an affiliate link to the retailer's website.
You love your plant babies. You water them with care, add fertilizer, make sure they are in the right amount of light, and maybe even talk and sing to them. But do you dust your plants?
You may not think it’s necessary to have shiny, dust-free flora in your home. But there’s actually a scientific reason to make sure your plant babies don’t get covered in too much grime (and that’s good reason to learn how to clean plant leaves properly!).
The leaves of your plants are what allow them to capture and convert sunlight into fuel for the plant through photosynthesis. If there’s a decent amount of dust on your plant leaves, that blocks sunlight and can stress your plant. Stressed plants can be more vulnerable to pests and other issues and may not grow as well.
Another reason to dust your plants (and your house) is that dust is an allergy trigger. Rid your house of it, and you’re less likely to have issues.
You’ll know it’s time to dust your plants when you run a finger across a leaf and come back with visible grime.
How To Clean Plant Leaves
One quick and easy way to get rid of dust and other dirt on your plants is to wash off the leaves under lukewarm running water when you are doing your regular soil watering. You can also spray the leaves down with a hose nozzle outside. Don’t use water that’s too hot or too cold and make sure to remove excess water from fronds. Some plants, like orchids, don’t love having any water on their fragile leaves.
But if you can’t move your plants very easily, or they aren’t outdoors, here are some other products that might help keep your plant babies looking their shiny best.
1. Miracle-Gro Leaf Shine
Miracle-Gro Leaf Shine ($5.22) is a water-based product with mineral oil that you spray directly on your plant leaves. Shake the bottle well and then spray an even mist across your plant to keep leaves clean. If your plant is particularly sooty, use a clean cloth to wipe the spray on each leaf.
While Miracle-Gro says its Leaf Shine won’t clog your plant’s “leaf pores,” be careful not to overdo the Leaf Shine or similar products. Too much of a coating on your plant leaves can also block photosynthesis. One top Amazon reviewer also recommends sticking to thicker leaf plants when using the Leaf Shine, such as “pothos, rubber plants, ivies, dracaena, parlor palm, and fiddle leaves.”
2. Southside Plants Cleaning Wipes
Facial wipes have become popular for cleaning your face. So it’s no surprise companies have come out with plant wipes. Southside Plants’ Plant Cleaning Wipes ($11.89) come in packs of 80 and are advertised as completely biodegradable and made from “renewable plant fibers.” They are infused with purified water, glycerin and cinnamon extract, the latter of which is good for deterring plant pests.
Amazon reviewers said they liked that the Southside Plants’ cleaning wipes are scentless and quick to use. But avoid trying them on spiny or fuzzy plants.
3. Chapin International 5000 Rose & Plant Duster Hand Sprayer
The Chapin hand sprayer ($15.69) can be loaded up with insecticide or just water to clean your plants. It has 901 ratings on Amazon with a 4.2-star average. Reviewers have suggested using this turned upside down for the most effective spraying technique.
4. OXO Good Grips Microfiber Delicate Duster
Not all plant leaves will handle a blast of water or liquid product just fine. For plants with leaves that shouldn’t be wiped with anything wet, you can use dusters and brushes like the OXO Good Grips Microfiber Delicate Duster ($8.50). It has 9,425 ratings with a 4.5-star average on Amazon. While the duster isn’t specifically made for plants, it works well on delicate leaves like those on African violets. The heads on the OXO delicate duster are easy to remove and replace when they get worn out.
5. Arum Indoor Plant Leaf Cleaner with Washcloths and Bamboo Brushes
The Arum Indoor Plant Leaf Cleaner with three washcloths and three small bamboo brushes ($25.85) for especially delicate plants like those with fuzzy leaves. The bamboo washcloths are biodegradable, and the corn bristle plant brushes are sustainable.
Now that you know how to clean plant leaves, what do you think? Will you dust your plants?
This story originally appeared on Simplemost. Checkout Simplemost for additional stories. | https://www.wmar2news.com/how-to-clean-plant-leaves-houseplants-healthy | 2022-04-12T21:20:47 | 0 | https://www.wmar2news.com/how-to-clean-plant-leaves-houseplants-healthy |
WESTMINSTER, Md. — Maryland State Police provided an update on an Amber Alert that was issued Monday for 12-year-old Maxx Geiger in Carroll County.
Maxx and his father, Christopher Geiger, were found unharmed inside a shed in Westminster around 10:40am Tuesday.
An overnight search for the father and son had been launched after Maxx's mother reported them missing Monday afternoon.
Christopher reportedly picked Maxx up from school on Friday, and the two hadn't been seen since.
After learning that Maxx didn't show up for school Monday, police became concerned for his safety and issued an Amber Alert.
Later that evening around 5pm, police located Christopher's black Jeep Wrangler abandoned in a farm field off Kate Wagner Road in Westminster.
After nearly 17-hours of searching, police zeroed in on a shed about half-a-mile from where Christopher's Jeep had been found.
Following negotiations, police were able to get Christopher out of the shed and take him into custody.
Maxx and a dog were also found safe inside the shed.
Christopher was taken to a hospital for evaluation and charges against him are currently pending.
There is no word yet on why Christopher kept Maxx. | https://www.wmar2news.com/news/local-news/amber-alert-canceled-12-year-old-safely-reunited-with-mother-in-carroll-county | 2022-04-12T21:20:53 | 1 | https://www.wmar2news.com/news/local-news/amber-alert-canceled-12-year-old-safely-reunited-with-mother-in-carroll-county |
BALTMORE — Babe Ruth, one of the greatest home run kings in baseball history, was born and lived in Baltimore.
His old residence, now a museum, is just blocks from Oriole Park at Camden Yards.
The Babe Ruth Birthplace and Museum will unveil a new exhibit on Thursday titled "The Making of a Legend."
The new exhibit will feature the Bambino's 1914 Baltimore News International League Orioles Rookie card and 14 other baseball cards from the 1914 Baltimore News set.
The Making of a Legend exhibit will be open to the public on Friday, at the museum at 216 Emory Street.
According to Collectable, Babe Ruth's 1914 pre-rookie card is valued at $6 million.
Babe Ruth had 714 home runs over his career. | https://www.wmar2news.com/news/local-news/babe-ruths-1914-rookie-card-to-be-displayed-in-new-exhibit-at-the-babe-ruth-birthplace-and-museum | 2022-04-12T21:20:59 | 1 | https://www.wmar2news.com/news/local-news/babe-ruths-1914-rookie-card-to-be-displayed-in-new-exhibit-at-the-babe-ruth-birthplace-and-museum |
ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Balloons and confetti are released to signify that ending of the 2022 session, a celebration not seen in the state house since 2018.
"Thank you for being here today," said Gov. Larry Hogan.
Governor Hogan, with House and the Senate leaders, signed 79 bills into law just a few hours after a late night finish to the session. An ambitious and costly climate change bill past that will go into law without Hogans signature. The Governor felt the bill will be too costly for business and Marylanders.
Reforms were made for how juvenile suspects are interrogated or incarcerated.
"I would say this has been our most successful session yet. We enacted largest tax cut package in state history," said Hogan.
Hogan was able to get 2 billion dollars in tax cuts for Marylanders. A bill that failed the last five years passed giving tax cuts to those 65 or older. President Ferguson was pleased with a mental health bill.
"It truly is. The most important impact post Covid is going to be how this experience has impacted each and everyone of us and how we see the world," said Bill Ferguson, President of the Maryland Senate.
Rounding out the more impactful bills is a bill that makes Ghost Guns illegal and a another bill that creates an insurance program that employers and workers contribute to for 12 weeks of medical or family leave. Also, you get to weigh in on the legality of recreational marijuana in the fall election as it will be on the ballot.
So for now, delegates and senators head back to their local districts for campaigning. Who will be back next year, nobody knows for sure. What we do know, whoever is back here for the 2023 session will have a new governor to deal with. | https://www.wmar2news.com/news/local-news/gov-hogan-signs-79-bills-into-law-after-a-late-finish-to-the-session | 2022-04-12T21:21:05 | 1 | https://www.wmar2news.com/news/local-news/gov-hogan-signs-79-bills-into-law-after-a-late-finish-to-the-session |
HOWARD COUNTY, Md. — Howard County residents are in for a treat.
County officials unveiled a new project that will help cover more than 75 percent of the county’s energy usage.
It's all about solar rooftops, which is a power system installed on your roof that absorbs sunlight and converts it into electricity.
The county announced that the new Howard County Circuit Court in Ellicott City will be using solar panels, along with 11 other sites to not only save taxpayers money but to improve the environment.
“Howard County’s solar power purchasing agreement is the largest of its kind in the state," said Calvin Ball, Howard County Executive, said. This puts us on track to exceed our renewable energy goals and cementing Howard County as a leader in the fight against climate change."
With the saving investment the county says they will invest funding towards different projects to improve the area. | https://www.wmar2news.com/news/local-news/howard-county-circuit-court-11-other-sites-going-green-switching-to-solar-panels | 2022-04-12T21:21:11 | 1 | https://www.wmar2news.com/news/local-news/howard-county-circuit-court-11-other-sites-going-green-switching-to-solar-panels |
HARFORD COUNTY, Md. — A judge from Harford County was sworn in as the first Hispanic to ever serve on the Maryland Court of Appeals.
Judge Angela M. Eaves took oath to serve on the state’s highest court. She was sworn in by Gov. Larry Hogan on Tuesday.
“Judge Eaves is a distinguished jurist who brings to the Court of Appeals a proven track record of fairness and impartiality, as well as a passionate commitment to public service,” Governor Hogan said. “This is an historic day as we swear in the first Hispanic to serve on our highest court, and I want to congratulate Judge Eaves and her family.”
Most recently, Judge Eaves was the administrative judge for the Harford County Circuit Court.
Eaves, whose mother is Panamanian and whose father is African American, is the first Hispanic appointed to Maryland’s appellate courts.
Since 2007, Eaves has served on the Harford County Circuit Court.
Prior to her appointment to the Circuit Court, she served for seven years as an associate judge of the District Court for Harford County. Prior to her judicial service, Eaves was an assistant attorney general with the Office of the Attorney General, where she handled cases in the Correctional Litigation Division and on behalf of the Department of Human Resources.
Eaves is also the first Harford County resident appointed to the Court of Appeals in more than 100 years. | https://www.wmar2news.com/news/local-news/judge-from-harford-county-sworn-in-as-first-hispanic-on-states-highest-court | 2022-04-12T21:21:17 | 1 | https://www.wmar2news.com/news/local-news/judge-from-harford-county-sworn-in-as-first-hispanic-on-states-highest-court |
Bloomington mayor proposes $31M county income tax hike. Here's how much it would cost you.
Mayor John Hamilton has proposed increasing the countywide local income tax rate to raise an additional $31 million.
The hike, of 0.855%, would mean an extra $427.50 or so per year for individuals or couples who, after varying deductions, have a state adjusted gross income of $50,000 — or about $85.50 for every $10,000 you earn in taxable income.
The tax increase would apply to every Monroe County resident with a taxable income. People who work in Monroe County but live elsewhere would not be affected.
More:Monroe County income tax hike gains traction
The mayor also has proposed borrowing an additional $10 million to pay for projects including multi-use paths, bike lanes, sidewalks and more efficient street lights.
“We must have additional revenue to continue the excellence that we have achieved and that our residents expect,” Hamilton told the Bloomington City Council.
The proposed hike has to be approved in public meetings by the local income tax council, composed of the members of the Bloomington City, Monroe County and Ellettsville Town councils.
Hamilton said the hike would generate about $18 million annually for the city, $11.4 million for the county, $1.4 million for Ellettsville and $44,000 for Stinesville.
The mayor said last week that the community has arrived at a “pivot point” and must continue to meet basic needs such as housing and public safety and tackle major challenges such as climate change.
Hamilton said that based on input from local residents, elected officials and organizations, he is proposing that the additional $18 million be spent on climate change mitigation ($6.6 million), public safety ($4.5 million), equity ($3.9 million) and essential city services ($3 million).
The mayor said the city would create a separate fund for the additional dollars. The mayor and city council would have to apportion the dollars every year during budget negotiations.
Hamilton has proposed as the largest single expense item $2.1 million for an east-west express transit line, followed by $2 million for housing, including ownership, rental and housing security. He also plans to spend $1.5 million on new/upgraded fire stations and the same amount on police salaries.
Bloomington police salaries
Police pay served as a flashpoint during last year’s budget negotiations. Police officers said low pay was prompting an unusual number of their colleagues to leave for other departments. Some council members worried the large number of vacancies would compromise public safety.
More:Indiana police departments are seeing more officers leave. Here's why.
The police union and Hamilton's administration have since negotiated a new contract that calls for higher police salaries. But Hamilton has said that the city needs more money to pay for the $1.5 million in additional annual expenses.
An attempt by the mayor two years ago to raise the income tax by 0.5%, later revised to 0.25%, failed after the city council voted against it by a 5-4 margin. Three of the four members who voted against the increase have told The Herald-Times that they may be inclined to vote in favor of the increase this time if certain conditions are met.
However, the mayor's plan to seek an income tax hike at a time of high inflation also generated some skepticism among some county officials and parts of the business community. And former city controller Tom Guevara, together with Justin M. Ross, a public policy professor at Indiana University, wrote a guest column in The Herald-Times last month that stated, “Evaluating claims of need requires a level of fiscal transparency that Bloomington does not provide.”
Column:Before raising local income taxes, shouldn't we look at Bloomington's budget?
Transparency around Bloomington budget
State data show that both the city and the county last year had a nearly $3 million surplus in their general funds, their main operating funds that pay for such services as police and fire protection. A surplus means that they generated more in revenue than they spent.
Those figures exclude the $50 million the city and county received from the federal government in COVID-19 relief dollars. The mayor had proposed in last year’s budget talks that the city this year spend about half of its allotment.
The city’s general fund spending has increased an average 6% in the past five years. It was about $38 million in 2017 and is budgeted to be $49 million this year. Parks department general fund spending in the past five years has increased an average annual 8.5%, from $6.8 million in 2017 to $9.7 million budgeted for this year.
The city at the end of last year also had about $19.5 million in general fund reserves, or about 42% of annual spending, more than twice as much as the minimum recommended by the Government Finance Officers Association.
County general fund spending in the past five years has increased 5.3% annually and is budgeted to be nearly $41 million this year. The county had reserves at the end of last year of nearly $21 million, or 54% of General Fund spending.
The Bloomington City Council plans to discuss the income tax rate increase Wednesday in committee, meaning it won’t make any binding decisions that day. You can attend that meeting at 6:30 p.m. at the Showers Building, 401 N. Morton St., or you can tune in via Zoom: tinyurl.com/2hvms3cs.
The council has asked city leaders, including Hamilton, to attend.
More information about the mayor’s proposal: tinyurl.com/yckdhhk7.
Boris Ladwig is the city government reporter for The Herald-Times. Contact him at bladwig@heraldt.com.
Spending proposal
A breakdown of how Mayor John Hamilton proposes to spend the additional $18 million in annual revenue that his proposed income tax hike would generate for the city of Bloomington.
Climate change preparedness and mitigation: $6.6 million
- Establish east-west express transit line: $2.1 million
- Climate action plan implementation: $1.75 million
- Enhance In-house Bloomington Transit para-transit and microtransit: $1.4 million
- Enhance BT weekday service to maximum 30-minute frequency: $820,000
- Add BT Sunday service: $300,000
- Establish BT Park & Ride pilot program: $125,000
- Subsidize BT ridership: $100,000
Public safety: $4,500,000
- Police - sworn officer salaries: $1.5 million
- Fire - new/upgraded stations (four, including new downtown): $1.5 million
- Police and fire headquarters: $1 million
- Police - nonsworn officer salaries and public safety programs: $250,000
- Fire - public safety programs: $250,000
Equity and quality of life for all: $3,900,000
- Housing funding, for ownership, rental, Housing Security: $2 million
- Economic equity fund: $1 million
- Workforce and economic development $500,000
- Public art and arts development $200,000
- Local food access and nutrition security $200,000
Essential city services: $3 million
- Personnel $1,250,000
- Increases to major categories of expenses: $750,000
- Lost revenue replacement: $500,000
- Maintenance/replacement of assets: $500,000 | https://www.heraldtimesonline.com/story/news/local/2022/04/12/bloomington-mayor-john-hamilton-floats-income-tax-hike/9515593002/ | 2022-04-12T21:21:23 | 1 | https://www.heraldtimesonline.com/story/news/local/2022/04/12/bloomington-mayor-john-hamilton-floats-income-tax-hike/9515593002/ |
LAUREL, Md. — Police are investigating a shooting that happened Monday afternoon in Laurel.
The shooting happened around 1 p.m. in the area of 14900 block of Bowie Road.
Anne Arundel County Police received a call that a person who was injured was being taken to the hospital.
Laurel Police went to the hospital, then found the original caller and identified other witnesses.
The investigation revealed that after an argument between the victim and an unknown male, the unknown male fired multiple rounds at the victim as he was driving away. Both the victim and the car were struck by gunfire and the victim was treated for non-life-threatening injuries at a local hospital.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Laurel Police Department at 301-498-0092, also anonymous tips can also be sent to LPDtips@laurel.md.us. | https://www.wmar2news.com/news/local-news/laurel-police-seeking-witnesses-after-man-shot-following-argument | 2022-04-12T21:21:24 | 0 | https://www.wmar2news.com/news/local-news/laurel-police-seeking-witnesses-after-man-shot-following-argument |
Man, 19, dies after being shot at eastside Bloomington apartment
A 19-year-old man died Saturday after being shot at an apartment on East 10th Street in Bloomington.
No criminal charges have been filed, but the investigation is ongoing. The shooting may have been accidental, according to Bloomington Police Department Capt. Ryan Pedigo. Police have questioned an 18-year-old acquaintance in relation to the shooting.
More:A Bloomington bank robbery suspect was killed by police after a California heist
According to a preliminary BPD report, the teen was shot once in the torso. A 911 call at 4:22 p.m. alerted authorities and an ambulance was dispatched to Fountain Park Apartments at 3209 E. 10th St.
The victim died at IU Health Bloomington Hospital before emergency surgery could be performed, Pedigo said. An autopsy was done Monday in Terre Haute.
Contact reporter Laura Lane at llane@heraldt.com, 812-331-4362 or 812-318-5967. | https://www.heraldtimesonline.com/story/news/local/2022/04/12/man-dies-after-being-shot-eastside-bloomington-apartment/7290305001/ | 2022-04-12T21:21:29 | 1 | https://www.heraldtimesonline.com/story/news/local/2022/04/12/man-dies-after-being-shot-eastside-bloomington-apartment/7290305001/ |
Actor and comedian Gilbert Gottfried has died at the age of 67.
In a statement released on Gottfried's official Twitter page the actor's family wrote, "We are heartbroken." The statement said that he died after battling a long illness.
Gottfried's family said in their statement, "In addition to being the most iconic voice in comedy, Gilbert was a wonderful husband, brother, friend and father to his two young children. Although today is a sad day for all of us, please keep laughing as loud as possible in Gilbert's honor."
— Gilbert Gottfried (@RealGilbert) April 12, 2022
Fellow actors and others expressed their condolences.
Actor Jason Alexander tweeted, "What a gift. I did not know him well but I loved what he shared with me. My best wishes and sympathy to his family."
Gilbert Gottfried made me laugh at times when laughter did not come easily. What a gift. I did not know him well but I loved what he shared with me. My best wishes and sympathy to his family. #ripGilbertGottfried
— jason alexander (@IJasonAlexander) April 12, 2022
Gottfried's publicist Glenn Schwartz said in a statement obtained by the Associated Press that the actor died on Tuesday.
He first stepped into the national spotlight with appearances on MTV in its early days in the 1980s. He was also a cast member on “Saturday Night Live” in the 1980s. Gottfried was known for his voice work in children’s shows and movies. | https://www.wmar2news.com/news/national/comedian-and-actor-gilbert-gottfried-dead-at-67 | 2022-04-12T21:21:30 | 1 | https://www.wmar2news.com/news/national/comedian-and-actor-gilbert-gottfried-dead-at-67 |
SAN JOSE, Calif. — Former two-time UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez is speaking out from jail.
"To everyone that has expressed your support, my family and I will never be able to thank you enough," Velasquez said in a statement posted from his Twitter account.
He is charged with attempted murder and multiple gun assault charges after authorities said he fired at a pickup truck carrying a man accused of sexually abusing a 4-year-old family member.
Velasquez was arrested after he allegedly chased a pickup that the suspect was in, ramming the vehicle with his own pickup truck during the high-speed chase.
The Santa Clara County District Attorney says the suspect was on his way to get fitted for an electronic monitoring bracelet after being indicted on felony molestation charges.
The suspect was not injured in the incident. However, a 63-year-old relative of the suspect suffered a gunshot wound.
"This story is complex and slowly unraveling as we speak," Velasquez said.
The former mixed martial arts fighter also had a message for potential victims of the suspect he attempted to shoot.
"To the true victims of this case, may God give you the strength to come forward," he said. "Though it is most difficult to relive the pain that has happened to you, in speaking the truth, justice will be served and your own true healing will start."
Velasquez will remain in jail for the time being. He was denied bail at his initial hearing in March. | https://www.wmar2news.com/news/national/jailed-former-ufc-champion-issues-statement-about-arrest | 2022-04-12T21:21:36 | 0 | https://www.wmar2news.com/news/national/jailed-former-ufc-champion-issues-statement-about-arrest |
We have reached a point in the pandemic where most people have made the decision about whether to get vaccinated, but data suggests parents are still wavering due to lower-than-normal COVID vaccine efficacy in young children.
Two weeks after getting fully vaccinated, numbers from the Centers for Disease Control show the vaccine is 66% effective at preventing omicron infection in adults, 76% effective in 12-17-year-olds, and 66% effective in 5-11-year-olds.
The real surprise, however, comes when you fast forward another two weeks, and the vaccine’s effectiveness stays the same in adults, drops to 56% in teens, and plummets to 12% in children.
“The efficacy has gone down and that really is relating to the studies with other variants,” said Laura-Anne Cleveland, associate chief nursing officer at Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children in Denver.
Cleveland says there are two things in play: the more recent COVID variants have mutated around the vaccines to a degree and are, therefore, less efficacious, and the dosage in the FDA-approved child vaccine is about a third of what it is in adults.
“[Manufacturers] are really trying to understand what doses of vaccine is needed for each variant and the side effects you might have,” said Cleveland. “You want both: you want the high enough dose to get the strongest efficacy, and the low enough dose so you won’t have side effects, so it’s that balancing act.”
According to the CDC, after the first 11 weeks of the vaccine becoming available, 51% of adults had gotten one shot and 41% had gotten two, but in kids 5-11 that number is only 28% for the first shot and 19% for the second.
Surveys by PLOS, a nonprofit science publisher, show effectiveness is the second-largest thing parents weigh when deciding whether to get vaccinated.
Despite the lower effectiveness of the vaccine in kids, health officials recommend the vaccine for every age group. However, some have urged manufacturers to reconsider dosing for kids. | https://www.wmar2news.com/news/national/lower-efficacy-keeping-some-parents-from-vaccinating-their-children-against-covid-19 | 2022-04-12T21:21:42 | 1 | https://www.wmar2news.com/news/national/lower-efficacy-keeping-some-parents-from-vaccinating-their-children-against-covid-19 |
To kick off national park week, the National Park Service is offering free entrance on the first day to celebrate.
National park week begins April 16 and ends April 24.
The NPS waives the entrance fee to any park only five days out of the year, including Veterans Day and Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday.
The agency says the fee-free days allow those to visit more than 400 parks that typically charge an entrance fee.
Some parks are free all the time.
The agency says visitors will still be responsible for amenity or user fees for activities including camping, boat launches, transportation, or tours. | https://www.wmar2news.com/news/national/national-parks-to-waive-entrance-fees-to-celebrate-park-week | 2022-04-12T21:21:48 | 1 | https://www.wmar2news.com/news/national/national-parks-to-waive-entrance-fees-to-celebrate-park-week |
NORTH CANTON, Ohio — A trip to Walt Disney World can easily cost families thousands of dollars.
One North Canton, Ohio, woman hoping to save some cash on the trip says she quickly learned some things are too good to be true, and now she said she's out nearly $5,000.
Corey Doyle said she, her husband, and friends were ready for a vacation after two years of the pandemic. Doyle, a wedding photographer, decided to head down to Disney World in November.
“It made more sense financially to rent a room that had two bedrooms instead of each of us renting separate rooms,” said Doyle.
Doyle said they all decided to rent Disney Vacation Club, or DVC for short, points.
This is how it works: Members of the club buy into a timeshare for a certain amount of points so they can book stays at Disney resorts. If they can't take a vacation, some rent them to non-members and book a reservation in the renter’s name rather than let the points go to waste.
Doyle said back in February she made a post in a DVC Facebook group looking for someone to rent points from.
“The lady who replied wanted $21 a point, which is a little on the high side, and then [another seller] wanted $17 a point, which is still common, but on the lower side,” said Doyle.
Doyle said she went with the cheaper option from a man we are not identifying and said she did her due diligence checking his track record in the group and calling other renters who did business with him.
"I looked them both up on the Facebook group, and she didn't have anything, but he had a bunch of posts where he had rented out a few nights a day and there was a couple of people who had said like, 'Hey, does anybody have references?' And people had replied and said, 'Oh yeah, I stayed with him and he was great,'" said Doyle. “He sent me other people saying like, 'Oh, these people have stayed with me in that same group. You're welcome to check in with them.' So I checked in with four people who had either stayed with him or had upcoming stays with him. And everybody wrote back and said, ‘Oh, no, yeah, he's great.'"
So she went forward with the transaction even after seeing some red flags.
Doyle runs a blog called ‘Stop Stealing Photos’ where she exposes photographers who steal others’ work and post it as their own. Doyle posted screenshots of the conversation she says she had with the seller on her blog. In them, he said he has issues with his PayPal and prefers payment through Apple Pay or Crypto.com. She said her bank declined multiple attempts at payment through Apple Pay, Cash App, and Zelle, flagging them as fraud. But eventually, she paid the entire $4,726 in $500 increments through Apple Pay.
Doyle said the seller told her once everything was paid in full, he'd send over a reservation number, but Doyle said that never happened.
"I'm new to this whole thing. So I didn't know that it doesn't cost someone who has DVC points, as their timeshare owner, it doesn't cost them anything to make this reservation. But in my mind, I was thinking, 'Oh no, he's already invested something. I need to make sure I get him paid quickly,'" said Doyle. "And then I find out after everything's settled that if you do this, you need to make sure that you get the reservation in your name and linked on your My Disney Experience app before paying because it doesn't cost them anything. They can make a reservation and cancel a reservation as many times as they want. It doesn't penalize them."
Then, she said she got a message from one of those references she had spoken to.
“That Friday, I get a message from one of the people I had sent a reference to. And she wrote back and said, ‘Hey, I don't know how you ended up booking with [the seller], but if you did, you need to start trying to do what you can do to get your money back because nobody has valid reservations,’” said Doyle.
Doyle said since then, she’s found two dozen people accusing the seller of false transactions–giving them fake reservation numbers or not sending one at all. Some even showed up at Disney's resort in Hawaii to find out no rooms had been booked.
She said she demanded a refund, but the seller gave her the runaround.
“I called my bank and they said, ‘You have to have a police report.’ So I made a police report and I told him, like, ‘Look I made a police report.’ And he was like, ‘Oh, well, then,’ you know, then he just pretty much just stopped talking to me,” said Doyle.
Now, she may never get her money back.
“If you're paying any way besides credit card, it can be incredibly difficult to get your money back,” said Ericka Dilworth, director of operations at the Cleveland Better Business Bureau.
Dilworth said apps that connect to a bank account like Zelle, Venmo, and Apple Pay are best used with friends and not strangers–and credit cards have more protections.
"When you use your credit card, there is actually a process through which you can dispute a charge. And so if you use your credit card and you've not gotten service or whatever came was something different than what you ordered, you can file a dispute with your credit card company and they will determine what has happened. And if you haven't gotten to use the timeshare or if you ordered a hoodie and it didn't arrive, that credit card company is going to do their homework, they're going to look at what happened," said Dilworth. "And in all cases, they actually get your money back right away while the dispute is kind of working through its process, and then at the end, they decide if the business can't come forward and say, 'This is why we believe that this person's not due their money back,' then the consumer will get to keep their money."
Doyle has rebooked her trip for real this time, using a third-party broker, at the same resort for $6,100.
She doesn't think she'll get her money back from the would-be Facebook seller, but she's hoping others learn from her mistake.
“Like, I'm probably not getting my money back, but at least hopefully I'll stop anybody else from giving him more money, hopefully,” said Doyle.
This article was written by Jade Jarvis for WEWS in Cleveland. | https://www.wmar2news.com/news/national/ohio-woman-conned-out-of-nearly-5-000-by-disney-vacation-club-seller | 2022-04-12T21:21:54 | 0 | https://www.wmar2news.com/news/national/ohio-woman-conned-out-of-nearly-5-000-by-disney-vacation-club-seller |
Stock indexes edged lower on Wall Street on Tuesday, shedding early gains as investors weigh new data on inflation.
The S&P 500 fell 0.3%. The pullback follows back-to-back losses driven by worries about the economic collateral damage as the Federal Reserve tackles high inflation more aggressively.
A report showed inflation is still at its highest level in 40 years. Still, a faint silver lining was that inflation unexpectedly slowed in March on a month-over-month basis, after excluding the costs of food and fuel. The Fed pays close attention to that number, and Treasury yields fell immediately after the report.
The Associated Press reported that inflation still wasn't as bad as economists had expected if the price of fuel and food is ignored. The Federal Reserve pays special attention to what is known as "core inflation," when setting policy as this is less volatile. | https://www.wmar2news.com/news/national/stocks-give-up-gains-end-trading-day-lower-following-inflation-report | 2022-04-12T21:22:00 | 0 | https://www.wmar2news.com/news/national/stocks-give-up-gains-end-trading-day-lower-following-inflation-report |
Working late is nothing new in American culture, but the pandemic may be changing the way some people work late.
Researchers at Microsoft noticed a pattern in some of the company's workers.
There is a sudden flurry of work-related activity right before bedtime.
"These were things they could do by themselves," said Mary Czerwinski, a Microsoft researcher. "Catching up on emails, reading documents, not such heavyweight work, but things they could do to catch up."
The Microsoft team, which has been tracking productivity for years, found about 30% of workers were logging in late at night.
It's not clear why people's habits have changed.
Pre-pandemic, they found most workers experienced a productivity peak shortly before and shortly after lunchtime, a phenomenon known as the "double peak day."
Czerwinski speculated the third productivity peak might be tied to the shift to remote work during the pandemic.
"Perhaps people are taking care of loved ones," she said. "Perhaps they are working out and taking care of themselves. And then, because they're adaptively taking care of themselves and their families, they choose to work later in the night to catch up on some things."
While there could be positive reasons for the late-night logins, Czerwinski said the third peak might also result from over-scheduling during the workday.
"We saw from the research that the average amount of meeting time went up significantly during the workweek," said Czerwinski. "People were very enthusiastic to see that productivity didn't take a hit when everybody was staying at home. It was a big surprise to all of us. Therefore, everyone got super enthusiastic about more Teams meetings, more Zoom meetings, and it just keeps going to the point where everyone got super exhausted and tired."
Some companies are now working on solutions to cut down on the feelings of burnout in employees.
Microsoft, which has employees on both coasts, has stopped scheduling most meetings after 5 p.m. Eastern out of respect for west coast employees.
Czerwinski also encourages managers to schedule their meetings to start at five past the hour as a built-in break between calls.
There's also a novel concept gaining traction: No meetings.
"The meeting-free day idea really took off, at least at Microsoft, during the pandemic," Czerwinski said, noting that her team is trying to go meeting-free on Mondays and Fridays.
"The statistics are kind of scary about how many more meetings we're having online and back-to-back during the day," she said. "At the expense of eating healthy meals, at the expense of people exercising. So something has to be done to make sure that our employees feel well at work, feel productive at work, and feel valued." | https://www.wmar2news.com/news/national/study-many-remote-workers-log-in-late-at-night-to-get-work-done | 2022-04-12T21:22:06 | 0 | https://www.wmar2news.com/news/national/study-many-remote-workers-log-in-late-at-night-to-get-work-done |
At least 5 people shot at New York subway station
Published 10:03 am Tuesday, April 12, 2022
NEW YORK — At least five people were shot and injured Tuesday at a New York City subway station during a morning rush hour attack that left wounded commuters bleeding on a train platform and police searching for the shooter.
Fire personnel responding to reports of smoke at the 36th Street station in Brooklyn’s Sunset Park neighborhood at around 8:30 a.m. found at least 13 people were hurt, but — aside from the five shot — there were no details on what those injuries entailed.
According to multiple law enforcement sources briefed on the investigation, preliminary information indicated that the suspect who fled was a man wearing a construction vest and a gas mask.
Photos and video from the scene showed people tending to bloodied passengers lying on the floor of the station and the air filled with smoke. Fire and police officials were investigating reports that there had been an explosion, but the police department tweeted that there were “no active explosive devices at this time.” Multiple smoke devices were found on the scene, said mayoral spokesperson Fabien Levy, who confirmed the initial shooting injury count.
At least 11 people were being treated at two local hospitals.
“My subway door opened into calamity. It was smoke and blood and people screaming,” eyewitness Sam Carcamo told radio station 1010 WINS, saying he saw a gigantic billow of smoke pouring out of the N train once the door opened.
A bystander video shows people lying on the subway platform amid what appeared to be small puddles of blood, as a loudspeaker announcement told everyone on the smoke-hazy platform to get on a train. Inside a subway car, a person lay on the floor, encircled by others. Outside the station, a police officer yelled, “Let’s go! Get out of the way!”
Trains servicing that station were delayed during the morning rush hour.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ office did not immediately have more details. Adams was at the mayor’s residence Tuesday morning and was being briefed.
The incident happened on a subway line that runs through south Brooklyn in a neighborhood about a 15-minute train ride to Manhattan. Local schools, including Sunset Park High School across the street, were locked down.
Danny Mastrogiorgio of Brooklyn had just dropped his son off at school when he saw a crush of passengers, included multiple wounded, running up the subway stairway at the 25th Street station in panic. At least two had visible leg injuries, he said.
“It was insane,” he told The Associated Press. “No one knew exactly what was going on.”
Allan Lee was running his business, Cafe Nube, when a half-dozen police cars and fire vehicles suddenly converged on the block.
“Then they started ushering people that were on the block to the adjacent block and then closed off the subway entrance” near the cafe’s door, he told the AP. When he noticed bomb squad officers and dogs, he was certain it was no everyday subway problem.
Gov. Kathy Hochul said in a statement she had been briefed on the situation and said her office would work with the transit authority and police department as the investigation continued. President Joe Biden had also been briefed on the latest developments and White House senior staff were in touch with Adams and NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell.
Police officers were canvassing 4th Avenue, the station’s cross-street, asking witnesses whether they were on the train. A sea of emergency lights was visible from at least a dozen blocks away, where a police cordon was set up.
The shootings come as New York City has faced a spate a shootings and high-profile incidents in recent months, including on the city’s subways. One of the most shocking was in January when a woman was pushed to her death in front of a train by a stranger.
Adams, a Democrat a little over 100 days into his term, has made cracking down on crime — especially on the subways — a focus of his early administration, pledging to send more police officers into stations and platforms for regular patrols. It wasn’t immediately clear whether officers had already been inside the station when the shootings occurred. | https://www.austindailyherald.com/2022/04/at-least-5-people-shot-at-new-york-subway-station/ | 2022-04-12T21:24:23 | 1 | https://www.austindailyherald.com/2022/04/at-least-5-people-shot-at-new-york-subway-station/ |
Blossom softball team pounds out a win over JWP
Published 7:52 am Tuesday, April 12, 2022
The Blooming Prairie softball team beat Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton 15-2 in five innings in BP Monday.
Haven Carlson struck out 10 and Bobbie Bruns had a home run and three RBIs for the Awesome Blossoms (2-0 overall).
BP pitching: Haven Carlson (W) 5 IP, 4 H, 2 BB, 2 R, 1 ER, 10 K
BP hitting: Bobbie Bruns, 3-for-4, HR, 3 RBIs, 2 R; Shawntee Snyder, 2-for-3, triple, double, RBI, 2 R; Macy Lembke, 2-for-3, RBI, 3 R; Rachel Winzenburg, 1-for-3, double, 2 RBIs, 3 R; Layla Lembke, 1-for-2, double, R; Lexi Steckelberg, 1-for-3, 2 RBIs | https://www.austindailyherald.com/2022/04/blossom-softball-team-pounds-out-a-win-over-jwp/ | 2022-04-12T21:24:29 | 1 | https://www.austindailyherald.com/2022/04/blossom-softball-team-pounds-out-a-win-over-jwp/ |
BP baseball team falls to JWP
Published 7:57 am Tuesday, April 12, 2022
The Blooming Prairie baseball team lost to Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton 17-7 on the road Monday.
BP (0-2 overall) had led 7-6 after three innings.
BP pitching: Jesse Cardenas (L) 4 IP, 11 H, 5 BB, 13 R, 10 ER, 1 K; Micah Donnelly 1 ⅔ iP, 1 H, 4 BB, 4 ER, 1 K
BP hitting: Jesse Cardenas, 1-for-3, RBI, R, BB; Micah Donnelly, 1-for-4, RBI, R; Alex Lea, 1-for-4, RBI; Luke Heimgartner, 2-for-3, RBI, BB; Schammel, 0-for-3, BB; Swenson, 0-for-2, 2 BBs, R; Anderson, 0-for-3, BB, R; Zweiner, 0-for-1, BB; Bishop, 0-for-2, R, BB | https://www.austindailyherald.com/2022/04/bp-baseball-team-falls-to-jwp/ | 2022-04-12T21:24:35 | 0 | https://www.austindailyherald.com/2022/04/bp-baseball-team-falls-to-jwp/ |
BREAKING: No charges for officer in fatal December shooting
Published 3:40 pm Tuesday, April 12, 2022
Austin Police Officer Zachary Gast will not be facing charges in the fatal December 2021 shooting of Kokou Christopher Fiafonou at Kwik Trip on Oakland Avenue West.
That was the determination by Olmsted County Attorney Mark A. Ostrem, who had taken over review of the case due to the working relationship between the Austin Police Department and the Mower County Attorney’s Office.
In a three-page letter released Wednesday by the Olmsted County Attorney’s Office, Ostrem said, “that the evidence does not support criminal charges against any of the officers involved, including Officer Zachary Gast of the Austin Police Department.”
The letter said that interviews with law enforcement at the scene as well as civilian witnesses at the Kwik Trip where Fiafonou was shot, along with video collected from the store and squad dash cam video clearly depicts the last few minutes of the encounter.
“… in order for a criminal complaint or indictment to be filed in this case, the evidence must show unreasonable conduct by the police, viewed from the perspective of a reasonable police officer,” Ostrem said. “The evidence must show that the use of deadly force was not necessary to protect the officer or another person from a threat of great bodily harm or death. Because the evidence in this case conclusively establishes that Officer Gast’s use of deadly force was reasonable, our office chooses to decline prosecution in this matter.”
The shooting occurred shortly after 9:30 p.m. on Dec. 23, 2021, when Fiafonou began walking to the Kwik Trip. This came after an approximately 24-hour long standoff at a residence in the 1200 block of Fourth Avenue NW, where Fiafonou resisted arrest and the attempts of negotiators to coax him out of the house.
Officers followed Fiafonou to the Kwik Trip and tried to distract him in an attempt to lure him away. However, Fiafonou continued to the store and was heard by officers stating he was going to hurt staff members. He was also observed carrying a long knife.
Officers were advised that if Fiafonou entered the store they would have to follow him in for public safety. Upon reaching Kwik Trip Fiafonou entered the store followed by Gast, however, after he did Fiafonou turned and left the store “aggressively.”
According to Ostrem’s letter, Gast was out of his car and standing between his squad and the store entrance when Fiafonou aggressively ran at him with the knife.
Gast gave a number of commands to Fiafonou that included “drop the knife” or “stop” or “get on the ground.” Fiafonou continued advancing and Gast, after retreating, fired his weapon a total of seven times.
Responding officers provided medical attention until an ambulance could arrive, but Fiafonou died at the scene.
“In this case, the facts conclusively establish that Officer Gast acted reasonably when choosing to employ deadly force,” Ostrem said in the letter. “Officer Gast reasonably believed that the use of deadly force was necessary to protect himself and several members of the community from death or great bodily harm.”
Austin Police Chief David McKichan has declined comment in the case. | https://www.austindailyherald.com/2022/04/breaking-no-charges-for-officer-in-fatal-december-shooting/ | 2022-04-12T21:24:42 | 0 | https://www.austindailyherald.com/2022/04/breaking-no-charges-for-officer-in-fatal-december-shooting/ |
Buxton, Bundy lift Twins to 4-0 win, split with Mariners
Published 7:00 am Tuesday, April 12, 2022
MINNEAPOLIS — Byron Buxton and Luis Arraez each had three hits and Dylan Bundy earned his first win in a Twins uniform as Minnesota won its series finale against the Seattle Mariners 4-0 on Monday night.
The Twins, who hit six home runs Sunday, entered the day leading the majors with nine. Minnesota didn’t go deep for the first time all season but scored enough runs anyway as it split the four-game series.
“That was great because we know we have a really good team,” Arraez said. “We just go out there and hit the ball and play baseball.”
After Jorge Polanco doubled in Buxton for the first run in the first inning, the Twins scored on three straight singles in the fifth. Arraez, Polanco and Gio Urshela all picked up RBI singles as Minnesota built a 4-0 lead.
That was enough run support for Bundy, who tossed five scoreless innings to win his Twins debut. The right-hander allowed just one hit, a two-out double in the second. He struck out two and walked one in 67 pitches.
Bundy (1-0) posted a career-worst 6.06 ERA in 23 games last year with the Angels, but the Twins signed the veteran this offseason with the hopes he could bounce back to bolster Minnesota’s rotation.
Including Bundy’s scoreless outing, Minnesota’s starting pitchers have a 4.00 ERA through the first four games.
“I think we have a bigger statement to make,” Bundy said. “I think every guy in the rotation can go deeper into games, and we will going forward.”
Chris Flexen (0-1) took the loss in his season debut. The righty allowed three runs on five hits and was lifted after 4 1/3 innings. Flexen is coming off a 14-win season in his first year with Seattle after spending the 2020 season pitching in Korea.
Two of Buxton’s three hits were doubles. He scored two runs and also got his first stolen base of the season in the sixth inning.
Seattle had just two runners reach third base all game. Julio Rodríguez was stranded on third in the third, and the Mariners couldn’t drive in Cal Reigh from third in the eighth against reliever Joe Smith.
“We struggled to get much going offensively,” manager Scott Servais said. “Obviously we had seen Bundy a bunch in the past, but he kept us off balance.”
TRIPLE DIGITS
Twins reliever Jhoan Duran pitched a scoreless ninth inning and repeatedly hit 100 mph on the Target Field radar gun. His fastest pitch was clocked at 102 mph.
“I haven’t seen 102 too many times,” Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said. “I know guys throw hard these days, but that’s some next-level stuff.”
The 24-year-old Duran spent his minor league career as a starter but has made his first two big league appearances in relief with the Twins.
SHOWING SOME GLOVE
New Twins shortstop Carlos Correa, signed in late March, was honored pregame with not one but two awards for his defense last season with the Houston Astros. He received his first Rawlings Gold Glove as the top defensive shortstop in the American League in 2021. In addition, he won the Platinum Glove as the top Gold Glove winner at any spot in the AL — as decided on by a combination of fan votes and sabermetrics. Correa received both trophies in an on-field presentation.
COMFORT WITH PITCHCOM
Servais estimated about 50% of his pitchers have used MLB’s new PitchCom system so far this season. “I think it speeds up the game, which I think is important,” he said.
UP NEXT
Mariners: RHP Matt Brash makes his MLB debut when the Mariners open a three-game series at the Chicago White Sox.
Twins: RHP Chris Archer will start his first game with the Twins as Minnesota begins a two-game home series against the Dodgers. | https://www.austindailyherald.com/2022/04/buxton-bundy-lift-twins-to-4-0-win-split-with-mariners/ | 2022-04-12T21:24:48 | 1 | https://www.austindailyherald.com/2022/04/buxton-bundy-lift-twins-to-4-0-win-split-with-mariners/ |
Carol A. Kraushaar, 86
Published 10:21 am Tuesday, April 12, 2022
Carol Ann Kraushaar, age 86, of Austin, Minnesota, passed away on Saturday, April 9, 2022, at Mayo Clinic Hospital Rochester, Saint Mary’s Campus. Carol Ann Nelson was born November 24, 1935, to Nordahl and Lenore (Olson) Nelson on the family farm in Lyle, Minnesota. She grew up with seven siblings who all contributed in one way or another to farm chores, whether they liked it or not. The farm gave us all lifetime memories and has continued to be a cherished gathering place for family and friends. Carol was baptized and confirmed at Six Mile Grove Lutheran Church in Lyle. She graduated from Lyle High School in 1953. On September 9, 1956, Carol married Spencer Morgan- her high school sweetheart. They later divorced after having three children. Carol married Robert “Bob” Kraushaar on July 2, 1976, at St. Olaf Lutheran Church. Carol worked for a short time at Hormel before returning to work as a secretary at St. Olaf Lutheran Church in Austin- which she enjoyed for 34 years. Carol was a devout member of St. Olaf Church. It was a rare occasion when she missed a Sunday church service. Carol loved handiwork of all kinds; including cross-stitch and needlepoint. She made hundreds of embroidered dish towels, afghan blankets, and crocheted hangers for her family and friends. Every year, Carol looked forward to heading Up North for a week vacation at the lake with the Nelson Clan- a 60-year tradition beloved by us all. Carol enjoyed weekly coffee gatherings on Saturday mornings with her lifelong neighborhood friends, and Fridays with her Lyle high school girlfriends. She spent countless hours playing Hearts on her computer-which we often accused her of cheating at. She will be remembered for her bright smile, sassy sense of humor, kindness, frugal-but generous nature, and her special “hint” of naughty:)
Survivors include her husband, Robert Kraushaar; children, Laurel Boss of Fort Collins, CO and Kevin Morgan of Waseca, MN; granddaughter Hayley Boss of Cloudcroft, NM; stepchildren, Sandy (Roger) Batt, of Algona, IA, Bev (Bruce) Baker of Kellogg, MN, Theresa Kraushaar of Austin, MN, Mary Hanson of Brooklyn Park, MN, Mike (Jenny) Kraushaar of Austin, MN, Jane Byrne of Plymouth, MN, and Patty (Earl) McLain of Maple Grove, MN, many step-grandchildren; siblings, Charlotte Feltz of Austin, MN and Chester Nelson of Lyle, MN; nieces and nephews. Carol was preceded in death by her daughter, Christine Ann Berg; and siblings, Leland, Eula, Norman, Eileen, and Gary.
A funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, April 13, 2022, at Worlein Funeral Home Chapel in Austin. Visitation will take place one hour prior to the service. Interment will be in Grandview Cemetery, Austin. Memorials are preferred to the American Diabetes Association. A special thanks to all the wonderful health care teams at Good Samaritan Comforcare, Primrose Retirement in Austin, Mayo Clinic- Austin, and St. Mary’s Hospital in Rochester for their compassionate and excellent care. Worlein Funeral Home of Austin is assisting the family with arrangements. Condolences may be expressed to the family online at www.worlein.com. | https://www.austindailyherald.com/2022/04/carol-a-kraushaar-86/ | 2022-04-12T21:24:55 | 1 | https://www.austindailyherald.com/2022/04/carol-a-kraushaar-86/ |
Jeremy Reid Johnson
Published 6:49 am Tuesday, April 12, 2022
Jeremy Reid Johnson died unexpectedly on March 4, 2022 in Minneapolis, MN. He was born March 19th, 1968 to Jerry Johnson and Joan (Cosgrove) Johnson in Austin, MN.
Jeremy was met on the other side by his mother, Joan Cosgrove Johnson; his sister Tracey, his aunts, uncles, grandparents, a few good friends, and many pets (especially his beloved birds.)
He is survived by his father, Jerry (Marilyn) Johnson, Austin, MN; Children, Sasha Hayes, Colton Johnson, Blake Johnson, Chris Marcks, Ashley Marcks, and Jameson Armstrong, as well as two beautiful granddaughters and three gorgeous grandsons.
Jeremy is also survived by his siblings; Brooke (Richard) Fitts, West Frankfort, IL, Bambi (Hilda Ramos) Perkins, San Francisco, CA, and Bradd (Sue Essig) Perkins, Coon Rapids, MN as well as his nieces and nephews; Katelyn, Erin, and Stephanie; Adam, Ben, Cody, and Anthony.
One of Jeremy’s great escapes was his art, in which he was extremely talented. He also loved the great outdoors and all animals, but he had a huge affinity for birds. We imagine there was a grand reunion in Heaven!
At a future date, there will be a Celebration of Life to honor Jeremy’s memory.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you discuss the devastating effects of drug use and addiction with the children in your life. In honor of Jeremy’s memory, please contact your local legislators to advocate for an increase of funding for addiction and mental health research and treatment.
May you go in peace, Jeremy. You are now with your Heavenly Father and your tired and relentless struggle is over. | https://www.austindailyherald.com/2022/04/jeremy-reid-johnson/ | 2022-04-12T21:25:01 | 0 | https://www.austindailyherald.com/2022/04/jeremy-reid-johnson/ |
AG Nessel urges committee to vote for bills related to opioid settlement payments
Mich. (WNEM) - Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel testified Tuesday to support bills addressing how hundreds of millions from the historic opioid settlement with multiple pharmaceutical distributors will be spent.
“I was up in Marquette a few weeks ago, and I am not exaggerating, when I tell you that the Marquette County Prosecutor had tears in his eyes. They were doing private fundraisers to try to get more bed space. And they just didn’t have the money that they needed. The epidemic is so bad,” Nessel said.
Nessel urged the committee to act quickly on voting for house bills 5968 and 5970 that would provide oversight on the disbursement of money from a major settlement.
The state is set to receive $776 million from a settlement with pharmaceutical distributors and an opioid manufacturer.
“This settlement will equip communities across our state with resources that were not previously available to better address the opioid crisis in support of Bateman efforts,” Nessel said.
The bills will create the Michigan Opioid Healing and Recovery Fund where half of the money will be paid to eligible local governments and the other will go to the state.
All the money from the agreement must go to opioid related treatments and infrastructure.
The bills call for the creation of an opioid advisory committee to make sure the funds are allocated appropriately.
“While local governments will receive direct payments, the timely deployment of state settlement dollars is also incredibly crucial to fight against the epidemic, but time is not on our side when it comes to Michigan’s opioid opioid epidemic. Some 3000 Michiganders lost their lives just last year to opioid overdoses,” Nessel said.
Copyright 2022 WNEM. All rights reserved. | https://www.wnem.com/2022/04/12/ag-nessel-urges-committee-vote-bills-related-opioid-settlement-payments/ | 2022-04-12T21:25:02 | 0 | https://www.wnem.com/2022/04/12/ag-nessel-urges-committee-vote-bills-related-opioid-settlement-payments/ |
Packer baseball team tops Cougars in opener
Published 8:04 am Tuesday, April 12, 2022
The Austin baseball team opened its season with a 4-2 win over Mankato East in Mankato Tuesday.
Austin (1-0 overall) trailed 1-0 to start the game, but Kody Blom and Isaac Stromlund each had key hits to help give the Packers a couple of two-run innings.
Austin pitching: Nick Robertson (W) 4 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 4 K; Sam Oehlfke, 2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 4 K; Peyton Ransom (S) 1 IP, 0 R, 3 K
Austin hitting: Lathan Wilson, 1-for-1, 2 BBs, 3 SB, R; Peyton Ransom, 1-for-4, 2 SB | https://www.austindailyherald.com/2022/04/packer-baseball-team-tops-cougars-in-opener/ | 2022-04-12T21:25:07 | 1 | https://www.austindailyherald.com/2022/04/packer-baseball-team-tops-cougars-in-opener/ |
Babysitter arrested after putting 4-year-old boy in dryer, police say
LAKE COUNTY, Fla. (Gray News) -A babysitter in Florida has been accused of putting a child who was under her care in a dryer.
Authorities in Lake County, Florida, report Amber Christine Chapman, 35, has been charged with aggravated child abuse.
Investigators say that a 4-year-old boy was taken to the UF Health Leesburg Hospital on Feb. 1 and told medical staff that “Miss Amber” had put him in the dryer with towels, and he spun around.
Staff noted multiple areas of bruising on the boy’s head, back and both ears, as indicated by police.
In a recorded interview with the child on Feb. 7, police said the boy told them that Chapman placed him in the dryer, closed the door, and he spun around. The boy also said Chapman opened the door, closed it again, and then went around again.
On Feb. 2, the boy was examined at the Children’s Advocacy Center, according to police. Injuries were found on the boy’s head, abdomen and back.
The team was unable to determine if being placed in the dryer caused the boy’s injuries, but the team told police that the injuries to his back, face, forehead and ears were consistent with what he had told doctors of what had happened.
Police said the boy had frequently been watched by Chapman in the past.
Copyright 2022 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.wnem.com/2022/04/12/babysitter-accused-putting-4-year-old-dryer-child-sent-hospital-police-say/ | 2022-04-12T21:25:08 | 0 | https://www.wnem.com/2022/04/12/babysitter-accused-putting-4-year-old-dryer-child-sent-hospital-police-say/ |
Plea deal rejected by 3 ex-officers in George Floyd’s death
Published 7:02 am Tuesday, April 12, 2022
MINNEAPOLIS — Prosecutors revealed Monday evening that they offered plea deals to three former Minneapolis police officers charged with aiding and abetting the murder of George Floyd, but said at a hearing that the defendants rejected them.
Hennepin County Judge Peter Cahill held the hearing mostly to consider whether he has the authority to allow live video coverage of the upcoming trial set to begin in June for former Officers Tou Thao, Thomas Lane and J. Alexander Kueng. They’re charged with aiding and abetting both manslaughter and murder when former officer Derek Chauvin used his knee to pin Floyd, a Black man, to the pavement for 9 1/2 minutes on May 25, 2020. Kueng knelt on Floyd’s back, Lane held his legs and Thao kept bystanders back.
Lead prosecutor Matthew Frank did not disclose details of the plea offers in open court but said they were identical and were made March 22 after a jury convicted the three in a separate trial in February on federal civil rights charges stemming from Floyd’s death, according to pool reports from inside the courtroom.
Lane’s attorney, Earl Gray, said it was hard for the defense to negotiate when the three still don’t know what their federal sentences will be. The judge in that case has not set a sentencing date, and all three remain free on bail.
Cahill told Frank to file the offers for the record after the jury is seated for the upcoming trial, which is expected to take around eight weeks, including three for jury selection.
Cahill took the rare step of allowing live audiovisual coverage of Chauvin’s murder trial last year, making an exception to the normal rules of Minnesota courts. He cited the extenuating circumstance of the need to balance protecting participants from COVID-19 against the constitutional requirement for a public trial.
Now that the U.S. has entered a new phase of living with the coronavirus, Cahill must decide whether to allow the same sort of access for the trial of Thao, Lane and Kueng. He did not rule during their pretrial hearing, and said he won’t until after the Minnesota Judicial Council — a panel of leading judges and court administrators — meets Thursday to discuss the issue.
Attorney Leita Walker, who represents a coalition of media organizations, including The Associated Press, urged Cahill to allow video coverage again, saying it’s the most reasonable way to ensure public and media access to the trial. She said the public got to watch Chauvin’s trial, and that interest remains high because both involve Floyd’s death. The killing, which was recorded on video, sparked protests around the world and a national reckoning on race.
“The public is just not going to understand why they got to watch that one gavel to gavel and they won’t be able to watch this one,” Walker said.
But Cahill questioned Walker’s assertions that he has the authority to make another exception and that the pandemic is still an extenuating circumstance.
“COVID-19 is less of a pandemic and more of an endemic issue now,” Cahill said.
Cahill noted that while he has publicly said he now believes the legal presumption should be to allow televised trials, he pointed out that that’s not the rule yet. “I’m still sworn to uphold the law,” he said.
Defense attorneys said they still oppose audiovisual coverage of the upcoming trial, and renewed concerns about the willingness of witnesses to testify.
Minnesota court rules generally require the consent of all parties for audiovisual coverage of trials, with fewer restrictions for sentencings. Chauvin’s trial was the first in Minnesota to be entirely televised, from jury selection to his murder conviction to his sentencing to 22 1/2 years in prison. People worldwide tuned into the livestreams.
“I think livestreaming that trial enabled people here and around the world to see the inner workings of a system that was handling one of the most important trials of our time,” Suki Dardarian, senior managing editor and vice president of the Star Tribune of Minneapolis, which is part of the media coalition, said before the hearing.
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison’s office initially opposed having cameras in the court for Chauvin’s trial, but now supports them for the other officers’ upcoming trial.
“The Chauvin trial demonstrated the benefits of robust public access to this important case and proved that the Court could successfully navigate the concerns animating the State’s initial opposition to audio and video coverage,” prosecutors wrote last week. “The Court’s commendable transparency inspired public confidence in the proceedings and helped ensure calm in Minneapolis and across the country.”
Due to federal court rules, live video coverage was not allowed for the first trial of Thao, Lane and Kueng this year, when all three were convicted of violating Floyd’s civil rights. Nor was it allowed for Chauvin’s federal case in which he pleaded guilty to civil rights violations. But it was allowed in the
December state court trial of former Brooklyn Center Officer Kim Potter in the death of Daunte Wright, who was killed one year ago Monday.
An advisory committee to the Minnesota Supreme Court is considering whether to allow more video coverage of criminal proceedings. It’s due to release its report by July 1.
Cahill, in a letter to the committee, said he had opposed cameras in criminal cases before, but that his experience in Chauvin’s case changed his opinion, and he now believes they should be presumptively allowed, subject to the trial judge’s discretion.
Hennepin County Judge Regina Chu, who presided over Potter’s trial, told the Star Tribune in an interview that both the Potter and Chauvin trials convinced her that cameras can be present without being disruptive.
“I forgot they were even there,” Chu told the newspaper. | https://www.austindailyherald.com/2022/04/plea-deal-rejected-by-3-ex-officers-in-george-floyds-death/ | 2022-04-12T21:25:13 | 1 | https://www.austindailyherald.com/2022/04/plea-deal-rejected-by-3-ex-officers-in-george-floyds-death/ |
Chair of county democratic party speaks on clerk being charged
GENESEE CO., Mich. (WNEM) - A local county’s democratic party is under fire after its county clerk was arrested last week on multiple charges.
Ashley Prew, Chair of the Genesee County Democratic Party, reacted to Friday’s arrest of county clerk John Gleason.
“I was surprised. I didn’t expect charges against John Gleason individually,” Prew said.
Gleason is charged with one count of witness bribing/intimidating/interfering. A felony punishable by up to four years in prison and/or a $5,000 fine.
He is also facing a willful neglect of duty charge. A misdemeanor that carries a penalty of one year in prison and/or a $1,000 fine.
TV5 has learned Gleason’s alleged victims are two female employees at the Genesee County Clerk’s Office.
“It seems very clear that he has a lot of good people working in his office. But the allegations seem to stem from him as an individual,” Prew said.
Prew said she has not talked to Gleason since his arrest. Prew is not calling for him to resign, but she thinks there are things the county clerk needs to consider.
“If Mr. Gleason believes he cannot fulfill the role of county clerk now that he is addressing these allegations, it would make sense for him to step down. But if he can, then I can’t tell him what to do,” Prew said.
Prew said she is disappointed about what is going on in Genesee County. She does think the group can handle the recent news about Gleason.
“I think it’s concerning. But I don’t think it is a representation of the democratic party as a whole. The Democratic Board of Commissioners launched the investigation. The Democratic Sheriff’s Department did an investigation that led to charges. And I think it’s really important to separate an individual and allegations from the party as a whole,” Prew said.
Copyright 2022 WNEM. All rights reserved. | https://www.wnem.com/2022/04/12/chair-county-democratic-party-speaks-clerk-being-charged/ | 2022-04-12T21:25:15 | 0 | https://www.wnem.com/2022/04/12/chair-county-democratic-party-speaks-clerk-being-charged/ |
Severe weather possible tonight
Published 9:23 am Tuesday, April 12, 2022
Southeast Minnesota is looking at a good chance for severe weather tonight.
According to the National Weather Service, storms could start forming between late this afternoon and 3 a.m. tomorrow morning. Mainly, these storms will be limited to northeast Iowa and southeast Minnesota.
There is an 80% chance of rain this afternoon, mostly before 5 p.m. Rainfall amounts are predicted to be around a .10th of an inch, but could be possibly higher in the event of a storm.
Between a half and three quarters of an inch of rain is possible tonight. | https://www.austindailyherald.com/2022/04/severe-weather-possible-tonight/ | 2022-04-12T21:25:19 | 1 | https://www.austindailyherald.com/2022/04/severe-weather-possible-tonight/ |
COVID-19, overdoses pushed US to highest death total ever
NEW YORK (AP) — 2021 was the deadliest year in U.S. history, and new data and research are offering more insights into how it got that bad.
The main reason for the increase in deaths? COVID-19, said Robert Anderson, who oversees the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s work on death statistics.
The agency this month quietly updated its provisional death tally. It showed there were 3.465 million deaths last year, or about 80,000 more than 2020′s record-setting total.
Early last year, some experts were optimistic that 2021 would not be as bad as the first year of the pandemic — partly because effective COVID-19 vaccines had finally become available.
“We were wrong, unfortunately,” said Noreen Goldman, a Princeton University researcher.
COVID-19 deaths rose in 2021 — to more than 415,000, up from 351,000 the year before — as new coronavirus variants emerged and an unexpectedly large numbers of Americans refused to get vaccinated or were hesitant to wear masks, experts said.
The coronavirus is not solely to blame. Preliminary CDC data also shows the crude death rate for cancer rose slightly, and rates continued to increase for diabetes, chronic liver disease and stroke.
Drug overdose deaths also continued to rise. The CDC does not yet have a tally for 2021 overdose deaths, because it can take weeks of lab work and investigation to identify them. But provisional data through October suggests the nation is on track to see at least 105,000 overdose deaths in 2021 — up from 93,000 the year before.
New research released Tuesday showed a particularly large jump in overdose deaths among 14- to 18-year-olds.
Adolescent overdose death counts were fairly constant for most of the last decade, at around 500 a year, according to the paper published by the Journal of the American Medical Association. They almost doubled in 2020, to 954, and the researchers estimated that the total hit nearly 1,150 last year.
Joseph Friedman, a UCLA researcher who was the paper’s lead author, called the spike “unprecedented.”
Those teen overdose deaths were only around 1% of the U.S. total. But adolescents experienced a greater relative increase than the overall population, even though surveys suggest drug use among teens is down.
Experts attributed the spike to fentanyl, a highly lethal drug that has been cut into heroin for several years. More recently it’s also been pressed into counterfeit pills resembling prescription drugs that teens sometimes abuse.
The total number of U.S. deaths often increases year to year as the U.S. population grows. But 2020 and 2021 saw extraordinary jumps in death numbers and rates, due largely to the pandemic.
Those national death trends affect life expectancy — an estimate of the average number of years a baby born in a given year might expect to live.
With rare exceptions, U.S. life expectancy has reliably inched up year after year. But the CDC’s life expectancy estimate for 2020 was about 77 years — more than a year and a half lower than what it was in 2019.
The CDC has not yet reported its calculation for 2021. But Goldman and some other researchers have been making their own estimates, presented in papers that have not yet been published in peer-reviewed journals.
Those researchers think U.S. life expectancy dropped another five or six months in 2021 — putting it back to where it was 20 years ago.
A loss of more than two years of life expectancy over the last two years “is mammoth,” Goldman said.
One study looked at death data in the U.S. and 19 other high-income countries. The U.S. fared the worst.
“What happened in the U.S. is less about the variants than the levels of resistance to vaccination and the public’s rejection of practices, such as masking and mandates, to reduce viral transmission,” one of the study’s authors, Dr. Steven Woolf of Virginia Commonwealth University, said in a statement.
Some experts are skeptical that life expectancy will quickly bounce back. They worry about long-term complications of COVID-19 that may hasten the deaths of people with chronic health problems.
Preliminary — and incomplete — CDC data suggest there were at least 805,000 U.S. deaths in about the first three months of this year. That’s well below the same period last year, but higher than the comparable period in 2020.
“We may end up with a ‘new normal’ that’s a little higher than it was before,” Anderson said.
___
The Associated Press Health & Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wnem.com/2022/04/12/covid-19-overdoses-pushed-us-highest-death-total-ever/ | 2022-04-12T21:25:21 | 0 | https://www.wnem.com/2022/04/12/covid-19-overdoses-pushed-us-highest-death-total-ever/ |
Vikings can’t keep up with WEM softball team
Published 8:00 am Tuesday, April 12, 2022
The Hayfield softball team lost to Waterville-Elysian-Morristown 6-3 in Hayfield Tuesday.
Anna Bamlet struck out 10 and allowed just three earned runs for the Vikings (1-2 overall).
Hayfield pitching: Anna Bamlet (L) 6 IP, 7 H, 2 BB, 6 R, 3 ER, 10 K
Hayfield hitting: Jo Tempel, 1-for-4, triple, RBI, R; Kenna Selk, 1-for-4, R; Bamlet, 2-for-4; Nora Bamlet, 1-for-4, R; Natalie Beaver, 1-for-4; Allison Meier, 2-for-4; Betsy Gillette, 2-for-4, R; Taylor Dick, 1-for-2, RBI, R | https://www.austindailyherald.com/2022/04/vikings-cant-keep-up-with-wem-softball-team/ | 2022-04-12T21:25:25 | 0 | https://www.austindailyherald.com/2022/04/vikings-cant-keep-up-with-wem-softball-team/ |
Former Huntington Event Park now named Jolt Credit Union Event Park
Published: Apr. 12, 2022 at 4:42 PM EDT|Updated: 41 minutes ago
SAGINAW, Mich. (WNEM) - The now former Huntington Event Park across the street from the Dow Event Center in Saginaw has a new name.
It will now be known as the Jolt Credit Union Event Park.
A spokesperson for Jolt, Bridget Staffileno, said the move is about bringing more people and more outdoor events downtown.
“I think having Jolt Credit Union Event Park is just a natural extension of what Jolt already is in the community. What we’re doing is we are creating deeper roots, and we’re already here but we want to show people that we’re not going anywhere,” Staffileno said.
Jolt anticipates the partnership will bring more concerts and festivals to the venue.
Copyright 2022 WNEM. All rights reserved. | https://www.wnem.com/2022/04/12/former-huntington-event-park-now-named-jolt-credit-union-event-park/ | 2022-04-12T21:25:27 | 0 | https://www.wnem.com/2022/04/12/former-huntington-event-park-now-named-jolt-credit-union-event-park/ |
Mid-Michigan bakery forced to raise prices due to increasing production costs
Mich. (WNEM) - Local bakeries have been one of the many industries affected by increasing costs.
The ingredients bought in bulk every week cost more, and delivery expensive are increasing.
Bakeries buying exponentially more ingredients are feeling the pressure lately.
Greg “Ryno” Rynearson is the “Cop-Owner” of Cops and Doughnuts.
“Scratch bakeries are becoming few and far between. They’re very labor intensive and now the cost of goods are getting quite high. A lot of people think that the bakery should always be this super inexpensive location to go get a lot of things but we’ve gotta keep the, the costs taken care of,” Rynearson said.
He said, starting May 1, they are raising their prices.
“We want to stay in business, we don’t want to be one of these that close up. And sometimes people say, boy it seems like you might be a little high on something. Well, our bakery’s been here for a, 126 years in July. And we want to keep that going,” Rynearson said.
Deluxe doughnuts will be going up about $.20, and a dozen will go up about $2.
“We went in to where we were having the labor issues. And then now it’s gone from the labor issues right into the cost of goods. And it’s the biggest increase since we’ve started,” Rynearson said.
Nearly everything a bakery needs -- eggs, flour, and sugar has all gone up in price.
Rynearson said fry oil went up nearly 50 percent since last year.
“So, we just can’t keep absorbing this. We traditionally have done price modifications every may. Because that’s usually when the price changes come. Last year we did do a price change, but the increases actually were higher than what we had planned for, but we did absorb that throughout the year retail,” Rynearson said.
Beyond bakery materials, high fuel prices are being passed on from food suppliers to bakeries if they need items delivered.
Copyright 2022 WNEM. All rights reserved. | https://www.wnem.com/2022/04/12/mid-michigan-bakery-forced-raise-prices-due-increasing-production-costs/ | 2022-04-12T21:25:33 | 1 | https://www.wnem.com/2022/04/12/mid-michigan-bakery-forced-raise-prices-due-increasing-production-costs/ |
Newborn surrendered to hospital staff under ‘safe haven’ law
GREENVILLE, S.C. (FOX Carolina/Gray News) – A newborn was handed over to officials in South Carolina under protection of the state’s Safe Haven for Abandoned Babies Act.
The Greenwood County Department of Social Services is caring for the baby, who was given to medical professionals at Self Regional Medical Center.
According to social services, the baby boy was born April 8 weighing 6 pounds and 3 ounces.
The child was turned over to hospital staff two days after he was born. Social services officials said the baby will be placed in a foster home.
South Carolina’s Safe Haven for Abandoned Babies Act, also known as Daniel’s Law, allows a mother to surrender her unharmed newborn baby at a designated location without punishment. Babies up to 60 days old can be surrendered under this law.
“Daniel’s Law is intended to save babies,” the website of the South Carolina Department of Social Services reads. “It is not intended to hurt or punish anyone. It provides a safe option for mother and baby.”
Copyright 2022 WHNS via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.wnem.com/2022/04/12/newborn-surrendered-hospital-staff-under-safe-haven-law/ | 2022-04-12T21:25:40 | 0 | https://www.wnem.com/2022/04/12/newborn-surrendered-hospital-staff-under-safe-haven-law/ |
Photographer arrested after taking inappropriate pictures of young girl, police say
Published: Apr. 12, 2022 at 4:40 PM EDT|Updated: 44 minutes ago
COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS/Gray News) – A photographer in South Carolina was arrested Friday after deputies said they received a report of him taking inappropriate photographs of a young girl, according to police.
The Richland County Sheriff’s Department said Gregg Martin, 53, groomed the child and gave her illegal substances while she was under his care.
Police did not disclose the victim’s exact age but confirmed she is a minor.
Martin has been charged with engaging a child under 18 for sexual performance and unlawful conduct toward a child.
The sheriff’s department is asking anyone else who feels they have been a victim of Martin to contact them at (803)-576-3000.
Copyright 2022 WIS via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.wnem.com/2022/04/12/photographer-arrested-after-taking-inappropriate-pictures-young-girl-police-say/ | 2022-04-12T21:25:46 | 1 | https://www.wnem.com/2022/04/12/photographer-arrested-after-taking-inappropriate-pictures-young-girl-police-say/ |
Saginaw food pantry feeling pressure to keep buying items in bulk
SAGINAW, Mich. (WNEM) - Inflated food prices are forcing more people to head to their local food pantry to stock up on staples.
Those pantries are feeling the same pinch to their funds, buying thousands of dollars’ worth of food to giveaway every week.
“We see little kids in the car that said ‘mommy can I, can I grab that bag of snacks right now and start eating it? Because I’m hungry,’” said Terry Rock, Ecumenical Food Pantry manager.
The need for food is back up to pandemic levels.
“We get stories every, every week. ‘Thank god you guys are here. We haven’t had any food in the house for two days,’” Rock said.
The Ecumenical Food Pantry is struggling to keep up.
“We’re seeing a lot of new people coming through. You know, you’re out here every week you get to know the people that are coming in. But we’re seeing a lot of new people coming through. And it’s been a challenge for us for the amount of food that we, we do try to put in the box,” Rock said.
Rock is the manager of the food pantry at Saginaw’s First Presbyterian Church.
“I think it’s a sign of the times again. And you know, people are struggling to make ends meet with their, with their budgets and the food. And we try to fluctuate the menu every week,” Rock said.
Rock said inflation has sent more people back to food giveaway lines, but also put pressure on pantries and food banks buying items in bulk.
Some of the people coming to the food pantry want to help. They give what few dollars they have, even though the boxes are free.
The pantry also hasn’t been able to host “Hunger Hop,” its annual fundraiser.
“The average box carries about $34, $35 worth of food in the box. So, it’s a struggle for us to maintain the coffers for that because we’re a nonprofit,” Rock said.
The math comes out to be just under $5,000 a week in food, not including gas for transportation.
Rock hopes everyone that used to come to the hunger hop can donate that money now.
Copyright 2022 WNEM. All rights reserved. | https://www.wnem.com/2022/04/12/saginaw-food-pantry-feeling-pressure-keep-buying-items-bulk/ | 2022-04-12T21:25:53 | 1 | https://www.wnem.com/2022/04/12/saginaw-food-pantry-feeling-pressure-keep-buying-items-bulk/ |
VIDEO: Officer injured after metal luggage rack goes through patrol car’s windshield
MESA, Ariz. (KNXV) - A detective in Arizona is recovering after a scary incident over the weekend while he was behind the wheel.
Part of a metal luggage rack went through Mesa Police Department Det. Nick Cureton’s patrol car’s windshield as he was driving on the highway.
“I saw the item coming through the windshield and didn’t really have a lot of time to react,” Cureton said.
The officer said he didn’t know what item initially came through his windshield, but the piece of metal sent glass flying into his eyes.
“It hit me in the ribs as it ended up wedging itself between my left arm and my ribs,” Cureton said.
The luggage rack ended up bruising Cureton, who said he had to bring his car to a stop during the incident immediately.
“I tried to slow my car down as best as I could. After a while came to a complete stop, I threw my lights on, put my car in park, took a couple of deep breaths and then just tried to figure out if that item had actually gone into me or was just resting alongside me,” Cureton said.
Officials with Arizona’s Department of Transportation report debris on the roads is a problem and something the team continues to combat.
“It is so important for safety’s sake to ensure that any large items you’re hauling somewhere are safely secured and strapped to your vehicle,” said Ryan Harding, with ADOT.
Representatives with Arizona’s Department of Public Safety said driving with an unsecured load is illegal, and drivers can face citations and hefty fines.
According to the department, more than 300 drivers have been cited each year for failing to secure their load over the last three years, but nearly 150 yearly collisions have still occurred.
“It comes to those questions: ‘Would I feel safe driving behind my vehicle as it is, or would I be nervous?’” Harding said.
Cureton said he was taken to the hospital after last week’s incident, but he is recovering and hopes his story can help prevent future issues.
“I think it’s definitely a responsibility of all the drivers that are going to be out there to make sure that they secure whatever is in their vehicles to try and stop this from happening,” Cureton said.
Copyright 2022 KNXV via CNN Newsource. All rights reserved. | https://www.wnem.com/2022/04/12/video-officer-injured-after-metal-luggage-rack-goes-through-patrol-cars-windshield/ | 2022-04-12T21:25:59 | 0 | https://www.wnem.com/2022/04/12/video-officer-injured-after-metal-luggage-rack-goes-through-patrol-cars-windshield/ |
Boris Johnson fined by police over parties held during COVID lockdown
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Tuesday he paid a fine from police for attending a lockdown-breaching birthday party in his official residence, making him the first British leader to be sanctioned for breaking the law while in office.
The fines for Johnson, his wife, Carrie, and Treasury chief Rishi Sunak brought a simmering crisis for the prime minister back to a full boil, with opposition politicians immediately calling for his resignation.
Johnson and his Conservative government have faced growing outrage since allegations surfaced late last year that he and his staff flouted Britain's pandemic restrictions and held office parties in 2020 and 2021 when millions in the country were barred from meeting with friends and family — or even attending funerals for their loved ones.
"I have paid the fine and want to offer a full apology," Johnson said. "I understand the anger many will feel that I myself fell short when it came to observing the very rules which the government I lead had introduced to protect the public. I accept in all sincerity that people had the right to expect better."
Downing Street said Johnson was being sanctioned for attending a "gathering of two or more people indoors in the Cabinet Room at 10 Downing Street" on June 19, 2020. The event was a surprise birthday party for the prime minister.
Johnson said the gathering lasted "less than 10 minutes," and "at that time, it did not occur to me this might have been a breach of the rules."
London's Metropolitan Police force said it had issued at least 50 fines after investigating a dozen events held in 10 Downing St. and other government buildings. They reportedly included "bring your own booze" office parties and "wine time Fridays" organized by Johnson's staff.
The force did not identify the recipients or the size of the fines. But Johnson's office confirmed shortly after that the prime minister and Sunak each received notice Tuesday that they would be issued with fines for an undisclosed amount. If paid promptly, such fines do not result in a criminal record.
Opponents, and some members of the governing Conservative Party, say Johnson should resign.
Thousands of people were fined between 60 pounds ($79) and 10,000 pounds ($13,200) by police for rule-breaking social gatherings during the pandemic.
"Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak have broken the law and repeatedly lied to the British public," said Keir Starmer, leader of the opposition Labour Party. "The Conservatives are totally unfit to govern. Britain deserves better."
Opposition parties called for lawmakers to be recalled from their Easter break for a vote of no-confidence in Johnson.
The COVID-19 Bereaved Families for Justice group said "there is simply no way" that Johnson or Sunak can remain in their jobs.
"It's still unbelievably painful to know that the Prime Minister was partying and breaking his own lockdown rules – while we were unable to be at our loved ones' sides in their dying moments," said the group's spokesman Lobby Akinnola.
A total of 16 parties were investigated by a senior civil servant, Sue Gray, with a dozen of them also under investigation by the Metropolitan Police.
In January, Gray published a report into some of the gatherings, the ones not under criminal investigation. She said "failures of leadership and judgment" in Johnson's government allowed events to occur that should not have happened.
The report said some of the gatherings showed a "serious failure to observe" standards for government, and some behavior at the parties was "difficult to justify" given how the public was asked to restrict their lives.
Johnson's grip on power had appeared to be on a knife-edge earlier this year because of the scandal and the departure of several top aides. Allies feared "partygate" could become a tipping point for a leader who has weathered a series of other storms over his expenses, and his moral judgment.
Some Conservative lawmakers were openly calling for a no-confidence vote in their leader — something that can happen if 15% of Conservative lawmakers demand it.
But Johnson has hung on, partly because Russia's invasion of Ukraine distracted public and political attention.
Johnson's international image, battered by Britain's messy exit from the European Union under his leadership, has been revived by his firm military, political and moral support for Ukraine. Johnson traveled to Kyiv last weekend to meet with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Johnson might also benefit from the woes afflicting Sunak, the 41-year-old Treasury chief who has been seen as a potential rival and successor. The fine for Sunak comes as he also faces a backlash over the spiraling cost of living and questions about his financial arrangements and the tax status of his wealthy wife.
Jill Rutter, a senior fellow at the Institute for Government think-tank, said "partygate" had damaged the reputation of both the government and the civil service.
"The line, 'It's one rule for them and another law for the rest of us' really does resonate," she said.
Rutter said Johnson was probably safe for now but could face fresh peril if the Conservatives take a hammering in next month's local elections.
"And with the prime minister, there's always a possibility that something else comes out," she said. "So you wouldn't say that it's guaranteed plain sailing through to the 2023-2024 election. But I think we definitely premature to write him off now."
___
Associated Press Writer Danica Kirka contributed. | https://www.koat.com/article/boris-johnson-fined-covid-19-lockdown-parties/39705966 | 2022-04-12T21:38:44 | 0 | https://www.koat.com/article/boris-johnson-fined-covid-19-lockdown-parties/39705966 |
Comedian Gilbert Gottfried dies after long illness, family says
Gilbert Gottfried, the actor and legendary standup comic known for his raw, scorched voice and crude jokes, has died. He was 67.
Gottfried died from a rare genetic muscle disease that can trigger a dangerously abnormal heartbeat. his publicist and longtime friend Glenn Schwartz said in a statement.
“In addition to being the most iconic voice in comedy, Gilbert was a wonderful husband, brother, friend and father to his two young children. Although today is a sad day for all of us, please keep laughing as loud as possible in Gilbert’s honor,” his family said in a statement posted on Twitter.
Gottfried was a fiercely independent and intentionally bizarre comedian's comedian, as likely to clear a room with anti-comedy as he was to kill it with his jokes.
He first came to national attention with frequent appearances on MTV in its early days and with a brief stint in the cast of “Saturday Night Live” in the 1980s.
Gottfried also did frequent voice work for children's television and movies, most famously playing the parrot Iago in Disney's “Aladdin.”
He was particularly fond of doing obscure and dated impressions for as long as he could milk them, including Groucho Marx, Bela Lugosi and Andrew “Dice” Clay.
In his early days at the club the Comedy Store in Hollywood, the managers would have him do his impression of then-little-known Jerry Seinfeld at the end of the night to get rid of lingering patrons.
Gottfried was especially beloved by his fellow comedians and performers.
“I am so sad to read about the passing of Gilbert Gottfried,” actor Marlee Matlin said on Twitter. “Funny, politically incorrect but a softie on the inside. We met many times; he even pranked me on a plane, replacing my interpreter.”
“Seinfeld” actor Jason Alexander tweeted that “Gilbert Gottfried made me laugh at times when laughter did not come easily. What a gift."
Gottfried was born in Brooklyn, the son of a hardware store owner and a stay-at-home mom. He began doing amateur standup at age 15.
“Gilbert’s brand of humor was brash, shocking and frequently offensive, but the man behind the jokes was anything but," Gottfried's friend and podcast co-host Frank Santopadre said in a statement. “Those who loved him and were fortunate enough to share his orbit knew a person who was sweet, sensitive, surprisingly shy and filled with a childlike sense of playfulness and wonder.”
Gottfried is survived by his wife Dara, sister Karen, 14-year-old daughter Lily and 12-year-old son, Max. | https://www.koat.com/article/gilbert-gottfried-obit/39705508 | 2022-04-12T21:38:55 | 1 | https://www.koat.com/article/gilbert-gottfried-obit/39705508 |
Fire in Nogal Canyon prompts immediate evacuation for Nogal Canyon
Mandatory evacuations have been ordered for Nogal Canyon due to a wildfire burning in the area of Nogal Canyon. Homes and outbuildings are threatened at this time.
Evacuations
All of Nogal Canyon is under an immediate evacuation notice.
Evacuees can go to Carrizozo Schools at 800 D Ave in Carrizozo.
All livestock that have been evacuated can be taken to the Capitan Fairgrounds in Capitan.
Fire Information
Size: 20 acres
Containment: 0%
Evacuations: All of Nogal Canyon
Cause: Unknown, Under Investigation
Date/Time Detected: April 12, 2022, 1:25pm
Location: Nogal Canyon, both sides of the canyon
Firefighting Resources: County and Forest Service firefighting resources, 2 aircraft. Additional resources have been ordered.
Fuel Type: Grasses, timber
Values at Risk: Homes and outbuildings | https://www.koat.com/article/nogal-canyon-wildfire-lincoln-county/39706110 | 2022-04-12T21:39:05 | 1 | https://www.koat.com/article/nogal-canyon-wildfire-lincoln-county/39706110 |
South Dakota attorney general impeached after killing pedestrian in 2020 crash
The South Dakota House on Tuesday impeached state Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg over a 2020 car crash in which he killed a pedestrian but initially said he might have struck a deer or another large animal.
Ravnsborg, a Republican, is the first official to be impeached in South Dakota history. He will at least temporarily be removed from office pending the historic Senate trial, where it takes a two-thirds majority to convict on impeachment charges.
Ravnsborg pleaded no contest last year to a pair of traffic misdemeanors in the crash, including making an illegal lane change. He has cast Joseph Boever’s death as a tragic accident.
In voting 36-31 to impeach Ranvsborg, the Republican-controlled House charged him with committing crimes that caused someone’s death, making "numerous misrepresentations" to law enforcement officers after the crash and using his office to navigate the criminal investigation.
"When we're dealing with the life of one of your citizens, I think that weighed heavily on everyone," said Republican Rep. Will Mortenson, who introduced the articles of impeachment.
A spokesman for Ravnsborg did not reply to a request for comment after the vote. Tim Bormann, the attorney general’s chief of staff, said his staff would "professionally dedicate ourselves" to their work while Ranvsborg is forced to take a leave.
Ravnsborg, who took office in 2019, was returning home from a Republican dinner in September 2020 when he struck and killed Boever, who was walking along a rural highway. A sheriff who responded after Ravnsborg called 911 initially reported it as a collision with an animal. Ravnsborg has said he did not realize he hit a man until he returned the next day and found the body.
The Highway Patrol concluded that Ravnsborg's car crossed completely onto the highway shoulder before hitting Boever, and criminal investigators said later that they didn’t believe some of Ravnsborg’s statements.
The House rejected the recommendation of a GOP-backed majority report from a special investigative committee, which argued that anything wrong he did was not part of his official duties "in office." But even Republican lawmakers who argued his actions did not meet constitutional grounds for impeachment said Ravnsborg should resign.
"He should have stepped down, should have done the honorable thing," said House Speaker Spencer Gosch, a Republican who oversaw the House investigation and voted against impeachment.
All eight House Democrats voted for impeachment, while Republicans were split, with 28 voting for it and 31 against. One Republican lawmaker, Rep. Scott Odenbach, recused himself because he had given legal advice to the attorney general after the crash.
Ravnsborg, who had been largely silent about the crash and was not present for the vote, sent lawmakers a pair of defiant letters Monday night urging them not to impeach him.
"In a few hours, your vote will set a precedent for years to come," Ravnsborg wrote. "No state has ever impeached an elected official for a traffic accident."
He also accused Republican Gov. Kristi Noem of interfering in the investigation and of supporting impeachment because of the attorney general's investigations into her behavior. A second letter from Ravnsborg’s spokesman delved into "evidence, allegations and misconceptions" about the case.
After Ravnsborg fell out with the governor after the crash, he pushed a pair of ethics complaints against Noem to the state's Government Accountability Board. His office is also investigating whether an organization aligned with the governor broke campaign finance disclosure laws.
Noem lauded the vote on Twitter, writing that the House "did the right thing for the people of South Dakota and for Joe Boever's family."
For Boever's family, who held his wedding photo as they watched from the House gallery during the vote, the decision brought some relief. They have decried the criminal prosecution as a "slap on the wrist" for Ravnsborg.
"We’re a step closer to justice. We're not done," said Boever's cousin, Nick Nemec.
"Now we just need the Senate's help on this because these laws need to be changed badly," said Jennifer Boever, who was married to Boever. "People are getting hurt and killed, and the pedestrian has no self-defense against a 4,000-pound vehicle." | https://www.koat.com/article/south-dakota-attorney-general-impeached/39705887 | 2022-04-12T21:39:15 | 1 | https://www.koat.com/article/south-dakota-attorney-general-impeached/39705887 |
It’s the 1930s gas station building that could and still can.
The longtime Gulf station at Washington Avenue and Marcy Street pumped its last gasoline in 1994 as an Exxon station, then continued as a bank branch until U.S. Bank closed in January 2021.
Now the revered Los Poblanos Historic Inn & Organic Farm in Los Ranchos de Albuquerque will restore the historic Sinclair Oil look from the 1930s at the station as it plans to open a retail store for its branded spa products and gin, as well as have a gin tasting room.
“That building has a beautiful outdoor space,” said Matthew Rembe, executive director of Los Poblanos Historic Inn & Organic Farm, which his family acquired in 1976. “We feel we can energize that corner [Marcy and Washington] with people outside.”
Los Poblanos in coming months will expand into gin production from botanicals and lavender grown at its farm on Rio Grande Boulevard, just north of Montaño Road. It will have three gin tasting rooms — in Albuquerque, in Santa Fe and at the farm, said Sara Sheesley, marketing director at Los Poblanos.
“We will keep it to that and see where it goes,” Sheesley said about the three planned outlets.
The distillery and Albuquerque tasting room will be in the same Fourth Street building. Gin production has not started, she said.
“The gin is still in development,” she said.
The Santa Fe outpost fits precisely into the era when the Los Poblanos hacienda was built in 1932, designed by Santa Fe architect John Gaw Meem. The Santa Fe Historic Preservation Division determined the gas station was built around 1935 to 1937, and the same structure has stayed in place ever since.
“This is our second attempt to remodel a historic building in Santa Fe,” Rembe said. “We put in a bid on a midcentury motel on Old Santa Fe Trail several years ago. We were waiting for the right building to come up. We have a love for historic preservation. We love old buildings. We love the idea of adaptive reuse.”
The gas station has retained its 1930s pump island-and-canopy look nearly 30 years after the station closed.
“This seems to be the right fit in the right era,” Sheesley said. “The Rembe family waited for just the right fit. When that property came up [for lease], it was an ‘Aha, this is it.’ ”
Matthew Rembe grew up on the Albuquerque property and since 2004 has been its executive director. It was a family farm until 1999 when the main hacienda was converted into a six-room bed-and-breakfast.
The business has evolved continually since then, with gin distillation the latest addition. Los Poblanos expanded to 20 rooms in 2009 with the Meem Suites added near the hacienda and more rooms built near the farmhouse.
These additional business components make the property profitable, Rembe said.
“It’s a market-driven preservation effort,” Rembe said. “We want to make sure to make it a viable business.”
In 2017, Los Poblanos expanded the guests-only dinner in the hacienda by creating a public restaurant, Campo, in a former dairy building on the property. Campo has earned local and national acclaim for its use of locally sourced ingredients.
More rooms followed in 2017 near the 25-acre lavender fields to bring the room count to 45. The original six rooms in the hacienda were converted into a spa that opened in July 2021.
“They started with a small B&B that struggled to keep employees year-round,” Sheesley said. “We can now have year-round employees in different business under one umbrella.”
A spa had been under consideration, but the pandemic drove it to reality.
“We did 75 weddings a year,” Rembe said. “The pandemic did away with that. The income from the spa replaced the income from the weddings. Now we do only about 24 weddings a year.”
Los Poblanos has applied in Santa Fe for a craft distiller off-site location license and has leased the 0.121-acre gas station property with a 2,073-square-foot main building and 304-square-foot adjoining building on the Marcy Street side. The desire is to open the gin tasting room and retail shop in late summer, Sheesley said.
“We are facing challenges, supply challenges, construction challenges,” Sheesley said. “Apparently, it’s really difficult to get bottles right now.”
Los Poblanos will start with two variations of gin, lavender and a botanical blend with lavender — all distilled from plants grown at Los Poblanos, she said.
Los Poblanos is among the most lauded hotels in the state, with recent plaudits in Condé Nast Traveler, Sunset, Fodor’s and Outside. Sunset magazine in March described Los Poblanos as “one of the country’s last distinctive places.”
Fodor’s recently picked Campo and Market Steer in Santa Fe as two of 11 hotels that have “some of the best restaurants in the country.” Wine Spectator in 2021 gave Campo the Best of Award of Excellence, the second of three levels; it was one of only two restaurants in New Mexico attaining that level, along with The Compound in Santa Fe.
Condé Nast Traveler ranked Los Poblanos at No. 5 of “Top 15 Hotels in the Southwest and West” in its Readers’ Choice Awards in October. Inn of the Five Graces in Santa Fe ranked No. 7 on the same list.
After the Sinclair gas station opened the Santa Fe structure in about 1937, Conrad’s Super Service Station operated the site until 1953. At that time, Reyes Padilla brought in Gulf for his Rey’s Gulf station.
Gulf remained the standard bearer at 201 Washington Ave. until Chevron absorbed Gulf in 1987, but Padilla left in 1957 and rose high in the ranks of the Santa Fe and New Mexico real estate world. A number of operators had short stints with the Gulf station until Bennie Maestas took over in 1968 and operated the station until 1987.
Rudy Martinez then had a brief run with Rudy’s Downtown Exxon from 1988 to 1994.
A string of banks followed from 1998, starting with First State Bank to 2005, then First Community Bank from 2005-11, at which time U.S. Bank took over First Community and U.S. Bank remained in the gas station until January 2021. | https://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/business/1930s-era-santa-fe-gas-station-to-become-los-poblanos-retail-store-gin-tasting-room/article_7d7332c4-b506-11ec-9dbb-67c0a274ec9a.html | 2022-04-12T21:39:16 | 1 | https://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/business/1930s-era-santa-fe-gas-station-to-become-los-poblanos-retail-store-gin-tasting-room/article_7d7332c4-b506-11ec-9dbb-67c0a274ec9a.html |
Electric companies seeking to merge in New Mexico blasted the state Public Regulation Commission’s denial of the move, claiming in a court filing last week it was unfair and based on inadmissible evidence.
Public Service Company of New Mexico, Avangrid of Connecticut and Iberdrola of Spain filed a 74-page argument with the state Supreme Court, contending the commission drew faulty conclusions and emphasized the wrong information when it rejected the merger.
The three companies appealed the commission’s decision to the state Supreme Court and now request a chance to give oral arguments. PNM and Avangrid announced their desire to merge in late 2020, but a contentious year for the merger proposal in the commission’s discovery and hearing processes ended in December with the PRC’s rejection of the plan.
Last week, the companies filed numerous arguments with the court, including the contentions the commission’s hearing examiner, Ashley Schannauer, wasn’t always neutral and commission members used comments and information that didn’t belong in the record.
The commission also “disregarded the presumption of innocence” as it considered an investigation of Iberdrola executives in Spain — which, the applicants said, “is a core safeguard of fairness in our legal system.” Iberdrola is the parent company of Avangrid.
Commission Chairman Joseph Maestas of Santa Fe declined to comment, saying he would have to recuse himself if he stated an opinion and the state Supreme Court later kicked the case back to the commission.
PNM spokesman Ray Sandoval said in a statement the three companies would like an “oral argument to ensure that the Court and the parties have every opportunity to address any questions not resolved by the briefs.”
Mariel Nanasi, head of New Energy Economy, a frequent PNM critic and an opponent of the merger plan, said in a statement Monday the commission made the right call. The commission “found that the risks and harms are significantly outweighed by any benefits of the merger. This was a factual determination based on the evidence before them.”
New Energy Economy, a Santa Fe nonprofit, was the only organization that still opposed the merger proposal after months of evidence collection and hearings.
The merger applicants “wrote a persuasive brief but [it wasn’t] good enough to overcome the real risks of the merger as a whole,” Nanasi wrote Monday.
The companies’ brief criticized Schannauer and the five-member commission. Hearing examiners act as recommending judges to the commissioners. Schannauer and the commission expressed concern about the service record of Avangrid subsidiaries in the Northeast U.S.
Schannauer wrote in his recommendation on the merger if the company’s performance in New Mexico were similar to that in the Northeast, “the quality of PNM’s service is likely to be diminished.”
The merger applicants also objected to a $10,000 fine against them for withholding information.
Schannauer called out the merger applicants 11 months ago for not divulging information about electric service problems and penalties in the Northeast. The applicants wrote last week there is no rule, regulation, precedent or requirement that applicants disclose such information.
They added the information was available in public documents, such as filings with the federal Securities and Exchange Commission.
They accused Schannauer of exceeding his role as a detached and neutral judge when he looked for and found information about the Avangrid subsidiaries’ service problems and fines.
They also said Schannauer and the commission chose to overlook the public benefits of a merger, including $67 million in ratepayer credits and more than $200 million in jobs and state economic development benefits. The PRC and hearing examiner “improperly placed their thumbs on the risk side of the scale,” the companies said.
They also relied on hearsay from a consultant’s report in Maine, a Maine state representative’s opinion and comments from a man who now is an administrative law judge with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, all of which should have been inadmissible, the companies said.
The consultant’s report wasn’t published by a government agency, they argued, and the comments of the state representative and Federal Energy Regulatory Commission judge were not given under oath.
Nor did the two men face cross-examination, the companies said. | https://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/local_news/applicants-in-pnm-merger-allege-unfair-treatment-in-court-filing/article_79e293ce-b99e-11ec-9924-a39eb0c3dcd5.html | 2022-04-12T21:39:22 | 0 | https://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/local_news/applicants-in-pnm-merger-allege-unfair-treatment-in-court-filing/article_79e293ce-b99e-11ec-9924-a39eb0c3dcd5.html |
Fugitive Ukrainian politician and pro-Russian opposition leader detained by Ukrainian officials
Ukrainian officials say fugitive Ukrainian oligarch Viktor Medvedchuk, who is both a pro-Russian opposition leader and a close associate of Russian leader Vladimir Putin, has been detained in a special operation carried out by the country’s SBU secret service.
Ivan Bakanov, the head of Ukraine's national security agency, said on the agency's Telegram channel that Medvedchuk had been arrested. The statement came shortly after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy posted on social media a photo of Medvedchuk sitting in handcuffs and wearing a camouflage uniform with a Ukrainian flag patch.
Medvedchuk leads the pro-Russian party Opposition Platform — For Life. He was being held under house arrest before the war began and disappeared shortly after hostilities broke out.
Putin is the godfather to Medvedchuk’s youngest daughter. | https://www.koat.com/article/ukrainian-politician-viktor-medvedchuk-detained/39705465 | 2022-04-12T21:39:25 | 1 | https://www.koat.com/article/ukrainian-politician-viktor-medvedchuk-detained/39705465 |
Why is inflation so high and when could it ease?
Another month, another four-decade high for inflation.
For the 12 months that ended in March, consumer prices rocketed 8.5%. That was the fastest year-over-year jump since 1981, far surpassing February's mark of 7.9%, itself a 40-year high.
Even if you toss out food and energy prices — which are notoriously volatile and have driven much of the price spike — so-called core inflation jumped 6.5% in the past 12 months. That was also the sharpest such jump in four decades.
Consumers have felt the squeeze in everyday routines. Gasoline is up an average of 48% in the past year. Airline tickets are up 24%, men’s suits nearly 15%, bacon 18%.
The Federal Reserve never anticipated inflation this severe or persistent. Back in December 2020, the Fed’s policymakers had forecast that consumer inflation would stay below their 2% annual target and end 2021 at around 1.8%.
Yet after having been merely an afterthought for decades, high inflation reasserted itself last year with brutal speed. In February 2021, the government’s consumer price index was running just 1.7% above its level a year earlier. From there, the year-over-year increases accelerated — 2.6% in March, 4.2% in April, 5% in May, 5.4% in June.
By October, the figure was 6.2%, by November 6.8%, by December 7%.
For months, Fed Chair Jerome Powell and some others characterized higher consumer prices as merely "transitory" — the result, mainly, of shipping delays and temporary shortages of supplies and workers as the economy rebounded from the pandemic recession much faster than anyone had anticipated. Now, most economists expect inflation to remain elevated well into next year, with demand outstripping supplies in numerous areas of the economy.
So the Fed has radically changed course. Last month, it raised its benchmark short-term rate by a quarter-point and is expected to keep raising it, probably aggressively, well into 2023. In doing so, the Fed is moving decisively away from the ultra-low rates that helped revive the economy from the recession but also helped fuel surging consumer prices.
The Fed is making a high-risk bet that it can slow the economy enough to rein in inflation without weakening it so much as to trigger a recession. The overall economy is healthy, with a robust job market and extremely low unemployment. But many economists say they worry that the Fed's steady credit tightening will cause an economic downturn.
____
What's caused the spike in inflation?
Good news — mostly. When the pandemic paralyzed the economy in the spring of 2020 and lockdowns kicked in, businesses closed or cut hours and consumers stayed home as a health precaution, employers slashed a breathtaking 22 million jobs. Economic output plunged at a record-shattering 31% annual rate in 2020's April-June quarter.
Everyone braced for more misery. Companies cut investment and postponed restocking. A brutal recession ensued.
But instead of sinking into a prolonged downturn, the economy staged an unexpectedly rousing recovery, fueled by vast infusions of government aid and emergency intervention by the Fed, which slashed rates, among other things. By spring of last year, the rollout of vaccines had emboldened consumers to return to restaurants, bars, shops, airports and entertainment venues.
Suddenly, businesses had to scramble to meet demand. They couldn’t hire fast enough to fill job openings or buy enough supplies to meet customer orders. As business roared back, ports and freight yards couldn't handle the traffic. Global supply chains seized up.
With demand up and supplies down, costs jumped. And companies found that they could pass along those higher costs in the form of higher prices to consumers, many of whom had managed to pile up savings during the pandemic.
Critics blamed, in part, President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package, with its $1,400 checks to most households, for overheating an economy that was already sizzling on its own. Many others argued that the Fed kept rates near zero far too long, lending fuel to runaway spending and inflated prices in stocks, homes and other assets.
____
How long will it last?
Elevated consumer price inflation could endure as long as companies struggle to keep up with consumers’ demand for goods and services. A recovering job market — employers added a record 6.7 million jobs last year and are adding 560,000 a month so far this year — means that Americans as a whole can continue to splurge on everything from lawn furniture to electronics.
Many economists foresee inflation staying well above the Fed’s 2% annual target this year. But relief from higher prices might be coming. Jammed-up supply chains are beginning to show some signs of improvement, at least in some industries. The Fed’s pivot away from easy-money policies toward an anti-inflationary policy could eventually reduce consumer demand. There will be no repeat of last year's COVID relief checks from Washington. Inflation itself is eroding purchasing power and might force some consumers to shave spending.
At the same time, new COVID variants could cloud the outlook — either by causing outbreaks that force factories and ports to close and disrupt supply chains even more or by keeping people home and reducing demand for goods.
___
How are higher prices affecting consumers?
The strong job market is boosting workers' pay, though not enough to offset higher prices. The Labor Department says that after accounting for higher consumer prices, hourly earnings for private-sector employees fell 2.7% last month from a year earlier, the 12th straight such drop.
There are exceptions: After-inflation wages rose 8% for hotel workers and 4% for restaurant and bar employees in March from a year earlier.
Partisan politics, in the meantime, is influencing the way Americans view the inflation threat. With a Democrat in the White House, Republicans are far more likely than Democrats to say that inflation is having a negative effect on their personal finances, according to surveys of consumer sentiment conducted by the University of Michigan. | https://www.koat.com/article/why-is-inflation-so-high/39705947 | 2022-04-12T21:39:35 | 0 | https://www.koat.com/article/why-is-inflation-so-high/39705947 |
Crews contain grass fire in Roosevelt County
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Crews contain grass fire in Roosevelt County
Multiple agencies from Roosevelt County have contained a fire burning just south of Portales. The Portales Fire Department says the grass fire is burned near New Mexico State Road 206 and South Roosevelt Road 7. The fire shut down the road for a short time. Crews are on scene working to put out hotspots in the area. Information is limited at this time. Stay with KOAT for the latest information.
ROOSEVELT COUNTY, N.M. —
Multiple agencies from Roosevelt County have contained a fire burning just south of Portales.
The Portales Fire Department says the grass fire is burned near New Mexico State Road 206 and South Roosevelt Road 7. The fire shut down the road for a short time. Crews are on scene working to put out hotspots in the area.
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Information is limited at this time. Stay with KOAT for the latest information. | https://www.koat.com/article/wildfire-grass-fire-roosevelt-county/39705939 | 2022-04-12T21:39:46 | 1 | https://www.koat.com/article/wildfire-grass-fire-roosevelt-county/39705939 |
Fire burning near Ruidoso prompts evacuations of Eagle Creek and Homestead Acres
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Fire burning near Ruidoso prompts evacuations of Eagle Creek and Homestead Acres
A fire burning in Ruidoso has prompted evacuations in the area. The Village of Ruidoso says those who live in Eagle Creek and Homestead Acres should evacuate as a fire begins to spread. The Ruidoso Convention Center has been set up as an evacuation center for those evacuating the area. The fire began on McBride Drive, jumped to Gavilan Canyon Road and is headed north towards Eagle Creek and Homestead Acres. High winds in the area have also impacted telephone service in the village. Stay with KOAT.com for the latest information.
RUIDOSO, N.M. —
A fire burning in Ruidoso has prompted evacuations in the area.
The Village of Ruidoso says those who live in Eagle Creek and Homestead Acres should evacuate as a fire begins to spread.
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The Ruidoso Convention Center has been set up as an evacuation center for those evacuating the area.
The fire began on McBride Drive, jumped to Gavilan Canyon Road and is headed north towards Eagle Creek and Homestead Acres.
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High winds in the area have also impacted telephone service in the village.
Stay with KOAT.com for the latest information. | https://www.koat.com/article/wildfire-ruidoso-eagle-creek-homestead-acres-evacuation/39706382 | 2022-04-12T21:39:56 | 1 | https://www.koat.com/article/wildfire-ruidoso-eagle-creek-homestead-acres-evacuation/39706382 |
Babysitter arrested after putting 4-year-old boy in dryer, police say
LAKE COUNTY, Fla. (Gray News) -A babysitter in Florida has been accused of putting a child who was under her care in a dryer.
Authorities in Lake County, Florida, report Amber Christine Chapman, 35, has been charged with aggravated child abuse.
Investigators say that a 4-year-old boy was taken to the UF Health Leesburg Hospital on Feb. 1 and told medical staff that “Miss Amber” had put him in the dryer with towels, and he spun around.
Staff noted multiple areas of bruising on the boy’s head, back and both ears, as indicated by police.
In a recorded interview with the child on Feb. 7, police said the boy told them that Chapman placed him in the dryer, closed the door, and he spun around. The boy also said Chapman opened the door, closed it again, and then went around again.
On Feb. 2, the boy was examined at the Children’s Advocacy Center, according to police. Injuries were found on the boy’s head, abdomen and back.
The team was unable to determine if being placed in the dryer caused the boy’s injuries, but the team told police that the injuries to his back, face, forehead and ears were consistent with what he had told doctors of what had happened.
Police said the boy had frequently been watched by Chapman in the past.
Copyright 2022 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.1011now.com/2022/04/12/babysitter-accused-putting-4-year-old-dryer-child-sent-hospital-police-say/ | 2022-04-12T21:40:19 | 0 | https://www.1011now.com/2022/04/12/babysitter-accused-putting-4-year-old-dryer-child-sent-hospital-police-say/ |
Bellevue Police investigate high school fight
Officers arrived at Bellevue East High School on reports of a teacher being assaulted with a hammer
OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) - Police are now handling an incident involving two students from Bellevue East High School Tuesday.
6 News was told there was a scuffle between two students and a teacher may have been injured while trying to de-escalate.
One juvenile has a third-degree assault arrest citation and the other also has a third-degree assault arrest citation with terroristic threats. Both were released to a parent as stated in the release.
The release further states officers arrived at the high school Tuesday morning on reports of a teacher being assaulted with a hammer.
Police found out that two 16-year-olds were in a fight in a shop class and one student picked up a hammer and left the school when a teacher and other students broke up the fight.
“He was then detained by police, outside of the school, without incident,” the release says.
It’s reported the hammer was not used during the fight or in possession and minor injuries of the two juveniles and teacher were treated at the scene.
Dear Bellevue East Families,
We are reaching out to inform you about an altercation in a classroom today that involved students and a staff member. There were minor injuries from the altercation and those were treated at the school. Local law enforcement assisted building administration in handling the incident. District disciplinary procedures are being followed for the students. The students and staff are safe, and the school day continues as normal.
Copyright 2022 WOWT. All rights reserved. | https://www.1011now.com/2022/04/12/bellevue-police-investigate-high-school-fight/ | 2022-04-12T21:40:20 | 1 | https://www.1011now.com/2022/04/12/bellevue-police-investigate-high-school-fight/ |
Blowing dust, drifting smoke cause hazardous driving conditions in Gosper and Furnas County
Highway 283 open, but exercise extreme caution
Published: Apr. 12, 2022 at 3:10 PM CDT|Updated: 1 hour ago
NORTH PLATTE, Neb. (KNOP) - Region 17 Emergency Manager Roger Powell advised drivers to avoid traveling along Highway 283 between Elmwood and Arapahoe in south-central Nebraska. With continued windy conditions, dust and smoke from smoldering creek bottoms and hot spots, visibility is greatly reduced.
Powell said agencies continue working in the region, putting a lot of water on areas of concern and monitoring flare-ups.
State officials estimate that about 35,000 acres have burned in the fire that began last Thursday when a dead tree was blown into a power line.
Copyright 2022 KNOP. All rights reserved. | https://www.1011now.com/2022/04/12/blowing-dust-drifting-smoke-causing-hazardous-driving-conditions-gosper-furnas-county-area/ | 2022-04-12T21:40:21 | 0 | https://www.1011now.com/2022/04/12/blowing-dust-drifting-smoke-causing-hazardous-driving-conditions-gosper-furnas-county-area/ |
Child with autism dies 2 months after adoption
WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH/Gray News) - Aaron Carter was 6 years old when he left his foster family to go live with his newly adoptive parents. Two months later, he died.
KWCH investigative reporter Alex Flippin spent the last year asking questions about the death, about who failed the child and what needs to be done so it doesn’t happen again to someone else.
When Aaron came to stay with foster parents Jamie and Tina Miller just before his third birthday in April 2017, any communication at all was unthinkable. He only started to learn to communicate when he was 5 years old.
“When we got him, they said he was ‘normal,’ but there was absolutely something terribly wrong,” Tina Miller said. “He would go along the wall and run his hand down it and just follow and just circled the entire day, nonstop. And he didn’t talk.
“He didn’t look at you, and if he did, he looked right past you like you didn’t exist.”
He was a boy with autism who had made his way into the foster care system after a rough start to life. The Millers tried their hardest to give Aaron what he needed, even when he had no way to tell them.
“He didn’t have any form of communication,” Jamie Miller said. “If he got upset, he would yell and scream or throw a tantrum, but that’s the only way he could voice any of his feelings or opinion or anything was by throwing a tantrum. He was definitely a challenge.
“The most, I would say he was the most difficult child I was ever around, but he taught me the most of being a parent of any child I’ve been around.”
As foster parents, the couple estimate they have welcomed somewhere between 30 and 50 children into their home. They currently have 10 kids, and three of them are adopted.
Jamie Miller said when they first brought Aaron home, they had decided not to adopt him.
“After he’d been here for three years, we started rethinking that,” he said.
“I said, ‘I can’t let him go,’” Tina added. “(Jamie) was like ‘I’m glad you said that. I feel same way.’”
The Millers worked to find Aaron the therapy experts say was paramount to his development. Three years in, gone was the little boy who looked right through you.
They developed important routines and took precautions for his safety. Aaron began wearing a helmet to protect him during tantrums. It wasn’t the “normal” they may have been used to, but it was a new normal that they say was working.
He learned to communicate, both verbally and by using a special iPad. He helped with chores, at least as much help as any child his age could.
The dream of making Aaron a permanent part of the family, though, was wiped away by the reality of what it would take to do that.
“(Aaron) was assigned a case manager, so I was able to call her. And I asked her, I said ‘Well what if he was to be adopted, what services will carry over’?” Tina Miller said.
The Millers said they learned that if they adopted Aaron, they could not afford to provide what he needed. Shortly after, a Wichita couple said they could.
Jamie Miller said they were believers, lifting Aaron up in prayer every day and hoping when he went to his new family it would be what he needed.
The couple were young and recently married. They had three dogs and other pets but no children.
The Millers met them, shared dinner and then Aaron had some overnight stays to their home. Jamie and Tina Miller said they saw red flags.
“It was apparent immediately that they weren’t interested in the consistency and doing the things that we knew, we had proved over those years, that he needed,” Jamie explained.
The Millers say the couple felt Aaron didn’t need the helmet he wore to protect him during outbursts. The routine Aaron had come to rely on, they say, wasn’t followed during his visits to the couple’s home.
A pre-adoption family assessment by the Kansas Department of Children and Families, obtained by KWCH, stated one of the prospective parents struggled with methamphetamine and amphetamine addiction.
That parent also had a history of being “quick to anger.” The other parent struggled when people were disrespectful, the assessment stated.
The adoption process continued, and overnight visits with the Wichita couple continued as well.
The Millers said he left them Dec. 18, 2020, on what was supposed to be a four-day weekend with the couple before coming back to them for Christmas.
“But he never he never came back home,” Jamie Miller said.
The Millers say Aaron got sick, and he stayed in Wichita over concern it may have been COVID-19.
By Feb. 16, 2021, he was gone. An adoption specialist delivered the unthinkable news to his foster parents.
“She said that Aaron passed away. He is deceased. That’s pretty much all I heard, and I was just screaming at her on the phone,” Tina said. “I was just like, ‘I knew it. I knew this would happen. You all killed him. You put him there. You knew he didn’t belong there.’ And like, ‘He never should have left.’”
The person on the other end of the phone then asked if the Millers would like to bury Aaron at the state’s expense. They had no idea what they would learn by saying yes.
“His face looked horribly deformed,” Tina explained. “He just had bruises all over his face.”
“Every visible part that we could see was bruised,” Jamie added.
The Department of Children and Families summary of Aaron’s death is seven sentences in length. The autopsy reads that Aaron “had a tantrum” while taking a bath and hit his head on the tub.
It also details 68 other injuries covering his entire body. No cause of death is listed.
There is an open investigation by Wichita police, and DCF will not discuss the case. The foster agency, St. Francis Ministries, did not respond to requests for comment, nor did the couple who planned to adopt Aaron.
Aaron’s foster parents said they are angry at the state, who they say set a young couple up for failure.
“The people that made the decision to move Aaron should have known, should have had the training, should have had the experience to know this isn’t going to go good,” Jamie said. “There were so many blatant things, blatantly obvious things that said, ‘No, no, no, no, no.’ And everybody said, ‘Yes, yes, yes.’
“I feel like he died to keep other people safe, because there are so many kids out there that could end up just like him if things don’t change.”
The people he leaves behind are left to wonder what happened and what needs to change so that it doesn’t happen again. What can the state do to set up parents, prospective parents and kids like Aaron to live and thrive?
“I firmly believe that Aaron won, because he’s in heaven now, and he can talk, he can communicate, he can ride a horse. He liked horses. He can do anything he wants to, so he won. That’s the way I see it see it,” Jamie Miller said.
In the second upcoming part of this story, KWCH sat down with an expert in the field of autism research to hear about current challenges in the state dealing with autism within the foster care system and what needs to change.
Copyright 2022 KWCH via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.1011now.com/2022/04/12/child-with-autism-dies-2-months-after-adoption/ | 2022-04-12T21:40:23 | 0 | https://www.1011now.com/2022/04/12/child-with-autism-dies-2-months-after-adoption/ |
COVID-19, overdoses pushed US to highest death total ever
NEW YORK (AP) — 2021 was the deadliest year in U.S. history, and new data and research are offering more insights into how it got that bad.
The main reason for the increase in deaths? COVID-19, said Robert Anderson, who oversees the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s work on death statistics.
The agency this month quietly updated its provisional death tally. It showed there were 3.465 million deaths last year, or about 80,000 more than 2020′s record-setting total.
Early last year, some experts were optimistic that 2021 would not be as bad as the first year of the pandemic — partly because effective COVID-19 vaccines had finally become available.
“We were wrong, unfortunately,” said Noreen Goldman, a Princeton University researcher.
COVID-19 deaths rose in 2021 — to more than 415,000, up from 351,000 the year before — as new coronavirus variants emerged and an unexpectedly large numbers of Americans refused to get vaccinated or were hesitant to wear masks, experts said.
The coronavirus is not solely to blame. Preliminary CDC data also shows the crude death rate for cancer rose slightly, and rates continued to increase for diabetes, chronic liver disease and stroke.
Drug overdose deaths also continued to rise. The CDC does not yet have a tally for 2021 overdose deaths, because it can take weeks of lab work and investigation to identify them. But provisional data through October suggests the nation is on track to see at least 105,000 overdose deaths in 2021 — up from 93,000 the year before.
New research released Tuesday showed a particularly large jump in overdose deaths among 14- to 18-year-olds.
Adolescent overdose death counts were fairly constant for most of the last decade, at around 500 a year, according to the paper published by the Journal of the American Medical Association. They almost doubled in 2020, to 954, and the researchers estimated that the total hit nearly 1,150 last year.
Joseph Friedman, a UCLA researcher who was the paper’s lead author, called the spike “unprecedented.”
Those teen overdose deaths were only around 1% of the U.S. total. But adolescents experienced a greater relative increase than the overall population, even though surveys suggest drug use among teens is down.
Experts attributed the spike to fentanyl, a highly lethal drug that has been cut into heroin for several years. More recently it’s also been pressed into counterfeit pills resembling prescription drugs that teens sometimes abuse.
The total number of U.S. deaths often increases year to year as the U.S. population grows. But 2020 and 2021 saw extraordinary jumps in death numbers and rates, due largely to the pandemic.
Those national death trends affect life expectancy — an estimate of the average number of years a baby born in a given year might expect to live.
With rare exceptions, U.S. life expectancy has reliably inched up year after year. But the CDC’s life expectancy estimate for 2020 was about 77 years — more than a year and a half lower than what it was in 2019.
The CDC has not yet reported its calculation for 2021. But Goldman and some other researchers have been making their own estimates, presented in papers that have not yet been published in peer-reviewed journals.
Those researchers think U.S. life expectancy dropped another five or six months in 2021 — putting it back to where it was 20 years ago.
A loss of more than two years of life expectancy over the last two years “is mammoth,” Goldman said.
One study looked at death data in the U.S. and 19 other high-income countries. The U.S. fared the worst.
“What happened in the U.S. is less about the variants than the levels of resistance to vaccination and the public’s rejection of practices, such as masking and mandates, to reduce viral transmission,” one of the study’s authors, Dr. Steven Woolf of Virginia Commonwealth University, said in a statement.
Some experts are skeptical that life expectancy will quickly bounce back. They worry about long-term complications of COVID-19 that may hasten the deaths of people with chronic health problems.
Preliminary — and incomplete — CDC data suggest there were at least 805,000 U.S. deaths in about the first three months of this year. That’s well below the same period last year, but higher than the comparable period in 2020.
“We may end up with a ‘new normal’ that’s a little higher than it was before,” Anderson said.
___
The Associated Press Health & Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.1011now.com/2022/04/12/covid-19-overdoses-pushed-us-highest-death-total-ever/ | 2022-04-12T21:40:32 | 1 | https://www.1011now.com/2022/04/12/covid-19-overdoses-pushed-us-highest-death-total-ever/ |
Juvenile prisoner escapes guard on the way to Tennessee hospital, recaptured in Georgia
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV/Gray News) - A sheriff’s office in Georgia on Tuesday morning recaptured a juvenile prisoner who escaped custody while on the way to a Tennessee children’s hospital Monday evening.
On Saturday, police in Nashville, Tennessee, said the teen led officers on a chase after he reportedly stole a Ford Raptor truck.
Police deployed spike strips to stop the vehicle, leading the juvenile to jump from the moving truck before crossing the spikes. The truck crashed and the teen sustained injuries, WSMV reported. Police said he was put in a neck brace before he was arrested and taken to a juvenile detention center in Nashville.
On Monday night, authorities said the juvenile was complaining of seizures. He was then transported by ambulance to a Nashville children’s hospital, accompanied by a guard.
While he was being taken out of the ambulance, authorities said the 16-year-old freed himself from his restraints and ran off toward a nearby intersection where an armed accomplice was waiting in a black Chevy Avalanche, which was reported as stolen. He then jumped into the getaway truck and sped off.
Sometime later, police found the Avalanche truck on fire.
After abandoning the truck, police said the teen and his accomplice carjacked a gold Chevy Malibu outside of an apartment complex. This vehicle was also found crashed and unoccupied by police sometime later.
Around 5 a.m. early Tuesday morning, the Nashville Police Department said the juvenile was arrested along with 22-year-old Tunisia Carey by the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office in Georgia. The two were traveling in Carey’s Nissan Altima when they were apprehended after a traffic stop in Cartersville, Georgia.
Carey and the juvenile remain in custody in Georgia and will be transferred back to Nashville this week, according to WSMV.
Detectives are working to identify each person who contributed to the teen’s escape.
Nashville authorities said they intend to charge the juvenile as an adult.
Copyright 2022 WSMV via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.1011now.com/2022/04/12/juvenile-prisoner-escapes-guard-way-tennessee-hospital-recaptured-georgia/ | 2022-04-12T21:40:39 | 0 | https://www.1011now.com/2022/04/12/juvenile-prisoner-escapes-guard-way-tennessee-hospital-recaptured-georgia/ |
Kansas man cited after fatal crash near Alliance
SCOTTSBLUFF, Neb. (KSNB) -The Nebraska State Patrol has cited a Kansas man for motor vehicle homicide after a two-vehicle crash claimed the life of an Alliance woman Sunday.
The crash occurred at approximately 2:10 p.m. MT Sunday, near Alliance on Highway 2. A Ford Escape, driven by Blythe Boness, 22, of Alliance, was traveling eastbound on Highway 2 when it was struck by a westbound Chevrolet Camaro, driven by Ryan McElroy, 36, of Salina, Kansas. The collision caused the Escape to roll into the ditch, ejecting Boness. She was pronounced deceased at the scene.
McElroy was extricated from his vehicle by the Alliance Fire Department and flown to Regional West Medical Center in Scottsbluff with serious injuries. McElroy remains at the hospital with what are believed to be non-life-threatening injuries.
Following investigation, McElroy has been cited for motor vehicle homicide, willful reckless driving, DUI – 3rd offense, possession of an open alcohol container, and driving under suspension. Once released from the hospital, he will be lodged in jail.
Copyright 2022 KSNB. All rights reserved. | https://www.1011now.com/2022/04/12/kansas-man-cited-after-fatal-crash-near-alliance/ | 2022-04-12T21:40:49 | 0 | https://www.1011now.com/2022/04/12/kansas-man-cited-after-fatal-crash-near-alliance/ |
Mueller named Big Ten Athlete of the Week
LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) - Calvin Mueller was named the Big Ten Athlete of the Week as the conference announced its weekly honors Tuesday afternoon. Mueller is the second Husker to receive the award this season, alongside Roni Hietaranta who was given the award on January 25.
The Bruchkoebl, Germany native had a strong showing against two conference teams this past week as he finished 2-0 in singles play and 2-0 in doubles play. He started the week with a win in consecutive sets in the No. 3 spot over Illinois’ No. 51 Olivier Stuart. Mueller then followed that performance with a victory over Northwestern’s No. 94 Simen Bratholm in a three-set thriller.
In doubles play, Mueller teamed with William Gleason to gather two wins against the Fighting Illini and Wildcats in the No. 3 spot. They won both matches convincingly, marking the first time the duo has paired up in the spring.
Up next, the Huskers hit the road this weekend to continue conference play as they face Purdue on Saturday and Indiana on Sunday.
Copyright 2022 KOLN. All rights reserved. | https://www.1011now.com/2022/04/12/mueller-named-big-ten-athlete-week/ | 2022-04-12T21:40:56 | 1 | https://www.1011now.com/2022/04/12/mueller-named-big-ten-athlete-week/ |
Newborn surrendered to hospital staff under ‘safe haven’ law
GREENVILLE, S.C. (FOX Carolina/Gray News) – A newborn was handed over to officials in South Carolina under protection of the state’s Safe Haven for Abandoned Babies Act.
The Greenwood County Department of Social Services is caring for the baby, who was given to medical professionals at Self Regional Medical Center.
According to social services, the baby boy was born April 8 weighing 6 pounds and 3 ounces.
The child was turned over to hospital staff two days after he was born. Social services officials said the baby will be placed in a foster home.
South Carolina’s Safe Haven for Abandoned Babies Act, also known as Daniel’s Law, allows a mother to surrender her unharmed newborn baby at a designated location without punishment. Babies up to 60 days old can be surrendered under this law.
“Daniel’s Law is intended to save babies,” the website of the South Carolina Department of Social Services reads. “It is not intended to hurt or punish anyone. It provides a safe option for mother and baby.”
Copyright 2022 WHNS via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.1011now.com/2022/04/12/newborn-surrendered-hospital-staff-under-safe-haven-law/ | 2022-04-12T21:41:04 | 0 | https://www.1011now.com/2022/04/12/newborn-surrendered-hospital-staff-under-safe-haven-law/ |
Photographer arrested after taking inappropriate pictures of young girl, police say
Published: Apr. 12, 2022 at 3:40 PM CDT|Updated: 1 hour ago
COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS/Gray News) – A photographer in South Carolina was arrested Friday after deputies said they received a report of him taking inappropriate photographs of a young girl, according to police.
The Richland County Sheriff’s Department said Gregg Martin, 53, groomed the child and gave her illegal substances while she was under his care.
Police did not disclose the victim’s exact age but confirmed she is a minor.
Martin has been charged with engaging a child under 18 for sexual performance and unlawful conduct toward a child.
The sheriff’s department is asking anyone else who feels they have been a victim of Martin to contact them at (803)-576-3000.
Copyright 2022 WIS via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.1011now.com/2022/04/12/photographer-arrested-after-taking-inappropriate-pictures-young-girl-police-say/ | 2022-04-12T21:41:10 | 1 | https://www.1011now.com/2022/04/12/photographer-arrested-after-taking-inappropriate-pictures-young-girl-police-say/ |
Town library a source of pride in Nehawka
LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) - A Cass County community has come together to improve the local library, with a goal of making it a place where kids and read and gather.
The historic Nehawka library was built as a log cabin, and has been on the National Historic Register since 1934. It has been a focal point for Nehawka. “Since it was built, it’s had only one other revamping or refreshing,” village board member Tim Dineen said. “That was about 30 years ago. It hasn’t been used a lot in the last 20 years. So, about six months ago, some members of the board and people in town decided that we would clean this thing up, and make it a children’s library and activity center.”
Dineen says the community worked together to put in new carpet, and there’s been an effort to stock the shelves with new books. “It’s turned out really great,” Dineen said. “The kids come out, they play checkers, they do some crafts. We even offer a chance to watch DVDs related to the books, and that gets the kids even more interested in reading. The building itself is in good shape, but the interior just needed some help. We added carpet, some people came and wired in the new lights, some people brought books, some people painted the ceiling. Really, the whole town came together and did it, and we did it in basically two weekends.”
“In conjunction with the Nehawka volunteer fire department, Santa Claus visits every year,” Dineen said. “We do a whole event with the fire department, and last year Mrs. Claus read books to the kids in the library. A block away they visited Santa Claus, and then they came here to see Mrs. Claus.”
Dineen says Nehawka is a good community, and one where people come together and care for one another. If you are wondering about the name of the town, it is derived from an Omaha and Oto Indian name meaning “rustling water.” If you get a chance, check out the community, enjoy the town park, and see the unique log cabin library there.
Copyright 2022 KOLN. All rights reserved. | https://www.1011now.com/2022/04/12/town-library-source-pride-nehawka/ | 2022-04-12T21:41:17 | 1 | https://www.1011now.com/2022/04/12/town-library-source-pride-nehawka/ |
JACKSON — An 81-year-old driver of a scooter that had no lights died after being hit by a pickup truck Monday night.
Jackson police said the scooter was crossing the dimly lit intersection of Jackson Mills Road and Harmony Road just north of Route 195 around 9:25 p.m. when it was hit by a black Ford F-150.
The pickup was driven by a 64-year-old man who stopped at the scene. Police did not say if the driver of the pickup had the green or red light at the intersection.
The driver of the scooter was pronounced dead at the crash scene.
The scooter had some reflective stickers on it but its lights were not working, police said. The driver of the scooter was dressed in dark clothing when he was struck. The identities of both drivers were not disclosed.
Police asked anyone with information about the incident to call 732-928-1111.
It is the second fatal crash in Jackson this year.
Sabrina Ben-Porat, 66, was crossing White Road near Whitesville Road on Feb. 27 when she was struck by a Dodge Durango driven by a 22-year-old Toms River man. She was a clinical coordinator and licensed clinical social worker at CHEMED of Lakewood.
Dan Alexander is a reporter for New Jersey 101.5. You can reach him at dan.alexander@townsquaremedia.com
Click here to contact an editor about feedback or a correction for this story.
These are the best hiking spots in New Jersey
A trip to New Jersey doesn't have to be all about the beach. Our state has some incredible trails, waterfalls, and lakes to enjoy.
From the Pine Barrens to the Appalachian Trail to the hidden gems of New Jersey, you have plenty of options for a great hike. Hiking is such a great way to spend time outdoors and enjoy nature, plus it's a great workout.
Before you go out on the trails and explore some of our listeners' suggestions, I have some tips on hiking etiquette from the
American Hiking Society.
If you are going downhill and run into an uphill hiker, step to the side and give the uphill hiker space. A hiker going uphill has the right of way unless they stop to catch their breath.
Always stay on the trail, you may see side paths, unless they are marked as an official trail, steer clear of them. By going off-trail you may cause damage to the ecosystems around the trail, the plants, and wildlife that live there.
You also do not want to disturb the wildlife you encounter, just keep your distance from the wildlife and continue hiking.
Bicyclists should yield to hikers and horses. Hikers should also yield to horses, but I’m not sure how many horses you will encounter on the trails in New Jersey.
If you are thinking of bringing your dog on your hike, they should be leashed, and make sure to clean up all pet waste.
Lastly, be mindful of the weather, if the trail is too muddy, it's probably best to save your hike for another day.
I asked our listeners for their suggestions of the best hiking spots in New Jersey, check out their suggestions:
How the world saw New Jersey — 1940s to 1980s
This is how New Jersey saw the world from 1940-to 1980. All these photos are from AP and Getty publications, meaning they were used in a magazine or newspaper. There has been plenty of inventions and history made in New Jersey. Check the photos below.
NJ Diners that are open 24/7 | https://nj1015.com/81-year-old-man-killed-after-scooter-hit-by-pickup-in-jackson-nj/ | 2022-04-12T21:43:07 | 0 | https://nj1015.com/81-year-old-man-killed-after-scooter-hit-by-pickup-in-jackson-nj/ |
Are you feeding your dog or cat correctly?
The Food and Drug Administration has guidelines regarding the proper ways to buy, prepare and store pet food.
A new study out of North Carolina published in PLOS ONE found that less than 5% of a survey of 417 dog owners were aware of FDA guidelines regarding dog feeding.
Any pet diet must be balanced and complete and having a conversation with your pet's veterinarian is crucial, said Brick veterinarian Adam Christman and chief veterinary officer at DVM 360, the country's top veterinary multi-media publication.
How much food should you give your dog?
He said properly feeding a dog (or cat) depends on the animal's body condition score which can be done in a vet's office. This determines if a pet is overweight or too thin. It looks at the animal's size and breed, and if it's a puppy, how big it will become.
But generally, dog owners should read the bag of commercial dog food they bought. Check out the serving food size. Christman said, for example, it might say for a 30-pound dog, the serving size is a cup of food.
But that does not mean a cup of food per feeding. It means a cup of food per day, said Christman. So, if your dog eats twice a day, then it's half a cup of food during one meal time and half a cup of food at the other. He added this amount of food for this size dog is reasonable because they'll most likely get a few snacks during the day.
"The other consideration to ask is whether your pet is spayed or neutered too because that also alters the nutritional requirements that they're going to need. They don't need as many calories as an intact animal does," Christman does.
Following the serving size on the bag is key but he said sometimes the vet will even alter that amount. So, have a conversation about the proper way to feed a dog or cat.
How to keep pet food and water bowls sanitary?
First, it's important to use clean hands yourself when preparing a pet's meal, according to FDA guidelines. Both before and after handling pet food and treats, wash your hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and hot water.
Christman said it's also important to keep a pet's food dish very sanitary to prevent any bacteria from forming or cross-contamination of foods.
Clean the bowls with good soap and water right after feeding or throw them in the dishwasher. Scooping utensils should also be washed very well. Do not use a pet's food bowl as a scooping utensil. Use a clean scoop, spoon, or cup instead.
"Fun fact: Plastic bowls tend to harbor more bacteria than ceramic and stainless steel bowls," Christman said. Therefore, plastic bowls need to be scrubbed very well.
Change the pet's water bowls daily and clean them too. Christman said to feel the bottom of an animal's water bowl. It feels slimy and gamey because their tongues are constantly in it and it's standing water. Wash water bowls a couple of times a day too.
How to store pet food?
Christman said that according to the FDA guidelines, dry pet food should be kept in a cool, dry place. Excess heat or moisture can cause the nutrients in the food to break down.
Wet food should be stored in the refrigerator. But Christman suggests not using aluminum foil to cover the food. Instead, use a tight lid. After 4 or 5 days, throw out the food because it will get nasty.
"One big fact I like to tell everyone is that 56% of dogs in the United States were overweight or obese in 2017. That's over 15 million dogs that were too heavy. I'm on a big initiative in my career to make sure that our dogs and cats stay healthy because obesity is a disease and it's reversible," Christman said.
There are not a lot of diseases out there that are reversible to enhance the quality of life for fur babies.
Christman said it's important to keep these animals nice and lean. Listen to your veterinarian. Follow the FDA guidelines n how to properly feed dogs and cats. Use proper hygiene to stop the spread of bacteria and diseases, and store food safely away to keep them fresh as well.
Jen Ursillo is a reporter and anchor for New Jersey 101.5. You can reach her at jennifer.ursillo@townsquaremedia.com
Click here to contact an editor about feedback or a correction for this story.
New Jersey high school graduation rates | https://nj1015.com/are-you-feeding-your-dog-or-cat-correctly/ | 2022-04-12T21:43:13 | 1 | https://nj1015.com/are-you-feeding-your-dog-or-cat-correctly/ |
POMPANO BEACH, Fla. (WFLA) — The Broward State Attorney’s Office filed hate crime charges against three people after they were accused of beating a man because of his sexual orientation.
The Broward County Sheriff’s Office arrested Inna Makarenko, 44, Yevhen Makarenko, 43 and Oleh Makarenko, 21, on March 10.
Deputies said they severely beat a 31-year-old victim, who is remaining anonymous, based on his sexual orientation. The attack left the man permanently blind, along with other serious injuries.
They are charged with attempted first-degree murder, battery during the burglary of a dwelling, and kidnapping. All three charges are being filed as hate crimes. The maximum sentence for each charge is life in prison.
A fourth person, Vladyslav Makarenko, 25, was transferred to Broward County from Alabama. His case is still being reviewed and no charges have been filed.
All four are being held in the Broward County jail system without bail. | https://www.wfla.com/news/florida/florida-man-left-blind-after-attack-over-sexual-orientation-hate-crime-charges-filed/ | 2022-04-12T21:43:14 | 0 | https://www.wfla.com/news/florida/florida-man-left-blind-after-attack-over-sexual-orientation-hate-crime-charges-filed/ |
Atlantic City, NJ casino workers feel smoking ban is in reach
ATLANTIC CITY — On the 16th anniversary of a New Jersey law that banned indoor smoking in most public places — except in casinos — hundreds of Atlantic City casino workers called on state lawmakers Tuesday to ban smoking in the gambling halls.
The push comes at a crucial time for the Atlantic City casino industry as it tries mightily to regain lost business from the coronavirus pandemic, and braces for the opening of one or more additional casinos in New York City, which will compete for many of Atlantic City's customers.
Phil Murphy, New Jersey's Democratic governor, has promised to sign the ban if it is passed, and an unusually high number of legislators have signed on as co-sponsors of the bill.
But it faces strong opposition from the casinos and from the main casino labor union in Atlantic City, which fear widespread job losses if smoking is banned in the casinos.
About 250 casino workers gathered in a park near the ocean Tuesday to call on lawmakers to pass a bill that would end the casinos' exemption from the indoor smoking law.
They say they have endured years of breathing in second-hand smoke, watching colleagues die, and becoming sick themselves.
“Sixteen years ago the state of New Jersey left us behind in the smoke,” said Lamont White, a dealer at the Borgata casino. “We are not numbers; we are people.”
The casino industry opposes the measure, saying it will cost jobs and revenue amid an uneven recovery from the coronavirus pandemic when only two casinos have surpassed the level of profitability they enjoyed before the pandemic began.
Nicole Vitola, another Borgata dealer, said it has been galling to see friends fall ill in workplaces that lack the same health protections that other industries enjoy.
“It's been 16 years of cancer diagnoses, 16 years of watching our beloved co-workers die,” she said. “We keep hearing, ‘Now is not the time.’ When is it going to be the right time to care about us?”
The Casino Association of New Jersey, the trade group for Atlantic City's nine casinos, recently commissioned a report predicting widespread job losses and revenue declines if smoking were banned in Atlantic City.
“Atlantic City has yet to see growth from pre-pandemic levels,” association president Joe Lupo said. “Employment at our casinos is at a 20-year low, with less than 50% of the workforce from 2003. Visitation to Atlantic City is at a 20-year low, while gas prices and tolls are increasing.
“And land-based casino revenue remains at an almost 50% decrease from our peak in 2006,” he added. “Adding a smoking ban could cause a devastating effect to the community and state.”
Casino workers vehemently dispute the findings of that report and say it does not take into account a likely improvement in business conditions in the years after a smoking ban is enacted, as gamblers become used to a smoke-free environment.
In a letter sent Monday to state Senate President Nicholas Scutari, Bob McDevitt, president of Local 54 of the Unite Here casino workers union, urged lawmakers not to pass a smoking ban.
“While we want to ensure that our members work in a safe work environment, banning smoking in New Jersey casinos would mean lost jobs for our union and throughout the state, and lost tax revenues and less money for senior programs,” he wrote.
Earlier this month, state gambling regulators released figures showing that Atlantic City casinos collectively exceeded the levels of gross operating profit that they enjoyed before the pandemic broke out in 2020.
But virtually all that improvement came from the two newest casinos in the market, Hard Rock and Ocean, with the other seven remaining flat since the start of the pandemic.
The bill has not yet had a hearing in the state Legislature, although it continues to gather support from lawmakers of both parties. It has 28 co-sponsors in the Assembly and 15 in the senate, including majorities of the health committees in both houses.
“The whole world has figured out how to eat outside and smoke outside,” said Assemblywoman Claire Swift, a Republican. “The nine casinos can figure it out.”
“We know this bill would pass today with flying colors if it got put to the floor,” said Pete Naccarelli, a Borgata dealer. “Soon I will be thankful because I will be working in a smoke-free environment like everyone else in the state of New Jersey.”
9 of the nation’s most miserable cities are in New Jersey | https://nj1015.com/atlantic-city-nj-casino-workers-feel-smoking-ban-is-in-reach/ | 2022-04-12T21:43:19 | 1 | https://nj1015.com/atlantic-city-nj-casino-workers-feel-smoking-ban-is-in-reach/ |
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – The City of Tampa is working with community members in Palmetto Beach to create climate-ready infrastructure improvements with a new coastal design grant.
The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation provided the city with a $200,000 grant for research.
“It’s a really exciting grant that we’ve been eying for several years to help bring coastal resilience solutions to this community,” Tampa’s Sustainability and Resilience Officer Whit Remer said.
An interdisciplinary team of engineers, scientists and designers are developing “conceptual coastal resilience plans” that will work to provide protection from storms, improve water quality, increase marine habitats and add aesthetic value to the area.
Remer said the study is going to last a little more than a year. They will be taking water samples, speaking to those in the community and understanding how the seawall might be reimagined and repaired to help provide additional support to the community.
The City of Tampa is interested in the project as a pilot to establish a design process for near and off-shore nature-based risk mitigation strategies in urbanized areas. The city said possible measure include additional living shorelines, breakwaters, longshore bars, enhanced seawalls and onshore green infrastructure.
Living shorelines use plants and other natural elements to stabilize estuarine coasts, bays and tributaries. They provide habitats for marine life and improve water quality and shore nutrients.
It’s an initiative under the Resilient Tampa Program, in the Resilient Tampa Roadmap released a year ago, designed to “make Tampa stronger in the face of current and future challenges.”
“We see cities not only around Florida, but really around the entire US rethinking their entire relationship with their coastline, understanding how they can better live with water and doing so in a way that not only benefits and protects the community, but also can provide enhancements around coastal ecosystems for our marine wildlife, for our bird species,” said Remer.
The $200,000 grant is not meant for construction; it’s a community engagement and design grant.
Remer said there is state and federal money available for construction on these resiliency projects, including through Gov. Ron DeSantis’ “Resilient Florida Program.”
“Once we complete this study, we can take that to our federal partners at NOAA or at FEMA or at Housing and Urban Development, or up at the state in Tallahassee for the Resilient Florida Program and ask for additional implementation funding,” Remer said.
The City of Tampa is assessing other seawalls managed by the city that could also be transformed into living shorelines.
“So we’re not only looking at Palmetto Beach, we’re looking at these types of solutions over in Picnic Island, with our partners at MacDill Air Force Base, along Bayshore Avenue and even inland,” Remer said. “In a couple weeks, we’re going to be talking about a really cool storm water project we’re doing near the University of South Florida.”
The project team includes not only the City of Tampa, but the University of South Florida, Tampa Bay Watch, Tampa Bay Estuary Program, Applied Sciences Consulting Inc. and other members of the community. | https://www.wfla.com/news/hillsborough-county/palmetto-beach-coastal-design-grant-research-begins/ | 2022-04-12T21:43:20 | 0 | https://www.wfla.com/news/hillsborough-county/palmetto-beach-coastal-design-grant-research-begins/ |
The 2022 Photo Search, in which eager parents submit photos of their smiling infants for a chance to be Gerber's "Spokesbaby," launched on Monday, according to a press release from the company.
The lucky winner, who will earn the title of "Spokesbaby" and "Chief Growing Officer," will be featured on the baby food company's social media channels and in its ad campaigns throughout the year. And they will also receive a $25,000 prize.
"This year, Gerber is searching for a candidate that can help share smiles and inspire joy in parents and his/her peers," Gerber said on their website. "An irresistible giggle is strongly preferred, as well as an undeniable lovable personality."
Children ages 0-4 are eligible to enter the competition. Parents and guardians can submit their child's "smiliest" photos and videos to Gerber's portal before Thursday, April 14.
For the first time, this year Gerber will match the winner's cash prize with a $25,000 donation to the nonprofit March of Dimes' maternal and infant health programs.
"Babies have the power to unite us through their happiness, and we at Gerber support furthering the joy and wellbeing of all babies," said Tarun Malkani, Gerber president and CEO, according to the company's press release.
The 2022 winner will follow in the tiny footsteps of Zane Kahin, the 2021 Gerber baby. In the past few years, the Gerber Photo Search has seen several milestones. The 2020 winner, Magnolia, was the first adopted Gerber baby, while 2019's Kairi was the first Gerber baby of Hmong descent. | https://abc11.com/gerber-baby-food-spokesbaby-family/11740960/ | 2022-04-12T21:43:25 | 0 | https://abc11.com/gerber-baby-food-spokesbaby-family/11740960/ |
Gilbert Gottfried: The best thing about NJ? Leaving it!
EDITOR'S NOTE: On April 12, 2022, Gilbert Gottfried's family announced the death of the 67-year-old comedian after a long illness. Below is a flashback to the night the Gottfried spoke to New Jersey 101.5 host Steve Trevelise on the air in July 2018.
Few comedians are known only by their first name, and I'm opening for one this weekend. Gilbert Gottfried is going to be at Joey Harrison's River House this Saturday night.
Gilbert called in with one of the funniest interviews I've ever done. It was all Gilbert. We talked about the best thing that ever happened to him in New Jersey and he said, "Leaving New Jersey!" We also talked about his friendship with President Donald Trump and he said, "I'm friends with all presidents!"
If singers can get a round of applause when they start a song, then Gilbert should get one when he starts "The Aristocrats" joke. Gilbert's comedy lives on the edge, so does he ever regret telling a joke.
"I never lost any money for telling a joke," Gottfried said.
What was the funniest line he has ever heard in a movie?
"Maybe it had to do with one of the girls dying in Fried Green Tomatoes," Gottfried said.
Thankfully, Gilbert's comedy with never die. He'll always kill on stage!
Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Steve Trevelise only. Follow him on Twitter @realstevetrev.
You can now listen to Steve Trevelise — On Demand! Discover more about New Jersey’s personalities and what makes the Garden State interesting . Download the Steve Trevelise show wherever you get podcasts, on our free app, or listen right now: | https://nj1015.com/gilbert-gottfried-the-best-thing-about-nj-leaving-it/ | 2022-04-12T21:43:25 | 0 | https://nj1015.com/gilbert-gottfried-the-best-thing-about-nj-leaving-it/ |
PLANT CITY, Fla. (WFLA) – A Tampa Bay area strawberry farm owner hopes his technology can help keep strawberries in kitchens across America.
“I fear without automation, we’re going to revert back to strawberries becoming a luxury item,” said Gary Wishnatzki, owner of Wish Farms, which has operations in Florida, California and other berry-growing states.
Wishnatzki, a third-generation strawberry grower, says it’s a labor issue. Most workers who pick crops in the United States come from Mexico. Data from the USDA shows fewer young immigrants are entering agriculture.
“There’s more opportunities for people to work in Mexico. People don’t want to do agriculture labor any more, especially picking strawberries. It’s hard work,” Wishnatzki said.
A study from the University of California, Davis, shows declining fertility rates in Mexico are also playing a role.
Wishnatzki noticed the labor trend in the early 2000s and, years later, founded Harvest CROO to develop a robotic picker.
Automated strawberry picking is a challenge. Machinery has to be delicate enough not to squish or bruise the berry and precise enough to pick it at the right time.
“The strawberry is one of the few fruits that does not ripen after it’s been picked so you have to pick it when it’s red. If you pick it too green, it’s going to stay green and that’s what the consumer is going to get,” said Wishnatzki.
Unlike other harvest equipment, the strawberry picker cannot destroy the plant. A strawberry plant gets picked for multiple days as each berry ripens.
“We’ve just been trialing some new picking heads that are faster and lighter. We think we’re ready to go to market here now. We’ve got growers that have put their orders in,” said Wishnatzki.
Competitors have teamed up to support the initiative.
“Seventy percent of the U.S. strawberry industry has invested with us,” said Wishnatzki.
The latest model, Berry 8, is designed to pick eight acres in a 16-24 hour day. As for the existing strawberry pickers, Wishnatzki says they can transition to other positions.
“There’ll be opportunities and it’ll be higher paying jobs for them to work. It won’t be the back-breaking work that it is now. It’ll be the technicians and the people that are the mechanics, and people that are going to work on the machines and move the fruit around after it’s been picked,” he said.
“It’s a game-changer,” said Kenneth Parker, executive director of Florida Strawberry Growers Association.
Parker is impressed with the Harvest CROO technology and says the implementation cannot happen soon enough.
“We’re not trying to change the way that we grow strawberries. we’re just trying to adopt a harvester that will actually utilize the method of which we’re successfully growing strawberries in Florida,” said Wishnatzki.
The goal is to have the Harvest CROO machines in operation by the next strawberry harvest season. | https://www.wfla.com/news/hillsborough-county/robotic-strawberry-picker-being-developed-in-tampa-bay-as-farm-workers-dwindle/ | 2022-04-12T21:43:26 | 1 | https://www.wfla.com/news/hillsborough-county/robotic-strawberry-picker-being-developed-in-tampa-bay-as-farm-workers-dwindle/ |
Krispy Kreme in NJ to sell a dozen doughnuts for same price as gas
Hoping to ease some of the pressure at the gas pump these days, one doughnut chain wants to make things a bit sweeter for Americans.
Krispy Kreme is lowering the price of its original glazed doughnuts by pricing them at the cost of the national average of a gallon of regular gasoline.
Every Wednesday from April 13 to May 4, Krispy Kreme will use Monday's national average for a gallon of regular gas, according to AAA, to set the promotional cost.
AAA put Monday's average at $4.11 per gallon. So, that means that this Wednesday, a dozen Krispy Kreme doughnuts will sell for $4.11.
Usually, a dozen Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnuts sell for about $10.
Prices will be updated weekly so be sure to check back each Tuesday to know that week's offer. The doughnut prices are redeemable only in-store, drive-thru, and online pickup.
Three New Jersey-based Krispy Kreme shops are participating in the promotion. One is in Collingwood on Haddon Avenue. Another is in East Springfield on Route 22, and the third is in Jersey City on Columbus Avenue.
A full list of participating Krispy Kreme stores across the U.S. can be found online.
Jen Ursillo is a reporter and anchor for New Jersey 101.5. You can reach her at jennifer.ursillo@townsquaremedia.com
Click here to contact an editor about feedback or a correction for this story.
The Jersey Shore BlueClaws are back, and so are their fans: Let's play some baseball | https://nj1015.com/krispy-kreme-doughnuts-price-gas/ | 2022-04-12T21:43:31 | 1 | https://nj1015.com/krispy-kreme-doughnuts-price-gas/ |
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – The inaugural “XOXO Carnival,” presented by Pied Piper, is headed to Armature Works in May.
The carnival will include classic carnival rides, nostalgic treats, a new art integration and music from top DJs and other artists, spanning across 300,000 square feet.
DJs set to play XOXO Carnival include deadmau5, DJ Snake, Lil Jon, Shaggy and more. Music lovers 18 years old and up can purchase a VIP pass to get access to the Killer Beats Stage to see the performances.
XOXO Carnival will run from May 4 through May 8 and is family-friendly.
Tickets are now available online and include various options, including tickets for just the carnival or tickets to see the DJs stage-side are available. | https://www.wfla.com/news/hillsborough-county/xoxo-carnival-bringing-famous-djs-to-armature-works/ | 2022-04-12T21:43:32 | 0 | https://www.wfla.com/news/hillsborough-county/xoxo-carnival-bringing-famous-djs-to-armature-works/ |
NJ court hearing set for 3 accused of raping woman they met at Manalapan bar
Three men accused of sexually assaulting a woman in a Marlboro home — after meeting her at a Manalapan bar — remained in police custody on Tuesday ahead of detention hearings.
Andrew J. Gallucci, of Marlboro, Richard S. Gathy, of Manalapan, and Ronald W. Hondo, of Monroe, are charged with first-degree aggravated sexual assault, second-degree sexual assault and third-degree criminal restraint stemming from an alleged incident the weekend of April 2 and 3.
All three 24-year-old men were slated to appear Wednesday morning before Superior Court Judge Paul X. Escandon in Freehold Borough.
Authorities have declined to share further information about the bar where prosecutors have said the trio met the woman and her male friend.
The group returned to Gallucci's Marlboro home, according to an affidavit of probable cause, where the male friend became ill after taking a drink that was given to him.
The woman said she was then held against her will in a bedroom and raped by two of the defendants at a time, as one remained out of the room, investigators say in the affidavit.
She eventually managed to partially redress and run from the room, finding her friend and leaving the home, investigators said.
The duo then called for a ride and the woman sought medical treatment at a local hospital, according to investigators.
Andrew Gallucci was being represented by attorney Yan Katsnelson, who declined to comment on the case on Tuesday.
Gathy and Hondo were being represented by attorney Mario Gallucci.
Mario Gallucci — whose Twitter handle is “@MrAcquittal” — has tagged Andrew Gallucci in mulitple Instagram photos and at least one Facebook post last year, calling him a great son.
Voter records list both as residents of the same house on Enclosure Drive in Marlboro, which also is registered in New York as the business address of Gallucci Law Firm LLC.
While attorney Mario Gallucci did not respond to a request for comment from New Jersey 101.5, NJ.com reported that he said, “We believe the narrative being spun is far from the actual events that took place.”
Mario Gallucci, the defense attorney, is self-billed on Twitter as a “Criminal Defense Attorney, Reality TV Star & Media Personality who people love to hate, but can't wait to talk to."
The suspect Gathy has been an electrical apprentice at Corbin Electrical Services, according to a LinkedIn profile.
The suspect Hondo was a student at Middlesex County College for four years, ending in 2018, according to a LinkedIn profile.
None of the three defendants have any previous convictions in New Jersey-based on a search of court records.
Erin Vogt is a reporter and anchor for New Jersey 101.5. You can reach her at erin.vogt@townsquaremedia.com
Click here to contact an editor about feedback or a correction for this story. | https://nj1015.com/marlboro-manalapan-rape-case-gallucci-gathy-hondo-charges/ | 2022-04-12T21:43:38 | 0 | https://nj1015.com/marlboro-manalapan-rape-case-gallucci-gathy-hondo-charges/ |
NEW YORK (AP) — 2021 was the deadliest year in U.S. history, and new data and research are offering more insights into how it got that bad.
The main reason for the increase in deaths? COVID-19, said Robert Anderson, who oversees the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s work on death statistics.
The agency this month quietly updated its provisional death tally. It showed there were 3.465 million deaths last year, or about 80,000 more than 2020’s record-setting total.
Early last year, some experts were optimistic that 2021 would not be as bad as the first year of the pandemic — partly because effective COVID-19 vaccines had finally become available.
“We were wrong, unfortunately,” said Noreen Goldman, a Princeton University researcher.
COVID-19 deaths rose in 2021 — to more than 415,000, up from 351,000 the year before — as new coronavirus variants emerged and an unexpectedly large numbers of Americans refused to get vaccinated or were hesitant to wear masks, experts said.
The coronavirus is not solely to blame. Preliminary CDC data also shows the crude death rate for cancer rose slightly, and rates continued to increase for diabetes, chronic liver disease and stroke.
Drug overdose deaths also continued to rise. The CDC does not yet have a tally for 2021 overdose deaths, because it can take weeks of lab work and investigation to identify them. But provisional data through October suggests the nation is on track to see at least 105,000 overdose deaths in 2021 — up from 93,000 the year before.
New research released Tuesday showed a particularly large jump in overdose deaths among 14- to 18-year-olds.
Adolescent overdose death counts were fairly constant for most of the last decade, at around 500 a year, according to the paper published by the Journal of the American Medical Association. They almost doubled in 2020, to 954, and the researchers estimated that the total hit nearly 1,150 last year.
Joseph Friedman, a UCLA researcher who was the paper’s lead author, called the spike “unprecedented.”
Those teen overdose deaths were only around 1% of the U.S. total. But adolescents experienced a greater relative increase than the overall population, even though surveys suggest drug use among teens is down.
Experts attributed the spike to fentanyl, a highly lethal drug that has been cut into heroin for several years. More recently it’s also been pressed into counterfeit pills resembling prescription drugs that teens sometimes abuse.
The total number of U.S. deaths often increases year to year as the U.S. population grows. But 2020 and 2021 saw extraordinary jumps in death numbers and rates, due largely to the pandemic.
Those national death trends affect life expectancy — an estimate of the average number of years a baby born in a given year might expect to live.
With rare exceptions, U.S. life expectancy has reliably inched up year after year. But the CDC’s life expectancy estimate for 2020 was about 77 years — more than a year and a half lower than what it was in 2019.
The CDC has not yet reported its calculation for 2021. But Goldman and some other researchers have been making their own estimates, presented in papers that have not yet been published in peer-reviewed journals.
Those researchers think U.S. life expectancy dropped another five or six months in 2021 — putting it back to where it was 20 years ago.
A loss of more than two years of life expectancy over the last two years “is mammoth,” Goldman said.
One study looked at death data in the U.S. and 19 other high-income countries. The U.S. fared the worst.
“What happened in the U.S. is less about the variants than the levels of resistance to vaccination and the public’s rejection of practices, such as masking and mandates, to reduce viral transmission,” one of the study’s authors, Dr. Steven Woolf of Virginia Commonwealth University, said in a statement.
Some experts are skeptical that life expectancy will quickly bounce back. They worry about long-term complications of COVID-19 that may hasten the deaths of people with chronic health problems.
Preliminary — and incomplete — CDC data suggest there were at least 805,000 U.S. deaths in about the first three months of this year. That’s well below the same period last year, but higher than the comparable period in 2020.
“We may end up with a ‘new normal’ that’s a little higher than it was before,” Anderson said. | https://www.wfla.com/news/national/covid-19-overdoses-pushed-us-to-highest-death-total-ever/ | 2022-04-12T21:43:38 | 1 | https://www.wfla.com/news/national/covid-19-overdoses-pushed-us-to-highest-death-total-ever/ |
Piscataway, NJ zoo closing after repeated dangerous flooding
Johnson Park in Piscataway has had animals in a little zoo there for decades. In 1999 when Hurricane Floyd hit, 10 horses drowned. Seven months ago when Ida struck, it almost happened again. Disturbing pictures, like a miniature horse chest-deep in flood water, were alarming to animal advocates.
The park and zoo are in a flood zone and animal activists had enough. They formed the group Friends of the Johnson Park Animals and urged action. They claimed the animals didn’t get adequate care and that just by virtue of being located in a flood zone they are at risk.
It’s not even the first time there was a call to close the zoo. It’s been debated in the town for years and there have been petitions and protests.
Finally, it’s been announced the zoo is closing after being there for 73 years. Is it sad? Sure. I’ve been there a number of times myself and my little boys with autism were enthralled with the goats and other animals. The zoo has also been home to horses, rabbits, sheep, llamas, pigs, birds, turkeys and deer.
Some of the animals have already been moved to new homes. Soon most will. Animal sanctuaries around the state will be taking them in.
There’s a section within the 478-acre park that’s outside of the flood zone. A dozen animals, six chickens, a cow, three horses and two goats, will be moved there. But it will be nothing like the 90-animal menagerie that had been homed there.
Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Jeff Deminski only.
You can now listen to Deminski & Doyle — On Demand! Hear New Jersey’s favorite afternoon radio show any day of the week. Download the Deminski & Doyle show wherever you get podcasts, on our free app, or listen right now: | https://nj1015.com/piscataway-nj-zoo-closing-after-repeated-dangerous-flooding/ | 2022-04-12T21:43:44 | 1 | https://nj1015.com/piscataway-nj-zoo-closing-after-repeated-dangerous-flooding/ |
TAMPA (WFLA) President Biden aims to cut gasoline prices nearly a dime a gallon by temporarily waiving rules that restrict ethanol blending.
U.S gasoline is normally blended with 10 percent ethanol, but an emergency waiver from the Environmental Protection Agency will allow the sale of a 15 percent ethanol blend. A higher increase in ethanol is usually prohibited between June 1 and Sept. 15th as it’s said to create smog in hot temperatures.
8 on Your Side spoke to an automotive expert from Hillsborough County’s Erwin Technical College about the impact higher ethanol can have on vehicles.
“More ethanol is not a good thing, it’s a bad thing. Shelf life is very short, it causes deterioration to all the rubber parts of the engine,” Thomas Shindel, an automotive instructor said.
Shindel has worked in the automotive industry over thirty years and shared gas with a higher ethanol percentage evaporates faster.
“These engines weren’t designed for ethanol gas, the more ethanol you put in it, the more issues you’ll have down the road,” Shindel said.
Tampa Bay area drivers shared they want to see a decline in their weekly gas costs.
“If it lowers my gas prices, and it doesn’t affect my vehicle, I’ll go for it, but he’s got to do something,” said John Huff.
“My gasoline bill has gone up from 300-to-400 dollars a month to 800 a month, so it’s double,” said Phil Pulido. | https://www.wfla.com/news/president-biden-waives-ethanol-rule-to-lower-summer-gas-prices/ | 2022-04-12T21:43:44 | 1 | https://www.wfla.com/news/president-biden-waives-ethanol-rule-to-lower-summer-gas-prices/ |
NEW BRUNSWICK — Was a drive-by shooting near Rutgers University Saturday night involving an Airsoft-type rifle part of a social media challenge?
The shots were fired from a tan Toyota Sienna minivan around 8 p.m. at four people walking near the intersection of George and Bayard streets, according to New Brunswick police. One of those victims is affiliated with Rutgers.
One person was injured by the projectile but refused medical treatment, according to police.
New Brunswick police Capt. J.T. Miller told New Jersey 101.5 that Kevin Le, 20, of Manahawkin, was arrested in the early Tuesday morning in the area of George Street and Livingston Avenue, a block from the incident.
Lee was in possession of a battery-operated CO2 Airsoft-type rifle at the time of his arrest, according to Miller, who said a connection to the Saturday incident remained under investigation.
Part of a Tik Tok challenge?
The circumstances of the shooting sounds similar to the Orbeez Challenge on TikTok in which frozen jelly-like balls are fired from a moving vehicle. Several New Jersey police departments including Jersey City, Rahway, Margate, Point Pleasant Borough and Westfield have issued warnings about the challenge.
The gun can fire at more than 200 feet per second, according to Margate police. Some models can fire more than 10 beads every second.
"Put simply, these are dangerous and can cause injury. Additionally, the use of these toys in this manner is illegal under New Jersey law and could result in charges being brought against ANY person, juvenile or adult, who would participate in this challenge," Margate police said.
Miller said New Brunswick police are also aware of the Orbeez incidents in other towns.
"It would be premature to distinguish this incident as such a case," Miller said.
Miller asked that anyone with information or who may have been in the area at the time of the shooting call 732-745-5200.
A trip to New Jersey doesn't have to be all about the beach. Our state has some incredible trails, waterfalls, and lakes to enjoy.
From the Pine Barrens to the Appalachian Trail to the hidden gems of New Jersey, you have plenty of options for a great hike. Hiking is such a great way to spend time outdoors and enjoy nature, plus it's a great workout.
Before you go out on the trails and explore some of our listeners' suggestions, I have some tips on hiking etiquette from the American Hiking Society.
If you are going downhill and run into an uphill hiker, step to the side and give the uphill hiker space. A hiker going uphill has the right of way unless they stop to catch their breath.
Always stay on the trail, you may see side paths, unless they are marked as an official trail, steer clear of them. By going off-trail you may cause damage to the ecosystems around the trail, the plants, and wildlife that live there.
You also do not want to disturb the wildlife you encounter, just keep your distance from the wildlife and continue hiking.
Bicyclists should yield to hikers and horses. Hikers should also yield to horses, but I’m not sure how many horses you will encounter on the trails in New Jersey.
If you are thinking of bringing your dog on your hike, they should be leashed, and make sure to clean up all pet waste.
Lastly, be mindful of the weather, if the trail is too muddy, it's probably best to save your hike for another day.
I asked our listeners for their suggestions of the best hiking spots in New Jersey, check out their suggestions:
Every NJ pizza joint Barstool's Dave Portnoy has reviewed
Dave Portnoy, commonly known as El Presidente, is the founder of Barstool Sports. Somewhere along the way, he decided to start reviewing local pizzerias, and the concept took off. Here is every New Jersey pizzeria Dave has stopped in, along with the score he gave them.
These are the best hiking spots in New Jersey
A trip to New Jersey doesn't have to be all about the beach. Our state has some incredible trails, waterfalls, and lakes to enjoy.
From the Pine Barrens to the Appalachian Trail to the hidden gems of New Jersey, you have plenty of options for a great hike. Hiking is such a great way to spend time outdoors and enjoy nature, plus it's a great workout.
Before you go out on the trails and explore some of our listeners' suggestions, I have some tips on hiking etiquette from the American Hiking Society.
If you are going downhill and run into an uphill hiker, step to the side and give the uphill hiker space. A hiker going uphill has the right of way unless they stop to catch their breath.
Always stay on the trail, you may see side paths, unless they are marked as an official trail, steer clear of them. By going off-trail you may cause damage to the ecosystems around the trail, the plants, and wildlife that live there.
You also do not want to disturb the wildlife you encounter, just keep your distance from the wildlife and continue hiking.
Bicyclists should yield to hikers and horses. Hikers should also yield to horses, but I’m not sure how many horses you will encounter on the trails in New Jersey.
If you are thinking of bringing your dog on your hike, they should be leashed, and make sure to clean up all pet waste.
Lastly, be mindful of the weather, if the trail is too muddy, it's probably best to save your hike for another day.
I asked our listeners for their suggestions of the best hiking spots in New Jersey, check out their suggestions: | https://nj1015.com/tiktok-challenge-shots-fired-at-pedestrians-in-new-brunswick-nj/ | 2022-04-12T21:43:50 | 0 | https://nj1015.com/tiktok-challenge-shots-fired-at-pedestrians-in-new-brunswick-nj/ |
INDIANAPOLIS — For decades, General Motors utilized its property on Oliver Avenue on Indy’s west side to turn sheet metal into big American-made cars and trucks.
Three years from now, animal health science leader Elanco will headquarter its worldwide mission to prevent disease in farm livestock and house pets from that vast slab of land overlooking the west bank of the White River.
“This eyesore is being converted to an engine of ideas, research and development,” said Governor Eric Holcomb.
“The near west side of downtown Indianapolis has been waiting 11 years for this day,” said Mayor Joe Hogsett, “and in truth, our whole city has been waiting and its finally happened, from 100 acres of cracked pavement to more than $100 million global headquarters and much more is on the way.”
Ground was broken this morning on the long-abandoned site of the former GM Stamping Plant as Elanco Animal Health promises to build a campus that will attract researchers and business from around the globe. The group has also said the headquarters will eventually employ more than 2,000 people.
“You don’t find many 50-acre pieces of property in downtown cities in the United States,” Elanco President and CEO Jeff Simmons said in a ceremony streamed internationally to Elanco plants, offices and associates. “This is about a movement, a positive movement for the city, for the west side, for Elanco and for what we’re going to build in the bigger space for animals.”
“We are going to reach the world’s animals from here,” said Simmons, reflecting on the important role pets played in maintaining the emotional balance of owners during two years of COVID-19 shutdowns. “People realized for companionship, pets matter.”
Governor Holcomb predicted that not only would the Elanco headquarters draw animal health research and production talent to central Indiana and create spin off businesses, but that the White River State Park would develop south of Washington Street and draw in the Valley neighborhood.
“To think about a river runs through it, the capitol city, the skyline, the workplace right here, the water sports potentially, the potential soccer, football, baseball, the museum, the arts, all within a stone’s throw of here, we’ve got it all right here.”
To land the Elanco HQ, the City financed $135 million in bonds, nearly half of it provided to Elanco, and the remainder to be spent on infrastructure improvements to the site and the surrounding neighborhood. The State has provided more than $86 million in tax credits, grants and incentives.
Jay Napolean of the Valley Neighborhood Association has lived in the west side community for 25 years.
“This really is creating a place for connecting the Valley neighborhood and this place to downtown, with connectivity for walking, biking, interaction with the White River,” he said, reflecting on the new pedestrian and vehicle bridges that will connect the two sides of the river. “This is something we’ve always wanted, connectivity to downtown because this area is so close to downtown, the bridges across the White River will open up a whole new world of possibilities.”
Napolean said he also expects Elanco to draw more development to the area which is bordered by I-70, railroad tracks, the Indianapolis Zoo and the river.
“Anyone who does neighborhood development knows if you get one big development, it begets more good development, and we expect this to spread not just here but further west and towards downtown.”
During bankruptcy proceedings more than a decade ago, General Motors turned the property over to the federal government. Later, the City came into possession of the site.
One previous mayor envisioned a new county jail and concert venue site for the location. An attempt to develop the area into a mixed-use community failed and resulted in lawsuits pitting the City versus the developer.
Demolition of acres of pavement on the site will begin this week, with occupancy anticipated in three years as Elanco will eventually vacate its current headquarters in Greenfield. | https://fox59.com/indiana-news/ground-broken-on-100-million-elanco-headquarters-on-indys-west-side/ | 2022-04-12T21:43:55 | 0 | https://fox59.com/indiana-news/ground-broken-on-100-million-elanco-headquarters-on-indys-west-side/ |
DELPHI, Ind. — Libby German’s grandma, Becky Patty, says she and her family were as stunned as everyone else was when a transcript of an interview investigators did with Kegan Kline went public.
That transcript revealed that an account going by ‘anthony_shots,’ which investigators say Kline used to solicit nude images of underage girls, was one of the last people to communicate with Libby the day she and Abby Williams were murdered.
Those transcripts also revealed that ‘anthony_shots’ was supposed to meet Libby and Abby on the trails the day of the murders.
“In the beginning, they were rumors that maybe this could be social media related and then we were led to believe that it wasn’t social media,” Becky said. “I was afraid to maybe accept that it was social media because then I let them down. I didn’t catch it.”
On Monday, Indiana State Police expanded their search for tips about “anthony_shots” to the social media app Yubo.
Yubo has been dubbed “Tinder for Teens” because users can swipe to mark what profiles they like and don’t like. It also allows them to livestream and chat with users based on their location.
“During the time of review, it was easy to find substance use, profanity, racial slurs, and scantily clad people,” non-profit, watchdog Common Sense Media wrote in its review of the app.
Indiana State Police are asking anyone who communicated with “anthony_shots” on Yubo, Instagram or Snapchat to give them a call.
“It shows us that may be their narrowing things down a little more specific,” Becky said. “We don’t know where this is leading, and we don’t know what causes them to ask for this.”
Becky said she blames herself for not being more aware of Libby’s social media use.
The transcripts and court documents revealed that Kegan Kline, and possibly his father, used that account to solicit images and communicate with underage girls.
“I’m very angry that grown men would even do something like this. They are kids. They’re little girls you know. They are preying on their innocence,” Becky said. “There’s a special place in hell for those people.”
Beck said she and her family are still shocked at what those transcripts revealed. She said they had no inkling that Libby was planning to meet someone when she asked to go to the trails the last day anyone saw her or Abby Williams in February 2017.
She hopes this case can serve as a warning to parents everywhere.
“The best thing that a parent can do is talk to your children,” Becky said. “You may not be able to monitor them on social media, but you sure can talk to them.”
She is asking that parents go through their kids’ old phones to see if they had any contact with the “anthony_shots” account.
Neither Kegan Kline, nor his father has been charged in the murders of Abby and Libby.
Anyone with information is asked to contact law enforcement at abbyandlibbytip@cacoshrf.com or 765-822-3535. | https://fox59.com/news/libbys-grandma-speaks-out-about-new-revelations-in-delphi-investigation/ | 2022-04-12T21:44:01 | 0 | https://fox59.com/news/libbys-grandma-speaks-out-about-new-revelations-in-delphi-investigation/ |
INDIANAPOLIS — A shooting is under investigation on Mass Ave near the Bottleworks District, according to police.
The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department said police responded to the shooting call at around 3:50 p.m. at 875 Massachusetts Avenue, part of the popular Bottleworks District.
Once on scene, officers found an adult male with a gunshot wound inside a red vehicle. He was transported to a hospital where he was listed as being in critical condition.
Investigators stated they were still working to determine if the shooting occurred on Mass Ave or at a prior location.
Police said there is no active threat to the public.
No other information was given at this time as the investigation is still active and ongoing.
Anyone with information about this shooting is asked to contact the IMPD Homicide Office or Crime Stoppers at (317) 262-TIPS (8477)
This story will be updated once more information has been gathered. | https://fox59.com/news/national-world/impd-respond-to-shooting-near-bottleworks-district-on-mass-ave/ | 2022-04-12T21:44:07 | 0 | https://fox59.com/news/national-world/impd-respond-to-shooting-near-bottleworks-district-on-mass-ave/ |
Gilbert Gottfried, the comedian, “Aladdin” star and owner of one of the most iconic voices in Hollywood, has died after battling a long illness, his family announced Tuesday. He was 67.
His publicist told the Washington Post that he died due to complications from muscular dystrophy.
“We are heartbroken to announce the passing of our beloved Gilbert Gottfried after a long illness. In addition to being the most iconic voice in comedy, Gilbert was a wonderful husband, brother, friend and father to his two young children. Although today is a sad day for all of us, please keep laughing as loud as possible in Gilbert’s honor,” his family wrote on Twitter.
Many people in Hollywood, including comedians Jason Alexander, Dane Cook and more, paid tribute to Gottfried after the shocking news of his death. “Gilbert Gottfried was never not funny,” wrote Cook. “He was a lovely guy, always friendly and made many people happy.”
Gottfried was known for his crude humor, political incorrectness and shrill voice, which helped give life to a number of animated characters, such as Iago the parrot in Disney’s “Aladdin,” the robotic bird Digit in PBS Kids’ “Cyberchase” and the Aflac duck in commercials for the insurance company.
He was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., on Feb. 28, 1955, and started performing stand-up comedy at just 15. Gottfried had a short, 12-episode stint on “Saturday Night Live” during Season 6 in 1980, and he reunited with his “SNL” colleague Eddie Murphy on “Beverly Hills Cop II,” one of his first major film roles. Howard Stern frequently invited Gottfried on his radio show in the ‘80s, where he impersonated people like Andrew “Dice” Clay, Groucho Marx and Bela Lugosi as Dracula.
By the ‘90s, Gottfried landed roles in films like “Problem Child” movies, “Highway to Hell” and “Looks Who’s Talking Too,” before landing his most recognizable voice role as Iago the parrot in 1992′s “Aladdin.” Iago was the annoying but funny comic relief who accompanied the villain Jafar, and Gottfried reprised the role in two direct-to-video sequels, a TV series and the “Kingdom Hearts” video games.
His other major voice roles included Kraang Subprime in “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles,” Mr. Mxyzptlk in “Superman: The Animated Series,” Dr. Bender and his son Wendell in “The Fairly OddParents,” plus “SpongeBob Squarepants,” “The Ren & Stimpy Show,” “Duckman,” “Disney’s House of Mouse” and countless more.
In the 2000s and 2010s, Gottfried became a regular on celebrity roasts and game shows. He appeared in Comedy Central roasts of Bob Saget, Joan Rivers, David Hasselhoff, Donald Trump and Roseanne Barr, plus game shows like “Hollywood Squares” and “Pyramid.”
He was frequent contributor at Chicago clubs over the years.
Gottfried spoke to the Tribune in 2007 before appearances at the suburban and Wells Street Zanies comedy clubs, the conversation was soon before his marriage to Dara Kravitz, who he met at a Grammy Awards party, and the birth of the first of their two children together: daughter, Lily and son, Max.
”My hope is I don’t turn into one of those comics with cutesy stuff all about their kids,” he said. “My feeling is, once you give up drugs and alcohol you’re never quite the same. So with that in mind, I’m planning on taking up drinking and hard drugs.”
Speaking offstage over the phone, his voice lost the signature brash Brooklyn accent he’s known for and became softer. But he need not have worried about that edge, his comedic material never lost it.
Gottfried had his share of controversial moments. At a New York Friars Club Roast of Hugh Hefner in 2001, three weeks after the Sept. 11 attacks, he joked he was trying to catch a plane but could not get a direct flight because “they said they have to stop at the Empire State Building first.” The audience gasped. Someone yelled out, “Too soon!” Gottfried abandoned his prepared remarks and launched into the Aristocrats, the venerable dirty joke about a traveling family act performing obscene acts on one another. The bit killed. It became the center of the 2005 film “The Aristocrats.”
He talked about the moment over lunch in Chicago in 2009. “After the Aristocrats thing,” he said, “I was known for dirty jokes. It’s not like I haven’t told my share of dirty jokes before.”
Later, in March 2011, Gottfried made jokes on his Twitter account about the earthquake and tsunami in Japan. Insurance company Aflac dismissed Gottfried from voicing its duck mascot.
”Bad taste jokes have their own apology built into them because you laugh and cringe at the same time,” Gottfried told the Post-Tribune before a 2019 show in Hobart, Indiana. “People need jokes like that to touch the sore area.” About being fired, “I lost some money, but I was just doing my job,” he recalled. “It’s like eating a bowl of corn flakes every morning, and then one day you eat another bowl and all hell breaks loose. It’s a ridiculous concept.”
Gottfried said growing up, he looked up to comics such as Henny Youngman, who favored clean, short one-liners, often followed by a violin flourish.”It was not particularly clever or witty,” Gottfried said. “It was funny because his jokes were stupid.”
He had been expected back in Illinois next week to headline 2022 Ebertfest, according to the News-Gazette of Champaign, an annual Roger Ebert film festival organized by the College of Media at the University of Illinois. A 2017 documentary about his life and career is part of the lineup. “Gilbert” is still scheduled to be screened at the Virginia Theatre (203 W. Park Ave., Champaign) at 4 p.m. April 21.
The Tribune contributed to this report. | https://www.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment/ct-ent-gilbert-gottfried-dies-20220412-he26diw5jnghfpcldqryqtw2b4-story.html | 2022-04-12T21:48:18 | 1 | https://www.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment/ct-ent-gilbert-gottfried-dies-20220412-he26diw5jnghfpcldqryqtw2b4-story.html |
A 38-year-old man was arrested this week after deputies found he had been sexually abusing two children, the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office said Tuesday.
Juan Pablo Monterroso Morataya is currently in the Osceola County Jail, on a charge of sexually battering a child younger than 12, 21 counts of molestation and four counts of showing obscene material to a minor.
In an unsigned news release, the Sheriff’s Office didn’t offer many details about the investigation, other than that the crimes happened “across multiple jurisdictions” and that Monterroso Morataya was cooperating with the investigation.
Court records have not been made publicly available.
creyes-rios@orlandosentinel.com | https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/crime/os-ne-juan-monterroso-morataya-child-molestation-osceola-20220412-upcoip5bsndr7edyepfz6xwtty-story.html | 2022-04-12T21:48:24 | 0 | https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/crime/os-ne-juan-monterroso-morataya-child-molestation-osceola-20220412-upcoip5bsndr7edyepfz6xwtty-story.html |
FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) — A man accepted into Allen County Community Corrections GPS monitoring was charged Monday with cocaine dealing.
Edward J. Hailey, 38, was charged with cocaine dealing, two counts of cocaine possession and marijuana possession. An Allen County Jail spokesman said he was being held on a probation violation which triggers a no bond for an offender. His listed address is 7117 Venture Lane, where the Community Corrections residential services center is located.
The drugs were found April 5 around 4:45 p.m. when Trevor Braun, a special deputy with Community Corrections, conducted a canine drug sniff of Hailey’s green Toyota 4Runner.
In the trunk, security officers found a multicolored backpack that contacted 11.4 grams of marijuana, 10 light green rectangular pills embossed with S90 3 on them that tested to be Xanax, a DigiWeigh digital scale and a baggie with white powder residue, field testing positive for cocaine, court documents said.
Seven small plastic baggies contained cocaine, a white powdery substance. The bags weighed a total of 5 grams. Additionally, officers found 24 full THC vape cartridges. The brand name was “Glo” and contained 1 gram cannabis oil, according to the labels.
Hailey said he knew there were marijuana and THC vape cartridges, but denied knowing about the Xanax, cocaine or digital scale, court documents said.
Hailey got a modified sentence in December for a charge that originated in June 2015. The charges including several dealing charges and maintaining a common nuisance. Court documents show the Indiana Department of Correction denied placement in a community transition program in September 2019, but Allen County Probation approved probation here two years later. The order was signed Dec. 14.
Hailey now has a hearing on his violation of probation on April 27.
As of Tuesday, the Allen County Jail was holding seven Circuit Court probation violators, 21 Community Corrections violators, 13 parole violators, 178 probation violators, three re-entry court violators and one sentenced to home detention out of a total of 807 inmates. | https://www.wane.com/news/crime/offender-at-community-corrections-accused-of-dealing-cocaine/ | 2022-04-12T21:48:29 | 0 | https://www.wane.com/news/crime/offender-at-community-corrections-accused-of-dealing-cocaine/ |
Post-Masters week, the PGA Tour will head a few hours southeast and make its annual stop in Hilton Head, South Carolina, for the RBC Heritage, which again possesses a stellar field.
Among that field, Justin Thomas, fresh off a T-8 finish at Augusta National, is PointsBet's favorite at +1300. Thomas has five top-10s in eight starts this year, but hasn't won since the 2021 Players Championship.
Collin Morikawa, who moved up to No. 2 in the world rankings following a solo fifth at the Masters, has the second-best odds at +1400.
Cam Smith, who was in contention last week until a blunder on Augusta National's 12th hole in the final round, has the field's third-best odds at +1600, with Dustin Johnson and Patrick Cantlay right behind Smith at +1800.
Shane Lowry who finished T-3 with Smith at the Masters is +2000 with Matthew Fitzpatrick.
Here is a look at the notable odds to win the RBC Heritage:
Full-field tee times from RBC Heritage
Justin Thomas: +1300
Collin Morikawa: +1400
Cameron Smith: +1600
Dustin Johnson, Patrick Cantlay: +1800
Shane Lowry, Matthew Fitzpatrick: +2000
Corey Conners: +2000
Daniel Berger: +2500
Daniel Berger: +2800
Russell Henley: +3000
Sungjae Im: +3300
Webb Simpson: +3300
Joaquin Niemann: +3500
Jordan Spieth, Billy Horschel, Tyrrell Hatton: +4000
Kevin Na, Kevin Kisner, Chris Kirk, Alexander Noren, Maverick McNealy: +5000
Harold Varner III, Si Woo Kim, Tommy Fleetwood: +5500
Adam Hadwin, Jason Kokrak: +6000
Brian Harman, Matt Kuchar: +6600
Tom Hoge: +7000
Kevin Streelman, Sebastian Munoz: +8000
J. J. Spaun, Mito Pereira, Russell Knox: +9000
Aaron Wise, Cameron Tringale, Cameron Young, Charles Howell III, Denny McCarthy, Erik Van Rooyen, Ian Poulter, Luke List, Patton Kizzire, Sepp Straka, Troy Merritt, Stewart Cink: +10000
View the full list of odds here. | https://www.golfchannel.com/news/2022-rbc-heritage-odds-justin-thomas-favorite-over-collin-morikawa | 2022-04-12T21:48:29 | 0 | https://www.golfchannel.com/news/2022-rbc-heritage-odds-justin-thomas-favorite-over-collin-morikawa |
Tri-Rail and Brightline, South Florida’s regional passenger railroads, said Tuesday they enhanced their security efforts after a gunman shot multiple people at a New York subway station during the morning rush hour.
A spokesman for the South Florida Regional Transportation Authority, which operates Tri-Rail, said the notification was “a result of this recent incident, as per normal safety protocol.”
“This includes increasing their presence and performing frequent inspections at stations and onboard trains,” said spokesman Victor Garcia. “Security personnel and train crews have been alerted. We are in communication with local law enforcement and will be looking for any potential additional instructions from TSA (Transportation Security Administration).”
Garcia added that announcements will be shared with passengers to remember to contact Tri-Rail “if they see something suspicious.”
Tri-Rail serves 18 stations between Palm Beach County and Miami International Airport.
Brightline’s trains serve the downtowns of Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach and Miami. “We have amplified our security and safety measures,” said spokeswoman Vanessa Alfonso. She declined to say how.
But since its inception, the company has screened passengers with airport-styled checkpoints at its train stations. “We screen 100% of our guests and bags,” she said. “We have a layered approach and we have amplified that.”
Broward County Transit, which operates a countywide bus system, did not respond to an email seeking comment. Last month, a gunman shot and killed two people and wounded two others aboard a Broward County Transit bus in Fort Lauderdale.
Within the last several months, shooting incidents were reported in garages used by Tri-Rail in Pompano Beach and Brightline in Fort Lauderdale.
Both the county and Brightline maintain security staffs in their public facilities such as stations and garages as evidenced by the presence of uniformed personnel.
In late 2020, a series of physical assaults aboard cars along Miami’s county-operated Metromover system caused severe injuries for several passengers.
The incidents resulted in increased police patrols and prompted Miami-Dade County to move the management of a security contract for Metromover and Metro Rail to the police department. | https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/florida/fl-ne-south-florida-transit-security-20220412-buomsy2ouffsnnj22kcqhduin4-story.html | 2022-04-12T21:48:30 | 1 | https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/florida/fl-ne-south-florida-transit-security-20220412-buomsy2ouffsnnj22kcqhduin4-story.html |
DELPHI, Ind. — Libby German’s grandma, Becky Patty, says she and her family were as stunned as everyone else was when a transcript of an interview investigators did with Kegan Kline went public.
That transcript revealed that an account going by ‘anthony_shots,’ which investigators say Kline used to solicit nude images of underage girls, was one of the last people to communicate with Libby the day she and Abby Williams were murdered.
Those transcripts also revealed that ‘anthony_shots’ was supposed to meet Libby and Abby on the trails the day of the murders.
“In the beginning, they were rumors that maybe this could be social media related and then we were led to believe that it wasn’t social media,” Becky said. “I was afraid to maybe accept that it was social media because then I let them down. I didn’t catch it.”
On Monday, Indiana State Police expanded their search for tips about “anthony_shots” to the social media app Yubo.
Yubo has been dubbed “Tinder for Teens” because users can swipe to mark what profiles they like and don’t like. It also allows them to livestream and chat with users based on their location.
“During the time of review, it was easy to find substance use, profanity, racial slurs, and scantily clad people,” non-profit, watchdog Common Sense Media wrote in its review of the app.
Indiana State Police are asking anyone who communicated with “anthony_shots” on Yubo, Instagram or Snapchat to give them a call.
“It shows us that may be their narrowing things down a little more specific,” Becky said. “We don’t know where this is leading, and we don’t know what causes them to ask for this.”
Becky said she blames herself for not being more aware of Libby’s social media use.
The transcripts and court documents revealed that Kegan Kline, and possibly his father, used that account to solicit images and communicate with underage girls.
“I’m very angry that grown men would even do something like this. They are kids. They’re little girls you know. They are preying on their innocence,” Becky said. “There’s a special place in hell for those people.”
Beck said she and her family are still shocked at what those transcripts revealed. She said they had no inkling that Libby was planning to meet someone when she asked to go to the trails the last day anyone saw her or Abby Williams in February 2017.
She hopes this case can serve as a warning to parents everywhere.
“The best thing that a parent can do is talk to your children,” Becky said. “You may not be able to monitor them on social media, but you sure can talk to them.”
She is asking that parents go through their kids’ old phones to see if they had any contact with the “anthony_shots” account.
Neither Kegan Kline, nor his father has been charged in the murders of Abby and Libby.
Anyone with information is asked to contact law enforcement at abbyandlibbytip@cacoshrf.com or 765-822-3535. | https://www.wane.com/news/indiana/libbys-grandma-speaks-out-about-new-revelations-in-delphi-investigation/ | 2022-04-12T21:48:35 | 0 | https://www.wane.com/news/indiana/libbys-grandma-speaks-out-about-new-revelations-in-delphi-investigation/ |
Shirley Spork, one of the LPGA Tour's founders, died Tuesday morning. She was 94.
Spork was recently selected to join the LPGA Hall of Fame. The decision was announced March 29 to include all 13 of the founding members.
Spork was born May 14, 1927, in Detroit, Michigan. She grew up across from Bonnie Brook Golf Club and, at age 12, with money earned from collecting, cleaning and reselling golf balls, she bought her first club, a putter.
Spork attended college at what is now Eastern Michigan University and won the 1947 national women’s collegiate golf tournament. In addition to athletic pursuits, Spork trained to become a physical education instructor.
She graduated in 1949 and the following year was one of the 13 women to sign the initial charter of the Ladies Professional Golf Association. That fall, she was hired to teach physical education at Bowling Green State University, splitting time as both an instructor and a playing professional.
Teaching golf, more so than playing competitively, was Spork’s catalyst. In 1954, she began coaching at Tamarisk Country Club in Palm Springs, California, where she lived for nearly eight decades. Spork was also instrumental in the creation of the LPGA Teaching & Club Pro Division.
Spork was awarded the LPGA Teacher of the Year Award in 1959 and 1984. She is a member of the Michigan Golf Hall of Fame, Eastern Michigan Athletic Hall of Fame and, in 2019, was inducted into the PGA of American Hall of Fame. | https://www.golfchannel.com/news/lpga-founder-recent-hall-fame-selection-shirley-spork-dies-94 | 2022-04-12T21:48:35 | 0 | https://www.golfchannel.com/news/lpga-founder-recent-hall-fame-selection-shirley-spork-dies-94 |
Orlando teens on free and reduced lunch have a chance for employment this summer, which will include receiving a bank account, income of $14 an hour and other financial literacy training.
City officials announced an expansion Tuesday of its Summer Youth Employment Program, which will provide internships for between 300 and 400 students in a variety of industries including summer camps, insurance, retail and hospitality. Officials said they hope it will teach life skills and the value of a dollar, as well as expose students to potential career paths.
Students will be paid $14 per hour for 30-hour work weeks by CareerSource Central Florida, which means businesses can have interns at no cost to them, Mayor Buddy Dyer said.
“What a great deal that is,” Dyer said. “We help train the students and you get to take advantage of that now skilled labor.”
A previous iteration of the employment program was specifically for students in the city’s Parramore Kidz Zone programs, but it has since been expanded citywide, for any student between 15 and 19 years old who qualifies for free and reduced lunch.
Willie Hobdy, 25, was once one of those teens. At 16, he was hired as an assistant basketball coach with the city through the summer employment program. He’s since graduated from Florida A&M University, with hopes of returning to its law school later this year. He said he learned working with kids as an intern that they can control their environment and stay out of trouble.
“Advocating on how they behave and what they do after school was a great experience for me,” Hobdy said.
Besides a paycheck — for many, likely their first, city officials said — students will get bank accounts , job experience for resumes, as well as financial training around budgeting and saving for college or a future home purchase, said Lysa Barbano, market president for VyStar Credit Union, which will train the students.
Berta Garcia, director of Blue Swan Boulders climbing gym, said her company hired two high school seniors a year ago from Parramore Kidz Zone, and they’ve learned skills like problem-solving, customer service and risk management.
“What’s more important is that I think both of them have found community here as well,” she said.
City Commissioner Regina Hill said Orlando is looking for more companies to participate to broaden opportunities for the interns.
“It’s not just small businesses; we’re looking for those that might be corporations or office skillsets. … It can be an individual — a photographer, a videographer that might need some youth to intern,” she said. “We want to try to match these kids up with their future endeavors, so when they show up at work they cannot just see themselves at work, but 10 years down the road.”
rygillespie@orlandosentinel.com | https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/orange-county/os-ne-orlando-youth-employment-20220412-uoflyxekdretxj7hu6mnbopkbu-story.html | 2022-04-12T21:48:36 | 1 | https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/orange-county/os-ne-orlando-youth-employment-20220412-uoflyxekdretxj7hu6mnbopkbu-story.html |
After Tiger Woods' final round at the Masters, he revealed an amusing nickname for Stewart Cink when referring to Cink's ace Friday at Augusta National.
"(2019) was the last time for me that I experienced having the patrons (at the Masters) like this, and it's exciting," Woods said. "It's inspiring. It's fun to hear the roars, to hear the hole-in-ones. I think Kitchen made one the other day. To hear that roar down there at the bottom on [hole] 16, just to hear that excitement of what this tournament brings out."
But it turns out that Woods was not the one who came up with "Kitchen" for Cink, even though the 15-time major champion may think he did.
"Well, it's been something that people called me ever since I was little. Ever since I can remember," Cink said Tuesday at Harbour Town, where he's set to make his RBC Heritage title defense.
Full-field tee times from RBC Heritage
"Tiger thinks he started that, but he did not start that. I've been referred to as Kitchen ever since I was a little kid playing golf back in Florence, Alabama, growing up. There was a guy named Tim Kitchens who I played in a couple partner events with up there, everybody just thought that was the funniest thing that Kitchens and Cink were playing together. And I was 13, 14 years old when that happened, people been calling me that for years.
"Tiger's always called me that, it's just kind of a funny nickname, Tiger's got nicknames for everybody just like we have for him and everybody else too. It's is part of the locker-room banter." | https://www.golfchannel.com/news/tiger-woods-thinks-he-came-stewart-cinks-nickname-he-did-not | 2022-04-12T21:48:41 | 0 | https://www.golfchannel.com/news/tiger-woods-thinks-he-came-stewart-cinks-nickname-he-did-not |
Florida lawmakers keep getting smacked around by federal judges who say the politicians in Tallahassee treat toilet paper with more respect than the United States Constitution.
Judges from both sides of the aisle have shot down the governor’s and Legislature’s attempts to manipulate election laws, take control of privately funded social media operations and imprison citizens who donate to political causes the politicians dislike. Yes, imprison.
In some of these cases, GOP lawmakers knew what they were doing was illegal. Their own staffers warned them. So did fellow Republicans. But they didn’t care. Not about the Constitution they took oaths to uphold. Nor about how many of your tax dollars they spent defending this garbage.
They’ve tried to hide that last part. (I’m still waiting for copies of legal bills I requested last July.) Fortunately, the Orlando Sentinel isn’t scared to fight for public records. Neither is the First Amendment Foundation, a legal advocacy group for open government and Florida media.
And records the First Amendment Foundation obtained show Florida is paying lawyers as much $745 an hour — more than many Floridians make in a week.
Those big bills were paid in the case where Gov. Ron DeSantis and GOP legislators tried to make it illegal for you to donate more than $3,000 to any grassroots efforts to get an amendment proposal on the Florida ballot. If you gave $3,001 to a campaign to raise the minimum wage or shrink class sizes, for instance, they wanted the ability to imprison you.
Now, these politicians knew they couldn’t do such a thing. The U.S. Supreme Court had already ruled it unconstitutional. But they tried anyway.
In striking down the law, conservative federal Judge Allen Winsor — a Donald Trump appointee — described it as “wholly foreign to the First Amendment.”
Again, lawmakers knew that before they passed the law and started paying lawyers with the Shutts & Bowen firm more than $127,000 to defend it. They just didn’t care. Because it was your money they were wasting.
In fact, they’re trying again this year with a similar contribution cap that once again applies only to amendment efforts. Judicial rulings be damned.
They suffered a similarly expected judicial beatdown with their attempt to regulate social media. Their own staffers had warned them against it. One GOP senator described it as so obviously un-American that it seemed seemed better suited for Cuba.
But Republicans legislators passed it anyway — after carving out a special theme-park exemption for their donor buddies at Disney — and then used your tax dollars to pay lawyers as much as $675 an hour to defend that junk law.
Florida pays lawyers $675/hour to defend unconstitutional legislation. They keep losing | Commentary
The judge in that case noted the favoritism for Disney but said the constitutional problem was that government was trying to control speech on privately funded platforms.
None of this was about serious policy. It was about pandering to a red-meat base that doesn’t care about true conservatism any more than it does constitutionalism.
It was taxpayer-funded demagoguery — and a windfall for Florida lawyers.
Keep in mind: All these legal bills were in addition to the armada of full-time, taxpayer-funded staff attorneys the state already has on the payroll.
The state claims its in-house lawyers lack the “necessary legal experience” to defend this legislation. But really, how much experience do you need to get your tail whupped in court over and over?
Some partisan defenders may say: Well, any governor is going to face some legal challenges. And that’s true. In fact, I sometimes roll my eyes at DeSantis critics who immediately claim that anything they dislike is unconstitutional.
But let’s be clear: These specific cases were different. They all involved laws that legal scholars — and even the Legislature’s own staffers — warned them about.
Think about it. Do you need a law degree to know that politicians can’t throw you in freakin’ prison for donating $3,001 to a campaign for the environment while the politicians continue taking checks of up to $5 million apiece?
Do you really need a federal judge to tell you that government can’t force a private business to allow a child predator or Klan member to use that company’s privately funded media platform to spread filth?
Or that a governor can’t appoint a lawyer with nine years of legal experience to the Supreme Court when the state constitution says he or she must have 10? (That was one of DeSantis’ earlier, clearly unconstitutional actions — one rebuffed by his own hand-picked members of the Florida Supreme Court.)
You don’t need a J.D. to know that stuff. You just need half a brain and an ounce of integrity ... which is apparently more than most Florida politicians have to offer.
The elected officials who support this clearly unconstitutional crud should be voted out of office. But as long as they’re still there, they should be the ones paying all these ridiculous legal bills. Not you.
Taxpayers work way too hard to see their money flushed right down the toilet, especially at a flush rate of $745 an hour. | https://www.orlandosentinel.com/opinion/scott-maxwell-commentary/os-op-florida-lawsuits-legal-bills-scott-maxwell-20220412-uou55h4pnreoroonucmmvmcdzy-story.html | 2022-04-12T21:48:43 | 0 | https://www.orlandosentinel.com/opinion/scott-maxwell-commentary/os-op-florida-lawsuits-legal-bills-scott-maxwell-20220412-uou55h4pnreoroonucmmvmcdzy-story.html |
Here's a look at what's happening around the golf world, from Harbour Town to Hawaii, and how you can watch:
PGA Tour
RBC Heritage
Thursday-Sunday, Harbour Town Golf Links, Hilton Head Island, S.C.
Course specs: Par 71, 7,121 yards, designed by Pete Dye
Purse: $8 million ($1,440,000 to the winner)
Defending champion: Stewart Cink
Notables in the field: Daniel Berger, Patrick Cantlay, Jim Furyk, Tyrrell Hatton, Billy Horschel, Dustin Johnson, Collin Morikawa, Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas
Tee times: Click here when available
TV schedule (all times ET): Thursday, 3-6 p.m., first round, GC; Friday, 3-6 p.m., second round, GC; Saturday, third round, 1-3 p.m., GC; 3-6 p.m., CBS; Sunday, final round, 1-3 p.m.; 3-6 p.m., CBS
LPGA Tour
Lotte Championship
Wednesday-Saturday, Hoakalei CC, Ewa Beach, Hawaii
Course specs: Par 72, 6,397 yards, designed by Ernie Els
Purse: $2 million
Defending champion: Lydia Ko
Notables in the field: Hannah Green, Nasa Hataoka, Brooke Henderson, Danielle Kang, Lydia Ko, Jennifer Kupcho, Yuka Saso, Atthaya Thitikul
Tee times: Click here when available
TV schedule (all times ET): Wednesday, first round, 7-11 p.m., GC; Thursday, second round, 7-11 p.m., GC; Friday, third round, 7-11 p.m., GC; Saturday, final round, 7-11 p.m., GC.
Western Intercollegiate
College Golf
Monday-Wednesday Pasatiempo GC, Santa Cruz, Calif.
Defending champion: Pepperdine; Joe Highsmith, Pepperdine
Teams competing: San Jose State (host), Arizona, Brigham Young, California, Cal.- Irvine, Colorado State, Hawaii, Oregon, Pepperdine, San Diego State, Stanford, USC, Texas, Washington
TV schedule (all times ET): Monday, first round, 7-10 p.m., GC; Tuesday, second round, 7-10 p.m., GC; Wednesday, final round, 4-7 p.m., GC
Other tours
KORN FERRY TOUR: Veritex Bank Championship, Texas Rangers GC, Arlington, Texas (April 13-16); live streaming on GolfChannel.com, Rds. 3 and 4, noon-6 p.m.
ASIAN TOUR / LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR: Trust Golf Asian Mixed Stableford Challenge, Siam CC (Waterside), Thailand (April 14-17)
PGA OF AMERICA: PGA Professional Championship, Omni Barton Creek Resort & Spa, Austin, Texas (April 17-20) | https://www.golfchannel.com/news/week-golf-tv-sked-tee-times-info-rbc-heritage-lotte-championship | 2022-04-12T21:48:48 | 0 | https://www.golfchannel.com/news/week-golf-tv-sked-tee-times-info-rbc-heritage-lotte-championship |
Jordan Lewis joined an exclusive group of Orlando area women’s basketball players Monday when she was selected in the annual WNBA Draft.
Lewis doesn’t have much time to celebrate, though. The 2016 Lake Highland Prep graduate reports to the Connecticut Sun on Wednesday in preparation for the start of training camp this weekend.
Connecticut chose Lewis with the 24th overall pick in the second round. She averaged 11.8 points, 5.3 assists and 3.8 rebounds as a Big 12 First Team selection in her only season as a graduate transfer at Baylor.
Lewis, who previously spent five seasons at Alabama, watched the draft with family in Orlando. She returned Tuesday to Texas, where she spoke by phone with the Orlando Sentinel.
“It still doesn’t feel real,” Lewis said. “After going off to Alabama, I didn’t know what my future would hold at the time. I thought I’d just play in college and then be done with it, so just to even be considered for the draft, and then to be drafted, just seems surreal to me.”
Lewis joins a short list of area WNBA draftees that include Edgewater’s Tari Phillips and Alexis Prince, and Krystal Thomas-Smith of The First Academy.
Phillips was drafted out of UCF with the 8th overall pick by the Orlando Miracle in 1999 before going on to make four all-star game appearances with the New York Liberty.
Prince, who also played at Baylor, was drafted No. 29 overall in 2017 by the Phoenix Mercury. Thomas-Smith, now a head coach at Foundation Academy, was drafted 36th overall out of Duke in 2011 by the Seattle Storm.
“It was super emotional for me because of all the hard work I’ve put in,” Lewis said of having her name called. “There’s been so many great players to come out of Lake Highland and from Central Florida. To even be considered among them makes it feel like the hard work is finally paying off.”
Lewis led Lake Highland to back-to-back state championships and was named Orlando Sentinel girls basketball player of the year her senior year. She became an immediate contributor as a freshman at Alabama, where she eventually earned All-SEC Second Team honors in 2021.
“This shows that you don’t have to have all the accolades and take the same path as everybody else,” Lewis said. “It seems most people think you have to come out of high school as a McDonald’s All-American or a 5-star [recruit] and go to the best school. But you can have your own journey. You can still get there if you continue to work hard and try to do everything that you can.”
This article originally appeared on OrlandoSentinel.com. Email J.C. Carnahan at jcarnahan@orlandosentinel.com. | https://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/highschool/os-sp-hs-jordan-lewis-lake-highland-wnba-connecticut-sun-basketball-20220412-klgft2liuzdfvjc7c2lk2ecjqa-story.html | 2022-04-12T21:48:49 | 1 | https://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/highschool/os-sp-hs-jordan-lewis-lake-highland-wnba-connecticut-sun-basketball-20220412-klgft2liuzdfvjc7c2lk2ecjqa-story.html |
CORAL GABLES — The Miami Hurricanes won’t have an entirely new starting lineup next season.
Fourth-year junior guard Jordan Miller said he will return to Miami next season instead of electing to turn professional.
“I’m coming back for sure,” Miller said Tuesday. “I feel like we have unfinished business. I didn’t want it to just be, ‘Oh, they made history one year and that was it.’ I feel like this team, even with the core players that are coming back, is something special.”
The future of another Miami starter is still unknown. Coach Jim Larrañaga said third-year sophomore Isaiah Wong was still contemplating his future.
“Right now, we’ve given him the space to try to pursue his dream of being an NBA player,” Larrañaga said. “He’s going to do that as long as he chooses to, and then he and his mom will decide with their advisors as to what the next step is in his journey, whether it’s to come back and play another year at Miami or to put his name into the draft and pursue his dream of being an NBA player. But that’s going to be up to he and his mom.”
A clue to Wong’s future may have come in the form of a NIL deal with Miami booster John Ruiz’s company, LifeWallet, which Ruiz announced on Twitter on Tuesday morning.
Wong and Miller were crucial parts of Miami’s run to the Elite Eight. Miller averaged 10 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.8 steals last season. Wong was the team’s No. 2 scorer, averaging 15.3 points. He also notched 4.3 rebounds and two assists per game.
“Isaiah Wong is just the ultimate worker; he’s in the gym every day,” Larrañaga said. “Whether it’s in our practice facility or some open gym someplace, he loves to play basketball.”
The Hurricanes’ three other starters — guards Kameron McGusty and Charlie Moore as well as forward Sam Waardenburg — will not return to Miami as they have no more years of eligibility remaining. | https://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/miami-hurricanes/fl-sp-um-miller-wong-20220412-cpxymamamfdofikf6kja2pcs2y-story.html | 2022-04-12T21:48:55 | 1 | https://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/miami-hurricanes/fl-sp-um-miller-wong-20220412-cpxymamamfdofikf6kja2pcs2y-story.html |
In 1997, Grant Heard was a sophomore wide receiver at Ole Miss. The Rebels opened the season against UCF — a program at the time that was in its second year of Division I-A football.
The Knights featured quarterback Daunte Culpepper as the team traveled to Oxford in the only meeting between the sides. Ole Miss won the game 24-23 in overtime.
Heard admits UCF should have won the game.
“Somehow we snuck out with a win,” he recalled. “We probably took those guys for granted. Looking back now, they had a hall of fame quarterback so we should have been a little bit more serious. Those guys came in [and] they played us tough.”
Fast forward 24 years and Heard is walking the same campus as Culpepper once did. The former Ole Miss wideout is coaching receivers under UCF coach Gus Malzahn.
UCF has changed dramatically since the time Heard faced the Knights.
For starters, the Knights have won two New Year’s Six Bowl Games and are headed to the Big 12 Conference as early as 2023. UCF has won 50 games in 5 seasons posting the 7th-highest win percentage nationally in that time span.
“It’s been winning,” Heard said about UCF. “From my viewpoint, they’ve [had] exciting offenses so that was a big attraction. To be able to come to Florida, be able to get some of the top players out of this state and play [with] an explosive offense... And try to make it better.”
Heard was hired on March 3 after spending 5 years at Indiana, including the last two as co-offensive coordinator. Before that, he worked as a receivers coach at his alma mater Ole Miss.
During his time in the SEC, he occasionally crossed paths with Malzahn, who served as coach from 2013-20 at Auburn. That connection made it an easy decision for Heard to join Malzahn’s staff in Orlando.
In addition to working under Malzahn, Heard gets to coach a receiver group led by all-conference players Jaylon Robinson and Ryan O’Keefe as well as newcomer Kobe Hudson — an Auburn transfer who was the Tigers’ No. 1 target last season.
“It’s a bunch of personalities and I might have the biggest personality in there,” Heard said. “But it’s fun. I don’t dread being around those guys.
“We laugh, we have fun but they know when it’s time to work,” he added. “It’s been an awesome experience getting to know who they are, their personalities, [and] who needs to be pushed a little bit harder than others.”
Heard described what it’s like working with O’Keefe and Robinson day-in and day-out.
“Him and Flash, they approach practice like pros,” Heard said. “I don’t have to tell them ‘go,’ I’ve got to tell them ‘slow down’ sometimes. They come out with a mindset of not wasting the day [and] trying to get better every day.”
Robinson, or ‘Flash’ as he’s known by his coaches and players, has been working this spring to get back to his old self — a 2020 first-team all-conference selection — after missing 5 games last year with a knee injury.
Heard sees what Robinson brings to the field when he’s healthy.
“I’ve gotten to coach some good ones and he’s one of the best pure route runners I’ve seen in a long time,” Heard said. “My big challenge for him is to be more vocal and consistent. He’s been a great pleasure to be around.”
Heard said leaving Indiana for UCF meant taking a plunge. It’s a plunge he’s happy he took.
“I call my wife every day and tell her how much I enjoy being around the offensive group,” Heard said. “We work, but we have fun.”
Email Jason Beede at jbeede@orlandosentinel.com or follow him on Twitter at @therealBeede. | https://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/ucf-knights/os-sp-ucf-spring-football-grant-heard-jaylon-robinson-ryan-okeefe-20220412-yfocadv2qjhxzmxtv7mx3vss6m-story.html | 2022-04-12T21:49:01 | 0 | https://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/ucf-knights/os-sp-ucf-spring-football-grant-heard-jaylon-robinson-ryan-okeefe-20220412-yfocadv2qjhxzmxtv7mx3vss6m-story.html |
The best Origins skin care products on Sephora
Since the 1990s, Origins has relied on plant-based science to create innovative products that help transform the skin without irritation. The brand has focused on a holistic approach that gives back to the environment to truly celebrate the nature that inspires its skin care.
From gentle cleansers and intensive serums to soothing treatment masks, Origins offers skin care products for every step of your routine. The range includes formulas for all skin types, so you can find products that target your specific skin issues.
To introduce some natural but effective products into your skin care routine, here are the most popular Origins skin care products at Sephora to help give you clear, fresh, healthy skin.
Most popular cleansers
Origins Checks and Balances Frothy Face Wash
This oil-free facial cleanser easily removes dirt, oil, makeup and other impurities from the skin. It has a gel formula that foams up for effective cleaning but never leaves the skin feeling stripped. It’s an excellent option for oily, combination and acne-prone skin.
Sold by Sephora
Origins GinZing Refreshing Scrub Cleanser
Save some time in your skin care routine with this two-in-one cleanser. Not only does it remove dirt and oil, it also helps exfoliate to remove dead skin cells. It has an invigorating citrus and mint scent to help wake you up for the day.
Sold by Sephora
Origins Checks and Balances Polishing Exfoliator
This gentle scrub effectively buffs away dull, dead skin to reveal a soft, smooth complexion. It can also help unclog and soften the look of pores in as little as a week. Best of all, the formula is vegan and cruelty-free.
Sold by Sephora
Most popular serums
Dr. Andrew Weil for Origins Mega-Mushroom Relief & Resilience Advanced Face Serum
Featuring a fermented chaga mushroom and reishi mushroom blend, this serum helps strengthen and nourish the skin. It reduces visible redness and calms irritation for healthier skin. Because the formula is gentle, it can work well for sensitive skin.
Sold by Sephora
Origins Plantscription Multi-Powered Anti-Aging Peptide Serum
Minimize the visible signs of aging with this peptide-rich serum. It softens the look of fine lines and helps encourage collagen and elastin production for plumper skin. It also features niacinamide to reduce the appearance of your pores.
Sold by Sephora
Origins GinZing into the Glow Brightening Serum
This lightweight serum features a potent blend of vitamin C, AHAs, BHAs and green coffee extract to give you healthy, glowing skin. It encourages cell turnover, so your skin looks brighter and smoother. It also helps moisturize and plump the skin with hyaluronic acid.
Sold by Sephora
Most popular moisturizers
Origins Plantscription Retinol Night Moisturizer
This nighttime moisturizer helps increase the skin’s hydration while boosting its glow. The included retinol promotes cell turnover to improve your skin’s tone, texture and elasticity. It works especially well for fine lines, wrinkles, dark spots and uneven texture. All skin types can use it.
Sold by Sephora
Origins Original Skin Matte Moisturizer with Willowherb
If you want to reduce shine, this water cream moisturizer is an excellent option. It has a natural matte finish, so your skin never looks greasy or oily. The included willow herb helps even out your skin tone and minimizes the appearance of your pores. It also absorbs quickly, so it works well under makeup.
Sold by Sephora
Origins GinZing Ultra-Hydrating Energy-Boosting Cream
This thick, rich moisturizer is like a drink of water for dry skin. It helps prevent moisture loss, so your skin stays hydrated for up to 72 hours. It contains caffeine and ginseng to help energize the skin, leaving it looking fresh and well-rested. The formula is free of parabens and phthalates.
Sold by Sephora
Origins GinZing Refreshing Eye Cream to Brighten and Depuff
This lightweight eye cream hydrates the delicate under-eye area and creates the perfect canvas for concealer. The formula features vitamin C to brighten dark circles and ginseng and caffeine to reduce puffiness. The cream is available in two different brightening tones to match most skin tones.
Sold by Sephora
Origins Ginger Souffle Whipped Body Cream
This creamy body moisturizer leaves your skin feeling soft and smooth after just one application. It features olive, grapeseed, rice bran and apricot kernel oils to nourish and hydrate the skin. It also contains natural lemon, lime and bergamot to give it a bright, refreshing scent.
Sold by Sephora
Most popular face masks
Origins Clear Improvement Charcoal Honey Mask to Purify and Nourish
This bamboo charcoal-fortified mask gently purifies the skin, leaving you with a clean, clear complexion. It’s formulated to draw dirt and impurities from your pores, so it’s effective for treating blemishes and blackheads. It also contains golden wildflower and fermented honey to nourish the skin, so it never feels dry or tight.
Sold by Sephora
Origins Original Skin Retexturizing Mask with Rose Clay
This face mask not only draws impurities out of the skin but also exfoliates. It features rose clay, willow herb and jojoba beads to gently cleanse the skin and buff away dead skin cells. It’s ideal for normal, oily and combination skin, leaving you with a clear, smooth complexion.
Sold by Sephora
Origins Drink Up Intensive Overnight Hydrating Mask with Avocado & Glacier Water
This sleeping mask provides intense moisture for normal and dry skin while you sleep. With Swiss glacier water, hyaluronic acid and avocado butter, it provides up to 72 hours of hydration and nourishment. It can be used twice a week, or more if your skin is particularly dry.
Sold by Sephora
Origins Out of Trouble 10-Minute Mask to Rescue Problem Skin
This multi-action mask helps prevent breakouts and clogged pores for oily and acne-prone skin. It has zinc oxide and sulfur to absorb excess oil that can lead to acne. The formula also helps remove dead skin cells and pulls impurities out of the skin.
Sold by Sephora
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Jennifer Blair writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.wfla.com/reviews/15-most-popular-origins-skin-care-products-on-sephora/ | 2022-04-12T21:55:16 | 1 | https://www.wfla.com/reviews/15-most-popular-origins-skin-care-products-on-sephora/ |
What are the best sheet masks at Sephora?
Just about every self-care checklist will suggest treating yourself to a sheet mask — and with good reason. Not only are sheet masks great at delivering nourishing skin care ingredients, but they also give you an excuse to relax.
Whether you struggle with acne, redness or dry skin, there’s a sheet mask for you. If you’re looking to find a popular option, cosmetics retailer Sephora carries a range of sheet masks beloved by customers and beauty experts alike for their nourishing ingredients and excellent results.
Sheet masks vs. clay masks
Sheet masks have been gaining in popularity in Western markets for a few years now, but they’ve been a staple in Korean beauty regimens for much longer. Unlike wash-off facial masks, which usually consist of a clay base, sheet masks are made from fabric, paper or gel that’s been saturated with skin care ingredients. The sheet fibers give your skin a chance to absorb the essence’s beneficial ingredients without the dried-out feeling that can come from clay masks, and there’s no rinsing necessary. While both kinds of masks offer several benefits, sheet masks tend to focus on hydration while clay masks are better for decongesting skin.
How to use sheet masks
To use a sheet mask effectively, start by cleansing your face. You may wish to steam your face with a hot washcloth or facial steamer to open up your pores. This helps your skin absorb the mask’s essence. Wear the mask for the recommended amount of time, then gently massage the leftover essence into your skin. Treat your neck and décolleté as well: if there’s any essence left in the mask’s packaging, massage that in, too. Sheet masks with acne-fighting or exfoliating ingredients are recommended for use once a week, while gentler, hydrating masks can be used more often.
Sheet mask benefits
Almost any skin care concern can be addressed with a sheet mask. Here are some of the key ingredients to look for if you’re shopping for a specific type of sheet mask:
- Exfoliating sheet masks may contain fruit enzymes (like pineapple or papaya) or retinol.
- Hydrating sheet masks may contain hyaluronic acid, snail jelly, honey or coconut water.
- Brightening sheet masks may contain licorice root extract, pearl extract or vitamin C.
- Soothing sheet masks may contain green tea extract, aloe vera or chamomile.
- Acne and blemish-clearing masks may contain salicylic acid, tea tree oil or charcoal.
- Redness-reducing masks may contain niacinamide or tiger grass.
The most popular sheet masks from Sephora
Sephora Collection Clean Face Mask
These affordable masks make great spa-night treats or gifts, and they cover a variety of skin concerns like soothing, exfoliating, mattifying and toning. Biodegradable eucalyptus fibers carry essences formulated with plant extracts like matcha, grapefruit and coconut. The masks are cruelty-free, but not everyone is a fan of the added fragrance.
Sold by Sephora
Glamglow Bubblesheet Oxygenating Deep-Cleanse Mask
Formulated with bamboo charcoal and green tea, this foaming mask bubbles up to help clear out pores and clean away dirt and buildup. It can be drying, so it’s recommended for those with oily skin. Use it as a weekly detox by wearing the mask for just three minutes, then using the charcoal sheet as an exfoliating washcloth while you rinse off.
Sold by Sephora
This two-step mask comes with an ampoule of gel-like serum, which is applied to the two-part rubber sheet mask that’s made from natural clay and algae. Leave the mask on for 30-40 minutes while the rubber prevents ingredients from evaporating, leaving skin soothed, brightened and moisturized. The masks are available for four different skin concerns.
Sold by Sephora
Sephora Collection Clean Foot Mask
Sheet masks aren’t just for your face! Treat your feet with this foot mask. It’s cruelty-free and available in two formulas, one for refreshing feet and one for nourishing dry skin. Just wrap up your clean feet in the masks and leave on for 20 minutes, then massage in the essence.
Sold by Sephora
JLo Beauty That Limitless Glow Sheet Mask
Sold individually or in a set of three, this two-piece mask is engineered to wrap around your ears, gripping your face for targeted treatment. It’s saturated with one ounce of the brand’s Glow serum, which can help minimize the look of pores and fine lines, brighten your complexion and boost radiance. Wear this cruelty-free mask for 10 minutes up to twice a week.
Sold by Sephora
Dr. Jart+ Ceramidin Facial Barrier Mask
This mask is formulated to combat dryness and support the skin barrier. Whether you have dry, oily, combination or sensitive skin, this mask can hydrate without increasing oil production or irritating your skin. It’s made from biodegradable bamboo cellulose. Users recommend treating the creamy essence like a sleep mask so you can wake up to smoother, hydrated skin.
Sold by Sephora
Peter Thomas Roth 24-Karat Gold Pure Luxury Lift and Firm
Give your under-eye area special attention with these luxurious under-eye masks. They’re formulated with hydrolyzed collagen, caffeine and 24K and colloidal gold to firm, brighten, depuff and smooth the skin under your eyes. The jar contains 30 pairs of eye gels, which are worn for 10-15 minutes at a time.
Sold by Sephora
Sephora Collection After-Sun Mask
This two-piece mask can help both your face and chest recover from a day at the beach with its cooling, hydrating formula. It’s great for mitigating sunburn thanks to watermelon extract, and it can even extend the look of a suntan. Apply both pieces to your face and décolleté and leave on for 15 minutes.
Sold by Sephora
SK-II Pitera Facial Treatment Mask
For a spa-quality treatment, these masks are a luxurious way to improve skin’s elasticity and texture. The fragrance-free formula contains a powerful dose of Pitera, the brand’s exclusive essence, which is packed with vitamins, minerals and amino acids to encourage cell renewal. The masks come in a set of six or 10 and can be used once or twice a week for 10-15 minutes.
Sold by Sephora
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Laura Duerr writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.wfla.com/reviews/9-most-popular-sheet-masks-at-sephora/ | 2022-04-12T21:55:25 | 1 | https://www.wfla.com/reviews/9-most-popular-sheet-masks-at-sephora/ |
Which bodyboard is best?
Bodyboarding is used as a stepping stone to surfing; in fact, many people find it more enjoyable. Bodyboards are also just as complex in construction as surfboards, with multiple material and design choices to make.
The best bodyboard is Own The Wave Wave Weapon Bodyboard. It’s light, includes a variety of tethers and comes in several sizes and colors. It’s perfect for beginners to learn and intermediates to improve.
What to know before you buy a bodyboard
Core material
Bodyboards are usually made of one or a mixture of polypropylene, polyethylene or expanded polystyrene. Each interacts differently with various aspects of water.
- PP cores are among the more commonly made. They’re light, which lets them move through the water fastest. They have little flex in return, making them difficult to control. They’re also the most durable.
- Low-density PP sacrifices a little durability for a little more flex, leading to easier control, especially in cold water. It goes by a few other acronyms, such as PX.
- PE cores are the most common. They’re a little heavier with a little more flex than PP cores, making them move slower but granting a greater degree of control. They’re best used in cool water.
- Dual-core, also called 3D core, is a mixture of PP for durability and PE for flex and control.
- EPS cores are the best for beginners. They’re ultra-light, granting maximum buoyancy. As most beginners simply move straight, the lack of flex isn’t a problem.
Tail
The tail (or backend) of the bodyboard comes in two shapes: crescent and bat.
- Crescent tails look like a “C.” They’re easier to control and ride, making them best for beginners or for use on large waves.
- Bat tails resemble a bat. They allow for more precise control, in particular on small waves, but can create drag through large waves.
What to look for in a quality bodyboard
Deck material
The deck, or top, of the bodyboard is usually made of crosslink or polyethylene.
- Crosslink decks are durable but inflexible. They’re also inexpensive, meaning the majority of low-cost and beginner boards are crosslink.
- PE decks are softer and more flexible. They’re more comfortable but will develop divots from your body weight over time, particularly when used regularly.
Slick material
The slick (or bottom) of the bodyboard is arguably the most important section, since it’s what’s in contact with the water. They’re usually made of high-density polyethylene or Surlyn.
- HDPE slicks are inexpensive and equally low-quality. However, they’re more than enough for beginners and casual bodyboarders.
- Surlyn is a soft, translucent polymer. It’s flexible but rapidly returns to its original shape. You’ll have to shell out for a board with a Surlyn slick.
Channels
Most bodyboards have channels like little grooves in the back half of the slick. They usually provide more control or increased speed. For example, some professional boards use a large concave scoop in the back half of the slick for maximum speed with increased control.
How much you can expect to spend on a bodyboard
The low-cost bodyboards you may rent from a beachside shack rarely cost more than $40, while high-end pro-level boards cost $200-$300. A board worth buying to learn and improve on typically costs $50-$100.
Bodyboard FAQ
Do the dimensions of a bodyboard matter?
A. Yes, bodyboard buyers should consider the length and width of their prospective purchase. The length affects comfort. It should be roughly the same as the distance between your chin and knees. You won’t be able to paddle and won’t be kept afloat properly if it’s too long or short, respectively. The width as measured at the widest point of the board affects performance. Wider boards favor stability over control; narrow boards are the inverse. You won’t find narrower boards until you get close to or exceed $100.
Why do bodyboards have indentations at the front?
A. Most have little indentations, sometimes called nose bulbs, to provide extra grip for your fingers. Gripless boards can be difficult to hold onto once you start attempting any non-beginner moves. They’re especially helpful for making sudden, sharp moves and keeping precise control over your direction.
What’s the best bodyboard to buy?
Top bodyboard
Own The Wave Wave Weapon Bodyboard
What you need to know: This is an effective and stylish bodyboard with decent buoyancy and a high-speed surface.
What you’ll love: It has an EPS core with an HDPE slick, a crescent tail and rear-end channels. It comes with a coiled leash and two fin tethers. An e-guide is emailed to you with how-tos and tips. It’s available in three sizes and nearly 10 color combinations.
What you should consider: The skin begins to peel away faster than some consumers appreciate. Some arrived damaged and a few became damaged quickly.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top bodyboard for the money
What you need to know: This board costs a little less than usual without much sacrifice in quality.
What you’ll love: It has an EPS core with an HDPE slick, a crescent tail and rear-end channels. It includes a leash. It’s available in two lengths, each with two color options. It weighs only 1.2 or 1.5 pounds, depending on size.
What you should consider: The slick separated quickly for some consumers. Some packages didn’t contain the leash. Some consumers had issues with the paint staining clothes and hair.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
Thurso Surf Quill 42-Inch Bodyboard
What you need to know: This board breaks the design mold with a gorgeous faux-wood look.
What you’ll love: It has an EPS core with an HDPE slick, a crescent tail and rear-end channels. The slick is heat-laminated for extra durability. It’s designed for stability and smooth gliding — perfect for recreation of any skill level. It includes a stainless steel double-swivel coiled wrist leash.
What you should consider: It’s a little pricey. Its weight limit is only 210 pounds. There are rare reports of the board breaking down on initial use.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Jordan C. Woika writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.wfla.com/reviews/best-bodyboard/ | 2022-04-12T21:55:33 | 0 | https://www.wfla.com/reviews/best-bodyboard/ |