text string | url string | crawl_date timestamp[ms] | label int64 | id string |
|---|---|---|---|---|
MOWRYSTOWN — Travelling westward, the Portsmouth West Lady Senators secured a 12-2 road win at Whiteoak on Tuesday — improving their perfect start to the 2022 season to 9-0 (5-0 SOC II).
Sophomore Emily Moore led the Lady Senators with her production at the plate. Moore had team-highs with three hits, three runs scored, and a season-high five RBI.
Sophomores Kate Rollins and Morgan Stiles each had a pair of RBI for West, Rollins doing so with a pair of hits.
Junior Sydney McDermott earned the win in the circle — allowing just two hits, no earned runs, no walks and striking out a season-high 16 batters.
***
BOX SCORE
West 1 0 2 2 1 4 2 — 12 10 3
Whiteoak 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 — 2 2 5
West batting
Emma Sayre 1-3, 2R, 2BB
Macie Bradford 0-1
Kate Rollins 2-4, R, 2RBI
Emily Moore 3-5, 3R, 5RBI
Kaylor Pickelsimer 1-5, R
Abi Boland 0-4
Myla Meade 1-4, R
Brooklyn Pitts 0-0, BB
Acie Stone 0-3, BB
Sydney McDermott 1-2, BB
Morgan Stiles 1-1, 2RBI
Kylie Osborne 0-3, R
Karli York 0-0, R, BB
West pitching
Sydney McDermott (W) 7IP, 2H, 0ER, 0BB, 16K (W)
© 2022 Portsmouth Daily Times, all rights reserved | https://www.portsmouth-dailytimes.com/sports/74636/lady-senators-stay-unbeaten-top-wildcats | 2022-04-13T20:43:39 | 1 | https://www.portsmouth-dailytimes.com/sports/74636/lady-senators-stay-unbeaten-top-wildcats |
CHILLICOTHE — Although the game was originally scheduled at Oak Hill’s “Nuthouse”, Chillicothe’s VA Memorial Stadium served the Valley Indians indeed well on Tuesday.
That’s because undefeated, and “visiting”, Valley scored two opening-inning runs, then answered Oak Hill’s only marker with two more later on —en route to a 4-1 Southern Ohio Conference Division II baseball victory.
With the win, the Indians —the newly top-ranked club in the Ohio High School Baseball Coaches Association Division IV statewide poll —remained undefeated at 6-0 both ways, prior to Wednesday’s massive league game against like undefeated in the league Wheelersburg (4-0 SOC II).
The Indians immediately answered Oak Hill’s lone run with one in the top of the third for a 3-1 lead, then tacked on an insurance marker in the sixth —securing the 4-1 win while outhitting Oak Hill 7-2 and not committing a single error.
The Oaks, on the other hand, made two errors —as they fell to an even 4-4, and 3-3 in the SOC II.
Jaekyn Ridout recorded the pitching victory for the Indians, going the opening four and one-thirds frames for the win —and allowing only an earned run on one hit by Dylan Venegas, as Venegas notched both of the Oaks’ basehits.
Andy Meldick managed the run batted in, as Nate Clutters scored the point —but otherwise Ridout and reliever Chris Queen combined to walk six Oaks, but still strand seven.
Ridout actually allowed the six walks to six separate Oaks, but struck out four —before Queen came on to work the final two and two-thirds frames and gain the save.
Queen actually struck out five of the eight Oaks he faced.
Oak Hill’s only hit batsman was Eddie Abele, making it seven free passes that Oak Hill received.
Rylan Sams suffered the hard-luck pitching loss for Oak Hill, as he went the opening six stanzas —and allowed two earned runs on seven hits and four walks.
Of the Indians’ seven hits, Chase Morrow mashed a triple, as he and Ridout registered two hits apiece —with the designated hitter Queen, the catcher Jace Copley and the shortstop George Arnett each adding one.
Ridout, Morrow, Arnett and Queen crossed the plate one time each, as Landon Jones drew a pair of walks — while Arnett and Morrow each walked once.
Queen, and Tate Queen with a sacrifice fly, contributed the Indians’ two RBIs.
© 2022 Portsmouth Daily Times, all rights reserved | https://www.portsmouth-dailytimes.com/sports/74640/indians-edge-oaks-at-va | 2022-04-13T20:43:46 | 1 | https://www.portsmouth-dailytimes.com/sports/74640/indians-edge-oaks-at-va |
PORTSMOUTH — A five-run third inning helped the Portsmouth Lady Trojans best visiting Coal Grove 8-1 on Tuesday in Ohio Valley Conference play.
The Lady Trojans (6-1, 4-0 OVC) and Ironton (4-0, 3-0 OVC) are the two remaining OVC unbeatens in the early juncture of the 2022 season.
Junior Katie Born, sophomore Olivia Dickerson and senior Faith Phillips combined to drive in seven of Portsmouth’s eight runs in the victory.
Sophomore Emily Cheatham and Born were the two Lady Trojans with multi-hit days against the Lady Hornets.
Phillips went the distance in the circle, earning the win while allowing four hits, one earned run, and striking out four.
***
BOX SCORE
Coal Grove 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 — 1 4 1
Portsmouth 0 0 5 0 0 3 — 8 9 0
Portsmouth hitting
Emily Cheatham 2-4, 2R
Olivia Ramey 0-3, R, BB
Madison Perry 1-3, R, RBI, BB
Olivia Dickerson 1-2, 2R, 2RBI, 2BB
Katie Born 2-3, R, 3RBI
Faith Phillips 1-4, 2RBI
Sydney Johnson 1-3
Madison Ankrom 1-3
Kyndal Kearns 0-2, R, BB
Portsmouth pitching
Faith Phillips (P) 7IP, 4H, 1ER, 4K (W)
Reach Jacob Smith at (740) 370-0713 ext. 1930, by email at [email protected], or on Twitter @JacobSmithPDT © 2022 Portsmouth Daily Times, all rights reserved | https://www.portsmouth-dailytimes.com/sports/74643/lady-trojans-win-fourth-straight-top-hornets | 2022-04-13T20:43:53 | 1 | https://www.portsmouth-dailytimes.com/sports/74643/lady-trojans-win-fourth-straight-top-hornets |
PORTSMOUTH — This time, Notre Dame’s 1-2 pitching punch combined for a no-hitter.
That’s because Kyndall Ford for the first three innings, and Gwen Sparks for the final two, combined for a no-hitter on Tuesday —as the Titans tallied at least four runs in their final three at-bats, capturing a 14-0 Southern Ohio Conference Division I shutout of the visiting Western Indians.
The contest was a makeup matchup from April 1 —as Notre Dame did damage with back-to-back five-run innings in stanzas two and three, followed by its final four runs in the fourth.
The game was called following the fifth inning with the 10-run mercy rule.
The Titans totaled nine hits, and took full advantage of all three Western errors.
Eleven of Notre Dame’s 14 runs were earned off two Indian pitchers, who combined to walk five — and hit Mia McPheters and Annabelle Ball.
But back to the pitching tandem of Ford and Sparks, they faced the minimum 15 batters —with Ford seeing nine and Sparks the final six.
Ford struck out eight and Sparks six more, as Ford threw 45 pitches and Sparks 29.
Of Notre Dame’s nine hits, Katie Strickland and Bree Hicks hit home runs, with the senior McPheters, Strickland and Maddie Entler all amassing a double.
Strickland, Entler and Hicks had two hits apiece, as McPheters, Ford and Adyson Arnold each added one.
Six separate Titans tallied two runs scored —Ball, Hicks, Enter, Strickland, Libby Kelly and Annie Dettwiller —while Gracie Ashley and Arnold crossed once.
Hicks with four, Strickland with three, McPheters with two and Dettwiller and Entler with one apiece accounted for the 11 RBIs.
Notre Dame raised its perfect record to 6-0, including an undefeated 5-0 in the SOC I.
© 2022 Portsmouth Daily Times, all rights reserved | https://www.portsmouth-dailytimes.com/sports/74646/titans-blank-western-stay-unbeaten | 2022-04-13T20:43:59 | 1 | https://www.portsmouth-dailytimes.com/sports/74646/titans-blank-western-stay-unbeaten |
Rebecca Hogue’s prosecution, conviction and sentence fit into a larger pattern of how Oklahoma incarcerates women and people in general, experts say.
Hogue was convicted Nov. 3, 2021 in Cleveland County District Court of first-degree murder under Oklahoma’s failure to protect law, which states a parent or guardian can be convicted of child abuse if they knew or reasonably should have known about the abuse. Hogue has maintained she didn’t know her then-boyfriend Christopher Trent was abusing her 2-year-old son before he killed him.
Despite the Oklahoma Department of Corrections recommending Hogue not spend any time in prison, Judge Michael Tupper sentenced her to 16 months of incarceration — one month for each remaining year her son would have been in her legal care. Trent could not be charged or convicted because hanged himself after killing Hogue’s son.
According to the American Civil Liberties Union, about one of every four women convicted of failure to protect is given a harsher sentence than the abuser.
Even if Trent could be sentenced, criminal justice academics and advocacy groups argue the criminal justice system in Oklahoma and the United States was stacked against Hogue to begin with.
According to 2019 estimates, Oklahoma incarcerates 123 of every 100,000 women in the state. It’s the highest percentage of women incarcerated than any other state, and the United States incarcerates more people than any country in the world.
As of 2013, more than half the women entering Oklahoma’s prison system were arrested for a drug offense.
“Oklahoma’s laws and how they’re enforced do indeed set women up to fail,” said Susan Sharp, a University of Oklahoma professor who specializes in criminal justice. “I think also that our standing as far as the status of women in the state, we’re pretty much near the bottom. Women have low education, low healthcare, and everything that’s important for success, we’re low in, and then we’re high in incarceration, and I don’t think that that is any coincidence whatsoever.”
While drugs may not have been a factor in Hogue’s case, another prevalent issue in Oklahoma — adverse childhood experiences — was. In 2017, the state ranked first in the country in adverse childhood experiences, the Tulsa World reported. Adverse childhood experiences include physical or sexual abuse, domestic violence, divorce, parental incarceration or substance abuse.
The United States Department of Justice has noted that there’s a high population of incarcerated people who have experienced child neglect, abuse or other forms of traumatic stress.
Hogue survived domestic violence from her father growing up, and she had a service industry job when Ryder was killed.
Still She Rises, and Oklahoma nonprofit that helps indigent women, says a lack of employment opportunities contributes to women’s high incarceration rate.
Sharp, who has presented at Oklahoma legislative sessions, argues state lawmakers aren’t sufficiently educated to diligently pass laws. As a result, lawmakers pass laws that incarcerate women, she said.
To properly weigh contributing factors in cases like Rebecca’s, Sharp suggested state agencies outside the criminal justice system need to be given resources.
“Usually, in the failure to protect cases, you have a female who is being abused. If we had the manpower to go in and investigate it properly, then perhaps we could provide resources and support to help women get out of those kinds of situations,” she said.
Tondalao Hall
Hogue’s case draws parallels to other failure to protect cases in Oklahoma.
Tondalao Hall served 15 years at Mabel Bassett for failing to report that her child’s father and then-boyfriend had abused their two youngest children. She was initially given 30 years in prison for allowing child abuse after she took them to the hospital. Her boyfriend got two years for the abuse.
Hall is one of more than a dozen women who were given harsher sentences than the men who abused their children under Oklahoma’s failure to protect law.
In Hogue’s and Hall’s cases, both women maintained they didn’t believe their partner was abusing their children but ultimately took the biggest fall for their partners’ actions.
Another similarity is that Hall and Hogue were both sent to Mabel Bassett Correctional Center, one of three Oklahoma Department of Corrections facilities specifically designated for women.
A Bureau of Justice statistics report issued in 2012 — near the middle of Hall’s sentence — showed more than 15% of women surveyed at the prison reported sexual abuse or rape from another inmate. It was the highest rate of sexual abuse in the country for female correctional facilities.
Some of the contributing factors included a higher-than-average percentage of inmates who were undereducated, experiencing high psychological stress or mental disorders.
On top of that, 3.5% of inmates surveyed in the report said staff at the correctional center sexually assaulted them.
Department of Corrections officials chose not to testify at a 2014 hearing about the report because 11 women had filed a lawsuit accusing three guards of sexual assault.
Stacey Wright, who has spoken to Hogue throughout her sentence, said Hogue has struggled at Mabel Bassett.
“She’s been in a mental health crisis since this happened, and then to have that compounded by what DA [Greg] Mashburn and ADA [Pattye] High have done to her, she’s just been two years in the worst kind of trauma without the kind of support that she needs to be able to put her life back together.”
New law, same language
This legislative session, Oklahoma lawmakers expanded the state’s definition of criminal culpability using almost identical language to the phrase that put Hogue behind bars.
On April 1, Gov. Kevin Stitt Senate Bill 6, which says a person can be charged with accessory to murder if they conceal or aid a person who they know or reasonably should have known killed someone.
The phrase “reasonably should have known” allowed a jury to convict Hogue of first-degree murder even though she has maintained she didn’t know about abuse.
The bill pushes Oklahoma closer in line with states like Texas, which has the law of parties. The law of parties allows prosecutors to charge someone present at any crime with the same offense as the person who committed the crime under certain circumstances.
The law of parties could be applied in a similar fashion to Rebecca’s case depending on how the prosecution interprets the facts. In 1997, Texas convicted Kenneth Foster, the getaway driver in a series of robberies, of capital murder when his codefendant killed a San Antonio man.
Foster has maintained for years that he didn’t know his codefendant was going to kill the man. | https://www.normantranscript.com/news/hogues-case-points-to-larger-picture-of-oklahoma-incarceration/article_a7da3ac6-baa6-11ec-b2bc-63660606ab20.html | 2022-04-13T20:51:11 | 0 | https://www.normantranscript.com/news/hogues-case-points-to-larger-picture-of-oklahoma-incarceration/article_a7da3ac6-baa6-11ec-b2bc-63660606ab20.html |
The Oklahoma Highway Patrol announced the opening of applications for the 70th academy. Applications will be accepted through midnight Monday.
OHP also announced a new way to obtain college requirement to apply for the academy. Per state statute, candidates must have a minimum of 62 semester hours.
A bill making its way through the legislature will allow candidates to apply with only 24 credit hours, then obtain the other 38 during the academy.
Applicants to the academy only have to have 24 college credit hours to apply or 2.5 years of honorable active or reserve military service, or a combination of college hours and military service.
"We are looking for 70 cadets to start the OHP's 70th Academy," said DPS Commissioner Tim Tipton. "Trooper numbers are down across the state, and we're looking to recruit, train and deploy professional troopers to provide public safety throughout the state.
"We are thankful to the legislature for working with us on the college requirement. This will open up the application process to many more men and women who might have wanted to apply before but did not meet that requirement."
The academy will begin Aug. 15 and will run about 18 weeks in length with a graduation date of Dec. 23.
Anyone interested in applying can fill out an application and learn more at jointheohp.com.
OHP has changed the physical fitness test beginning with this academy. Candidates will perform a 500 meter row, 40 air squats, 30 sit-ups, 20 push-ups and a one-mile run.
Cadets reside at the academy at the Robert R. Lester Training Center, 3600 N. Martin Luther King Blvd. in Oklahoma City, for the duration of the academy.
The academy is structured. During training, cadets will be challenged academically, physically and mentally.
Evening hours are used for course studies, assignment completions, practical exercises and preparation for the following day. Workdays vary from 12 to 18 hours.
Cadets going into an academy are encouraged to be in top physical condition. | https://www.normantranscript.com/news/ohp-extends-application-deadline-for-70th-academy/article_962aa4c8-bb5f-11ec-afda-97b99154f4d0.html | 2022-04-13T20:51:17 | 1 | https://www.normantranscript.com/news/ohp-extends-application-deadline-for-70th-academy/article_962aa4c8-bb5f-11ec-afda-97b99154f4d0.html |
After Norman North jumped out to an early lead, Choctaw’s offense came up big in the third and fourth innings to even up the two-game series.
Just when the Timberwolves were able to cut a three-run deficit down to one, Choctaw’s Jarrett Flaggert hit a fly ball over the left field wall. The Yellowjackets would go on to hit two more over the left field wall.
Their three home runs accounted for all three of the team’s hits in a seven-run fourth inning. Choctaw had six in the game including two by Jesse Tisdell.
Norman North was walked seven times in the first inning, and was able to jump out to a 4-0 lead with just one hit in the inning. The Yellowjackets cut into the lead in the second and third innings, when Cole Warren set a fly ball over the centerfield wall for a solo home run.
NNHS’ Landon Bruce went three for four at the plate and Brae Alonzo was two for four with an RBI.
The Timberwolves picked up a win against Choctaw on Monday and currently sit in fifth place in 6A-2. They’ve lost two of their last three games, but have won five of their last seven.
Norman North will be at the Northwest Optimist tournament on Thursday, where they’ll face Chickasha at 4 p.m. | https://www.normantranscript.com/sports/norman-north-baseball-timberwolves-give-up-big-innings-in-loss-to-yellowjackets/article_420be5cc-bad9-11ec-bf75-1faf761ce608.html | 2022-04-13T20:51:23 | 1 | https://www.normantranscript.com/sports/norman-north-baseball-timberwolves-give-up-big-innings-in-loss-to-yellowjackets/article_420be5cc-bad9-11ec-bf75-1faf761ce608.html |
It was a home run derby in Amarillo Tuesday.
The Sooners hit five home runs against the Red Raiders, with the first one coming courtesy of Brett Squires in the top of the fourth.
Squires hit another one in the fifth inning, and Blake Robertson followed it up with one of his own to end the frame.
The Sooners got much needed separation in the top of the eighth inning, as Peyton Graham and Jimmy Crooks hit back-to-back home runs to give the Sooners a 14-9 win.
The Red Raiders took an early 2-0 lead, but the Sooners scored four runs in the fourth and fifth innings to take a big lead. They scored three runs in both the sixth and eighth innings to put the game out of reach.
Robertson led the way with five hits, two runs and three RBIs. Squires finished with five hits, three runs and four RBIs and Crooks added four RBIs, two hits and a run.
Braden Carmichael earned the win on the mound, recording three strikeouts while surrendering one hit and two runs in four innings.
“The offense was outstanding, and Carmichael might have had the best stuff he’s had all year,” OU coach Skip Johnson said. “The offense played really well. When they took the momentum, we took it right back. When you’re in a big offensive game like this, you have to be able to put up runs when they put up runs.”
The Sooners return home for a game against Pacific at 6:30 p.m. Thursday. | https://www.normantranscript.com/sports/ou-baseball-sooners-explode-on-offense-snag-much-needed-win-over-texas-tech/article_e1246414-bb4b-11ec-8b0b-db4ccdb41231.html | 2022-04-13T20:51:29 | 1 | https://www.normantranscript.com/sports/ou-baseball-sooners-explode-on-offense-snag-much-needed-win-over-texas-tech/article_e1246414-bb4b-11ec-8b0b-db4ccdb41231.html |
One of the Sooners' iconic head coaches will be back on the sidelines this year.
The XFL announced the head coaches for all eight teams Wednesday morning, including former OU coach Bob Stoops. Individual team assignments for each coach will be announced at a later date.
It's not the hall of famer's first return to the sidelines since retiring from OU. He was previously the head coach and general manager for the XFL's Dallas Renegades during the 2020 season before it was shortened due to COVID-19.
Along with Stoops, the list includes former NFL coaches Wade Phillips and Jim Haslett. Former NFL players Terrell Buckley, Hines Ward, Rod Woodson, Reggie Barlow and Anthony Becht will also serve as head coaches.
Stoops spent 18 seasons with the Sooners before retiring prior to the 2017 season. He eventually came back as an interim head coach last December following Lincoln Riley's departure, coaching the Sooners to an Alamo Bowl win over Oregon.
He finished his OU tenure with 191 wins, 10 conference championships and a national champions. | https://www.normantranscript.com/sports/ou-football-bob-stoops-announced-as-one-of-xfls-head-coaches-for-next-season/article_24705644-bb63-11ec-a9e9-1f460c445359.html | 2022-04-13T20:51:35 | 0 | https://www.normantranscript.com/sports/ou-football-bob-stoops-announced-as-one-of-xfls-head-coaches-for-next-season/article_24705644-bb63-11ec-a9e9-1f460c445359.html |
NEW YORK (AP) — Actor Cuba Gooding Jr. pleaded guilty Wednesday to one count of forcible touching in a protracted criminal case accusing the Oscar-winning “Jerry Maguire” star of violating three different women at various Manhattan nightspots in 2018 and 2019.
The single guilty plea came nearly three years after Gooding’s arrest in the case that saw several delays as his lawyers sought to get the charges reduced or dismissed. It had been scheduled to go to trial at least twice, with an April 2020 trial date scuttled as coronavirus cases surged in New York and the state shut down most court matters.
Gooding, 54, was arrested in June 2019 after a 29-year-old woman told police he squeezed her breast without her consent at Magic Hour Rooftop Bar & Lounge near Times Square.
A few months later, he was charged in two additional cases as more women came forward to accuse him of abuse. The new charges alleged he pinched a server’s buttocks after making a sexually suggestive remark to her at TAO Downtown and forcibly touched a woman inappropriately at the LAVO New York nightclub, both in 2018.
Gooding pleaded guilty to the LAVO nightclub allegation.
Gooding had previously pleaded not guilty to six misdemeanor counts and denied all allegations of wrongdoing. His lawyers have argued that overzealous prosecutors, caught up in the fervor of the #MeToo movement, are trying to turn “commonplace gestures” or misunderstandings into crimes.
The judge had ruled that if the Gooding case went to trial, prosecutors could have called two additional women to testify about their allegations that Gooding also violated them. Those women, whose claims did not result in criminal charges, were among 19 other accusers whom prosecutors were seeking to call as witnesses.
Along with the criminal case, Gooding is accused in a lawsuit of raping a woman in New York City in 2013. After a judge issued a default judgment in July because Gooding hadn’t responded to the lawsuit, the actor retained a lawyer and is fighting the allegations. | https://www.wane.com/entertainment-news/actor-cuba-gooding-jr-pleads-guilty-to-forcibly-touching-woman/ | 2022-04-13T20:52:29 | 0 | https://www.wane.com/entertainment-news/actor-cuba-gooding-jr-pleads-guilty-to-forcibly-touching-woman/ |
BRANSON, Mo. — A boat captain and two other former employees of Ride the Ducks are again charged with 17 counts each of Involuntary Manslaughter of the first degree. The captain is facing an additional 12 counts of endangering the welfare of a child.
Former Captain Kenneth McKee, General Manager Curtis Lanham and manager Charles Baltzell were all on duty when a tourist duck boat sank on a Missouri lake during a severe thunderstorm in July 2018.
On April 5th, 2022 a judge decided to dismiss the charges against the three employees. Judge Alan Blankenship believed there was a lack of evidence supporting criminal contempt as defined by statutes.
The Missouri Attorney General’s Office refiled the same charges on April 7th, 2022. The probable cause statement cited Mark Greene, a master sergeant with the Missouri State Highway Patrol, saying McKee, Lanham and Baltzell didn’t check weather monitoring systems close enough and failed to follow the Ride the Ducks operations manual.
Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt shared the following statement: “As I’ve said previously, my Office is committed to fighting for justice on behalf of the 17 people that were tragically killed in 2018 – that’s why we re-filed the charges in this case.”
This is still a developing story, Ozarks First will update you as soon as we receive more information. | https://www.wane.com/news/crime/three-men-charged-a-second-time-for-same-17-deaths-in-duck-boat-tragedy/ | 2022-04-13T20:52:35 | 0 | https://www.wane.com/news/crime/three-men-charged-a-second-time-for-same-17-deaths-in-duck-boat-tragedy/ |
COLORADO SPRINGS — A Wisconsin sheriff’s office is warning parents about a video game character that could scare children if accidentally viewed.
Over the weekend, the Lafayette County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) released several pictures of a character called “Huggy Wuggy” and warned parents that the character could lead young children to be exposed to non-age appropriate themes.
Based on the sheriff’s office post, the primary concern for parents should be videos that seem child-friendly but are not — particularly videos created by fans of the game “Poppy Playtime.” A quick search on YouTube reveals several Huggy Wuggy-themed videos that could seem child-appropriate, but are not.
According to the sheriff’s office, several videos created about Huggy Wuggy start off innocently but quickly turn “nightmarish.” Other concerns stem from the game’s themes, which include:
- Offensive language
- Cartoon representations of alcohol use
- Blood
- Stabbings
Decapitations - Attempted murder
- Murder
- Bloody aftermath of a car crash
Huggy Wuggy Takeaways
It is important to note that “Poppy Playtime” was not intended for young children. According to Maltby Lilly Hill Academy, “Poppy Playtime” is recommended for players ages eight and up.
The main concern surrounds children using video platforms, such as YouTube, and accidentally stumbling upon Huggy Wuggy videos due to his cartoon character appearance.
Parents are urged to remain aware of what their children are watching. At this time of this report, YouTube Kids, a child-friendly version of YouTube, does not feature any videos of Huggy Wuggy nor “Poppy Playtime.” | https://www.wane.com/news/heres-the-deal-with-huggy-wuggy-and-what-parents-need-to-know/ | 2022-04-13T20:52:41 | 1 | https://www.wane.com/news/heres-the-deal-with-huggy-wuggy-and-what-parents-need-to-know/ |
PERU, Ind. (AP) — Homeowners in a lake-filled housing development in northern Indiana will no longer be on the hook for major repairs to six aging dams under a new state law.
An amended law that takes effect July 1 removes the state Department of Natural Resources’ jurisdiction over the dams at the Hidden Hills housing addition near the city of Peru.
The Kokomo Tribune reports that means the DNR will no longer dictate how the structures are repaired or maintained.
Larry West, who owns property on one of the dams, said the cost to make repairs under DNR regulations would have been up to $4 million.
But now the dams’ maintenance costs will run at around $100,000. | https://www.wane.com/news/indiana/new-law-will-remove-dnr-oversight-of-dams-near-peru/ | 2022-04-13T20:52:47 | 0 | https://www.wane.com/news/indiana/new-law-will-remove-dnr-oversight-of-dams-near-peru/ |
FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) — The personnel at the 122nd Fighter Wing, home of the Blacksnakes of the Indiana National Guard here, are always ready for any mission set.
That’s what the Fighter Wing’s Lt. Col. Rebecca Metzger said Wednesday about the 1,000 men and women who serve at their base, adjacent to the Fort Wayne International Airport.
“We are always ready and flexible for any mission set. We have a long history with fighter aircraft from the P47s in the 40s to the F4 in the 80s to the F-16s in the 90s and the A-10 presently,” Metzger said.
That’s about to change.
The base is set to swap out its 21 A-10 Warthogs and return to flying F-16s the Warthogs replaced about a dozen years ago. According to military.com, a publication tracking the move, the F-16 is more modern and a lighter aircraft.
Wednesday, U.S. Sen. Todd Young jumped into the discussion, advocating for the return of F-16s to the base and posted the military.com article on his Facebook page. Young has stated before that the Fort Wayne personnel are equipped to handle maintenance on the F-16 fighter jet because of the existing infrastructure at the base. Metzger said the base employs about 300 people full-time.
“For years, I have advocated for the 122nd Fighter Wing to be authorized to move forward with its desire to transition from the A-10 to the F-16,” Young wrote Thursday. “I will be aggressively advocating for this to be preserved in the upcoming NDAA and Appropriations process.” NDAA stands for the National Defense Authorization Act.
The A-10s are part of an aging fleet and the cost of maintenance is an issue, the article said. The Warthogs with 30mm Gatling-style guns withstand heavy air fire and were deployed to Afghanistan, eastern Europe and southeast Asia. Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall is quoted as saying the Air Force will take out 21 A-10s at Fort Wayne and replace them with F-16s.
In a recent interview, Jim Banks told WANE the swap would take place and the news was good for Fort Wayne.
“I’m fully confident that a transition will happen in the near future. We’ve been working on it ever since I’ve been in Congress,” said Banks, adding that the Air Force plan was to “bring back an F-16 platform and transitions the A-10s.”
A couple of weeks ago, Banks said he met with the Secretary of the Air Force and spoke of the transition.
“He was fully confident that’s going to occur as well. The good news is that the 122nd FIghter Wing is going to continue to be important for a long time to come,” Banks said. | https://www.wane.com/news/local-news/f-16s-to-replace-a-10s-at-the-122nd-fighter-wing-is-a-near-certainty/ | 2022-04-13T20:52:54 | 1 | https://www.wane.com/news/local-news/f-16s-to-replace-a-10s-at-the-122nd-fighter-wing-is-a-near-certainty/ |
NATCHEZ, Miss. (WJTV) – A fisherman in Mississippi set a new record for the largest blue catfish ever caught in the state.
Eugene Cronley, of Brandon, caught the 131-pound fish on April 7, from the Mississippi River near Natchez, according to the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks (MDWFP). The department certified his record Monday.
Cronley told the MDWFP he wrestled with the catfish for about 40 minutes before reeling it in. “It truly is the fish of a lifetime,” he said, according to a Facebook post from MDWFP.
In reeling in the monster catfish, Cronley “shattered” a longstanding rod-and-reel record set 13 years ago in 2009, when a Mississippi angler caught a 95-pound blue catfish in the same area. Cronley’s fish also outweighed the largest blue catfish ever caught in the state — 101 pounds, caught in 1997 — rod-and-reel or not.
Blue catfish are native to the Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, and Rio Grande river basins, but have been stocked in other freshwaters for fishing purposes, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. In some areas, like the Chesapeake Bay, the catfish are considered an invasive species.
Blue catfish typically grow to a length of two feet or less, but can — in rarer cases — exceed 5 feet and 100 pounds, the NOAA says.
Cronley’s record, however, does not appear to hold water outside of Mississippi: The NOAA says a specimen once caught near the border of North Carolina and Virginia weighed 143 pounds. | https://www.wane.com/news/mississippi-man-shatters-record-for-largest-blue-catfish-fish-of-a-lifetime/ | 2022-04-13T20:53:00 | 0 | https://www.wane.com/news/mississippi-man-shatters-record-for-largest-blue-catfish-fish-of-a-lifetime/ |
Amazon said Wednesday it will add a 5% “fuel and inflation surcharge” to fees it charges third-party sellers who use the retailer’s fulfillment services as the company faces rising costs.
The company said in an announcement on its website that the added fees will take effect on April 28 and are subject to change.
Federal data released Tuesday showed inflation hit 8.5% in March, its fastest pace in more than 40 years.
Amazon said its new fees will apply to both apparel and non-apparel items.
The fees will also apply to products ordered before April 28, but are shipped and delivered after that date. | https://www.wane.com/news/national-world/amazon-adds-5-fuel-and-inflation-surcharge-to-seller-fees/ | 2022-04-13T20:53:06 | 0 | https://www.wane.com/news/national-world/amazon-adds-5-fuel-and-inflation-surcharge-to-seller-fees/ |
SALADO, Texas (KXAN) — Homes in Salado, Texas, a little less than 10 miles north of Jarrell, were damaged by a tornado Tuesday, officials said.
The tornado was spotted a little after 5:30 p.m., moving between Florence and Salado, the communities most affected by storm damage.
Officials with the Bell County Sheriff’s Department and the Texas Department of Public Safety said there were a lot of debris and power lines down on a roadway — FM 2843 — between Salado and Florence. The road was closed off, with only local traffic allowed.
Officials said well-built ranch-style homes were heavily damaged or destroyed.
“If we have to stay out here all night, we’re not going to stop until everybody’s accounted for and everybody is safe, and then we’re going to definitely — the ones that have lost their homes or they’re not structurally sound — we’re going to find a place to put them,” said Sgt. Bryan Washko with Texas Highway Patrol.
KXAN weathercaster Jim Spencer said the city of Salado was lucky Tuesday evening, as the tornado was headed straight for the town but turned to the north, staying west of the community. The First Warning Weather team predicts the tornado could be of EF-2 or EF-3 strength.
People in the Hidden Springs subdivision, while not impacted by the tornado, were pounded by baseball-sized hail.
Hail in Salado April 12 (Photo: Emily Buckwalter) Hail in Salado (Photo: Tom Russian)
Residents off of FM 2843 and Cedar Valley Road said the area was “wiped off the map” from the tornado.
Law enforcement personnel from Temple, Killeen and Williamson County blocked off FM 2843 where glimpses of destroyed homes could be seen. They said they were also trying to contain a gas leak.
Tornado damage in Cedar Valley Road and FM 2843. (KXAN Photo/Tahera Rahman) Tornado damage in Cedar Valley Road and FM 2843. (KXAN Photo/Tahera Rahman) Tornado damage in Cedar Valley Road and FM 2843. (KXAN Photo/Tahera Rahman)
One homeowner in Florence said he was inside his home when he saw giant pieces of tin fly across his land and the tornado funnel.
“I was in my living room, saw a dust storm outside, I heard the wind, stuff hitting the windows, and I saw a large piece of tin go across the pasture,” recalled Zach Liveris. “It’s a little overwhelming.”
He said his home didn’t sustain as much damage as his neighbor’s home, where you could see walls blown out, showing a burgundy couch inside and insulation stuck in branches.
“It was so dusty outside, I couldn’t even see the trees and the pasture from the house. It was just very intense winds,” Liveris said, adding that he’s glad everyone is safe. | https://www.wane.com/news/tornado-damage-reported-in-areas-of-texas/ | 2022-04-13T20:53:14 | 0 | https://www.wane.com/news/tornado-damage-reported-in-areas-of-texas/ |
FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) – The Komets have two more chances to fine tune their play before the playoffs begin, as Fort Wayne is set to play its final two games of the regular season this week.
The Komets play at Wheeling on Friday, then host the Nailers to close out the regular season schedule on Saturday night.
The Komets are locked into the no. 2 spot in the Central Division standings behind first-place Toledo. Wheeling sits third in the division standings, so this weekend’s game could very well be a preview of a first round series. | https://www.wane.com/sports/komets/komets-fine-tuning-in-final-week-of-regular-season/ | 2022-04-13T20:53:20 | 0 | https://www.wane.com/sports/komets/komets-fine-tuning-in-final-week-of-regular-season/ |
FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) — Christian rockers NEEDTOBREATHE will perform in Fort Wayne next month.
The “Something Beautiful” band will perform with special guest Patrick Droney at the Sweetwater Performance Pavilion on May 12. Tickets are currently on sale.
NEEDTOBREATHE has toured with acts like Taylor Swift, and Tim McGraw and Train and has garnered millions of streams.
Their current Into the Mystery Acoustic Tour promises a “memorable, genre-defying evening of inspirational and contagious joy,” a promotional release said.
Get tickets for NEEDTOBREATHE’s Fort Wayne show HERE. | https://www.wane.com/top-stories/needtobreathe-announces-fort-wayne-date/ | 2022-04-13T20:53:26 | 0 | https://www.wane.com/top-stories/needtobreathe-announces-fort-wayne-date/ |
BOONE COUNTY, Ind. — After nearly 30 years, a woman found dead along I-65 in Boone County finally has a name.
On Wednesday, the Boone County Sheriff’s Office provided an update on the case of a person found dead on the side of I-65 in 1992. The person was believed to be strangled, but it was difficult to determine the cause of death.
The office identified Jane Doe as 17-year-old Margaret Ann Sniegowski Jr. DNA evidence lead police to her family members to provide some closure to their loss.
The case has now transitioned from trying to identify the body to a homicide investigation, trying to figure out who killed the girl and dumped her body.
Discovering Jane Doe
In the case, Don Lawson, an off-duty firefighter plowing his field, noticed a body face down in a few inches of water in the drainage ditch. Sheriff deputies determined the woman had been in the ditch for almost a week, badly deteriorating the body.
Lawson attended the sheriff’s press conference and said he too is relieved the victim has been identified.
“Now I know who Jane Doe is. She’s not just someone I found. She’s someone’s family member,” said Lawson.
The Indianapolis Star reported the woman was believed to be between 20 and 40 years old. She was approximately 5’6″ tall and was wearing a yellow halter top and green anklet socks. She had reddish-brown hair and several tattoos, including a cross with hearts and the word love on her chest and one of the word “mom” on her right arm, and a cross on her right hand.
Buried, but not forgotten
The woman was buried in a pauper’s grave near the Boone County Sheriff’s Office with a temporary marker of “unidentified female” marking what would be her resting place. Several members of the Lebanon community attended, with police acting as the pallbearers.
She would not remain in the ground for long, however. Over the years, efforts have been made to bring new life to the case.
Giving Jane Doe a face
A November 1993 report from the Indianapolis Star reports that the sheriff at the time, along with a detective, was at a seminar at Michigan State University where they learned of the latest reconstruction techniques of the time.
The office was able to get a court order to exhume her body to remove the skull and pelvic bone. The pelvic bone would be used to help experts determine her age. The skull was cleaned and brought to Michigan where a lab technician and forensic pathologist examined and attempted to reconstruct the face.
“DNA wasn’t even around so I think the best thought they had was to get a physical description of the female, to get that pushed out to see if anyone recognized her,” Lt. Jason Reynolds with the Boone County Sheriff’s Office said.
At the time, the office distributed fliers with the reconstruction photo, hoping someone would recognize the victim. The sheriff also noted the teeth had extensive dental work.
“Some dentist’s office somewhere in this country has got those dental records,” then-Sheriff Ern Hudson told the Indianapolis Star, “So if we could get a tip or lead on her identity, we might be able to get a positive ID if we knew where to look.”
That lead never came.
A fresh look at the investigation
The remains were buried again in the pauper’s grave until, two decades later, she was exhumed again to collect additional evidence.
“It’s always haunted me,” Sheriff Mike Nielsen told the Indianapolis Star, “the disrespect of whoever did this to throw her like a piece of trash and, second, that we’ve never been able to identify her.”
The 1993 sculpture, along with the woman’s body, were delivered to the University of Indianapolis for a fresh take on the investigation.
A team from the Archeology and Forensics Laboratory performed a forensic anthropology analysis. The team was looking to see if they could find any indicators of the cause of death for her bones.
Later that year, Crime Watch Daily picked up the story when tests out of the University of Indianapolis indicated that the woman was from the Southwest region of the United States.
In 2018, the Boone County Sheriff’s Office attempted again to use the latest technologies to put a face to the victim. Using forensic artists, they were able to create new facial reconstruction images. Again, the office hoped someone would recognize her.
“This case has haunted this office for over two decades. We desperately want to solve this horrible crime,” Sheriff Nielsen said in a 2018 Facebook post. “We owe it to Jane Doe and her family. We will never forget Jane Doe.”
Again, the case would continue to haunt them.
DNA evidence gives Jane Doe a name
In 2021, the Boone County Sheriff’s Office was able to collect enough DNA from the bones to collect a DNA profile. A similar genealogical investigation has helped crack several cases, including a 1988 cold case in Fort Wayne. In that case, police used what is called familial DNA testing, which analyzes DNA samples with public genealogy data.
Investigators uploaded the DNA profile to the forensic genetic genealogy database in September and were able to make a potential identification from that process by November. They researched the name, leading them to a potential brother and sister of Jane Doe. Testing from those siblings finally let the office confirm the body to be Margaret Ann Sniegowski Jr.
“It’s been 30 years since I’ve seen Maggie,” said the victim’s brother Lenny Sniegowski. “It’s just one less thing to worry about. All that’s gone now.”
For his part, Margaret’s brother hopes the case gives comfort to other families as well.
“There’s hope out there for people who don’t know where their family members might be. I’m living proof,” said Lenny.
Ending one phase, beginning another
Sheriff Mike Nielson flew down to Texas a few weeks before Wednesday to let Margaret’s family know they knew what happened to her. In an office, Leonard Sniegowski Jr. sat conducting his business.
When Sheriff Nielson showed up in front of Leonard’s glass door showing his badge, he was not sure what to think.
“I hear the knock and I look and areas with the badge and he’s a giant of a guy and I said, well, this is it,” Leonard said. “I don’t know what I did, but it’s I’m caught.”
Sheriff Nielson was able to sit down with Leonard to provide the closure he had not had for the past 30 years. They sat together and cried before getting ready for what would come next.
“We made a promise 30 years ago that we would find out who she was,” said Sheriff Nielson. “We kept that promise and we will keep the promise moving forward that we will find out who’s responsible and we will bring them to justice along with the prosecutor and everybody else.”
The office is now conducting a forensic review to make sure what was investigated in the past matches the science today. They hope this discovery in the case provides people the motivation to submit their own DNA in hopes it will help provide another family some closure.
“If you think there’s a possibility that somebody still alive, or maybe died a long time ago and you just don’t know about it, then do this. Go submit your DNA, put it into that database, and help solve these crimes and I think with the technology and the businesses that we partnered with now, it’s really a good working environment to be able to move forward and solve other crimes as well,” said Sheriff Nielson.
Anyone with information is asked to call 1-800-THE-LOST or the Boone County Sheriff’s Office at (765)482-1412. | https://fox59.com/indiana-news/boone-county-sheriffs-office-providing-update-in-cold-case/ | 2022-04-13T20:57:25 | 0 | https://fox59.com/indiana-news/boone-county-sheriffs-office-providing-update-in-cold-case/ |
INDIANAPOLIS — Cumaco Arepa House started as a seasonal food truck, but the overwhelming response prompted owner Orlando Sanchez to make it a year-round restaurant.
“In wintertime when we closed, people continued to call and say, ‘where are you today?'” Sanchez recalled. “I said, ‘we’re closed. It’s too cold to work outside.'”
The restaurant opened two years ago on the northeast side of Indy at 9642 Allisonville Road, right on the Fishers line. The food is gluten free and vegan friendly.
Sanchez showed Indy Now host Jillian Deam how to make arepas, and he brought some fruity and tropical cocktails for us to try.
Cumaco Arepa House is open Tuesday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. | https://fox59.com/indy-now/cumaco-arepa-venezuelan-indy/ | 2022-04-13T20:57:31 | 0 | https://fox59.com/indy-now/cumaco-arepa-venezuelan-indy/ |
One of the biggest life changes for women, can be one of the toughest health topics for them to discuss.
Dr. Emily Cline, OB/GYN and medical director of the HER program at Johnson Memorial Health, stopped by Indy Now to discuss menopause.
She has taken tough health topics, and made them both interactive and educational.
Anyone wanting more information or to get answers about women’s health issues can call (833) 383-4HER. | https://fox59.com/indy-now/understanding-menopause-with-help-from-johnson-memorial-health/ | 2022-04-13T20:57:37 | 0 | https://fox59.com/indy-now/understanding-menopause-with-help-from-johnson-memorial-health/ |
INDIANAPOLIS — A new kind of circus is coming to town.
Cirque Italia, the first traveling water circus in the U.S., will be at Greenwood Park Mall April 14-17 and Castleton Square Mall April 21-24.
Indy Now’s Jillian Deam got a little preview of the show and helped perform a trick. What do you think: Is she ready for the real thing?
There are no animals in this European-style circus — all performers are human. You’ll see jugglers, aerial tricks, acrobatics, canons, contortionists and more.
The stage lifts up to reveal a 35,000-square-foot water tank that’s part of the pirate-themed show.
Tickets range in price from $10-$50. Use the promo code ‘FREE’ to get one free children’s ticket with the purchase of an adult ticket on level 2 or 3. | https://fox59.com/indy-now/water-circus-greenwood-indy/ | 2022-04-13T20:57:43 | 1 | https://fox59.com/indy-now/water-circus-greenwood-indy/ |
INDIANAPOLIS — Cafe Patachou announced on their Instagram their plan to expand business to Zionsville.
“We are excited to announce the opening of our newest Cafe Patachou location: Patachou on Pine in Zionsville!” the cafe said on their official Instagram last week. The new location is set to open in late summer 2022.
This will be the 6th location for the cafe. | https://fox59.com/news/cafe-patachou-expanding-to-zionsville/ | 2022-04-13T20:57:49 | 0 | https://fox59.com/news/cafe-patachou-expanding-to-zionsville/ |
NEW YORK (AP) — Actor Cuba Gooding Jr. pleaded guilty Wednesday to one count of forcible touching in a protracted criminal case accusing the Oscar-winning “Jerry Maguire” star of violating three different women at various Manhattan nightspots in 2018 and 2019.
The single guilty plea came nearly three years after Gooding’s arrest in the case that saw several delays as his lawyers sought to get the charges reduced or dismissed. It had been scheduled to go to trial at least twice, with an April 2020 trial date scuttled as coronavirus cases surged in New York and the state shut down most court matters.
Gooding, 54, was arrested in June 2019 after a 29-year-old woman told police he squeezed her breast without her consent at Magic Hour Rooftop Bar & Lounge near Times Square.
A few months later, he was charged in two additional cases as more women came forward to accuse him of abuse. The new charges alleged he pinched a server’s buttocks after making a sexually suggestive remark to her at TAO Downtown and forcibly touched a woman inappropriately at the LAVO New York nightclub, both in 2018.
Gooding pleaded guilty to the LAVO nightclub allegation.
Gooding had previously pleaded not guilty to six misdemeanor counts and denied all allegations of wrongdoing. His lawyers have argued that overzealous prosecutors, caught up in the fervor of the #MeToo movement, are trying to turn “commonplace gestures” or misunderstandings into crimes.
The judge had ruled that if the Gooding case went to trial, prosecutors could have called two additional women to testify about their allegations that Gooding also violated them. Those women, whose claims did not result in criminal charges, were among 19 other accusers whom prosecutors were seeking to call as witnesses.
Along with the criminal case, Gooding is accused in a lawsuit of raping a woman in New York City in 2013. After a judge issued a default judgment in July because Gooding hadn’t responded to the lawsuit, the actor retained a lawyer and is fighting the allegations. | https://fox59.com/news/national-world/cuba-gooding-jr-pleads-guilty-to-forcible-touching/ | 2022-04-13T20:57:55 | 1 | https://fox59.com/news/national-world/cuba-gooding-jr-pleads-guilty-to-forcible-touching/ |
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — Police in Grand Rapids, Michigan, released video Wednesday that shows an officer pulling over Patrick Lyoya and a long struggle between the two that ends with the officer shooting and killing Lyoya.
The shooting happened the morning of April 4 on the city’s southeast side. GRPD previously said Lyoya, 26, tried to run away from an officer because he was worried about being arrested, after which there was a “lengthy fight.”
Grand Rapids Police Department showed four videos: from a dashboard camera, a body camera, a doorbell camera and a cellphone. The video blurred the faces of bystanders but not Lyoya’s face, nor the face of the officer.
GRPD says it has nine source videos, including four from the doorbell camera. Its release of video shortened some of those sources so as not to include the aftermath of the shooting, which the department said “was done to expedite their public release in the interest of transparency.”
Opening the city’s Wednesday afternoon press conference, City Manager Mark Washington called it a “sad day for our city, our state and our country.”
WOOD is not using video showing the moment of death. You can watch the full GRPD press conference with the full video on the city’s YouTube channel.
Dashboard camera and body camera video shows that the officer pulled Lyoya over after realizing that the plate on the car he was driving didn’t match the vehicle. As soon as he stopped Lyoya, Lyoya got out of the car.
The officer told him to get back in the car, but Lyoya didn’t. The officer asked him if he had a license. Lyoya seemed confused. The officer asked if he spoke English and Lyoya said he did.
When Lyoya stepped away, the officer grabbed him. A long struggle ensued.
The officer drew a stun gun and its deployment can be heard in the video. It’s unclear whether Lyoya was hit by it.
The bodycam video also shows Lyoya grab for the stun gun. Winstrom said the officer and Lyoya appeared to struggle over the weapon for about 90 seconds.
In the video, the officer can be heard repeatedly telling Lyoya to let go of the stun gun.
The cellphone video also shows the officer pull his gun. Once more, he tells Lyoya to let go of the stungun. Moments later, a single shot is fired.
The video shows the officer backing away from Lyoya and reporting the shooting over his radio.
Winstrom said Lyoya was shot in the head. He noted he did not have the full autopsy report, which is not yet done.
GRPD Chief Eric Winstrom noted that the investigation is still in its early stages and investigators’ understanding of what happened may still change. He also said that at this point, he is not prepared to make a determination about whether the officer was justified or followed department policy. The only conclusion he would make was that he “view(s) it as a tragedy.”
Winstrom has only been the police chief in Grand Rapids for 37 days. Washington said Winstrom is an expert in the use of force and noted he is also an attorney, so he is positioned to “find answers, identify accountability and propose improvements.”
“We acknowledge that this is a necessary process. But the city has embraced to ask the tough questions and answer those questions and operate with full transparency and accountability to ensure that justice prevails,” Washington said.
Michigan State Police is investigating the shooting, which is standard procedure anytime a local officer uses deadly force. The agency said Monday it hopes to get its investigation to the Kent County prosecutor by the end of the week, though that’s not set in stone. The prosecutor does not expect to reach a decision about whether the officer was justified in his use of force or whether charges are appropriate this week.
“Following the Grand Rapids Police Department’s release of video related to the April 4 officer-involved shooting of Mr. Patrick Lyoya, I once again ask the community for patience in this matter. The Michigan State Police independent investigation into the incident is not complete. This is an extremely critical incident, and one that everyone involved in the investigation is taking very seriously. The Michigan State Police are doing everything they can to complete the investigation in a timely manner, however it takes time to carefully gather the evidence. We do not have all of the evidence for review. I don’t have an opportunity to review a case until I have all the evidence.
“To provide context, the Kent County Sheriff’s Department is investigating an incident from March 31, 2022, where a homeowner reportedly shot and killed an intruder. That incident occurred days before this one, yet we have not received the reports from that investigation. I offer this incident to demonstrate, a thorough investigations take time, we are asking that the appropriate time be given here.
“It is important to note, while the videos released today are an important piece of evidence, they are not all of the evidence. Our office has never made, and will not make, a decision based on partial evidence. By law, we are required to review all available evidence before we consider whether charges should be filed, and if so, what appropriate charges should be. This careful consideration of all evidence is a very important step in our criminal justice system.
“Once the Michigan State Police turn over the evidence to our office, we will begin a thorough review. That process will include review of all witness statements and all video that pertains to this incident, including body-worn camera video, in-car video, and any home video that may be available. In addition, as in any case involving a death, we will review the autopsy and toxicology reports, radio traffic, and reports from the crime scene.
“As I have said in a previous statement, I have one goal – the pursuit of truth – and I am committed to that. We must follow legal and ethical guidelines to ensure the integrity of this process. We cannot do anything until the investigation is complete, and we have all the information we need to make an informed decision. This will take time and I once again ask for the community’s patience.”
Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker
Brandon Davis, the director of the city Office of Oversight and Public Accountability, said at the press conference that his agency is keeping an eye on the internal investigation from GRPD. He promised a post-action inquiry from OPA that would look at what happened and how GRPD responded.
“However, right now, the most important thing for my office to do is to monitor this investigation to ensure that there is truth and accountability,” Davis said.
Davis stressed that neither the city nor GRPD have any authority to decide whether charges are appropriate in the case. He said that is the responsibility of MSP and the prosecutor.
Autopsy report
In a statement early Wednesday afternoon, Kent County Medical Examiner Dr. Stephen Cohle said that he conducted Lyoya’s autopsy April 4 but the report was not yet available to the public. The medical examiner is awaiting toxicology and tissue test results. Cohle said those results can take 60 days, though he has asked for a rush. Even once those results are back, the full autopsy report won’t be released until after the police investigation is finished.
“This is the standard operating procedure to ensure the integrity of the investigative process,” Cohle stated.
He added that his office is still holding Lyoya’s body pending instructions from the family on whether to release it to a funeral home or an independent agency if the family requests its own autopsy.
“My office understands that the families we work with are grieving,” Cohle’s statement said. “We strive to ensure every family is treated with dignity and respect and is supported with compassion and honest information to help them make appropriate arrangements. I have personally spoken with Mr. Lyoya’s father (via interpreter), and my office stands ready to assist him with the release of his son’s body when the family has reached a decision on the arrangements.”
Preparation for protests
In anticipation of demonstrations over the next few days and this weekend, Washington said in a statement that he “fully support(s) our residents exercising their First Amendment rights” and also that he was working with organizers to make sure those protests happen “in a safe and productive manner.”
“Due to the focus of the protest being on our police department, we have taken some precautionary measures around that facility to facilitate continued access and uninterrupted operations,” Washington’s statement continued, referencing the concrete barriers topped with chain-link fence installed around GRPD headquarters Tuesday. “This not only secures the facility but ensures we’re able to provide public safety continuity of service for the entire community. I understand these precautions may be alarming to some, I can assure you that we have no current indication of an imminent threat.”
He added that the city “does not anticipate any threats to people or property in the downtown area.”
“Following (the) video release, we will continue to prioritize the safety of our community and provide additional direction if necessary,” the statement concluded.
Temporary chain-link fences were also put up around the Kent County Courthouse downtown.
A couple of businesses down the street from GRPD headquarters have boarded up their windows.
In a statement released to News 8 Wednesday morning, Lyoya’s family called for the community to avoid protests for the time being.
“No protests at this time. We don’t want violence out there. We want to avoid any violence.”
Lyoya family | https://fox59.com/news/national-world/michigan-police-release-video-of-officer-shooting-man-during-traffic-stop/ | 2022-04-13T20:58:01 | 0 | https://fox59.com/news/national-world/michigan-police-release-video-of-officer-shooting-man-during-traffic-stop/ |
NEW YORK (PIX11) — Police arrested the suspected Brooklyn subway shooter Wednesday, the day after he allegedly opened fire on a train, shooting 10 people, officials said.
Frank R. James, 62, had been identified as a person of interest on Tuesday and then upgraded to a suspect in the case. He was captured in Manhattan. James faces up to life in prison if he’s convicted, prosecutors said. He’s being charged federally on a terrorism offense.
“We got him, we got him,” Mayor Eric Adams said.
James was stopped on the street after a CrimeStoppers tip, NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell said. He was taken into custody around 1:40 p.m. Hundreds of NYPD officers worked “doggedly” to find him. He’s since been taken to an NYPD precinct.
“We were able to shrink his world quickly,” she said. “There was nowhere left for him to run.”
Police had zeroed in on James because of a U-Haul key left at the scene of the shooting. James had rented the U-Haul, which was found in Brooklyn hours after the attack, police said.
James was spotted in a McDonald’s at East 6th Street and First Avenue, police said. Officers headed there after the CrimeStoppers tip. James wasn’t there, so the officers searched the area. They found him nearby at St. Marks Place and First Avenue.
Now that he’s in custody, James is being charged by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of New York. He’s being charged with one count of violating 18 U.S.C. 1992(a)(7), which prohibits terrorist and other violent attacks against mass transportation systems, U.S. Attorney Breon Peace said.
“Yesterday was a dark day for all of us,” Peace said. “But the bright spots of the incredible heroism of our fellow New Yorkers helping each other in a time of crisis, the quick response by our first responders, and the hard work by all of our law enforcement partners that has been ongoing truly shines bright.”
James allegedly put on a gas mask on a northbound N train just before 8:25 a.m. Tuesday, then pulled out two canisters and opened fire as smoke filled the train, police said. Seven men and three women were shot. James allegedly fired 33 times.
Here’s what we know about James:
- James posted social media videos decrying the U.S. as a racist place awash in violence and recounting his struggle with mental illness. His profanity-laden videos are replete with violent language and bigoted comments, some against other Black people
- The gun James allegedly used was purchased at a pawn shop — a licensed firearms dealer — in the Columbus, Ohio, area in 2011, a law enforcement official who wasn’t authorized to discuss the investigation said on condition of anonymity
- James has ties to Philadelphia and Wisconsin
- Investigators believe James drove up from Philadelphia on Monday and have reviewed surveillance video showing a man matching his physical description coming out of the van early Tuesday morning
- Police described the suspected gunman as being around 5 feet, 5 inches tall. The man weighs around 175-200 pounds. He was last seen wearing a gas mask and a construction vest. Police initially said the vest was green, but later officials said it was orange. The man also had on a gray, hooded sweatshirt.
- He was arrested multiple times from 1992-1998, including multiple times in New York and three times in New Jersey | https://fox59.com/news/national-world/suspected-brooklyn-subway-shooter-in-nypd-custody-sources/ | 2022-04-13T20:58:07 | 0 | https://fox59.com/news/national-world/suspected-brooklyn-subway-shooter-in-nypd-custody-sources/ |
INDIANAPOLIS — The calendar on the wall of Toni Owens’ apartment lists in big letters “MOVE OUT DAY” at the end of April to mark the conclusion of eleven years living at Berkley Commons on the city’s southside.
“I’m out of here. I’m moving. Can’t wait. Can’t wait,” she said, surrounded by packed boxes. “I just don’t feel safe here at all and I just don’t feel like they’re even professional enough to operate.”
“I just feel like something isn’t right about this company.”
Neither do the City of Indianapolis, the Indiana Attorney General or Citizens Energy Group which announced a three-pronged legal attack aimed at Berkley Common IN, LLC, and JPC Affordable Housing Foundation, Inc., intended to force the New Jersey-based company to pay off $1.3 million in overdue utility bills and reimburse the City $850,000 it paid to keep the water turned on at Berkley Commons during a previous three-day disconnection in February.
Mayor Joe Hogsett said the welfare of 1200 households at Berkley Commons, Capital Place Apartments and the Woods at Oak Crossing are at stake.
“Today we stand united ahead of what would otherwise be a mass eviction on a scale yet unseen in this community.”
Citizens Energy Group President & CEO Jeffrey Harrison said the utility may be forced to again turn off the water to residents, whose utility costs are folded into their monthly rent payments, because the landlord is not making good on multiple back payment agreements.
“If we do need to disconnect and issue a disconnect notice, we will notify those residents,” Harrison said. “We are looking at trying to give them enough time and enough support and help to allow them to find homes elsewhere, so we are looking at somewhere around thirty days if a disconnect notice were to be executed.”
Harrison said one solution would be a court order to force the property owner to set aside a portion of rent revenues into a fund to pay utility bills.
“Citizens is requesting creation of a constructive trust over each of the defendant’s funds being collected from debts over water, sewer and natural gas utility services.”
Indiana Attorney General Chief Counsel Scott Barnhart told Fox 59 News that in early May his office of Consumer Protection could seek an injunction forcing the landlord to temporarily take corrective action pending a permanent resolution.
Hogsett said he hoped the trio of lawsuits would force JPC to divest itself of the troubled properties, just as city pressure led to the sale of the owner’s Lakeside Pointe at Nora complex in early March.
Don Hauser isn’t waiting for a change of owners. He’s putting in a change of address and moving out of Berkley Commons at the end of the month.
“They’re defrauding the residents of all three complexes,” he said. “There’s been no guarantee that they’ve been paying the bill. There was no guarantee or mention of them paying the bill or paying the city back for what the city dished out to get the water turned back on.
“This is America. How can this happen? How is it allowed and why is this allowed?”
I went to the office at Berkley Commons to ask that question.
I didn’t get an answer. | https://fox59.com/news/three-indy-apartment-complexes-face-water-shutoff-over-unpaid-utility-bills/ | 2022-04-13T20:58:13 | 1 | https://fox59.com/news/three-indy-apartment-complexes-face-water-shutoff-over-unpaid-utility-bills/ |
The early showers and storms are having a big impact on today’s severe weather threat. The early rounds were more questionable and adding dry time let alone sunshine could make these storms more dangerous.
UPDATE 3pm: We are holding our own and with each passing hour late afternoon it is looking more and more favorable that an outbreak of severe storms is not going to unfold – here.
First round of rain has moved harmlessly off to the NE and has lingered long enough to slow increase in storm intensity with round #2. Uptick in t-storms still expected thru 6pm however intensity still questionable. It still looks to get bumpy later tonight as Round #3 and final round approaches this evening.
A damaging wind threat with these storm continues and could be most impactful after 6pm through 12am. TRENDS toward more significant storms south are emerging. We will monitor. We are not in the clear as rain and storms will increase again late this evening reaching peak coverage before midnight. The rain and the storms will abruptly ends as cold front sweeps the state by 2am.
Despite the rainy weather and possibility of severe storms – 63° start Wednesday marks the WARMEST MORNING of 2022! That’s the normal low temperature for June 15th – two months from now. | https://fox59.com/weather/storm-threat-continues-but-trends-are-more-favorable-an-update-from-the-fox59-weather-center/ | 2022-04-13T20:58:19 | 0 | https://fox59.com/weather/storm-threat-continues-but-trends-are-more-favorable-an-update-from-the-fox59-weather-center/ |
Sanford police investigating shooting at apartment complex
SANFORD, Fla. - The Sanford Police Department is investigating a reported shooting at an apartment complex near Lake Monroe.
A spokesperson confirmed to FOX 35 that there were injuries reported in the shooting, but additional details were not immediately released.
FOX 35 has crews in the area gathering additional information.
Stay with FOX 35 for updates to this developing story.
Advertisement | https://www.fox35orlando.com/news/sanford-police-investigating-shooting-at-apartment-complex | 2022-04-13T20:58:41 | 1 | https://www.fox35orlando.com/news/sanford-police-investigating-shooting-at-apartment-complex |
Windy...showers and thundershowers this evening, then mainly cloudy late with periods of light rain developing. A few storms may be severe. Low 36F. Winds WSW at 20 to 30 mph. Chance of rain 100%..
Tonight
Windy...showers and thundershowers this evening, then mainly cloudy late with periods of light rain developing. A few storms may be severe. Low 36F. Winds WSW at 20 to 30 mph. Chance of rain 100%.
T.J. Butler and his son, Jameson Butler, spend time together during an All Pro Dad meeting at Tipton Elementary School. The Tipton chapter launched last fall.
Tim Bath | Kokomo Tribune
Jonah Rodriguez kisses his daughter, Maleighna Rodriguez, on the forehead during an All Pro Dad meeting Tuesday at Western School Corporation.
Tim Bath | Kokomo Tribune
Kenzi and Maggie joke with their dad, Andy Boyland, during an All Pro Dad meeting at Tipton Elementary School.
Tim Bath | Kokomo Tribune
Emmersen Kincaid and her dad, Allen Kincaid, joke around while doing an exercise about respect at an All Pro Dad meeting at Western School Corporation. The Western chapter had its first meeting this week.
Tim Bath | Kokomo Tribune
J. Hoover and his daughter, Nola Hoover, listen to a presentation at an All Pro Dad meeting Tuesday at Western School Corporation.
Tim Bath | Kokomo Tribune
Justin Helton and his son, Giovanni Helton, work on an activity about respect during an All Pro Dad meeting at Tipton Elementary School.
Tim Bath | Kokomo Tribune
featurededitor's pick
All Pro Dad chapters build meaningful connections between fathers, children
T.J. Butler and his son, Jameson Butler, spend time together during an All Pro Dad meeting at Tipton Elementary School. The Tipton chapter launched last fall.
Tim Bath | Kokomo Tribune
Jonah Rodriguez kisses his daughter, Maleighna Rodriguez, on the forehead during an All Pro Dad meeting Tuesday at Western School Corporation.
Tim Bath | Kokomo Tribune
Kenzi and Maggie joke with their dad, Andy Boyland, during an All Pro Dad meeting at Tipton Elementary School.
Tim Bath | Kokomo Tribune
Emmersen Kincaid and her dad, Allen Kincaid, joke around while doing an exercise about respect at an All Pro Dad meeting at Western School Corporation. The Western chapter had its first meeting this week.
Tim Bath | Kokomo Tribune
J. Hoover and his daughter, Nola Hoover, listen to a presentation at an All Pro Dad meeting Tuesday at Western School Corporation.
Tim Bath | Kokomo Tribune
Justin Helton and his son, Giovanni Helton, work on an activity about respect during an All Pro Dad meeting at Tipton Elementary School.
Tim Bath | Kokomo Tribune
Tuesday’s meeting of the Western All Pro Dad group began with a simple prompt: Tell your child something that makes you proud of them.
More than two dozen fathers turned to their children. Soon after, kids were smiling and laughing while enjoying breakfast with their dads.
Former Indianapolis Colts coach Tony Dungy helped start the organization. All Pro Dad features a number of National Football League players and coaches as spokespersons.
Dads Josh Houk and Gerry Thomas started the chapter at Western. Groups are for dads with kids in kindergarten through fifth grade.
Houk helped lead an All Pro Dad group in Kentucky prior to coming to Kokomo. He is the children’s pastor at Chapel Hill Christian Church.
“As a pastor, I felt God leading me to start this here, because I know how important it is for dads to be involved with their kids,” Houk said.
“We both are passionate about Dad Camp and passionate about pouring into the life of our kids,” Thomas added.
Meetings are discussion-based, meant to spur meaningful conversation between father and child. Monthly topics revolve around life skills and life lessons, such as compassion.
Tuesday’s topic was respect.
Discussions featured questions dads could ask their kids, such as “What do you think it looks like to be respected?” and questions kids could ask their dads, such as, “How important to you is being respected?”
There are suggested readings that dads and kids can do together at home.
Respect was also the topic at last week’s All Pro Dad chapter at Tipton Elementary School. The Tipton chapter started last fall and is led by David Maddox and Bryce Silvey.
Group discussion featured ways to show respect to others, especially parents.
One student said it is respectful to wait if their parent is on the phone. The dads appreciated the answer.
“That’s a good one,” Maddox said. “Can you teach my kids that?”
Another student got a high-five after saying it is respectful not to ask one parent for something after the other parent told them no.
1 of 18
Emmersen Kincaid and her dad, Allen Kincaid, joke around while doing an exercise about respect at an All Pro Dad meeting at Western School Corporation. The Western chapter had its first meeting this week.
Tim Bath | Kokomo Tribune
T.J. Butler and his son, Jameson Butler, spend time together during an All Pro Dad meeting at Tipton Elementary School. The Tipton chapter launched last fall.
Tim Bath | Kokomo Tribune
J. Hoover and his daughter, Nola Hoover, listen to a presentation at an All Pro Dad meeting Tuesday at Western School Corporation.
Tim Bath | Kokomo Tribune
Justin Helton and his son, Giovanni Helton, work on an activity about respect during an All Pro Dad meeting at Tipton Elementary School.
Tim Bath | Kokomo Tribune
Jonah Rodriguez kisses his daughter, Maleighna Rodriguez, on the forehead during an All Pro Dad meeting Tuesday at Western School Corporation.
Tim Bath | Kokomo Tribune
Kenzi and Maggie joke with their dad, Andy Boyland, during an All Pro Dad meeting at Tipton Elementary School.
Tim Bath | Kokomo Tribune
4-12-22 - All Pro Dads new chapter at Western schools who meet in the administration building conference room. - Tim Bath | Kokomo Tribune
Tim Bath
4-12-22 - All Pro Dads new chapter at Western schools who meet in the administration building conference room. - Tim Bath | Kokomo Tribune
Tim Bath
4-7-22 - Tipton Elementary School All Pro Dads meet in the school cafeteria. - Tim Bath | Kokomo Tribune
Tim Bath
4-12-22 - All Pro Dads new chapter at Western schools who meet in the administration building conference room. - Tim Bath | Kokomo Tribune
Tim Bath
4-7-22 - Tipton Elementary School All Pro Dads meet in the school cafeteria. - Tim Bath | Kokomo Tribune
Tim Bath
4-12-22 - Randall Hunter and daughter Blinlynn Hunter spend some time at All Pro Dads new chapter at Western schools who meet in the administration building conference room. - Tim Bath | Kokomo Tribune
Tim Bath
4-7-22 - Tipton Elementary School All Pro Dads meet in the school cafeteria. - Tim Bath | Kokomo Tribune
Tim Bath
4-12-22 - Jacob Gibson and son Camden Gibson talk about respect at All Pro Dads new chapter at Western schools who meet in the administration building conference room. - Tim Bath | Kokomo Tribune
Tim Bath
4-7-22 - Tipton Elementary School All Pro Dads meet in the school cafeteria. - Tim Bath | Kokomo Tribune
Tim Bath
4-7-22 - Tipton Elementary School All Pro Dads meet in the school cafeteria. - Tim Bath | Kokomo Tribune
Tim Bath
4-12-22 - All Pro Dads new chapter at Western schools who meet in the administration building conference room. - Tim Bath | Kokomo Tribune
Tim Bath
4-7-22 - Tipton Elementary School All Pro Dads meet in the school cafeteria with TJ Bulter and his son Jameson Butler. - Tim Bath | Kokomo Tribune
Tim Bath
All Pro Dads
1 of 18
Emmersen Kincaid and her dad, Allen Kincaid, joke around while doing an exercise about respect at an All Pro Dad meeting at Western School Corporation. The Western chapter had its first meeting this week.
Tim Bath | Kokomo Tribune
T.J. Butler and his son, Jameson Butler, spend time together during an All Pro Dad meeting at Tipton Elementary School. The Tipton chapter launched last fall.
Tim Bath | Kokomo Tribune
J. Hoover and his daughter, Nola Hoover, listen to a presentation at an All Pro Dad meeting Tuesday at Western School Corporation.
Tim Bath | Kokomo Tribune
Justin Helton and his son, Giovanni Helton, work on an activity about respect during an All Pro Dad meeting at Tipton Elementary School.
Tim Bath | Kokomo Tribune
Jonah Rodriguez kisses his daughter, Maleighna Rodriguez, on the forehead during an All Pro Dad meeting Tuesday at Western School Corporation.
Tim Bath | Kokomo Tribune
Kenzi and Maggie joke with their dad, Andy Boyland, during an All Pro Dad meeting at Tipton Elementary School.
Tim Bath | Kokomo Tribune
4-12-22 - All Pro Dads new chapter at Western schools who meet in the administration building conference room. - Tim Bath | Kokomo Tribune
Tim Bath
4-12-22 - All Pro Dads new chapter at Western schools who meet in the administration building conference room. - Tim Bath | Kokomo Tribune
Tim Bath
4-7-22 - Tipton Elementary School All Pro Dads meet in the school cafeteria. - Tim Bath | Kokomo Tribune
Tim Bath
4-12-22 - All Pro Dads new chapter at Western schools who meet in the administration building conference room. - Tim Bath | Kokomo Tribune
Tim Bath
4-7-22 - Tipton Elementary School All Pro Dads meet in the school cafeteria. - Tim Bath | Kokomo Tribune
Tim Bath
4-12-22 - Randall Hunter and daughter Blinlynn Hunter spend some time at All Pro Dads new chapter at Western schools who meet in the administration building conference room. - Tim Bath | Kokomo Tribune
Tim Bath
4-7-22 - Tipton Elementary School All Pro Dads meet in the school cafeteria. - Tim Bath | Kokomo Tribune
Tim Bath
4-12-22 - Jacob Gibson and son Camden Gibson talk about respect at All Pro Dads new chapter at Western schools who meet in the administration building conference room. - Tim Bath | Kokomo Tribune
Tim Bath
4-7-22 - Tipton Elementary School All Pro Dads meet in the school cafeteria. - Tim Bath | Kokomo Tribune
Tim Bath
4-7-22 - Tipton Elementary School All Pro Dads meet in the school cafeteria. - Tim Bath | Kokomo Tribune
Tim Bath
4-12-22 - All Pro Dads new chapter at Western schools who meet in the administration building conference room. - Tim Bath | Kokomo Tribune
Tim Bath
4-7-22 - Tipton Elementary School All Pro Dads meet in the school cafeteria with TJ Bulter and his son Jameson Butler. - Tim Bath | Kokomo Tribune
Tim Bath
Time together spent intentionally is the goal of the monthly All Pro Dad meetings.
“All the kids want is our time,” Silvey said. “Everyone is extremely busy. That’s all they really want.”
“The kids get to spend time with Dad they might not normally get,” Maddox added.
All-star dads
Silvey got the idea after a friend told him about an All Pro Dad group in Noblesville.
“I thought, ‘We have all-star dads here, too,’” he said.
Tipton’s chapter started with just six dads but has seen more than 100 at times.
All Pro Dad is for all father figures, not just dads. Stepdads, grandfathers and even mothers — Tipton’s chapter has had a mom attend — are welcome.
“The parents who need to be here show up,” Maddox said. “It’s good to see every type of parent here.”
Andy Boyland saw other dads leaving the elementary school when he dropped off his kids one morning. He attended his first meeting last week with his daughters Kenzi and Maggie.
“I think it’s a good idea,” he said. “It’s nice to spend time and discuss things with them.”
The same struggle
Time was allotted at the end of Western’s meeting for dads to mingle, introduce themselves and make new connections.
“We all share the same struggle, the ups and downs, of being a dad,” said Jacob Gibson.
Gibson came with his son, Camden.
“I think it not only teaches him, it teaches me as well,” Gibson said.
Dads hugged their kids and wished them a good day at school as the meetings ended.
“I loved seeing the faces of the kids,” Thomas said. “When you intentionally spend time with them, they notice it.” | https://www.kokomotribune.com/news/all-pro-dad-chapters-build-meaningful-connections-between-fathers-children/article_c2c327ec-baa3-11ec-87a5-bb574687c22c.html | 2022-04-13T20:58:41 | 1 | https://www.kokomotribune.com/news/all-pro-dad-chapters-build-meaningful-connections-between-fathers-children/article_c2c327ec-baa3-11ec-87a5-bb574687c22c.html |
Rihanna talks fashion, motherhood as due date approaches
NEW YORK — Timekeeping isn't Rihanna's strong suit, and that goes for the pregnancy she's been sharing with the world as well.
“Planning? I wouldn’t say planning," she told Vogue about her upcoming motherhood. “But certainly not planning against it. I don’t know when I ovulate or any of that type of (expletive). We just had fun. And then it was just there on the test.”
Now in her third trimester, the music star, and fashion and beauty mogul hasn't exactly been hiding under a maternity tent since she and boyfriend A$AP Rocky announced they were expecting in late January via a wintry New York street photo shoot. Since, she's made the fashion week rounds in Milan and Paris wearing a range of belly-bearing couture.
If it’s not something she would have put on pre-pregnancy, Rihanna said, it’s not something on her list now.
“My body is doing incredible things right now, and I’m not going to be ashamed of that," she said. "This time should feel celebratory. Because why should you be hiding your pregnancy?”
The cover interview, out Tuesday, has 34-year-old Rihanna in a lacy red Alaïa bodysuit and long gloves. It's just one of the numerous rule-breaking designer looks she's been wearing in celebration of her bump.
So how is she feeling about the next part, where she actually gives birth and scheduling possibly kicks in?
Rihanna wishes all of her closest loved ones could be in the room, but that seems unlikely under COVID-19 rules. She didn't disclose where she'll be headed for labor and delivery — or when she's due for that matter.
“Maybe I’ll just have a party bus parked outside or something,” she said. And what frightens her the most? “Postpartum depression. Will I feel out of control emotionally? Those are the stories I hear from other women that scare me.”
— Associated Press | https://www.kokomotribune.com/news/names-in-the-news-april-13-2022/article_679e5406-bb55-11ec-9ea8-4f19da8fc08e.html | 2022-04-13T20:58:47 | 1 | https://www.kokomotribune.com/news/names-in-the-news-april-13-2022/article_679e5406-bb55-11ec-9ea8-4f19da8fc08e.html |
Diners in the O-Town West development will soon be able to grab a brew from World of Beer Bar & Kitchen before getting their sliders at the nearby record-setting White Castle.
World of Beer, which offers more than 300 beers and 40 rotating taps, is set to open May 17 in a 6,118-square-foot space at 7750 Palm Parkway near Walt Disney World, according to a news release.
Unicorp National Developments’ O-Town West project is home to White Castle, which set a single-day sales record for the Ohio-based burger chain when it opened last May. As of December, it was on pace to set a single-year sales record. It is the first White Castle in Florida since the 1960s.
World of Beer also offers customers a bite to eat beyond all its brews, with a menu that includes burgers, a German pretzel and mac and cheese bites.
The chain, founded in Tampa, has other restaurants in downtown Orlando, Clermont and near the University of Central Florida.
afuller@orlandosentinel.com | https://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/os-bz-world-of-beer-orlando-o-town-west-20220413-xl54akwq5zhwlftpx2pts2orki-story.html | 2022-04-13T21:02:23 | 1 | https://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/os-bz-world-of-beer-orlando-o-town-west-20220413-xl54akwq5zhwlftpx2pts2orki-story.html |
CDC extends travel mask requirement to May 3 as COVID rises
The Biden administration announced Wednesday that it is extending the nationwide mask requirement for airplanes and public transit for 15 days as it monitors an uptick in COVID-19 cases.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said it was extending the order, which was set to expire on April 18, until May 3 to allow more time to study the BA.2 omicron subvariant that is now responsible for the vast majority of cases in the U.S.
“In order to assess the potential impact the rise of cases has on severe disease, including hospitalizations and deaths, and health care system capacity, the CDC order will remain in place at this time,” the agency said in a statement.
When the Transportation Security Administration, which enforces the rule for planes, buses, trains and transit hubs, extended the requirement last month, it said the CDC had been hoping to roll out a more flexible masking strategy that would have replaced the nationwide requirement.
The mask mandate is the most visible vestige of government restrictions to control the pandemic, and possibly the most controversial. A surge of abusive and sometimes violent incidents on airplanes has been attributed mostly to disputes over mask-wearing.
Airlines have lobbied for months to kill the requirement, arguing that effective air filters on modern planes make transmission of the virus during a flight highly unlikely. Republicans in Congress also fought to kill the mandate.
Critics have seized on the fact that states have rolled back rules requiring masks in restaurants, stores and other indoor settings, and yet COVID-19 cases have fallen sharply since the omicron variant peaked in mid-January.
“It is very difficult to understand why masks are still required on airplanes, but not needed in crowded bars and restaurants; in packed sports arenas; in schools full of children; or at large indoor political gatherings,” Nicholas Calio, the CEO of industry trade group Airlines for America, said Wednesday in a letter to the heads of the CDC and the Health and Human Services Department. “Simply put, an extension of the mask mandate does not make sense.”
There has been a slight increase in cases in recent weeks, with daily confirmed cases nationwide rising from about 25,000 per day to more than 30,000. More than 85% of those cases are the highly contagious BA.2 strain. Those figures could be an undercount since many people now test positive on at-home tests that are not reported to public health agencies.
Severe illnesses and deaths tend to lag infections by several weeks. The CDC is awaiting indications of whether the increase in cases correlates to a rise in adverse outcomes before announcing a less restrictive mask policy for travel.
A poll in mid-March by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that Americans are evenly divided over keeping the mask rule for transportation.
The poll found that 51% wanted the mandate to expire and 48% said it should remain in place – in effect, a tie, given the poll’s margin of error. Democrats overwhelmingly supported the rule, and Republicans were even more united in opposing it. Vaccinated people and those with chronic health conditions favored keeping the rule, but by smaller margins.
Airlines imposed their own mask mandates in 2020, when the Trump administration declined to take action. Unions representing flight attendants, which once backed mask rules, now decline to take a position because their members are divided over the issue.
It is unclear whether eliminating the rule would make people more or less likely to travel on planes or subways.
Ed Bastian, the CEO of Delta Air Lines, said that some people might start flying if they don’t have to wear a mask, and others might stop flying if other passengers are unmasked. He called both groups “fringe," and he predicted that many people will continue to wear masks even if the rule is dropped.
(Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.) | https://nj1015.com/cdc-extends-travel-mask-requirement-to-may-3-as-covid-rises/ | 2022-04-13T21:02:25 | 0 | https://nj1015.com/cdc-extends-travel-mask-requirement-to-may-3-as-covid-rises/ |
NEW YORK — Actor Cuba Gooding Jr. pleaded guilty Wednesday to forcibly touching a woman at a New York nightclub in 2018.
The guilty plea came nearly three years after the the Oscar-winning “Jerry Maguire” star was arrested in the case that saw several delays as his lawyers sought to get charges reduced or dismissed.
Gooding, 54, accused of violating three different women at various Manhattan night spots in 2018 and 2019, pleaded guilty to just one of the allegations.
He told the judge he “kissed the waitress on her lips” without consent at the LAVO New York nightclub.
Gooding’s plea deal calls for no jail time. If he continues counseling for six months, he can withdraw the misdemeanor plea and plead guilty to a lesser violation of harassment.
Gooding was arrested in June 2019 after a 29-year-old woman told police he squeezed her breast without her consent at Magic Hour Rooftop Bar & Lounge near Times Square.
A few months later, he was charged in two additional cases as more women came forward to accuse him of abuse. The new charges alleged he pinched a server’s buttocks after making a sexually suggestive remark to her at TAO Downtown and forcibly touched a woman inappropriately at the LAVO nightclub, both in 2018.
Gooding had previously pleaded not guilty to six misdemeanor counts and denied all allegations of wrongdoing. His lawyers have argued that overzealous prosecutors, caught up in the fervor of the #MeToo movement, are trying to turn “commonplace gestures” or misunderstandings into crimes.
The judge had ruled that if the Gooding case went to trial, prosecutors could have called two additional women to testify about their allegations that Gooding also violated them. Those women, whose claims did not result in criminal charges, were among 19 other accusers whom prosecutors were seeking to call as witnesses.
Along with the criminal case, Gooding is accused in a lawsuit of raping a woman in New York City in 2013. After a judge issued a default judgment in July because Gooding hadn’t responded to the lawsuit, the actor retained a lawyer and is fighting the allegations. | https://www.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment/ct-ent-cuba-gooding-jr-20220413-v5qauiibxjhdxgme3nsiqkrmoe-story.html | 2022-04-13T21:02:26 | 1 | https://www.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment/ct-ent-cuba-gooding-jr-20220413-v5qauiibxjhdxgme3nsiqkrmoe-story.html |
PARSIPPANY — Days ahead of Easter, Ferrero U.S.A., Inc. of Parsippany has launched a voluntary recall of some chocolate treats due to a risk of salmonella.
Kinder Happy Moments Chocolate Assortment, a 14.1 ounce square box sold in BJ’s Wholesale Club stores and a Kinder Mix Chocolate Treats basket that was sold in Connecticut and Massachusetts both were covered by the recall.
While there have been no reports of illness in the U.S., Ferrero voluntarily recalled the products due to reported cases among those who ate products in Europe, manufactured at the same facility.
No other Kinder products authorized for sale in the U.S. were included in the recall.
However, Ferrero U.S.A. cautioned against products intended for foreign markets, that might be under a similar health hazard recall out of Europe.
Kinder branded products authorized for distribution in the U.S. include the following description, printed directly on the back of packaging:
EXCL. DIST. FERRERO U.S.A., INC.
PARSIPPANY, NJ 07054
Any Kinder products that do not include that information were not distributed by Ferrero U.S.A. and are not authorized for distribution or sale in the U.S. market.
Such products should be thrown out, due to possible contamination.
“Ferrero deeply regrets this situation. We take food safety extremely seriously and every step we have taken has been guided by our commitment to consumer care. We will continue to work cooperatively with the Food and Drug Administration to address this matter,” the company said in a message on the FDA website.
Consumers may contact the Ferrero customer service line, Monday - Friday 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. by calling 1-800-688-3552 or online.
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.
NJ county fairs make a comeback: Check out the schedule for 2022
UPDATED 4/10: A current list of county fairs happening across the Garden State for 2022. From rides, food, animals, and hot air balloons, each county fair has something unique to offer.
(Fairs are listed in geographical order from South NJ to North NJ)
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:
School aid for all New Jersey districts for 2022-23
The state Department of Education announced district-level school aid figures for the 2022-23 school year on Thursday, March 10, 2022. They're listed below, alphabetically by county. For additional details from the NJDOE, including specific categories of aid,
click here.
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.
NJ Diners that are open 24/7
LOOK: Food history from the year you were born
From product innovations to major recalls,
Stacker researched what happened in food history every year since 1921, according to news and government sources. | https://nj1015.com/nj-ferrero-usa-recall-kinder-chocolate-salmonella/ | 2022-04-13T21:02:31 | 0 | https://nj1015.com/nj-ferrero-usa-recall-kinder-chocolate-salmonella/ |
NJ man charged in anti-Semitic Lakewood attacks goes on obscene rant in court
LAKEWOOD - The Manchester man accused of hospitalizing four Jewish men in an anti-Semitic crime spree had numerous profanity-laced outbursts in court Wednesday.
Ocean County prosecutors said 27-year-old Dion Marsh started the rampage on Friday by assaulting the driver of a Toyota Camry and taking the vehicle.
Marsh then used the car to run over three pedestrians throughout Lakewood and Jackson over the course of several hours, according to officials.
Prosecutors said Marsh also got out of the car in one of the attacks and stabbed an Orthodox Jewish man with a serrated kitchen knife.
The Lakewood Scoop identified this victim as Tzvi Aryeh.
He has been hospitalized in critical condition, but was expected to survive.
Judge Guy Ryan recommended Marsh not say anything on the record or use profanity during the virtual hearing in Ocean County court. Marsh had his own plans, as News 12 reported.
One interjection came after Ryan read-off the attempted murder and bias intimidation charges against Marsh.
"Let me tell you something," Marsh said. "I'll let you give me that one."
As the hearing went on, his comments became more obscene. Judge Ryan asked the court to mute him for his "unruly and vulgar behavior," but Marsh continued to speak. It is unknown what he said.
Later, the judge asked Marsh if he understood his rights.
"Are you talking to me or my f***ing attorney now?" Marsh said. The judge confirmed he was speaking to Marsh.
"Then f***ing address me next time," Marsh responded. "Yeah, I f***ing know my rights."
It's reportedly not the first time the accused attacker has made inflammatory statements. Marsh was accused of making hateful comments before and after the attacks.
Court documents obtained by NJ.com showed Marsh told his family "it's going to be a bloodbath." And in interviews with detectives, he is accused of calling Hasidic Jews "the real devils."
His next court hearing is set for Wednesday, April 20. | https://nj1015.com/nj-man-charged-in-anti-semitic-lakewood-attacks-goes-on-obscene-rant-in-court/ | 2022-04-13T21:02:32 | 1 | https://nj1015.com/nj-man-charged-in-anti-semitic-lakewood-attacks-goes-on-obscene-rant-in-court/ |
Two in Monmouth County, NJ indicted for three murder attempts in four days
NEPTUNE TWP. — A man and woman rang in the New Year with a multi-day shooting spree in this Monmouth County municipality, according to a grand jury that returned a 31-count indictment against the pair.
The Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office announced the charges Wednesday against Kahniaha Dean, 25, of Neptune Township and Ishawn Collazo, 26, of Long Branch in connection with three separate incidents in Neptune Township, one on Dec. 29, 2021 and the other two on the evening of New Year's Day.
An investigation revealed that an adult male wounded in the Dec. 29 shooting had been threatened by Dean at gunpoint the day before in Long Branch, and was also targeted in the first of the two alleged encounters on Jan. 1, according to the prosecutor's office.
The prosecutor's office said that man and another adult male victim wounded in the second Jan. 1 shooting were both treated at Jersey Shore Regional Medical Center.
Dean and Collazo were arrested Jan. 14 in Woodbridge, according to the prosecutor's office, when police in that municipality conducted a traffic stop of their vehicle following reports of a man brandishing a gun outside a nightclub.
A loaded handgun found under a seat was determined to be the same one used in each of the three shootings in Neptune Township, the prosecutor's office said. Cocaine, drug distribution paraphernalia, and a loaded submachine gun were also recovered.
Both Dean and Collazo are charged with three counts each of first-degree attempted murder and conspiracy to commit murder, four counts of second-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, two counts of second-degree possession of a firearm while committing controlled dangerous substances offenses, and one count of second-degree possession of a controlled dangerous substance with intent to distribute.
Dean is additionally charged with six counts of second-degree unlawful possession of a weapon, one count of second-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, one count of third-degree making terroristic threats, and one count of fourth-degree aggravated assault by pointing a firearm.
Collazo is charged with five counts of first-degree unlawful possession of a weapon and four counts of second-degree certain persons not to have weapons.
Patrick Lavery is a reporter and anchor for New Jersey 101.5. You can reach him at patrick.lavery@townsquaremedia.com
Click here to contact an editor about feedback or a correction for this story. | https://nj1015.com/two-in-monmouth-county-nj-indicted-for-three-murder-attempts-in-four-days/ | 2022-04-13T21:02:32 | 0 | https://nj1015.com/two-in-monmouth-county-nj-indicted-for-three-murder-attempts-in-four-days/ |
The Orlando Health Digestive Health Institute plans to begin offering specialty liver care and eventually, an organ transplant program, according to a Wednesday news release.
The Orlando Health Digestive Health Institute Liver Center will be led by new Orlando Health team member, Dr. Arvind Murali.
Murali, board-certified in gastroenterology and hepatology, specializes in treating a variety of diseases of the liver and in managing patients before and after liver transplants. He earned his medical degree from Bangalore Medical College & Research Institute in Bangalore, India.
AdventHealth Transplant Institute is the only location in Orlando that provides solid organ transplants, a category that includes the heart, kidney, liver, lungs and pancreas.
There are eight places in Florida to get a liver transplant, according to the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients.
ccatherman@orlandosentinel.com | https://www.orlandosentinel.com/health/os-ne-orlando-health-liver-organ-transplant-20220413-7byoaxygrra2tmohlbk6fu3cfy-story.html | 2022-04-13T21:02:34 | 1 | https://www.orlandosentinel.com/health/os-ne-orlando-health-liver-organ-transplant-20220413-7byoaxygrra2tmohlbk6fu3cfy-story.html |
U.S. should take more action in Ukraine
Does anyone seriously believe that the Russians’ ambitions will be met by annexing Ukraine? History tells us otherwise. No rational person wants to go to war, but some things are worth fighting for. I fear that by taking no aggressive steps to stop the massacre, we are morally complicit. No, we are not the world’s policeman, but the ongoing slaughter is unlike anything seen since World War II. I don’t want to have to look my grandchildren in the eye and tell them why we allowed the slaughter to continue. We must impose and enforce a no-fly zone.
Mark O. Cooper Altamonte Springs
DeSantis vs. Disney: Battle of the century
Florida’s chief financial officer, Jimmy Patronis, wrote this in a letter last week: “In Florida, under Governor Ron DeSantis’ leadership, we value free speech and honest debate.” All these freedom lovers, when they start to settle down, will realize the losses they will incur in the future. It seems DeSantis will not allow you to dispute what he says or does.
It never ceases to amaze me to see what lengths DeSantis will go to in order to bring his dissenters into line. When Disney’s staff were upset because Disney did not object to the “Don’t Say Gay” bill and the CEO raised issues in support of its staff, DeSantis decided to “get even” because Disney stopped its political contributions. So now all attention is on destroying Disney’s influence in Central Florida. Of course, as soon as the GOP blew the dog whistle, their constituents came out to support the GOP and are seen protesting at Disney. We are going to watch the battle of the century.
Barbara Hill Eustis
Oil companies, airlines are gaming the system
I’m not defending Joe Biden and his administration, but I’m not sure everyone is seeing the big picture when it comes to the economy.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the government bailed out the oil and airline industries because of economic collapse. Now those same industries are limiting oil drilling and airline capacity, despite the comeback in the economy. Seat capacity is 8% lower on flights than in 2019 and oil companies are slow to expand drilling.
This allows them to limit supply and raise prices. Would this be the case if there were a Republican president? Could this lead to a pro-business Republican in the White House in 2024?
Paul Sternschein Alafaya | https://www.orlandosentinel.com/opinion/letters/os-op-letters-us-more-action-in-ukraine-20220413-caajjyypdnd5zbwoxi54qg2l24-story.html | 2022-04-13T21:02:40 | 1 | https://www.orlandosentinel.com/opinion/letters/os-op-letters-us-more-action-in-ukraine-20220413-caajjyypdnd5zbwoxi54qg2l24-story.html |
We have a trio of topics today, including an update on the investigation into dark money and a ghost candidate in Seminole County and an odd story about a Florida congressman who voted against his own bill and claimed he didn’t know why.
But let’s start with a hot topic: redistricting.
You’ve probably seen how Florida Republicans are fighting with each other — and, to a lesser extent, with barely-relevant Democrats — over the state’s redistricting plan.
This happens every decade among both parties in most states. Why? Because asking politicians to fairly choose their own districts works about as well asking a flock of turkey vultures to equitably split up a pile of roadkill.
That’s why Florida should look at what Arizona did to neuter the influence of politicians on this process — by removing them from it altogether.
In Arizona, politicians don’t draw the districts. Instead, Republicans pick two people to serve on a redistricting committee. Democrats pick two. And then those four members are required by law to work together until they can jointly agree upon a fifth member.
Basically, the process begins by forcing the two major parties to do something unusual — work together. And none of the people drawing the districts are selecting the voters they desire for their own personal elections.
Theoretically, Florida lawmakers could set up a similar commission. But you’d have a better chance of teaching calculus to one of those turkey vultures. So citizens would probably have to do what they did with the Fair Districts amendment and pass a statewide change to the Florida Constitution. That’s what Arizonians did; take control of things.
There’s no perfect plan. There will always be politics in politics. And, thanks to the Fair Districts initiative most of you passed, things are already better in Florida than they used to be when legislative and congressional districts looked like psychopathic jigsaw puzzles. But the further away you can keep politicians from the process, the better off everyone else is.
Investigation, anyone?
Last week, the Sentinel carried a head-scratching story with the headline: “New Seminole election security initiative wouldn’t target ‘ghost’ candidates.”
Why was it odd? Because the only real controversy in the last round of Seminole County elections involved ghost candidates and dark money — which Seminole officials now say they won’t be probing.
It was like announcing a toxic-waste cleanup committee that wasn’t interested in toxic waste.
Admittedly, probing crimes is more the responsibility of law enforcement than local elections supervisors. But law enforcement in Seminole has been largely M.I.A. on all this.
So where does that leave us? Well, eight months ago, after a lot of pressure, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement said it was opening a “preliminary investigation” into activity surrounding the Senate District 9 race won by Jason Brodeur.
On Wednesday, the FDLE said that preliminary probe is still “active.”
OK, but we’re now going on two years since questions first arose about this race — about the sources of the dark money that poured into the district, a mystery (“ghost”) candidate who didn’t campaign and then left for Sweden, a secretive political committee whose leader told investigators her signature was forged and one person who told the Sentinel he never made a campaign donation that state records claimed he did.
When shady activity surfaced in South Florida, the prosecutor leapt into action, opened an investigation, issued subpoenas and made arrests. Here in Seminole, prosecutor Phil Archer and other officials didn’t do squat.
Voters in Seminole deserve answers — and the same kind of accountability demanded by authorities down south. So we’ll keep watching.
‘I don’t know’
And finally, we have an odd and unseemly flap in Washington that (of course) features Florida politicians.
The New York Times detailed the hubbub in its story, “House G.O.P., Banding Together, Kills Bid to Honor Pioneering Black Judge,” revealing how a routine bill to honor Florida’s first Black Supreme Court justice got derailed.
The story noted that members of Florida’s congressional delegation united across the aisle to suggest naming a federal courthouse in honor of that historic first justice, Joseph W. Hatchett. And most everyone seemed to think it was a swell idea — until Georgia Republican Andrew Clyde, who made headlines for describing the deadly Capitol attack as a “normal tourist visit,” learned of a ruling Hatchett once made involving school prayer that Clyde disliked.
Suddenly, a whisper campaign transpired, and a number of Republicans no longer wanted to honor Hatchett. That included Florida Rep. Vern Buchanan, who’d actually co-sponsored the naming in Hatchett’s honor.
Asked why he voted against his own measure, Buchanan responded: “I don’t know.”
Kudos for candor, Congressman.
The Times reported that a spokesman for Buchanan later “clarified” that when Buchanan said he didn’t know why he voted the way he did, what he really mean was that the congressman had concerns about the prayer ruling. (The word “clarified” seems to be doing some heavy lifting in that sentence.)
Other members of Congress seemed embarrassed by the whole ordeal, and Florida GOP Sen. Marco Rubio said he believed Congress would find a way to honor Hatchett.
Still, the episode seems like a pretty good example of partisan strife, Washington dysfunction and herd mentality … if the herd included knee-jerk reactionaries unable to explain their own actions. | https://www.orlandosentinel.com/opinion/scott-maxwell-commentary/os-op-redistricting-florida-independent-commission-arizona-scott-maxwell-20220413-hlvtvlhsqnfmdk7lkx4ts66elm-story.html | 2022-04-13T21:02:43 | 0 | https://www.orlandosentinel.com/opinion/scott-maxwell-commentary/os-op-redistricting-florida-independent-commission-arizona-scott-maxwell-20220413-hlvtvlhsqnfmdk7lkx4ts66elm-story.html |
Facing 4th-and-9 at UCF’s 12-yard line and trailing by 17 with three minutes remaining, Memphis quarterback Peter Parrish scrambled to keep the drive alive.
“Everybody’s tired, the whole defense is tired,” cornerback Corey Thornton recalled about the Oct. 22 conference game.
Thornton came up big for the Knights by tackling Parrish 2 yards short of the first down and shutting down any potential comeback from the Tigers.
The moment is what Thornton described as his most memorable from last year.
“I had to dive for that play,” he said. “I had to make that play.”
The key tackle was one of 32 made by Thornton in his sophomore season. The cornerback finished tied for third on the team with 6 pass breakups.
Thornton’s position coach, Addison Williams, had high praise for the Miami native he calls “CT”.”
“He’s one of the hardest working guys I’ve ever been around,” Williams said. “When I was a [graduate assistant] I was blessed to be around Jadeveon Clowney, Stephon Gilmore, DJ Swearinger and I thought they were some of the hardest workers.
“I would put CT up in that group with those guys on and off the field. He works extremely hard.”
Thornton prides himself in his offseason regimen.
“I feel like I have to get enough work in to prepare for the game,” he said. “If I don’t get enough work in for the games, I won’t feel comfortable. I feel like that’s mandatory for me.”
Thornton has a good relationship with Williams and the two talk constantly.
“That’s my coach,” Thornton said. “I’m texting his phone about what I need to get corrected, what I’m doing wrong in practice ... every day. Just trying to get better every day.”
Thornton said he’s working to improve his off-man and press technique — two coverages used by cornerbacks.
Off-man is when the cornerback lines up away from the line of scrimmage, leaving space between himself and the receiver he’s covering. The separation gives the defender a better chance to cover a deep pass.
Press is used to help cover short passes. When pressing, the cornerback will face the receiver and stand close to the line of scrimmage.
“I know my strengths so I’m working on my weaknesses to get better,” Thornton said. “As a leader, I’m trying to get better.”
Williams said his No. 1 goal for Saturday’s spring game is come to out healthy, but he wants to see his defensive backs execute the game plan properly, even if it’s a watered-down version of what the Knights will run in the fall.
“We’re going to be probably a little vanilla, as most people are in a spring game, but I want to see guys tackle,” Williams said. “That’s something we’re really big on. We’ve got to have guys that can tackle.”
Thornton is looking forward to showing off his hard work from spring camp.
“I’m very excited to see where we are at as a group,” he said, “and play in front of a crowd.”
Email Jason Beede at jbeede@orlandosentinel.com or follow him on Twitter at @therealBeede. | https://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/ucf-knights/os-sp-ucf-football-addison-williams-corey-thornton-20220413-gvrgicffefbpriomoj764duiye-story.html | 2022-04-13T21:02:49 | 1 | https://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/ucf-knights/os-sp-ucf-football-addison-williams-corey-thornton-20220413-gvrgicffefbpriomoj764duiye-story.html |
23 injured in Texas storms; more tornadoes forecast in US
SALADO, Texas (AP) — Nearly two dozen people were injured when tornadoes swept through central Texas as part of a storm system that was expected to spawn more twisters and damaging winds Wednesday.
The storms caused widespread damage Tuesday in Salado, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) north of Austin. Bell County Judge David Blackburn said 23 people were injured, one of them critically. Twelve of the injured were taken to hospitals, Blackburn said.
“There’s not much left,” said Blackburn, the county’s top elected official. “Large trees are uprooted and overturned and stripped. Buildings really reduced to rubble. ... Power lines, power poles, are scattered all over the place. It’s pretty devastating.”
Photos on social media showed grapefruit-size hail associated with that storm.
Tornadoes were also spotted Tuesday in Iowa, but there were no reports of serious injuries. In Lincoln, Nebraska, powerful wind gusts knocked down tree limbs and caused some roof damage. A possible tornado also caused damage in the small southern Minnesota town of Taopi near the state’s border with Iowa.
Mower County Sheriff Steve Sandvik said dispatchers began getting calls from residents trapped in their damaged homes not long after a tornado warning siren sounded at 10:30 p.m. Tuesday. There were no reports of serious injuries. Weather service crews were assessing damage in the area Wednesday.
More tornadoes were in the forecast Wednesday for parts of the mid-South and in the Mississippi River Valley, the Storm Prediction Center said.
Hurricane-force winds, intense tornadoes and large hail were possible in Arkansas, Illinois, Tennessee, Missouri, Kentucky, Mississippi, Indiana, Louisiana and Alabama, forecasters said. Little Rock, Arkansas, and Memphis, Tennessee, were among the cities that could see the worst weather Wednesday, the Storm Prediction Center said.
Elsewhere, the North Dakota Capitol, schools, government offices and interstates remained closed Wednesday as a blizzard continued to bear down on the state.
A blizzard warning issued by the National Weather Service remained in effect through Thursday for most of western and central North Dakota where up to 2 feet (60 centimeters) of snow was expected.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.kttc.com/2022/04/13/23-injured-texas-storms-more-tornadoes-forecast-us/ | 2022-04-13T21:03:42 | 1 | https://www.kttc.com/2022/04/13/23-injured-texas-storms-more-tornadoes-forecast-us/ |
Actor Cuba Gooding Jr pleads guilty to forcible touching
NEW YORK (AP) — Actor Cuba Gooding Jr. pleaded guilty Wednesday to forcibly touching a woman at a New York nightclub in 2018.
The guilty plea came nearly three years after the the Oscar-winning “Jerry Maguire” star was arrested in the case that saw several delays as his lawyers sought to get charges reduced or dismissed.
Gooding, 54, accused of violating three different women at various Manhattan night spots in 2018 and 2019, pleaded guilty to just one of the allegations.
He told the judge he “kissed the waitress on her lips” without consent at the LAVO New York nightclub.
Gooding’s plea deal calls for no jail time. If he continues counseling for six months, he can withdraw the misdemeanor plea and plead guilty to a lesser violation of harassment.
Gooding was arrested in June 2019 after a 29-year-old woman told police he squeezed her breast without her consent at Magic Hour Rooftop Bar & Lounge near Times Square.
A few months later, he was charged in two additional cases as more women came forward to accuse him of abuse. The new charges alleged he pinched a server’s buttocks after making a sexually suggestive remark to her at TAO Downtown and forcibly touched a woman inappropriately at the LAVO nightclub, both in 2018.
Gooding had previously pleaded not guilty to six misdemeanor counts and denied all allegations of wrongdoing. His lawyers have argued that overzealous prosecutors, caught up in the fervor of the #MeToo movement, are trying to turn “commonplace gestures” or misunderstandings into crimes.
The judge had ruled that if the Gooding case went to trial, prosecutors could have called two additional women to testify about their allegations that Gooding also violated them. Those women, whose claims did not result in criminal charges, were among 19 other accusers whom prosecutors were seeking to call as witnesses.
Along with the criminal case, Gooding is accused in a lawsuit of raping a woman in New York City in 2013. After a judge issued a default judgment in July because Gooding hadn’t responded to the lawsuit, the actor retained a lawyer and is fighting the allegations.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.kttc.com/2022/04/13/actor-cuba-gooding-jr-pleads-guilty-forcible-touching/ | 2022-04-13T21:03:48 | 0 | https://www.kttc.com/2022/04/13/actor-cuba-gooding-jr-pleads-guilty-forcible-touching/ |
Amazon adds 5% ‘fuel and inflation surcharge’ to seller fees
(AP) – Amazon is taking a step to offset its rising costs, announcing Wednesday it will add a 5% “fuel and inflation surcharge” to fees it charges third-party sellers who use the e-commerce giant’s fulfillment services.
The Seattle-based company said on its website that the added fees, which take effect April 28, are “subject to change” and will apply to both apparel and non-apparel items.
Amazon didn’t immediately respond to a request for further details on the move. But in a notice sent to sellers Wednesday, the company said its costs had gone up since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic due to increases in hourly wages, the hiring of workers and construction of more warehouses.
It said it had absorbed costs whenever possible, and only increased fees to address permanent costs and to be competitive with other providers. Amazon competitors FedEx and UPS both have fuel surcharges.
“In 2022, we expected a return to normalcy as COVID-19 restrictions around the world eased, but fuel and inflation have presented further challenges,” the company said in the notice. The latest fee hike follows one announced in November and which went into effect in January.
Federal data released Tuesday showed inflation jumped 8.5% in March, its fastest pace in more than 40 years. Gasoline prices have rocketed 48% in the past 12 months.
Amazon’s third-party marketplace, where independent merchants list millions of their products, is a huge part of its business. It has about 2 million sellers, and more than half the goods sold on Amazon.com come from these sellers.
Last year, sellers paid Amazon about $103 billion in fees, which made up about 22% of the company’s revenue. The online retailer said the new fees will apply to products ordered before April 28 but shipped and delivered after that date.
Amazon has long faced accusations of undercutting merchants that sell on its platform by making “knock-offs,” or very similar products, and boosting their presence on the site.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.kttc.com/2022/04/13/amazon-adds-5-fuel-inflation-surcharge-seller-fees/ | 2022-04-13T21:03:55 | 0 | https://www.kttc.com/2022/04/13/amazon-adds-5-fuel-inflation-surcharge-seller-fees/ |
Amber Alert issued for south Alabama 2-month-old
Published: Apr. 13, 2022 at 3:40 PM CDT|Updated: 20 minutes ago
DOTHAN, Ala. (WSFA/Gray news) - An Amber Alert has been issued for a south Alabama 2-month-old.
Officials say 2-month-old Messiah Richards was abducted. He was last seen near South Appletree in Dothan wearing a white onesie with blue socks.
Alabama Law Enforcement Agency officials said Messiah is believed to be with MarQuec Banks and Alexis Richards.
The abductors are believed to be traveling in a dark blue Volkswagen SUV with an unknown Alabama tag. Their direction of travel is unknown at this time.
Anyone with any information on their whereabouts or sees them is asked to call 911.
Copyright 2022 WSFA via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.kttc.com/2022/04/13/amber-alert-issued-south-alabama-2-month-old/ | 2022-04-13T21:04:02 | 0 | https://www.kttc.com/2022/04/13/amber-alert-issued-south-alabama-2-month-old/ |
CAUGHT ON CAMERA: Man tosses Molotov cocktails at Florida home, police say
FORT PIERCE, Fla. (CNN) - A man was caught on camera throwing Molotov cocktails at a house, according to police.
It happened on Sunday in Fort Pierce, Florida.
In the video, a man is seen running up to the window of a house and throwing something inside. Flames were then seen starting to shoot out of the window.
Police reported the object was a Molotov cocktail.
The man is then seen running out of frame and another Molotov cocktail appears to be tossed over the roof, before rolling and landing at the side of the house.
Family of the homeowner said there were three people inside when all of this happened and fortunately, they are all doing OK.
Police, however, are still searching for the man in the video.
Copyright 2022 CNN Newsource. All rights reserved. | https://www.kttc.com/2022/04/13/caught-camera-man-tosses-molotov-cocktails-florida-home-police-say/ | 2022-04-13T21:04:09 | 1 | https://www.kttc.com/2022/04/13/caught-camera-man-tosses-molotov-cocktails-florida-home-police-say/ |
Clements wants to help Rodgers reach another Super Bowl
The biggest offseason clue forecasting Aaron Rodgers’ eventual decision to stay in Green Bay came when Tom Clements ended his retirement to begin a second stint as the Packers quarterback coach
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — The biggest offseason clue forecasting Aaron Rodgers’ eventual decision to stay in Green Bay came when Tom Clements ended his retirement to begin a second stint as the Packers quarterback coach.
Clements also held that position when Rodgers led the Packers to a Super Bowl title during the 2010 season. Clements continued getting praise from the four-time MVP long after leaving Green Bay.
The 68-year-old Clements now wants to help the 38-year-old Rodgers make at least one more Super Bowl appearance.
“I know that’s what he wants,” Clements said this week. “He wants another Super Bowl. And that was one of the things that intrigued me.”
Clements’ return to Green Bay is one of many changes to the Packers offensive staff this season as they adapt to life without Nathaniel Hackett, who spent the past three seasons as Green Bay’s offensive coordinator before becoming the Denver Broncos head coach.
Hackett hired former Packers tight ends coach Justin Outten as his offensive coordinator. Clements takes over a position formerly held by Luke Getsy, who left to become Chicago’s offensive coordinator under new Bears coach Matt Eberflus.
Even though Packers coach Matt LaFleur lost much of his offensive staff, the new guys have plenty of familiarity with Green Bay’s organization.
LaFleur promoted from within by making former offensive line coach Adam Stenavich the new coordinator and having former assistant offensive line coach Luke Butkus — the nephew of Hall of Fame linebacker Dick Butkus — fill Stenavich’s old spot. New tight ends coach John Dunn was a senior analyst for the Packers last season.
They face a major task in trying to make sure Green Bay’s offense maintains its efficiency without All-Pro receiver Davante Adams, who was traded to the Las Vegas Raiders for a first-round and second-round draft pick.
“That’s going to be a big challenge,” Stenavich said. “I know our personnel staff and our coaching staff are really working hard at trying to find the best fits, whether it’s through the draft or free agency, and I’m really excited about it.”
The loss of his top playmaker could make it tough for Rodgers to maintain the form he showed while earning MVP honors the past two seasons. Rodgers at least should benefit from having Clements back on board.
Clements previously worked for the Packers from 2006-16, first as a quarterbacks coach and later as offensive coordinator on Mike McCarthy’s staff. Rodgers has said he owes Clements plenty of credit for his development.
After working as the Arizona Cardinals passing game coordinator and quarterbacks coach from 2019-20, Clements spent last season away from the game.
“I didn’t have the itch to come back,” Clements said.
A conversation with Rodgers helped change his mind.
“It was because of coming back to Green Bay, with Aaron, chance to win a Super Bowl,” Clements said. “Those were the primary considerations.”
That conversation when Rodgers was still deciding whether to return to the Packers, request a trade or retire. LaFleur said at the NFL scouting combine that Rodgers had a “significant” role in Clements’ return.
“I think we interviewed each other to some level,” LaFleur said at the time regarding his discussions with Clements. “But the conversations we had, it was pretty easy for me to see why he is such a great quarterback coach and developer and such a great communicator. He has such a great even-keeled demeanor.”
Although Clements spent the past five seasons away from Green Bay, he still watched enough games to monitor Rodgers’ progress. He’s eager to join forces with the Packers superstar once again.
“Looking at it from afar, I thought he was playing a style more like when he was younger because he’s playing more under center, play-action passes,” Clements said. “In the later years that we were here, it was more of a not-too-much under center, exclusively shotgun, more of a spread offense. And in the early years, we relied on the running game and the play-action pass and got in the shotgun more on third-down situations like that, and that’s more the style that I saw.
“When you can run the ball, it opens up a lot of things, and there’s been a lot of explosive passes over the years off the play-action pass game, and hopefully we can continue to do that.”
___
More AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://apnews.com/hub/pro-32 and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL | https://www.kttc.com/2022/04/13/clements-wants-help-rodgers-reach-another-super-bowl/ | 2022-04-13T21:04:20 | 1 | https://www.kttc.com/2022/04/13/clements-wants-help-rodgers-reach-another-super-bowl/ |
Man arrested after shooting dog in face, police say
JUPITER, Fla. (Gray News) – Police in Florida arrested a man who they say shot and injured a dog, leaving the animal for dead.
The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office said Boots the dog was shot in the face at Kennedy Estates Park in Jupiter on Friday. He suffered a fractured lower jaw, causing several of his teeth to be knocked out.
Boots was taken to an emergency vet where he is currently recovering.
The investigation led police to Benjamine Brown, who they say surrendered Wednesday without incident.
Brown was arrested and booked into Palm Beach County Jail.
Police said Boots will be adopted once he is fully healed.
Anyone else with information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-458-TIPS.
Copyright 2022 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.kttc.com/2022/04/13/man-arrested-after-shooting-dog-face-police-say/ | 2022-04-13T21:04:27 | 1 | https://www.kttc.com/2022/04/13/man-arrested-after-shooting-dog-face-police-say/ |
National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week honors 911 dispatchers
OLMSTED COUNTY, Minn. (KTTC) – This week is National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week, a week dedicated to those who are on the other end of 911 calls.
911 dispatchers are available 24-7 to take calls from people who are in crisis and needing help.
There are 22 dispatchers that cover the city of Rochester and Olmsted County. All together they have more than 400 hours of law enforcement and EMS experience.
Right now, dispatchers are in the clerical work category, but there is a national movement to move them to the first responder category. This would enhance their benefits and retirement.
“We are often the first people someone talks to in a crisis, and even though we aren’t responding to the scene, we still are mental health-wise,” Olmsted County 911 dispatcher Janelle Rosin said. “We should still be considered more than working a job 8-5 as a support person.”
Local dispatchers say when you call and they ask you questions, it is not delaying help. Dispatchers are actually dispatching emergency services as you speak, and questions are used to get help to you faster.
Copyright 2022 KTTC. All rights reserved. | https://www.kttc.com/2022/04/13/national-public-safety-telecommunicators-week-honors-911-dispatchers/ | 2022-04-13T21:04:34 | 1 | https://www.kttc.com/2022/04/13/national-public-safety-telecommunicators-week-honors-911-dispatchers/ |
Police: No charges for man who killed teen in self-defense during fight
LAS VEGAS (KVVU/Gray News) - Las Vegas police are investigating a fight between a teen and a man that led to a deadly shooting earlier this week.
FOX5 reports officers with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department said the shooting happened in a neighborhood in the west part of town early Monday morning.
A police department spokesperson said a man was walking in the area when he encountered the teen. The two then got into a dispute, and the 16-year-old pointed a gun and threatened the man.
According to police, the man was lawfully armed and shot the teen out of self-defense.
The Clark County Coroner’s Office later identified the teen as Christian Murphy, of Las Vegas.
Police said no criminal charges were filed against the man involved in the incident and he was not arrested. The case will be submitted to the Clark County District Attorney’s office for review.
The original altercation is part of an ongoing investigation, according to police.
Copyright 2022 KVVU via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.kttc.com/2022/04/13/police-no-charges-man-who-killed-teen-self-defense-during-fight/ | 2022-04-13T21:04:40 | 1 | https://www.kttc.com/2022/04/13/police-no-charges-man-who-killed-teen-self-defense-during-fight/ |
Recap of storm reports from Wed; cold & windy to end the week
ROCHESTER, Minn. (KTTC) – It was an extremely active night in southeast Minnesota and northeast Iowa last night. The National Weather Service is currently working on conducting damage surveys and will continue to do so through the rest of the week. So far, they have confirmed 5 tornadoes: an EF2 in Taopi with max winds of 132 mph, an EF1 in Spring Valley, two EF1s in Riceville, and one EF0 in Saratoga, Iowa.
Flooding also became an issue last night, many locations received over 2 inches of rain in just a few hours which led to ponding in fields and on roadways. Rochester International officially reported 2.41″ through this morning.
Behind this system, strong winds and cold air will move in. A wind advisory will be in place for all of southern Minnesota and northern Iowa from 10 AM until 7 PM tomorrow. Winds are expected to be sustained at 20-30 mph, with gusts from 40-50 mph. This will definitely make any storm clean-up efforts even more difficult.
Those strong northerly winds bring in much cooler air, so no 60s or even 50s in our 7-day forecast. Highs in the upper 30s through the end of the workweek, nearing 40 degrees by the weekend. A small system looks to move through on Easter, possibly bringing us a bit of a wintry mixing. If you have travel plans on Sunday you’ll want to keep an eye on the forecast as roads could become slick.
Copyright 2022 KTTC. All rights reserved. | https://www.kttc.com/2022/04/13/recap-storm-reports-wed-cold-windy-end-week/ | 2022-04-13T21:04:47 | 0 | https://www.kttc.com/2022/04/13/recap-storm-reports-wed-cold-windy-end-week/ |
US agencies: Industrial control system malware discovered
BOSTON (AP) — Multiple U.S. government agencies issued a joint alert Wednesday warning of the discovery of malicious cyber tools created by unnamed advanced threat actors that they said were capable of gaining “full system access” to multiple industrial control systems.
The public alert from the Energy and Homeland Security Departments, the FBI and National Security Agency did not name the actors or offer details on the find.
But the CEO of one of the cybersecurity companies involved in the effort, Robert M. Lee of Dragos, says it has high confidence the malware was developed by a state actor and was configured to initially target liquified natural gas and electric power sites in North America.
Lee would not name the state actor, referring questions to the U.S. government. Nor would he explain how the malware was discovered, other than to say it was caught “before an attack was attempted.”
“We’re actually one step ahead of the adversary. None of us want them to understand where they screwed up,” said Lee. “Big win.”
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, which published the alert, did not immediately respond to a request for details on the discovery or threat actor.
The U.S. government has warned critical infrastructure industries to gird for possible cyberattacks from Russia as retaliation for severe economic sanctions imposed on Moscow in response to its Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine.
Lee said the malware was “designed to be a framework to go after lots of different types of industries and be leveraged multiple times. Based on the configuration of it, the initial targets would be LNG and electric in North America.”
He said the malware, dubbed Pipedream, is only the seventh such malicious software to be identified that is designed to attack industrial control systems.
Lee said Dragos, which specializes in industrial control system protection, identified and analyzed its capability in early 2022 as part of its normal business research and in collaboration with partners.
He would offer no more specifics. The U.S. government alert offers thanks to Dragos, Mandiant, Microsoft, Palo Alto Networks and Schneider Electric for their contributions.
Schneider Electric is one of the manufacturers listed in the alert whose equipment is targeted by the malware. Omron is another.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.kttc.com/2022/04/13/us-agencies-industrial-control-system-malware-discovered/ | 2022-04-13T21:04:54 | 0 | https://www.kttc.com/2022/04/13/us-agencies-industrial-control-system-malware-discovered/ |
Michigan police release video showing officer knelt on Black man, fatally shot him
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) — Video shows a Michigan police officer struggling with a Black man over a Taser before fatally shooting him in the head while the man was face down on the ground.
Grand Rapids police released video from different sources Wednesday, nine days after Patrick Lyoya was killed during a traffic stop.
Key footage came from a passenger in the car. Video shows Lyoya trying to run and a violent struggle over the officer’s Taser.
The new police chief in Grand Rapids says he released the videos in the spirit of transparency.
State police are investigating the shooting. Chief Eric Winstrom says the shooting is a “tragedy.”
City Manager Mark Washington says he’s bracing for “shock” and “anger” by the public.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.kttc.com/2022/04/13/video-michigan-officer-knelt-black-man-fatally-shot-him/ | 2022-04-13T21:05:00 | 1 | https://www.kttc.com/2022/04/13/video-michigan-officer-knelt-black-man-fatally-shot-him/ |
Dying can be good for your mental health. If, that is, you survive it.
“The experience of death,” researchers state in a newly published scientific study, frequently leads to “positive long-term psychological transformation and growth.”
Offered one person whose near-death case was included in the paper:
“I have been much more mindful of others. It’s easier for me to put myself in other people’s shoes. It’s easier for me to act out of love and compassion.”
By now we’ve all heard about the eerily similar stories told by people who were clinically dead and then revived. Floating above your body and observing it. Feeling released from all pain and worry. Being drawn into a tunnel of light — and infused with joy and love and acceptance.
The new study, led by Dr. Sam Parnia and published in the journal Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, examines the most common and well-documented near-death experiences, or “recalled experiences of death.” It also provides “illustrative” quotes from those who’ve died and lived to tell about it.
Here are a few of the quotes describing memories of lifting out of one’s body:
“I knew obviously my body still lay in bed, but I could not go back into it anymore. ‘Is this death?’ I contemplated.”
“I perceived and saw everything around me, like 360 degrees.”
“That body there was just a coat I had been wearing. It felt good to be out of it.”
One such post-death experience was so intense, offered one quote from the study, that “our daily life seems like a dream in comparison.”
Parnia says that scientific advances increasingly make it possible to put these memories to the test.
“What has enabled the scientific study of death is that brain cells do not become irreversibly damaged within minutes of oxygen deprivation when the heart stops,” he said in a media statement. “Instead, they ‘die’ over hours of time. This is allowing scientists to objectively study the physiological and mental events that occur in relation to death.”
The paper, titled “Guidelines and standards for the study of death and recalled experiences of death,” involves the work of scientists from a range of disciplines, including psychiatry, the neurosciences and even the humanities.
New York University’s Grossman School of Medicine, where Parnia serves as director of critical care and resuscitation research, says the work is the “first-ever, peer-reviewed consensus statement for the scientific study of recalled experiences surrounding death.”
The study makes clear that these “lucid episodes” many people have had while dead — or on the brink of death — remain unexplained. Over the years, various hypotheses have been put forward suggesting physiological reasons for these events, such as the possibility they’re a specific kind of hallucination sparked by the body shutting down.
But it’s hardly surprising that many people who go through a near-death experience see God in the details.
“I felt a presence,” states a quote from the study. “And I also felt complete trust in this company.”
The cliché of seeing your life flash before your eyes was a very real thing for many of those whose cases were reviewed in the paper.
“My whole life was viewed, analyzed and judged,” said one.
“I was not as good as I thought I was,” admitted another.
This analysis and judgement often lead people who’ve gone through it to pursue personal growth — as well as to embrace the idea that they returned to life for a reason.
“I felt that there was something at stake, that we have a very important job to do,” begins one quote in the study.
The new paper concludes that “authentic” recalled experiences of death “are not consistent with hallucination, illusions or psychedelic-drug-induced experiences.”
These “lucid” events “can be distinguished from coma, dreams, [intensive care unit] delirium and ICU delusions, as well as other broad human experiences during conscious (awakened) states or states of altered consciousness,” the study states.
While many people who have been resuscitated feel a powerful new purpose to their lives, that doesn’t necessarily mean they were glad to be revived. Some talk of being “sucked back into” their bodies despite their desire to stay in the light.
Said one:
“I felt more joy and contentment than even the brightest moments in this life ever provided, and I didn’t want to return.” | https://www.unionleader.com/i-didn-t-want-to-return-research-says-near-death-experiences-not-hallucinations-answer-still/article_bdcd26df-b115-5cd3-954b-79c4fb8c19ec.html | 2022-04-13T21:07:44 | 1 | https://www.unionleader.com/i-didn-t-want-to-return-research-says-near-death-experiences-not-hallucinations-answer-still/article_bdcd26df-b115-5cd3-954b-79c4fb8c19ec.html |
LOS ANGELES — Roseanne Barr was under attack at the Hollywood Palladium, and the capacity audience was enjoying every minute.
The occasion was the Comedy Central Roast of the comedian in 2012, long before the ignominious conclusion of her network comeback.
The event, taped for a special, was part of Barr's return to Hollywood's embrace more than a decade after her top-rated sitcom "Roseanne" came to the end of its original run. A celebration of her 60th birthday, the roast, along with a potential NBC project and a surprise run for president of the United States, was part of her strategy to reverse her reputation for being difficult and regain the spotlight once more.
Carrie Fisher, Ellen Barkin, Seth Green, Katey Sagal, Wayne Brady and a fledgling comic named Amy Schumer were among the roasters. They paid tribute to Barr — who was at that time going by her first name, Roseanne — with raw, brutal insults flavored with coarse language. Even ex-spouse Tom Arnold showed up to pay his respects.
But no one in attendance was prepared for the comic flame-thrower that Gilbert Gottfried, who died Tuesday at 67, brought to the party. Dressed in a nice suit, Gottfried was unleashed — and relentless. Most of his jokes could not be printed in a family newspaper.
I would know: I was covering the roast for a story. And I don't know if I've ever laughed harder in my life.
"Tonight we honor a monster in the entertainment industries," Gottfried proclaimed in his trademark squawk-slash-growl, standing just a few feet from Roseanne and clutching the lectern tightly with both hands.
"And like most monsters, she goes by only one name, and that name is Rozilla! She's been described as being covered with a thick layer of thick, scaly skin, emitting a strong, disgusting odor of taco grease and ass cheese."
The assault was just getting started.
"ROZILLA!" he bellowed. "Stomping through Hollywood for decades, breathing fire from her hairy snout, burning bridge after bridge, her glowing red eyes striking terror in the heart of anyone unfortunate enough to look in her hideous face! Her gnarled, cow-like hooves crushing and destroying everything in her path!"
The roast marked one of Gottfried's first high-profile TV appearances after being fired by the Aflac insurance company — he'd voiced its duck mascot — the year before, when the comedian fired off a series of offensive tweets about the 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan.
At the Roseanne roast, he referred to the incident, indicating that someone who had fired off offending tweets "had probably learned his lesson by now, and should get his endorsement deal back — so he wouldn't have to keep doing these horrible f— roasts."
No comedian as risque could go a career without crossing the line, and Gottfried did — multiple times. He joked about masturbation at the Emmys. He joked about Sept. 11 during a roast of Hugh Hefner. As roast master Jane Lynch introduced him in 2012, he was "that scary thing under your bed from when you were a kid."
Gottfried may have learned his lesson after all; he never again found himself in quite the same hot water as he did in 2011. But he came up in a no-holds-barred comedy world that was rarely submitted to the same scrutiny as today's Netflix specials and viral videos. That world is where he sharpened his knives. Because the more vicious Gottfried got, the louder the audience roared.
Some of his most devastating comments at the 2012 roast were aimed at Fisher, who could dish it out and take it: "When Comedy Central looked at this dais, they said, 'We just don't have enough washed-up, repugnant, drug-addicted, menopausal has-beens. Get me Carrie Fisher. Because if there's anything we're certain of, it's that Carrie Fisher is available. R2-D2 has gotten more work since 'Star Wars' than Carrie Fisher."
As he continued, his co-stars were overcome with laughter. Roseanne howled. Barkin almost slipped off her seat. Schumer wiped away tears. Brady looked around the stage with an incredulous gaze, muttering "Oh my God."
When Gottfried ended his routine with a bawdy joke about Roseanne, a farmer, a sheep and a pig (just use your imagination), the audience and dais members rewarded Gottfried with a roaring standing ovation. Roseanne embraced him, saying, "Excellent. Excellent."
I felt exhausted, my chest and sides in pain from laughing so hard. I approached Gottfried moments later for an interview as he stood alone, looking around the room. Unlike his stage persona, he was shy, even humble, and did not say much. But I recall his warm smile. He seemed touched by my interest in him.
Every once in a while when I feel a bit down, I go back to watch that segment with Gottfried. No matter how often I watch it, it never fails to make me smile. His barbs were never delivered with malice. He was truly a one-of-a-kind master of his craft who dared to push the envelope by daring you to laugh.
And when it came to Gilbert Gottfried, resistance was futile. | https://www.unionleader.com/news/back_page/gilbert-gottfried-was-a-comic-flame-thrower-i-saw-him-light-up-roseanne/article_8625c5dc-ce87-5281-a1b8-0a77399a9c75.html | 2022-04-13T21:07:50 | 0 | https://www.unionleader.com/news/back_page/gilbert-gottfried-was-a-comic-flame-thrower-i-saw-him-light-up-roseanne/article_8625c5dc-ce87-5281-a1b8-0a77399a9c75.html |
The first phone number I learned was my grandparents’ landline. The second was time and temperature.
After I’d annoyed Grandma thoroughly, someone taught me (352) 629-1212 — one of only three phone numbers I still know offhand. It was mind-blowing and mysterious to 6-year-old me, this robot voice with all the info that lived in the analog lines.
Somehow, it still kind of is.
Time and temperature phone lines receive more than a million calls each month from across the U.S. That includes thousands of calls to three recently restored lines in Tampa Bay.
With smartphones and their precise atomic clocks and weather apps, why would anyone dial a number for such basic facts?
John Lochridge of Memory Lane Communications says the question misses the point.
“What’s the fun,” Lochridge said, “in just getting it off your phone screen?”
Most of those lines would likely have faded away altogether if not for a small handful of devotees like him. Many were already dead. The dusty, Nixon-era equipment that automated them failed in the back rooms of banks and newspapers a decade ago with no one willing to maintain it.
When Lochridge learned the line he’d grown up calling in Dallas was shutting down in 2011, the telecommunications engineer spent two years figuring out how to bring it back himself. The response was so positive that he’s been on a gleeful quest to resurrect defunct time and temperature lines across the U.S. ever since.
He now owns hundreds of lines and counting – from cities like New York and Chicago to Arctic Circle outposts like Deadhorse, Alaska, with a population around 50.
Some folks will read this and get a nostalgic kick out of dialing anew the lines that had gone dead by the mid-2010s: (813) 622-1212 (Tampa), (727) 894-6666 (St. Petersburg) or (727) 447-6611 (Clearwater). Others already know those lines are working again because they never stopped trying to call.
I never did.
Time and temperature, for me, was the start of a long fascination with the phone. In middle school I’d hang out at a corner store payphone dialing random 800 numbers and collect-calling friends. I browsed the phone book on the couch, chatted up operators and pulled houseguests into marathon crank call sessions. I kept a list of citywide payphone numbers. A phone near the restrooms at the mall was a favorite for testing the strangers that answered: I’m in the last stall, out of paper. Can you help?
The pranks weren’t about sowing chaos as much as they were a way to get an auditory glimpse into forbidden bars and unknown pizza kitchens and strangers’ living rooms. Just as my habit of calling time and temperature four times a day -- an ancestor to compulsively opening Twitter -- probably wasn’t about the weather.
I called my hometown time and temperature line into adulthood, long after I moved away. It’s a great way to test your signal or pretend you’re on the phone if you want to avoid someone. It finally stopped working a few years ago, as I’d expected. But now and then I tried it, just in case.
About a year ago, it was suddenly back.
Seeking the source of this small miracle, I connected with RTI Media founder Bruce Robertson. The former radio announcer provides the distinguished voice callers hear today. Today is Friday, April 8, the current time, 11:04 a.m. and the temperature 63 degrees.
He also sells the tech that makes modern time and temperature lines like Lochridge’s work. I told him how I’d never completely stopped calling. He said that’s common.
He described a client who’d taken control of an old line in Kentucky. The guy plugged it in but made no announcement that it was back.
“In the first week he got 14,000 calls,” Robertson said. “That means the people had been calling for months, even when the service was gone. It’s a habit-based thing.” | https://www.unionleader.com/news/back_page/time-and-temperature-phone-numbers-resurrected-in-tampa-st-pete-and-clearwater/article_8961eb76-11e0-55fe-99f3-26b4dec01600.html | 2022-04-13T21:07:56 | 0 | https://www.unionleader.com/news/back_page/time-and-temperature-phone-numbers-resurrected-in-tampa-st-pete-and-clearwater/article_8961eb76-11e0-55fe-99f3-26b4dec01600.html |
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's truck inspection policies at the Mexico border are disrupting supply chains and leading to higher prices for goods, the White House said on Wednesday.
"Governor Abbott’s unnecessary and redundant inspections of trucks transiting ports of entry between Texas and Mexico are causing significant disruptions to the food and automobile supply chains, delaying manufacturing, impacting jobs, and raising prices for families in Texas and across the country," White House press secretary Jen Psaki said in a statement.
Abbott's office did not immediately return a call for comment.
Mexican truck drivers blockaded bridges at the U.S. border for a second day on Tuesday to protest an order by Abbott that has snarled traffic and led business groups to warn of supply chain disruptions.
The slowdowns began after the Republican governor ordered officials last week to conduct vehicle safety inspections at entry ports to uncover smuggling of people and contraband.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection said on Tuesday the long waits were due to "additional and unnecessary inspections" ordered by Abbott and were causing "critical impacts to an already-strained supply chain."
The White House, battling rising inflation and supply chain challenges stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, said the continuous flow of legitimate trade and travel should not be obstructed.
"Governor Abbott’s actions are impacting people’s jobs, and the livelihoods of hardworking American families," the White House said. | https://www.unionleader.com/news/business/economy/white-house-texas-trucker-border-inspections-disrupting-supply-chain-raising-prices/article_35e6c2f7-f50d-5a5f-bbe3-c77c6e34acc7.html | 2022-04-13T21:08:02 | 1 | https://www.unionleader.com/news/business/economy/white-house-texas-trucker-border-inspections-disrupting-supply-chain-raising-prices/article_35e6c2f7-f50d-5a5f-bbe3-c77c6e34acc7.html |
The auto show, expected after two years of lockdowns to drive off into an irrelevant sunset, isn't dead yet. Following the vibrant Munich auto show in the fall, the New York International Auto Show will open to the public on Friday, April 15, at Manhattan's Javits Center and will run through April 24.
The format is more compelling than in years past, given the supply chain crisis that has severely delayed deliveries to dealerships, not to mention markups as high as $100,000 over manufacturer's suggested retail price for luxury cars and SUVs.
In New York, automakers will showcase new vehicles that even the most neurotic car-spotters have read about only in glossy magazines or seen on YouTube. Thousands have placed orders for such new cars, sight unseen, and resigned themselves, as in the case with General Motors' Hummer EV, for yearslong waits.
This week, they'll at least be able to kick the tires.
"Auto shows are still highly relevant in the same way that dealerships are still highly relevant," says Erin Kerrigan, founder and managing director of Kerrigan Advisors, a consulting firm. "Consumers still like to touch and feel a new car before they purchase it."
Electric vehicles will command the spotlight's primary glare this week in New York.
Some of them will come from such obscure companies as INDI EV and ElectraMeccanica, but Detroit's heavyweight pickups will hold top billing. Ford Motor Co.'s F-150 Lightning, revealed via video feed almost a year ago, will appear just weeks before its first deliveries. Prospective buyers can eyeball just how many White Claws they might be able to fit in the front trunk, or figure out how they might go about plugging the rig into their home in a blackout.
General Motors, in turn, will showcase the electric version of its Chevrolet Silverado EV, a rig first unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show in January. It's not due out until 2023, so expect GM to pull out all the stops to pique interest among the e-truck crowd in order to slow the momentum of Ford's electric pickup.
Nissan, meanwhile, will play up its coming electric SUV, the Ariya. The brand's humble battery-powered hatchback, the Leaf -- for years the everyman's Tesla -- has been overtaken by rivals. The Ariya is Nissan's chance to regain some of its EV street cred. Production issues have delayed the machine for months, and this week will give Americans one of few opportunities to see the vehicle before it ships to dealers in the fall.
Hyundai may present one of the show's few surprises. The company promises to unveil a new production vehicle, although it wouldn't provide details. The company aims to sell 1.7 million electric vehicles in 2026, so the bet is that whatever is under the cover, it will be powered by a big lithium-ion battery.
Hyundai will also show its Kia EV6 and Hyundai Ioniq 5, recently released electric models that are still rare on the road. (Both rigs are commanding steep markups over sticker price.)
By June, according to BloombergNEF estimates, the world will have 20 million plug-in vehicles on its streets -- a remarkable jump from 1 million EVs in 2016. In the second half of 2022, almost 1 million EVs will hit the road worldwide per month, according to BNEF estimates. That's one every 3 seconds.
"We are now transitioning from the halo EV cars to more mass-produced EVs, which can be afforded by anybody," says Jesse Toprak, the chief analyst for Autonomy, an EV-subscription service. "So we are going to see an influx of the EV-curious consumers at the show who want to see what is out there now. Even (for) consumers who may have ignored the EV market so far, eventually it's going to be too hard to ignore."
Still, the amount of news breaking announcements at such trade shows faded long before lockdowns, especially for luxury brands. They figured out years ago that pulling the cover off the new German utility vehicle with pyrotechnics and Arnold Schwarzenegger in a crumbling Detroit theater, or launching the newest Italian supercar in a posh private lounge, commands far better buzz than a carpeted conference center.
This week's trade show will be light on anything novel from the posher automakers. Aston Martin, Audi, Bentley, Cadillac, Ferrari, Maserati, Porsche, Rolls-Royce, and Volvo will not be unveiling anything new.
Alfa Romeo will show a new Tonale hybrid SUV. BMW will display its new X7 SUV and i7 electric sedan that follows the iX SUV and i4 sport coupe it unveiled last fall. Mercedes-Benz is officially skipping the show but will debut the all-new electric EQS days later, on April 19. Lincoln chose to debut its new electric model on April 20 in Hollywood, Calif.
Lamborghini, meanwhile, will show a new variant of the existing Huracan supercar, the Huracan Tecnica, both at its private studio space along Manhattan's High Line and at the Javits Center. The mix of elite and egalitarian access best serves the brand that enjoys sales in the U.S. that are more than twice as high as those in its next-biggest market, China.
"The U.S. is our most important market, and if we look at the share we have inside the U.S., it's clear New York is a place we have to be," says Lamborghini CEO Stephan Winkelmann. "It's a good combination." | https://www.unionleader.com/news/business/transportation/electric-vehicles-not-luxury-cars-dominate-the-new-york-auto-show/article_362e6ebb-018a-5093-9868-58b0c1618b78.html | 2022-04-13T21:08:08 | 1 | https://www.unionleader.com/news/business/transportation/electric-vehicles-not-luxury-cars-dominate-the-new-york-auto-show/article_362e6ebb-018a-5093-9868-58b0c1618b78.html |
Yelp, Inc. said on Tuesday it will cover expenses for its employees and their dependents who need to travel to another state for abortion services starting next month, making it the latest U.S. company to offer similar benefits to its workers.
The crowd-sourced review platform for restaurants and other businesses will provide travel benefits to its U.S. employees who need to travel out of states like Texas and Oklahoma that have restricted access to abortion services.
“As a remote-first company with a distributed workforce, this new benefit allows our U.S. employees and their dependents to have equitable access to reproductive care, regardless of where they live,” Miriam Warren, Yelp's chief diversity officer, said in a statement.
Other companies have pledged to offer similar support to their Texas-based employees.
Citigroup Inc in March started covering travel expenses for employees who go out of state for abortions, becoming the first major U.S. bank to make that commitment.
Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt on Tuesday signed a bill that makes it illegal to perform an abortion in the state except in medical emergencies, penalizing those who do with up to $100,000 in fines and 10 years in prison.
The Supreme Court is due to rule by the end of June on a case involving a Republican-backed Mississippi law that gives its conservative majority a chance to undermine or even repeal the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling that legalized abortion nationwide. | https://www.unionleader.com/news/courts/yelp-to-offer-u-s-workers-abortion-travel-benefit/article_3bb35c6b-73de-520d-b1d7-fe821f85c97b.html | 2022-04-13T21:08:14 | 1 | https://www.unionleader.com/news/courts/yelp-to-offer-u-s-workers-abortion-travel-benefit/article_3bb35c6b-73de-520d-b1d7-fe821f85c97b.html |
The fairgrounds at Stratham Hill Park will remain quiet once again this July after organizers of the Stratham Fair canceled the event for a third year.
The Stratham Fair, an annual favorite, will not return this summer, and organizers warn the future of the popular event is up in the air.
The Stratham Volunteer Fire Department Association posted a message on social media this week announcing the 2022 fair has been canceled due to financial reasons. The fair was scrapped in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“An operational analysis is underway to determine the future of the Stratham Fair beyond 2022,” the message says.
Instead, a one-day event called Stratham 4H Summerfest will be held in its place from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, July 16, at Stratham Hill Park. The event will feature agricultural programs and local organizations, with the focus of introducing youth in the community to 4H (Head, Heart, Hands, Health).
It will not contain carnival rides or a midway, organizers said. A limited food menu will be available.
The fair is hosted by the Stratham Volunteer Fire Department and serves as its biggest fundraiser of the year.
The pandemic forced the Stratham Fair and other New Hampshire fairs to be scrapped in 2020.
According to the website for the New Hampshire Association of Fairs & Expositions, many other fairs are planned this year, including the North Haverhill Fair, which is scheduled to be held in late July, followed by the Cheshire Fair, Belknap County 4-H Fair, and Cornish Fair in August.
Fairs planned for September include the Lancaster Fair, Hopkinton State Fair, Hillsborough County Agricultural Fair, Rochester Fair and the Deerfield Fair, which runs into early October and is followed by the Sandwich Fair, which wraps up the season. | https://www.unionleader.com/news/human_interest/stratham-fair-scrapped-for-third-straight-year/article_c87b5245-8cb1-5e89-aad6-0fadc6fa31c0.html | 2022-04-13T21:08:20 | 0 | https://www.unionleader.com/news/human_interest/stratham-fair-scrapped-for-third-straight-year/article_c87b5245-8cb1-5e89-aad6-0fadc6fa31c0.html |
The Kremlin said on Wednesday it categorically disagreed with President Joe Biden's description of Russia's actions in Ukraine as "genocide," and it accused Washington of hypocrisy.
Biden said on Tuesday that Russia's behavior in Ukraine amounted to genocide in his view, using that word for the first time.
"We consider this kind of effort to distort the situation unacceptable," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on a conference call with reporters. "This is hardly acceptable from a president of the United States, a country that has committed well-known crimes in recent times."
Biden told reporters on Tuesday "it has become clearer and clearer that Putin is just trying to wipe out the idea of being able to be Ukrainian and the evidence is mounting."
Under international law, genocide is an intent to destroy -- in whole or in part -- a national, ethnic, racial or religious group.
Biden had earlier called Putin a "war criminal," a comment Moscow angrily rejected and said had brought relations with the United States to the brink of collapse.
Putin on Tuesday dismissed accusations that Russia had committed war crimes in the Ukrainian town of Bucha, where mass graves and tied bodies shot at close range were found after Russian troops withdrew, as "fake."
Moscow has said it believed the incident was staged.
Moscow's incursion into Ukraine, the biggest attack on a European state since 1945, has seen more than 4.6 million people flee abroad, killed or wounded thousands and left Russia increasingly isolated on the world stage.
The Kremlin says it launched a "special military operation" to demilitarize and "denazify" Ukraine. Kyiv and its Western allies reject that as a false pretext for an unprovoked attack. | https://www.unionleader.com/news/military/kremlin-says-bidens-genocide-comments-are-wrong-and-unacceptable/article_bc3e1408-7410-5ce5-a293-902b9e1e2293.html | 2022-04-13T21:08:27 | 0 | https://www.unionleader.com/news/military/kremlin-says-bidens-genocide-comments-are-wrong-and-unacceptable/article_bc3e1408-7410-5ce5-a293-902b9e1e2293.html |
NOTHING WELCOMES SPRING here in the Granite State quite like the bleats, chirps, squeals and giggles at Strawbery Banke Museum’s grounds.
“Baby Animals: Heritage Breeds at the Banke” is a lesson in agricultural history, only way cuter.
Recently-born lambs, piglets, chicks, calves, ducklings and rabbits — and their moms — will visit the Portsmouth museum, where such heirloom breeds would have been familiar to coastal New England communities as far back as the 17th century.
The nine-day event is a popular seasonal draw. Between 7,000 and 8,000 visitors came through the gate each year from 2016 through 2019. The collaboration between the museum and various farms was put on hold in 2020 and 2021, but it’s making a return.
You’ll be able to check out the latest crop of baby animals from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily from Saturday, April 23, through Sunday, May 1.
One of the participating farms is Tiny Hill Farm in Milton Mills. One peek at Larissa Mullen’s images on the farm’s Facebook page are enough to unleash a case of the warm fuzzies. A Nigerian Dwarf dairy goat baby named Floppy (her registered name is Tiny Hill Love is PowPowerful, for obvious reasons) stands on a table atop a pink blanket, her tongue poking out of her mouth as she peers into the camera lens.
Mullen, who has operated the farm for about 14 years and hosts visitors by appointment, says litters usually range from one to five babies, with two or three being the most common.
“They take about three years to get to full size. They are about knee-height when full grown, the same as a golden retriever or lab. They’re stocky and weigh about 60 to 70 pounds,” she says.
This is a hectic time on many animal farms. Amy Gentile, who jokes she’s practically been living in the barn with all the baby animals making their entrances, has about 40 Gloucestershire Old Spot piglets, along with their mamas, snuffling around the property right now. That’s not including the 25 head of cattle and various poultry.
“We’re very fortunate to be able to raise our kids around the animals,” she says of sons Sawyer, 12, and Elias, 9.
She’s bringing a sow named Polly, and her litter of eight piglets, to the “Baby Animals” event.
“Any interest we can raise for this awesome breed, we love to do that. Old Spots deserve all the press they can get,” she says of the threatened breed. “People really just adore the piglets.”
Guest curator Peter Cook has been overseeing the annual “Baby Animals” event since its inception. It’s a chance for people to learn about heritage breed preservation, while invariably doing a lot of “oooh-ing” and “awww-ing” along the way. (It’s the humans who do most of the giggling.)
“We are pulling in animals from five states, some of (those breeds) with less than 500 left on the planet,” Cook said. “This is really rare genetic material, and many are near to extinction.”
Cook, a lifelong historian who lives on the mid-18th-century Tare Shirt Farm in Berwick, Maine, serves up snippets of facts about fiber arts as well as modern efforts to protect heritage breeds, all mixed with funny one-liners and personal asides.
Technically retired from teaching and museum work, Cook never misses a chance to share his field of expertise.
“I’ve been a museum curmudgeon for 45 years,” he says. “I love meeting with the public. People come up to me (during “Baby Animals”) and tug on my sleeve and say, ‘You know … this kind of museum works for the whole family – my 2-year-old, teenager and extended family.”
Visitors aren’t permitted to touch the animals for safety reasons, but they’ll take away interesting tidbits about the heritage breeds.
While a “modern cow like a Holstein is a milk factory,” there are characteristics of interest in older breeds, too, Cook says. “Some of the animals are parasite-resistant, some handle heat well, and some breeds can convert inferior vegetation, like weeds, into protein.” | https://www.unionleader.com/nh/arts_and_ent/babies-animals-its-like-a-lesson-in-historical-agricultural-only-way-cuter/article_c334af13-19e9-5d94-a02b-435ebe2a1f6a.html | 2022-04-13T21:08:33 | 1 | https://www.unionleader.com/nh/arts_and_ent/babies-animals-its-like-a-lesson-in-historical-agricultural-only-way-cuter/article_c334af13-19e9-5d94-a02b-435ebe2a1f6a.html |
* At least 23 injured in Tuesday subway shooting incident
* Police say 'person of interest' is now a suspect
* Violence poses challenge for Mayor Eric Adams (Recasts, adds Adams comment on subway safety)
By Maria Caspani
NEW YORK, April 13 (Reuters) - Police searching for the gunman who set off smoke bombs and shot 10 passengers in a New York City subway car said on Wednesday that a man named as a "person of interest" was now considered a suspect -- and the mayor vowed he would be brought to justice.
The attack occurred during Tuesday's morning commuter rush as a Manhattan-bound train pulled into an underground station in Brooklyn's Sunset Park neighborhood. In addition to the 10 people hit by gunfire, 13 others were injured amid a panicked crush for the smoke-filled train's exit.
It was the latest burst of violence that has plagued the United States' largest city transit system and posed a major challenge for Mayor Eric Adams, who has sought to halt declining ridership during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The New York Police Department had initially identified Frank James, who it said had left keys to a rented U-Haul van at the crime scene, as a "person of interest." On Wednesday, the NYPD said James was now a suspect in the mass shooting.
Asked if James acted alone, Adams told Fox News that a preliminary investigation did not turn up an additional person.
"The NYPD, federal agencies and state agencies are all collaborating together," the mayor said. "I have confidence that we're going to bring this suspect to justice and we want to make sure that we do it as expeditiously as possible," Adams said.
Authorities say James rented the van in Philadelphia and parked it on a Brooklyn street near the 36th Street station where the incident unfolded. Police have offered rewards totaling $50,000 for information leading to his arrest.
Attempts by Reuters to reach any of the phone numbers associated with James were unsuccessful.
Five of the people shot Tuesday were in critical but stable condition. All of the victims were expected to survive.
'KEEP ON GOING'
NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell said on Tuesday the shooting was not immediately being treated as an act of terrorism.
With the gunman still at large, New Yorkers commuting to work on Wednesday morning said the violence would not deter them.
"You can’t let one person alter your life, gotta keep on, keep on going,” Michael Torres, a FedEx worker, told local news website Gothamist as he boarded a train at the 36th Street station.
There was no known motive for the attack, but investigators found a number of social media posts linked to an individual named Frank James that mentioned homelessness and Mayor Adams, Sewell said.
The attack began in the train car as it was about to enter the station, she added. The gunman removed two canisters from his bag and opened them, sending smoke throughout the carriage.
Police said the man then fired 33 rounds from a Glock 9 mm semi-automatic handgun, which was later recovered along with three extended-ammunition magazines, a hatchet, some consumer-grade fireworks and a container of gasoline. He then fled the scene.
The gun apparently jammed in the middle of the shooting, potentially preventing a higher casualty toll, CNN and local media outlets reported, citing law enforcement sources.
New York has seen a sharp rise in violent crime during the pandemic, including a string of seemingly random attacks on the subway.
The transit violence has included a number of attacks in which passengers were shoved onto train tracks from platforms, including a Manhattan woman whose murder was seen as part of a surge in hate crimes against Asian Americans.
After Tuesday's incident, Adams pledged to double the number of officers assigned to subway security. He has prioritized increasing police patrols and expanding mental health outreach programs to combat violence.
The mayor told MSNBC on Wednesday that the city was looking at new technologies for metal detectors that would keep New Yorkers safe while minimizing disruption.
"There are new models that are being used at ball games, ballparks, hospitals, where you're not stopping to go through your belongings, you simply walk in through a device," Adams said. Passengers would not "be aware that they're walking past a device that could detect weapons."
(Reporting by Maria Caspani and Jonathan Allen in New York, Brendan O'Brien in Chicago, and Chris Gallagher and Katharine Jackson in Washington; writing by Rami Ayyub; editing by Jonathan Oatis) | https://www.unionleader.com/wire/national/update-3-suspect-named-in-new-york-subway-shooting-as-police-manhunt-enters-second-day/article_c95a3d67-5a7b-56a0-866c-b2f5c4ae3b62.html | 2022-04-13T21:08:39 | 0 | https://www.unionleader.com/wire/national/update-3-suspect-named-in-new-york-subway-shooting-as-police-manhunt-enters-second-day/article_c95a3d67-5a7b-56a0-866c-b2f5c4ae3b62.html |
FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (WTVD) -- A woman was found shot and killed in Fayetteville on Wednesday morning.
Fayetteville police officers were dispatched to the 1500 block of Alvin Street around midnight Wednesday. Upon arrival, officers found a woman who had been shot lying on the road. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
On Wednesday afternoon, police identified the victim as Nikayla McCray, 19, who lived at the home. Her next of kin has been notified.
ALSO SEE: More than 20 bullets pierced Cumberland County home in Wednesday morning shooting
Investigators said McCray was one of several young people gathered in the area to fight. That gathering ended not with punches thrown but bullets fired. The event is not believed to be gang-related.
This comes after six bikers were shot in a brawl; three of them died.
Advocates against gun violence are urging people to get involved to help stop these senseless acts.
"Talk with your local officials, your city and county officials ask them, 'What are you doing to solve this crisis?' Because it really is a crisis. A public health crisis," said Becky Ceartas, Executive Director of North Carolinians Against Gun Violence. The group formed nearly 30 years ago after a jogger in Chapel Hill was shot and killed.
FPD said there have been 11 shooting incidents with 13 victims so far in 2022. Last year, from January to April 30 they investigated 14 incidents involving 15 victims.
Advocates are pushing cities to hire violence interrupters, people with ties to their community who can serve as mediators to conflict.
Lieutenant Shawn Strepay said the police department supports that effort and city leaders are exploring how to best execute that plan.
"The Fayetteville Police Department is open to any idea that is going to reduce any kind of violence in our community," Strepay said.
On April 24, North Carolinians will hold a gun violence vigil in Fayetteville and in Raleigh.
19-year-old woman killed in early morning Fayetteville shooting
By Tim Pulliam
Copyright © 2022 WTVD-TV. All Rights Reserved. | https://abc11.com/woman-killed-fayetteville-shooting-alvin-street-nikayla-mccray/11743763/ | 2022-04-13T21:11:33 | 0 | https://abc11.com/woman-killed-fayetteville-shooting-alvin-street-nikayla-mccray/11743763/ |
FORT SMITH, Ark. — The Fort Smith Police are asking for help locating for suspects involved in property damage at a business on Riverfront Road.
Police are looking for two people wanted for felony criminal mischief at Five Rivers Distributing on Tuesday, April 12.
Police say the individuals did approximately $300,000 of damage to the property.
Fort Smith Police is asking anyone with any information that can help identify and locate these individuals, to call 479-709-5000.
RELATED: Fort Smith Directors looking to remove abandoned, asbestos-filled building off Kinkead Ave.
DOWNLOAD THE 5NEWS APP
DOWNLOAD FOR IPHONE HERE | DOWNLOAD FOR ANDROID HERE
HOW TO ADD THE 5NEWS APP TO YOUR STREAMING DEVICE
ROKU: add the channel from the ROKU store or by searching for KFSM in the Channel Store.
For Fire TV, search for "KFSM" to find the free app to add to your account. Another option for Fire TV is to have the app delivered directly to your Fire TV through Amazon.
To report a typo or grammatical error, please email KFSMDigitalTeam@tegna.com. | https://www.5newsonline.com/article/news/crime/fort-smith-looking-suspects-involved-300000-property-damage/527-e7b2dd24-f90b-45d0-9bbd-b3e4acdc8a25 | 2022-04-13T21:24:46 | 1 | https://www.5newsonline.com/article/news/crime/fort-smith-looking-suspects-involved-300000-property-damage/527-e7b2dd24-f90b-45d0-9bbd-b3e4acdc8a25 |
SPRINGDALE, Ark. — One person has been arrested in connection to a shooting in Springdale.
According to the Springdale Police Department (SPD), officers responded to a disturbance call at an address on Summer View Avenue around 11:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 12.
Officers found an 18-year-old gunshot victim wounded in the torso when they arrived. The suspects had already left the area as the victim was taken to a local hospital for his injuries. His condition is unknown at this time.
After an investigation, police determined that the victim was in a vehicle with at least three other people, including two juveniles, when a physical fight ensued. While fighting in the vehicle, one juvenile suspect allegedly fired a gun, causing the driver to crash.
The victim and all of the others in the vehicle got out, and the physical fight continued, which is when he was shot. The three other people in the car fled the area before officers arrived.
Based on evidence at the scene, officers were able to identify 22-year-old Demonterian Phinisee as one of the suspects. He was arrested and charged with aggravated robbery.
This is an ongoing investigation, and no further information has been released.
If you have any information about this shooting, you're asked to call the Springdale Police Department at (479) 751-4542 or the Criminal Investigation Division at (479) 750-8139.
DOWNLOAD THE 5NEWS APP
DOWNLOAD FOR IPHONE HERE | DOWNLOAD FOR ANDROID HERE
HOW TO ADD THE 5NEWS APP TO YOUR STREAMING DEVICE
ROKU: add the channel from the ROKU store or by searching for KFSM in the Channel Store.
For Fire TV, search for "KFSM" to find the free app to add to your account. Another option for Fire TV is to have the app delivered directly to your Fire TV through Amazon.
To report a typo or grammatical error, please email KFSMDigitalTeam@tegna.com. | https://www.5newsonline.com/article/news/crime/springdale-shooting-suspect-arrested/527-00f25c7b-ff3d-4904-9819-3aff57c1f434 | 2022-04-13T21:24:48 | 0 | https://www.5newsonline.com/article/news/crime/springdale-shooting-suspect-arrested/527-00f25c7b-ff3d-4904-9819-3aff57c1f434 |
FORT SMITH, Ark. — On Tuesday, April 13, the Fort Smith Board of Directors met to primarily discuss the history and future of an abandoned apartment complex off N. 36th and Kinkead.
"I'm not done with trying to sell this property," said City of Fort Smith FS Code Enforcement Supervisor Shawn Gard.
Gard says the complex has more than 20 building violations and asbestos.
"The trash debris, dead limbs, the garbage, all the building debris out there, drain filling up the pools," said Gard when describing the property.
The city says it wants to tear it down, but before that can happen, they are trying to contact the building owner who lives in Texas.
"I tried to contact them by phone and by email to let them know we are starting unsafe action on this," said Jimmie Deer, City of Fort Smith director of building services.
The city has even issued a warrant for the owner’s arrest since he won't respond to any requests.
"We actually have this owner in court, because he lives in Texas, we just can't get him served," said Deer.
Because of this, Fort Smith is looking at other options on how to clean up that area.
"To me, it’s the right and moral thing to do, to enforce those violations, demolish this failed property,” said Director and Vice Mayor Jarred Rego who brought the issue to the attention of the Board of Directors.
During the meeting, Fort Smith looked at options such as eminent domain or if it can use tax dollars to buy the property.
"It's really tough to get something done without help…on the property tax side," Joshua Harmon, principal broker and owner of Harmon Real Estate Company.
Early May is when Fort Smith will look to vote on if they can get a contract to lightly clean the building.
By late May or early June, the city hopes to have the building fully demolished
DOWNLOAD THE 5NEWS APP
DOWNLOAD FOR IPHONE HERE | DOWNLOAD FOR ANDROID HERE
HOW TO ADD THE 5NEWS APP TO YOUR STREAMING DEVICE
ROKU: add the channel from the ROKU store or by searching for KFSM in the Channel Store.
For Fire TV, search for "KFSM" to find the free app to add to your account. Another option for Fire TV is to have the app delivered directly to your Fire TV through Amazon.
To report a typo or grammatical error, please email KFSMDigitalTeam@tegna.com. | https://www.5newsonline.com/article/news/local/fort-smith-directors-looking-remove-abandoned-asbestos-filled-building-kinkead-ave/527-afdda0a2-cfc7-4df0-9475-e1c885fddbd7 | 2022-04-13T21:24:50 | 1 | https://www.5newsonline.com/article/news/local/fort-smith-directors-looking-remove-abandoned-asbestos-filled-building-kinkead-ave/527-afdda0a2-cfc7-4df0-9475-e1c885fddbd7 |
Moderna’s coronavirus vaccine, which is now marketed as Spikevax, was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for adults 18 and older on Jan. 31, 2022, making it the second to receive full FDA approval after Pfizer’s vaccine.
Now, Moderna’s vaccine has returned to the news cycle, with people sharing information about Moderna potentially issuing a recall of the vaccine. Google Trends data also show that U.S. residents are searching for information about "Moderna vaccine recall."
THE QUESTION
Was the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine recalled in the United States?
THE SOURCES
THE ANSWER
No, the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine was not recalled in the United States. The drugmaker has recalled some doses of the vaccine in Europe after a “foreign body” was found in one vial.
WHAT WE FOUND
Moderna announced on April 8 that it would recall one lot of Spikevax produced at ROVI, a manufacturing company in Spain, after a “foreign body” was found in one vial. The impacted vial was “punctured and not administered,” Moderna said in a news release announcing the recall. Moderna did not disclose what was found in the vial.
The lot consisted of 764,900 doses and was distributed in Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain and Sweden from Jan. 13-14, 2022, according to Moderna.
Moderna said no safety concerns have been reported in people who received Spikevax from the recalled lot. Additionally, there are no indications that recalled doses that were already administered are less effective than others, according to Moderna.
The lot is being recalled “out of an abundance of caution,” Moderna said.
“Moderna does not believe that this poses a risk to other vials in the lot and does not believe that this affects the significant benefit/risk profile of the vaccine,” the news release says.
The company said it is communicating with health authorities as an investigation moves forward.
A spokesperson for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) told VERIFY that there is no recall of Moderna’s vaccine in the U.S. The FDA also has lists of recalled vaccines by year on its website, and the two most recent were in 2021 and did not include any of the COVID-19 vaccines.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says on its website that vaccine recalls are rare and typically done because of concerns about how well the vaccine is working or its safety.
The CDC says all approved and authorized COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective, and the agency recommends that those who are eligible get vaccinated as soon as possible if they haven’t already.
More from VERIFY: Yes, COVID-19 tests can detect omicron subvariant BA.2 | https://www.5newsonline.com/article/news/verify/coronavirus-verify/moderna-covid-vaccine-not-recalled-in-europe-not-united-states/536-56506ca4-ba21-4d66-8aed-8b2cc6ac4a4c | 2022-04-13T21:24:50 | 0 | https://www.5newsonline.com/article/news/verify/coronavirus-verify/moderna-covid-vaccine-not-recalled-in-europe-not-united-states/536-56506ca4-ba21-4d66-8aed-8b2cc6ac4a4c |
23 injured in Texas storms; more tornadoes forecast in US
SALADO, Texas (AP) — Nearly two dozen people were injured when tornadoes swept through central Texas as part of a storm system that was expected to spawn more twisters and damaging winds Wednesday.
The storms caused widespread damage Tuesday in Salado, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) north of Austin. Bell County Judge David Blackburn said 23 people were injured, one of them critically. Twelve of the injured were taken to hospitals, Blackburn said.
“There’s not much left,” said Blackburn, the county’s top elected official. “Large trees are uprooted and overturned and stripped. Buildings really reduced to rubble. ... Power lines, power poles, are scattered all over the place. It’s pretty devastating.”
Photos on social media showed grapefruit-size hail associated with that storm.
Tornadoes were also spotted Tuesday in Iowa, but there were no reports of serious injuries. In Lincoln, Nebraska, powerful wind gusts knocked down tree limbs and caused some roof damage. A possible tornado also caused damage in the small southern Minnesota town of Taopi near the state’s border with Iowa.
Mower County Sheriff Steve Sandvik said dispatchers began getting calls from residents trapped in their damaged homes not long after a tornado warning siren sounded at 10:30 p.m. Tuesday. There were no reports of serious injuries. Weather service crews were assessing damage in the area Wednesday.
More tornadoes were in the forecast Wednesday for parts of the mid-South and in the Mississippi River Valley, the Storm Prediction Center said.
Hurricane-force winds, intense tornadoes and large hail were possible in Arkansas, Illinois, Tennessee, Missouri, Kentucky, Mississippi, Indiana, Louisiana and Alabama, forecasters said. Little Rock, Arkansas, and Memphis, Tennessee, were among the cities that could see the worst weather Wednesday, the Storm Prediction Center said.
Elsewhere, the North Dakota Capitol, schools, government offices and interstates remained closed Wednesday as a blizzard continued to bear down on the state.
A blizzard warning issued by the National Weather Service remained in effect through Thursday for most of western and central North Dakota where up to 2 feet (60 centimeters) of snow was expected.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wflx.com/2022/04/13/23-injured-texas-storms-more-tornadoes-forecast-us/ | 2022-04-13T21:27:12 | 1 | https://www.wflx.com/2022/04/13/23-injured-texas-storms-more-tornadoes-forecast-us/ |
Amazon adds 5% ‘fuel and inflation surcharge’ to seller fees
(AP) – Amazon is taking a step to offset its rising costs, announcing Wednesday it will add a 5% “fuel and inflation surcharge” to fees it charges third-party sellers who use the e-commerce giant’s fulfillment services.
The Seattle-based company said on its website that the added fees, which take effect April 28, are “subject to change” and will apply to both apparel and non-apparel items.
Amazon didn’t immediately respond to a request for further details on the move. But in a notice sent to sellers Wednesday, the company said its costs had gone up since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic due to increases in hourly wages, the hiring of workers and construction of more warehouses.
It said it had absorbed costs whenever possible, and only increased fees to address permanent costs and to be competitive with other providers. Amazon competitors FedEx and UPS both have fuel surcharges.
“In 2022, we expected a return to normalcy as COVID-19 restrictions around the world eased, but fuel and inflation have presented further challenges,” the company said in the notice. The latest fee hike follows one announced in November and which went into effect in January.
Federal data released Tuesday showed inflation jumped 8.5% in March, its fastest pace in more than 40 years. Gasoline prices have rocketed 48% in the past 12 months.
Amazon’s third-party marketplace, where independent merchants list millions of their products, is a huge part of its business. It has about 2 million sellers, and more than half the goods sold on Amazon.com come from these sellers.
Last year, sellers paid Amazon about $103 billion in fees, which made up about 22% of the company’s revenue. The online retailer said the new fees will apply to products ordered before April 28 but shipped and delivered after that date.
Amazon has long faced accusations of undercutting merchants that sell on its platform by making “knock-offs,” or very similar products, and boosting their presence on the site.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wflx.com/2022/04/13/amazon-adds-5-fuel-inflation-surcharge-seller-fees/ | 2022-04-13T21:27:19 | 1 | https://www.wflx.com/2022/04/13/amazon-adds-5-fuel-inflation-surcharge-seller-fees/ |
Amber Alert issued for south Alabama 2-month-old
Published: Apr. 13, 2022 at 4:40 PM EDT|Updated: 44 minutes ago
DOTHAN, Ala. (WSFA/Gray news) - An Amber Alert has been issued for a south Alabama 2-month-old.
Officials say 2-month-old Messiah Richards was abducted. He was last seen near South Appletree in Dothan wearing a white onesie with blue socks.
Alabama Law Enforcement Agency officials said Messiah is believed to be with MarQuec Banks and Alexis Richards.
The abductors are believed to be traveling in a dark blue Volkswagen SUV with an unknown Alabama tag. Their direction of travel is unknown at this time.
Anyone with any information on their whereabouts or sees them is asked to call 911.
Copyright 2022 WSFA via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.wflx.com/2022/04/13/amber-alert-issued-south-alabama-2-month-old/ | 2022-04-13T21:27:26 | 0 | https://www.wflx.com/2022/04/13/amber-alert-issued-south-alabama-2-month-old/ |
Teen shot near John I. Leonard HS in Greenacres
A teenage boy was taken to a hospital after a shooting Wednesday afternoon near John I. Leonard High School in Greenacres, according to the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office.
The shooting occurred shortly after 3 p.m. in the 4900 block of Tenth Avenue North in a parking lot.
Deputies arrived and located the victim, who was suffering from a gunshot wound to the abdomen.
A doctor and a nurse from a nearby medical center attended to the wounded boy until paramedics arrived.
The teenage victim, whose name has not been released, was transported to a local hospital for treatment.
The school was put on a code yellow lockdown, which was lifted just before 4:30 p.m.
The sheriff's office has not released any information about the motive or gunman.
Anyone with information about this shooting is urged to contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-458-TIPS.
Scripps Only Content 2022 | https://www.wflx.com/2022/04/13/child-shot-near-john-i-leonard-hs-greenacres/ | 2022-04-13T21:27:34 | 1 | https://www.wflx.com/2022/04/13/child-shot-near-john-i-leonard-hs-greenacres/ |
Hurricane conference held in Orlando as season nears
Hurricane season may still be more than a month away, but experts say now is the time to get your family prepared.
First Alert Chief Meteorologist Steve Weagle is attending the National Hurricane Conference in Orlando, which is being held April 11-14 at the Rosen Centre Hotel.
RELATED: Hurricane Guide
The conference website said more than 1,500 attendees from around the country are in attendance, covering all major aspects of hurricane preparedness, response and recovery.
With supply chain problems and inflation, residents are advised to prepare sooner rather than later.
During the pandemic, thousands of people moved to South Florida.
For some people, it may be their first hurricane season.
WPTV spoke to the Palm Beach County Emergency Management Director Mary Blakeney about what residents need to know as storm season approaches.
She breaks preparation down into the following four steps:
- Make a plan
- Build a hurricane kit
- Be informed
- Get involved with your neighbors
At the expo center, attendees will find everything they need to do to prepare for and recover from a storm.
Forts Services based in Coconut Creek can build temporary structures that can be used for multiple purposes.
Their products were used to help victims of Hurricane Ida, which hit New Orleans last year.
Forts Services' products also assisted victims and rescue workers after the Surfside condo collapse last year.
A team of three people can set up one of their structures in about 15 minutes.
Forecasters at Colorado State University announced last week they are predicting 19 storms this hurricane season, two fewer than last year.
Of those storms, nine are expected to become hurricanes, and four of them will likely be major.
Scripps Only Content 2022 | https://www.wflx.com/2022/04/13/hurricane-conference-held-orlando-season-nears/ | 2022-04-13T21:27:40 | 1 | https://www.wflx.com/2022/04/13/hurricane-conference-held-orlando-season-nears/ |
Inflation putting strain on area food banks
As prices continue to rise, many people are having a tough time just putting food on the table.
Inflation is also putting a strain on local food banks at a time when they may be needed the most.
RELATED: Here are the food items that cost more in 2022
Between volunteer and supply chain shortages, it hasn't been easy keeping the food safety net going for everyone in need.
Inflation is now making the situation more challenging.
"More and more people find it hard to just [get by] with one paycheck, go to the store and buy their groceries for an entire week. So, what they're doing is supplementing by coming by the Soup Kitchen," said Marlene Mejia, CEO of The Soup Kitchen.
The Soup Kitchen has been operating in west Boynton Beach for 40 years.
Mejia said they're facing the biggest challenge since coming out of the pandemic.
Most of the items they provide are donated, but they have to purchase some food.
Anyone shopping for groceries knows that inflation is costing more to stock your shelves.
"Last year we used to get three palettes, and now it's reduced just down to one. We still are very fortunate to be able to receive it. But being the largest pantry in Palm Beach County, it puts a big dent in our finances," Mejia said.
"I feel like we're walking into another crisis," said Jamie Kendal, the CEO of the Palm Beach County Food Bank.
Kendal said they too are getting slammed by the rapid increase in the cost of food.
"We have seen a decline in the donated food that we received from some of our retail partners and some of the manufacturers," Kendal said. "That boils down to the supply chain issue they themselves are dealing with. So again, bank levels were feeling that as well."
It is the same circumstances for the Treasure Coast Food Bank, which serves on average 250,000 people per week through their partner agencies.
They are trying to come up with solutions to continue this essential community service.
"We're doing more food drives. We're asking the community to give us more assistance in certain areas," Ron Wise, director of program services at the Treasure Coast Food Bank. "So, that's how we are kind of countering what's going on inflation-wise."
Food is costing more at a time when even more is needed.
It seems like a perfect storm, but all food safety-net agencies are confident they will weather it.
Scripps Only Content 2022 | https://www.wflx.com/2022/04/13/inflation-putting-strain-area-food-banks/ | 2022-04-13T21:27:46 | 1 | https://www.wflx.com/2022/04/13/inflation-putting-strain-area-food-banks/ |
Jupiter couple fights to get evidence thrown out in child abuse case
A Jupiter couple accused of locking their teenage son in a box for hours at a time appeared in court Wednesday with their lawyers, who are trying to get evidence thrown out and a prosecuting attorney removed from the case.
Inside the courtroom, Timothy and Tracy Ferriter sat side-by-side, holding hands as Judge Howard Coates heard from their attorney.
The couple is under arrest for false imprisonment and aggravated child abuse after investigators said they kept their 14-year-old adopted son locked up in a box inside their garage.
While in court Wednesday, the Ferriter's lawyer, Nellie King, tried to get potential evidence thrown out.
"It’s the fact that they unlawfully obtained it through one of the witnesses, who is a kid," King said.
The evidence in question was a minute-long video of the parents' search history. King claims her clients email account was hacked by at least one of their own children, who then sent the video to officials with the Florida Department of Children and Families and a lawyer with the Foster Children's/ Legal Aide Project.
"If you watch the video, they scroll through the same searches that seem to be of importance," King said. "For the person who's obtaining this over and over again and then highlighting them."
The defense also asked to have that Foster Children's Project lawyer removed from the case, an issue that Judge Coates said should be taken up in dependency court instead of criminal court.
"You're asking to suppress something for the state to use that they don’t have, that they have never seen, takes me back to what I said at the beginning. This seems premature to me," Coates said.
In the end, Coates denied the defense's motions, citing the defense was unable to prove the children were told to hack their parents' computers.
"At this stage, you haven't been able to tie that link or connect the dots," Coates said.
Both the state and defense are due back in court on April 27.
Scripps Only Content 2022 | https://www.wflx.com/2022/04/13/jupiter-couple-fights-get-evidence-thrown-out-child-abuse-case/ | 2022-04-13T21:27:52 | 1 | https://www.wflx.com/2022/04/13/jupiter-couple-fights-get-evidence-thrown-out-child-abuse-case/ |
Man arrested after shooting dog in face, police say
JUPITER, Fla. (Gray News) – Police in Florida arrested a man who they say shot and injured a dog, leaving the animal for dead.
The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office said Boots the dog was shot in the face at Kennedy Estates Park in Jupiter on Friday. He suffered a fractured lower jaw, causing several of his teeth to be knocked out.
Boots was taken to an emergency vet where he is currently recovering.
The investigation led police to Benjamine Brown, who they say surrendered Wednesday without incident.
Brown was arrested and booked into Palm Beach County Jail.
Police said Boots will be adopted once he is fully healed.
Anyone else with information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-458-TIPS.
Copyright 2022 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.wflx.com/2022/04/13/man-arrested-after-shooting-dog-face-police-say/ | 2022-04-13T21:28:00 | 0 | https://www.wflx.com/2022/04/13/man-arrested-after-shooting-dog-face-police-say/ |
Police: No charges for man who killed teen in self-defense during fight
LAS VEGAS (KVVU/Gray News) - Las Vegas police are investigating a fight between a teen and a man that led to a deadly shooting earlier this week.
FOX5 reports officers with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department said the shooting happened in a neighborhood in the west part of town early Monday morning.
A police department spokesperson said a man was walking in the area when he encountered the teen. The two then got into a dispute, and the 16-year-old pointed a gun and threatened the man.
According to police, the man was lawfully armed and shot the teen out of self-defense.
The Clark County Coroner’s Office later identified the teen as Christian Murphy, of Las Vegas.
Police said no criminal charges were filed against the man involved in the incident and he was not arrested. The case will be submitted to the Clark County District Attorney’s office for review.
The original altercation is part of an ongoing investigation, according to police.
Copyright 2022 KVVU via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.wflx.com/2022/04/13/police-no-charges-man-who-killed-teen-self-defense-during-fight/ | 2022-04-13T21:28:06 | 0 | https://www.wflx.com/2022/04/13/police-no-charges-man-who-killed-teen-self-defense-during-fight/ |
School board discusses 'Parental Rights In Education' law
For the first time since its passage, the Palm Beach County School Board on Wednesday discussed the controversial "Parental Rights In Education" law, dubbed by critics the "Don't Say Gay" bill.
Top school district officials presented specific details of the newly passed law to school board members.
SPECIAL COVERAGE: Education
The bill, which was signed into law by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on March 28 and will go into effect on July 1, bans classroom instruction on "sexual orientation or gender identity" in kindergarten through third grade, or "in a manner that is not age appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students in accordance with state standards."
In addition, parents and guardians must be notified of all health services offered at their child's school and can decline to receive those services if they wish.
Schools must also provide health screening forms to parents and get their permission before the screening is given to a student.
"This is a statute that codifies many of the practices that were already embedded in the district," said Lisa Carmona, the School District of Palm Beach County's senior attorney for academics.
RELATED: Truth test regarding sexual orientation, gender identity in Florida schools
DeSantis and supporters said the "Parental Rights In Education" law will give parents more control and authority over how their children learn about sexuality and gender identity.
Critics, however, feel the measure is discriminatory and threatens the acceptance and inclusion of LGBTQ students in public schools.
Back in February — before the bill was passed by the Florida Legislature — the Palm Beach County School Board voted to send a letter to Florida lawmakers, officially denouncing the measure and calling it "worrisome."
In the letter, Superintendent Mike Burke and all seven school board members said they "stand firmly against any legislation that would compromise acceptance and respect for our students based on race, religion, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other demographic targeted for discriminatory exclusion."
The group added in the letter that "LGBTQ matters are conversations for older students" and are not discussed in primary grades — meaning elementary school — within the School District of Palm Beach County.
RELATED: South Florida LGBTQ+ community concerned with passage of 'Parental Rights In Education' bill
Following the passage of the "Parental Rights In Education" law last month, the School District of Palm Beach County said it will follow the direction of the Florida Department of Education and is now conducting a curriculum review and will remove any books or materials that don't align with the legislation.
The school district confirmed at least two children's books have been removed so far for district review.
The books "I Am Jazz" and "Call Me Max" discuss transgender themes and are no longer accessible to students.
The district said schools will be notified once the review process is complete.
According to Palm Beach County School Board documents, discussions on sexual orientation or gender identity in grades 4 through 12 "will be age appropriate and developmentally appropriate."
Justin Katz, the president of the Palm Beach County Classroom Teachers' Association, defended teachers on Wednesday, saying local educators are not violating state standards and teaching inappropriate lessons to children.
"There are people in society who think things are happening that are not," Katz said. "Teachers are going to teach. They're going to abide by the standards. They are not going to do things that people think they're doing to brainwash or manipulate kids."
Wednesday's discussion was the first step as the School District of Palm Beach County works to create its own policy to align with the "Parental Rights In Education" law. The school district's policy is scheduled to be officially adopted on June 15.
READ PROPOSED POLICY:
Scripps Only Content 2022 | https://www.wflx.com/2022/04/13/school-board-discusses-parental-rights-education-law/ | 2022-04-13T21:28:12 | 1 | https://www.wflx.com/2022/04/13/school-board-discusses-parental-rights-education-law/ |
US agencies: Industrial control system malware discovered
BOSTON (AP) — Multiple U.S. government agencies issued a joint alert Wednesday warning of the discovery of malicious cyber tools created by unnamed advanced threat actors that they said were capable of gaining “full system access” to multiple industrial control systems.
The public alert from the Energy and Homeland Security Departments, the FBI and National Security Agency did not name the actors or offer details on the find.
But the CEO of one of the cybersecurity companies involved in the effort, Robert M. Lee of Dragos, says it has high confidence the malware was developed by a state actor and was configured to initially target liquified natural gas and electric power sites in North America.
Lee would not name the state actor, referring questions to the U.S. government. Nor would he explain how the malware was discovered, other than to say it was caught “before an attack was attempted.”
“We’re actually one step ahead of the adversary. None of us want them to understand where they screwed up,” said Lee. “Big win.”
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, which published the alert, did not immediately respond to a request for details on the discovery or threat actor.
The U.S. government has warned critical infrastructure industries to gird for possible cyberattacks from Russia as retaliation for severe economic sanctions imposed on Moscow in response to its Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine.
Lee said the malware was “designed to be a framework to go after lots of different types of industries and be leveraged multiple times. Based on the configuration of it, the initial targets would be LNG and electric in North America.”
He said the malware, dubbed Pipedream, is only the seventh such malicious software to be identified that is designed to attack industrial control systems.
Lee said Dragos, which specializes in industrial control system protection, identified and analyzed its capability in early 2022 as part of its normal business research and in collaboration with partners.
He would offer no more specifics. The U.S. government alert offers thanks to Dragos, Mandiant, Microsoft, Palo Alto Networks and Schneider Electric for their contributions.
Schneider Electric is one of the manufacturers listed in the alert whose equipment is targeted by the malware. Omron is another.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wflx.com/2022/04/13/us-agencies-industrial-control-system-malware-discovered/ | 2022-04-13T21:28:18 | 0 | https://www.wflx.com/2022/04/13/us-agencies-industrial-control-system-malware-discovered/ |
Michigan police release video showing officer knelt on Black man, fatally shot him
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) — A Black man face-down on the ground was fatally shot in the back of the head by a Michigan police officer, the violent climax of a traffic stop, foot chase and fight over a stun gun, according to videos of the April 4 incident released Wednesday.
Patrick Lyoya, 26, was shot outside a house in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The white officer repeatedly demanded that Lyoya “let go” of his Taser. At one point, the officer demanded, “drop the Taser!”
Police Chief Eric Winstrom released four videos, including critical footage of the shooting recorded by a passenger in Lyoya’s car on that rainy morning.
“I view it as a tragedy. ... It was a progression of sadness for me,” said Winstrom, a former high-ranking Chicago police commander who became Grand Rapids chief in March.
Video shows Lyoya running from the scene after an officer stopped him for driving with a license plate that didn’t belong to the vehicle. They struggled on the front lawn of a few homes while Lyoya’s passenger got out and watched.
In the final moments, the officer was on top of Lyoya, kneeling on his back at times to try to subdue him.
“From my view of the video, Taser was deployed twice. Taser did not make contact,” Winstrom told reporters. “And Mr. Lyoya was shot in the head. However, that’s the only information that I have.”
State police are investigating the shooting. Kent County’s chief medical examiner, Dr. Stephen Cohle, said he completed the autopsy on the day of Lyoya’s death, but that toxicology tests haven’t been completed.
The traffic stop was tense from the start. Video shows Lyoya, a native of the Democratic Republic of Congo, getting out of the car before the officer approached. He ordered Lyoya to get back in the vehicle but the man declined.
The officer asked him if he spoke English and demanded his driver’s license. The foot chase began soon after, video shows.
Winstrom didn’t identify the officer, a seven-year veteran who is on paid leave during the investigation.
“Me being from Chicago for the last 20 years, I’ve handled many police shootings myself, so I do have a lot of experience in this,” the chief said. “I was hoping to never have to utilize that experience here.”
Video was collected from Lyoya’s passenger, the officer’s body-worn camera, the officer’s patrol car and a doorbell camera.
City Manager Mark Washington warned that the videos would lead to “expressions of shock, of anger and of pain.” Some downtown businesses boarded up their storefronts, and concrete barricades surrounded police headquarters.
More than 100 people marched to Grand Rapids City Hall before a City Commission meeting Tuesday night, chanting “Black lives matter” and “No justice, no peace.”
Winstrom last week said he met Lyoya’s father, Peter Lyoya, and that they both cried.
“I get it as a father. ... It’s just heart-wrenching,” the chief told WOOD-TV.
As in many U.S. cities, Grand Rapids police have been occasionally criticized over the use of force, particularly against Black people, who make up 18% of the population.
In November, the Michigan Supreme Court heard arguments in a lawsuit over the practice of photographing and fingerprinting people who were never charged with a crime. Grand Rapids said the policy changed in 2015.
A downtown street has been designated Breonna Taylor Way, named for the Black woman and Grand Rapids native who was killed by police in Louisville, Kentucky, during a botched drug raid in 2020.
___
White reported from Detroit. AP reporters Corey Williams in West Bloomfield, Michigan; David Eggert in Lansing, Michigan; and John Flesher in Traverse City, Michigan, contributed to this story.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wflx.com/2022/04/13/video-michigan-officer-knelt-black-man-fatally-shot-him/ | 2022-04-13T21:28:24 | 0 | https://www.wflx.com/2022/04/13/video-michigan-officer-knelt-black-man-fatally-shot-him/ |
‘You don’t want this feeling’: 3-year-old killed by stray bullet while lying in bed
BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB/Gray News) - Devin Page Jr. had just started preschool, loved playing with his siblings and loved his family.
“He was a great, a very smart, intelligent 3-year-old. He was always happy, you know he loved the dance, he loves school, he loves green, he loves trucks, he loves everything,” his mother, Tye Toliver, told WAFB.
On Tuesday night, bullets flew through his window and killed him in his sleep.
“Until it happens to you, until the gun is shot at your house, you know, until the bullets come through your window, you don’t get involved. You have nothing to say,” his grandmother, Cathy Toliver, said. “But you don’t want this feeling that we have right now. You don’t want the feeling of knowing that you’ll never see your grandbaby or your son again. You don’t want that feeling.”
The family said they tried to leave their house after hearing gunshots nearby several nights in a row.
“After the first couple of weeks I was trying to move out because of the neighbors because of the drama, it was always fighting. they were shooting at each other with guns,” Tye Toliver said.
But the mother was told she would have to pay thousands to move.
“I try to stick it out, now that I stick it out, this is the outcome of what happened - my son got killed,” Tye Toliver said.
Neighbors said this street was not always like this.
“When I hear these shootings, I roll over on the floor and get down on the floor, scared to death,” neighbor Hattie Scales said.
The people who live on the street want the violence to stop.
“I want something to be done. I want the killers firsthand, I want justice for my son,” Tye Toliver said.
“It’s the only way we’re going to find strength right now is by the grace of God and with family and friends. you’ve got to keep hope alive and we are going to continue to fight for our grandson,” Cathy Toliver said.
A memorial balloon release will be held at Sherwood Park on North Sherwood Forest Drive Saturday, April 16 at 3 p.m.
The family has also set up a GoFundMe to cover his funeral expenses. You can donate to it by clicking here.
Copyright 2022 WAFB via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.wflx.com/2022/04/13/you-dont-want-this-feeling-3-year-old-killed-by-stray-bullet-while-lying-bed/ | 2022-04-13T21:28:30 | 0 | https://www.wflx.com/2022/04/13/you-dont-want-this-feeling-3-year-old-killed-by-stray-bullet-while-lying-bed/ |
23 injured in Texas storms; more tornadoes forecast in US
SALADO, Texas (AP) — Nearly two dozen people were injured when tornadoes swept through central Texas as part of a storm system that was expected to spawn more twisters and damaging winds Wednesday.
The storms caused widespread damage Tuesday in Salado, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) north of Austin. Bell County Judge David Blackburn said 23 people were injured, one of them critically. Twelve of the injured were taken to hospitals, Blackburn said.
“There’s not much left,” said Blackburn, the county’s top elected official. “Large trees are uprooted and overturned and stripped. Buildings really reduced to rubble. ... Power lines, power poles, are scattered all over the place. It’s pretty devastating.”
Photos on social media showed grapefruit-size hail associated with that storm.
Tornadoes were also spotted Tuesday in Iowa, but there were no reports of serious injuries. In Lincoln, Nebraska, powerful wind gusts knocked down tree limbs and caused some roof damage. A possible tornado also caused damage in the small southern Minnesota town of Taopi near the state’s border with Iowa.
Mower County Sheriff Steve Sandvik said dispatchers began getting calls from residents trapped in their damaged homes not long after a tornado warning siren sounded at 10:30 p.m. Tuesday. There were no reports of serious injuries. Weather service crews were assessing damage in the area Wednesday.
More tornadoes were in the forecast Wednesday for parts of the mid-South and in the Mississippi River Valley, the Storm Prediction Center said.
Hurricane-force winds, intense tornadoes and large hail were possible in Arkansas, Illinois, Tennessee, Missouri, Kentucky, Mississippi, Indiana, Louisiana and Alabama, forecasters said. Little Rock, Arkansas, and Memphis, Tennessee, were among the cities that could see the worst weather Wednesday, the Storm Prediction Center said.
Elsewhere, the North Dakota Capitol, schools, government offices and interstates remained closed Wednesday as a blizzard continued to bear down on the state.
A blizzard warning issued by the National Weather Service remained in effect through Thursday for most of western and central North Dakota where up to 2 feet (60 centimeters) of snow was expected.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wnem.com/2022/04/13/23-injured-texas-storms-more-tornadoes-forecast-us/ | 2022-04-13T21:29:07 | 0 | https://www.wnem.com/2022/04/13/23-injured-texas-storms-more-tornadoes-forecast-us/ |
Amazon adds 5% ‘fuel and inflation surcharge’ to seller fees
(AP) – Amazon is taking a step to offset its rising costs, announcing Wednesday it will add a 5% “fuel and inflation surcharge” to fees it charges third-party sellers who use the e-commerce giant’s fulfillment services.
The Seattle-based company said on its website that the added fees, which take effect April 28, are “subject to change” and will apply to both apparel and non-apparel items.
Amazon didn’t immediately respond to a request for further details on the move. But in a notice sent to sellers Wednesday, the company said its costs had gone up since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic due to increases in hourly wages, the hiring of workers and construction of more warehouses.
It said it had absorbed costs whenever possible, and only increased fees to address permanent costs and to be competitive with other providers. Amazon competitors FedEx and UPS both have fuel surcharges.
“In 2022, we expected a return to normalcy as COVID-19 restrictions around the world eased, but fuel and inflation have presented further challenges,” the company said in the notice. The latest fee hike follows one announced in November and which went into effect in January.
Federal data released Tuesday showed inflation jumped 8.5% in March, its fastest pace in more than 40 years. Gasoline prices have rocketed 48% in the past 12 months.
Amazon’s third-party marketplace, where independent merchants list millions of their products, is a huge part of its business. It has about 2 million sellers, and more than half the goods sold on Amazon.com come from these sellers.
Last year, sellers paid Amazon about $103 billion in fees, which made up about 22% of the company’s revenue. The online retailer said the new fees will apply to products ordered before April 28 but shipped and delivered after that date.
Amazon has long faced accusations of undercutting merchants that sell on its platform by making “knock-offs,” or very similar products, and boosting their presence on the site.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wnem.com/2022/04/13/amazon-adds-5-fuel-inflation-surcharge-seller-fees/ | 2022-04-13T21:29:17 | 1 | https://www.wnem.com/2022/04/13/amazon-adds-5-fuel-inflation-surcharge-seller-fees/ |
Amber Alert issued for south Alabama 2-month-old
Published: Apr. 13, 2022 at 4:40 PM EDT|Updated: 46 minutes ago
DOTHAN, Ala. (WSFA/Gray news) - An Amber Alert has been issued for a south Alabama 2-month-old.
Officials say 2-month-old Messiah Richards was abducted. He was last seen near South Appletree in Dothan wearing a white onesie with blue socks.
Alabama Law Enforcement Agency officials said Messiah is believed to be with MarQuec Banks and Alexis Richards.
The abductors are believed to be traveling in a dark blue Volkswagen SUV with an unknown Alabama tag. Their direction of travel is unknown at this time.
Anyone with any information on their whereabouts or sees them is asked to call 911.
Copyright 2022 WSFA via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.wnem.com/2022/04/13/amber-alert-issued-south-alabama-2-month-old/ | 2022-04-13T21:29:19 | 0 | https://www.wnem.com/2022/04/13/amber-alert-issued-south-alabama-2-month-old/ |
CAUGHT ON CAMERA: Man tosses Molotov cocktails at Florida home, police say
FORT PIERCE, Fla. (CNN) - A man was caught on camera throwing Molotov cocktails at a house, according to police.
It happened on Sunday in Fort Pierce, Florida.
In the video, a man is seen running up to the window of a house and throwing something inside. Flames were then seen starting to shoot out of the window.
Police reported the object was a Molotov cocktail.
The man is then seen running out of frame and another Molotov cocktail appears to be tossed over the roof, before rolling and landing at the side of the house.
Family of the homeowner said there were three people inside when all of this happened and fortunately, they are all doing OK.
Police, however, are still searching for the man in the video.
Copyright 2022 CNN Newsource. All rights reserved. | https://www.wnem.com/2022/04/13/caught-camera-man-tosses-molotov-cocktails-florida-home-police-say/ | 2022-04-13T21:29:27 | 0 | https://www.wnem.com/2022/04/13/caught-camera-man-tosses-molotov-cocktails-florida-home-police-say/ |
Man arrested after shooting dog in face, police say
JUPITER, Fla. (Gray News) – Police in Florida arrested a man who they say shot and injured a dog, leaving the animal for dead.
The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office said Boots the dog was shot in the face at Kennedy Estates Park in Jupiter on Friday. He suffered a fractured lower jaw, causing several of his teeth to be knocked out.
Boots was taken to an emergency vet where he is currently recovering.
The investigation led police to Benjamine Brown, who they say surrendered Wednesday without incident.
Brown was arrested and booked into Palm Beach County Jail.
Police said Boots will be adopted once he is fully healed.
Anyone else with information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-458-TIPS.
Copyright 2022 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.wnem.com/2022/04/13/man-arrested-after-shooting-dog-face-police-say/ | 2022-04-13T21:29:33 | 1 | https://www.wnem.com/2022/04/13/man-arrested-after-shooting-dog-face-police-say/ |
Michigan students excited to be back for in-person robotics state championships
SAGINAW, Mich. (WNEM) - A big mid-Michigan tournament is back in person this year.
The ‘FIRST in Michigan’ High School Robotics State Championships is returning to Saginaw Valley State University and the teams have arrived.
There are 160 total teams from all over Michigan, including 14 from the mid-Michigan region.
“This is a terrific event for high school students to be able to get going on those stem careers that we know are so important to the future talent needs of the state of Michigan, and it’s wonderful for us at SVSU to serve as the host of this competition,” said SVSU spokesperson JJ Boehm.
160 teams are descending on the campus including Lake Orion High School.
“We are one of the top 160 teams in the state -- that is pretty insane, and just something that I’m very very proud of,” said Lake Orion senior Jae Young.
Young is part of team 302, the Dragons.
The last time she was here was 2019, when SVSU last hosted an in-person championship.
This will be the school’s fourth time hosting, but the previous two were virtual.
“Well, the last time I was here I was a freshman, and that experience was made so much better by being able to be around people who were there and encouraging me and wanting me to participate and just getting to be here for the thrill of it,” Young said.
Wednesday was move in day for the teams. The high school students unpacked trailers full of equipment and tech and set it up for Thursday’s start of competition.
The university expects at least 10,000 students and spectators each day of the tournament.
“The Great Lakes Bay Convention and Visitors Bureau estimates that the economic impact from first robotics at SVSU to the region is at least $1 million. And those are businesses that were especially hard hit during the COVID pandemic,” Boehm said.
This year’s theme is “Rapid React.”
Team’s robots compete to score ‘cargo’ balls into upper and lower baskets and move around the rungs of their hanger.
Copyright 2022 WNEM. All rights reserved. | https://www.wnem.com/2022/04/13/michigan-students-excited-be-back-in-person-robotics-state-championships/ | 2022-04-13T21:29:43 | 0 | https://www.wnem.com/2022/04/13/michigan-students-excited-be-back-in-person-robotics-state-championships/ |
Mid-Michigan Camping World talks how gas prices have affected sales
BIRCH RUN, Mich. (WNEM) - Warmer spring weather has residents thinking ahead to summer and the trips they have planned.
With gas prices fluctuating around the $4, what kind of effect will it have on summer road travel?
Sean Robb is the general manager at Camping World in Birch Run.
“Gas prices, they fluctuate all the time, we’ve been through this before. And really RVing is still the most affordable way to travel,” Robb said.
Robb said higher gas prices aren’t having an impact on sales for RV’s, travel trailers, and fifth wheels.
“We got over 200 locations. We’re across the United States. So, we know the markets all across the country, and they’re all doing well,” Robb said.
He said many of his customers usually go to a single destination when they take a trip.
“You’re going to go to one area and then you’re there. You know you’re with your family for several days, so you’re actually using less gas mileage than driving around town,” Robb said.
Laura Ornelas and her husband Andrew just bought a new RV. They said gas prices did not factor into their decision.
“We just traded in a trailer for the Class-C RV. Gas prices weren’t part of the equation,” Ornelas said.
Ornelas is looking forward to a fun summer regardless of the price at the pump.
“We’re mostly staying in Michigan this year at different campgrounds in Michigan because there are so many. So, we don’t have to go too far,” Ornelas said.
As for Robb, he said 2021 was a strong year and 2022 is shaping up to be even better.
“We sell fun. That’s what we do. We sell fun. And people always want to have fun,” Robb said.
The national average price of gas continues to decrease as countries plan more emergency oil reserve releases. The current average in the United States is $4.08.
That is only slightly higher than the state average of $3.91.
The average price of gas in Saginaw County is $3.91. Gas in Bay County sits around $3.81, and Midland County is the lowest at $3.63.
Copyright 2022 WNEM. All rights reserved. | https://www.wnem.com/2022/04/13/mid-michigan-camping-world-talks-how-gas-prices-have-affected-sales/ | 2022-04-13T21:29:49 | 0 | https://www.wnem.com/2022/04/13/mid-michigan-camping-world-talks-how-gas-prices-have-affected-sales/ |
Police: No charges for man who killed teen in self-defense during fight
LAS VEGAS (KVVU/Gray News) - Las Vegas police are investigating a fight between a teen and a man that led to a deadly shooting earlier this week.
FOX5 reports officers with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department said the shooting happened in a neighborhood in the west part of town early Monday morning.
A police department spokesperson said a man was walking in the area when he encountered the teen. The two then got into a dispute, and the 16-year-old pointed a gun and threatened the man.
According to police, the man was lawfully armed and shot the teen out of self-defense.
The Clark County Coroner’s Office later identified the teen as Christian Murphy, of Las Vegas.
Police said no criminal charges were filed against the man involved in the incident and he was not arrested. The case will be submitted to the Clark County District Attorney’s office for review.
The original altercation is part of an ongoing investigation, according to police.
Copyright 2022 KVVU via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.wnem.com/2022/04/13/police-no-charges-man-who-killed-teen-self-defense-during-fight/ | 2022-04-13T21:29:55 | 0 | https://www.wnem.com/2022/04/13/police-no-charges-man-who-killed-teen-self-defense-during-fight/ |
US agencies: Industrial control system malware discovered
BOSTON (AP) — Multiple U.S. government agencies issued a joint alert Wednesday warning of the discovery of malicious cyber tools created by unnamed advanced threat actors that they said were capable of gaining “full system access” to multiple industrial control systems.
The public alert from the Energy and Homeland Security Departments, the FBI and National Security Agency did not name the actors or offer details on the find.
But the CEO of one of the cybersecurity companies involved in the effort, Robert M. Lee of Dragos, says it has high confidence the malware was developed by a state actor and was configured to initially target liquified natural gas and electric power sites in North America.
Lee would not name the state actor, referring questions to the U.S. government. Nor would he explain how the malware was discovered, other than to say it was caught “before an attack was attempted.”
“We’re actually one step ahead of the adversary. None of us want them to understand where they screwed up,” said Lee. “Big win.”
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, which published the alert, did not immediately respond to a request for details on the discovery or threat actor.
The U.S. government has warned critical infrastructure industries to gird for possible cyberattacks from Russia as retaliation for severe economic sanctions imposed on Moscow in response to its Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine.
Lee said the malware was “designed to be a framework to go after lots of different types of industries and be leveraged multiple times. Based on the configuration of it, the initial targets would be LNG and electric in North America.”
He said the malware, dubbed Pipedream, is only the seventh such malicious software to be identified that is designed to attack industrial control systems.
Lee said Dragos, which specializes in industrial control system protection, identified and analyzed its capability in early 2022 as part of its normal business research and in collaboration with partners.
He would offer no more specifics. The U.S. government alert offers thanks to Dragos, Mandiant, Microsoft, Palo Alto Networks and Schneider Electric for their contributions.
Schneider Electric is one of the manufacturers listed in the alert whose equipment is targeted by the malware. Omron is another.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wnem.com/2022/04/13/us-agencies-industrial-control-system-malware-discovered/ | 2022-04-13T21:30:01 | 0 | https://www.wnem.com/2022/04/13/us-agencies-industrial-control-system-malware-discovered/ |
Michigan police release video showing officer knelt on Black man, fatally shot him
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) — A Black man face-down on the ground was fatally shot in the back of the head by a Michigan police officer, the violent climax of a traffic stop, foot chase and fight over a stun gun, according to videos of the April 4 incident released Wednesday.
Patrick Lyoya, 26, was shot outside a house in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The white officer repeatedly demanded that Lyoya “let go” of his Taser. At one point, the officer demanded, “drop the Taser!”
Police Chief Eric Winstrom released four videos, including critical footage of the shooting recorded by a passenger in Lyoya’s car on that rainy morning.
“I view it as a tragedy. ... It was a progression of sadness for me,” said Winstrom, a former high-ranking Chicago police commander who became Grand Rapids chief in March.
Video shows Lyoya running from the scene after an officer stopped him for driving with a license plate that didn’t belong to the vehicle. They struggled on the front lawn of a few homes while Lyoya’s passenger got out and watched.
In the final moments, the officer was on top of Lyoya, kneeling on his back at times to try to subdue him.
“From my view of the video, Taser was deployed twice. Taser did not make contact,” Winstrom told reporters. “And Mr. Lyoya was shot in the head. However, that’s the only information that I have.”
State police are investigating the shooting. Kent County’s chief medical examiner, Dr. Stephen Cohle, said he completed the autopsy on the day of Lyoya’s death, but that toxicology tests haven’t been completed.
The traffic stop was tense from the start. Video shows Lyoya, a native of the Democratic Republic of Congo, getting out of the car before the officer approached. He ordered Lyoya to get back in the vehicle but the man declined.
The officer asked him if he spoke English and demanded his driver’s license. The foot chase began soon after, video shows.
Winstrom didn’t identify the officer, a seven-year veteran who is on paid leave during the investigation.
“Me being from Chicago for the last 20 years, I’ve handled many police shootings myself, so I do have a lot of experience in this,” the chief said. “I was hoping to never have to utilize that experience here.”
Video was collected from Lyoya’s passenger, the officer’s body-worn camera, the officer’s patrol car and a doorbell camera.
City Manager Mark Washington warned that the videos would lead to “expressions of shock, of anger and of pain.” Some downtown businesses boarded up their storefronts, and concrete barricades surrounded police headquarters.
More than 100 people marched to Grand Rapids City Hall before a City Commission meeting Tuesday night, chanting “Black lives matter” and “No justice, no peace.”
Winstrom last week said he met Lyoya’s father, Peter Lyoya, and that they both cried.
“I get it as a father. ... It’s just heart-wrenching,” the chief told WOOD-TV.
As in many U.S. cities, Grand Rapids police have been occasionally criticized over the use of force, particularly against Black people, who make up 18% of the population.
In November, the Michigan Supreme Court heard arguments in a lawsuit over the practice of photographing and fingerprinting people who were never charged with a crime. Grand Rapids said the policy changed in 2015.
A downtown street has been designated Breonna Taylor Way, named for the Black woman and Grand Rapids native who was killed by police in Louisville, Kentucky, during a botched drug raid in 2020.
___
White reported from Detroit. AP reporters Corey Williams in West Bloomfield, Michigan; David Eggert in Lansing, Michigan; and John Flesher in Traverse City, Michigan, contributed to this story.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wnem.com/2022/04/13/video-michigan-officer-knelt-black-man-fatally-shot-him/ | 2022-04-13T21:30:08 | 0 | https://www.wnem.com/2022/04/13/video-michigan-officer-knelt-black-man-fatally-shot-him/ |
‘You don’t want this feeling’: 3-year-old killed by stray bullet while lying in bed
BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB/Gray News) - Devin Page Jr. had just started preschool, loved playing with his siblings and loved his family.
“He was a great, a very smart, intelligent 3-year-old. He was always happy, you know he loved the dance, he loves school, he loves green, he loves trucks, he loves everything,” his mother, Tye Toliver, told WAFB.
On Tuesday night, bullets flew through his window and killed him in his sleep.
“Until it happens to you, until the gun is shot at your house, you know, until the bullets come through your window, you don’t get involved. You have nothing to say,” his grandmother, Cathy Toliver, said. “But you don’t want this feeling that we have right now. You don’t want the feeling of knowing that you’ll never see your grandbaby or your son again. You don’t want that feeling.”
The family said they tried to leave their house after hearing gunshots nearby several nights in a row.
“After the first couple of weeks I was trying to move out because of the neighbors because of the drama, it was always fighting. they were shooting at each other with guns,” Tye Toliver said.
But the mother was told she would have to pay thousands to move.
“I try to stick it out, now that I stick it out, this is the outcome of what happened - my son got killed,” Tye Toliver said.
Neighbors said this street was not always like this.
“When I hear these shootings, I roll over on the floor and get down on the floor, scared to death,” neighbor Hattie Scales said.
The people who live on the street want the violence to stop.
“I want something to be done. I want the killers firsthand, I want justice for my son,” Tye Toliver said.
“It’s the only way we’re going to find strength right now is by the grace of God and with family and friends. you’ve got to keep hope alive and we are going to continue to fight for our grandson,” Cathy Toliver said.
A memorial balloon release will be held at Sherwood Park on North Sherwood Forest Drive Saturday, April 16 at 3 p.m.
The family has also set up a GoFundMe to cover his funeral expenses. You can donate to it by clicking here.
Copyright 2022 WAFB via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.wnem.com/2022/04/13/you-dont-want-this-feeling-3-year-old-killed-by-stray-bullet-while-lying-bed/ | 2022-04-13T21:30:14 | 0 | https://www.wnem.com/2022/04/13/you-dont-want-this-feeling-3-year-old-killed-by-stray-bullet-while-lying-bed/ |
A 31-year-old man walked into a Clermont-area apartment “uninvited” and was shot to death by a resident in what Lake County Sheriff’s deputies believe could be a Stand Your Ground incident, a spokesman said Wednesday.
The shooting took place Tuesday in the Cagan Crossings apartment complex near Clermont.
Lt. Fred Jones with the Lake County Sheriff’s Office said authorities responded to several 911 calls regarding gunshots being fired around noon. When officers arrived, they found Dejuan McWilliams dead with multiple wounds inside 36-year-old Christopher Deloatch’s third-floor apartment.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, McWilliams and Deloatch knew each other. The motive for the killing is not yet clear, but according to police reports, there was a confrontation between the men leading up to the shooting.
No arrests have been made at this time. Jones told the Orlando Sentinel Tuesday there’s a possibility the shooting could be justified as self-defense under Florida’s Stand Your Ground law, which gives victims the right to defend themselves if they feel a reasonable threat of death or bodily injury.
The investigation is ongoing. | https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/breaking-news/os-ne-cagan-crossings-shooting-men-identified-20220413-pz23jhdysnet3c35m66qeruige-story.html | 2022-04-13T21:31:48 | 1 | https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/breaking-news/os-ne-cagan-crossings-shooting-men-identified-20220413-pz23jhdysnet3c35m66qeruige-story.html |
Zack Tahhan said James was casually walking down the street among unsuspecting New Yorkers in the East Village Wednesday.
"I see him, he have bag and he was walking on the sidewalk, he put the bag in the street," Tahhan said. "People was walking behind him. I told them, 'Guys, keep far from him. Please, this guy is going to do something.' These people think that I am crazy. Nobody tries to believe me. I told them, 'Guys, trust me, this is the guy.' And I see the police walking from over there. I told the police, 'This is the guy, he did the problem in Brooklyn, this guy, catch him, guys, catch him.' And they catch him, thank God, we catch him."
It's the eyes and instincts of New Yorkers, ingrained with "If you see something, say something," that helped get the fugitive into custody.
Tahhan followed his gut and flagged down police officers who were patrolling in the area of St. Marks Place and First Avenue.
Cell phone video shows James, wearing a blue shirt and a black baseball cap, calmly being walked to the squad car in handcuffs. Eyewitnesses say there was no incident as officers initially approached.
RELATED | Frank R. James: What we know about Brooklyn subway shooting suspect
There had been a citywide manhunt since Tuesday morning after police say James opened fire into a crowded subway in Sunset Park during the height of rush hour.
Since then, police had received several tips on sightings of the 62-year-old, but it was Wednesday afternoon when Tahhan, who was working on surveillance video at a business in the area, spotted him.
Tahhan said the shooting in the subway had terrified him over the past day, and he knew in an instant he was looking at the man for whom police were searching.
"I cannot breathe, I cannot sleep too," he said. "I want to try to work, I cannot because this guy, he put me in trouble when he...maybe (the victims) have kids, maybe have family."
James was taken into custody without incident and will face federal charges that could land him in prison for the rest of his life.
RELATED | Brooklyn subway shooting heightens fears about transit safety | https://abc11.com/nyc-subway-shooting-suspect-frank-james-zack-tahhan/11745309/ | 2022-04-13T21:33:17 | 1 | https://abc11.com/nyc-subway-shooting-suspect-frank-james-zack-tahhan/11745309/ |
RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- Amid a national shortage of auto technicians, Wake Tech Community College opened the doors to a new, state-of-the-art facility designed to pump more professionals into the industry.
Gov. Roy Cooper and other elected officials were on hand Wednesday for the ribbon cutting ceremony of the Hendrick Center for Automotive Excellence, located on Wake Tech's Scott Northern Wake Campus.
The $42 million facility will allow the college to triple the number of students in its automotive systems technology program and add a new degree program in collision repair.
"The thing that keeps me up at night is worrying about whether we're going to have the people to fill all these good paying jobs," Cooper said. "So you know that after being here today, at least for one night I'm going to sleep like a baby."
Hendrick Automotive Group's $1 million endowment will go to support scholarships, faculty professional development, internships, equipment and technology.
"The training here is nothing like you've ever seen in the past," said Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Automotive Group. "This is one of the finest facilities in the United States."
There were nearly 1,000 job openings for automotive service technicians and auto body repairers in Wake County over the last year; Hendrick said he has been looking to fill 350 positions at his dealerships across 13 states.
"It's a great career," he said. "I started on cars in the service station, and I love the cars and that's what you see with these young people."
Hendrick said the future of the automotive industry will include a little bit of everything from electric vehicles to hybrid, so technicians need to be well-versed in their field.
"I've got students here that go to school and they come to work, work a couple of days and come back to school," said Hendrick. "When they finish they are ready to go so they step right in and they're ready to work right away."
The facility includes 16,500 square feet for an automotive systems lab and a 15,000 square-foot collision repair lab.
Other industry partners include Capital Automotive, Advance Auto Parts, and Axalta Coating Systems.
Wake Tech cuts ribbon on multi-million dollar automotive center
Copyright © 2022 WTVD-TV. All Rights Reserved. | https://abc11.com/wake-tech-hendrick-center-for-automotive-excellence-hendricks-community-college/11745088/ | 2022-04-13T21:33:23 | 0 | https://abc11.com/wake-tech-hendrick-center-for-automotive-excellence-hendricks-community-college/11745088/ |
WASHINGTON — What do the books "Speak," "King and the Dragonflies," "The Catcher and the Rye" and "Stamped: Racism, Antiracism and You" all have in common? They're all commonly-banned books in school districts, but New York Public Library wants to make sure anyone who wants to can still access them.
From now through the end of May, people nationwide will be able to browse, borrow and read these four books through the library's free e-reader app, SimplyE, available on iOS and Android devices. Users do not need to pay a fee or obtain an NYPL library card to access these titles.
In a statement uploaded to NYPL's website, Tony Marx, President of NYPL, said that the decision to make these books more widely available to the public was a direct response to recent efforts in various states to ban books in schools that explore themes like race and sexuality, which Marx described as "an all-out attack on the very foundation of our democracy."
"All people have the right to read or not read what they want—we are all entitled to make those choices," Marx wrote. "But to protect those freedoms, the books and information must remain available. Any effort to eliminate those choices stands in opposition to freedom of choice, and we cannot let that happen."
The effort came together as part of a partnership with publishers Hachette Book Group, Macmillan Publishers, and Scholastic, the library explained.
The four books made available by NYPL are just four of dozens of titles that school districts have considered censoring.
A number of schools around the country through the years have pulled "Speak" and "The Catcher and the Rye" from their shelves, with administrators raising concerns about "Speak" for depicting sexual assault, and parents complaining "Catcher" was too explicit in portraying sex.
"King and the Dragonflies" and "Stamped: Racism, Antiracism and You" were included in 86 formal removal requests from Texas parents over the last year. "King" includes a Black queer character who grows up in the South, and "Stamped" is a historical account of racism in the U.S. from historian Ibram X. Kendi's original novel, revised for young adults. | https://www.kgw.com/article/news/nation-world/nypl-provides-access-to-banned-books/507-7badaa3d-4ea1-4cd0-b8de-2b6b80422eb0 | 2022-04-13T21:33:23 | 0 | https://www.kgw.com/article/news/nation-world/nypl-provides-access-to-banned-books/507-7badaa3d-4ea1-4cd0-b8de-2b6b80422eb0 |
Members of a Texas House committee on Tuesday repeatedly pressed a prosecutor to use his authority to stop the April 27 execution of a woman whose conviction is being questioned amid growing doubts about whether she fatally beat her 2-year-old daughter.
But during a sometimes contentious hearing, Cameron County District Attorney Luis Saenz initially resisted calls from lawmakers that he ask a judge to recall the death warrant for Melissa Lucio, suggesting at first he didn’t have the power to do so, then later saying there was no legal reason for him to act as various appeals court are still considering requests in her case. He later declared his belief the execution would be stopped.
“I believe the (Texas Court of Criminal Appeals) will issue a stay and that is the way the system works,” Saenz said.
But lawmakers on the Interim Study Committee on Criminal Justice Reform expressed frustration during the meeting in Austin that Saenz would not “push the pause button” himself.
“Washing your hands to make this decision yourself to me is very shocking,” said state Rep. Jeff Leach, the committee’s chair.
Saenz pushed back, saying he disagreed with claims by Lucio’s attorneys that there was new evidence that would exonerate her.
“I am not washing my hands of this. I am dealing with it and there are hard decisions to make. You disagree with me but that doesn’t mean I am washing my hands of it,” Saenz said.
U.S. & World
Saenz later said that if an appeals courts didn’t take action to stop Lucio’s execution, he would work to delay it so the various legal claims pending in the case could be reviewed.
State Rep. Joe Moody said he believed if there are mistakes in a case, “it is the duty and the moral responsibility of a prosecutor to right those wrongs.”
But Saenz disagreed, saying courts “call the errors, not me.”
Tuesday’s hearing was led by Leach and Moody, who are part of a bipartisan group of more than 80 Texas House members who are troubled by Lucio’s case and believe new evidence shows she did not fatally beat her daughter Mariah in 2007 in the South Texas city of Harlingen.
The lawmakers last month sent a letter to the state’s Board of Pardons and Paroles and Gov. Greg Abbott asking them to grant an execution reprieve or commute her sentence.
Leach and Moody were among a group of seven lawmakers who last week visited Lucio on women’s death row in Gatesville, Texas.
Prosecutors have maintained Mariah was the victim of child abuse as her body was covered in bruises. A medical examiner testified Mariah died from a blow to her head. Authorities say Lucio had a history of drug abuse and at times had lost custody of some of her 14 children.
But Lucio’s lawyers say jurors never heard forensic evidence that would have explained Mariah’s various injuries were actually caused by a fall down a steep staircase. They also say Lucio wasn’t allowed to present evidence questioning the validity of her confession, which they allege was given under duress after hours of relentless questioning.
Several jurors from her trial have also expressed doubts about her conviction.
One of those jurors, Johnny Galvan Jr., appeared before the committee. In a statement that was read by his daughter, Galvan said he believed Lucio’s lawyers failed to present pertinent evidence in her case and he felt pressured by other jurors to sentence her to death.
“I will be haunted by Ms. Lucio’s execution if it goes forward,” Galvan said.
Earlier Tuesday, Lucio’s attorneys announced a fifth juror has questioned the conviction. An alternate juror has also expressed doubts.
“I believe Ms. Lucio deserves a new trial and for a new jury to hear this evidence. Knowing what I know now, I don’t think she should be executed,” Melissa Quintanilla, the jury forewoman, said in an affidavit.
Saenz said his office had contacted the seven other jurors who sentenced Lucio and six of them had not changed their minds while the seventh had died.
After the committee meeting, Sonya Alvarez, one of Lucio’s sisters, said her family was encouraged after hearing Saenz say he would stop the execution if the courts didn’t act.
“We’re just hopeful ... that he’s going to do the right thing and allow this new evidence to be presented,” Alvarez said.
Lucio, 52, would be the first Latina executed by Texas and the first woman since 2014. Only 17 women have been executed in the U.S. since the Supreme Court lifted its ban on the death penalty in 1976, most recently in January 2021. | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/national-international/texas-prosecutor-pushes-back-on-pleas-to-stop-execution/3645077/ | 2022-04-13T21:33:24 | 1 | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/national-international/texas-prosecutor-pushes-back-on-pleas-to-stop-execution/3645077/ |
Moderna’s coronavirus vaccine, which is now marketed as Spikevax, was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for adults 18 and older on Jan. 31, 2022, making it the second to receive full FDA approval after Pfizer’s vaccine.
Now, Moderna’s vaccine has returned to the news cycle, with people sharing information about Moderna potentially issuing a recall of the vaccine. Google Trends data also show that U.S. residents are searching for information about "Moderna vaccine recall."
THE QUESTION
Was the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine recalled in the United States?
THE SOURCES
THE ANSWER
No, the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine was not recalled in the United States. The drugmaker has recalled some doses of the vaccine in Europe after a “foreign body” was found in one vial.
WHAT WE FOUND
Moderna announced on April 8 that it would recall one lot of Spikevax produced at ROVI, a manufacturing company in Spain, after a “foreign body” was found in one vial. The impacted vial was “punctured and not administered,” Moderna said in a news release announcing the recall. Moderna did not disclose what was found in the vial.
The lot consisted of 764,900 doses and was distributed in Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain and Sweden from Jan. 13-14, 2022, according to Moderna.
Moderna said no safety concerns have been reported in people who received Spikevax from the recalled lot. Additionally, there are no indications that recalled doses that were already administered are less effective than others, according to Moderna.
The lot is being recalled “out of an abundance of caution,” Moderna said.
“Moderna does not believe that this poses a risk to other vials in the lot and does not believe that this affects the significant benefit/risk profile of the vaccine,” the news release says.
The company said it is communicating with health authorities as an investigation moves forward.
A spokesperson for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) told VERIFY that there is no recall of Moderna’s vaccine in the U.S. The FDA also has lists of recalled vaccines by year on its website, and the two most recent were in 2021 and did not include any of the COVID-19 vaccines.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says on its website that vaccine recalls are rare and typically done because of concerns about how well the vaccine is working or its safety.
The CDC says all approved and authorized COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective, and the agency recommends that those who are eligible get vaccinated as soon as possible if they haven’t already.
More from VERIFY: Yes, COVID-19 tests can detect omicron subvariant BA.2 | https://www.kgw.com/article/news/verify/coronavirus-verify/moderna-covid-vaccine-not-recalled-in-europe-not-united-states/536-56506ca4-ba21-4d66-8aed-8b2cc6ac4a4c | 2022-04-13T21:33:29 | 0 | https://www.kgw.com/article/news/verify/coronavirus-verify/moderna-covid-vaccine-not-recalled-in-europe-not-united-states/536-56506ca4-ba21-4d66-8aed-8b2cc6ac4a4c |
Ukraine's detention of fugitive Ukrainian oligarch Viktor Medvedchuk, the former leader of a pro-Russian opposition party and a close associate of Russian President Vladimir Putin, has been met with enthusiasm in Kyiv and irritation in Moscow.
Analysts saying Medvedchuk will become a valuable pawn in the Russia-Ukraine talks to end the devastating warthat the Kremlin has unleashed on its ex-Soviet neighbor.
Medvedchuk was detained on Tuesday in a special operation carried out by Ukraine's state security service, or the SBU. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has proposed that Russia could win Medvedchuk’s freedom by trading Ukrainians now held captive by the Russians.
The 67-year-old oligarch escaped from house arrest several days before the hostilities broke out Feb. 24 in Ukraine. He is facing between 15 years and a life in prison on charges of treason and aiding and abetting a terrorist organization for mediating coal purchases for the separatist, Russia-backed Donetsk republic in eastern Ukraine.
Medvedchuk has close ties with Putin, who is believed to be the godfather of his youngest daughter. His detention has sparked a heated exchange between officials in Moscow and Kyiv.
Dmitry Medvedev, the deputy chair of Russia's Security Council and the country's former president, posted threats to Ukrainian authorities on the messaging app Telegram, referring to them as “freaks” and warning them to “carefully look around and firmly lock the doors at night.”
U.S. & World
Zelenskyy's advisor Mykhailo Podolyak, in response, called Medvedev a “nobody,” and said his words were “nasty and, as usual, stupid.”
“The friendly relations between Putin and Medvedchuk turn him into a valuable trophy for Kyiv, and in the Kremlin they spark fury and a dangerous desire for revenge,” Volodymyr Fesenko, an analyst at the Penta Center, told The Associated Press on Wednesday. “The fate of Medvedchuk will undoubtedly become a subject of bargaining and one of the points of undercover agreements between Kyiv and Moscow.”
Zelenskyy has released a photo of Medvedchuk sitting in handcuffs and wearing a camouflage uniform with a Ukrainian flag patch, in which he looks tired but visibly unharmed.
Medvedchuk’s wife Oksana Marchenko has appealed to Zelenskyy, calling for her husband to be released and given guarantees that “his life would not be in danger.”
“My husband is being persecuted for political reasons against the laws of Ukraine,” Marchenko said.
Medvedchuk is the head of the political council of Ukraine's pro-Russian Opposition Platform — For Life party, the largest opposition group in the Ukrainian parliament. He is one of its 44 lawmakers in the 450-seat Rada. The activity of his party has been was suspended for the duration of the war at Zelenskyy's initiative.
“The war automatically turned Medvedchuk into (Russia's) accomplice, since he personally advised Putin on Ukrainian affairs and directly or indirectly influenced many of the Kremlin’s decisions,” Fesenko said. “Zelenskyy no longer needs to be careful, and by arresting Medvedchuk, he wants to show that he is not afraid of the Kremlin and is ready to bargain, having different cards on the negotiating table.”
Ivan Bakanov, the head of Ukraine’s national security agency, said Wednesday that the Russian security service, the FSB, had planned to evacuate Medvedchuk, disguised as a Ukrainian serviceman, to Moscow through the disputed territory of Transnistria in Moldova, where Russia has troops stationed.
___
This is a live update. Click here for complete coverage of the crisis in Ukraine. | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/national-international/ukraines-detention-of-oligarch-close-to-putin-angers-moscow/3645049/ | 2022-04-13T21:33:30 | 0 | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/national-international/ukraines-detention-of-oligarch-close-to-putin-angers-moscow/3645049/ |