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In the quiet of the morning, David Bey begins his days much the same way: he wakes up, takes his insulin and sets aside some time to give thanks for another day – a habitual reminder to stay positive.
The silence that the rising sun brings soon dissipates as Bey rustles his 9-year-old and 4-year-old out of bed and the one-bedroom apartment they share comes alive as the sounds of footfall and laughter fill the space.
Shootings at a Newport News elementary school and at Richmond's George Wythe High School only heighten concerns.
Bey, a single dad, is one of many facing hurdles exacerbated by rising housing costs. For many living paycheck to paycheck, one unexpected financial setback could put them out of their homes and onto the street.
Each month, the bulk of Bey’s savings go toward his $1,200 rent plus fees, he said. Then there's the rising costs of groceries, clothing and child care, plus medical bills for the single dad.
“Every choice matters, and I’ve had to make a lot of sacrifices, but everything I do is for them,” Bey said. “My children come first.”
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The Times-Dispatch for the past month has been talking with housing advocates, elected officials and residents about the issue of affordable housing in Richmond, an issue that many areas face.
The city's downtown appears to be recovering faster than those of Washington, D.C., and Baltimore, but rising rents and real estate prices are making life less affordable for workers.
For decades, the city has had countless discussions on affordable housing and the lack thereof in its most vulnerable neighborhoods. Numerous elected officials have based their campaigns on the issue and others have pushed hard for programs to alleviate the problem.
While there are solutions, it is a long and seemingly never ending road. As one problem is solved, another worsens or a new one pops up. By the time another problem is fixed, the original issue is back to needing additional help.
It is a constant game of whack-a-mole that frustrates the city, non-profit organizations and community groups.
As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the problem hit a fever pitch this year as home sale prices soared, rents skyrocketed and evictions climbed.
Now, Richmond is ramping up its efforts to solve this issue once and for all. But many are left asking if it will be enough. “Intention is currency,” Bey said. “There’s a lot of people out here that aren’t well.”
What is affordable housing?
While the price point for what is deemed affordable can differ from household to household and from locality to locality, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development states that for housing to be considered affordable, folks need to spend 30% or less of their gross income on either a mortgage or rent.
So, with the median Richmond household income sitting at roughly $55,000, the average Richmonder should expect to spend $16,500 a year, or $1,375 a month, at most for housing.
But the department also defines a household as low-income if it makes less than 80% of the area median income.
With the city's poverty rate resting at 19.8%, with an average income of $25,000, for a dwelling to be considered affordable for low-income families, it would need to cost less than 13% of the area median income, so $7,700 a year or $642 a month, in rent.
While several factors play into making affordability possible, the biggest takeaway is that families of all incomes need access to affordable housing.
What are the main causes of Richmond's housing crisis?
While a lack of affordable housing has plagued the city for years, those who felt its effects most often stood on the fringes. They were predominantly people resting at the poverty line and in neighborhoods most impacted by redlining.
Their biggest advocates came from community leaders, both in and out of city government, who saw the issues firsthand.
In Richmond’s sixth district, which houses most of the city’s Section 8 housing complexes and is home to several former redlined communities, Councilwoman Ellen Robertson began her decades-long political career because of a lack of affordable housing.
“I carried the banner of affordable housing for the city of Richmond from day one, and was carrying it 15 years before (I joined) city council,” Robertson said.
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, it brought the problem to the surface as more people soon began to face the same issues many had been facing for years.
As uncertainty loomed overhead, the initial lull in home sales quickly turned into a sellers market with record low interest rates with buyers often offering over asking price within hours of hitting the market.
Out-of-state residential real estate investors flocked to purchase housing stock and house flipping became more common.
An increase in homebuyers chipped away at the city’s available housing stock. But stalled supply chains led to fewer homes being built tightening the squeeze on availability.
Those who were once living comfortably saw their rents increase to match the market.
According to the Richmond-based non-profit organization Partnership for Housing Affordability which aims to create across-the-board housing equity reports that since 2020, average rents across the city have increased by nearly 20%.
In the city’s Northside and Southside, which often served historically as refugee camps for residents emigrating to cheaper homes after being pushed out as a result of increased development, rents have traditionally been hundreds less than those further into the city.
The issue is well-known to Bey, who works with Rise Up Foundation, an organization aimed at improving literacy among children in underserved communities. His journey has sent him to Washington, D.C., New York and back to his home city Richmond, where he says it has become nearly impossible because of the housing cost.
For nearly two decades, Bey has worked to form his own community – a network of thousands he has taught, worked to improve their situations and laid the groundwork to escape poverty.
Now, prices are rising nearly twice as fast as any other part of the city. In the last year, neighborhoods, like Bey’s off of the Midlothian Turnpike, are seeing a 24% increase.
“It’s getting harder and harder to keep your head above water,” he said. “I’ve taken a lot of blows here recently, but it's a matter of getting back up and shaking it off.”
While housing and rent costs have gone up, rental vacancies have decreased. Vacancy rates serve as a way to indicate the number of available housing stock.
So, if rates are low, there are fewer available units. Fewer units means more competition as renters scramble to find any available housing. Competition drives rent prices as higher demand leads to landlords increasing rents with little to no repercussions.
Simply put, tenants in need of housing are forced to fork over more money in order to ensure they have a place to call home.
Likewise, the average home in the city now costs well over $300,000 – a $135,000 increase over the course of eight years.
In a recent sit-down interview with the Richmond Times-Dispatch’s editorial meeting, the city’s Chief Administrative Officer Lincoln Saunders said that as of mid-April, there are only four houses currently listed in the city that are under $200,000.
Laura Lafayette, chief executive officer of the Richmond Association of Realtors and executive director of Partnership for Housing Affordability, has spent the bulk of her career fighting for everyone to have adequate access to affordable housing.
Lafayette said some of the many leading contributors that result in a lack of affordable housing include: limited available housing stock, a lack of government funding, income inequality and restrictive zoning and land use policies.
In order to meet the needs of many across all income brackets, there needs to be access to homes at varying price points. Once those prices exceed the average annual median income, then there is a larger deficit furthering the wealth gap, Lafayette said.
“The problem with being in a housing crisis is that it takes a very long time to dig your way out of that and it’s very costly,” Lafayette said. “So, because we have not been developing and preserving an adequate supply of housing for many, many years in our region, we find ourselves in an incredible deficit.”
If one of the leading ways to close the wealth gap is through homeownership, and the only people able to purchase a home are upper class, a cycle begins and the wealth gap continues to widen.
In a city steeped in systemic discriminatory practices toward Black, Indigenous and people of color since its conception, those gaps are further exacerbated leading to continued oppressive cycles.
According to 2020 U.S. Census data, the areas of the city that sit below the average median income are also the areas that have the highest Black populations. These also correlate with the city’s redlined districts.
“We believe in homeownership and we believe that if we’re going to close the racial wealth gap, we’re going to do that through homeownership,” Lafayette said. “So, we want to create opportunities for Black, indigenous, people of color to have access to affordable homeownership.”
According to Lafayette, it’s crucial for governments to be involved and aware of affordable housing concerns.
According to a 2022 study issued by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development, housing is multifaceted and has overarching impacts on a locality’s economy. If city residents are spending less on housing, they have more funds to spend on other goods and services. Homeownership is the best pathway for people to achieve housing security, accumulate wealth and establish generational wealth.
Likewise, the housing industry is integral to the state’s economy. From real estate agents to developers to builders to lenders, the housing industry is the sixth-largest private sector industry in the state with an estimated $14 billion in total wages.
In the city’s current situation, in order to make a dent in the problem, there needs to be government intervention.
“Everyone has a stake in creating more affordable housing opportunities for a variety of reasons, whether you care about economic mobility or you have compassion for your neighbor,” Lafayette said. “If we’re going to recruit jobs in our region, we’ve got to create opportunities for the people who are going to take those jobs to live in our region.”
Development begins in the Planning and Zoning Department. The more restrictive the zoning codes are and the slower the permit process, the harder it is for developers to build available housing.
While it may seem daunting, there are solutions with many experts pushing for leveling degrees of involvement. But, the resounding push is for more government spending.
What is Richmond doing to solve its housing crisis?
According to the Partnership for Housing Affordability, the city needs an estimated 40,000 additional housing units in order to significantly alleviate its housing crisis.
In late-March, Mayor Levar Stoney, along with all nine city council members, held an impromptu press conference to declare the city is in an affordable housing crisis.
As a result, he promised to allocate $10 million in order to build 1,000 housing units each year over the course of the next five years, for a total of $50 million and 5,000 units – further highlighting the gravity of the situation.
While the proposed allocation is currently just a budget line item on an unapproved 5-year capital improvement plan, the City Council unanimously passed a resolution following the announcement formally codifying the crisis and in turn, essentially, guaranteeing its vote to approve funding in May.
“To achieve these goals, we are dedicating federal and local funds and making strategic policy decisions,” Stoney said. “This is what it looks like to address our housing crisis in a better way.”
While the declaration came last month, the city has been working both in and out of City Hall for some time to create avenues for further development, inclusive housing and public and private sector funding.
According to Lafayette, her and her team meet regularly with government officials to discuss the city’s housing status and best practices moving forward.
In December 2020, City Council adopted its “Richmond 300: a Guide for Growth'' master plan which serves as the city’s 20-year roadmap for future development.
The 262-page document dedicates a chapter to inclusive housing in which the city outlines over 50 strategies to address affordable housing.
Most notably, the city’s goal to build 10,000 new affordable housing units, prevent involuntary displacement, integrate housing at all income levels and transform public housing properties.
Additionally, the plan lays out six major projects to tackle including a complete rewrite of its zoning ordinance which the city kick-started last year.
The three major changes include: revising short-term rental regulations, eliminating parking space minimums and permitting dwelling units – all of which will have a direct impact on future development.
The city has made headway on a couple of these including its recent vote to eliminate parking minimums which offers a two-fold solution to addressing housing needs and allows the city to better utilize space.
Previously, developers were required to provide a certain amount of off-street parking spaces in order to build. Now, they will have the option to opt to construct additional housing units instead of large patches of asphalt.
The construction costs associated with building a lot will no longer be on the burden of the renter as higher construction costs statistically result in higher rent.
In recent months, the city has made strides in its permitting process. In the past, it could take 10 to 12 months for a developer to acquire a permit to build. Now, they can obtain permits and begin construction at a much faster rate.
“Make the investment, remove the choke points, find the right people, the most intelligent people to get the job done and produce abundance so people can live a more comfortable life,” Stoney said in an interview with the Times-Dispatch.
While limiting restrictions can lead to development, there is no guarantee that they will offer units for an affordable price. So, the city offers various loan programs, tax abatements and rebates to incentivize developers to build affordable housing units.
Recently, the city began providing an affordable housing tax abatement program, facilitated by the Economic Development Authority, to offer property tax rebates to developers that offer a percentage of affordable housing units.
“It’s based on a formula on how deep the affordability is and what percentage of the total units you’re providing,” Saunders said. “You can submit to the EDA for that abatement and the EDA serves as the city's conduit for giving you that incentive.”
While they anticipate success with this program, the city has offered similar incentives in the past that faced controversy.
In the 1990s, the city implemented the Affordable Housing Partial Tax Exemption Program which offered a partial tax exemption to property owners who rent their single or multi-family properties to people earning up to 80% of the city’s area median income.
The program came with a list of requirements property owners had to meet, but ultimately, if they met the requirements they could collect on the abatement.
In 2019, the Virginia Commonwealth University Center for Urban and Regional Analysis published a study regarding the program citing that 60% of the abatements issued were to property owners living in the city’s West End – a predominantly white, upper class district.
From 2009 to 2016, the city granted more than $78 million in abatements. With most of the funds funneling into the city’s richer communities, many argued that it mostly benefited the wealthy as lower-income families could not afford to make the investments required by the program.
Despite the criticism, many organizations still push for incentives as they can help ensure the creation of affordable homes.
Additionally, Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority, or RRHA, which is tasked with handling all of the city’s public housing complexes, has recently taken big steps to protect, and increase available housing stock to provide options for low-income families.
Housing Authority CEO Steven Nesmith said that to solve the problem, the authority needs more housing units and more funding.
In an effort to raise more funds and lessen the tax burden on residents, the authority launched the Richmond Development Corporation which will allow the public entity to work with the private sector to facilitate further funding.
When the authority received $14 million in federal dollars for the renovation of some of the nation’s oldest public housing units in the nation, Nesmith said that they are more likely to see private matches through the corporation.
Unlike Social Security, Medicaid or food stamps, public housing vouchers are not considered in the nation’s entitlement program. Therefore, while a resident might qualify for public housing, if there is no available stock, they aren’t guaranteed a place to live.
Currently, the authority has a waitlist with no vacant rentals available. So, it is crucial for public housing to retain its housing stock as well as develop additional units.
According to Nesmith, the authority is doing just that. There are plans to renovate older units as well as some pretty bold plans to build mixed-use housing units on authority-owned land, offer rent-to-own homes and partner with banks to provide loans for public housing residents.
”We’re probably the largest, if not the second largest landowner in the city,” Nesmith said. “We’re going to negotiate with developers who want to develop on our land… to create as much density as possible.”
The plan, set to launch later this year, is to utilize RRHA-owned land to construct numerous housing units. Those units will be offered at lower rates to anyone in the city – not just public housing residents.
There are plans in motion for public housing residents, however, including rent-to-own programs on behalf of the authority. Additionally, Nesmith said they are in negotiations with local banks to create loan programs that are not based on credit scores.
Instead, if public housing residents can prove that they have consistently made month-to-month rent payments on time, then they may qualify for a home loan.
“We’re going to be doing something that’s never been done before but it’s my vision,” Nesmith said. “We’re going to self-develop and we’re controlling our own destiny.”
Is it enough?
While the city is taking steps to improve its affordable housing crisis, many argue its not enough.
For the faith-based organization Richmonders Involved to Strengthen Communities, or RISC, the answer lies in the city's Affordable Housing Trust Fund.
The fund, established in 2004, serves as a way to provide financial resources to address affordable housing. The fund works with both nonprofit and for profit developers to leverage funds. With the fund in place, the funds can accrue interest.
According to RISC co-president Pastor Don Coleman, the organization worked extensively to help get the trust fund up and running.
In 2021, City Council passed an ordinance to transfer a portion of real estate tax revenue to a special reserve to act as a dedicated funding stream to the trust.
However, what felt like a win quickly soured as RISC members learned that the city had not used its special reserve to fund the trust. Instead, the city opted to dedicate $20 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act funds to support housing developments in the 2022-23 fiscal year.
"We believe that the Affordable Housing Trust Fund is the best way to start to put a dent," Coleman said. "It's one of the primary tools in anybody's toolbox as far as alleviating the lack of affordable housing."
Now, with a new budget in the works, RISC is once again asking the city place funds into the trust.
Recently, the city council voted against the construction of a warehouse in the South Side that would serve as a workshop for Richmond-based non-profit project: HOMES to construct HUD-approved, small, affordable modular homes.
The organization argued that this would increase housing stock and is in line with the city’s goals to improve the affordable housing crisis. The plan was to build modular homes to replace existing aging, dilapidated mobile units. But, because the proposed building site is zoned residential, the city voted to deny the request.
The city previously faced controversy as several RISC members, many of them living in aging mobile homes, came forward to question why the city had not utilized previously allocated funds for the purpose of mobile home renovations and replacements.
They have yet to receive an answer, Coleman said.
While funding is crucial to help solve the problem, Coleman said it doesn't do any good if the city doesn't make good on its word to actually allocate the funds.
Currently, the organization is still waiting to see already budgeted funds allocated toward affordable housing efforts.
"It's about the people who are suffering, and we should all want to alleviate that suffering," Coleman said. "We're about fighting for the people who need it the most and we hope our elected officials recognize they should feel the same way." | https://richmond.com/news/local/government-politics/richmonds-housing-crisis-how-it-got-here-and-how-it-may-be-solved/article_04628780-d48c-11ed-ad25-efb1639b1b8a.html | 2023-04-29T10:40:03 | 1 | https://richmond.com/news/local/government-politics/richmonds-housing-crisis-how-it-got-here-and-how-it-may-be-solved/article_04628780-d48c-11ed-ad25-efb1639b1b8a.html |
PEACE LUTHERAN CHURCH Apr 30 — 3430 N. Fourth St., 3430 N. Fourth St., Flagstaff. 928-526-9578. 10-11 a.m., We invite you to join the family of Peace Lutheran Church (LCMS) on Sunday at 10:00am for in person blended service (Combined Liturgical, hymnal based and Praise Worship) with Holy Communion. Pastor William Weiss Jr. (Pastor Bill) will be presiding. The service will be live streamed on our website (peacelutheranflagstaff.org) and on YouTube. https://go.evvnt.com/1698397-0.
LIVING CHRIST LUTHERAN CHURCH Apr 30 — 500 W. Riordan Road, 500 W. Riordan Road, Flagstaff. 928-526-8595. 10-11 a.m., We invite all to celebrate with us God's love and presence in our lives and be God's hands in the world. We are intentionally inclusive. We worship through music, teaching, prayer, and the sacraments each Sunday at 10 a.m., at the Campus Ministry Center located on the NAU campus or join us online. Join Rev. Kurt Fangmeier for the Fourth Sunday of Easter! Today is sometimes called “Good Shepherd Sunday.” Jesus is called the “gate” of the sheep in today’s gospel. The risen Christ opens the way to abundant life. He anoints our heads with oil and guides us beside the still waters of our baptism. Each Sunday he spreads a feast before us amid the world’s violence and war. We go forth to be signs of the resurrection and extend God’s tender care to all creation. We will learn more with our Reading of Acts 2:42-47 (The believers’ common life) Psalm 23 (The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not be in want) and Reading 1 Peter 2:19-25(Follow the shepherd, even in suffering), together with the Gospel John 10:1-10 (Christ the shepherd). https://go.evvnt.com/1697056-0.
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BEACON UU SUNDAY SERVICE: "Mostly Motown" with Dr. Andy Hogg Apr 30 — Beacon Unitarian Universalist Congregation, 510 N. Leroux St., Flagstaff. (928) 779-4492. 10-11 a.m., ALL ARE WELCOME! You BELONG at Beacon. Spiritually open and intentionally inclusive since 1958. The Beacon congregation voted unanimously to endorse the Eighth Principle about challenging racism and other forms of oppression. Dr. Andy Hogg will surround us with Motown music from the 60's and 70's to illustrate Unitarian-Universalist concepts about inclusion and cultural diversity. Come move to the music!. https://go.evvnt.com/1687804-0.
Unity of Flagstaff Spiritual Center Apr 30 — Unity of Flagstaff Spiritual Center, 1800 S. Milton Road, Flagstaff. 10:30-11:30 a.m., According to Abraham Maslow, humans possess an effective need for a sense of belonging and acceptance among social groups. How does community enhance your Life? Spiritual Journey? Productivity? Do you feel like you “belong” and if not, why not? How do we show up at work, home and play when we feel like we are a part of something bigger? Join Rev. Penni Honey as we look at the Beauty AND Power of Belonging. “Where two or more are gathered…” 10:30 AM Live or Livestream. Unity of Flagstaff, Where God is too big for Religion. All are Welcome!” Celebrating Membership Sunday! Join Us!. https://go.evvnt.com/1705059-0.
Flagstaff Federated Community Church: Please join us for in person services Sundays at 10 a.m. We are located at 400 W Aspen Ave. on the corner of Aspen and Sitgreaves in Downtown Flagstaff. All are welcome to our services. For more information about Flagstaff Federated Community Church please call our office at 928-774-7383, Mon – Thurs 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Church of the Resurrection Sunday Church Services: 740 W. University Heights Drive S., 740 W. University Heights Drive S., Flagstaff. 928-853-8522. 10-11:30 a.m., Church of the Resurrection Presbyterian Church in America (PCA): We invite you to join us for worship at 10 a.m. on Sundays at 740 W. University Heights Drive South. Please feel free to contact us for information on our mid-week gatherings and for more information on our church. You can find us at www.cor-pca.org and www.facebook.com/CORFlagstaff or we can be reached at corflagstaff@gmail.com and (928) 699-2715.
Leupp Nazarene Church: The church, near mile post 13 or Navajo Route 15, has been holding services by teleconferences and doing drive-up meetings. For information, call pastor Farrell Begay at 928-853-5321. Teleconference number: 1-7170275-8940 with access code 3204224#. Services are 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. Sundays and 6:30 p.m. Wednesdays.
Christian Science Society of Flagstaff: 619 W. Birch Ave. The Christian Science Society of Flagstaff has opened for Sunday services while continuing to have them available via Zoom for online and phone. Wednesday testimony meetings are available only via Zoom. For phone Sunday Services: Dial: 669-900-9128, Meeting ID: 369 812 794#, Passcode: 075454#. For phone Wednesday meetings, dial: 669-900-9128, Meeting ID: 971 672 834#, Passcode: 894826#. The access for Zoom on Sundays is: https://zoom.us/j/369812794. The Zoom access for Wednesdays is: https://zoom.us/j/971672834. The password to use to enter both is CSS. We welcome all to attend our Sunday Services in person, or live by Zoom, at 10:00 o’clock, and to attend our Wednesday Testimony meetings live by Zoom, at 5:30 o’clock. Our Reading Room will be open on Wednesdays from 4:00—5:00 p.m. and Saturdays from 10-noon. For further information please call 928-526-5982. | https://azdailysun.com/news/local/flagstaff-religion-news-for-april-29-2023/article_d08daf26-e605-11ed-b1a7-134e26947302.html | 2023-04-29T10:53:27 | 0 | https://azdailysun.com/news/local/flagstaff-religion-news-for-april-29-2023/article_d08daf26-e605-11ed-b1a7-134e26947302.html |
How Time Flies is a daily feature looking back at Pantagraph archives to revisit what was happening in our community and region.
100 years ago
April 29, 1923: There is a room in the county jail where are stored the "spoils" taken in liquor raids over the past several years in the enforcement of prohibition laws. Included are wines, liquors, home brew, stills and other paraphernalia. When things get too crowded and material is no longer needed as evidence, it is poured down the sewer.
75 years ago
April 29, 1948: Normal's town council approved an agreement to permit the widening of Adelaide Street. Leonard F. Fulwiler entered into an agreement concerning the widening of Adelaide Street. Mr. Fulwiler agreed to part with 33 feet of his property on the west side of the present street so the street can be regulation width.
50 years ago
April 29, 1973: Dr. Gordon Schultz, an orthopedic surgeon in Bloomington, will be out of the state when a jury watches him testify during a trial at the McLean County Courthouse. This is the first trial use of television equipment that the state had loaned the county circuit court for an experiment. Circuit Judge Wayne C. Townley will preside, and presided during the taping session held the week before last.
25 years ago
April 29, 1998: Schnucks' venture into online grocery shopping is off to a good start as it enters its second week of service for Bloomington-Normal shoppers, according to co-manager Eric Snow. Last week, a total of 22 pick-up and delivery orders were placed on the Schnucks Home Shopping Club Internet page (www.schnucks.com) — a bit more than officials had hoped to receive.
101 years ago: See vintage Pantagraph ads from 1922
Gerthart's
Union Gas and Electric Co.
Hoover
Dr. J.A. Moore Dentists
Moberly & Klenner
W.P. Garretson
W.H. Roland
Pease's Candy
Thor 32 Electric Washing Machine
The Kaiser's Story of the War
Ike Livingston & Sons
Gossard Corsets
Cat'n Fiddle
'Stolen Moments'
Case Model X
The Johnson Transfer & Fuel Co.
The Pantagraph want ads
Franklin Motor Car Co.
'A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court'
Calumet Baking Powder
Mayer Livingston & Co. Newsmarket
'The Emperor Jones'
'California Fig Syrup'
Compiled by Pantagraph staff | https://www.pantagraph.com/news/local/history/25-years-ago-schnucks-pursues-online-shopping/article_094f6820-e496-11ed-8b16-2771ba7b63df.html | 2023-04-29T11:04:20 | 1 | https://www.pantagraph.com/news/local/history/25-years-ago-schnucks-pursues-online-shopping/article_094f6820-e496-11ed-8b16-2771ba7b63df.html |
GREENSBORO — When a mozzarella stick lodged in his throat, choking him, Salem Carey knew he needed someone’s help.
“What I didn’t expect was a fourth-grader who is my best friend,” the General Greene Elementary School student said.
Henry Glasgo wrapped his arms around Salem from behind and pushed his locked hands hard against Salem’s stomach, forcing air out of Salem’s lungs and dislodging the piece of food.
On Friday, the school held an indoor parade for Henry and Salem and presented them with gifts from community partners and area universities. What started out as terrifying for both of the fourth-graders has now also become tender and meaningful, and a cause for celebration for their families, their school, and even the larger community.
“It’s a very interesting feeling that you really can’t explain,” Salem said.
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How Henry knew to do the Heimlich maneuver is its own story.
Henry’s parents said they had talked to him a bit at one point about how to do it — emergency preparedness being sort of a thing in their family. But the unexpected lesson came just a couple weeks ago, when Henry started choking on some sushi he was eating, and his grandfather got in position to do the Heimlich maneuver, just as Henry managed to cough it up on his own.
So that moment was in the front of his brain on Wednesday of last week, when Henry saw Salem start choking and turning red during lunch in the cafeteria.
Henry said other kids were staring at Salem turning red without doing anything and most of the adults didn’t even know it was happening — with the exception of a substitute who ran for the science teacher. So Henry stepped in.
Salem didn’t know about the Heimlich maneuver, and so when Henry did it, that was another scary part, on top of how terrified he was already.
After Salem coughed up the food, Henry was even more rattled than Salem.
“I was scared for him,” Henry said. “I just didn’t know what to do for him after that.”
Though she hadn’t seen the incident, the rescue hit school principal Stephanie Harris emotionally, too.
“I went in my office and I had to take a deep breath,” she said.
In thinking about it, she realized that she wanted to celebrate both boys: Henry for the rescue of his friend, and Salem for his bravery to allow Henry to help him in that way, having no clue what Henry was specifically trying to do.
At the school on Friday, she held up a sign that said, “Not all heroes wear capes: Henry saved Salem’s Life: April 2023.”
Henry and Salem followed behind her, smiling at their classmates, who lined the school’s hallways waving pom-poms, cheering and giving them high-fives.
Henry really enjoyed the parade, while for Salem it was a positive, but also challenging, experience.
“I’m a little bit shy in front of a big crowd, I can do it, but it’s something I have to get through emotionally and it’s a bit hard,” he said, “I was just happy that we did it, because everybody could see what friendship means in this school, because friendship is a very big thing here.”
After the parade, the principal pulled the boys and their families into a small room, commended them and presented them with the gifts. Since she said both boys like sports, many of the gifts were sports-related, like balls to play with and tickets to sports events.
“My favorite part is the two App state football tickets,” said Henry, who hopes to be a professional football player someday.
After they noticed Salem’s older brother getting emotional during the gathering, the two boys pulled him into a teary three-way hug.
Madeleine Carey, Salem’s mother, said Henry and Salem have always been close.
“It’s just icing on the cake, knowing that his friend always has his back,” she said. “Even if it needs a little pat.” | https://greensboro.com/news/local/education/heimlich-greensboro-choking-fourth-grader-school-general-greene-elementary-henry-hero-salem/article_e008d86e-e5eb-11ed-a069-8b54c70292f3.html | 2023-04-29T11:12:20 | 0 | https://greensboro.com/news/local/education/heimlich-greensboro-choking-fourth-grader-school-general-greene-elementary-henry-hero-salem/article_e008d86e-e5eb-11ed-a069-8b54c70292f3.html |
Harvest House, Help to Home receive support for homeless initiatives in Sarasota, Manatee
Harvest House awarded $120,000 grant to support '2Gen' programs
Harvest House has received a $120,000, three-year grant from the Community Foundation of Sarasota County to provide classroom equipment for the organization's Life Enrichment Campus and to support its "2Gen" Home Again programs that provide supportive housing for families experiencing homelessness.
“We are excited about our partnership with Harvest House for many reasons, but especially because of their commitment to a two-generation approach,” said Kirsten Russell, vice president of community impact at the Community Foundation. “[Harvest House] meets people exactly where they are, with love rather than judgment. This approach builds accountability and unlocks potential by coordinating equitable access to housing, education, and mental health supports.”
Home Again serves 108 parents and children with multiple barriers to sustainability across three campuses. In 2022, 70% of clients served came from homelessness or institutional settings and 86% exited to stable housing. For information, visit harvesthousecenters.org or call 941-953-3154.
Help To Home Inc. receives funds for Hope Village project
Help To Home Inc. has received $30,000 in matching funds from the Manatee Community Foundation for use in building its new Hope Village community to help parents with children who are homeless or threatened by homelessness.
“This $30,000 and the matching funds we raise to go with it will help transition parents threatened with homelessness so they can have a stable living environment,” said Rod Urban, president of Help To Home. The Manatee Community Foundation's “Manatee Match” group involves individual donors dedicated to helping nonprofit service organizations.
Help to Home assists with lower-rent housing primarily for single mothers threatened with homelessness. The nonprofit is raising funds for its new Hope Village on 4.8 acres it acquired last year for a 53-home community on 30th Avenue West between 14th and 28th Streets West. For information on Help To Home and Hope Village, visit helptohome.org.
Big Brothers Big Sisters launches workplace mentoring program
Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast recently launched a workplace mentoring program in partnership with the Venice Police Department and Venice High School.
Called Beyond School Walls, the program allows high school students to experience work at a corporation, learn business etiquette, and identify educational requirements for professional success. Big Brothers Big Sisters has matched 17 students from Venice High School with Venice police staff members.
“Through a collaborative partnership, we have extended the education of our youths beyond their school to a law enforcement agency," Big Brothers Big Sisters president Joy Mahler said. “The skills that students will gain through this program will help guide them to the next steps in their lives and careers.”
To learn more about the program and how to get involved, call 941-488-4009, 855-501-BIGS or visit bbbssun.org.
Temple Beth Sholom, JFSMto host 'Eyewitness to Dachau'
Temple Beth Sholom and The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee will present “Eyewitness to Dachau” on May 2 at 3:30 p.m. with World War II veteran Chuck Palmeri, award-winning author of "Boy Soldier: Recollections of World War II."
Palmeri, 97, was a member of the 42nd Infantry and was present at the infamous Nazi concentration camp in the days immediately following its liberation.
Doors open for the event at 3 p.m. at Temple Beth Sholom's Sainer Social Hall, 1050 S. Tuttle Ave., Bldg. 2, in Sarasota. For more information, contact the office at 941-955-8121 or info@tbssrq.org.
St. Armands Key Lutheran assists Meals on Wheels
Meals on Wheels of Sarasota recently received a $10,000 grant from the St. Armands Key Lutheran Church Foundation.
“Our staff and volunteers are grateful for the support from St Armands Key Lutheran Church Foundation. Monday-Friday, our staff and volunteers deliver 700 freshly prepared meals to residents, without our program, many would not eat that day,” executive director, Rhonda Leiberick said.
Learn more at saklc.com/st-armands-key-lutheran-church-foundation and mealsonwheelsofsarasota.org.
Around and about ...
Laurel Civic is hosting "Praise, Peace, and Positivity in the Park" on Sunday at 9 a.m. at Laurel Park, 1725 Laurel St., Sarasota, as part of Suncoast Remake Learning Days. The event, in partnership with Sarasota County Libraries, includes yoga, meditation, and painting. Info: remakelearningdays.org/suncoast.
· The Sarasota Alliance for Historic Preservation and the History & Preservation Coalition of Sarasota County will present the 2023 Heritage Awards on May 6 from 4-8 p.m. at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall. The event will be hosted by John McCarthy, VP of regional history for Selby Gardens. Info/tickets: PreserveSRQ.org or 941-254-3002.
· The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is holding an open house for its new meetinghouse in Bradenton at 3704 Lorraine Road on May 6 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The building will serve 3,600 Latter-day Saints in Manatee and Sarasota counties, including Spanish-speaking congregations.
Submissions by Clifford McDonald, Carol Whitmore, Gina Taylor, Rhonda Leiberick, Jon DeVries, Su Byron, Catherine Kerr. | https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/local/2023/04/29/if-we-all-held-hands-wins-embracing-our-differences-peoples-choice-award/70131286007/ | 2023-04-29T11:20:31 | 0 | https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/local/2023/04/29/if-we-all-held-hands-wins-embracing-our-differences-peoples-choice-award/70131286007/ |
Sarasota Police hosts media day and shows de-escalation techniques
A man sits inside his truck in front of city hall with a gun in his hand. He just lost his job. His wife is leaving him, and I have to talk him down from making a huge mistake.
In the role reversal I never excepted, I stand in front of a projector screen that covered a whole wall at the Sarasota Police Department headquarters. A utility belt is secured at my waist, and it’s equipped with a gun replica, simulated Taser and pepper spray.
Officers experience this training multiple times a year in preparation for the real-world scenarios they often face. The training ensures that officers are prepared for whatever comes at them. It requires quick thinking, de-escalation tactics, strong verbal communication and anticipatory instincts.
More:Parents concerned by anonymous app used to report Florida school threats
In case you missed it:Sarasota Military Academy teacher arrested after inappropriately touching 17-year-old
Training Unit Sgt. Dan Weinsberg said he hopes the general public can better understand the difficulties officers face while trying to ensure the safety of a victim, a suspect, and themselves.
“There's that thought that we just go out there and our goal is to take people to jail and run and gun and all that,” Weinsberg said. “Nothing from the truth on that.”
The simulation room we’re in is covered in navy blue padding, and Officer Paul Lockwood stands in the middle of the room explaining grappling techniques. He’s a Brazilian jiu-jitsu expert and uses his skills to teach officers ways to take down suspects during arrests. Lockwood said it's important to avoid unnecessary hitting and to use physical and verbal techniques to subdue a suspect.
“We try to make officers aware,” Lockwood said. “Good scenario training can be difficult at times because they have moments where they make mistakes, but they learn from it.”
At one point, my gun replica gets upgraded to an airsoft gun, and I’m faced with the task of conducting a traffic stop. Two officers wait in a stopped car and pretend to be residents who are getting stopped for the simulation.
Officer Jason Frank played the driver and made sure I got real-world experience. Frank said this training expo is important to show how difficult it can be to make those split-second decisions.
“Don’t be so quick to judge the officers when you only see one aspect of a video or just because you read something a certain way,” Frank said. “Scenarios can change very quickly, and we have to make decisions.” | https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/local/2023/04/29/sarasota-police-hosts-media-day-and-shows-de-escalation-techniques/70155013007/ | 2023-04-29T11:20:37 | 1 | https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/local/2023/04/29/sarasota-police-hosts-media-day-and-shows-de-escalation-techniques/70155013007/ |
DAC agrees to buy former Workman's Bar for city as crisis center plan moves ahead
MUNCIE, Ind. – Plans to turn the former Workman's Bar into a crisis center for people facing substance abuse, depression and other mental health issues are still on track.
Delaware Advancement Corp. agreed to complete purchase of the building for $125,000 on behalf of the City of Muncie during its March meeting.
The city reached agreement to buy the building last fall from an entity called ECIBG, which, according to sales documents, is owned by former funeral director Gordon Cox. The former funeral director for Meeks Mortuary is a well known businessman in the community.
Muncie Mayor Dan Ridenour had initially declined to name Cox as the person who currently owns the building, he said, because the didn't want the owner to become involved in what he said was politically motivated gossip concerning the city's purchase and the past ownership of the building.
The DAC Board met in March and requested further information on the property, including the name(s) of the owner(s), said Elizabeth Rowray, chief economic development officer for the Economic Development Alliance.
More:Muncie Crisis Center site draws attention due to ownership history
"Mayor Ridenour conveyed to the board that the current owner is Gordon Cox and the Board then approved the purchase," she said. "An agreement will be drafted that will require the city to purchase the property within one year as well as reimburse DAC for expenses associated with the purchase."
Records show ECIBG bought the bar, located at Eighth Street and Hoyt Avenue, for $70,000 in 2021 from a partnership called American Bar Co. That ownership group included City Clerk Belinda Munson, Prairie Creek Supervisor Dustin Clark and local banker Cindy Buchanan.
Last fall the city administration agreed to buy the bar from ECIBG for $125,000, according to the option to purchase agreement. The city paid ECIBG $20,000 for the purchase option, which prevents the bar from being sold to anyone else through October of this year. Half of that amount, $10,000, is applied toward the sale price. The total cost of the transaction is $135,000 with the city also picking up the utilities for the building starting in November of 2022. as part of the agreement. Through March the city had paid $953.31 in utilities at the former bar.
More:Crisis center to confront addictions, mental stress cases in Muncie community
Ridenour said preparations for the center are going well. The center's aim will be to combat drug and alcohol abuse, mental stress and depression in Delaware County. IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital will staff the center with counselors on hand around the clock to help guide people seeking help. Initially the center will take referrals from local police before broadening access.
According to the Indiana Department of Health, in 2019 through 2020, Delaware County ranked fourth among all 92 counties in total drug overdose fatalities. | https://www.thestarpress.com/story/news/local/2023/04/29/dac-agrees-to-buy-old-workmans-bar-for-city-to-create-crisis-center/70147829007/ | 2023-04-29T11:32:59 | 0 | https://www.thestarpress.com/story/news/local/2023/04/29/dac-agrees-to-buy-old-workmans-bar-for-city-to-create-crisis-center/70147829007/ |
Nola pitches a gem, Castellanos robs his 1st HR in a place that felt extra special originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
HOUSTON -- Aaron Nola overcame a rocky first inning to deliver his best start of the season as the Phillies exacted a bit of revenge on Astros lefty Framber Valdez in a 3-1 win.
After Kyle Schwarber homered to put the Phillies up a run in the first inning, Nola gave it back to the second batter he faced when Jeremy Peña hit one out to center. Two batters later, Alex Bregman crushed a ball to right field but Nick Castellanos leaped over the wall to rob him of a home run.
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Castellanos hit the ground after making the catch and remained seated for a few seconds, preventing either side from knowing whether the ball was gone or caught. Then he jumped up and let out a big smile running off the field.
It was the first home run he's ever robbed, and it meant a little more to him coming on the field where the Phillies' playoff run ended last November.
"I've made some nice catches at the wall before but I think that's the first homer that I pulled back over the fence, which was cool," Castellanos said. "Being able to make that play here against the team that beat us in the Fall Classic definitely feels good. Running in across the field and getting booed after making that catch feels good. Just certain things that we all get to talk and laugh about in the hotel room with teammates after the game.
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"To say that we all don't understand what happened here last year would be a lie. We know. We just had their mascot stick their World Series ring in our face on the Jumbotron. I don't know about everybody else, but I pay attention to that stuff."
It was one of two huge defensive plays that altered the course of Nola's night. With the Phillies up a run in the fifth inning, Houston had runners on the corners with nobody out when Jose Abreu ran on contact from third base on a dribbler up the first base line. Alec Bohm's only play was at the plate, where Abreu was out by a few feet. Had Abreu not run, the Astros would have had the bases loaded with nobody out.
Nola allowed just a run over eight innings and struck out six. He is the only pitcher in the National League so far this season with consecutive starts of at least seven innings.
He did it with slightly diminished stuff. Nola's four-seam fastball averaged 91.7 mph, about one mph slower than last season. His sinker averaged 90.8. In the first inning, his heater was 1.4 mph slower than it was in the first inning a season ago.
Nola admitted his velocity isn't where he wants it to be, though he said that Friday night his focus was on command and movement. It worked.
"J.T. (Realmuto) called a really good game tonight," he said. "(Velocity) is not where I want it to be. Still kind of battling the pitch clock, that was my first time with eight up-and-downs. I don't want to let it all eat the first couple innings and not be able to go deep into the game. I kind of have to pace myself in a way, not try to throw everything as hard as I can. Tonight was pretty much, make quality pitches and try to make the ball move a little bit."
After the Peña homer, Nola retired 11 in a row. He made pitches when he needed to, he picked up six outs quickly in his final two innings and he didn't walk a batter after issuing six free passes in his last two starts.
"Unbelievable," manager Rob Thomson said. "Noles just seemed to get better and better as the game went on. The seventh inning was so quick that we just made sure he was OK to go out in the eighth and he shut it right down.
"He knows how to pitch. When he's got more fastball, he can power guys. But when he doesn't, he can keep you off balance, get soft contact and still get some swings and misses."
Nola's length was especially important on a night when Craig Kimbrel and Seranthony Dominguez were unavailable after pitching in back-to-back games.
"That was heaven-sent, really," Thomson said.
Jose Alvarado, who gave up the three-run home run to Yordan Alvarez that won the Astros the World Series the last time he was on this mound, pitched a scoreless ninth inning for his fifth save.
Of the Phillies' 10 save opportunities, six have gone to Alvarado, three to Kimbrel and one to Dominguez.
The Phillies made plenty of hard contact against Valdez, the tough lefty who beat them twice in the World Series, including the Game 6 clincher. Edmundo Sosa and Cristian Pache hit back-to-back doubles in the fifth inning to give the Phils the lead, though Pache injured his right knee slipping past the second base bag. He was seeing the team doctor after the game, though Thomson said he's not overly concerned just yet and that Pache lobbied to stay in the game.
Pache was removed for Brandon Marsh, who singled in Sosa after Sosa's second double off Valdez two innings later.
Marsh is 8 for 23 (.348) this season against left-handed pitching with four doubles and two home runs.
Schwarber's first-inning home run was his second in a row against Valdez after taking him deep in the sixth inning of Game 6 last November. Lefties have hit just four home runs off of Valdez the last two seasons and Schwarber has two of them.
"We didn't chase much, we got him in the zone and took some good swings off of him," Thomson said. "We got four hits from the last two spots in the order off of Valdez. It was a really good game."
The Phillies are over .500 for the first time this season at 14-13. They've won games against three strong starting pitchers in a row in Logan Gilbert, George Kirby and Valdez. They'll see another Saturday night when Zack Wheeler (2-1, 4.73) opposes Cristian Javier (2-0, 3.21).
Beyond getting over .500, this was the kind of night the Phillies needed to see from Nola, who had a 5.40 ERA in his first five starts and had trouble with shutdown innings, allowing nine of his 19 runs the half-inning directly after the Phillies scored.
"That's what he does, man," Castellanos said. "Just time and time again when the stage is set and there's a big moment, when a lot of people get antsy, he's just right where he needs to be. Calm under pressure is a great way to describe him as a pitcher." | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/phillies-vs-astros-aaron-nola-pitches-a-gem-phils-get-to-framber-valdez/3555908/ | 2023-04-29T11:33:34 | 0 | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/phillies-vs-astros-aaron-nola-pitches-a-gem-phils-get-to-framber-valdez/3555908/ |
Lubbock entertainment in brief
'Flashdance' on big screen for 40th anniversary
Mark the 40th anniversary of the film "Flashdance" with a special screening at 4 and 7 p.m. on Sunday, April 30, at Cinemark Movies 16 and XD, 5721 58th St.
Delivering an electrifying mix of music, drama and dance, Jennifer Beals stars as Alex — a fiercely determined 18-year-old with one all-consuming dream to study at the Pittsburgh Conservatory of Dance. Working during the day as a welder and at night as an exotic dancer, she bravely pursues her dream and undertakes an unforgettable journey that reveals the power of her convictions.
Featuring the Oscar®–winning* song “Flashdance… What a Feeling,” performed and co-written by Irene Cara, and the iconic global hit “Maniac.”
Tickets for this special screening are $12.45 and available in advance online at www.fathomevents.com/events
Movies 16 to screen 'A Father's Heart'
Cinemark Movies 16 and XD, 5721 58th St., will host a screening of "A Father's Heart" at 7 p.m. May 1.
Joseph of Nazareth, the humble figure barely mentioned in the Bible, has attracted the attention of people all over the world. But why? What do we know about the real St. Joseph?
In "A Father's Heart', the filmmakers searched over five continents for the people whose lives have been transformed by this mysterious man. Husband of Mary. Foster - Father of Jesus. Protector of the Church. Patron of the Dying. Terror of Demons. These are some of the titles attributed to this discreet and silent carpenter from Nazareth.
The details of his earthly life may be a mystery, but the miracles that are attributed to him are life changing. "A Father's Heart" features the powerful testimonies of those who have seen authentic miracles brought forth through the intercession of St. Joseph. From radical conversions to impossible cures; from the rebuilding of broken marriages, to aid to the dying - this compelling documentary film reveals just who St. Joseph is and how he acts in the world today.
Tickets for this special event are $12.45 and available in advance online at www.fathomevents.com/events
Lubbock Chorale presents Eternal Light
The Lubbock Chorale presents Eternal Light at 7:30 p.m. May 5, at St. John's United Methodist Church, 1501 University Ave.
These two works explore the elevation and illumination of humanity as we seek to transcend challenges, differences, and shortcomings. Utilizing sacred Latin texts surrounding light, Morten Lauridsden’s Lux Aeterna explores lucious harmonies and diverse dynamics.
Jake Runestad’s "Into the Light" explores the same ideas through a different lens. Utilizing texts from great reformers throughout history (including Gandhi, Helen Keller, Frederick Douglass, Martin Luther, Martin Luther King, among others), Runestad’s piece motivates all to embark on a new path.
Tickets for this performance are $15 and available by calling the Select-a-Seat Box Office, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, at (806) 770-2000, or online at selectaseatlubbock.com
Canada, The Departed return to Cactus
Cody Canada and The Departed bring the Return of Red Dirt Favorites to the Cactus Theater at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, May 5.
It's been a quarter century since Cody Canada kicked off his career. A road warrior and prolific songwriter, Canada was the frontman of Cross Canadian Ragweed, a wildly influential band that dominated the Red Dirt scene for more than a decade, and made music that reached far beyond the genre's borders, selling millions of albums and playing for huge audiences across the U.S. In 2011, Canada formed The Departed.
This group includes bass player Jeremy Plato (who's played alongside Canada for decades) and drummer Eric Hansen.
Tickets are $22.50 for reserved floor and standard balcony in advance or $27.50 the day of the show. Balcony box seats are $50 and include concessions.
For more information or to purchase tickets, visit cactustheater.com
LSO to perform the music of Queen
The Lubbock Symphony Orchestra presents the music of Queen at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 6, in the Helen Devitt Jones Theater of Buddy Holly Hall.
Bridging the gulf between rock n’ roll and classical music, conductor/arranger Brent Havens takes the podium to present Windborne’s newest show, “The Music of Queen,” a program he scored to extend the listening experience of Queen’s exceptional tunes. Performed by an orchestra and amplified with a full rock band and vocals, Havens and his ensemble capture Queen’s distinct sound while presenting some familiar and lots of new musical colors.
Tickets range from $25 to $93 (plus taxes and fees) depending on seating.
For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.buddyhollyhall.com/ or lubbocksymphony.org/
Caldwell Kids present A Night at the Grammys
Caldwell Entertainment announces A Night at the Grammys with the Caldwell Kids at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 6, at the Cactus Theater.
Celebrate the Grammy-award-winning music we all love. Hear hit song after hit song by some of the most talented kids in West Texas. These young vocalists range from 6 to 18.
Tickets for this show are $25 for all floor and standard balcony seats and $50 for balcony box seats, which include concessions.
For more information, visit cactustheater.com
For KING + COUNTRY at USA
for KING + COUNTRY brings its What Are We Waiting For? : The Tour, Part II to United Supermarkets Arena, at 7 p.m. on Sunday, May 7.
Performing new music from their latest album and featuring a fresh stage production, the group promises an evening concertgoers won’t soon forget.
Joel and Luke Smallbone know how to spin a cocoon of sound that envelopes the listener, lace words of truth and use their voices to lift and inspire. For KING + COUNTRY - the quadruple GRAMMY®-winning progressive pop duo - believe in what music can do as a positive and emotional force in people’s lives and is what drives the Australia-born, Nashville-based brothers.
Tickets for this concert range from $19 to $50 (plus taxes and fees), depending on seating.
To buy tickets, call the Select-a-Seat Box Office between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, at (806) 770-2000, or visit selectaseatlubbock.com
Isbell, 400 Unit to perform at Holly Hall
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit are set to perform at 7:30 p.m. on Sunday, May 7, in the Helen Devitt Jones Theater of Buddy Holly Hall.
The group is an American southern rock/ alt-country band based in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. Since his 2013 breakthrough album, Southeastern, he’s won four Grammy awards — two for Best Americana Album (Something More Than Free & The Nashville Sound) and two for Best American Roots Song (“24 Frames” & “If We Were Vampires”).
Both of the award-winning albums also peaked at number 1 on Billboard Country, Folk, and Rock charts. The group’s newest album, Weathervanes, will be released on June 9.
Reserved seat tickets range from $49 to $119 (plus taxes and fees) depending on seating. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.buddyhollyhall.com/
LCT presents 'Bonnie & Clyde: The Musical'
Lubbock Community Theater presents "Bonnie & Clyde: The Musical" on May 12, 13, 14 and 19, 20, 21 at the theater, 3101 35th St. Show times are 7:30 p.m. on May 12-13 and 19-20, with Sunday matinees at 2:30 p.m. on May 14 and 21.
At the height of the Great Depression, Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow went from two small-town nobodies in West Texas to America's most renowned folk heroes and Texas law enforcement's worst nightmares. Fearless, shameless and alluring, the Tony-nominated Bonnie & Clyde, from the legendary Frank Wildhorn (Jekyll & Hyde, Civil War, Dracula) is the electrifying story of love, adventure and crime that captured the attention of an entire country.
When Bonnie and Clyde meet, their mutual cravings for excitement and fame immediately set them on a mission to chase their dreams. Their bold and reckless behavior turns the young lovers' thrilling adventure into a downward spiral, putting themselves and their loved ones in trouble with the law. Forced to stay on the run, the lovers resort to robbery and murder to survive. As the infamous duo's fame grows bigger, their inevitable end draws nearer.
The production is based on the book by Ivan Menchell with music by Frank Wildhorn and lyrics by Don Black. Jillian Johnstone directs.
Tickets for this production are $30 (plus taxes and fees) for adults and $25 (plus taxes and fees) for seniors ages 65 and older, children 12 and younger and students with ID.
For more information or to purchase tickets, visit https://www.lubbockcommunitytheatre.org/
Christ in the Arts presents 'Boundless'
Christ in the Arts presents "Boundless" at 7 p.m. May 12 and 13 in the Lubbock Memorial Civic Center theater.
"Boundless" is a collaboration event with singer/songwriter Shannon Adducci, with guest choreographer Jiri Voborsky. This live music and dramatic dance combination promises to be a beautiful and uplifting event.
Tickets range from $20 to $30 (plus taxes and fees), depending on seating.
To buy tickets, call the Select-a-Seat Box Office at (806) 770-2000, Monday through Friday, between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., or online at selectaseatlubbock.com
G. Graham Brown to perform at Cactus
Soulful country stylist T. Graham Brown is set to take the Cactus Theater stage at 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 12.
Brown’s initial entry to Country Radio was the sad and soulful “Drowning In Memories.” That Top-40 single helped him to establish himself, and by the winter of 1986, he had warmed up to audiences with the bluesy hit “I Tell It Like It Used To Be.” Other hits quickly followed, with his first self-penned release “Hell And High Water,” which became his first number one song. “I Wish That I Could Hurt That Way Again” and “Don’t Go To Strangers” were the next releases, which all became chart-toppers.
In recent years, his first-ever Gospel album, "Forever Changed", netted him a Grammy nomination, with the promise of more such music on the way. A collaboration from the disc, “He’ll Take Care of You,” paired him with country Hall of Famer Vince Gill.
Tickets for this show are $37.50 for the first four rows A-D; $32.50 for remaining floor seats, rows E-M; $27.50 for standard balcony; and $65 for balcony box seats, which include concessions.
For more information or to purchase tickets, visit cactustheater.com
Caldwell Entertainment pays tribute to 80s bands
Caldwell Entertainment presents A Tribute to Van Halen, AC/DC and Tom Petty on Saturday, May 13, at Cactus Theater. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the shows starts at 7:30 p.m.
These three legendary rock groups brought some of the best music to the charts in the ’80s. From “Jump” to “Back In Black” to “I Won’t Back Down” this show is guaranteed to be a night you won't forget.
Tickets for this show are $25 for all floor and standard balcony and $50 for balcony box seats, which include concessions.
For more information, visit cactustheater.com
Plainview library hosts Texas author at Fair Theater
The city of Plainview’s Unger Memorial Library will be hosting a book signing with Taylor Moore, Texas author, at 1 p.m. on Saturday, May 13, at the Fair Theater, 717 Broadway.
Moore is the author of "Down Range and Firestorm", an action-thriller series featuring Garrett Kohl. His latest book, "Ricochet", will be released on Tuesday, Aug. 15.
A sixth-generation Texan who grew up on a farm and ranch northwest of Houston, Moore is a former CIA Intelligence Officer who worked in both analysis and operations and later consulted for the Department of Defense in Theater Security Cooperation, Force Protection, and Counternarcotics. He now lives in the Texas Panhandle with his wife and two children, where he is a full-time author, screenwriter and speaker.
"Down Range and Firestorm" will be available for purchase at the event; cash, check or credit cards are welcome.
For more information about the event, contact Unger Library at (806) 296-1149, and for more information about Taylor Moore, visit www.taylormoorebooks.com.
Cactus presents The Oak Ridge Boys
The Oak Ridge Boys bring their Front Porch Singin' Tour to the Cactus Theater at 7 p.m. Sunday, May 14, and Monday, May 15.
The four-part harmonies and upbeat songs of The Oak Ridge Boys have spawned dozens of country hits and a No. 1 pop smash, earned them Grammy, Dove, CMA, and ACM awards and garnered a host of other industry and fan accolades. Every time they step before an audience, the Oaks bring four decades of charted singles, and 50 years of tradition, to a stage show widely acknowledged as among the most exciting anywhere.
The group has scored 12 gold, three platinum and one double platinum album — plus one double platinum single — and had more than a dozen national #1 singles and over 30 Top Ten hits.
Tickets for this show are $95 for the first six floor rows A-F; $85 for remaining floor rows G-M; $75 for standard balcony; and $170 for balcony box seats, which include concessions.
For more information or to purchase tickets, visit cactustheater.com
Fathom presents 'Grease' special 45th anniversary screening
Fathom's Big Screen Classics presents "Grease" on the big screen for its 45th anniversary at 4 and 7 p.m. Sunday, May 14, and 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 17, at Cinemark Movies 16 and XD, 5721 58th St.
The kids are cool, the cars are hot, and the tunes are always rockin' and rollin' when one of the most beloved comedies of all time comes back to theaters to celebrate its 45th anniversary! Good girl Sandy (Olivia Newton-John) is new to school, but ready to join the Pink Ladies.
Bad boy Danny (John Travolta), the leader of the T-Birds, has just discovered their summer lovin' wasn't just a passing fling when they're reunited at Rydell High School.
Tickets for this special event are $12.45 and available in advance online at www.fathomevents.com/events
Touring Broadway production of 'Tootsie' comes to Holly Hall
Broadway at the Buddy Holly Hall brings its next production to the Hub City with the musical comedy "Tootsie" at 7:30 p.m. on May 15, 16 and 17, in the Helen Devitt Jones Theater.
This laugh-out-loud love letter to the theater tells the story of Michael Dorsey, a talented but difficult actor who struggles to find work until one show-stopping act of desperation lands him the role of a lifetime.
Featuring a hilarious Tony®-winning book by Robert Horn and an outrageously clever score by 2018 Tony-winner David Yazbek (The Band’s Visit, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels), this New York Times Critic’s Pick is “a joyful delight” (The Washington Post) that’s “so packed with punchlines, it should be called a jokebox musical!” (Bloomberg).
Reserved seat tickets range from $40 to $75 (plus taxes and fees) depending on seating.
For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.buddyhollyhall.com/
Concert benefits Team Luke
Eli Young Band will be performing on May 16 at the United Supermarkets Arena, benefiting Team Luke Hope for Minds. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. with the concert starting at 8:30 p.m.
TLHFM helps families and children who have suffered from a brain injury. TLHFM has helped more than 480 families in 45 states.
While selling out venues as a headliner from coast-to-coast, EYB has toured with Jason Aldean, Dave Matthews Band, Kenny Chesney, Rascal Flatts, Toby Keith, Tim McGraw, and Darius Rucker.
With momentum still high following their fourth career No, 1, hitmakers Eli Young Band are releasing an introspective new single with “Break It In” via The Valory Music Co. Under producer Dann Huff, the tune explores lessons in life and love that are only learned over time well spent.
General admission seating for this concert is $34.50. To buy tickets, call the Select-a-Seat Box Office at (806) 770-2000, Monday through Friday, between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., or purchase them online at selectaseatlubbock.com
Ultimate Variety Show coming to Cactus
The Ultimate Variety Show: The Edwards twins, top impersonators and impressionists are set to perform at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 17, at the Cactus Theater.
Remember all the variety shows we grew up on in the 1970s and 1980s? Now is your chance to see them live and re-created by Las Vegas impersonators. Anthony and Eddie Edwards use state-of-the-art make-up to look and sound like the superstars of today and yesterday.
All your favorite legendary performers come alive in Super Stars on Stage: The Ultimate Variety Show.
Sonny & Cher, Billy Joel, Elton John, Neil Diamond, Lionel Richie, Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles, Lady Gaga, Celine Dion, Rod Stewart, Bette Midler, Olivia Newton John, Barbra Streisand, Andrea Bocelli, Frankie Valli, Tom Jones, and more.
Reserved seat tickets are $25 for all floor seats; $20 for standard balcony box seats; and $50 for balcony box seats, which include concessions.
For more information, visit cactustheater.com
The Edge presents 'American Buffalo'
The Edge Theatre, 4228 Boston Ave., presents "American Buffalo," directed by James Bush, Ph.D., at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturdays, May 19-20 and May 26-27, with 2:30 p.m. matinees on Sundays May 21 and 28.
Don Dubrow (played by Sean Allen Jones), the owner of a junk shop where the action takes place, decides to steal a customer’s coin collection when he feels that he has been bested in a transaction including a valuable Buffalo nickel.
He enlists the help of a young junkie named Bobby (played by Nathaniel Connor Goins) but is later convinced by a manipulative friend that Bobby is incompetent. Unable to trust either, Don invites Walter Cole “Teach” (played by Demetrius “Mechie” Scherpereel) to join them.
Bobby becomes a scapegoat as the burglary plot unravels and tensions build into suspicion, anger, and violence.
This production is for mature audiences only.
Tickets are $17 for adults and $15 for seniors and students (plus taxes and fees). For more information or to purchase tickets, visit https://edgetheatrelubbock.org/
Cactus hosting KISS tribute band
Destroyer, a top touring KISS touring tribute will perform live at the Cactus Theater at 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 19.
Audiences loved the recent top touring tributes to Guns N’ Roses and AC/DC, so the historic Cactus Theater is bringing fans another top touring salute to one of the most iconic bands in the history of rock: KISS.
Destroyer is the group hand-picked by the original band KISS and the official “KISS Kruise” as one of the top tributes in the world.
Tickets for this show are $27.50 for the first six floor rows (A-F); $25 for remaining floro seats (rows G-M); $22.50 for standard balcony seats; and $50 for balcony box seats, which include concessions.
For more information, visit cactustheater.com
Caldwell pays tribute to Guns, Def Leppard, Whitesnake
Caldwell Entertainment presents a tribute to Guns 'n Roses, Def Leppard and Whitesnake at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 20, at the Cactus Theater.
Back by popular demand, Caldwell Entertainment presents a second night of ’80s rock ’n’ roll featuring the legendary music of Guns N’ Roses, Def Leppard and Whitesnake. The previous performance rocked the house and this is sure to do the same.
Tickets are $25 for all floor and standard balcony seats; and $50 for balcony box seats, which include concessions.
For more information, visit cactustheater.com
'Long Island Medium' comes to Holly Hall
Theresa Caputo brings Live! the Experience to the Helen Devitt Jones Theater of Buddy Holly H all at 3 p.m. Sunday, May 21.
For more than a decade Caputo, star of the hit TLC show "The Long Island Medium", has provided messages of peace and comfort to over a million people worldwide. Through sharing her gift of communicating with those who have passed on, Caputo delivers healing messages directly to audience members, comforting them with the revelation that our deceased loved ones are still with us– just in a different way.
Reserved seat tickets range from $44.75 to $99.75 (plus taxes and fees) depending on seating. There are also VIP packages and add-ons available for an additional charge.
For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.buddyhollyhall.com/
Dance Gallery School presents 'Portrait'
The Dance Gallery School of Dance Arts will host its 42nd Anniversary with a Major Production, “Portrait", at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 3, and at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, June 4, in the Helen Devitt Jones Theater of Buddy Holly Hall.
“Portrait” is a celebration of the arts and the artists who create them. The dancers will explore a gallery of fine arts from Degas’ ballerinas to Van Gogh’s Starry Night, portray fashion icons like Audrey Hepburn and Marilyn Monroe, and honor spiritual leaders like Mother Theresa.
Audiences will be enchanted by the art of Cinderella and the magic of fairytales and captivated by the art of literary greats such as F. Scott Fitzgerald and Bram Stoker. Enjoy the music of the Beatles, Elvis, David Bowie and more as the dancers pay tribute to some of music’s greatest artists.
Dancers consist of preschool through high school aged students performing pieces in the styles of tap, ballet, jazz, contemporary, pointe and hip hop.
Reserved seat tickets for this production range from $16 to $33 (plus taxes and fees), depending on seating. For more information or to purchase tickets, visithttps://www.buddyhollyhall.com/
Sistine Chapel: The Exhibition coming to Amarillo
The internationally acclaimed Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel: The Exhibition is coming to Amarillo on June 9 and runs through July 23. It will be the inaugural exhibit at the newly renovated Sunset Center in Amarillo, now called Arts in the Sunset.
This globally successful exhibit has been all around the world from Shanghai to Chicago, Phoenix, Berlin, Vienna and more. Tickets are on sale today and can be purchased online at artsinthesunset.org.
Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel: The Exhibition is a collection of the artist’s renowned ceiling frescoes from the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel, reproduced in a format allowing viewers to be faceto-face with the masterpieces. Through artfully displayed reproductions, this innovative presentation brings the audience just a few feet away from world-renowned pieces like The Creation of Adam and The Last Judgment.
Arts in the Sunset is located at 3701 Plains Blvd. The exhibit will be open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. until 7:30 p.m., with the last entry at 6 p.m. On Sundays, the exhibit will be open from 1-5:30 p.m., with the last entry at 4 p.m. The exhibit is wheelchair accessible. Viewing time is estimated between 60 and 90 minutes. Tickets rangefrom $19 to $26.50, based on age and time of day.
Proceeds from the exhibit will benefit the Downtown Women’s Center (DWC), Catholic Charities of the Texas Panhandle (CCTXP), the Amarillo Art Institute and the Amarillo Cultural District of the Texas Commission on the Arts.
Madagascar Live coming to Holly Hall
Get ready to move it, move it! Join Alex, Marty, Melman and Gloria as they escape New York Central Park Zoo and onto the stage in a live musical spectacular. Madagascar the Musical Live is scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday, June 9, in the Helen Devitt Jones Theater of Buddy Holly Hall.
Based on the Dreamworks® movie, Madagascar The Musical Live! will have audiences of all-ages cheering and dancing as the crack-a-lackin’ friends find themselves on an unexpected journey to the madcap world of King Julien’s Madagascar.
Featuring new songs written for the stage, a bevy of dancing menageries and even some puppets, Madagascar The Musical Live! is an out-of-this zoo fun experience of friendship and more.
Tickets for this production range from $34 to $100 (plus taxes and fees) depending on seating. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit https://www.buddyhollyhall.com/
Moonlight Musicals opens season with 'Hello Dolly!'
Lubbock Moonlight Musicals begins its 18th year with the 2023 season theme of “Trailblazers!”The first production of the season is "Hello Dolly!" scheduled for June 8-10, 15-17, and 22-24, at the Moonlight Musicals Amphitheater, 413 E. Broadway.
This musical adaptation of Thornton Wilder’s hit play "The Matchmaker" bursts with humor, romance, energetic dance and some of the greatest songs in musical theatre history. The romantic and comic exploits of Dolly Gallagher-Levi, turn-of-the-century matchmaker and “woman who arranges things,” are certain to thrill and entertain audiences again and again.
Tickets for this production are $25, which includes Select-A-seat fees. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit moonlightmusicals.com
Bollywood star coming to Holly Hall
Mika Singh, a famous Indian singer, composer, music director, and movie artist of Bollywood fame, is coming to West Texas for the first time at 7 p.m. Sunday, June 11, at Buddy Holly Hall.
Singh is one of the most popular singers in India, with many hit songs and compositions.
He has enthralled audiences worldwide with full-house live performances. Accompanied by his orchestra team and chorus singers, audiences will enjoy an electrifying, colorful, multi-cultural show, with popular songs and dance tunes. Talented Lubbock dance artists will perform along with Singh, singing and dancing with his band.
Reserved seat tickets range from $59 to $249 (plus taxes and fees) depending on seating and VIP features.
For more information or to purchase tickets, visit https://www.buddyhollyhall.com/
Valli rescheduled for June 16
The original Jersey boy himself, Frankie Valli is coming to Buddy Holly Hall at 7 p.m. Friday, June, 16, for a rescheduled date from January. Tickets for the January performance will be honored.
Valli's career with the Four Seasons, as well as his solo success, have spawned countless hit singles. With unforgettable tunes like “Sherry,” “Walk Like A Man,” “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” “Rag Doll,” “December ‘63 – Oh What A Night,” “Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You,” and of course, “Grease.”
His songs have been omnipresent in other iconic movies such as "The Deer Hunter", "Dirty Dancing", "Mrs. Doubtfire", "Conspiracy Theory" and "The Wanderers".
Valli and the Four Seasons have sold more than 100 million records worldwide. They continue to tour throughout the U.S. and abroad to packed houses receiving nightly standing ovations from thrilled fans of multiple generations.
Reserved seat tickets for this show range from $54 to $175 (plus taxes and fees) depending on seating and VIP features.
For more information or to purchase tickets, visit https://www.buddyhollyhall.com/ | https://www.lubbockonline.com/story/entertainment/local/2023/04/29/lubbock-entertainment-in-brief/70156219007/ | 2023-04-29T11:41:28 | 0 | https://www.lubbockonline.com/story/entertainment/local/2023/04/29/lubbock-entertainment-in-brief/70156219007/ |
Construction is scheduled to begin Monday on State Street and Bismarck Expressway.
State Street road work will begin south of Divide Avenue East to Calgary Avenue East. Traffic will be reduced to two lanes in each direction, with speeds 25-30 mph.
The State Street project will include just over 1.6 miles of work, including concrete pavement repair, signals, lighting, turn lane improvements, sidewalks and storm sewers. Traffic signal work is expected to be completed late this year, with the overall project done next spring.
Bismarck Expressway work will begin just west of the Washington Street intersection to Seventh Street. Traffic will be reduced to one lane in each direction, with speeds of 25 mph.
Work also will begin on Washington Street. A two-block section from Ivy Avenue to West Denver Avenue will be reduced to one lane in each direction, with speeds of 25 mph.
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The Expressway project will consist of 4 miles of work, starting west of the Washington Street intersection to north of the Main Street intersection. Work will include new asphalt, sidewalk improvements, and improvements to median islands and signals. The project is expected to wrap up in the fall. | https://bismarcktribune.com/news/local/state-street-bismarck-expressway-work-beginning/article_179cdcea-e50f-11ed-9b81-7f6b5d9c724c.html | 2023-04-29T12:15:07 | 1 | https://bismarcktribune.com/news/local/state-street-bismarck-expressway-work-beginning/article_179cdcea-e50f-11ed-9b81-7f6b5d9c724c.html |
'Ask the Lawyers' for legal advice on May 1 at the Petoskey library
PETOSKEY — In honor of Law Day, the Emmet Charlevoix Bar Association will present an “Ask the Lawyers” event from 4-6 p.m. on Monday, May 1 at the Petoskey District Library.
This free event, offered to the general public, will feature local attorneys volunteering their time to answer general legal questions in the areas of criminal law, family law, probate and estate planning, contract, property, landlord-tenant and business law.
Law Day, which was established in 1958, is held on May 1 every year to celebrate the role of law in society and to cultivate a deeper understanding of the legal profession. The theme for Law Day 2023 will be “Cornerstones of Democracy: Civics, Civility, and Collaboration.”
The American Bar Association describes this year’s Law Day theme as an opportunity for “all the people of the United States to join us in rebuilding trust in our institutions, respect for one another, and our willingness to collaborate to address the challenges that face our nation."
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“We are excited to use Law Day as an opportunity to give back to our amazing community by providing free legal advice to all members of the public — especially those who might not otherwise have access to it," said Bar Association President Maggie Steffy. "It is so great that so many lawyers were willing to volunteer their time on Law Day in the spirit of helping to enhance our fellow community members’ understanding of the law. While lawyers can sometimes have a negative reputation, most attorneys got into the profession because of a genuine desire to help others. This event is an ideal opportunity for our local lawyers to do exactly that.”
The “Ask the Lawyers” event will take place in the Petoskey District Library’s classroom on the lower level. Details regarding the event are also posted on the library’s website. Along with Steffy, the “Ask the Lawyers” event is being coordinated by Stacey Cox, programming and marketing manager of the Petoskey District Library, and local attorneys and past Bar Association presidents Tina DeMoore and Amy Stikovich.
Prior to the “Ask the Lawyers” event on May 1, the Bar Association will also host a membership luncheon at which time an outstanding non-lawyer citizen who has given of his or her time and energy to strengthen the legal system will be honored with the Liberty Bell Award. | https://www.petoskeynews.com/story/news/local/2023/04/29/ask-the-lawyers-for-legal-advice-on-may-1-at-the-petoskey-library/70160217007/ | 2023-04-29T12:16:03 | 1 | https://www.petoskeynews.com/story/news/local/2023/04/29/ask-the-lawyers-for-legal-advice-on-may-1-at-the-petoskey-library/70160217007/ |
Krajewski recognized with national Lifetime Achievement award
PETOSKEY — Chris Krajewski of Petoskey will be honored with a 2023 Purple Ribbon Award for Lifetime Achievement through DomesticShelters.org.
Krajewski is the domestic abuse and sexual assault program director with the Women’s Resource Center of Northern Michigan (WRCNM). The national recognition program honors leaders and achievers in the domestic violence movement, including advocates, programs, shelters and survivors. The awards ceremony will be held virtually in May.
Since joining WRCNM in 1987, Krajewski has been dedicated to the work of supporting, respecting and empowering survivors. Much of her focus involves awareness-raising, education and prevention of gender-based violence through community partners, task force groups, speaking engagements and professional training presentations for law enforcement, prosecutors and medical personnel.
Under her guidance, WRCNM expanded and enhanced numerous services that center on the unique needs of survivors while acknowledging the societal influences working against them. She currently oversees more than 25 program staff providing 24-hour response, Safe Home temporary shelter, transitional supportive housing, therapeutic counseling, advocacy, violence prevention education and critical social change work. The program has become a model for other agencies in Michigan and nationwide.
“I am filled with gratitude to be nominated for this award by my peers and so honored to receive it,” Krajewski said.
Throughout the past three decades, Krajewski said there has been a societal awakening to the prevalence of gender-based violence, and more recently, an urgency by individuals, groups and businesses to take everyday actions to help create needed, positive change.
“During my career, it’s been gratifying to live in a community that has been approachable and supportive of the work needing to be done in our rural area,” Krajewski said. “It is a lifetime of work that needs to continue because this type of violence is preventable and as a strong, compassionate community we still have much to do.”
WRCNM Executive Director Gail Kloss added that “Chris has a special combination of gifts beyond her education and training."
"She is passionate about the work and also has a broad understanding of the complexities of gender-based violence and the ability to communicate it clearly to various individuals and groups.”
The Women’s Resource Center of Northern Michigan can be reached 24/7 at (231) 347-0082, (800) 275-1995 or wrcnm.org. | https://www.petoskeynews.com/story/news/local/2023/04/29/krajewski-recognized-with-national-lifetime-achievement-award/70155461007/ | 2023-04-29T12:16:09 | 0 | https://www.petoskeynews.com/story/news/local/2023/04/29/krajewski-recognized-with-national-lifetime-achievement-award/70155461007/ |
ORLANDO, Fla. – Orlando police are investigating a shooting reported just outside the limits of College Park early Saturday that left a man hurt and led to a juvenile male’s arrest.
Officers responded after 1 a.m. to the 800 block of Formosa Avenue, what became the scene of a large police presence as a crash under the nearby Interstate 4 overpass also drew attention.
The department is currently looking into how things started, as well as a possible connection between the shooting and the crash.
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No other information has so far been confirmed to News 6.
This is a developing story. Check back here for updates.
Get today’s headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily: | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2023/04/29/man-shot-juvenile-arrested-near-college-park-orlando-police-say/ | 2023-04-29T12:29:41 | 1 | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2023/04/29/man-shot-juvenile-arrested-near-college-park-orlando-police-say/ |
Terrible employees usually create a lot of drama and disruption and sometimes employers feel trapped on whether they can fire them. They can. And they should. But ideally, they should first issue some form of corrective action.
The Fourth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals recently upheld summary judgment for the employer, Spartanburg Methodist College (SMC), where a former employee claimed that SMC discriminated and retaliated against her under Title IX and the Americans with Disabilities Act when her contract was not renewed after just one year.
Plaintiff Summer Lashley signed a one-year contract to teach criminal justice courses at SMC. According to the court’s opinion, “Less than a year later, SMC decided not to renew Lashley’s contract and terminated her shortly thereafter. Lashley brought a mix of state and federal law claims against SMC, essentially arguing that her contract nonrenewal and termination were unlawful.”
SMC decided not to renew her contract due to her performance, professionalism, and conflicts with faculty and students, according to the case.
In cases like these the facts are complex. The employee in question had a lot of conflict, demands and complaints. They all can’t be summarized here but suffice to say she was a source of ongoing disruption, and her supervisor described her as “emotional, volatile, and uncontrollable.” Lashley herself informed her supervisor on “multiple occasions that SMC was not a good fit for her.”
The court concluded, “Lashley’s multiple contentious interactions led [management] to worry that she was not forming constructive relationships with faculty and students and would have difficulty maintaining the professionalism required to perform as a SMC professor. In consultation with other SMC administrators, [Lashley’s manager] decided not to renew Lashley’s contract for the following year.”
Informing her that her contract was not being renewed, her supervisor told her, that she “and SMC were not a good fit for each other.”
Following this conversation, Lashley allegedly made threats to include shouting at her supervisor for “betraying” her, telling students she felt like “blowing the school up” and telling a faculty member that “Bad stuff happens when people cross me. My dad says it’s true. They turn up dead.” She allegedly threatened that “evil people” like her supervisor would “get theirs.” She denied all of these statements.
SMC’s president learned of these threats and made the decision to immediately terminate her and not let her work out the rest of her contract. He informed Lashley that her termination was due to “unprofessional, inappropriate interactions” with faculty.
The court held that SMC had “legitimate reasons not to renew Lashley’s contract and to terminate her employment,” including that she was not a good fit for SMC and based on reports of threatening and unprofessional behavior.
The court reasoned it was not unlawful for an employer to conclude that an employee’s “conflicts with faculty demonstrated a lack of conflict-resolution skills needed in a professional setting where interactions with colleagues are frequent and essential.” There was also evidence that Lashley demonstrated a lack of professionalism with students.
The court determined that the motivation by the employer was safety – not retaliation.
Furthermore, the decision-makers didn’t even know about Lashley’s ADA request or her Title IX complaints when the decision was made to fire her. “Decisionmakers can hardly be accused of harboring a retaliatory animus when they were unaware of the actions that allegedly led to the retaliation.
Lashley claimed that SMC’s reasoning for her termination – that she was not a “good fit,” was a “thinly veiled disguise for retaliation.”
On this point, the court concluded that, “Describing an employee as not a ‘good fit’ is an assessment that employers make all the time. Maybe someone’s skills do not match up with the institution’s mission. Maybe someone’s work ethic falls short of expectations. Maybe someone is just not a good team player. Though there may be circumstances where evidence reveals that ‘good fit’ is a subterfuge for discrimination or retaliation, it is also a perfectly innocuous comment that an organization’s collaborative goals would not be furthered” and might be diminished by the employee.
The court added, “Institutional success is often a collective enterprise toward which an employer has entirely reasonable expectations that each employee should contribute.” It added, “SMC’s President explained that a good fit ‘for us is someone who is able and willing to effectively teach the demographics we teach with great success and academic integrity,’ who possesses the ‘[a]bility to be a good colleague with your faculty and staff,’ as well as the ability to exhibit the ‘appropriate behavior with students and a level of professionalism with the appropriate boundaries between students and faculty.’ ”
This was true despite Lashley’s claim to be a whistleblower. On this the court held that Lashley “cannot claim that mantle,” adding, “the record reveals unrelieved personality conflicts, unprofessional favoritisms, unwarranted threats, and contempt for what the defendant institution was attempting to accomplish. We cannot see how addressing those problems was a pretext for retaliatory or discriminatory animus.”
This case should be a must read for any employer grappling with these highly complex and disruptive employees who continuously spin up the organization with never ending demands and disruption. Address these behaviors early (immediately). Institute a zero tolerance for any lack of professionalism or respect. And be consistent in holding employees accountable.
Richmond-area business expansions, openings and closings
Urban Myth Street Food
Revel Market & Bar
Stanley's
Popshelf
P.T. Hastings Seafood
Killa Dillas
Genova’s Pizza Station & Take Out Kitchen
The Veil Brewing Co.'s new taproom
Luxe New American Bar & Grill
Wok This Way
Eggs Up Grill
Mayu Sushi & Thai
Max’s on Broad
RICH Nail Lounge
Sycamore Jewelers, Midlothian
Mi Casita Restaurant
Ironclad Coffee
Grit Coffee
Rockler Woodworking and Hardware
Boiling Crab Richmond
Blue Cow Ice Cream Co.
Suzy Sno
Diablo Doughnuts RVA
The Brass Tap
Graybo's Sports Cards
Blue Ridge Cyclery
BigWife's
Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams
CarLotz
Acacia Midtown
Zoom Room Richmond
Torchy's Tacos
Planet Fitness
Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers
Three Notch'd Brewing
Retail or Resell
Marshalls
Raising Cane's
My Favorite Muffin
Mattress King
Anthony's on the Hill
The Mill on MacArthur
Karen Michael is an attorney and the president of Richmond-based Karen Michael PLC and author of “Stay Hired.” She can be reached at stayhired@stayhired.net. | https://richmond.com/business/local/court-confirms-you-can-fire-a-terrible-employee-because-she-is-not-a-good-fit/article_b4027da4-e511-11ed-bb5d-2f32801fd1fa.html | 2023-04-29T12:32:06 | 1 | https://richmond.com/business/local/court-confirms-you-can-fire-a-terrible-employee-because-she-is-not-a-good-fit/article_b4027da4-e511-11ed-bb5d-2f32801fd1fa.html |
News Tribune, April 29, 1983
- This weekend, workers will install 172 parking meters on Superior Street in downtown Duluth. The meters were removed three years ago to encourage downtown shopping, but in January the City Council voted to reinstall them and offer two hours of free parking in several ramps.
- Hunters Park residents yesterday kicked off a neighborhood crime watch program that Duluth police hope will catch on throughout the city. The intent of the program is for residents to notify police about any suspicious activities or individuals in their neighborhood.
News Tribune, April 29, 1923
- United States Senator Knute Nelson of Minnesota died last night from a heart attack on a railroad train traveling from Washington to Chicago. Sen. Nelson, who was 80, served as the state's governor from 1892 to 1895, when he was elected to the U.S. Senate.
- The recent remodeling project at Duluth's Lyric Theater included the installation of a new Wurlitzer organ. Yesterday, P.F. Schwie, general manager of the Lyric, announced the hiring of a new organist, John E. Keith, who has been playing organ at the Rialto Theater on Broadway. | https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/news/local/bygones-downtown-duluth-parking-meters-installed-40-years-ago | 2023-04-29T12:50:37 | 1 | https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/news/local/bygones-downtown-duluth-parking-meters-installed-40-years-ago |
Residents attending Friday's Clean and Safe Atlantic City meeting complained about drug use and illegal activity at the remodeled Brown's Park next to Stanley Holmes Village.
The park is not being locked overnight, as Director of Health and Human Services Jarrod Barnes has said it would be, they said, and they do not feel safe letting their children play there.
"The park has not been locked due to manpower issues," city spokesperson Andrew Kramer said after the meeting. "We are currently exploring solutions."
Residents said they have seen a video of a dead body in Brown's Park behind police tape and covered by first responders as children play nearby.
Councilman Bruce Weekes suggested police hire civilians to patrol parks, as they do on parts of Atlantic Avenue.
ATLANTIC CITY — Hundreds of residents and city officials gathered at Brown’s Park for a comm…
In May 2017, the park was reopened after a $1.5 million renovation that included playground equipment, more lights, security cameras and a fence that would be locked at night.
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Harold R. Brown Memorial Park sits between Stanley Holmes Village and the Schoolhouse Apartments in the city’s 3rd Ward, off Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.
Even at its reopening, some residents feared the park would return to being a drug-infested area and wondered what would be done for children who visit the park.
Prior to the renovation, the park made national news when a viral video taken in the park showed a homeless woman being knocked unconscious by a city man.
ATLANTIC CITY — The city plans a makeover for Brown’s Park, which police and city officials …
PBA says officers not getting meal breaks
Jules Schwenger, an Atlantic City police officer and the president of the local PBA, said Friday officers are working 11-hour shifts without needed breaks.
Calls for service are up 35% so far this year over last year, Chief James Sarkos said Friday.
"I'm being asked how many weeks can we go without a dinner break," Schwenger said. "We are working with the chief and different organizations. It comes down to more police officers."
If you want officers to lock the parks, or to work in schools, we need more police, she said.
"Give us a little grace. The officer you are dealing with probably hasn’t had a chance to go pee yet," Schwenger said. "We are going from call to call. We're doing the best we can."
ATLANTIC CITY -- A city man arrested after a video posted on Facebook showed a woman being k…
First community walk of 2023
Council Vice President Kaleem Shabazz said 2023's first community walk for a clean and safe city will leave at 3:45 p.m. May 16 from the All Wars Memorial Building at 1510 Adriatic Ave.
A group of clergy, law enforcement officers and residents will walk the neighborhood around the All Wars building to promote good relations.
Free trash cans
The city has 2,000 new trash cans to give to residents, said Assistant Director of Public Works Ahmid A. Abdullah.
To receive a new trash can, call public works at 609-347-5700 and leave your name, address and phone number.
"On the side are ID numbers, so now we can track it if someone steals it," Abdullah said.
ATLANTIC CITY — Facebook isn't always your friend, an Atlantic City man has learned.
Police locks for Hyundai and Kia owners
To help prevent thefts of Hyundai and Kia vehicles, police Chief James Sarkos said residents can get free steering wheel locks from the Police Department.
The manufacturers' vehicles are being targeted because they lack theft deterrents other vehicles have.
Sarkos said residents can get a free lock by bringing a copy of their vehicle registration and ID to the Public Safety Building on Atlantic Avenue.
Residents can also request locks through their neighborhood coordination officer, he said.
In February, the National Highway Safety Administration said Hyundai and Kia have developed theft deterrent software for millions of their vehicles that lack an immobilizer and will provide it free of charge to vehicle owners.
The software updates the theft alarm software logic to extend the length of the alarm sound from 30 seconds to one minute and requires the key to be in the ignition switch to turn the vehicle on.
Contact Hyundai (toll-free at 800-633-5151) or Kia (toll-free at 800-333-4542) for information on the free update. | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/atlantic-city-briefs-concerns-raised-over-drug-use-at-browns-park/article_11c21642-e5cc-11ed-beb5-739596e3c9ed.html | 2023-04-29T12:54:48 | 1 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/atlantic-city-briefs-concerns-raised-over-drug-use-at-browns-park/article_11c21642-e5cc-11ed-beb5-739596e3c9ed.html |
April 29 is Independent Bookstore Day, and Kenosha’s Blue House Books is hosting a celebration. The store, 5915 Sixth Ave. A., will have several specials and giveaways, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Also, authors will host panel discussions from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at nearby Public Craft Brewing, 628 58th St. For more information about the shop, go to blue-house-books.com
Wake up and smell the pancakes! It’s Pancake Day, 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Roma Lodge in Mount Pleasant. Live music starts at 7 a.m. and continues all day, along with the all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast, with sausage links and a beverage. Tickets are $10 at the door; free for children age 5 and younger. Proceeds go to area nonprofits working with young people.
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Kenosha County Association for Home and Community Education is hosting “Families Branching Out,” a free event with activities from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Kenosha County Center, 19600 75th St. (the corner of Highway 45 and Highway 50) in Bristol. Activities include decorating cookies, doing crafts — and the chance to pet a goat or rabbit.Note: People are asked to bring a non-perishable food item for The Sharing Center.
Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast” continues with two performances today (at 2 and 7:30 p.m.) at the Rhode Center for the Arts, 514 56th St. The Lakeside Players production runs Friday-Sunday, through May 6. Performances are 7:30 p.m. Fridays, 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $15 for adults and $13 for students and senior citizens. Advance ticket purchases are recommended. Go to rhodecenter.org or the Lakeside Players Facebook page to purchase advance tickets.
“Legally Blonde: The Musical” continues tonight in the Wartburg Theater at Carthage College. The musical comedy — based on the 2001 movie — tells the story of Elle Woods, who heads to Harvard Law School in an attempt to win back the love of her ex-boyfriend. Performances are 7:30 p.m. Saturday (April 29) and 3 p.m. Sunday (April 30); continuing 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday (May 4-6). Tickets are $14 for adults, $10 for senior citizens (55 and older) and $8 for students. Go to carthage.edu/arts/box-office.
“Spring Awakening” — the winner of eight Tony Awards, including Best Musical — continues tonight in the Main Stage Theatre at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside. The show explores “the journey from adolescence to adulthood with a poignancy and passion that is illuminating and unforgettable,” show organizers said. Performances are 7 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday, continuing next weekend. Tickets are $20 for adults, $15 for senior citizens (age 60 and older) and $10 for youths (age 17 and younger). Note: The show contains mature themes. For tickets, go to uwp.edu or call 262-595-2564. | https://kenoshanews.com/news/local/kenosha-area-events-for-saturday-april-29/article_4cf82056-e52e-11ed-815c-5f84ba9cb115.html | 2023-04-29T13:07:15 | 1 | https://kenoshanews.com/news/local/kenosha-area-events-for-saturday-april-29/article_4cf82056-e52e-11ed-815c-5f84ba9cb115.html |
Charter school application denied, public comments and application deficiencies discussed
Before the Jackson-Madison County School System ultimately voted against the establishment of an American Classical Academy charter school in Jackson, attendees were given an opportunity to speak, followed by the JMCSS Charter Review Committee's recommendation.
Though not normally allowed at special-called meetings, as noted by JMCSS Board Chairman James Johnson, those who wished to speak were each given a three-minute opportunity to voice their thoughts on American Classical Academy's establishment of a charter school in Jackson.
Among those in the crowd were ACA proponents such as parents and current ACA staff, as well as educators and community members who held signs reading "Vote no" and "Don't defund our public schools, defend them."
Those in favor of ACA, say 'I'
The first to step up to the podium was Phillip Schwenk, vice president with ACA, expressing his hope that the board votes in favor of bringing a charter school as he believes it will "benefit this community greatly."
The Sun spoke to Schwenk after the board's denial of the application, and it remains unclear at this time if ACA intends to make an additional resubmission attempt within the 30-day period they are allotted.
"We know that there's many families here that want this option, and I will always advocate for parents having options," he said. "Of course, we're disappointed, but we'll see what we're going to do. We haven't decided what we're going to do yet, but we'll talk about it with our board to see if we'll either try to reapply or amend the actual application."
A mother of three children, among others, expressed concerns over graduation rates and lack of reading proficiency among students, as well as teacher retention rates within the school system.
And those opposed
North Side High School teacher Alyssa Pearman spoke before the school board, noting that trauma plays a significant factor in a student's ability to be successful in school and that teachers must meet students "where they are" emotionally in order to grow them academically.
"I took it as this charter school was in response to 'let's remove kids who are a problem,'" she said. "Sometimes we have to meet their basic needs first before we can teach them anything, that's how the brain works. We were given all these numbers which shows we are in a deficit, but there also isn't consideration for what these children go through at very young ages."
Pearman noted that the statistics presented in both ACA's presentation and by the mother in favor of a charter school, do not take into account how home life could affect educational achievement.
"I could have a rough morning on testing day and be a straight-A student, and bomb that test," she said. "What does that mean? My career is worthless now? That's nonsense. I feel like one thing they did well was use numbers against us, because the numbers don't lie, but numbers don't exactly shed light on every truth either, so I think that's very important."
An educator for seven years, she explained that she has a three-year-old child who she considers every day which classroom he will be in and if he will be given the love he deserves because that's the philosophy she employs towards her own students.
"I'm very pleased with this decision because we're thinking of the future for the longevity of students," Pearman said.
President of the Jackson-Madison County NAACP Branch Harrell Carter also spoke in opposition to bringing a charter school to the Jackson area. Among his points was the misdirection of pointed fingers at everyone except the school system that students go through.
"In terms of a charter school concept, there's a Vanderbilt study that says there's not a whole lot to talk about in terms of charter schools, they did their study several years ago," he said. "We talk about the Nashville School Board who did a study basically reaching that same conclusion. As I take a look across the lot, charter school is no better than public school."
Strengths and weaknesses
JMCSS Chief Innovation Officer Theresa McSweeney presented alongside JMCSS Chief Compliance and Monitoring Officer Patrice Martin, both of whom served on the Charter Review Committee.
Had the application been approved, ACA would launch its charter school in the fall of 2024.
Martin presented both the strengths and deficiencies of the charter's application for the board's review, beginning with the first section, Academic Plan Design and Capacity. Among the strengths included:
- measurable goals based on ACA's mission statement
- the academic calendar meets state requirements and provides staff development opportunities that exceed state requirements
- a detailed code of conduct and disciplinary section in the proposed ACA handbook
Deficiencies tripled in number comparatively to the strengths and included the following:
- lack of evidence demonstrating ACA curriculum meets state standards
- no explicit plan for how the targeted student population will be addressed
- lack of rigor in curriculum
- no mention of a specific science curriculum
- lack of instruction materials provided for special education students (Tier III students as designated by ACA)during Response to Intervention (RTI)
- no benchmark assessment that determines which tier a student falls into
- eligibility timeline that does not meet state criteria
In the second section, Operations Plan and Capacity, the number of deficiencies also outweighed the strengths. Strengths included:
- a board with with diverse qualifications
- the security of insurance requirements
- the hiring of a school principal a year prior to opening
Deficiencies more than quadrupled the number of strengths in this section, including, but not limited to:
- no determined location for the charter school and no plan for the financial acquisition of one
- no detailed school safety and crisis plan
- no detailed plan for funding of technology
- lack of commitment to providing transportation, unless it is "affordable and it significantly increases access to economically disadvantaged families"
- lack of a plan to support, develop, or evaluate teachers as required by state standards
- a projected goal by ACA to open five charter schools in Tennessee, despite not having experience opening a charter school
What happens next?
American Classical Academy will have 30 days to either amend or resubmit its application for a proposed charter, and the school board will have a 60-day period to review and come to a decision.
As five school districts across Tennesse gathered this week to accept or deny ACA's application, Madison County comes as the fourth to reject the charter school model proposed by ACA. | https://www.jacksonsun.com/story/news/local/2023/04/29/jackson-madison-co-school-board-denies-aca-charter-for-2nd-time/70163356007/ | 2023-04-29T13:07:50 | 1 | https://www.jacksonsun.com/story/news/local/2023/04/29/jackson-madison-co-school-board-denies-aca-charter-for-2nd-time/70163356007/ |
VALPARAISO — The Porter County Election Board voted Thursday against approving a a last-minute change to a polling site at Flint Lake Elementary School.
A Valparaiso Community Schools official reached out to the elections staff shortly before Thursday’s meeting to ask for the polling place to be shifted from the school gym to the media center.
The school district apparently was responding to public concerns about voters having access to their children, said Becky Rauch, assistant director of the Elections & Registration Office. The media center can be locked separately.
“And four days before the election they decided this,” Director Sundae Schoon said.
The election day deliveries have already been set, including door numbers and where in the building to take ballots and other election necessities, Rauch said.
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Rauch expressed concerns about complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act if the media center were used. The staff hasn’t had time to check out the location to make sure it’s accessible, she said.
“We understand school safety as well,” Schoon said. She wondered whether a school resource officer could provide extra security at the gym that day.
Election Board member Jeff Chidester wondered whether an extra sheriff’s deputy could be hired that day for additional security.
County Clerk Jessica Bailey said having those officers present might be perceived as intimidating voters.
“I hope to God the parents of those Flint Lake kids know we care about those kids as much as they do,” Chidester said.
Duneland School Corp. students have an e-learning day Tuesday, but Valparaiso students do not. “That’s why I encouraged them to do e-learning,” Chidester said.
“I don’t know how we condone the change,” board Chairman Paul Rausch said. “We’re definitely interested in finding an alternative for the general” election.
The board also heard an appeal of a ruling that Porter Town Council candidate Jack Jent pay a $250 fine for a campaign sign violation and let the March 31 ruling stand.
Jent said he returned from vacation just before the hearing on the sign complaint and didn’t have adequate notice. The contentious candidate wouldn’t say whether his signs were in violation, but he did say some had stickers on them afterward that said the signs were paid for by his campaign committee. That disclosure is required by state law.
The board plans to meet at noon May 12 to certify the election results and hold its regular meeting afterward. | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/porter-county-election-board-balks-at-last-minute-change/article_35995ed4-e5d8-11ed-83ad-27e3eb8b5a72.html | 2023-04-29T13:12:40 | 0 | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/porter-county-election-board-balks-at-last-minute-change/article_35995ed4-e5d8-11ed-83ad-27e3eb8b5a72.html |
HENRY COUNTY, Ga. — A man wanted in connection to a murder in Texas was arrested Friday in Henry County, according to a release from the sheriff's office.
Deputies and U.S. Marshalls arrested Steven Jones. The 28-year-old is wanted for the murder of Clarence Logan, who was killed in September of 2022.
Jones is accused of stabbing Logan several times in a hotel parking lot near Bush Intercontinental Airport in Texas. Logan, who was also 28 years old, died from the attack, the release said.
After receiving a crime stoppers tip, law enforcement found Jones at his mother's home off White Mountain Pass in Henry County.
Jones faces one murder charge. Currently, he is being held in the Henry County jail. "Extradition will be determined," the release added. | https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/atlanta-man-wanted-murder-texas-arrested-mcdonough-henry-county/85-aae1d009-169f-47fd-8e53-6ba786d5b442 | 2023-04-29T13:17:01 | 0 | https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/atlanta-man-wanted-murder-texas-arrested-mcdonough-henry-county/85-aae1d009-169f-47fd-8e53-6ba786d5b442 |
WATERLOO — A Waterloo man accused of hitting a bicyclist in 2019 is asking the court to suppress his interview with police following the fatal collision.
L.A. Jefferson Jr., 46, is charged with homicide by vehicle and leaving the scene in the crash that killed Dilail Salkic.
On Thursday, Jefferson’s defense attorney filed motions requesting to keep the interview statements and subsequent blood test results from being presented as evidence at trial.
Salkic, 22, was struck while riding his bike on West Third Street on July 23, 2019, and police found a Mitsubishi Lancer with windshield damage parked around the corner.
Authorities found Jefferson at a LaPorte Road bar, where he allegedly admitted he hit the bicyclist then got a ride to the establishment. A blood test found evidence of alcohol and marijuana, according to court records.
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Defense attorney Maurice Spencer said police didn’t read Jefferson his Miranda rights before they talked with him following the crash.
The defense is also asking to throw out the blood results, arguing the blood draw was based on statements Jefferson made to police. Spencer also said the clothing Jefferson was wearing when police contacted him didn’t meet the description of what witnesses said the driver was wearing.
Prosecutors are resisting the request.
Trial in the case is tentatively set for June in Black Hawk County District Court. | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/defense-seeks-to-suppress-interview-blood-test-in-fatal-bike-crash/article_9a6842a1-9cc7-5a07-8d17-87e71389c6e2.html | 2023-04-29T13:23:55 | 0 | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/defense-seeks-to-suppress-interview-blood-test-in-fatal-bike-crash/article_9a6842a1-9cc7-5a07-8d17-87e71389c6e2.html |
Northern Arizona University’s Center for Health Equity Research (CHER) is starting work on a grant to expand community health representatives across Arizona.
CHER’s team is working with the Arizona Advisory Council on Indian Health Care (AACIHC) and seven tribes. Together, they were awarded a $6 million Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) grant to support and grow the state’s CHR workforce.
Community Health Workers (CHWs) are health professionals who are members or very close to the community they serve, allowing them to build trust with their patients -- which in turn can lead to improved health service and outcomes. They work with care teams on a variety of health needs.
“They’re really the pulse of the people,” said health sciences associate professor Samantha Sabo. “They are the trusted messengers, the trusted relatives that community members who are experiencing deep health disparities go to.”
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CHRs are a subset of CHWs that are employed by Indian Health Services’s (IHS) CHR Program. According to CHER’s website, there are about 2,000 CHRS in 264 tribes across the U.S, about 275 of whom are employed by 19 Arizona tribes.
“Since they’re from those communities they can see why there’s some hesitancy, whether it’s from cultural barriers or language barriers. They’re those people that can tie those barriers or build those bridges or make those connections,” said research coordinator Janet Yellowhair. “ ... They are cultural connections that make it difficult for some of these patients to receive that care, so [CHRs] are those key pieces that build those bridges.”
The three-year grant CHER is working on is part of the CDC’s Community Health Workers for COVID Response and Resilient Communities Initiative (CCR). The CDC has awarded 68 grants in this round of funding, eight of which are focused on programs in tribal communities.
The grant was first awarded in summer of 2021 and the team has recently finished its preparations.
“[CHRs are] focused on preventative health education, outreach, chronic disease management, prevention, all kinds of disease," said senior research coordinator Louisa O’Meara. “Every program’s a little bit different. The focus is to support this workforce in part because the realization was during COVID, seeing how essential they were to COVID response. So it's actually a recognition of how crucial they are to community health. The focus is not just on COVID, but also on all these other things they do for the community.”
Sabo said the trusting relationship fostered by CHWs has been linked to helping patients respond to a number of conditions, including high blood pressure, diabetes and asthma. It has also been effective in reducing vaccine hesitancy, she said.
“Having someone explain it to you in your own language, it really makes a big difference in how you want to take care of yourself or how you want to manage whatever it is,” Yellowhair explained. “Whether it’s diabetes or hypertension, it makes a difference when it’s coming in your own language and you’re able to understand it."
The grant funding will be used for a number of efforts to help support and train CHR workers and develop programs with the seven partner tribes across Arizona
“We’re trying to really understand the factors that are helping or inhibiting integration and working with healthcare systems and teams -- just trying to do as much as possible to support the workforce,” O’Meara said. “ ... We really want to use [the grant measures] as an opportunity to find out as much as we can and produce as many helpful tools and info as we can for our partners.”
Arizona’s state health department has a voluntary CHW certification process, and certified CHWs are now eligible for Medicaid reimbursement rather than the “patchwork of grant funding” previously available. As part of this grant, CHER hopes to get all of Arizona’s CHRs certified.
The grant will also be used for other types of CHR support and training, both on an individual and group level. It includes a continuation of the Program to Program Mentoring Model.
In addition to helping support and expand the tribal-employed CHRs, Sabo said she hoped it would serve as a model for expanding CHW programs across northern Arizona.
“We really are behind the eight ball in terms of developing this workforce in the north,” she said. “
She added: "Non-tribal CHWs are really nonexistent in the northern part of the state, and so we need organizations like our counties and our clinical partners our nurse practitioners in northern Arizona to really know about CHWs and CHRs and the impact that they have on the health and well-being of our people.”
More information about the program is available at nau.edu/cher/community-health-workers/.
“We have the opportunity to learn from a 50-year-old workforce [meaning, the CHR program, which was established in 1968] to build it in the rural counties of this region," Sabo said " ... I would love it for undergrad students to be able to leave with the CHW certificate in hand and get that job right out of college in their own community where people know them, trust them and they can make a difference." | https://azdailysun.com/news/local/education/nau-team-part-of-grant-to-support-community-health-representatives/article_808542dc-e38a-11ed-b1f8-af2d30999a08.html | 2023-04-29T13:39:11 | 0 | https://azdailysun.com/news/local/education/nau-team-part-of-grant-to-support-community-health-representatives/article_808542dc-e38a-11ed-b1f8-af2d30999a08.html |
There is a misconception about growing wildflowers, particularly in the arid lands of the American West. Oftentimes, I encounter new gardeners who hope they can just sprinkle seeds around their garden. And voila! A meadow of color will spring up effortlessly.
I think the idea comes from the very name wildflowers. Yes, they do grow effortlessly in the wild without human intervention. However, in the wild, specific species wait for the opportune time to sprout and grow. In fact, some seeds can lay dormant for over 50 years before the perfect time comes.
This timing usually correlates with the right soil temperatures and abundant rain/snowfall in the late winter that soaks the ground causing germination. In really wet years, there are gorgeous displays of color, but in dry years, wildflowers can be sparse or nonexistent. In our home gardens, we are trying to coerce wildflowers to grow where we want them, which means it is up to us to provide the optimal conditions for growth so we don’t have to wait 50 years or more!
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To get started, first choose which species you want to grow, taking into account your growing conditions. Native wildflowers from your region may perform the best and will support local pollinators and other wildlife in the most natural way.
When selecting your favorite flowers, it is helpful to know the differences between the life cycles of each species. Some species are annuals that will germinate, grow, flower, set seed, and die during a single growing season -- oftentimes less than a year. This means they must be regrown by seed from year-to-year.
Perennials, on the other hand, will live for many years and may flower the first year or take one to two years to flower. These plants may go dormant in the winter but will regrow on their own the following year. Perennials and annuals can be purchased as seed mixtures, or you can create your own mixes by buying individual seed packets.
After you have chosen which plants to grow, select an area that receives at least a half-a-day of sun (6 hours or more is best) during the growing season. Now work towards creating a weed-free planting space by hand pulling, hoeing, string trimming, or capping the bed with fresh soil to shade out any existing weed seed.
Next, prepare your site for planting by scratching the soil with a hard rake or lightly tilling the surface with equipment so as not to bring up additional weed seeds lying dormant in the subsoil. To help ensure even distribution, mix your seeds with an inert carrier such as sand or vermiculite purchased at local garden centers at a three parts inert carrier to one-part seed ratio. Depending on the size of the area, broadcast your seed using a hand-held, drop, or push rotary spreader.
To finish your seeding project, turn a leaf rake over and smooth the soil, covering the seed no more than a fourth of an inch. Now gently irrigate the area several times a day, making sure not to wash your seed away. In order to trigger germination and encourage proper establishment, continue to keep the soil consistently moist for 3 to 4 weeks, as you would do to establish a new lawn.
In time, wildflower patches can become infested with weeds, so be sure to monitor your wildflowers regularly and remove weeds or unwanted grasses before they set seed. You may also have to thin out weedy wildflower species like lupine and Shasta daisies that can out complete other varieties and come to dominate the bed. Trees and shrubs may also take seed and should be removed before they become established. If infestations become too severe you may have to remove everything and start over again, either with a fresh seeding or by converting the bed to another kind of garden.
To learn more about growing wildflowers in Flagstaff and to see our native wildflowers in bloom be sure to visit the Arboretum at Flagstaff this season. The Arboretum reopens to the public on May 10, 2023.
Nate O’Meara is the Executive Director of the Arboretum at Flagstaff (www.thearb.org) and has worked as an ethnobotanist and horticulturist. This article was adapted from his blog www.omearagardens.com. | https://azdailysun.com/news/local/gardening-etcetera-misconceptions-about-how-to-grow-wildflowers/article_e158164c-e610-11ed-b6b3-0f64717bb7bf.html | 2023-04-29T13:39:17 | 0 | https://azdailysun.com/news/local/gardening-etcetera-misconceptions-about-how-to-grow-wildflowers/article_e158164c-e610-11ed-b6b3-0f64717bb7bf.html |
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — A bright young Corpus Christi woman has become the youngest to be given the Yellow Rose of Texas Award on behalf of Gov. Greg Abbott.
Isabella Trevino was awarded the honor after her work in creating a safe space for students suffering from anxiety.
It all begun when Trevino was attending Veteran's Memorial High School and started experiencing panic attacks. She knew there needed to be a space for students to cope and have their alone time.
Trevino then reached out to school officials, and together, they brought Bella's Room to life at the school. It's a place to help students struggling with anxiety, panic attacks and other mental health issues.
"When this idea first started I did not think it would go very far," she said. "With all the support of the administrators, principal, Mr. Walker, Mrs. Richie, I am so shocked at what this has become and how they have turned it into this amazing project. Now we are an official non-profit."
Trevino is now the youngest person to be inducted as a Yellow Rose Award recipient. There are now plans in the works to get Bella's Room in schools throughout Texas.
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Email tell3@kiiitv.com so we can get in touch with you about your story should we have questions or need more information. We realize some stories are sensitive in nature. Let us know if you'd like to remain anonymous. | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/corpus-christi-woman-earns-yellow-star-of-texas-award/503-46e87658-ebae-491e-9d84-61222afb48f2 | 2023-04-29T13:41:54 | 1 | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/corpus-christi-woman-earns-yellow-star-of-texas-award/503-46e87658-ebae-491e-9d84-61222afb48f2 |
SAN ANTONIO — A house went up in flames on Friday night, and it took more than three hours to get the fire under control.
The San Antonio Fire Department said crews were called to the home before midnight in the 140 block of East Woodlawn Avenue for the reported fire.
When crews arrived, they found large flames shooting up from the house. Firefighters had to move into a defensive operation as the house was boarded up, making it difficult to get inside.
SAFD spent the next several hours working to control the fire; windy weather conditions made it difficult.
One person was inside the house, however, and did make it out. The cause of the fire will be investigated.
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Want to get in touch with someone at KENS 5? You can send a message using our Contacts page or email one of our team members. | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/house-fire-hours-to-extinguish-woodlawn-avenue/273-0ad2de87-24e9-4d08-b7db-2256d05e7e85 | 2023-04-29T13:42:00 | 1 | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/house-fire-hours-to-extinguish-woodlawn-avenue/273-0ad2de87-24e9-4d08-b7db-2256d05e7e85 |
MARTINSVILLE, Va. – The Martinsville Police Department is investigating a homicide after they received a call at 12:04 AM for the shooting.
They say a 37-year-old man has died in the hospital after he was shot Saturday morning in the 50 block of West Church Street. Detectives say an altercation happened prior to the shooting.
Police say there is not believed to be any further danger to the public at this time.
Anyone with information regarding the shooting should contact Sergeant Jason Vaughn at 276-403-5247, Lieutenant Jim Lovell at 276-403-5320 or the Crime Stoppers program at 276-632-7463. | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2023/04/29/martinsville-police-investigating-deadly-shooting/ | 2023-04-29T13:42:38 | 0 | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2023/04/29/martinsville-police-investigating-deadly-shooting/ |
ROANOKE, Va. – The Gospel/Jazz Extravaganza will be held Saturday May 13th from 4p.m. to 6pm.m at the William Fleming High School Auditorium.
It will feature, JoJo Stockton, Loudon Ave. Male Chorus, Groove Kontrol, Music for the Soul, and more.
Tickets costs $25 in advance, $30 at the door.
Tickets can be purchased from Joseph Hancock at 540-525-2102, The Hope Center at 506 11th St. NW Roanoke, Va. | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2023/04/29/omega-psy-phi-hosts-jazz-extravaganza/ | 2023-04-29T13:42:44 | 1 | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2023/04/29/omega-psy-phi-hosts-jazz-extravaganza/ |
ROANOKE , Va. – Roanoke City Sheriff Antonio Hash shares thoughts on being in office for over a year.
Shares changes about the jail and what are next steps for the future.
ROANOKE , Va. – Roanoke City Sheriff Antonio Hash shares thoughts on being in office for over a year.
Shares changes about the jail and what are next steps for the future.
Copyright 2023 by WSLS 10 - All rights reserved. | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2023/04/29/roanoke-city-sheriff-reflects-on-year-in-office/ | 2023-04-29T13:42:50 | 0 | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2023/04/29/roanoke-city-sheriff-reflects-on-year-in-office/ |
Name: Lia Montemurro
School: LakeView Technology Academy
Parents: Len and Jen Montemurro
Most memorable high school moment: Shadowing an orthopedic surgeon in his clinic and operating rooms.
Most influential teacher: Kristi Koschkee in AP Language; She taught me how to write with purpose.
School activities/clubs: National Honor Society, peer helpers/tutors, HOSA: Future Healthcare Professionals
School offices held: Vice President: National Honors Society; Vice President: HOSA: Future Healthcare Professionals
Honors, letters or awards: Physics Student of the Year: 2022; Sociology Student of the Year: 2022; Summa Cum Laude
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Out-of-school activities/hobbies: Physical Therapist Aide; Pharmacy Technician; I love baking
College choice: Undecided
Intended major/field of study: Premedicine
Role model: Erin Merrit PharmD
Three words that best describe my role model: Passionate, driven, and intelligent.
What I hope to accomplish in my lifetime: Always help others. | https://kenoshanews.com/news/local/todays-teen-2023-lia-montemurro-of-lakeview-technology-academy/article_18569182-e201-11ed-a1d4-97c3f8d9b9b5.html | 2023-04-29T14:16:54 | 1 | https://kenoshanews.com/news/local/todays-teen-2023-lia-montemurro-of-lakeview-technology-academy/article_18569182-e201-11ed-a1d4-97c3f8d9b9b5.html |
DALLAS (KDAF) — Dallas is a city full of expression and style! But that doesn’t mean you have to break the budget in order to look good.
There’s nothing like thrifting for different styles and trends, all while getting some great deals. If you’re looking to add some new pieces to your wardrobe, look no further!
Yelp listed the top thrift stores in Dallas according to reviews.
Check out these top thrift stores in Dallas:
- Vintage Martini, 2923 N Henderson Ave.
- Second Chance Treasures, 10101 Garland Rd.
- Lula B’s, 1982 Fort Worth Ave.
- Knick Knacks, 215 W Camp Wisdom Rd.
- Life Message Thrift, 4501 Rowlett Rd.
- Double Exposure, 16475 Dallas Pkwy.
- Add Vintage, 111 Murray St.
- Metrocrest Resale, 2661 Midway Rd.
- Uptown Cheapskate – Addison, 3844 Belt Line Rd.
- Thrift City – Lewisville, 1165 S. Stemmons Fwy.
To see more thrift stores to explore, visit Yelp. | https://cw33.com/news/local/dallas-best-thrift-stores-for-fashion-per-yelp-reviewers/ | 2023-04-29T14:34:56 | 1 | https://cw33.com/news/local/dallas-best-thrift-stores-for-fashion-per-yelp-reviewers/ |
BALTIMORE — A nursing accelerator program, conceived during some of the worst months of the coronavirus pandemic to add extra hands in University of Maryland Medical System hospitals, is ramping up and expanding — even as some of the demands of the public health crisis scale back.
Hospital administrators say the Academy of Clinical Essentials initiative — which pairs small groups of nursing students with a hospital-based nurse for 12-week intervals each semester — represents one potential solution to the ongoing nursing shortfall. It already has branched into more nursing schools and college departments in Maryland, including at Towson University, Harford Community College and the University of Maryland School of Nursing at Shady Grove.
University of Maryland Medical System Chief Nursing Executive Lisa Rowen said more than two dozen health systems around the U.S. also have inquired about adopting the clinical skills training course for their hospitals.
Rowen developed the idea for a fast-tracked nursing practicum in December 2021 after reading guidance from the American Association of Colleges of Nursing that recommended more experiential learning to prepare students for the workforce. Meanwhile, the fast-spreading omicron variant of the coronavirus continued to ravage the state and much of the nation, overwhelming hospitals.
Rowen put two and two together.
“I just thought, what can we do to marry the needs of our students and our hospitals and our staffing needs, and ultimately the profession of nursing?” said Rowen, a registered nurse.
Rowen’s innovation assigns students early in their nursing school careers to small groups with a hospital-based clinical instructor, who in turn receives a pay bump for taking trainees under their wing. The groups of four spend full shifts with the nurse and are each assigned to care for a patient, which can entail taking vital signs, helping distribute medication or simply making rounds and asking patients how they’re doing.
“There are things they don’t teach you in nursing school,” said Barbara Bosah, a nurse manager in the thoracic and surgical intermediate care unit and vascular progressive care unit at University of Maryland Medical Center. “You can see the difference in having an ACE (Academy of Clinical Essentials) student and a traditional student.”
University of Maryland Medical System, at its peak in June 2022, saw as many as 27% of its bedside nursing staff leave their jobs, on par with the national average, Rowen said. Many of those who left the system cited feeling burned out from the demands of the public health crisis or fears of bringing the deadly virus home to their loved ones. Others left the hospital network for travel nursing jobs with much higher pay. “As nurses left, the burden became more extreme,” Rowen recalled. “And it created a cycle of people leaving.”
Several health care professions have seen high staff turnover since the start of the pandemic, making access to medical care in Maryland more difficult for some patients and contributing to the long wait times in emergency departments. Statewide, the number of registered nurses declined by about 5% from 2018 to 2021, according to the latest data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. | https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/2023/04/29/exchange--nursing-accelerator/08a3a32e-e68e-11ed-9696-8e874fd710b8_story.html | 2023-04-29T14:37:09 | 0 | https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/2023/04/29/exchange--nursing-accelerator/08a3a32e-e68e-11ed-9696-8e874fd710b8_story.html |
MECHANICSVILLE, Va. — The answer as to how Kay Ford came to have a 40-pound cat camped out in her kitchen pantry began about three years ago when she saw a post on social media about an extremely large cat in Pennsylvania that was up for adoption.
Why?
“I couldn’t tell you,” she said. “I just remember thinking, ‘I can help this cat.’”
Distance prevented her from pursuing that adoption, but her fascination with the big cat lived on in family lore.
Which is the background to the text Ford received from her daughter, Kelly:
“This is your moment.”
Attached to the text was a Facebook post from Richmond Animal Care and Control, featuring a photo of a smiling shelter employee, her arms overflowing with an enormous cat. The headline read: “Adopt Patches Today!”
“I always do what I’m told,” Ford said with a laugh while Patches sauntered slowly but surely around the living room of her Mechanicsville home.
The image of Patches and his enormous girth made him a social media sensation. People are naturally drawn to the plight of animals in a bad way, and 6-year-old Patches was in a bad way, carrying around almost triple his normal weight and having been surrendered by his previous owner who could no longer care for him.
As Patches’ picture was shared around the world and the story of this sweet but corpulent cat went viral, the Richmond animal shelter received emails from as far away as California from people wanting to help.
In the end, Patches went home with Ford, who showed up at the shelter, fell in love with the cat and wants to give him a nice, long life.
“The cat needs help, I can help and I want to help,” said Ford, who identified herself to me after I reached out to her as “the daffodil lady’s daughter.” I wrote about her mother, Margaret Ford, several times over the years, most recently after she died in 2019.
“Sometimes you have to set aside thinking about the pros and cons of things and just jump into the deep end of the pool, and that’s exactly what I did. I just knew I wanted to do this.”
Patches showed up at RACC on April 4, weighing a little over 40 pounds; a Domestic Shorthair, he should weigh no more than 15 pounds, said Robin Young, RACC’s outreach coordinator.
There was good news: Blood tests came back normal, not indicating diabetes, thyroid problems or other issues that might have been suspected for a cat so dangerously obese.
Thing was, though, Young said Patches was a “slightly picky eater” at the shelter, during which he began to lose weight. Ford has found the same thing.
“He is not a voracious eater,” she said. “He’s not scarfing it up.”
She’s not concerned about how Patches became this heavy.
“There is nothing we can do to change how he got here,” she said, “but there’s a lot we can do from here forward, and that’s what I am here for.”
Ford has been giving Patches a combination of wet and dry food, but she’s not starving him in an attempt to get him to lose weight. The safest approach, she said, is for Patches to lose between a half-pound and a pound per month; this will not be a quick fix, though she is resolved to see it through. Ford said she gained weight during the pandemic that she’d like to lose, too, so she’ll be right there with him.
Ford also is encouraging Patches to walk and play, but in short increments. He’s so big, he can only walk a short distance before having to rest. He requires a wide turning radius simply to change directions.
The idea of exercise is a noble one, but, you know, this is a cat; he’ll exercise when he wants. But Patches has enjoyed walking around the house at his own pace and lying at the back door, watching the world go by outside. He has shown interest in his toys, as well as his new siblings: Wellesley, a 2-year-old, fellow Domestic Shorthair who, though full-grown, looks like a miniature version of Patches; and Bella, an exceedingly friendly 13-year-old Yorkshire Terrier, who according to Ford, “loves all life forms.”
Suddenly the little brother “in every sense of the word,” Ford said, Wellesley is “a bit needy and a big jealous.” She has no doubt he’ll come around.
“They’re all going to be good friends,” she said.
As someone who has had cats and dogs her entire life, Ford, a retired business owner, had an inkling of the time and work that will be required to nurture Patches back to health, but what she completely missed until she got Patches home was the social media hoopla surrounding him.
Now that she can see the whole picture, it makes perfect sense to her, but she had been so focused on simply adopting him that she wasn’t aware of the outside world.
But with a background in advertising and public relations, it has not taken her long to catch up. She has done interviews with ABC’s “Good Morning America,” NBC’s “Today,” the Washington Post, the New York Post, People and PBS. She said that people had reached out to her from Ukraine, Taiwan and a morning show in Australia. Her phone pinged every few minutes.
She created a Facebook page — Patches’ Journey — that in less than a week has attracted more than 9,000 followers. She is keeping followers updated on Patches’ progress through pictures and videos and posts written from Patches’ perspective.
Ford really hasn’t thought through what, if anything, she wants to do with Patches’ new platform, other than to keep people informed about Patches — she has set up a post office box to receive “fan mail” that followers on Facebook say they want to send — and to support RACC, where her family has now adopted four animals over the years.
For its part, RACC is sharing links to other available animals in hopes of encouraging more adoptions.
“Many shelters are in crisis mode and full, so we hope all the interest in Patches will create more adoptions for animals in need,” said RACC’s Young.
Next up for Patches: a visit to Wellesley Animal Hospital in Short Pump, where Ford has been taking her pets for years. She plans to carry Patches from the parking lot into the office in a little red wagon.
As Ford sat on the sofa gently stroking Patches, she talked about sensing when she first met him that “there’s a personality in there waiting to come out once he’s more mobile.” Ford said she looks forward to the day when Patches will be doing “zoomies” around the floor.
But Patches, who can’t move anywhere quickly, is still a couple of years away from the possibility of any zoomies.
“That will be a fun day when that happens,” Ford said. “Whatever it takes, it will happen. I know it will. Sometimes you just have to have faith that things will just work out.” | https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/2023/04/29/exchange-40-pound-cat/04c9d69c-e68e-11ed-9696-8e874fd710b8_story.html | 2023-04-29T14:37:09 | 0 | https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/2023/04/29/exchange-40-pound-cat/04c9d69c-e68e-11ed-9696-8e874fd710b8_story.html |
Once known as an outlier in barbecued food, Texas now holds the crown as being the originator of brisket-focused barbecue restaurants.
Owner and pitmaster at Austin's Interstellar BBQ, John Bates, explains how important brisket is to Texas culture.
"Texas barbecue is definitely built around a few key concepts," he said. "It's very much driven by offset smokers. Our style is typically very low and slow with a lot of smoke and clean flavors going through the pits. It's also built on mostly brisket. It's definitely the most important item in all Texas barbecue."
Pitmaster at Corkscrew BBQ in Spring, Will Buckman, discusses why he left his career in communications to open the restaurant.
"I was spending a lot of time out in the driveway cooking these things for free to share with friends and family," Buckman said. "It wasn't until my wife stepped in because she was fighting for my time that said, you know, you should really be charging for these efforts."
And Texas Monthly BBQ Editor Daniel Vaughn tells host Baylee Friday what he looks for when he reviews a new restaurant.
"Almost every barbecue joint in the state has sliced brisket, ribs, pork ribs, and sausage. So I usually start there," Vaughn said. "I'll ask if the sausage is housemade. If not, I'll probably look for something else on the menu. Like maybe a smoked turkey, which has gotten a lot more popular in Texas over the last decade."
Listen to Texas Wants to Know in the Audacy app or wherever you get your podcasts. | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/texas-wants-to-know-why-is-texas-barbecue-the-nations-best/3246736/ | 2023-04-29T14:39:38 | 1 | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/texas-wants-to-know-why-is-texas-barbecue-the-nations-best/3246736/ |
Gas prices fell slightly nationwide and were mostly flat across Arizona as crude-oil prices sagged, AAA says.
The statewide average gas price was fractionally higher for the week at $4.70 per gallon of regular on Friday, while the national average slipped about 2 cents to $3.63 per gallon.
Tucson's average gas price rose about 2 cents for the week to $4.73 on Friday. The Sierra Vista-Douglas market had the state's cheapest gas at an average $3.96 per gallon, while Scottsdale had the highest average price at $5.12 per gallon.
The more rapid rise in gas prices in Arizona recently is due to a combination of factors including supply-chain issues, refinery outages and a switch to a summer blend, industry analysts say.
The statewide average gas price is nearly 50 cents higher than a month ago, while Tucson's average gas price is up more than 80 cents in a month and more than 40 cents higher than the same time last year, AAA data show.
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AAA said recent price surges are due to the high cost of oil, gasoline’s main ingredient, but a recent retreat to the $70-per-barrel range have helped keep gas price increases down.
Though a recent spike in demand would typically push pump prices higher, gas prices will likely fall if oil continues to drop, AAA said.
Contact senior reporter David Wichner at dwichner@tucson.com or 520-573-4181. On Twitter: @dwichner. On Facebook: Facebook.com/DailyStarBiz | https://tucson.com/news/local/business/gas-price-increases-slow-across-arizona-tucson-as-oil-drops/article_b8bcd80e-e619-11ed-bbea-7b90e541ba92.html | 2023-04-29T14:53:16 | 0 | https://tucson.com/news/local/business/gas-price-increases-slow-across-arizona-tucson-as-oil-drops/article_b8bcd80e-e619-11ed-bbea-7b90e541ba92.html |
Brett Tracy isn’t just living in the past, he’s basking in its glow.
If you stroll past the artist’s home in the Dunbar/Spring Neighborhood at night, you might see the warm flicker of lanterns in the window and above the front door. The row-house apartment has the usual complement of wall switches and electric light fixtures, but Tracy rarely uses them.
He chooses to illuminate his place the way it was probably lit when the adobe structure was first built in 1895: with kerosene lanterns, like the ones he has fashioned into functional objects of old-timey art.
“The quality of the light is the biggest thing for me. There's nothing better than the light that comes from a flame,” he said. “We’ve been staring into campfires, into fire, since the beginning. We’re wired for that.”
Tracy started collecting and restoring old kerosene lamps a little over four years ago. Now his place is packed with them — or at least it used to be.
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Earlier this year, Tracy hosted an exhibition and silent auction for his creations at his home near Ninth Avenue and University Boulevard. The Jan. 28 event, winkingly titled Keroscene, came with its own promotional postcards and a professionally made program filled with 40 pages of gallery-quality photographs and descriptions of the pieces on display.
Some 54 liquid-fueled lamps were sold that night, mostly to friends in Tucson, which is exactly what Tracy was hoping for.
“I could sell them on eBay all over again and send them out to some anonymous person. But if they stay in town, I’m more likely to see them at someone’s place, see them in use,” he said.
The proceeds from the auction basically covered the cost of the event, including the postcards, the programs and the open bar, Tracy said.
One lamp sold for $250. Ten others failed to sell at all because they were built with extremely rare parts and had to be priced accordingly.
A welcome ritual
Tracy prefers simple, well-used domestic models to the ornate, decorative Victorian lamps some people collect. He is especially drawn to plain, industrial lanterns made in the former USSR, some of which resemble grenades and come in a color Tracy refers to as “Soviet gray.”
“They are some of my favorites, because they're so utilitarian,” he said.
To him, collecting old lamps like these is an extension of a larger critique of modernity that he has been engaged in for a long time now. “How, in this sort of cult of progress, we're trained to adopt every new technology that's handed to us without considering the effects on our experience of being alive,” the artist explained.
Of course, the convenience and omnipresence of electric light isn’t the only reason liquid-fuel lamp use has declined over the past century or so.
The World Health Organization considers kerosene a harmful pollutant, not safe for widespread household use. Smoke from burning the fuel is known to contain harmful particulates, and long-term exposure has been linked to higher risks of cancer, respiratory problems and other serious ailments.
“It's not 100% clean, obviously. You're burning a combustible thing, but it is highly, highly refined fuel,” Tracy said. “I had a carbon monoxide detector plugged in here for months that never read anything but zero.”
Using kerosene lamps can also be complicated and time consuming, especially compared to, say, flipping a light switch. To Tracy, though, the inconvenience is actually a selling point.
He enjoys the effort it takes to fill, maintain and illuminate his lamps. “It's very much a ritual each night,” he said.
Tracy stumbled into lamp collecting by accident.
When he moved into his historic home on Ninth about five years ago, he knew he wanted to light his “vintage space” with something other than traditional electric bulbs.
“I think we're living in a time of just generally bad lighting options. They're trying to sell us the most efficient bulbs possible, and we are losing more and more quality of light in terms of subtlety and beauty,” he said.
He started with homemade candles, but the beeswax was messy and expensive and cumbersome to keep properly lit. Then he bought his first kerosene lamp off eBay — a cheap, 1950s model he later transformed by changing out various parts.
“I realized that there was all kinds of room for building with components,” Tracy said. “Like finding an interesting burner and pairing it with a cool font (the fuel reservoir at the base), and just creating lamps that would have never existed before.”
Lamps with lives
He quickly discovered he had a lot to learn. The lamps he was buying often didn’t come with vital parts like wicks or the glass enclosures known as chimneys. He had to research where to get that stuff in the correct sizes and styles.
“There was a lot of trial and error. I ended up with a lot of spare parts, because stuff didn't fit with other things,” he said.
His other rookie mistake was starting out with the wrong fuel — a paraffin lamp oil that produced a messy, dim flame. He said everything got cleaner and brighter once he switched to kerosene.
Tracy also had to learn the lingo. There is a whole glossary of terms used to describe different lamps and their anatomy, but he said he picked it up pretty quickly through the other collectors he was interacting with on eBay and elsewhere.
The fraternity of kerosene lamp collectors is small and scattered, and most of the people Tracy has met are a great deal older than him. They have taught him a lot, but they don’t necessarily share his artistic sensibility. He said most of them treat their lamps like museum pieces that should be meticulously restored with all-original parts and shined until they look brand new. He wants his roughed up a bit.
“I’m interested in patina. I want to show that this thing has been around for a while,” Tracy said. “I like the record of its previous life.”
Even a little rust can be “charming,” he said, so long as it can be stabilized and doesn’t impact the lamp’s performance.
“I also want it to be functional,” he said. “Stuff prefers to be used. It doesn't want to sit around and be just an object. It wants to do the thing that it's made to do — in this case, make beautiful light for this space.”
Tracy isn’t living completely bulb-free. He does use some LED lights in his kitchen when he is preparing food or, ironically enough, working on one of his lamps.
Once he’s done, though, the wicks are lit and the electric lights go off. “In the evenings, it's all lamplight,” he said.
At the moment, Tracy has about 30 lamps positioned around the apartment, but on most nights, he and his partner, Ashley, get all the light they need from four or five of the brightest ones.
Lighting the way
Kerosene currently sells for about $17 a gallon, and Tracy said he goes through four or five gallons of the stuff each month. He uses less fuel in the summer, when the days are longer, and more in the winter, when the lamps double as a heat source. “We light them all and run them high, and they warm the place up nice and toasty,” he said.
In his living room, there is a kerosene lamp hanging from the bottom of the ceiling fan where an electric light would normally be and another easy-to-light lamp mounted to the wall just inside the front door, so he can illuminate the room quickly without being blinded by electric lights if he comes home after dark.
The rest of the collection gets used on a rotating basis, except on special occasions when it’s all lamps on deck.
“It's really remarkable in here when lots of them are lit,” Tracy said. “When we have company and stuff, we’ll light like 10 or 15 of them.”
The exhibition and auction in January marked the only time the entire collection has been illuminated at once — close to 100 lamps blazing away inside the apartment and in the yard out back.
Tracy described that event as the “thesis show” for his Tucson residency. “It was the culmination of like 3½ years of learning and working and collecting and curating.”
Auctioning off most of the collection also freed up space to “bring in some new types of lamps, keep learning and keep the restoration work up,” he said. “I’ve bought 12 lamps since the show.”
His plan is to build up enough of a collection again by 2025 to hold another exhibition, which he’s already calling the “Keroscene biannual.”
He thinks he could have as many as 100 lamps ready to sell by then.
“I'm trying to make a case for these objects,” Tracy said. “Of course I’m not going to fill every house in Tucson with a lamp, but that’s not the point. The point is to make an argument for a discarded technology, to show what we’ve lost.”
Contact reporter Henry Brean at hbrean@tucson.com or 573-4283. On Twitter: @RefriedBrean | https://tucson.com/news/local/subscriber/this-tucson-artist-loves-to-be-gaslit/article_82220fb0-e3c8-11ed-8c6e-f3ec90647172.html | 2023-04-29T14:53:22 | 1 | https://tucson.com/news/local/subscriber/this-tucson-artist-loves-to-be-gaslit/article_82220fb0-e3c8-11ed-8c6e-f3ec90647172.html |
The following is the opinion and analysis of the writer:
Trump followers should never fear that he will face adverse legal consequences. He will deny, threaten, distract, attack and sue after being indicted for anything, as he did in the recent Manhattan case. It is straight from the Roy Cohn playbook. Cohn was an early mentor of Trump and aggressive defender of clients, including the Mob. Truth was not important for Cohn, only winning. When Cohn was finally disbarred, Trump turned against him.
Trump was charged with 34 felonies related to accounting fraud in Manhattan, and predictably called it a Witch Hunt. Any effort to hold him accountable is a Witch Hunt, Fake News or a hoax. It cannot always be so. It is much like the boy who cried wolf. He lied repeatedly, and when he actually told the truth, no one saved him from the wolf.
Trump exaggerates his claims of innocence, often making personal attacks as the part of any case. The judge in the Manhattan case admonished him against doing so. Trump’s only courtroom utterance was to plead not guilty. That night, he spoke from Mar a Lago and denigrated and attacked the Manhattan DA, prosecutor, and judge. Such behavior could, and has resulted in threats of harm.
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Less than a week after the arraignment, Trump is suing Michael Cohen, his former attorney, fixer and witness in the Manhattan case, for $500 million. Ironically, he accuses Cohen of spreading false information, breaching contractual obligations and seeking financial gain.
Most of us pay some price for violating the law. We pay $50 parking tickets, $200 or more for speed 10 over or rolling through a stop sign. What if we evaded or misrepresented our taxes? Trump, the Law and Order President rarely suffers legal consequences. You can only lie and abuse so much before it all comes back to haunt you.
Besides the Manhattan case, there may be others upcoming, and Trump will be the most innocent, unfairly treated victim in history. That will be accompanied by personal attacks, conspiracies and accusations.
There is the Georgia 2020 Election case where Trump blatantly asked their Republican Secretary of State Raffensperger to change 11,800 votes, plus accusing him of illegal action, in a recorded phone call. Typically, Trump claimed to have won in a landslide and that 5,000 dead people voted. Two were discovered. Not two thousand. Two!
After several recounts, Raffensperger determined that the election was fairly conducted without significant fraud. Subsequently, the Fulton County, Georgia DA Fani Willis called for a grand jury investigation of the matter. Trump attacked her, calling her racist, and accused Raffensperger of trying to profit from the situation by selling his book.
There is the Mar a Lago classified documents case where Trump is attacking the main investigator and the FBI. He obstructed efforts to return the documents, once claiming that he had the right to declassify them “with his mind.” After several reminders, a search warrant was finally issued, and the FBI performed a search, recovering many boxes. Trump accused them of planting evidence, and committing a “crime against America.”
Then there are the destructive events surrounding the assault on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. After telling his gathered forces that they had to “fight like Hell,” Trump denied any responsibility for damage to the Capitol itself, injuries to several, and five deaths.
In all potential cases, Trump will use the same playbook as always, dragging legal procedures endlessly, setting fires and blowing smoke to obscure the truth. That may be winning for him, but will only result in tainted, Pyrrhic victories, not reflecting truth. His followers will believe he has beaten the Deep State again. They will vote for him, and the nation’s division will widen rather than unite for a common, positive purpose. It is all a game where nobody wins.
Paul McCreary was raised on a farm in Illinois, he spent 29 years in education in Michigan. Upon retirement, he moved to Indiana, Colorado and now the deserts of Arizona. | https://tucson.com/opinion/local/local-opinion-the-man-who-cried-wolf/article_16b7da92-df96-11ed-8296-e3e8876a17bb.html | 2023-04-29T14:53:34 | 0 | https://tucson.com/opinion/local/local-opinion-the-man-who-cried-wolf/article_16b7da92-df96-11ed-8296-e3e8876a17bb.html |
The following is the opinion and analysis of the writer:
Proposition 412, a 25-year franchise agreement between Tucson Electric Power (TEP) and the City of Tucson, will appear on the ballot in a special election on May 16. The agreement would permit TEP to use the city’s rights of way and impose a 0.75% “Community Resilience Fee” on the monthly electric bills of TEP customers in the city. The fee would generate approximately $5 million annually, 90% for undergrounding a new transmission line and 10% supporting the city’s Climate Action Plan.
However, there are several reasons why this proposition is inadequate; a better agreement must be negotiated to address climate change and prepare for the future.
Firstly, the franchise agreement lacks transparency and adequate public input. The current franchise agreement doesn’t expire until April 2026 and does not account for Tucson’s urgent need to address climate change. Rushing into a 25-year contract with TEP could limit the city’s ability to influence TEP’s future actions. Instead, the City should negotiate a better deal with stronger commitments to renewable energy and climate change.
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Secondly, the agreement does not prioritize home energy efficiency upgrades to the city’s 200,000 uninsulated older homes. TEP’s Efficient Home Program falls short of covering the costs required to make the homes more energy-efficient. To reduce greenhouse gas emissions and save money for consumers, the city must ensure that energy efficiency upgrades are a key component of the agreement.
Thirdly, the franchise agreement neglects the need for an uninterruptible water supply, which is essential for Tucson’s sustainability and resilience. The city is well-prepared for normal outages, but a whole flock of climate “black swans,” such as aridification, mega-droughts, forest fires, and heatwaves, could result in power outages that could last for many days. TEP could include an uninterruptible water supply in their Integrated Resource Plan, ensuring that water delivery is not disrupted by power outages.
Lastly, the franchise agreement must incorporate self-powered cooling centers to aid vulnerable populations during extreme heat events and power outages. The city should collaborate with TEP to install battery storage at publicly-funded solar systems, such as schools, and transform them into emergency cooling centers. This would provide backup power and cooling to people who require it the most.
Proposition 412 does not provide the progressive climate plan that Tucson requires. It is a missed opportunity that would lock the city into a business-as-usual scenario with TEP for the next 25 years. As a result, it is crucial to vote no on Proposition 412 and re-open a community-TEP-UA conversation to support the Tucson Climate Action and Adaptation Plan. The city can, and must, do better to prepare for the future and combat climate change.
Tres English is a residential property manager and co-founder of the local non-profit corporation, Sustainable Tucson. | https://tucson.com/opinion/local/local-opinion-why-you-should-vote-no-on-proposition-412/article_00a1950e-e3ce-11ed-93f6-432fbdf5e0d5.html | 2023-04-29T14:53:41 | 1 | https://tucson.com/opinion/local/local-opinion-why-you-should-vote-no-on-proposition-412/article_00a1950e-e3ce-11ed-93f6-432fbdf5e0d5.html |
NASA engineers extract oxygen from 'lunar' soil. How did they do it?
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You may not be able to get blood from a stone as the saying goes, but you apparently can get oxygen out of lunar soil.
This week NASA scientists and engineers proved just that, using a special spherical chamber called the Dirty Thermal Vacuum Chamber.
Who: NASA’s Carbothermal Reduction Demonstration team at Johnson Space Center
When: This week
What: Scientists successfully extracted oxygen from "simulated" lunar soil. Lunar soil refers to the fine-grained material covering the Moon’s surface. This was the first time that this extraction has been done in a vacuum environment, paving the way for astronauts to one day extract and use resources in a lunar environment.
Why does it matter?: As NASA works toward sending astronauts to the Moon through Artemis missions, one of the agency’s primary goals is to establish a long-term presence on the lunar surface. Resources like oxygen are crucial building blocks for making that vision a reality. In addition to using oxygen for breathing, it can also be used as a propellant for transportation, helping lunar visitors stay longer and venture farther.
How the chamber works: The team used a high-powered laser to simulate heat from a solar energy concentrator and melted the lunar soil within a carbothermal reactor - that's where the process of heating and extracting the oxygen takes place. Carbothermal reduction has been used for decades on Earth to produce items like solar panels and steel by producing carbon monoxide or dioxide using high temperatures.
“This technology has the potential to produce several times its own weight in oxygen per year on the lunar surface, which will enable a sustained human presence and lunar economy,” said Aaron Paz, NASA senior engineer and project manager at Johnson.
What's next: Technical readiness level of the reactor has been reached, which means the technology has a fully functional prototype or representational model and is ready to be tested in space.
Rob Landers is a veteran multimedia journalist for the USA Today Network of Florida. Contact Landers at 321-242-3627 or rlanders@gannett.com. Instagram: @ByRobLanders Youtube: @florida_today | https://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/local/2023/04/29/nasa-engineers-extract-oxygen-from-lunar-soil/70155635007/ | 2023-04-29T14:56:18 | 1 | https://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/local/2023/04/29/nasa-engineers-extract-oxygen-from-lunar-soil/70155635007/ |
ATLANTA — The Atlanta High School Alumni Association will hold its banquet at 6 p.m. Saturday, May 27, at the new Olympia South School Gymnasium in Atlanta.
A cornerstone dedication will be held before the banquet at 4:30 p.m.
A cornerstone has been placed at the new gymnasium to celebrate 100 years of the Alumni Association.
Due to COVID, the banquet has not been held since 2019, so the 50-year classes of 1970, 1971 and 1972 will be honored along with 1973.
Also being honored for 2023 are the classes of 1953, 1958, 1963 and 1968.
Superintendent Laura O'Donnell talks pool at Olympia High School
Olympia High School fire, April 2023
Solar panels caught fire Thursday on the roof of Olympia High School. The fire was contained to a 60-by-100-foot area on the roof, and there is no structural damage to the building.
CLAY JACKSON, THE PANTAGRAPH
Danvers Community Fire Protection District fire engines respond to a fire Thursday at Olympia High School
CLAY JACKSON, THE PANTAGRAPH
Danvers Community Fire Protection District fire engines respond to a fire Thursday at Olympia High School
CLAY JACKSON, THE PANTAGRAPH
Several fire departments responded to a fire Thursday at Olympia High School. Authorities say the fire most likely started and was contained to solar panels attached to the roof.
CLAY JACKSON, THE PANTAGRAPH
Bloomington Fire Department responded to a fire Thursday at Olympia High School
CLAY JACKSON, THE PANTAGRAPH
Firefighters responded to a blaze on the roof Thursday at Olympia High School.
CLAY JACKSON, THE PANTAGRAPH
Bloomington Fire Department responded to a fire Thursday at Olympia High School. Authorities say the fire most likely started and was contained to solar panels on the roof.
CLAY JACKSON, THE PANTAGRAPH
Crews from several fire departments responded to a fire Thursday at Olympia High School
D. JACK ALKIRE, THE PANTAGRAPH
Fire fighters from Bloomington Fire Department responded to a fire Thursday at Olympia High School
D. JACK ALKIRE, THE PANTAGRAPH
McLean County Sheriff's Deputies helped maintain order after Olympia High School was evacuated Thursday due to a fire.
D. JACK ALKIRE, THE PANTAGRAPH
Solar panels on the roof of Olympia High School caught fire Thursday, causing damage to the area on the roof
D. JACK ALKIRE, THE PANTAGRAPH
Bloomington Fire Department responded to a fire Thursday at Olympia High School
D. JACK ALKIRE, THE PANTAGRAPH
Bloomington firefighters responded to a fire Thursday at Olympia High School
D. JACK ALKIRE, THE PANTAGRAPH
Firefighters from several departments responded to a fire Thursday at Olympia High School
D. JACK ALKIRE, THE PANTAGRAPH
Olympia High School students were evacuated to the football field Thursday after a fire broke out on the rooftop solar panels. They were bussed to Minier Christian Church where their parents awaited
D. JACK ALKIRE, THE PANTAGRAPH
Fire broke out Thursday from the rooftop solar panels on Olympia High School requiring firefighters from several departments to respond.
D. JACK ALKIRE, THE PANTAGRAPH
Contact Olivia Jacobs at 309-820-3352. Follow Olivia on Twitter: @olivia___jacobs
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Get our local education coverage delivered directly to your inbox. | https://www.pantagraph.com/news/local/education/altanta-alumni-association-to-hold-banquet-may-27/article_5409683c-e3a3-11ed-9922-579ecc87bfdf.html | 2023-04-29T15:12:36 | 1 | https://www.pantagraph.com/news/local/education/altanta-alumni-association-to-hold-banquet-may-27/article_5409683c-e3a3-11ed-9922-579ecc87bfdf.html |
BLOOMINGTON — Twin City Cruisers will return for their 31st year from 5 to 8:30 p.m. Saturday, May 13, at the Towanda Plaza Shopping Center, 1210 Towanda Ave., Bloomington.
The monthly event celebrates classic and modified vehicles in Central Illinois, including muscle cars, hotrods, custom cars and more.
Admission is free to all attendees and participants. All vehicle types are welcome and swap spaces will be available.
Additional cruise nights will be May 13, '49 and older night; June 10, '50s night; July 8, '60s night; Aug. 5, '70s night; Sept. 9, '80s night; and Oct. 14, '90s and newer, plus a trunk-or-treat.
Bloomington resident Tony Capodice is an avid car collector and member of the Twin City Cruisers Car Club. He attends several car shows a year, this time, in May 2017, showing off his 1936 Terraplane. | https://www.pantagraph.com/news/local/twin-city-cruisers-return-to-bloomington-may-13/article_ca656c26-e5ea-11ed-bdae-d75a3b3e948e.html | 2023-04-29T15:12:43 | 0 | https://www.pantagraph.com/news/local/twin-city-cruisers-return-to-bloomington-may-13/article_ca656c26-e5ea-11ed-bdae-d75a3b3e948e.html |
CLEVELAND, Texas – A suspect is at large after five people, including an 8-year-old, were fatally shot in a Cleveland, Texas, home, according to San Jacinto County Sheriff Greg Capers.
According to CNN, authorities found the victims Friday night after receiving a harassment report about 11:30 p.m. local time.
Multiple people were shot around the residence, Capers said. Two women in a bedroom were found laying over two young children who survived, he added.
There have been at least 174 mass shootings in the US so far this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive. Both CNN and the archive define a “mass shooting” as a shooting that injured or killed four or more people, not including the shooter.
There were 10 people inside the home at the time of the shooting, according to the sheriff.
The victims range in age from 8 years old to about 40, Capers told reporters early Saturday morning. The 8-year-old victim was pronounced dead at a hospital.
Three people were taken to hospital, and two were evaluated at the scene and released, according to authorities. Some victims were critically wounded.
The victims’ identities are unknown. The sheriff said he believes the victims are from Honduras.
Capers said authorities have a copy of the suspect’s consulate card and are looking for him.
The suspect was known to shoot a .223 rifle in the front yard of the residence, according to Capers. Shell casings were discovered outside the home.
Authorities believe the gunman is no longer in the area. A local judge issued an arrest warrant for the suspect. | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2023/04/29/suspect-at-large-after-texas-mass-shooting-killed-5-people-including-8-year-old/ | 2023-04-29T15:13:57 | 0 | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2023/04/29/suspect-at-large-after-texas-mass-shooting-killed-5-people-including-8-year-old/ |
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — It’s been 20 years since the famous phrase “Keep Portland Weird” was coined, and with plenty of people relocating to the Rose City in the time since, many transplants don’t know where the slogan originated.
In the late ‘90s, Terry Currier — owner of the Pacific Northwest’s oldest record store Music Millennium — noticed that a lot of national chain stores and big box retailers were opening in Portland. As a small business advocate who had worked in the area since the ‘70s, Currier wanted to start a campaign encouraging people to support the city’s independent retail stores.
He had considered naming his campaign “Keep Portland Unique,” but he decided that it didn’t have a ring to it. It wasn’t until 2003 that a friend in Austin, Texas, a city that had already launched a ‘weird’ movement of its own, encouraged Currier to start a similar slogan in Portland.
Then, Currier asked a Music Millennium employee to create the “Keep Portland Weird” logo that was later seen all over businesses, bumper stickers and magazines around town.
Although the phrase started out as a way to promote independent retailers, Currier says it held a different meaning for the Portlanders who felt that their city had been overrun with garbage, homelessness and drug abuse — and therefore didn’t need to get any weirder.
“The great thing about keeping Portland weird as a slogan is it means a little bit different to every individual that hears it and you can have your own interpretation of it,” Currier said. “It was an interesting talked-about subject. I would have never thought that it would almost become the unofficial slogan of this city, but here we are 20 years after the fact and it’s still going out there.”
The many iterations of “Keep Portland Weird” has kept the phrase alive. Currier says the local electrical union had “Keep Portland Wired” as its motto, while a nearby beer company used the slogan “Keep Portland Beered.”
There’s also the Instagram-worthy “Keep Portland Weird ” mural outside of Dante’s nightclub in Old Town, which is a hot spot for tourists who can’t get a closer look of the original sign outside of Music Millennium.
Currier doesn’t deny the impact of the “Keep Portland Weird” movement he spearheaded two decades ago, but he says the city has lost some of what once made it so special.
“Our downtown was one of the best, [most] unique downtowns of any major city in the United States and we can’t say that right now,” he said. “My hope is that downtown rents go down dramatically and that our downtown core is rebuilt up with local entrepreneurship, which will add a very unique flavor to it.”
However, he still believes there are quirky parts of Portland that make the city what it is, like the interesting people and items you’ll see at the Saturday Market and the many musicians creating art around town.
“There is a bit of uniqueness and weirdness to Portland,” he said. “We’re going through a transition right now and it’s hard to say how we’re gonna come out on the other side.” | https://www.koin.com/local/keep-portland-weird-originator-says-the-city-is-still-unique-but-transitioning/ | 2023-04-29T15:32:45 | 1 | https://www.koin.com/local/keep-portland-weird-originator-says-the-city-is-still-unique-but-transitioning/ |
On the Agenda: Springfield multi-family housing incentives, Lane County budget overview
Here’s a roundup of what local elected leaders will talk about during public meetings this week.
Springfield City Council
To watch: The city's system requires registration to watch and to participate in meetings. Use the links for meetings to register and get information to attend.
To listen: Dial 1-971-247-1195 or 877-853-5257 and use the meeting ID.
To attend: Meetings are held in council chambers at city hall, located at 225 Fifth St.
To comment: There will be instructions during the meeting for speaking during public comment or public hearings.
WORK SESSION
When: 6 p.m. Monday, May 1
What: Council will provide direction on the design of a property tax exemption program to incentivize development of multiple-unit housing in transit-oriented areas of Springfield.
Council work sessions are reserved for discussion among Council, staff and consultants. Council will not receive public input during work sessions. Opportunities for public input are given during all regular council meetings
Register: us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_GvBnvvIARmu6WkIj8oLR8w
Zoom Meeting ID: 857 2811 5629
REGULAR SESSION
When: 7 p.m. Monday, May 1
What: Among other business, City Council will:
- Approve or not approve the Fiscal Year 2024 Community Development Block Grant Annual Action Plan.
- Approve or not approve allocation of state general funds for Cornerstone Community Housing’s Springfield Apartments.
- Adopt a motion ratifying the FY 2023-24 Regional Wastewater Program Budget and Capital Improvement Program.
- Conduct a public hearing on local and regional wastewater and local stormwater user fees and adopt a resolution.
- Conduct a public hearing and first reading on the fire code ordinance.
- Conduct a public hearing and first reading on an ordinance on city code related to industrial pretreatment.
Register: us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_GvBnvvIARmu6WkIj8oLR8w
Zoom Meeting ID: 857 2811 5629
Lane County Board of Commissioners
To watch: County meetings stream at bit.ly/LaneCounty-meetings.
To attend: Board of Commissioner meetings begin at 9 a.m. in Harris Hall, 125 E 8th Ave., unless otherwise noted. Doors to Harris Hall open at 8:45 a.m.
To comment: When there's a chance to comment, people must register for the meeting to do so virtually. After registering, people will get information on how to attend.
Those who go to the meeting in person should sign up on the sign-in sheet located by the entry door.
There will be instructions during the meeting for speaking during public hearings and making public comments.
People also can email diana.jones@lanecountyor.gov with public comments by noon Monday. The subject line should include "PUBLIC COMMENT FOR MEETING DATE 05/02/2023."
MORNING SESSION
When: 9 a.m. Tuesday, May 2
What: Commissioners will listen and respond to public comments before considering a consent calendar.
They will then vote on a motion to adopt the order acknowledging and supporting the pursuit of 2023-25 Justice Reinvestment Grant Program (JRP) funds, providing a signed letter of acknowledgment and support from the board for both JRP formula and competitive funds, and delegating authority to thePublic Safety Coordinating Council staff to sign and submit the online grant applications and to the county administrator to execute any additional grant application documents.
Register: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_CL7shMxmTDGBxen34sQTOQ#/registration
AFTERNOON SESSION
When: 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 2
What: Commissioners will hear a report on Eugene’s Downtown Urban Renewal Plan Amendment.
LANE COUNTY BUDGET COMMITTEE
When: 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 2
What: Commissioners will elect an FY 23-24 Chair and Vice Chair, have a budget overview and have a public hearing
Register:us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_I2OUHOPjQmOlNZ65jDQfeA#/registration
LANE COUNTY BUDGET COMMITTEE
When: 1:30 p.m. Thursday, May 4
What: The committee will hear presentations from the Sheriff's Office, Community Justice and Rehabilitation Services, the District Attorney's Office and Health and Human Services.
Register:
Live stream will be available at lanecounty.org/cms/One.aspx?portalId=3585881&pageId=7842434
Written public comment may also be sent to the committee at: LCGABUPL@lanecountyor.gov. | https://www.registerguard.com/story/news/local/2023/04/29/on-the-agenda-springfield-multi-family-housing-incentives-lane-county-budget-overview/70165036007/ | 2023-04-29T15:53:05 | 1 | https://www.registerguard.com/story/news/local/2023/04/29/on-the-agenda-springfield-multi-family-housing-incentives-lane-county-budget-overview/70165036007/ |
DALLAS — Grapevine native Post Malone is addressing concerns about his weight loss on social media as he dons a noticeably slimmer profile.
The 27-year-old "Sunflower" singer and rapper said in an Instagram post on Thursday he had been asked about his weight loss and performances on stage.
"I wanted to say that i’m not doing drugs, i’ve had a lot of people ask me about my weight loss and i’d suppose, performance on stage," Malone wrote in the post with him posing next to camouflage boots. "i’m having a lot of fun performing, and have never felt healthier."
Malone, who became a father in May 2022, continued to say "dad life kicked in" and he "decided to kick soda, and start eating better so i can be around for a long time for this little angel."
Malone also said he has been in the studio working on music and thanked fans for their patience and support.
"my [sic] brain is in a super dope place, and i’m the happiest i’ve been in a long time," Malone added. "if you’re having a hard time or need some love, i can say that you’re loved more than you know."
Malone has recently performed with 21 Savage as the musical performance for the NBA All-Star Weekend. Malone's last album, Twelve Carat Toothache, was released in June 2022. His single, Chemical, was released earlier this month peaked at No. 13 on Billboard's Hot 100.
Malone also recently opened a custom-designed Raising Cane's restaurant in Utah. The restaurant, colored pink inside and out, is located in Midvale, just outside of Salt Lake City.
More Texas headlines: | https://www.myfoxzone.com/article/news/local/post-malone-reacts-to-weight-loss-concerns/287-229c9110-574c-4a3e-b5aa-ac373d3353eb | 2023-04-29T16:04:36 | 1 | https://www.myfoxzone.com/article/news/local/post-malone-reacts-to-weight-loss-concerns/287-229c9110-574c-4a3e-b5aa-ac373d3353eb |
The Coos Bay Downtown Farmers Market is turning 23 in 2023.
This year, the market will be featuring longtime favorite vendors, as well as some brand new ones.
The market will be open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. each Wednesday between May 3 and Oct. 25. Market vendor booths are situated along Central Avenue between 101 South and 3rd Street.
“We have grown a lot. We originally started with about a dozen vendors, and last year we had 168 approved vendors,” said Coos Bay Downtown Association Farmer’s Market Manager Melissa Hasart.
“We also have four brand new farmers coming to the market this year, and they are local. So not only will returning farmers be here, but also new ones,” she said.
Locals and tourists are invited to wander through the historic heart of downtown Coos Bay to explore, shop, mingle and eat during the local farmer’s market each week.
The open air market offers fresh local fruits and veggies, farm favorites of honey and eggs, homemade baked goods, jams and candies – as well as freshly prepared bites to eat at the food court.
Local artisans will be offering handcrafted gifts and other treasures, as well as value-added products.
“Value-added products take things grown at the farm and make a product out of them, such as herbs that are turned into spice blends, or sheeps’ wool that has been turned into yarn,” Hasart said.
The market also has community and nonprofit partners that come to the market each week.
“We really consider ourselves a Farmer’s Market family,” Hasart said.
Hasart said she is excited to welcome a new part-time market assistant to the market family, Jessica Church.
Church said she’s looking forward to become a part of the local farmer’s market.
“It helps keep money in this local area and fosters a sense of unity in the community,” Church said. “It’s just a positive thing all around.”
This season, the farmer’s market will be offering a lot of the things that had to be downsized, or taken away, during the pandemic. But the market is still required to follow health and safety protocols, Hasart said.
This year, there will be product sampling (adhering to guidelines) demonstrations, music, entertainment and children’s programs.
Food accessibility is also important to market organizers. The Coos Bay Downtown Association’s food accessibility program works to make sure that everyone in the community has access to farm fresh fruits, vegetables and basic food items needed for a healthy and nutritious diet.
They offer a SNAP /EBT program with a $20 Double Up Food Buck match for fruits and veggies. WIC and Senior Nutritional vouchers are also accepted at the farmer’s market. Hasart said she is happy to answer any questions about how these programs work.
The Coos Bay Downtown Association is still accepting vendor applications. Vendors are not required to be present at the market for the entire season.
The market is also looking for volunteers, and can be flexible with the amount of time volunteers can be available. Musicians interested at playing at the market can enquire with So It Goes Coffeehouse, which is in charge of musical performances this year.
The local market has a facebook page, Coos Bay Farmers Market. There is also information available on the Coos Bay Downtown Association Website www.coosbaydowntown.org. | https://theworldlink.com/news/local/coos-bay-farmer-s-market-season-is-starting/article_c94b65ec-e523-11ed-a8b8-835fc975ef30.html | 2023-04-29T16:07:18 | 1 | https://theworldlink.com/news/local/coos-bay-farmer-s-market-season-is-starting/article_c94b65ec-e523-11ed-a8b8-835fc975ef30.html |
Ciara Garcia is the latest among a long list of Flagstaff seniors going to play college soccer.
Garcia, a star forward for the Eagles girls soccer team, will play next year at UC Colorado Springs.
She inked her letter of intent during a signing ceremony Thursday in Flagstaff High School’s Hurley Auditorium.
“I’ve been waiting for this for a long time, and for it to finally happen means a lot,” Garcia said.
Flagstaff senior Ciara Garcia is signing to UC Colorado Springs today pic.twitter.com/jeylUA6f2e
— Eric Newman (@enewmanwrites) April 27, 2023
She was named to the 4A All-Conference First Team for the third consecutive season this winter and was a major piece in leading the Eagles to a record of 13-2 (5-1 Grand Canyon) and the 4A state championship tournament semifinals. The Eagles won a state title, made the semifinals twice and the quarterfinals once during her four-year varsity campaign.
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But Garcia’s path toward becoming a sound player started long before her high school years. She started kicking the ball around at about age 5 and quickly joined the Arizona Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO) to play on a club team.
Her coaches, many of whom have seen her throughout her entire youth soccer journey, admired her talent. But Garcia was probably the first to recognize her own chance at playing at the next level.
“Ever since I started playing in AYSO, I knew soccer was going to be my sport. And since then I’ve been striving to get to play in college,” she said.
When Garcia finally got to Flagstaff High School, after many years of success at the middle school club level, she stood out to her new coaches.
“My first impression was, ‘Wow, she’s good, she’s very fast,” and she was exciting to watch,” Eagles assistant coach Chris Barquin said. “Then, as I transitioned to coaching varsity more and working with her, Cici was a young freshman who was very talented, but also knew she was very talented.”
Garcia has been a nuisance for opposing teams. Her most impactful development has been her ability to take in coaching, even as one of the most talented players on whatever field she’s on.
“The transition from that mentality to a player whose mentality is being a leader and a coachable player who listens -- who still has opinions, definitely not bashful to share those -- but really coachable, has been awesome. Colorado Springs is really lucky,” Barquin said.
And above all she has an immense desire to win. Often, that is enough to turn results her way.
“Cici’s a competitor above everything. We all know she’s talented and she’s going to do anything she puts her mind to,” Eagles coach Savannah Berry said.
Garcia is one of the many Eagles graduates who will play in the Division II Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. Flagstaff teammates have already signed to conference foes in Fort Lewis College and Adams State.
Last season, the Mountain Lions went 14-4-4 and reached the second round of the NCAA D-II tournament.
Her teammates -- now rivals at the next level -- provided her encouragement on her own journey
“I never had doubt because so many were going to play college soccer. So it just motivated me to do my own recruiting process,” Garcia said.
Garcia is finishing up her season with the Eagles track and field team before graduating this spring. | https://azdailysun.com/sports/local/flagstaff-senior-ciara-garcia-signs-to-uc-colorado-springs-womens-soccer/article_1f901146-e5ec-11ed-8823-c3570926bbf3.html | 2023-04-29T16:07:29 | 0 | https://azdailysun.com/sports/local/flagstaff-senior-ciara-garcia-signs-to-uc-colorado-springs-womens-soccer/article_1f901146-e5ec-11ed-8823-c3570926bbf3.html |
ELYSBURG, Pa. — Here is the 2023 calendar for Knoebels Amusement Resort in Elysburg.
Opening weekend at the resort is April 29.
Take note, while the park usually opens at noon, some weekdays, it opens at 10 a.m.
Also, on weekends in June through August, only tickets are accepted for the rides.
The Crystal Pool opens on May 27.
The park's newest ride is The Bayern Kurve, which will be open sometime in the summer.
In addition to the newest ride, Knoebels is celebrating an old favorite this season. The Haunted Mansion turns 50 this year.
The last day Knoebels is open before Hallo-Fun Weekends is September 24.
Joy Through The Grove begins on November 24.
Click here to watch a Knoebels commercial from 1984: | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/when-is-knoebels-amusement-resort-open-2023-hours-northumberland-county-elysburg-pa/523-741bbab5-d388-42ef-a7a8-a1381ec5e63e | 2023-04-29T16:09:03 | 0 | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/when-is-knoebels-amusement-resort-open-2023-hours-northumberland-county-elysburg-pa/523-741bbab5-d388-42ef-a7a8-a1381ec5e63e |
COURIER STAFF
CEDAR FALLS — Hawkeye Community College's commencement ceremony is set for 7 p.m. Friday at the McLeod Center on the University of Northern Iowa campus.
The event recognizes fall 2022, spring 2023, and summer 2023 graduates of the Waterloo college.
Chief Joe Leibold
Drinovsky, Wendy
Keynote speaker will be Joe Leibold , Waterloo police chief. He is a 33-year veteran of the Waterloo Police Department, starting in 1990 in the Patrol Division. During his tenure, Leibold has also worked in investigations, tactical unit, crime lab, internal affairs office, training unit for firearms, and field training officer and weapons armorer.
In 2012, he was named patrol commander and captain of police services. Leibold became investigations commander, chief operations officer and public information officer in 2018. He was named assistant police chief in 2020 and appointed chief of police in November 2022.
Leibold is a 1989 graduate of Hawkeye's police science program. He is also a graduate of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s National Academy #235 and the Law Enforcement Executive Development Seminar #74, both held at Quantico, Virginia.
Student speaker will be Kayla Walter, a native of New Hampton who is graduating from the liberal arts program. No tickets are necessary to attend the graduation ceremony. Family and friends who are unable to attend can watch live online at www.hawkeyecollege.edu/graduation .
The McLeod Center is located at 2501 Hudson Road.
Photos: Jerry Springer through the years, 1944-2023
FILE - Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jerry Springer greets supporters at a rally on Fountain Square in Cincinnati, Ohio on June 3, 1982. Springer, the former Cincinnati mayor and news anchor whose namesake TV show unleashed strippers, homewreckers and skinheads to brawl and spew obscenities on weekday afternoons, has died. He was 79. A family spokesperson died Thursday at home in suburban Chicago. (AP Photo, File)
Talk show host Jerry Springer answers questions outside a New York hotel before the start of the "Talk Summit" Friday, Oct. 27, 1995. Secretary of Health and Human Services Donna Shalala later delivered the keynote address at the two-day conference designed to bring together leading daytime talk-show hosts, producers and executives and experts on social and health issues. (AP Photo/Adam Nadel)
ADAM NADEL
Talk show host Jerry Springer speaks shortly before his appearance on "The Late Show With Tom Snyder" at CBS Television City in Los Angeles Friday, May 2, 1997. Springer is scheduled to begin work Monday as a commentator on WMAQ-TV in Chicago where longtime WMAQ anchor Carol Marin has resigned, calling Springer," the worst television has to offer." (AP Photo/E.J. Flynn)
E.J. FLYNN
Jerry Springer talks on a cell phone during lunch at the Planet Hollywood restaurant in New York, Thursday, April 23, 1998. Springer's TV show, where fights routinely break out between guests, is itself in the middle of a one-two punch. The television station that hosts the taping of "The Jerry Springer Show" got out of its contract and a television newsmagazine show is scheduled to air a report that the fights on Springer's show are staged and the guests coached. (AP Photo/Stephan Moitessier)
STEPHAN MOITESSIER
U.S. Senate candidate first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton, right, talks to talkshow host Jerry Springer, left, after Clinton addressed the New York State Broadcasters Association Executive Conference at Bolton Landing, N.Y., on Tuesday, June 20, 2000. Next to Clinton is NYSBA president Joseph Reilly. Springer had been the moderator on an earlier panel called "You Be the Judge". (AP Photo/ Jim McKnight)
JIM MCKNIGHT
Talk show host Jerry Springer, center, talks to reporters before delivering the keynote speech at a fund-raiser for the Montgomery County Democratic Party, Tuesday, March 11, 2003 in Dayton, Ohio. Springer, who has said he might run for the U.S. Senate, scored the Ohio Poll's highest unfavorable rating in 14 years, the poll director said Monday. The Democrat and former Cincinnati mayor, was found unfavorable by 71 percent of those surveyed. (AP Photo/David Kohl)
DAVID KOHL
Talk-show host Jerry Springer rehearses dance steps with partner Kym Johnson at a dance studio in Chicago on Friday, Aug. 25, 2006, as Springer prepared for his appearance on the reality television show "Dancing with the Stars." (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
CHARLES REX ARBOGAST
Television personality Jerry Springer walks on stage at the 34th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards in Los Angeles, Friday, June 15, 2007. (AP Photo/Kevork Djansezian)
Kevork Djansezian
Piers Morgan, left, and Jerry Springer pose as they arrive at NBC's Fall Premiere Party, Thursday, Sept. 18, 2008, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Mark J. Terrill
TV Personality Jerry Springer arrives at Bravo channel's first ever "The A-List Awards" at The Hammerstein Ballroom in New York on Wednesday, June 4, 2008. (AP Photo/Peter Kramer)
Peter Kramer
Talk show host Jerry Springer sings " Take Me Out to the Ballgame" during the seventh inniing of a baseball game between the Atlanta Braves and the San Diego Padres Wednesday, Aug 26, 2009 in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
John Bazemore
US television presenter Jerry Springer poses with Chicago Showgirls as it is announced he will make his stage debut on June 1, 2009, guest starring as Billy Flynn in the West End musical Chicago, at the Cambridge Theatre in central London, Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2009. (AP Photo/Joel Ryan)
Joel Ryan
Talk show host Jerry Springer is shown in New York, Thursday, April 15, 2010. Springer makes his Game Show Network debut Monday April 19 as host of a dating show called "Baggage." (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
Richard Drew
CULVER CITY, CA - AUGUST 01: Jerry Springer arrives at the Comedy Central Roast Of David Hasselhoff at Sony Pictures Studios on August 1, 2010 in Culver City, California. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP Images)
Jordan Strauss
Jerry Springer, left, greets state Sen. Nina Turner, the Democratic candidate for Ohio's secretary of state, as they appear at an early vote event Thursday, Oct. 16, 2014, in Warren, Ohio. Springer, the former Cincinnati mayor and once named "Democrat of the Year" in Ohio, remains politically active in the swing state where he previously aspired to be governor. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)
Tony Dejak
Jerry Springer watches during Game 4 in baseball's National League Division Series between the Chicago Cubs and the St. Louis Cardinals, Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2015, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Nam Y. Huh
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CEDAR FALLS — Oksana Grybovych Hafermann was recently named chief of staff to the University of Northern Iowa president.
She has served as an interim for the position during the past seven months. In addition, she will continue to serve as a governmental liaison for UNI at local and federal levels.
Before serving in the role on an interim basis, Grybovych Hafermann held progressively responsible roles in UNI’s College of Education, according to a news release. Most recently she was an associate dean for academic affairs. In this position, which Grybovych Hafermann held for two years, she provided support for academic programs and strategic initiatives at both the undergraduate and graduate levels and collaborated with counterparts across campus.
She helped the College of Education through general education revisions and assisted with recruitment and retention efforts. Her leadership was evident through her presence on numerous committees and advisory boards.
Throughout her career, Grybovych Hafermann has proven her ability to establish and develop industry and community partnerships, which are crucial to the chief of staff position. She has spent years leading UNI faculty and advocating for the interests of the university at various levels. As a UNI faculty member of 15 years, she has taught close to 30 unique courses in both graduate and undergraduate programs.
“Oksana possesses a deep understanding of the UNI community through her service as a faculty member, department head and associate dean on our campus,” said President Mark Nook in the release. “She is engaged in the greater Cedar Valley community as a member of the Cedar Falls Planning and Zoning Commission, in addition to previously serving on other boards such as the Experience Waterloo organization. Her experience will be invaluable in her work with students, employees, the board and federal officials.”
“I am honored and humbled by the opportunity to work alongside President Nook to advance the mission of the university,” said Grybovych Hafermann.
She holds a doctorate of education from the University of Northern Iowa, a master’s degree in leisure and environments from Wageningen University in the Netherlands and a bachelor’s degree in economics and management from the Institute of Economics and Law in Ukraine.
Photos: Remembering Harry Belafonte, 1927-2023
1955: Harry Belafonte with Ed Sullivan
1956: Harry Belafonte
1957: Harry Belafonte receives Brotherhood Award
1957: Harry Belafonte
1957: Harry Belafonte marries Julie Robinson
1957: Harry Belafonte and Nat "King" Cole
1957: Harry Belafonte
1958: Harry Belafonte speaks at Lincoln Memorial
1958: Belafontes in Italy
1958: Harry Belafonte and former first lady Eleanor Roosevelt
1960: Harry Belafonte protests lunch counter segregation
1960: Harry Belafonte on Broadway
1960: Harry Belafonte
1960: Harry Belafonte becomes first Black man to win Emmy
1961: Harry Belafonte and family
1964: Harry Belafonte visits Guinea
1965: Harry Belafonte with Martin Luther King Jr. and James Foreman
1966: Harry Belafonte performs at civil rights benefit
1968: Harry Belafonte, Coretta Scott King
1968: Harry Belafonte and Coretta Scott King
1968: Harry Belafonte sits in for Johnny Carson on "Tonight Show"
1979: Harry Belafonte wins "Golden Lion" award
1981: Harry Belafonte
1984: Harry Belafonte co-produces "Beat Street"
1986: Harry Belafonte and Ken Kragen win AMA award
1986: Harry Belafonte and Bishop Desmond Tutu
1987: Harry Belafonte and UNICEF
1988: Harry Belafonte with Pope John Paul II
1989: Harry Belafonte receives Kennedy Center Honors
1994: Harry Belafonte receives Medal of the Arts from President Bill Clinton
1999: Harry Belafonte and Nelson Mandela
2001: Harry Belafonte
2005: Harry Belafonte speaks during Nelson Mandela visit
2005: Harry Belafonte with then Sen. Barack Obama and John Lewis
2006: Harry Belafonte receives BET humanitarian award
2006: Harry Belafonte accepts BET humanitarian award
2010: Harry Belafonte, Willie Mays and Billie Jean King win MLB Beacon awards
2011: Harry Belafonte and Hill Harper
2012: Harry Belafonte and Sidney Poitier
2013: Harry Belafonte receives Spingarn award from Sidney Poitier
2014: Harry Belafonte gets honorary doctorate from Berklee | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/education/university-of-northern-iowa-names-new-chief-of-staff/article_a2c27491-2561-579d-8f46-288744a056e0.html | 2023-04-29T16:12:13 | 0 | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/education/university-of-northern-iowa-names-new-chief-of-staff/article_a2c27491-2561-579d-8f46-288744a056e0.html |
WATERLOO — The Salvation Army of Waterloo/Cedar Falls is seeking volunteers to drive its truck for food donation pick-ups on Tuesday and Thursday mornings.
No experience is necessary. Those interested can complete the volunteer application. They must have a valid driver’s license and the necessary free time.
If interested, or for more information, contact The Salvation Army of Waterloo/Cedar Falls at (319) 235-9358 ext. 103 or email katie.harn@usc.salvationarmy.org .
Food prices fall on world markets but not on kitchen tables
A worker distributes free traditional roti or bread among needy people at a restaurant April 16 in Peshawar, Pakistan. People are suffering from recent price hikes in food, gas, fuel and power in Pakistan.
Muhammad Sajjad, Associated Press
József Varga, owner of a grocery in Budapest's Grand Market Hall, sells vegetables April 8. Varga says his wholesale costs have risen by 20% to 30%.
Denes Erdos, Associated Press
Chef and owner Mark Kioko works April 17 in the kitchen of his restaurant in Kitengela, on the outskirts of the capital Nairobi, Kenya. Kioko says he has had to increase prices, and in some cases decrease portion size of items like chapatis, due to persistently high prices of food and cooking oil.
Khalil Senosi, Associated Press
People jostle to get free sweet drink distributed by a shop owner at a market, in Peshawar, Pakistan, Sunday, April 16, 2023. People are suffering from recent price hike in food, gas, fuel, and power in Pakistan. (AP Photo/Muhammad Sajjad)
Muhammad Sajjad
People receives free food plates distributed by volunteers for breaking their fast at a market, in Peshawar, Pakistan, Sunday, April 16, 2023. People are suffering from recent price hike in food, gas, fuel and power in Pakistan. (AP Photo/Muhammad Sajjad)
Muhammad Sajjad
People leave after receiving free sack of wheat flour and other food items distributed by a religious charity group, in Peshawar, Pakistan, Monday, April 17, 2023. People are suffering from recent price hike in food stuff, gas, fuel, and power in Pakistan. (AP Photo/Muhammad Sajjad)
Muhammad Sajjad
People gather and wait their turn to get a free sack of wheat flour at a distribution point, in Peshawar, Pakistan, Wednesday, March 29, 2023. Pakistan's government is providing free wheat-flour to deserving and poor families during the Muslim's holy month of Ramadan due to high inflation in the country. (AP Photo/Muhammad Sajjad)
Muhammad Sajjad
Linnah Mueni, left, buys a bag of maize flour from a small shop in Kitengela, on the outskirts of the capital Nairobi, Kenya, Monday, April 17, 2023. Mueni, a mother of four who herself sells vegetables for a living, says that high food prices have forced her to survive on one meal per day. (AP Photo/Khalil Senosi)
Khalil Senosi
Workers are seen in a small restaurant in Kitengela, on the outskirts of the capital Nairobi, Kenya, Monday, April 17, 2023. In Kenya, drought added to food shortages and high prices arising from the impact of war in Ukraine, and costs have stayed stubbornly high ever since. (AP Photo/Khalil Senosi)
Khalil Senosi
The owner of a small-scale shop selling vegetables stands by her produce in Kitengela, on the outskirts of the capital Nairobi, Kenya, Monday, April 17, 2023. In Kenya, drought added to food shortages and high prices arising from the impact of war in Ukraine, and costs have stayed stubbornly high ever since. (AP Photo/Khalil Senosi)
Khalil Senosi
Customers purchase food in Budapest's Grand Market Hall on Saturday, April 8, 2023. In Hungary, people are increasingly unable to cope with the biggest spike in food prices in the EU, reaching 45% in March. (AP Photo/Denes Erdos)
Denes Erdos
Sausage and ham, displayed in Budapest's Grand Market Hall on Saturday, April 8, 2023, are almost considered luxury food items. In Hungary, people are increasingly unable to cope with the biggest spike in food prices in the EU, reaching 45% in March. (AP Photo/Denes Erdos)
Denes Erdos
Customers purchase food in Budapest's Grand Market Hall on Saturday, April 8, 2023. In Hungary, people are increasingly unable to cope with the biggest spike in food prices in the EU, reaching 45% in March. (AP Photo/Denes Erdos)
Denes Erdos
Domestic harvested fruits and vegetables are displayed in Budapest's Grand Market Hall on Saturday, April 8, 2023. In Hungary, people are increasingly unable to cope with the biggest spike in food prices in the EU, reaching 45% in March.(AP Photo/Denes Erdos)
Denes Erdos
Freshly baked bread is displayed in Babushka Bakery in Budapest on Tuesday, April 11, 2023. Around the world, food prices are persistently, painfully high. Puzzlingly, too. On global markets, the price of grains, vegetable oil, dairy and other agricultural commodities has fallen steadily for months. (AP Photo/Denes Erdos)
Denes Erdos
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Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/volunteer-drivers-needed-for-salvation-armys-perishable-goods-pantry/article_b7de1ea2-e6d3-5a6f-915b-6d83e7b2e6b2.html | 2023-04-29T16:12:19 | 1 | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/volunteer-drivers-needed-for-salvation-armys-perishable-goods-pantry/article_b7de1ea2-e6d3-5a6f-915b-6d83e7b2e6b2.html |
WATERLOO — The following events are planned in May at the Waterloo Public Library:
- Mondays and the first and third Saturday, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. – The basement is open to shop for books at Friends Used Book Store prices.
- Monday-Thursday and Saturday, 10:30-11 a.m., storytimes in the Storytime Corner – Infant to 2 years on Mondays, 3-5 years on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 2 year olds on Thursdays, All ages family storytime on Saturdays.
- Wednesdays, 5:30 to 7 p.m. – Mike Finley, “The Crazy Man in the Pink Wig,” will continue to host an investment series in the AB meeting room. Sessions, in order, are: How to invest wisely in real estate, How to take the emotion out of your investment decisions, How to select the right financial advisor, and Pulling together everything you learned.
In addition, a number of activities are happening during the next week:
People are also reading…
- Tuesday 6-7:30 p.m. – ISU Gardening Series: The Master Gardeners from Iowa State University Extension and Outreach will host a session on What's New in the Greenhouse 2023 with Heidi Tietz-Desilva in the AB meeting room.
- Thursday, 2-3:30 p.m. – The Must List discussion will focus on “binge-worthy” books, movies and TV shows in the conference room.
- Friday 10 a.m.-noon – First Friday Flick: "A Man Called Otto" will be screened in the AB meeting room. Popcorn and soda are provided free of charge.
- Saturday 9-10:30 a.m. – Spring Plant Swap: Whether someone is looking to rehome a plant or wants to adopt a new plant, all are welcome at this program in Meeting Room AB. Participants should bring a pest-free, beautiful plant, or two or three for trade. They can be potted or bare root in a jar or other type of containe. Indoor and outdoor plants are welcome.
- Saturday 10 a.m. until supplies run out – Free Comic Book Day: Comic books will be given away while supplies last. Visit the second-floor Teen Area to browse the large selection of comics, featuring artwork from dozens of illustrators and popular characters. Limit three comics per person. | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/waterloo-public-library-announces-events/article_9be34901-4917-5feb-a562-573301ee3608.html | 2023-04-29T16:12:26 | 1 | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/waterloo-public-library-announces-events/article_9be34901-4917-5feb-a562-573301ee3608.html |
ATLANTA — The Atlanta High School Alumni Association will hold its banquet at 6 p.m. Saturday, May 27, at the new Olympia South School Gymnasium in Atlanta.
A cornerstone dedication will be held before the banquet at 4:30 p.m.
A cornerstone has been placed at the new gymnasium to celebrate 100 years of the Alumni Association.
Due to COVID, the banquet has not been held since 2019, so the 50-year classes of 1970, 1971 and 1972 will be honored along with 1973.
Also being honored for 2023 are the classes of 1953, 1958, 1963 and 1968.
Superintendent Laura O'Donnell talks pool at Olympia High School
Olympia High School fire, April 2023
Solar panels caught fire Thursday on the roof of Olympia High School. The fire was contained to a 60-by-100-foot area on the roof, and there is no structural damage to the building.
CLAY JACKSON, THE PANTAGRAPH
Danvers Community Fire Protection District fire engines respond to a fire Thursday at Olympia High School
CLAY JACKSON, THE PANTAGRAPH
Danvers Community Fire Protection District fire engines respond to a fire Thursday at Olympia High School
CLAY JACKSON, THE PANTAGRAPH
Several fire departments responded to a fire Thursday at Olympia High School. Authorities say the fire most likely started and was contained to solar panels attached to the roof.
CLAY JACKSON, THE PANTAGRAPH
Bloomington Fire Department responded to a fire Thursday at Olympia High School
CLAY JACKSON, THE PANTAGRAPH
Firefighters responded to a blaze on the roof Thursday at Olympia High School.
CLAY JACKSON, THE PANTAGRAPH
Bloomington Fire Department responded to a fire Thursday at Olympia High School. Authorities say the fire most likely started and was contained to solar panels on the roof.
CLAY JACKSON, THE PANTAGRAPH
Crews from several fire departments responded to a fire Thursday at Olympia High School
D. JACK ALKIRE, THE PANTAGRAPH
Fire fighters from Bloomington Fire Department responded to a fire Thursday at Olympia High School
D. JACK ALKIRE, THE PANTAGRAPH
McLean County Sheriff's Deputies helped maintain order after Olympia High School was evacuated Thursday due to a fire.
D. JACK ALKIRE, THE PANTAGRAPH
Solar panels on the roof of Olympia High School caught fire Thursday, causing damage to the area on the roof
D. JACK ALKIRE, THE PANTAGRAPH
Bloomington Fire Department responded to a fire Thursday at Olympia High School
D. JACK ALKIRE, THE PANTAGRAPH
Bloomington firefighters responded to a fire Thursday at Olympia High School
D. JACK ALKIRE, THE PANTAGRAPH
Firefighters from several departments responded to a fire Thursday at Olympia High School
D. JACK ALKIRE, THE PANTAGRAPH
Olympia High School students were evacuated to the football field Thursday after a fire broke out on the rooftop solar panels. They were bussed to Minier Christian Church where their parents awaited
D. JACK ALKIRE, THE PANTAGRAPH
Fire broke out Thursday from the rooftop solar panels on Olympia High School requiring firefighters from several departments to respond.
D. JACK ALKIRE, THE PANTAGRAPH
Contact Olivia Jacobs at 309-820-3352. Follow Olivia on Twitter: @olivia___jacobs
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In the race for mayor between incumbent Leiron Gaylor Baird and former state Sen. Suzanne Geist, three issues repeatedly rise to the top: public safety, Geist’s voting record and the amount of money being spent on this race.
Gaylor Baird has attacked Geist’s voting record on a number of controversial issues in the Legislature, saying her views are too extreme and don’t reflect Lincoln’s values. Geist has countered that she would focus on only city business and not social issues that divide the community.
Attack ads supporting Geist paint a picture of rising crime in Lincoln; Gaylor Baird says those are cherry-picked numbers that distort the truth.
On public safety investments and morale, Gaylor Baird says she’s added money for additional police officers, but Geist says the actual number of officers on the street is lower.
People are also reading…
This mayoral campaign is the costliest in the city's history, and two deep-pocketed donors have spent over $1 million to oppose Gaylor Baird. The mayor's supporters have questioned whether Geist will be beholden to her large donors. Geist maintains she will not.
Here’s a closer look:
Public safety
On crime: Attack ads opposing Gaylor Baird say there's been a 37% increase in homicides; 23% increase in car thefts; 10% increase in robberies and a 44% increase in arson.
Those statistics compare crimes in 2022 to those in 2021, but percentages can be deceiving, especially when dealing with small numbers such as homicides, which vary greatly from year to year.
Over the past decade, the number of homicides has ranged from 0 in 2017 to 11 in 2016 with an average of six each year over the decade, according to LPD statistics.
Other crimes went down from 2021 to 2022, including rape (10%), aggravated assault (17.7%) and burglary (4.6%).
A 65% increase in vandalism in one ad compares 2018 to 2022 and while vandalisms during that time period have trended upward, other crimes, such as residential burglaries, have trended down.
Violent crime rates in Lincoln have stayed essentially stagnant for 30 years, despite Lincoln's population growing by about 100,000.
Police force: Gaylor Baird has added money for 31 additional police officers and support staff and 28 firefighters and support staff during her tenure. That includes increasing the authorized force of commissioned officers from 348 her first year in office to 366 this year, and by another five officers in the next fiscal year.
The total authorized strength numbers (366) also include grant-funded officers. In 2022-23 that was eight officers, which means the number the city budget would pay for is 358.
That doesn’t reflect the number of officers on the street at any given time.
As of February, LPD had 336 commissioned officers on staff (almost 92% of the authorized force), including 10 recruits who had not yet graduated from the academy, according to LPD. Department officials did not respond to a request for an update. Commissioned officers include some positions not regularly on the streets, such as command staff.
Discrimination allegations: Ads from Geist’s supporters allege the city has fired officers who've filed complaints or lawsuits alleging sexual harassment and discrimination. Gaylor Baird hired Police Chief Teresa Ewins, who fired four of the officers who came forward. Ewins has said the firings weren't related to the allegations. The Lincoln Police Union, which endorsed Geist, also endorsed Ewins as the next chief. Gaylor Baird says she has implemented all the recommendations of an outside assessment of the department. Several lawsuits over the allegations are pending.
Geist's voting record
Permitless concealed carry (LB77): Gov. Jim Pillen signed the bill last week, which allows Nebraskans 21 and older to carry concealed weapons without a permit.
Early in the session Geist voted for the bill on first round, part of a compromise she brokered. She was present and not voting on second round. She had resigned from the Legislature when the bill passed the final round of debate. A year earlier, she’d voted to advance a similar bill to second reading, but was present and not voting when the bill’s sponsor failed to end debate with cloture.
Gender-affirming care ban (LB574): The bill would prohibit anyone under the age of 19 from obtaining a range of gender-affirming care.
Geist was one of 33 senators (the minimum needed) who voted for cloture, ending debate on the bill and allowing it to move forward. She also voted to advance it to second reading.
Six-week abortion ban (LB626): Geist resigned before senators passed it on first reading. In the last session, she co-sponsored and voted for cloture on a trigger bill but it didn’t get the necessary 33 votes to proceed. She was among senators who signed a letter in support of a special session once the Supreme Court overturned Roe vs. Wade. She has been a sponsor or co-sponsor of other bills that would further restrict abortion.
Campaign finance
Lincoln’s mayoral race has become the most expensive in the city’s history with well over $1 million coming into both candidates’ coffers. Much of the money supporting Geist has come from two deep-pocketed donors: U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts and the Peed family of Lincoln and their company Sandhills Global. In addition to contributing hundreds of thousands to Geist in cash and in-kind contributions, the two families have donated $835,000 to a political action committee that has spent more than $545,000 to oppose Gaylor Baird.
2023 Lincoln City Election Voter's Guide
We reached out to candidates before Lincoln's city election and asked them to provide biographical information and answer questions relevant to the offices they seek.
Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird, a Democrat, faces former state Sen. Suzanne Geist, a Republican, in her run for a second term.
This year's city elections will put at least three new faces on the City Council, where the four seats which represent districts are on the ballot.
Two Lincoln Board of Education incumbents face challengers new to politics in this spring’s city elections, while one seat is up for grabs.
There are four candidates competing for two open seats on the Lincoln Airport Authority. | https://journalstar.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/a-closer-look-at-the-issues-in-lincoln-mayoral-race-including-public-safety-voting-record/article_ec9ba854-e474-11ed-9a57-3f53691de263.html | 2023-04-29T16:19:14 | 0 | https://journalstar.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/a-closer-look-at-the-issues-in-lincoln-mayoral-race-including-public-safety-voting-record/article_ec9ba854-e474-11ed-9a57-3f53691de263.html |
BRISTOL, Tenn. (WJHL) – One person sustained injuries after a boating accident at South Holston Lake Saturday morning.
According to a release from the TWRA, a man was operating a bass boat that hit a submerged log while traveling at 65 miles per hour and was ejected from the boat.
According to the release, the man was wearing an inflatable life jacket but it did not inflate properly. He was picked up by nearby fishermen and was then air-lifted to the Johnson City Medical Center with serious, but non-life-threatening injuries. | https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/man-injured-after-boating-accident-on-south-holston-lake/ | 2023-04-29T16:21:23 | 0 | https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/man-injured-after-boating-accident-on-south-holston-lake/ |
As Jen Wagner spoke to the Pima County Board of Supervisors April 18, derisive laughter and groans rose from the audience.
Some of the conservatives in the crowd didn't like it when Wagner said to Democratic Supervisor Matt Heinz, "I support you, and I’m incredibly sorry for the onslaught of homophobia that you’ve had to endure."
"Oh please no!" one man near me exclaimed. And as Wagner, choking up, began reading a statement about supporting transgender people, citing the experiences of her own trans child, members of the crowd kept murmuring their displeasure. Board chair Adelita Grijalva interrupted and asked Wagner to start again.
It didn't end there: At the next break, attendee Anastasia Tsatsakis confronted Wagner and accused her of labeling Tsatsakis and her allies in attendance as homophobes. The confrontation ended when Supervisor Rex Scott intervened and a sheriff's deputy approached.
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You may have heard that the call-to-the-audience sessions at Pima County supervisors meetings, and some local school-board meetings, have been raucous lately. It's in part due to an effort by the county GOP and others to make their presence known in this Democrat-dominated area.
The supervisors' meetings have been especially contentious affairs, with one woman being suspended from attending meetings for suggesting that Heinz could be a pedophile, citing the January incident in which a Speedo-clad young man appeared in the background of his video feed. Another brought a blow-up doll as a way to mock Heinz.
Another told Grijalva in January, "You are literally nobody, Adelita — keep your mouth shut."
The Pima County Attorney's Office has been drawn into determining when speakers cross the line and defending consequences for them. And Supervisor Steve Christy, the sole Republican on the board, got a separate legal opinion of his own defending the raucous speakers.
The sessions raise some important questions: Should people be able to say anything they want at a call-to-the-audience session? If not, what is out of bounds? What is the purpose of our local governments' call-to-the-audience sessions?
There's a more practical question for those who are showing up to consider: What good does it do for a political party to have members attend, verbally attack the Democratic supervisors and sometimes jeer at opponents who dare speak? Will it help win elections?
Concerted criticism
It's nothing new to have members of the general public show up and say strong things at local government meetings. Keith Van Heyningen, who spoke at the April 18 meeting, has been appearing at county board meetings for many years, often assailing Democrats in harsh terms.
There have been some periods when liberals showed up in numbers, too, and criticized Republicans harshly. In an interview, Christy noted the period of the Red for Ed movement in 2018, as one example.
But mostly, at the Board of Supervisors, those speaking meeting after meeting have been conservatives. In recent months, the effort has grown and become concerted.
The new Pima County GOP Chair, Dave Smith, has encouraged attendance and coordinated it to an extent. One regular attendee suggested before the April 18 meeting that Republicans wear Hawaiian shirts and leis to make fun of Heinz, who wore a similar shirt to a recent meeting. Many did.
Heinz became a target of these attendees, Smith said, because of how he has treated conservatives. During the pandemic, Heinz, who is a medical doctor, referred to people who don't get COVID-19 vaccines as "murderers," and he interrupted speakers giving what he considered pandemic disinformation.
"When I moved back here I was stunned by how passive we are as a party," Smith said. "I’m a big believer in participatory democracy. I want people involved."
In an April 7 GOP newsletter, he celebrated the change: "the Left is suddenly found itself outnumbered in the Board of Supervisor’s meeting where Steve Christy had to go it alone for so long and now overlooks a room full of supporters in every meeting."
'I will hunt you down'
At the April 18 meeting, there were those who appealed for better representation of rural Pima County — totally reasonable. There were those who demanded that Pima County resume participating in Operation Stonegarden — a federal program for funding border-related law-enforcement. A legitimate policy disagreement.
And there were those who veered into conspiracies and accusations insisting, for example, that the Board of Supervisors, with the exception of Christy, had committed treason and should suffer the consequences.
"By allowing all that smut in our libraries for our children to get ahold of, you should be having Child Protective Services arrest you," one man in a Hawaiian shirt and lei said, to loud cheers.
"If society does collapse, that means the court of admiralty will disappear," he went on. "That means that common law court comes back. That means I will hunt you down, and try you in common law court. And by your actions, you are guilty."
I asked Smith if the group could police its own better, and he acknowledged occasionally asking people to quiet down.
"I’m just a Pima County chairman," he said. "I’m not a scold. I don’t give swats. We’re Republicans — it’s like herding cats."
Christy said he supports almost any speech that an attendee wants to make. "Once you start to draw boundaries and lines in the sand, and parameters, I think you’re getting into dangerous territory."
When I asked him what should happen if somebody starts uttering racial slurs, he said the microphone should be turned off and the person told to sit down. He did not feel the same, though, about the term "pedophile" as uttered in association with Heinz.
I don't see much of a difference. To me, the p-word used casually about a gay man in today's political atmosphere amounts to another slur against a person's group identity.
'We’re not a supine party'
Grijalva, when I interviewed her, said she wants more civility at the meetings, but it's not easy. One problem is that two hours of call-to-the-audience comments often mean less discussion of the items on the meeting agenda. It's also a waste of time for members of the public who show up and have to wait through repetitive or off-topic three-minute speeches before the board deals with their concern.
"I don’t know how that’s going to be resolved," Grijalva said. "The only tools that the chair has is to go by the board policies. I want to create a space where every member of our community feels welcome."
On April 18, Heinz took advantage of the opportunity supervisors have to respond to comments at the end of the call-to-the audience. He said he had provided evidence to the Pima County Attorney's Office that the friend who showed up in his video feed was an adult man, 24 years old. He also told those wearing Hawaiian shirts that garb has been co-opted by white supremacist "boogaloo bois" as a symbol, which gave them another reason to despise him.
With all this tension in the air, one thing Grijalva isn't planning on doing is calling for more of her fellow Democrats to attend. Not only would it increase conflict, it's probably not politically useful.
And that's the strange thing about this Republican effort to fill the meetings and rail on supervisors during call-to-the-audience. It generates enthusiasm within their group, allowing them to dominate local politics for this moment in this place. But it seems unlikely to help them with a key political challenges, like winning back the District 1 seat that Democrat Rex Scott won from the GOP in 2020.
"I believe it is politically disastrous for them to do this," Pima County Democratic Party Chair Eric Robbins told me. "The public is sick of this nonsense."
Smith is happy, though, that he's helped create "public awareness that we’re not a supine party."
"Regardless of whether we win any seats back or not, we're not gone. We’re back."
'We are the ones being persecuted'
But dominating a room is not the same as dominating an election. Over the last few elections in Arizona and the Tucson area, bombastic Republican candidates have lost or underperformed the party registration numbers in their districts.
Tsatsakis, who confronted Wagner, was one of them. Known for her strident critiques of the Vail school district's COVID-19 mask policies, she ran for the board in 2022 and lost, finishing third behind the two winners.
When I asked Tsatsakis later about the confrontation, she said she considered Wagner's phrase to be an accusation of homophobia against her and her allies, which she vehemently denied and finds offensive.
Then she went on a long ramble: "We are being forced to stomach the trans agenda. We do not subscribe to that agenda. Because we don’t, we are the ones being persecuted."
"Do you think this is going to help anyone's case in society," she asked, referring to trans activists' activities. I turned the question around: "Do you think this is going to help your case?"
But she preferred to keep talking about the school districts, the trans agenda, and how she and her friends are not homophobes.
Tim Steller is an opinion columnist. A 25-year veteran of reporting and editing, he digs into issues and stories that matter in the Tucson area, reports the results and tells you his conclusions. Contact him at tsteller@tucson.com or 520-807-7789. On Twitter: @senyorreporter | https://tucson.com/news/local/subscriber/tim-stellers-column-raucous-pima-board-meetings-a-wasted-gop-effort/article_dbfb0ba0-df80-11ed-9770-bf04ed610a57.html | 2023-04-29T16:23:32 | 0 | https://tucson.com/news/local/subscriber/tim-stellers-column-raucous-pima-board-meetings-a-wasted-gop-effort/article_dbfb0ba0-df80-11ed-9770-bf04ed610a57.html |
The Tohono O'odham Nation is set to receive more than 10 acres of its ancestral land near the base of Sentinel Peak, known as the birthplace of Tucson, after decades of uncertainty regarding its use.
The City Council voted unanimously on April 18 to begin the process of transferring ownership of a 10.6-acre parcel of city-owned land to the nation to “recognize the sovereignty of the Tohono O’odham Nation and restore the Nation's stewardship over its ancestral lands,” according to the council's motion.
The land surrounding the base of Sentinel Peak, or “A” Mountain, is known as the birthplace of Tucson and was inhabited by the Hohokam, the ancestors of the Tohono O’odham, for more than 4,500 years. Tucson got its name from the 17th-century O’odham village at the base of Sentinel Peak: S-cuk Son.
The 10 acres set to be transferred to the nation are south of West Cushing Street, east of South Melwood Avenue and west of Diamond Street Loop, west of downtown.
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"There have been identified significant archeological and historical remnants of our ancestors all along the Santa Cruz River. This particular area has that archaeological and that cultural significance to our ancestors,” said Ned Norris Jr., chairman of the Tohono O'odham Nation.
“This is something that previous administrations within the nation, and something that Mayor (Regina) Romero and my current administration have been working on for the last couple of years to begin the process of negotiating the transfer of that portion of that land back to its rightful people, meaning the Tohono O'odham.”
Land use uncertain
Norris Jr. said, "There's still some very significant work that needs to get done," and there's not a draft agreement in place to delineate the land transfer.
Once the land is transferred, he said the nation does not yet have any planned use of the land but "whatever the nation considers doing with that property should complement the intent of that whole area. Now, what is that? I can't say right at this point."
Romero said Tucson won’t “attach limitations to their land” when the city hands over the title, and “It will be (the nation’s) land, and they decide what to do.”
The area is currently zoned as an R-2 residential zone, which provides for medium-density single-family and multifamily residential development with other public services such as schools and parks that allow for urban residential growth.
That zoning will still apply under Tohono O’odham ownership “to the extent that the Nation might choose to use the property for purposes other than governmental purposes,” city officials said in an email.
Representatives from the city manager’s office said Tucson will retain its easements to ensure connection to other city property in the area, but “We do not contemplate other restrictions on the property, given that the approved motion identified the purpose of the transaction as to recognize the sovereignty of the Nation and restore the Nation’s stewardship over its ancestral lands.”
Romero also mentioned the possibility of putting the land into trust in the future, a conversation she said she’s already initiated with U.S. Rep. Raúl Grijalva. Putting the land into trust would guarantee self-government and allow the nation to create developments outside the current residential zoning. Norris Jr. said putting the land into trust is "something that the nation will give consideration to, but has not really had an in-depth conversation about."
A 40-acre parcel of land at Grant Road and Interstate 10 was recently placed into trust on behalf of the Pascua Yaqui Tribe after President Biden signed the Old Pascua Community Land Acquisition Act into law. The act allowed for gaming activity and was sponsored by Grijalva, a Tucson Democrat.
Demolition of the former Century Park 16 theaters on the land began in February to make way for a casino, parking garage and three food and beverage outlets.
Kylie Walzak, president of the Menlo Park Neighborhood Association, said residents in the Menlo Park area near the 10 acres being transferred to the Tohono O'odham Nation have questions like “What are they going to put there? What are the plans? How are residents going to be involved in the process?”
But the neighborhood association “doesn’t have any answers for them right now,” Walzak said.
Landfill remains a concern
The 10 acres soon to be owned by the nation previously sat atop the Congress Landfill, where Tucson dumped its waste from 1953 to 1960. According to the city, some of the land still contains landfill waste.
The city of Tucson and Rio Nuevo, the financial district that invests in developing downtown Tucson, report having previous discussions with Tohono O’odham Nation leaders about giving the nation part of the land that was once the ancient home of indigenous people, but the landfill contamination left the nation reticent.
Norris Jr. said the nation's position is it would not have to finish any landfill remediation once the land is transferred, but the issue is yet "to be negotiated."
"(The landfill) was one of the primary concerns that I had as we continued to have this conversation with the city … we have been given a level of assurance thus far that the remediation has pretty much been addressed," he said. "We're content at this point with what the city has done in that regard ... Our effort is to make sure that we are able to give the O'odham Nation some assurance that we're not going to have to burden that responsibility even once the land is transferred."
Part of the Congress landfill, and neighboring Nearmont landfill, was remediated in 2018 to attract the Caterpillar regional offices to the area. The city says it remediated the Congress Landfill and “some small sections just north of it” for $6.5 million, but the entirety of the 10-acre parcel isn’t remediated. Tucson representatives weren't able to provide which parts of the area still contain landfill waste.
The logistics for remediation and specific land use protocols have yet to be ironed out, as is a specific date when the city will hand over the title to the land according to the city.
'Eurocentric' past
Potential uses of the 10 acres of land and the surrounding area have been a point of consternation for decades, especially after Tucson's voters passed Proposition 400 in 1999. The measure used state sales tax dollars for cultural development and restoration of the area near downtown Tucson and at the base of "A" Mountain known as Rio Nuevo.
Initial plans were to create a heritage park in the area and a Hohokam village museum at S-cuk Son. Controversy ensued over the control of indigenous lands and the toxic waste underneath them.
During her tenure as Ward 1 Council member from 2007 to 2019, Mayor Regina Romero said the “dreams of preserving our history on the foot of ‘A’ mountain were important” and “as mayor, of course, I understand even more now the importance of that history and the historic preservation of it.”
However, she said, past discussions were “a different way of seeing the preservation of history. It was very Eurocentric … we should not interpret their history in how we want it, it is for (the nation) to interpret their history the way they want to.”
Voters didn’t know at the time Proposition 400 was passed that most of the land was contaminated by methane gas from the “A” Mountain landfill south of the Congress landfill, which stymied development in the region, according to Fletcher McCusker, the chair of the Rio Nuevo Board of Directors.
The state legislature took over Rio Nuevo and transitioned it from a cultural project to one geared toward economic development after the city failed to produce culture-centered developments despite spending millions on planning them.
The impetus for starting the process of giving the 10 acres of city land back to the Tohono O’odham Nation, Romero said, was when current Ward 1 Council Member Lane Santa Cruz came to the mayor with the idea.
“We erase and invisibilize our original Indigenous communities here in Tucson, and so for me, it's important being in the position that I'm in to make amends,” Santa Cruz said. “I'm not personally responsible for the harms prior, whether it was elected representatives or just other people in power, but I am responsible for addressing those historic harms and trying to create a better playing field moving forward.”
Contact reporter Nicole Ludden at nludden@tucson.com | https://tucson.com/news/local/tohono-o-odham-to-receive-ancestral-land-near-tucsons-a-mountain/article_c12f94d6-dfb1-11ed-bd08-478478db8fc2.html | 2023-04-29T16:23:38 | 1 | https://tucson.com/news/local/tohono-o-odham-to-receive-ancestral-land-near-tucsons-a-mountain/article_c12f94d6-dfb1-11ed-bd08-478478db8fc2.html |
West Nile virus season is coming to Arizona; here's how to repel an outbreak
There are ways to prevent infection from the deadly mosquito-borne disease.
The West Nile virus outbreak in Maricopa County in 2021 was the highest in years, according to data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
That year, the county saw its fifth and largest reported West Nile virus outbreak with 1,487 cases, which included 1,014 hospitalizations and 101 deaths. In 2021, according to CDC data, the state as a whole experienced 1,715 West Nile virus cases with 125 deaths.
The CDC noted the outbreak came as the county's health care system was already taxed from the COVID-19 pandemic, as reported in October 2021 by The Arizona Republic.
Only two years prior, Arizona led the country in West Nile virus deaths, according to the CDC. As Arizonans brace for the impending West Nile virus season, here is how the Arizona Department of Health Services' Irene Roberto and the CDC advise to best prepare for the mosquito-borne disease.
What should Arizonans expect this West Nile virus season?
Endemic in Arizona since 2003, the highest rate of infection is usually seen in Maricopa, Pima and Pinal counties with West Nile virus season, according to Roberto, who is a diseases program manager at the state Health Department. In the state, the virus typically spreads May through October and sometimes into November, Roberto said.
"Every season is a bit different, so it's hard to predict. It's also hard to predict how big of a season we might have," Roberto said.
Infections come with a wave of mosquitoes brought on by seasonal rains in central Arizona, she added.
“Historically, we tend to have a high season followed by a low season, but we've seen some viability," Roberto said.
What are the most common West Nile virus symptoms?
According to the CDC, eight out of 10 people infected with West Nile virus do not present symptoms. However, the CDC notes one out of five develops a fever.
These are other fever-related symptoms of the West Nile virus:
- Headache
- Body aches
- Joint pains
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Rash
The CDC points out that fatigue and weakness related to West Nile virus fever can last for weeks or months.
How about severe illnesses from West Nile virus?
Severe illnesses like encephalitis and meningitis, which both involve inflammations of the brain, befall 1 in 150 people, according to the CDC. Meanwhile, those people older than 60 — 1 in 50 — face greater risk from West Nile virus-related severe illness, according to the CDC.
Arizona resident Jennifer Tank shared with The Arizona Republic in 2021 how she developed meningitis and then encephalitis; she forgot how to use her words, was barely able to walk and slept up to 20 hours a day.
About 1 in 10 people with severe illness affecting the central nervous system will die, and those who survive may be permanently affected, the CDC says. Recovery from severe illness may take several weeks or months, the CDC adds.
Severe symptoms to look for include:
- High fever
- Headache
- Neck stiffness
- Stupor
- Disorientation
- Coma
- Tremors
- Convulsions
- Muscle weakness
- Vision loss
- Numbness
- Paralysis
How can Arizonans protect against West Nile virus?
There are no vaccines or medications to treat West Nile virus; however, Roberto said these are some ways of warding off infection:
- Use insect repellent.
- Ensure window screens are intact.
- Clean or treat pools to stop mosquito breeding.
- Remove or periodically clear out backyard containers to stop mosquito breeding.
Maricopa County advises residents to repel, remove, repair and remind on its "Fight the Bite!" webpage. | https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona-health/2023/04/29/west-nile-virus-season-is-coming-to-arizona-here-is-how-to-repel-an-outbreak/70164140007/ | 2023-04-29T16:29:13 | 1 | https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona-health/2023/04/29/west-nile-virus-season-is-coming-to-arizona-here-is-how-to-repel-an-outbreak/70164140007/ |
New Arizona prison oversight panel to investigate 4 key trouble areas, suggest fixes
Gov. Katie Hobbs' newly created Independent Prison Oversight Commission met for the first time Friday and outlined a plan to help improve conditions in Arizona's prisons within seven months.
In January, Hobbs established the panel through an executive order. Its goal is to produce a public report this fall with findings and recommendations on four key issues facing the state's prisons.
Hobbs thanked the members for their presence at the beginning of the meeting. She said that even though changes have been implemented in the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation & Reentry since Ryan Thornell became its director, such as cracking down on prison drug smuggling, a lot more work needs to be done.
"The task at hand is certainly not going to be easy. The scope of this work is going to be demanding, both mentally and emotionally," Hobbs said, "and as a social worker I can tell you that oftentimes the most emotionally challenging work is also the most rewarding."
The 13-member commission includes members with experience as an incarcerated person, service in the Arizona legislature, work in the criminal justice system and work in the medical field. Members started off by sharing with the group their experiences with the criminal justice system and why they chose to serve on the panel.
They will form working groups to evaluate corrections staffing, health care, facilities, and resident services, programming and reentry.
Thornell attended the full meeting.
“Today is the first step in partnership and collaboration,” he told the panel.
'Something is broken in there':Father says Arizona is liable for daughter’s death in prison
He said members can expect positive engagement, access and information, honesty, and responsiveness from himself and the Corrections Department. He told them that his approach to corrections is to redefine good outcomes and good corrections, because power and control to achieve compliance do not work in the long run.
With this commission’s work, Thornell said “power and control” was going to be replaced with “respect.”
Hobbs' January order stated that the commission was created because "there is an urgent need to provide transparency and accountability of Arizona's corrections system … and safeguarding the integrity of Arizona's correctional system, preventing misconduct, and identifying responsible ways to reduce costs" that will benefit all Arizonans.
"Individuals who are incarcerated should receive humane treatment during their incarceration and be prepared for successful reentry into society," the order continued.
On Saturday, criminal justice reform advocacy group FAMM praised Hobbs in a news release for the members she appointed to the commission and for the group making its first step in improving Arizona’s prisons.
"The Commission's work is crucial to laying the groundwork for an effective, transparent and accountable prison oversight board that can begin to make a change within state's prisons."
The news release went on to state it is displeased with Republican officials in the state.
"It's disappointing that Republican elected officials declined to appoint their allotted members to the commission," the FAMM release read. "The safety and wellbeing of incarcerated people should not be a partisan issue."
According to FAMM, prison oversight has broad, bipartisan national support.
The commission's small groups are expected to meet within the next two weeks. Members are tasked with submitting their report on Nov. 15. | https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona/2023/04/29/ariz-prison-oversight-panel-to-look-into-staffing-health-facilities/70164845007/ | 2023-04-29T16:29:19 | 0 | https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona/2023/04/29/ariz-prison-oversight-panel-to-look-into-staffing-health-facilities/70164845007/ |
Phoenix donation drive collects water bottles, sunscreen for people experiencing homelessness
The Valley’s scorching summer heat can be punishing — and even deadly — for unhoused people. One Phoenix nonprofit is asking for the public’s help.
The Human Services Campus is collecting bottled water, sunscreen, hats, sunglasses and more as part of its monthly ThirstAid water drives.
The drives will be on the first Saturday of the month from May through September, with the kickoff event scheduled for Saturday, May 6, from 9 a.m. to noon.
Items can be dropped off at 1300 W. Harrison St., where staff will be on hand to help.
“Even this early in April, the heat is hitting 100 degrees, and we want to be sure we have enough water for the people experiencing homelessness both on and around the Human Services Campus,” said Steve Davis, Human Services Campus development director, in a statement. “For many, it is literally a life-or-death situation.”
The Human Services Campus encompasses 13 acres at 12th Avenue and Madison Street. Over a dozen nonprofit organizations there serve people experiencing homelessness.
The Campus sits at the center of “The Zone,” Phoenix’s largest homeless encampment. While the campus houses 900 people, nearly 900 more currently live on the streets surrounding it.
Given those numbers, the organization needs a whopping 100,000 water bottles a month to keep people hydrated in the hot summer months, according to the Human Services Campus.
Other needs include electrolyte powdered drink packets, sun-protective lip balm, solid gray bandanas, half-gallon insulated water jugs and cooling wraps and towels. Hygiene items and pet supplies are also welcome.
For a complete list of items the Human Services Campus is collecting, visit https://hsc-az.org/donate-goods-and-services/.
To volunteer, visit www.hsc-az.org/volunteer.
Juliette Rihl covers housing insecurity and homelessness for The Arizona Republic. She can be reached at jrihl@arizonarepublic.com or on Twitter @julietterihl.
Coverage of housing insecurity on azcentral.com and in The Arizona Republic is supported by a grant from the Arizona Community Foundation. | https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/phoenix/2023/04/29/water-bottle-drive-for-the-homeless-will-kick-off-in-phoenix-in-may/70151101007/ | 2023-04-29T16:29:31 | 0 | https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/phoenix/2023/04/29/water-bottle-drive-for-the-homeless-will-kick-off-in-phoenix-in-may/70151101007/ |
Another metro Phoenix city will be getting an aquatic center next summer
While Tolleson is making progress on its own aquatic center, it isn't the only city in the southwest Valley doing so. Avondale is constructing an aquatic center that will be located on West Civic Center Drive, southeast of the city's current city hall and library.
More:This southwest Valley city will soon have a new aquatic center
It's been on the city's radar for several years, said Corey Larriva, the city's assistant director of parks and recreation, and is finally set to open in spring 2024. The project's budget is $30 million, although Larriva said the final number will likely be less.
The aquatic center will have two different pools: one for recreation, and one for competition. The recreational area will have three slides and a 350-foot lazy river. It will also have an area for water volleyball and basketball, as well as a play structure for children and lily pads.
The competition pool will feature a 10-lane, 25-yard swim course and two diving boards. Larriva said the competition pool will also have what the city is calling a learn-to-swim nook, where the water will be shallower. While it can still be used for competitive swimming, it can also be used for those who are learning to swim.
The facility will also have two indoor rooms that people will be able to rent out for events.
Aquatic centers are an amenity that's been lacking in the West Valley, Larriva said. Arizona is hub for aquatic sports and competition for nearby states that don't have as much sunshine, he added.
"At a local level, as a city it's our responsibility to provide access to these types of services so children can learn how to swim at an earlier age," Larriva said.
Aside from the importance of learning how to swim for safety reasons, it can also give children access to the sport of swimming earlier on in their lives. That might even lead kids to join the swim team and possibly get a scholarship to college, Larriva said.
Larriva said the city hopes to partner with local school districts as well as other cities to ensure that more people have the opportunity to swim in Avondale. Those will be the next steps as the facility prepares to open.
In addition, Larriva said the city hopes to create jobs for young people since they will have the opportunity to work as a lifeguard at the facility.
The facility's water has already been built into the city's water portfolio, Larriva said. Any wastewater from the pool will go back into the sewers, and it will then be treated and used to recharge aquifers. | https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/southwest-valley/2023/04/29/avondale-will-be-getting-an-aquatic-center-next-summer/70156402007/ | 2023-04-29T16:29:37 | 0 | https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/southwest-valley/2023/04/29/avondale-will-be-getting-an-aquatic-center-next-summer/70156402007/ |
Construction to begin on new medical plaza in metro Phoenix
Buckeye, one of the fastest-growing cities in the country, recently announced that both Banner Health and Abrazo Community Health Network would be building medical facilities in the city. The facilities, located in the Verrado area, will be nearly side by side.
Where will the medical plaza be located?
Construction will begin on the 48,000-square-foot Buckeye Medical Plaza on May 1, with a groundbreaking ceremony. The plaza will be located on the southeast corner of Watson Road and Sundance Parkway.
Why is the medical plaza needed?
Stephen Buckeridge, executive vice president of Hammes Partners, a real estate development firm with a focus on health care, said Buckeye was an appealing area to develop because the area is growing so quickly. Buckeye residents currently have to travel to nearby cities for many of their health care needs. But Buckeye Medical Plaza will allow residents easier access to a variety of services.
What other medical services will be available?
Buckeye Medical Square will have various tenants whose specialties will include gynecology, pediatrics, primary care and physical therapy.
It's important that there are a variety of specialties in one place since offices will refer patients to one another, Buckeridge said.
When will the facilities be open to the public?
Buckeridge said the first tenants will likely begin opening their doors in April 2024. | https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/southwest-valley/2023/04/29/new-medical-plaza-buckeye/70164692007/ | 2023-04-29T16:29:43 | 0 | https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/southwest-valley/2023/04/29/new-medical-plaza-buckeye/70164692007/ |
What to Know
- Investigators looking into parking garages in the aftermath of the the lower Manhattan parking garage partially vacated four different structures due to "an immediate threat to public safety"
- The Ann Street garage was first constructed in 1925, though didn't gain a certificate of occupancy until 1957; the number of cars on the roof deck and the building are likely contributing factors
- Pace University, which evacuated two buildings on the day of the collapse, now says one building will stay closed for the semester because it shares a wall with the garage; demolition is ongoing
Citywide safety inspections conducted in the wake of last week's deadly parking garage collapse in lower Manhattan have resulted in orders to partially vacate the structures of at least four other sites.
The Department of Buildings dispatched teams to conduct sweeps of parking facilities in hopes of preventing another collapse like the one on April 18. A lone parking manager was killed in the Financial District when five concrete floors fell down stop one another, sending ashy debris clouds into the air on Ann Street.
In the 10 days since the shocking scene, inspectors completed reviews of 78 parking structures across the city. Of those, 17 of which were managed by the same company behind the Ann Street building, and the rest had open Class 1 violations regarding structural issues, DOB spokesperson Andrew Rudansky said.
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Rudansky said four facilities, two in Manhattan and two in Brooklyn, were found to have structural issues "deteriorated to the point where they were now posing an immediate threat to public safety, and left the areas of the building unsafe for continued occupancy."
Three of the identified structures were issued orders to partially shut down, while a fourth was ordered to fully vacate. The latter, a two-story Coney Island garage on Stillwell Avenue was emptied and shut down after it was found to be in "severe disrepair."
Cracked concrete and corroded slabs were discovered at sites in Battery Park, Chinatown and Park Slope; each was given partial clearance orders. The DOB has ordered each to work with a engineer to complete a structural report on their garages.
Rudansky said the orders issued will only be lifted once repairs have been made and property owners request a new inspection from the department.
The partial vacate orders came on the same day friends and family said a final goodbye to the Ann Street parking garage manager, Willis Moore. The 59-year-old's funeral was held at a church in Mount Vernon.
Moore, the lone fatality, was recovered from the rubble a day after the collapse, buried in his second-floor office when the building caved in. Those who knew him well described Moore as a "doll."
Several other workers were hurt, though none of their injuries was said to be life-threatening.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has opened an investigation into the collapse of the century-old structure, a spokesperson said, the investigation continues. Initial findings indicate the age of the building and the number of vehicles parked on the roof deck contributed to the disaster, officials have said.
Enterprise Ann Parking, which operated the garage on Ann Street, has said it is cooperating with authorities..
The owners of the building have not responded to calls or emails requesting comment. | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/nyc-shutters-additional-parking-garages-in-wake-of-deadly-manhattan-collapse/4287611/ | 2023-04-29T16:32:15 | 1 | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/nyc-shutters-additional-parking-garages-in-wake-of-deadly-manhattan-collapse/4287611/ |
Shortly after midnight Thursday, several New York City subway trains slowed to a crawl as emergency crews tended to a person discovered on the tracks in lower Manhattan.
The delays were flagged for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s rail control center, where a customer service agent typed up a straightforward warning for early-morning riders to consider alternate routes.
But while the message was quickly posted to the MTA’s website and app, the alert never made it to the subway system's Twitter account, with its 1 million followers. The agency’s access to the platform’s back-end, officials soon learned, had been suspended by Twitter without warning.
It was the second such breakdown in two weeks and the reaction inside the MTA was swift. By Thursday afternoon, senior executives agreed to cease publishing service alerts to the platform altogether.
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The decision put the country’s largest transportation network among a growing number of accounts, from National Public Radio to Elton John, who have reduced their Twitter presence or left the platform since its takeover by Elon Musk.
It also caught riders, and some in the MTA, off guard, even as other transit agencies considered following suit.
“The train schedule is always messed up. It’s convenient to have the answers all in one place,” lamented Brandon Gubitosa, a Queens resident, who said he checked for service alerts on the MTA's Twitter feed before leaving for his commute each morning. “There should be some responsibility for Twitter to make sure this service doesn’t disappear.”
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For its part, Twitter has signaled that the days of private accounts disseminating troves of information at no cost may be ending. Last month, the company announced a new pricing system that would charge for access to its application programming interface, or API, which is used by accounts that post frequent alerts, such as transit and weather agencies.
MTA officials estimated the cost could run as high as $50,000 a month. For a transit agency that faces a multi-billion dollar deficit, paying that much raised concerns.
“The amount that is being posed is astronomical,” said Shanifah Rieara, the MTA’s acting chief customer officer. “We are all about bringing ridership back. We should not be paying to communicate service alerts to our customers.”
Those that don’t agree to pay, Twitter warned, will begin to see their service “deprecate,” a process that some agencies say is already underway.
On Friday, the Bay Area Rapid Transit System announced its alerts were temporarily unavailable due to technological issues, though a spokesperson said they hoped to have the issue fixed soon. A spokesperson for Chicago Transit Authority confirmed they were considering ending alerts, citing what they described as Twitter’s “diminished” effectiveness for real-time transit information.
Beyond the pricing, MTA officials offered other reasons for leaving Twitter, including the added vitriol and the move away from a chronological timeline. They also pointed to a desire to push customers toward in-house products, such as a pair of apps known as MYmta and TrainTime. They provide times for the subway and commuter rail system, respectively.
A request for comment was sent to Twitter’s communications office. Twitter responded only with an automated reply.
The MTA's decision to scale back its use of Twitter comes as many institutional users of the platform wrestle with changes Musk has made in an effort to make the service profitable, including asking users to pay for identity verification checkmarks.
Service alerts are valuable tools on New York City's massive rail and bus system, where mechanical problems, track fires, repair work and other issues can cause subway trains to get delayed or diverted to lines where they don't ordinarily run.
Only a few years ago, riders were often left in the dark about those changes until they were already on subway platforms, where transit workers would bark announcements through scratchy speakers or hang paper signs about changes.
Now, information about service, including the real-time position of subway cars, are available through a variety of electronic sources, both on people's smartphones and in stations. Consumer research has suggested that subway riders seeking information on Twitter account for a relatively narrow slice of riders.
Last month, more than 3 million people visited the MTA's homepage and nearly 2 million others used the two apps, according to an authority spokesperson.
In addition to service alerts, the MTA's customer service agents use Twitter to provide real-time responses to questions and concerns — a back-and-forth that often serves to calm riders' frayed nerves.
Last month, the agency sent out 21,000 replies on Twitter — responses that offered a valuable public window into the MTA’s customer service policy, according to Rachael Fauss, a senior policy advisor at the watchdog group Reinvent Albany.
“There was a personalization to it that was interesting,” Fauss said. “There’s an opportunity to see how the MTA responds to riders that you don’t get without Twitter.”
For now, the agency said it would continue responding to customers on Twitter. But officials acknowledged there were no guarantees about whether that would remain the case long term.
“The MTA gets blamed for a host of things, so we need a reliant and resilient way to communicate,” said Rieara. “In (Twitter’s) current stage, we can’t put our customers in a position to be guessing whether or not they have the most updated information.” | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/nyc-transit-agency-pulls-the-brake-on-twitter-service-alerts/4287471/ | 2023-04-29T16:32:21 | 0 | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/nyc-transit-agency-pulls-the-brake-on-twitter-service-alerts/4287471/ |
The Albany Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Bureau is asking for the public’s assistance in locating four suspects who are wanted on a number of counts.
ALBANY -- The Albany Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Bureau is asking for the public’s assistance in locating four suspects who are wanted on a number of counts.
Isaiah Scott Ratcliff, 21, is wanted on six counts of aggravated assault and possession of a firearm during certain crimes. Ratcliff's last known address was on the 900 block of Augusta Drive in Douglasville. He was last seen in Albany at the Westwood Apartments.
The suspect is listed as 6 feet tall and weighing 185 pounds.
Ratcliff is wanted for six counts of aggravated assault and possession of a firearm during crimes that occurred on April 24. He shot at a red 2019 Kia Stinger, which was occupied by six individuals. Three of the six people sustained injuries from the shooting.
The suspect is known to be armed and dangerous.
Quinterrious D’yunte Lee, 19, is wanted for armed robbery, assault and possession of a firearm during certain crimes. His last known address was on the 2000 block of West Broad Avenue in the Westwood Apartments. Police say Lee is 5-foot-7 and weighs 135 pounds
Lee is wanted for armed robbery and possession of a firearm during crimes that occurred on April 24. Police said he assisted with the robbery of a victim while in possession of a firearm. This robbery led to the vehicle they were in being shot at, and he sustained gunshot wounds to his legs. Lee is known to be armed and dangerous.
Cody James Kalawaia is wanted for theft by taking of a motor vehicle. His last known address is on the 2000 block of Gillionville Road. Police say Kalawaia is possibly homeless. An APD alert said he is 5-foot-7 and weighs 145 pounds.
An Albany Police Department release said on April 27, Kalawaia took a 2018 Chevrolet Silverado truck from 2033 N. Slappey Blvd. while the driver was inside a store. Kalawaia then drove the vehicle to the east side of Albany, where several items were discarded from the vehicle. A cellphone was discarded and later located on Wyandotte Road.
Several fiberglass ladders and tools were taken from the truck and not recovered. The truck was later located at 1207 Radium Springs Road, where Kalawaia was observed leaving it. Kalawaia, who police say may have cut his hair short, also is wanted for probation violation.
Kevione Deunte Robinson, 22, is wanted on armed robbery with a firearm and possession of a firearm or knife during the commission of a crime warrants. His last known address is on the 1000 block of Maryland Drive in Albany. Police say Robinson is 6-foot-1 and weighs 157 pounds.
Robinson is wanted for armed robbery and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime that occurred on April 24. Police say the suspect assisted with the robbery of a victim while in possession of a firearm. This robbery led to the vehicle they were in being shot at, and two people sustained serious injuries. He is known to be armed and dangerous.
Anyone who has information regarding the whereabouts of any of these suspects is asked to call Crime Stoppers at (229) 436-TIPS or the Albany Police Department at (229) 431-2100.
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Error! There was an error processing your request. | https://www.albanyherald.com/local/albany-police-ask-for-publics-help-in-search-for-suspects/article_5f388438-e6a3-11ed-9aba-0b45cb078083.html | 2023-04-29T16:37:49 | 0 | https://www.albanyherald.com/local/albany-police-ask-for-publics-help-in-search-for-suspects/article_5f388438-e6a3-11ed-9aba-0b45cb078083.html |
FORT WORTH, Texas — Two brothers are recovering at Cook Children's Medical Center after a lightning strike knocked both unconscious on Wednesday in south Fort Worth.
Jaden Alvarado, 13, and his brother Isaac Martinez, 7, were near a tree at a home on Iron Ridge Drive, just off Interstate 35W, when the tree was struck by lightning. Neighbors heard the loud thunder clap and rushed outside to find both boys on the ground.
The chaos was partly captured on home surveillance cameras.
"And when I ran it was exactly what I thought. I thought it was one of the boys, it was both of her boys laid out on the grass as if they'd been standing and just fallen over together," said neighbor Frances Wamack.
Both boys were rushed by ambulance to Cook Children's. On Thursday, in an interview with the media relations staff at the hospital and shared with WFAA, Jessica Martinez Alvarado agreed to talk about the ordeal.
"I thought I had lost my boys honestly. It's the worst feeling. I don't wish that on anyone," she said holding back tears while in the hospital room with her two boys. You can hear the boys in the background trying to console her, telling her they are going to be OK.
"I remember me and Isaac we were rough-housing and it went black and I woke up here," Jaden Alvarado said. "Apparently I died last night and came back to life."
His mom said the strike did briefly stop his heart.
"And to now, I thank God for every second that he didn't take my boys," Jessica Martinez Alvarado said.
The CDC says 73% of lightning deaths happen in June, July and August. The U.S. records as many as 28 lightning deaths every year. And most of those deaths happen in Texas, Florida, Colorado, North Carolina and Alabama.
"Fortunately very rare. But it does happen," said Taylor Louden, M.D., Medical Director, Pediatric Emergency Medicine at Cook Children's Medical Center. "So we do have to be aware especially in Texas where storms can come out of nowhere."
No one knows that better than a Keller teen named Jacob Brewer. Nearly three years ago he suffered a direct lightning strike while on vacation in Florida. The surge entered his chest and exited his right foot. He suffered extensive neurological injuries, had to endure multiple surgeries and is still working to regain full use of his legs.
His mom wanted to speak directly to the mom of the boys in Fort Worth.
"I just want her to know she's not alone," Barbara Brewer said. "There are other pediatric lightning victims and if she needs support or needs help we're here so we'd be glad to help."
Brewer is in the process of setting up a support group called "A Bolt of Hope" to be a clearing house of information and resources for pediatric lightning strike victims.
"Don't let their kids outside when it's thundering," Jessica Martinez Alvarado said, offering her own hard-earned advice. "I know it's like a one-in-a-million chance but you never know you might be that one. It was two for me."
Doctors at Cook Children's said the brothers in Fort Worth don't appear to have suffered any permanent injuries but that they will be monitored for potential neurological impacts just in case.
An online fundraising campaign has been set up to help the family with hospital expenses. | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/two-brothers-hit-by-lightning-fort-worth-escape-serious-injury-mother-reacts/287-ab5c13cb-d2f4-434f-b10f-7107c84eaca0 | 2023-04-29T17:02:50 | 0 | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/two-brothers-hit-by-lightning-fort-worth-escape-serious-injury-mother-reacts/287-ab5c13cb-d2f4-434f-b10f-7107c84eaca0 |
ORLANDO, Fla. – It was sunny skies and good vibes Saturday morning for the 12th annual Paws for Peace walk at Blue Jacket Park in Orlando.
The event benefits domestic violence survivors and their pets.
The annual event is hosted by Harbor House of Central Florida to raise money for its emergency shelter and the Paws for Peace Kennel.
“We have a kennel, so when someone is fleeing domestic violence, they can come in with their entire family and that means their furry family members as well,” said Harbor House of Central Florida CEO Michelle Sperzel.
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News 6 has partnered with Harbor House. In fact, our “Paws for Peace” phone bank earlier this week raised more than $7,000 in just a few hours.
“The unconditional love that you get from your pet is part of the healing process and part of the healing journey when someone is leaving a domestic violence situation,” Sperzel said.
[STORY CONTINUES BELOW]
Brittany Hebert and her friend Meghan said they couldn’t miss it.
“I couldn’t ever imagine being separated from my dog and I wouldn’t want anyone else to have to be either,” Hebert said.
“It’s a good cause and I love dogs and it’s a fun time,” said Meghan Albee.
Our News 6 traffic safety expert Steven Montiero was the host and emcee for the event.
“You get to tackle such a real heavy topic with such a lighthearted event,” Montiero said. “Any animals, Harbor House is ready to accept that so that victims can escape their violence.”
Many of our News 6 family and their furry friends were also on hand, including Anchor Julie Broughton and Meteorologist Troy Bridges.
What an awesome event this morning. Paws for Peace is an annual event that supports animal survivors of Domestic violence. @news6wkmg is partnering with @harborhousefl at Blue Jacket Park! pic.twitter.com/4BTWBTneg8
— Jerry Askin (@JerryAskinNews6) April 29, 2023
The event also honored Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, awarding him with the first Ted Maines Volunteer of the Year award.
It’s in honor of the late Ted Maines, a long-time philanthropist and former co-chair of the Paws for Peace walk.
If you or someone you know is in need of help, Harbor House’s hotline is always available.
You can call or text: (407) 886-2856.
Get today’s headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily: | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2023/04/29/paws-for-peace-walk-in-orlando-tackles-heavy-topic-with-lighthearted-event/ | 2023-04-29T17:04:13 | 1 | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2023/04/29/paws-for-peace-walk-in-orlando-tackles-heavy-topic-with-lighthearted-event/ |
BALTIMORE — Two people were shot on Friday night in East Baltimore, police say.
Officers responded to a local hospital for reports of a shooting victim.
They arrived and located a 28-year-old man and a 28-year-old woman suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.
The woman was pronounced dead by doctors. The man was taken into surgery, his condition is unknown.
Police later located a crime scene in the 500 block of North Glover Street.
Anyone with information regarding this incident should contact police at 410-396-2100 or Metro Crime Stoppers at 1-866-7LOCKUP. | https://www.wmar2news.com/local/double-shooting-leaves-1-dead-1-injured-in-east-baltimore | 2023-04-29T17:04:36 | 0 | https://www.wmar2news.com/local/double-shooting-leaves-1-dead-1-injured-in-east-baltimore |
HANNAH TOWNSHIP — A Plymouth man was killed Friday afternoon when he ran a red light on U.S. 30 and was struck by a semitrailer, police said.
Brent Freyenberger, 39, was heading west on U.S. 30 in a 2008 Honda Accord when he ran the red light at State Road 39 shortly before 3:30 p.m., Capt. Derek Allen of the LaPorte County Sheriff's Office said in a statement released Saturday morning.
The Accord and a semitrailer driven by a 27-year-old North Judson man collided in the intersection, Allen said.
Freyenberger was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the statement, and the truck driver suffered an upper-body injury.
Two independent witnesses reported that the Honda disregarded the traffic light, Allen said.
The westbound lanes of U.S. 30 in the area of the crash were shut down for about two and a half hours while deputies investigated and wreckage was removed from the intersection, according to the statement. | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/accident-and-incident/plymouth-man-killed-in-us-30-crash/article_86acce82-e6a0-11ed-ae2a-0ff92e1ebc2a.html | 2023-04-29T17:08:21 | 0 | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/accident-and-incident/plymouth-man-killed-in-us-30-crash/article_86acce82-e6a0-11ed-ae2a-0ff92e1ebc2a.html |
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — A 36-year-old man is dead following a shooting early Saturday morning in northeast Wichita, according to the Wichita Police Department.
Police were sent to the 2800 block of East Shadybrook Lane around 3:50 a.m. for a shooting call. When they got there, officers learned the shooting happened in the 2800 block of East Stadium Drive, just around the corner.
That’s where officers found the victim in the front passenger seat of an SUV. He was dead.
The WPD said the investigation is in the early stages. If you have any information to help them solve the case, call investigators at 316-268-4407.
If you would prefer to remain anonymous, call Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111.
Police have not released the name of the victim yet. | https://www.ksn.com/news/local/wpd-man-dead-following-early-morning-shooting/ | 2023-04-29T17:12:48 | 0 | https://www.ksn.com/news/local/wpd-man-dead-following-early-morning-shooting/ |
The North Idaho College board Wednesday voted to replace its controversial legal counsel with a Boise-based law firm.
In an uncharacteristic move, chair Greg McKenzie sided with minority faction board members by following NIC president Nick Swayne’s recommendation to hire Holland and Hart, a firm with over 400 lawyers.
Partner Robert Faucher will act as NIC’s general counsel and point of contact. The firm will serve at the board’s pleasure on an hourly basis.
Swayne said the advantage of such a large firm is that it covers all the necessary bases of expertise that would be difficult for one lawyer to have.
Holland and Hart will replace Art Macomber, who was serving the college on an interim basis after longtime counsel Marc Lyons resigned late last year. Macomber will continue to give guidance until June.
It was difficult to find new counsel to represent NIC. Of five firms that responded to requests for quotations, three had conflicts of interest, Swayne said.
The board’s decision was made just two days after it followed Macomber’s recommendation, outlined in a lengthy report, to undo the June hiring of Swayne to cure alleged open meeting law violations. Swayne continues to serve as acting president.
Swayne had been placed on administrative leave in December at Macomber’s recommendation so the terms of his contract could be investigated. Swayne filed a lawsuit, and a judge ordered NIC to reinstall Swayne as president.
“It’s hard to hire a lawyer at the recommendation of an individual who is suing you,” McKenzie said, referring to Swayne’s ongoing lawsuit against NIC for placing him on leave without cause. But McKenzie said he voted in favor out of a gesture of trust that Swayne is doing what is best for the college.
Macomber advised against hiring the new firm without first reviewing their contract terms.
Trustees Todd Banducci and Mike Waggoner voted against the motion, saying they were not prepared because there was no information provided about the new legal counsel beforehand.
“I’m not comfortable blindly approving this,” Banducci said. | https://www.idahopress.com/news/local/north-idaho-college-accreditation-crisis-board-replaces-legal-counsel-with-boise-firm/article_be60439c-e60d-11ed-a83d-37a3baefcdfc.html | 2023-04-29T17:21:27 | 1 | https://www.idahopress.com/news/local/north-idaho-college-accreditation-crisis-board-replaces-legal-counsel-with-boise-firm/article_be60439c-e60d-11ed-a83d-37a3baefcdfc.html |
Originally published April 27 on IdahoCapitalSun.com.
A North Idaho librarian has received a distinguished award for her work providing safe spaces for LGBTQ+ teens amid community backlash.
Denise Neujahr, a district teen librarian at the Community Library Network based in Post Falls and Hayden, is the recipient of the 2023 American Library Association’s Lemony Snicket Prize for Noble Librarians Faced with Adversity.
Established in 2014 by the American Library Association and Daniel Handler, otherwise known by the pen name Lemony Snicket, the award annually recognizes a librarian who has faced adversity with integrity while helping improve their community.
Neujahr will receive the award — a $10,000 cash award and an item from Handler’s private collection — during the American Library Association Annual Conference & Exhibition in Chicago in June.
Neujahr has worked as a librarian in North Idaho for over 12 years, and she received the prize after her coworker nominated her for her work supporting local LGBTQ+ youth.
In 2019, Neujahr began the Rainbow Squad Program, a monthly program for LGBTQ+ youth and allies to connect and participate in non-academic activities. Neujahr continued the program virtually during the COVID-19 pandemic, and she has seen the program grow from just five students in attendance to now 35 students who regularly attend the program.
“I’ve done youth services work in libraries for 24 years, and I’ve always noticed that the library seems to be a magnet for kids that are in the LGBTQ+ community,” she told the Idaho Capital Sun. “I wanted to create this program for them because I felt there was a need in northern Idaho.”
Neujahr said she splits the middle schoolers and high schoolers into different programs, and the meetings typically include a craft activity, games and a snack.
“They just get to be themselves without any judgment or bullying which they experience daily at school, church or home,” she said in a phone interview. “We just wanted a safe place where they can be themselves and make friends.”
In addition to the youth program, Neujahr said she and her coworker lead the Rainbow Squad Parent group, a program that began two years ago allowing the teen’s parents to connect and have refreshments. The parent meeting is held at the same time as the middle school program, and it often includes guest speakers to talk to the parents.
Library takes steps to protect patrons after protesters oppose LGBTQ+ program
Two years into the program, Neujahr said religious protesters from a church in Hayden began appearing at the library while kids from the Rainbow Squad Program entered the building.
“They were literally right there as the kids were coming in, right in their face, just shouting things at them,” she said. “We had never had protesters before.”
After protesters began appearing, Neujahr met with the library director and the library attorney to establish a policy that would ensure people stay 25-feet-away from the library when protesting. In the following months, Neujahr said police presence was necessary at times to ensure protesters would not get close to the kids.
In one instance, Neujahr said a man from the group of religious protesters fought with police outside of the library during the program, and he was later arrested for allegedly trespassing. She said that police found a loaded gun and knife with him during the time of his arrest.
“I do realize in Idaho people carry you know, I get that, but it was scary,” she said. “There is this man who claims to be so involved in his church but yet brings weapons to a children’s program.”
Neujhar said she regularly receives hateful calls. Last week, she said the library decided to cancel the Rainbow Squad Program for the day because of the threats she and her family have received.
Despite the threats and opposition from some community members, Neujahr said seeing the impact the program has on the teens motivates her to continue her work. In the last two years, Neujahr said some of the kids in the Rainbow Squad have started calling her “Mom.”
Neujahr said she has always been interested in a career path that would allow her to help improve youth mental health. Before becoming a librarian, Neujahr said she considered becoming a child psychologist.
“I think about teens,” she said. “We we have lost teens to suicide, we have teens that are suffering from traumatic home lives and we have a lot of teens we visit at the juvenile detention center. I see a lot of these teens struggling … But I try to be that positive adult for them.”
LGBTQ+ library organizer talks legislative efforts to ban library books
Neujahr said that libraries have always stood for being inclusive to everyone, and she said legislative efforts to ban library materials are an attack on the LGBTQ+ community.
Earlier in April, Gov. Brad Little vetoed a bill that would have allowed a parent or legal guardian to sue a school or library for $2,500 in statutory damages if their child were to access visual or reading materials that depict “sexual conduct” or content that is “harmful to minors.”
Neujahr said the bill was vague because every person could have a different definition for what they see as “harmful to minors.”
“Libraries have never changed what they stand for,” she said. “The LGBTQ+ community is a part of our population. It is a community we serve, so they deserve to see themselves in books.”
Neujahr said the Community Library Network is in the process of implementing a plan to have children’s cards available. This option would allow parents to choose if they only want their children to check out books from the children’s section.
“It’s just going to take us a really long time because we have a lot of material,” she said about implementing the plan. “We are really trying to listen to everybody and to make everyone happy as much as we can.”
Neujahr said that books at her workplace also undergo a “weeding” process, meaning that if a book has not been checked out in two or three years, then it gets taken out of the library collection.
“If these books are still in the library, that means they’re being checked out and there’s a need or a want from them from the community,” she said. “If they weren’t being checked out, then they wouldn’t be on the shelves.”
Neujahr said she remains passionate about her work in Idaho libraries, and she believes that libraries should include materials from diverse backgrounds.
“It’s just so important to have books on everybody,” she said. “Every culture, every belief, every political or religious background. That’s what the library does. It’s the holder of information, and not just one type of view or one type of information. It’s all views and all people.” | https://www.idahopress.com/news/local/north-idaho-librarian-wins-national-award-for-supporting-lgbtq-youth-despite-backlash/article_97cbd54c-e60e-11ed-9c8d-d3deaacb8fb5.html | 2023-04-29T17:21:34 | 1 | https://www.idahopress.com/news/local/north-idaho-librarian-wins-national-award-for-supporting-lgbtq-youth-despite-backlash/article_97cbd54c-e60e-11ed-9c8d-d3deaacb8fb5.html |
LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. — Residents in Lawrenceville alerted authorities after witnessing an entire house engulfed in flames on Friday evening, according to Gwinnett County Fire and Emergency Services.
At approximately 5:09 p.m., reports of a house fire came in. Emergency services quickly responded to Firecrest Lane SW and found a single-story residence with a basement fully consumed by flames. Officials said the fire had spread throughout most of the home, causing extensive damage.
According to the department, crews worked tirelessly, operating multiple handlines and an elevated stream from an aerial ladder to extinguish the flames. The fire was finally extinguished around 5:28 p.m., according to fire officials.
Fortunately, there were no casualties reported at the scene. The people residing in the home were alerted by smoke alarms and evacuated before firefighters arrived.
Fire investigators concluded that the fire started on the left side of the home, specifically on the covered porch. However, the cause of the fire remains undetermined. The American Red Cross is temporarily assisting the six adults and one child displaced due to the damage.
Firefighters respond to fully engulfed home in Lawrenceville | https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/firecrest-lane-house-fire-gwinett-county/85-df6c2e5f-600d-47ef-be65-3143677721b5 | 2023-04-29T17:25:58 | 0 | https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/firecrest-lane-house-fire-gwinett-county/85-df6c2e5f-600d-47ef-be65-3143677721b5 |
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Public restrooms in San Antonio soon may display stickers that point victims of domestic violence toward resources.
The 5-by-7-inch stickers would be in English and Spanish and have phone numbers for local and national helplines with a QR code for additional resources. The sign would have to be on a mirror in the restrooms or on the back of the restroom door at eye level if there is no mirror.
District 8 Councilman Manny Peláez started pushing for the stickers in October 2021. His proposal was one of three that he filed that month concerning domestic violence prevention.
“Too often, survivors and family members of victims tell us they don’t know of help available,” he said. “This is a guaranteed way to put them in touch with resources that could save their lives.”
Peláez’s proposal was approved by the community health, environment and culture committee this week. If the full City Council approves the ordinance, there likely will be a six-month period for the city to tell places of public accommodation about the requirement before it becomes a mandate.
Affected businesses include hotels, restaurants, hospitals, theaters and museums.
READ MORE: Nowhere to Hide — Family violence killings are on the rise in San Antonio.
The city would need to print about 65,000 stickers to launch the program for about $20,000, said Erica Haller-Stevenson, public health administrator at San Antonio Metropolitan Health District.
If implemented, enforcement would be lax. The ordinance falls under Metro Health, but officials would visit a noncompliant site only if someone called to complain that the signs were missing. And even if someone complains, Metro Health wouldn’t levy any fines. Officials would visit the property to remind owners of the rule and provide them with signs so they could come into compliance.
Metro Health surveyed to gauge local interest in the ordinance and received 1,200 usable responses, 80 percent of which supported the sticker mandate.
A November 2021 Express-News investigation, “Nowhere to Hide,” focused on a surge in family violence killings in San Antonio. It highlighted a lack of accountability for abusers and support for victims.
In response to the investigation, Bexar County officials approved $3.3 million to hire 14 more family violence prosecutors, investigators and victim advocates and to set up two temporary courts to handle a backlog of misdemeanor family violence cases.
Victims of domestic violence can call 911 in an emergency. They also can call 211 or the San Antonio Police Department’s non-emergency line at 210-207-7273.
The Bexar County Family Justice Center, Family Violence Prevention Services, Texas RioGrande Legal Aid and the Rape Crisis Center also offer services. The National Domestic Violence Hotline operates 24/7: 800-799-SAFE (7233).
megan.rodriguez@express-news.net | https://www.expressnews.com/news/local/article/public-restroom-stickers-violence-prevention-17925503.php | 2023-04-29T17:33:04 | 1 | https://www.expressnews.com/news/local/article/public-restroom-stickers-violence-prevention-17925503.php |
San Antonio first responders received two calls within moments of each other Friday evening — one for the discovery of a dead body in a flooded creek on the West Side and the other for a person run over by a train on the East Side.
The first call came in at 8:27 p.m. according to a preliminary report from the San Antonio Police Department. Officers saw a woman’s body in the creek in the 5900 block of West Commerce Street, near Monterrey Park. The San Antonio Fire Department was called in, and they pulled the body out of the swiftly moving floodwater.
FRIDAY WEATHER: Severe thunderstorms batter San Antonio with large hail and damaging winds
The body was severely decomposed, and no cause of death has been determined yet, SAPD said.
As officers were responding to that, a call came in at 8:35 p.m. about a train accident near the AT&T Center, according to a preliminary SAPD report. As with the body in the creek, both San Antonio police and fire departments responded.
Upon arrival at the scene near the intersection of East Crockett and Onslow streets, fire department personnel pulled a man out from under a Union Pacific train. They attempted to treat him, but he was already dead, SAPD reported.
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The train’s engineer and conductor told investigators that they were traveling north when they saw an object on the tracks in front of them. They stopped the train but not in time, according to the report. Once the train was stopped, they got out and searched under the train. After finding the man, they called 911 and requested EMS.
The man, who was in his 20s to 30s, hasn’t been identified, police said.
sdowning@express-news.net | https://www.expressnews.com/news/local/article/sapd-body-creek-fatal-train-accident-17972360.php | 2023-04-29T17:33:10 | 1 | https://www.expressnews.com/news/local/article/sapd-body-creek-fatal-train-accident-17972360.php |
Police officials have released additional information following a quadruple shooting in Northeast Philadelphia that left three people dead on Friday.
On Saturday, police said that three male teenagers died in the shooting.
Officials said, Khalif Frezghi of East Mount Airy, at 18-years-old, was the only adult killed in the shooting.
Malik Ballard, 17, from the city's Frankford neighborhood, was also killed on Friday afternoon, as was 14-year-old Salah Fleming from North Philadelphia, according to investigators.
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A 16-year-old boy was also injured in the shooting, police said.
Officials said that a 15-year-old boy and a 16-year-old boy have been apprehended in relation to this incident.
According to investigators, the incident happened at about 3:36 p.m. on Friday, when officers responding to reported shooting along the 5900 block of Palmetto Street in the city's Lawncrest neighborhood found Ballard on the sidewalk suffering from gunshot wounds.
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On the front porch of a nearby home, officers said, first responders found Frezghi, after he had also been shot.
Inside the doorway to the home, officers found Fleming and officials said, all three were pronounced at the scene of the shooting.
Not long after the shooting, police said that investigators located a black Ford Edge along the 500 block of East Wyoming Street that was believed to be involved in the incident.
The two teens arrested in connection to this shooting have been apprehended on gun possession charges and related crimes, police officials said.
An investigation into this shooting, law enforcement officials said, is ongoing.
This is a breaking news story. It will be updated as more information becomes available.
There are additional resources for people or communities that have endured gun violence in Philadelphia. Further information can be found here.
Sign up for our Breaking newsletter to get the most urgent news stories in your inbox. | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/14-year-old-boy-killed-in-northeast-philly-triple-slaying-officials-say/3556046/ | 2023-04-29T17:36:24 | 0 | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/14-year-old-boy-killed-in-northeast-philly-triple-slaying-officials-say/3556046/ |
DALLAS — Grapevine native Post Malone is addressing concerns about his weight loss on social media as he dons a noticeably slimmer profile.
The 27-year-old "Sunflower" singer and rapper said in an Instagram post on Thursday he had been asked about his weight loss and performances on stage.
"I wanted to say that i’m not doing drugs, i’ve had a lot of people ask me about my weight loss and i’d suppose, performance on stage," Malone wrote in the post with him posing next to camouflage boots. "i’m having a lot of fun performing, and have never felt healthier."
Malone, who became a father in May 2022, continued to say "dad life kicked in" and he "decided to kick soda, and start eating better so i can be around for a long time for this little angel."
Malone also said he has been in the studio working on music and thanked fans for their patience and support.
"my [sic] brain is in a super dope place, and i’m the happiest i’ve been in a long time," Malone added. "if you’re having a hard time or need some love, i can say that you’re loved more than you know."
Malone has recently performed with 21 Savage as the musical performance for the NBA All-Star Weekend. Malone's last album, Twelve Carat Toothache, was released in June 2022. His single, Chemical, was released earlier this month peaked at No. 13 on Billboard's Hot 100.
Malone also recently opened a custom-designed Raising Cane's restaurant in Utah. The restaurant, colored pink inside and out, is located in Midvale, just outside of Salt Lake City.
More Texas headlines: | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/post-malone-reacts-to-weight-loss-concerns/287-229c9110-574c-4a3e-b5aa-ac373d3353eb | 2023-04-29T17:41:50 | 0 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/post-malone-reacts-to-weight-loss-concerns/287-229c9110-574c-4a3e-b5aa-ac373d3353eb |
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — If a grilled cheese festival, a car and auto show, or even NASCAR opening night sounds fun to you, it shows there's something for everyone for your sunny weekend!
This weekend's weather will be warming up with temperatures in the high-80s with a south/southwestern breeze.
Gather some friends, maybe family members or even go solo, but head outside, soak up that springtime sun and enjoy some of these weekend events!
Come one, come all! The Sacramento History Museum is celebrating the season with a fun, free and family-friendly event featuring hourly dances around a 15-foot maypole, traditional country dances, live music, living history demonstrations, hands-on arts and crafts stations, hobby-horse races, gold panning, face painting, lawn games, and more!
- 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. April 30
- Located at The 1849 Scene (111 I St., Sacramento)
- Organized by The Sacramento History Museum
- More information about this event HERE.
A full weekend dedicated to the one food you never outgrow... grilled cheese! From grilled cheese pairings with everything from craft beer to kid's activities and games galore, they've got something for everyone at this two-day event.
- 1 – 4 p.m. April 29
- 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. April 30
- Located at Southside Park (2115 6th St., Sacramento)
- Organized by the Sacramento Grilled Cheese Festival
- More information about this event HERE.
Now in its 72nd year, the Sacramento Autorama will feature over 800 show vehicles like hot rods, lowriders, motorcycles, custom cars and more!
Celebrate local talent and local artists at this event which features fine art, live performances, food and wine, a youth arts show, a kids zone and more!
- 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. April 29
- Located at 9615 Railroad St., Elk Grove
- Organized by the Elk Grove Fine Arts Center
- More information about this event HERE.
The world’s 1st running music festival is a blend of a music festival and a fun run! Experience a music-filled course with live DJs, light shows, bubble zones, neon and black lights, and cross the finish line into an epic main stage afterparty featuring top headliner DJs.
- 5:30 – 11 p.m. April 29
- Located at Sutter Health Park (400 Ballpark Dr., Sacramento)
- Organized by Night Nation Run
- More information about this event HERE.
PLAN YOUR WEEKEND:
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A celebration of the amazing food, wine and beer the East Sacramento neighborhood has to offer. The event features over 40 food and beverage vendors so come experience what makes the charming neighborhood great!
- 5 – 9 p.m. April 29
- Located at Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church (600 Alhambra Blvd., Sacramento)
- Organized by the East Sacramento Chamber of Commerce
- More information about this event HERE.
Come celebrate Lei Day with delicious Hawaiian, Polynesian and Filipino cuisine, shop and support over 50 local and regional small business vendors, and there will be tons of island-inspired snacks, apparel, accessories and more! Enjoy live music, special performances and a ton of giveaways planned throughout the day.
- 12 – 5 p.m. April 29
- Located at Warriorz Health & Fitness (9247 Elk Grove Blvd., Elk Grove)
- Organized by Pau Hana Events
- More information about this event HERE.
An event dedicated to the upliftment of African American culture, business, and entertainment! There will be music, vendors, entertainment, and guest performers all lined up to make the day.
- 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. April 29
- Located at 3300 Stockton Blvd., Sacramento
- Organized by Malik Speaks
- More information about this event HERE.
A free community event focusing on creativity! There will be a make-and-take art station, dance and music performances, art show, food trucks, and more!
- 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. April 29
- Located at Fair Oaks Park (11549 Fair Oaks Blvd., Fair Oaks)
- Organized by the Fair Oaks Recreation & Park District and the San Juan Unified School District
- More information about this event HERE.
Don’t miss the start of the 69th season of stock car racing in Roseville! Check out high-speed thrills with the new JM Environmental Wild West Super Series. Drivers kick off their battles for local, state, and national championships too!
- 4 – 9:30 p.m. April 29
- Located at All American Speedway (800 Event Center Dr., Roseville)
- Organized by All American Speedway
- More information about this event HERE.
Do you want to see your event on here? Send your suggestions to ssoublet@abc10.com!
WATCH MORE ON ABC10: Sacramento Capital Books, 8 other bookstores celebrate Independent Bookstore Day | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/10-weekend-events-northern-california/103-f1f5acac-6fdc-4c6c-a6b6-5445cfed3b9f | 2023-04-29T18:22:10 | 1 | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/10-weekend-events-northern-california/103-f1f5acac-6fdc-4c6c-a6b6-5445cfed3b9f |
SUTTER COUNTY, Calif. — Two people died after an accident in Sutter County, Wednesday.
According to the California Highway Patrol, it happened around 8:30 p.m. on Highway 99, south of Oswald Road.
CHP says it appears the driver of a 2016 Toyota Tacoma, a 74-year-old man from Brentwood, was going north on the highway when they crossed into the southbound lane.
He collided with a 2016 Toyota Rav4 being driven by a 69-year-old woman from Yuba City.
The drivers of both vehicles died from their injuries.
Anyone who witnessed the crash can call the CHP Yuba-Sutter office at 530-645-6200.
WATCH MORE ON ABC10: Woman's body found on side of road in Yuba County | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/2-dead-after-sutter-county-crash/103-f3048f0a-cbf1-4880-847f-3aa7cabb72f6 | 2023-04-29T18:22:16 | 0 | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/2-dead-after-sutter-county-crash/103-f3048f0a-cbf1-4880-847f-3aa7cabb72f6 |
SAN FRANCISCO — Time and again, Stephen Curry called for his Golden State Warriors to be better, to learn from the glaring mistakes and road losses that piled up in frustrating fashion and with little explanation as to why.
Through all the distractions and challenges of a topsy-turvy regular season and, yes, all those road losses, Curry and the defending NBA champions find themselves in a familiar place as May approaches: looking to close out a playoff series at home.
If they do, there's a possibility of LeBron James and the Lakers would be up next in an all-California Western Conference semifinal.
"We've played in the most pressurized moments, whether it's the finals or the first round, so we just rely on our experience during nights like this," Klay Thompson said after Game 5.
The Warriors are whole at last, too. Andrew Wiggins is back after a two-month absence for a personal matter. Gary Payton II is coming off the bench again as a defensive stopper just like he did last year after beginning this season with the Trail Blazers. Jordan Poole is finding his postseason groove and Kevon Looney keeps securing rebounds at an outrageous rate on both ends after coming up big on the playoff stage in 2022.
Coach Steve Kerr has said all along that no playoff series truly begins until a team wins on the opponent's home court, and Golden State pulled off a 123-116 victory against the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center on Wednesday night — giving the Warriors at least one road win in a record 28 straight playoff series.
Curry hopes they build on this.
"Big night for us and you can feel the sense of accomplishment after the game from everybody on the bench, everybody on the floor," Curry said. "Just of how good of a feeling it was. So, now obviously, we've got work to do to close out the series, but we needed this one. Snatch momentum back and hopefully take advantage of it in Game 6."
To the south of the Bay Area, the Lakers will try again to close out the Grizzlies in Los Angeles, where Memphis hasn't won this season. The Grizzlies are 2-1 in Game 6s on the road and trying to force just the third Game 7 in franchise history. This franchise has won just four games facing elimination in 13 playoff appearances ever.
"Tonight, I was (expletive), I'll be better in Game 6," James said following his 5-for-17 performance that included going 1 of 9 on 3-pointers for 15 points in Wednesday's 116-99 loss.
If the Warriors and Lakers each win Friday, Los Angeles will come to the Bay Area for Game 1 of the next round — but the Kings are counting on one more chance to Light the Beam at Golden 1 Center.
"We've been in this situation all year," Sacramento's Malik Monk said Thursday. "Lose a couple, they think we're down then come back and win a couple in a row, so just another task in front of us."
KINGS AT WARRIORS
Warriors lead 3-2. Game 6, 8 p.m. EDT, ESPN
— NEED TO KNOW: The Warriors try to improve to 19-0 in playoff series against Western Conference opponents under Kerr — dating to 2014-15 — and Golden State has won the last six home meetings with the Kings.
— KEEP AN EYE ON: Looney has corralled 72 rebounds over the first five games of the series, including a career-high 22 Wednesday, and 21 of his boards have been on the offensive glass after he led the NBA in offensive rebounds during the regular season. He is averaging 14.4 rebounds in the playoffs and the Kings must find a way to deal with his physical presence and opportunistic play in the paint.
— INJURY WATCH: De'Aaron Fox didn't look troubled by a broken index finger on his shooting hand, scoring 24 points in Game 5 but committing a team-high six turnovers. "Just gotta be better in the second half," he said, noting he was "fine" playing with the finger injury.
— PRESSURE IS ON: Sacramento earned a No. 3 seed in NBA Coach of the Year Mike Brown's first season to end a 16-year playoff drought, but now the Kings will have to win in the Warriors' raucous Chase Center. Harrison Barnes pointed to Sacramento's 19 turnovers in Game 5 as a glaring issue along with the Warriors' 11 offensive rebounds — seven by Looney and four by Payton.
What does desperation feel like for the Kings? "You'll see tomorrow, for sure," Monk said.
GRIZZLIES AT LAKERS
Los Angeles leads 3-2, Game 6, 10:30 p.m. EDT, ESPN
— NEED TO KNOW: The Lakers remain on the verge of reaching the second round for the first time since 2020, when they won the franchise's 17th championship in the Orlando bubble. These Lakers also are 13-4 coming into this game.
— KEEP AN EYE ON: James. The NBA's all-time leading scorer is 38, and now this series has turned into a marathon every other night with travel between Tennessee and California on the off day. He played 45 minutes in Game 4's overtime win for the Lakers, then was the first out in Game 5's loss after shooting 5 of 17.
— INJURY WATCH: Lakers center Anthony Davis has dealt with a sore right hip that had him using a heating pad in Game 4. He stayed on the floor as play went the other way in the fourth quarter Wednesday night. Davis got lucky with a foul called on Austin Reaves to give him time to get up and walk down while rubbing his low back. Luke Kennard, the NBA's top 3-point shooter at 49.4%, suffered a shoulder stinger that sent him to the locker room. With Kennard on the court for just 17:39, Memphis outscored the Lakers by 26.
— PRESSURE IS ON: The Grizzlies. The NBA's second-youngest team finally got the best performance from its three stars in the same game with Desmond Bane, Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. each posting double-doubles. For Bane, it was his first in the playoffs of his young career. For Jackson, it was his first in this series. Now they have to prove they can do it again to push this series to a deciding Game 7 back in Memphis, where the Grizzlies posted the NBA's best home record at 35-6 this season.
___
AP Sports Writer Teresa M. Walker in Memphis, Tennessee, contributed to this report.
___
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
WATCH ALSO: | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/california/warriors-lakers-1st-round-series/103-c124a56c-c366-4def-9d5a-84adcbe38da3 | 2023-04-29T18:22:22 | 0 | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/california/warriors-lakers-1st-round-series/103-c124a56c-c366-4def-9d5a-84adcbe38da3 |
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Independent Bookstore Day is coming up Saturday and Capital Books on K Street in downtown Sacramento has everything bookworms need to celebrate!
Capital Books is hosting a three-day Independent Bookstore Day event to highlight locally-owned bookstores and educate the community on the importance of reading around the region.
In addition to Capital Books, there are eight other participating independent bookstores:
"There's no other job in the world where people come to you to celebrate your work, and that's what our customers do on Independent Bookstore Day," said Ashley Ford, co-manager at Capital Books. "They show up to celebrate us and what we offer the community and there's just nothing like that feeling."
The event features a book crawl to the above-mentioned independent bookstores, book signings with local authors, free coffee and chats, live music, a pop-up shop in Cathedral Square and more! The page-turning festivities start Friday at 10 a.m. and go until Sunday night.
"It's crucial for independent bookstores because it's a celebration for what we do that other booksellers and online stores can't offer and that includes the community aspect," said Ford. "That's really the biggest thing is that the indie bookstores that are participating really reflect the community that they are in."
For more information and ways to support, you can visit Capital Book's website at www.CapitolBooksOnK.com.
WATCH MORE ON ABC10: 'The city's greatest influencer' | Sacramento History Museum goes viral again | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/capital-books-celebrate-independent-bookstore-day/103-18d8ef5c-2b89-4149-8825-25b0947c708e | 2023-04-29T18:22:28 | 0 | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/capital-books-celebrate-independent-bookstore-day/103-18d8ef5c-2b89-4149-8825-25b0947c708e |
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — David Garibaldi is one of Sacramento's most famous living artists. Long before he was a finalist on America's Got Talent or opening for the band KISS, he was a featured performer coast-to-coast at NBA games.
"There's no NBA arena or court that I have not performed on. I've literally been all over the world for every team, performing at halftime or game openers," he said.
But there's one crowd he says is unlike any other — the Sacramento Kings.
"There is no other team's fans that come close to a local crowd in that arena (Golden 1 Center) when there is a home game. Feel the roar is real," he said.
Comstock's magazine recently asked Garibaldi to paint a Kings cover for the business journal's front page.
"I really love the concept of this work. It shows that Kings energy and if you look, there are lots of Easter eggs. The 6th man is the Kings tribute to the fans and there's a person wearing that jersey. Chris Webber is in there, Bobby Jackson if you look close, and if you look even closer still to the right... that's me," said Garibaldi.
He came off the road too late to do shows in the first round, but he's hopeful.
"Let's get a Round 2, Kings! I've got a show stopper ready," he said.
WATCH MORE ON ABC10: College coach of Kings Fox, Monk, Lyles says all 3 are ready for the moment | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/david-garibaldi-paints-the-town/103-07f7e140-4b52-44bb-8b81-66aeb1727f42 | 2023-04-29T18:22:34 | 1 | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/david-garibaldi-paints-the-town/103-07f7e140-4b52-44bb-8b81-66aeb1727f42 |
DAVIS, Calif. — The man found dead in Davis' Central Park Thursday afternoon has been identified.
According to the Yolo County Coroner's Office, he was 50-year-old David Breaux.
The investigation started when Davis Police Department responded to a welfare check at 401 C Street in Davis around 11:20 a.m. Thursday. Upon arrival officers found Breaux with several stab wounds.
Detectives are working with the coroner's office to determine his official cause of death. There is no information about a suspect and the investigation is ongoing.
"Due to the violent nature of this attack, additional officers will be deployed on bike and foot patrol in the downtown corridor and Central Park areas to ensure a visible public safety presence," said Davis Police.
Breaux was known to frequent the park and is known to people in the area as ‘Compassion Guy.’ He was also behind the Compassion Corner Earthbench on Third and C.
A GoFundMe created by Breaux years ago details his efforts at making the world a more compassionate place, from a self-published book compiling people’s ideas of compassion to YouTube videos of people sharing their thoughts on the subject.
In 2015, Breaux says he went on a tour of the U.S. exploring the idea of compassion in major cities.
Anyone with information can call the Davis Police Department at 530-747-5400 or policeweb@cityofdavis.org.
Watch more from ABC10: Caltrans honors 191 fallen highway workers | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/davis/david-breaux-50-identified-as-man-found-dead-davis-central-park/103-d7d32da3-f1d1-476c-ab68-c9fb1e8f5c45 | 2023-04-29T18:22:40 | 0 | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/davis/david-breaux-50-identified-as-man-found-dead-davis-central-park/103-d7d32da3-f1d1-476c-ab68-c9fb1e8f5c45 |
DAVIS, Calif. — The Davis community is devastated by the tragic loss of David Breaux, the creator of the “Compassion Is” project and bench.
Davis Police calling it a violent attack.
Breaux was found April 27 with multiple stab wounds at Davis' Central Park, near his bench.
The Davis community says David made the community feel welcomed. The memorial at his compassion bench was continuing to grow, Friday.
In just a few hours, this bench was covered in flowers, cards and notes.
Tate Martinelli works at a business near the bench and saw David most days.
“Everyone in Davis knew him you walked past you’d see the both,” said Martinelli.
Davis police calling the attack violent and senseless, a difficult and disturbing crime especially for a public space.
Sandra Black has lived in the community for twenty years and is struggling to grapple with what happened.
“A part of our community and to think something like this has happened to him particularly here in our Central Park where I bring my children every Saturday to the farmer’s market I can’t understand it,” said Black.
She brought flowers to the bench in David’s honor.
“The compassion he so talked about and asked us to think about we just have to bring that forward,” said Black.
On the bench someone left a notepad with the entry compassion is in an effort to continue the work David did for the community.
Felix Duley was interviewed by David for the "Compassion Is" project and shared a part of their conversation with ABC10.
“Compassion is, at its root, about empathy. So, being able to really understand that people go through things you may not understand but being able to share kindness and support and love,” said Duley.
Duley saying his talk with David was short but wonderful. David would sometimes record the conversations and upload them to his YouTube channel.
The community is struggling with how a person who devoted themself to kindness and the city could be treated so horribly.
It’s sparking a question that doesn’t normally concern Davis residents: How safe is the city?
“[It's] shaken me up and I know other students as well where Davis use to be somewhere you could feel safe walking home at night, safe walking alone I feel like hopefully Davis can bounce back but it has popped my bubble a little bit,” said Duley.
Davis police say there is no suspect information at this time. They ask anyone with information or video of the area to please call 530-747-5400. They are increasing patrols in the area.
There will be a vigil Sunday night at 7:30pm at the bench on C and 3rd Street. | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/davis/davis-compassion-guy-memorial/103-44f4e598-9873-4118-b294-2cf395ecb396 | 2023-04-29T18:22:46 | 0 | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/davis/davis-compassion-guy-memorial/103-44f4e598-9873-4118-b294-2cf395ecb396 |
ALAMEDA COUNTY, Calif. — California's corrections agency routinely refers inmates who appear to be "foreign-born" to federal immigration authorities even if they are U.S. citizens and lawful residents, with some improperly detained by the government for weeks after their sentences, said a lawsuit filed in state court Thursday.
The lawsuit by the American Civil Liberties Foundation of Northern California also says that inmates singled out as being born outside the U.S. are denied access to rehabilitative programs.
Lawyers representing former and current inmates said in a news release announcing the lawsuit that California's policies and practices target immigrants and refugees based on place of birth, race and other prohibited classifications.
Corrections officials refer hundreds of people each year to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, known as ICE, for possible deportation, even those born in the U.S., the lawsuit states.
A spokesperson for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation said they are reviewing the filing.
According to the complaint, Brian Bukle was referred to ICE because he was born outside the country even though corrections records indicated his status as a U.S. citizen. He was transferred into ICE custody at the end of his sentence in June 2020 — missing Father's Day with his son — and was released after more than a month only after an immigration lawyer intervened.
Corrections officials also flagged another plaintiff, Anouthinh "Choy" Pangthong, to ICE even though he is a U.S. citizen born in a refugee camp. He spent nearly 19 years in prison fearing deportation and needed an attorney to remove the federal hold, the complaint states.
Pangthong said in a statement that at one point he almost hoped to stay in state custody "to just avoid being ripped apart from my home and family. Deportation would mean losing my loved ones and a life rooted in the community and state I call home."
The complaint states that the state agency's department operations manual directs staff to refer inmates who are foreign-born to federal immigration authorities for possible deportation, even though many people born abroad are naturalized U.S. citizens or permanent residents who cannot be deported.
The complaint filed in Alameda County provides examples of inmates, some identified only by their initials, denied access to re-entry and other rehabilitative programs because they were flagged as foreign-born.
—-
This story has been updated to correct that Brian Bukle is not a plaintiff in the lawsuit. | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/lawsuit-california-prisons-target-foreign-inmates/103-920f730c-afb7-4413-bbfb-828c9179f018 | 2023-04-29T18:22:52 | 1 | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/lawsuit-california-prisons-target-foreign-inmates/103-920f730c-afb7-4413-bbfb-828c9179f018 |
FOLSOM, Calif. — Grab your boots and hats! Folsom is kicking off Pro Rodeo week in style by hosting the city's largest country music festival, 'Ride Into The Music.'
JMF Presents and Good Vibez Presents are teaming up to bring a fun-filled evening of music, family, friends, food and activities for all ages to enjoy.
With over 4,000 people expected to attend, the festival will feature top-notch performers such as Chris Lane, Tyler Rich, Canaan Smith and more.
Ride Into The Music is taking place June 30 at The Field at Lake Side at 755 Oak Avenue Parkway. Doors open at 3:30 p.m. and live music starts at 4 p.m.
Ready to Ride Into The Music? Here's how you get tickets:
TICKETS
The festival offers two different options for you to choose from ranging from $59 to $149:
- General Admission Tier 1: Include access to GA viewing areas, food vendors, nonprofit-hosted bars, plenty of restrooms, merch stands and more.
- VIP Tier 1: Include a catered dinner, one free drink, an official "Ride Into The Music" VIP wristband, free expedited early entry to the festival, priority parking and preferred lot, access to the VIP Viewing Areas including main stage pit access, shaded lounge area, misters to keep you cool in the summer heat and VIP air-conditioned flushable restrooms.
The festival also offers group tickets, general admission 4 Pack and VIP 4 pack. To purchase your tickets click HERE.
Todd Speelman with JMF Presents told ABC10, "We literally will build everything from scratch and have the best concert production, food, VIP experience, vendors and so much more. We will also be giving a percentage of ticket sales to local nonprofits."
Watch more from ABC10: Sacramento organization brings color, encouragement to communities | To The Point | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/ride-into-the-music-folsom-country-music-festival/103-42bac557-0b08-43b6-ba9e-cbe365fb6706 | 2023-04-29T18:22:53 | 1 | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/ride-into-the-music-folsom-country-music-festival/103-42bac557-0b08-43b6-ba9e-cbe365fb6706 |
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — You can re-live and celebrate your favorite childhood food this weekend at the 5th Annual Sacramento Grilled Cheese Festival!
Everything is gouda at this festival where on Saturday, those 21 and up can enjoy unlimited samples of grilled cheese sandwiches, the region's finest craft beers and local wines, live DJs playing all the best tunes, desserts and more.
On Sunday, attendees can expect something for everyone such as live music, activities and games for those of all ages and, of course, grilled cheese! There will be dairy-free and gluten-free options available on request both days too.
"People can expect all sorts of grilled cheeses," said Lauren Razzano, head of marketing for Grilled Cheese Festival. "We'll be able to cater to all sorts of different tastes palates. We're going to have sweet options, savory options, we'll have options for kiddos. It's really a wide, wide gamut of options over here at the Grilled Cheese Festival."
Tickets for Saturday have been sold out, but you canstill get yours for a Sunday Funday. All proceeds go to Shriners Children's Hospital.
"We love putting on these super fun events for the community," said Razzano. "It's awesome to see people come out and bring their kids and it's really a fun family day. We're going to have really great weather finally, so we're very excited about that."
Nothing can get more better with this cheddar! For tickets and more information, you can visit their website HERE.
WATCH MORE ON ABC10: Sacramento Capital Books, 8 other bookstores celebrate Independent Bookstore Day | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/sacramento-grilled-cheese-festival-2023/103-da7c91d8-fefb-4444-b63e-582294719d6e | 2023-04-29T18:22:59 | 0 | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/sacramento-grilled-cheese-festival-2023/103-da7c91d8-fefb-4444-b63e-582294719d6e |
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Fans of the Sacramento Kings and the Golden State Warriors are gearing up for Game 5 of an electrifying series.
Currently, things are even at 2-2, but the Kings have home court advantage for Game 5. Things were very promising for the Kings after they took an early 2-0 lead, winning both games at home to the satisfaction of fans inside and outside the Golden 1 Center.
However, the table was leveled after the games went to the Bay Area. The Warriors won Game 3 and Game 4 - the latter being a true nail-biter. Sacramento lost by one point on the heels of a De'Aaron Fox led comeback and missed shot from veteran Harrison Barnes.
Ahead of Game 5, Kings fans have taken to social media to show off their Kings pride.
► Get More Kings Coverage: Subscribe to the Locked On Kings podcast and follow on YouTube.
Look below to view posts from fans.
ABC10's Kevin John caught up with the team at shoot around ahead of Game 5.
The Sacramento Kings took to Twitter ahead of Game 5 to get some hype going from fans. | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/sacramento/sacramento-kings-fans-pride-california-nba-playoffs/103-08f29113-b1b8-4b88-b31a-d8cd9475d67e | 2023-04-29T18:23:05 | 1 | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/sacramento/sacramento-kings-fans-pride-california-nba-playoffs/103-08f29113-b1b8-4b88-b31a-d8cd9475d67e |
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The Sacramento Kings and the Golden State Warriors are preparing to battle it out Friday in a must-win Game 6 for the Kings in their first NBA playoffs series in almost two decades.
The series up until this point has been back and forth with each time winning their first two home games of the series.
Game 5 saw the Warriors win at Golden 1 Center. This game puts the Kings — led by the NBA's Clutch Player of the Year De'Aaron Fox — and the figurative ropes in a must-win situation to force a Game 7.
► Get More Kings Coverage: Subscribe to the Locked On Kings podcast and follow on YouTube.
Ahead of the tip-off, ABC10 took to social media to ask Kings fans to show off their purple pride. Below are some photos sent in by fans and tweets from ABC10 crews.
ABC10 Tweets
ABC10's Kevin John is inside Chase Center as both teams prepare for perhaps one of the biggest games of the series.
ABC10's Matt George captured some shoot around with De'Aaron Fox ahead of Game 6.
ABC10's Becca Habegger is outside Chase Center as Kings and Warriors fans head inside or watch the game.
Get Involved
Want to be included in this article? Show off your Kings pride by sending a photo to 916-321-3310. | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/sacramento/sacramento-kings-golden-state-warriors-game-6-nba-playoffs/103-d5c33fbe-c0e4-4de1-bfa2-d3c975264767 | 2023-04-29T18:23:11 | 1 | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/sacramento/sacramento-kings-golden-state-warriors-game-6-nba-playoffs/103-d5c33fbe-c0e4-4de1-bfa2-d3c975264767 |
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The public swimming pool in Southside Park will be closed for the second summer in a row, according to Sacramento city officials.
The neighborhood association says it’s the only pool serving the inner-city and its residents.
As the weather begins to warm up, the pool goes unused.
Sarah Cox is the president of the neighborhood association and a mom who moved in to be closer to the pool.
She says she and her kids are disappointed the city is keeping the pool closed again this year. Cox says the city tells her “the short answer is there was no money for it.”
The money would go toward costly repairs after reports of swimmers getting a rash from brushing up against the side of the pool last year.
“The pool needs to be resurfaced and due to the age of the facility and increased construction costs, there is a shortage of funds needed to complete the project,” said the city in a statement.
Residents nearby are upset about the continued closing of the pool.
“It feels like we’re always fighting for the amenities that we’re paying our taxes for,” said Cox.
She says other neighbors should worry this won’t be the last community pool to suffer this fate.
“I’m like, ‘Oh this is going to happen with every pool. How old are all the other pools in Sacramento?’” said Cox. “How many of them are going to have some maintenance that’s been deferred and then there’s no money for it because costs are going to continue to rise and there’s just going to be scramble after scramble?”
In a statement, District 4 councilmember Katie Valenzuela said the city has received the funding to move forward with the first step of this project.
City staff say they hope to reopen the pool for summer 2024. | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/sacramento/southside-park-pool-closed/103-dccb8051-75f4-481d-8895-f532b2d1c7e2 | 2023-04-29T18:23:13 | 0 | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/sacramento/southside-park-pool-closed/103-dccb8051-75f4-481d-8895-f532b2d1c7e2 |
STOCKTON, Calif. — A man suspected in the abuse of a 9-month-old infant who died at an Oakland hospital Tuesday was arrested by Stockton police recently.
According to Stockton police officials, 31-year-old Leonel Mateo was taken into custody Thursday after an investigation was launched by Child Protective Services and Stockton child abuse and sexual assault detectives.
Police said the infant arrived to the Oakland hospital with major injuries allegedly related to child abuse.
While Mateo remains in custody at the San Joaquin County Jail, police have not yet shared his charges or his connection to the child death. | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/stockton/stockton-police-investigating-child-death-abuse-oakland/103-39eb8069-9538-4724-9d42-26455a84e096 | 2023-04-29T18:23:19 | 1 | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/stockton/stockton-police-investigating-child-death-abuse-oakland/103-39eb8069-9538-4724-9d42-26455a84e096 |
VACAVILLE, Calif. — Vacaville city council is gearing up for a June vote to opt-in or out of replacing PG&E power with a clean energy not-for-profit public agency.
An educational workshop for residents to learn more about MCE, formerly known as Marin Clean Energy, was held Thursday before the council decides if they will opt-in and partially replace PG&E.
MCE says they work to “confront the climate crisis by eliminating fossil fuel greenhouse gas emissions, producing renewable energy and creating equitable community benefits.”
The program already exists in communities in Contra Costa, Marin, Napa and Solano counties — Fairfield opted-in last year.
During the meeting, residents expressed concerns about MCE’s cost as opposed to PG&E’s, how owning or leasing solar panels impacts bills and the main difference between MCE and the status quo.
MCE Senior Community Development Manager Sebastian Conn says the clean energy company may not always cost less than PG&E, but gives customers more options about their power.
"This is really about having choice in your power. At the end of the day, we want to ensure customers have a choice in where their power is coming from... We think that’s a benefit," said Conn. "We control our rates as best we can so you're getting the best cost as a customer."
Those rates would come in three options for Vacaville residents if council decides to opt-in.
- “Deep green” MCE energy, made up of 100% renewable energy
- “Light green” MCE energy, made up of 60% renewable energy
- PG&E energy, made up of 49% renewable energy
"I don’t promise we’re going to be cheaper than PG&E,” said Conn. "(But) we have been less expensive than PG&E about half the time."
He says the cost may not be too different than what customers are already paying, but it would look different on their bill.
Current PG&E bills have a line named "current electric charges" — if Vacaville and customers opt-in and use MCE, the bill will separate generation and delivery charges.
Opting-in to MCE will only change where customers get their energy, not how — meaning PG&E will still deliver energy and maintain the infrastructure.
More information about MCE, including an FAQ put together by the city, can be found HERE.
For Vacaville to even opt-in to MCE, city council will have to pass a resolution, ordinance and memorandum of understanding before June 30, the mayor would have to sign an MCE agreement, a technical analysis has to be completed and more.
Vacaville residents have other opportunities to voice their thoughts on this topic and get more information at the next educational workshop scheduled for May 16 in-person at 10:30 a.m. to noon at the Ulatis Community Center, 1000 Ulatis Dr. | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/vacaville-mce-energy/103-314b017d-15f3-48e4-b06b-84f9257451d2 | 2023-04-29T18:23:25 | 1 | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/vacaville-mce-energy/103-314b017d-15f3-48e4-b06b-84f9257451d2 |
YOSEMITE VALLEY, Calif. — Juan Zuluaga and Marta Madrigal of Colombia are snapping keepsake pictures at Yosemite National Park's Big Oak Flat Entrance as part of their two-month motorcycle journey across the U.S.
"We are very lucky," said Zuluaga.
Lucky because they would be able to see the national park's famous Yosemite Valley floor before it closes for several days.
At Yosemite Valley's "Swinging Bridge" location, water underneath from the Merced River is just a few feet from the top of the wooden walk.
A short distance away water is creeping onto a nearby hiking trail.
They are tell tale signs flooding is a real possibility.
"The situation we're in now is that we've got the huge snowpack. We've had cool temperatures. Now, we've got the heatwave for the weekend," said Scott Gediman, park ranger and public affairs officer.
Gediman has been a Yosemite Park ranger 27 years and says the closure is to "err on the side of safety."
"When it gets above 10 feet — 10 feet is what we call flood stage. And it's fluctuating everyday, but they're talking it cresting at like 11.2, 11.3-feet. That means water in meadows, the river next to us is wider and possibly some water in some of the hotels, things like that," said Gediman.
Yosemite's snowpack is its largest on record at 240% or about two-and-a-half-times a normal year.
As the snow melts, the Merced River flows higher.
Fahim Shafi from San Ramon says he comes to Yosemite at least twice a year.
"I have never seen it like this in my 25 years in the Bay Area. It's amazing," said Shafi.
Ray Bunn and his wife Karen made the trip to Yosemite from Modesto and they were amazed by the enormous amount of snow.
"I didn't think about all the snow, but there's so much snow this year that I can see maybe it would be flooding the campgrounds I guess whatever they have," said Bunn.
For those who made reservations at Yosemite's famous The Ahwahnee hotel, their reservations are being canceled.
The Chessler family of four from Mountain View planned their visit a year in advance and were able to stay just one night instead of their scheduled three.
They experienced first hand the reason for the closure.
"We were hiking. The path was washed out and we had to ford a log over the river. Kind of precarious," said Betsy Chessler.
Not everything in the national park is closed, though.
"The valley hotels and restaurants are closed. However, the Wawona Hotel and restaurant will still be open this weekend. That is up in the southern portion of the park," Chelsie Layman, Director of Yosemite Hospitality Sales and Marketing.
Once the river peaks, which is expected over the weekend, Yosemite Valley could reopen Wednesday morning or be closed possibly longer.
Though the flooding and extra snow is closing parts of the parts and changing some plans, the record snowpack means some of the most spectacular waterfalls the park has seen in years.
"I've never seen the waterfalls this big. It benefits the riparian habitat. It's good for river system. It flushes it out. So, it's a natural process," said Gediman. | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/yosemite-valley-flood-threat-national-park-open/103-a3930b67-5a28-4aff-8261-5038aae8c737 | 2023-04-29T18:23:31 | 0 | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/yosemite-valley-flood-threat-national-park-open/103-a3930b67-5a28-4aff-8261-5038aae8c737 |
Q. I heard that there is a new law in Idaho that allows me to make a will by Zoom. Is that right?
A. On March 29, 2023, Gov. Little signed Senate Bill 1092, which enacted Idaho’s Uniform Electronic Wills Act. The act is retroactively effective back to Jan. 1, 2020, so it is already in force, although many practitioners in Idaho will likely need some time to make sure they comply with all of the requirements of the Act.
The Uniform Electronic Wills Act utilizes computers and electronic communications for the execution of wills and codicils (amendments to wills), which are referred to as electronic wills. Normally, a will or codicil must be signed in person by or for the testator and by two witnesses or else qualify as a holographic (handwritten) will. While these methods are still valid, the Uniform Electronic Wills Act adds another way to execute a will or codicil.
Under the act, an electronic will has three key requirements. First, it must be “a tamper-evident electronic record that is readable as text at the time of signing.” Second, it must be signed (physically or electronically) by or for the testator. Third, it must be “(s)igned in the physical or electronic presence of the testator by at least two (2) individuals” who witness the will. This “electronic presence” is the revolutionary part of this act. People are in the “electronic presence” of one another when they are at “different locations communicating in real time” “simultaneously by sight and sound” or as necessary to allow such communication for a person “who has a vision, hearing, or speech impairment.”
A paper copy of this electronic will can then be certified as an original. Or — when necessary as part of the probate process — the electronic will can be filed with the court along with a certification that it is authentic and accurate, and it will be treated as an original by the court.
Most wills are “self-proved,” meaning that it is presumed valid without having a court proceeding to validate the will. This is done a) when the testator and witnesses execute an affidavit with a notary at the time the will is executed or b) when the testator and witnesses execute an affidavit with a notary about the will sometime later. Electronic wills can be self-proved, but they do not have the option to execute an affidavit later. The self-proving affidavit must be executed simultaneously with the electronic will. This could interact with Idaho’s electronic and remote notary laws, but practitioners will help you through those details.
All in all, the Uniform Electronic Wills Act opens possibilities to execute wills remotely using technology, and those possibilities are exciting and convenient.
D. Andrew Rawlings is an attorney practicing in Idaho Falls.
This column is provided by the 7th District Bar Association as a public service. Submit questions to “It’s the Law,” P.O. Box 50130, Idaho Falls, ID 83405, or by email to rfarnam@holdenlegal.com. This column is for general information. Readers with specific legal questions should consult an attorney. A lawyer referral service is provided by calling the Idaho State Bar Association in Boise at 208-334-4500.
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Tell us your personal accounts and the history behind articles. | https://www.postregister.com/news/local/its-the-law-what-to-know-about-electronic-wills/article_9f954458-e531-11ed-b62d-03a04318eccc.html | 2023-04-29T18:26:53 | 0 | https://www.postregister.com/news/local/its-the-law-what-to-know-about-electronic-wills/article_9f954458-e531-11ed-b62d-03a04318eccc.html |
EVERETT, Wash. — The Everett City Council could be expanding its controversial 2021 “no sit, no lie” law which criminalized sitting or laying down in a 10-block stretch of the city.
The council is expected to take up the proposed ordinance, presented earlier this month, during its next meeting on Wednesday.
The existing law prohibits people from laying or sitting down within 10 blocks of the Everett Gospel Mission, punishable with a fine of up to $500 and up to 90 days in jail.
The new ordinance would expand the law to prohibit sitting or lying down near facilities that provide behavioral health, substance abuse, or emergency housing services. The proposed ordinance reads "no person shall sit or lie down upon, or place a blanket, sleeping bag, backpack, chair, mattress, couch, stool, or any similar equipment, item, or furniture upon City property, whether improved or unimproved, within a Service Facility Buffer Zone."
The ”Service Facility Buffer Zone” would be a two-block area designated at the mayor’s discretion, according to the ordinance.
There was a lot of opposition to the existing ordinance when the Everett City Council voted to approve it in 2021. The ordinance came about after repeated complaints from businesses along Smith Avenue. It was tied to the $1 million construction project of 20 tiny homes directly behind the Everett Gospel Mission. It can house up to 30 people.
The proposal is scheduled for its third reading on May 3. If passed, it would take effect 15 days later. | https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/everett/ordinance-expand-everett-no-sit-no-lie-law/281-b9343492-8e35-4c71-89ec-51938f340cac | 2023-04-29T18:26:59 | 0 | https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/everett/ordinance-expand-everett-no-sit-no-lie-law/281-b9343492-8e35-4c71-89ec-51938f340cac |
SNOQUALMIE, Wash. — The 6th Annual Global Beauty Awards will bring some glitz and glamour to Snoqualmie this weekend.
The show is set for Sunday, April 30 at Snoqualmie Casino and celebrates the pageant community at the international level.
Industry professionals honor nominees in categories ranging from Best Titleholder to Best in Science, Best in Education and Best Nonprofit. Nominees range from pre-teens to seniors and the inclusive focus features nominees from more than 30 categories.
The mission of The Global Beauty Awards (TGBA) is to bring awareness to the pageant community and highlight the excellence of those involved. Co-Founder Maureen Francisco says this is the only award show that celebrates the pageant industry and the inspiring philanthropic efforts participants champion.
“We feature nominees from every walk of life,” says Francisco.
Organizers note that exterior beauty has often been the focal point for pageants, but those involved know that pageantry is one of the greatest experiences for building confidence, speaking abilities and learning how to properly network in professional settings.
Francisco says the glitz and glamour are a point of pride but the true objective is preparing participants for a successful future.
“Pageant participants have become extremely successful as entrepreneurs in business, medicine, engineering, sports, television, movies, entertainment and so much more,” she said.
Mrs. Korea World Jennifer Lloyd says that like many other pageant participants, she’s a small business owner and prides herself on community engagement.
“This is a very inclusive community and we worked so hard to make sure that we recognize the philanthropy work that men and women are doing around the world,” Lloyd said.
This year, Miss Universe CEO Amy Emmerich will be honored with a lifetime achievement award and guest speakers includes Dr. Connie Mariano, a former White House doctor to three U.S. presidents.
“We have people flying from all over the world, from Sweden to the Caribbean,” says Francisco.
Rooms for many nearby hotels are booked for the weekend and awards organizers are excited to boost the local economy. A fundraising component to the weekend supports an orphanage in Quintana Roo Mexico.
A runway competition, DJ, photo shoots and other activities are also part of the busy weekend. Tickets are still available for Sunday's awards and range from standard to VIP with a chance to walk the runway. | https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/global-beauty-awards-snoqualmie-this-weekend/281-7d4a40e8-52cf-4a1f-a5b3-c1e90c5087a2 | 2023-04-29T18:27:05 | 0 | https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/global-beauty-awards-snoqualmie-this-weekend/281-7d4a40e8-52cf-4a1f-a5b3-c1e90c5087a2 |
SEATTLE — As the sun comes out, trailhead parking lots are starting to get packed with cars. Car break-ins and thefts at trailheads are becoming a growing problem. One man decided to document this and found the most targeted trailheads in our area.
"Is hiking safe? Absolutely. Are there some really bad trailheads? Absolutely," said the man, who asked not to be named for safety reasons,
He started compiling vehicle break-in data last year after seeing windows smashed at a trailhead.
"The next weekend 25 cars were hit and I got really angry and I decided to do something about it," he said.
Using public information requests from law enforcement and the Washington Trails Association.
"So I was able to compare the number of trail reports at a trailhead against the reports that mention crime," he said.
This list shows the five most targeted trails with data from 2015 through 2022. All are no more than a two-hour drive from Seattle.
- Whittaker Wilderness Peak Trail Head: Cougar Mountain
- Tiger Mountain Trail Head South: Tiger Mountain
- Nisqually State Park: SW- Longmire/Paradise
- Chehalis Western- Woodard Bay Trailhead: Olympia
- Pine and Cedar Lakes Trailhead: Bellingham
"Thieves now know that cars left unattended at trailheads are a great place to find purses, passports and laptops," he said.
Because of the rise in smash and grabs, Washington State Patrol increased its presence last summer. Hikers like Rubin and Sudha Mishra said they don't leave any valuables in their cars.
"I think about it less on a fairly crowded trailhead like this than I would if you're in a place with four cars parked and not a lot of traffic coming, that's a much bigger concern," said Rubin.
"I feel if there is a break-in, I have everything with me," said Mishra.
The citizen report said it's not just hikers impacted by these break-ins.
"If we can get better solutions for trailheads, it would also make a dent in crime in general," the man who compiled the list said.
He believes there are small changes that could help prevent these smash-and-grabs such as more signage, cameras and even hiring a crime analyst.
"One of the things I'm calling for is a very modest increase to the fee for a Discover Pass," he said.
With the goal of getting more people out on the trails. The full report will be released Thursday night, along with a Facebook live meeting to go over those findings. | https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/hiker-list-most-crime-targeted-trailheads-western-washington/281-c2f477c7-c100-4fda-b17f-1da9256ddc3f | 2023-04-29T18:27:11 | 1 | https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/hiker-list-most-crime-targeted-trailheads-western-washington/281-c2f477c7-c100-4fda-b17f-1da9256ddc3f |
PORTLAND, Oregon — On its face, Oregon House Bill 2098 isn't particularly eye-catching — all it does is call for a study of uniform standards for speed bumps. It's not the kind of bill that would be expected to result in hours of impassioned public testimony, but that's exactly what happened Thursday night.
The attention wasn't focused on HB 2098 itself, but rather a series of proposed amendments to the bill that tackle a much bigger topic: How to fund Oregon's share of the $6 billion cost of replacing the Interstate 5 Bridge.
For two and a half hours, community members and public officials took turns weighing in on the funding plan at a hearing before the Joint Committee on Transportation in Salem.
Under the first proposed version of the plan, outlined in Amendment 2, the state would commit $1 billion financed through bonds, matching $1 billion that Washington State pledged last year, with the remainder of the project paid for by federal grants and tolls.
Supporters at the hearing praised the focus on leveraging federal funding to pay for the new span.
"We need this project, we need this bridge, it needs to be replaced now," said Gwenn Baldwin of Beaverton. "We have a window for federal money that is not going to come back again."
Many emphasized the critical need to replace the Interstate Bridge, citing the advanced age of the current twin spans and the improvements that a modern replacement would provide for transportation commerce.
"With severe congestion during peak travel hours, the bridge is no longer serving those travelers efficiently or safely," said Curtis Robinhold, executive director of the Port of Portland. "Further, the 106-year-old bridge is at risk of catastrophic failure in the event of an earthquake."
Amendment 2 also includes a provision a provision capping the total cost of the project at $6.3 billion, an effort to try to avoid getting the state caught in a financial bind if the project costs escalate.
Critics of the plan suggested that even with the cap, the $6.3 billion limit and a lack of included enforcement mechanisms still felt like handing the Oregon Department of Transportation a blank check.
"We need a bridge that is climate forward," said Nikisha Nathan with the local organization Just Crossing Alliance. "We need it to leave money for vital transportation improvements throughout the state."
An alternative proposal introduced more recently, Amendment 3, maintains the $1 billion funding plan and the $6.3 billion overall cap, but it adds a stipulation that initial construction work can only involve the new bridge itself and the two freeway interchanges closest to it.
The project plan includes upgrades to seven interchanges along a four-mile stretch of I-5 around the bridge, which together could account for anywhere from a third to nearly half the cost of the overall project.
Amendment 3 states that construction on five of those interchanges can't begin until the main bridge and transit components are complete and both states certify that the remaining peripheral parts can still be built without exceeding the $6.3 billion cap. Many community members expressed support for that option.
"I'm asking you as a father, as a teacher and as a business owner to shrink this project," said Garron Lamoreau of Silverton. "Please tell ODOT to live within their means and pay for this project using some of the billions of dollars they manage every biennium."
Another big sticking point for critics of the Amendment 2 plan is that it includes language about the Rose Quarter expansion, declaring that the legislature will fully fund that project in the next two legislative sessions.
Many local critics have opposed widening that section of the freeway for environmental reasons, and they objected to the language lumping that project in with the I-5 bridge replacement. The Amendment 3 version of the plan ditches that language.
"An approach that connects our community," said Rev. Cecil Prescod with Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon. "Without endangering the general fund or the climate." | https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/interstate-bridge-replacement-funding-public-hearing/283-12d4ca1c-580f-4d55-9834-2fad6a48a454 | 2023-04-29T18:27:12 | 1 | https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/interstate-bridge-replacement-funding-public-hearing/283-12d4ca1c-580f-4d55-9834-2fad6a48a454 |
SEATTLE — Seattle City Attorney Ann Davison and a pair of Seattle City Council members introduced legislation on Thursday that would prohibit the use of drugs in public places. The proposed law would make public drug use a misdemeanor, allowing for prosecution of the crimes.
"This legislation gives our officers a tool to interrupt that behavior, and it provides the City Attorney with the ability to prosecute," said Seattle City Councilmember Sara Nelson, who is one of the sponsors of the legislation.
Davison, along with council members Sara Nelson and Alex Pedersen, modeled the legislation after a similar ordinance proposed in Bellingham. Local jurisdictions are scrambling to introduce drug possession and use legislation after the state legislative session failed to produce an updated bill ahead of the state's current law expiring in July.
“The epidemic of drug use is killing Seattle residents and depriving the public of spaces intended to be safe for everyone. We will not give up areas of our city to overt drug use and antisocial behavior, and this legislation will bring a critical tool to disrupt open-air drug markets, reclaim our green spaces and sidewalks and protect transit riders,” said Davison. “I will continue to work with our diversion partners to help people move toward treatment and get the help they need. I call on state lawmakers to increase available residential treatment options as well as funding for in-custody treatment.”
Overdose deaths in Seattle have increased by 72% year-over-year, according to a release from the city. City data shows that in 2023, there were 589 overdose deaths. In 2022, there were 342.
"This is a drug crisis, and people are dying," said Nelson. "And we have got to face the fact that law enforcement is a component of our response."
The current state law expires in July, which classifies drug possession as a misdemeanor on the third arrest. There is a maximum sentence of 90 days in jail, up to $1,000 in fines, or both after a third arrest.
"Our state government has left a gap in enforcement, so we need to fill that gap for health and safety," said Seattle City Councilmember Alex Pedersen, who is a sponsor of the legislation.
Drug possession was a felony before 2021, but Washington State's Supreme Court threw that out. Inslee said earlier in the weekend he believes the state has needed to reform its drug enforcement and treatment laws ever since.
"A misdemeanor is the bare minimum we should be implementing for illegal drug use in our public spaces," said Pedersen.
The Alliance for Pioneer Square is backing the proposal.
“We are in support of this legislation. I think it's a step forward in improving public safety, not only in Pioneer Square again, but across Seattle,” said Chris Woodward, Community Development Director with Alliance for Pioneer Square.
KING 5 received a statement from Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell regarding the proposed legislation that said, in part:
"I want to see that this legislation was created with appropriate input from impacted communities, law enforcement and first responders, and providers of triage and treatment. Another policy tool helping people accept services may enhance our efforts, but recreating the war on drugs would crater them. While the Council debates this legislation, our focus will remain on urgent action outlined in our Executive Order last week to expand treatment access and options – along with novel preventative services – to save lives, keep communities safe, and help those in need recover and rebuild."
Downtown Seattle Association President and CEO Jon Scholes sent the following statement:
“Seattle’s drug crisis is a public health emergency, and it demands urgent action. The state Legislature has failed to act, and therefore local leaders must step forward to address people dying on our streets and the many associated impacts these dangerous drugs have on our neighborhoods. We see lives lost or derailed daily throughout the city. Our own downtown ambassadors have administered Naloxone to 75 people in just the last four months. To combat this crisis, we need to interrupt the supply chain, shut down street sales and use of these deadly drugs and increase investment in treatment. As a community, we took on COVID-19 with urgency. We must act in a similar fashion when it comes to this public health crisis.”
The Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce sent KING 5 a statement that read:
“The scale of fentanyl and methamphetamine use in our region demands that officials take action at every opportunity. We need to support individuals with treatment options, we need crisis response, and we need to address the very real public safety issues that come alongside the public use of dangerous drugs. To that end, we supported King County’s Crisis Care Levy, which the voters are passing; we worked closely with Mayor Bruce Harrell on his executive order on fentanyl, and we support today’s proposal as another tool aimed at disrupting deadly fentanyl distribution. People are dying in our communities every day and while the idea of a patchwork approach to laws regulating drug use and possession across the state is frustrating, the absence of the state taking action means our local officials will.” | https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/seattle-legislation-prohibit-public-drug-use/281-f09defa8-849e-4ff2-80cb-beb8fc80e983 | 2023-04-29T18:27:19 | 1 | https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/seattle-legislation-prohibit-public-drug-use/281-f09defa8-849e-4ff2-80cb-beb8fc80e983 |
SEATTLE, Wash — This month, Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell introduced a plan for revitalizing downtown and improving its health and safety by addressing the addiction crisis.
But within that plan is something sure to get people talking: a proposal to allow people to publicly carry and consume alcohol outdoors at the monthly First Thursday Art Walk events in Pioneer Square.
"Encourages more people to come out!” said Frederick Holmes, owner of Frederick Holmes and Company Art Gallery in Pioneer Square.
Holmes is among the area's business owners who said he agrees that Harrell’s idea for “Sip 'n Stroll” licenses could help give new life to area businesses.
“Particularly down here in Pioneer Square, which already unfortunately has, um, I think largely an undeserved reputation for being kind of a, ya know, sketchy area anyway," said Holmes.
The bar manager of Muse Lounge across the street agrees.
“I 100% think [it would attract more people]. I think it’s almost – I mean – obviously not Vegas vibes, but people love carrying their drink and going out," said Tanya Deniz, bar manager at Muse Lounge.
The city plans to propose an idea to the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board for open container permits, specifically for First Thursday Art Walk events in Pioneer Square.
The director of local nonprofit Gallery 110, Shayley Timm, said more foot traffic is needed. She said the neighborhood used to see about 500 people at First Thursday Art Walks, but nowadays they see about 250.
So will more people gallery-hopping be able to do so with something... hoppy?
“I think it’d be super cool," said Deniz.
Deniz does have one concern: "People bringing their own drinks."
So she’s hoping the liquor board finds a way to regulate that.
“As long as there’s, you know, a system in place, it would be ideal," said Deniz.
Holmes agrees that some oversight would be needed.
“I would obviously have concerns about inebriated people walking in, possibly spilling things, possibly damaging the artwork," said Holmes. "Regulations would have to be in place.”
Right now Pioneer Square is the city’s primary focus for this idea, but a spokesperson told KING 5 Thursday that it is not out of the question that it wouldn’t be considered for other areas or events in the future, if it proves successful. | https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/seattle/open-containers-downtown-seattle-pioneer-square-event/281-7ae47707-6b34-486f-b493-d44fc071776e | 2023-04-29T18:27:33 | 0 | https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/seattle/open-containers-downtown-seattle-pioneer-square-event/281-7ae47707-6b34-486f-b493-d44fc071776e |
SEATTLE — There is a push from the Seattle City Council to increase the pay of nonprofit human services workers.
A draft resolution was discussed this week in the Public Safety and Human Services Committee that lays out goals of taking steps to increase wages for those workers. This comes as a University of Washington study, funded by the City of Seattle, shows many human services workers get paid 30-37% less than jobs in other industries with similar skill sets and duties.
Human services jobs include people who work with senior citizens, people who work to help food insecurity, and many other jobs that serve people in our communities
The study shows human services workers are paid 30% less than jobs in other industries with similar skill sets. The study also found nonprofit human services workers make even less, with a 37% wage gap.
“So, if you leave a human services job and you take a job in another industry, a year later you are making about 14% more per hour,” said Jennie Romich, a researcher on the study and a UW School of Social Work professor.
The study also found gender and race inequities play a role. Romich said that human services jobs are nearly 80% filled by women and that people of color are disproportionately represented in these jobs.
“Black workers are three times more likely to work in human services as they are to work in other parts of the economy,” said Romich.
Seattle City Council member Lisa Herbold said she has heard some human services groups are struggling to keep staff.
“The King County Regional Homelessness Authority is telling us that of its five top contractors, there are collectively 300 vacancies among them," said Herbold.
That's why the committee she heads has created goals to increase wages for non-profit human services workers.
“We talk a lot about creating incentives for people to work in public jobs that are mission critical, like in our public safety realm,” said Councilmember Herbold. “We have to also do it in our human services realm as well.”
The draft resolution has a goal of increasing wages by 7% by 2025 and by 2030 hopes to establish minimum pay standards based on job characteristics. Herbold said funding options are being looked at right now and that she hopes the 2024 budget will include funding for these efforts.
“We're very careful to recognize the challenging budget atmosphere the city is in right now and were working to brainstorm what sort of resources we can bring to address this pay penalty starting in 2024,” said Herbold.
Herbold said the draft proposal will be discussed in committee to make any needed amendments. It would then be voted on in committee before going to the full council. | https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/seattle/seattle-increase-pay-nonprofit-human-services-workers-proposal/281-93be1b16-0fb5-48ff-b40b-63d5605f649f | 2023-04-29T18:27:39 | 1 | https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/seattle/seattle-increase-pay-nonprofit-human-services-workers-proposal/281-93be1b16-0fb5-48ff-b40b-63d5605f649f |
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