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SCRANTON, Pa. — If you've ever been to a sporting event at West Scranton High School, there's a good chance you've come across Anthony 'Tippy' Denunzio.
"He was always, 'Hi, how are you? You know, it's good to see you.' And he was always very upbeat," said Kenneth Flannigan, Scranton.
Now, the West Scranton community is mourning the loss of Tippy. He died over the weekend at the age of 85.
Kenneth Flannigan went to West Scranton in the '60s and says Tippy was part of Invader history.
"It's like a part of us was taken out. We're going through our reunions and different things like that, and he was always part of it. He was there, he was always there," said Flannigan.
Annette Griffin graduated from West Scranton in 1984 and has fond memories of so many events that wouldn't have been the same without Tippy.
"He was at every game. He was always there when we rang the bell going around with the guys ringing the bell. Just he was just there. Everywhere you looked, Tippy was there," said Annette Griffin, Scranton.
Tippy spent 54 years working at the school until he retired in 2019.
Newswatch 16 was there for his big sendoff for making his legendary mark on the school.
People we spoke with say Tippy's passing has left a hole in the spirit of West Scranton because his love and dedication to the school was appreciated by so many generations.
"When my daughter graduated, I think in 2007, and he was a big legend then too. So it was throughout the years he was a big legend," said Griffin.
"Myself, my kids, and my grandkids, now they all remember sets three generations just in my family," said Flannigan.
West Scranton High School officials say they are in the process of organizing a memorial to celebrate Tippy's life.
Check out WNEP’s YouTube channel. | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/lackawanna-county/remembering-tippys-legacy-in-scranton-anthony-denunzio-kenneth-flannigan-annette-griffin-lackawanna-county/523-cf845d16-cf97-4778-973c-f8539ba2ff1d | 2023-05-02T02:25:35 | 1 | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/lackawanna-county/remembering-tippys-legacy-in-scranton-anthony-denunzio-kenneth-flannigan-annette-griffin-lackawanna-county/523-cf845d16-cf97-4778-973c-f8539ba2ff1d |
WILKES-BARRE, Pa. — There's a hidden space inside a levee near the Brookside section of Wilkes-Barre. It stores a vital piece of public safety equipment that gives people who live nearby peace of mind.
"Lots of comfort because since they put that dike up," says Alexander Alexy, who has lived in this part of the city for 75 years. He says photos of his parents and grandparents can be seen in history books about the flood of 1972, standing on the roofs of their home.
Alexy says this levee calms any concerns of that happening again. "And that takes care of the whole thing so far. Thank God for that."
Inside the storage unit is a portable section of the levee. The metal pieces here complete the permanent levee across North Washington Street.
"The last time it was officially erected to prevent flooding was when Hurricane Irene and Lee hit in 2011. But as a protocol about every other year, we practice with it," explained Wilkes-Barre Fire Chief Jay Delaney.
First, crews have to put in metal anchors that fit into the slots in the roadway. That's where they ran into a bit of a blockage.
"As you saw, there were a couple of bumps in the road today in the installation process," said the chief, but he says that's exactly why an exercise like this is necessary.
"We practice putting it up, erecting it, evaluating our firefighters and our DPW workers with their skill set, and evaluating the equipment to make sure everything works," added Delaney.
After the anchors are in place, three metal beams are placed across, and then panels are hooked onto the beams. Then a tarp is placed over the top and secured with sandbags.
It took DPW workers and firefighters about 40 minutes to put this levee up, and it protects the 280 homes and businesses here in the Brookside section of Wilkes Barre.
"We watch the river. We know that Brookside or Hollenbeck Park area floods from the river AT about 31 feet. So we watch all that data, and we have some time to install this so many times we put it proactively," added Delaney.
"See, when the water started coming down, the first place it would hit was right down here. This would get flooded first and then go into Brookside," added Alexy.
Check out WNEP’s YouTube channel. | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/luzerne-county/brookside-levee-dry-run-exercise-in-wilkes-barre-luzerne-county-alecander-alexy-chief-fire-jay-delaney/523-889bf81d-b45a-4d30-818a-5fd7c08f9f9d | 2023-05-02T02:25:41 | 0 | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/luzerne-county/brookside-levee-dry-run-exercise-in-wilkes-barre-luzerne-county-alecander-alexy-chief-fire-jay-delaney/523-889bf81d-b45a-4d30-818a-5fd7c08f9f9d |
WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — The 1st of May marks the beginning of Skin Cancer Awareness Month.
Physicians at UPMC talked about the dangers of the disease.
"So, skin cancer specifically affects a significant portion of people, and it is still one of the most dangerous types of cancer to get specifically melanoma," Dr. Cameron Glagola said.
Throughout May, UPMC is hosting free skin cancer screenings at five locations in central Pennsylvania.
"We have our Melanoma Monday free skin cancer screening where anyone can sign up from all walks of life to come in and get a free cancer screening where we go head to toe and make sure there is nothing concerning," said Dr. Glagola.
"I probably wouldn't do this if this wasn't here today," said Chris Schaefer of Loyalsock Township.
Schaefer took advantage of the free screenings after noticing some questionable marks on her skin.
"A few moles that are concerning, and I just want to make sure that they are okay," she said.
These screenings are a vital part of detecting cancer early.
"Melanoma is one of those ones that if you catch it whenever it is really small and it is not super thick, and it hasn't invaded into the skin, then it can be really good for you as far as prognosis is concerned," added Dr. Glagola.
"Very important because you want to be around for your children and your grandchildren. It is so easily curable if they catch it early," Schaefer said.
You can find upcoming dates for the free skin cancer screenings here.
Check out WNEP’s YouTube channel. | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/lycoming-county/upmc-offering-free-skin-cancer-screenings-williamsport-lycoming-county-dr-cameron-glagola-melanoma-monday/523-8209318d-37ad-4848-9770-6d4314e61da4 | 2023-05-02T02:25:47 | 1 | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/lycoming-county/upmc-offering-free-skin-cancer-screenings-williamsport-lycoming-county-dr-cameron-glagola-melanoma-monday/523-8209318d-37ad-4848-9770-6d4314e61da4 |
POTTSVILLE, Pa. — The Schuylkill County Courthouse in Pottsville is where both Bill Burke from Port Carbon and Mike O'Pake from Mahanoy City have spent long days on the courthouse floor.
Both are running to fill an open seat on the Court of Common Pleas. And both have cross-filed to appear on the Democrat and Republican ballots.
Although this is his first time running, attorney Bill Burke says running a law practice with his dad for most of his life is good experience for a judge.
“I would best serve the court simply because I've been before the court on a range of issues. So one would think you would want a judge who's been in court on a regular basis on a variety of issues,” Burke explained.
Current District Attorney, Mike O'Pake, wants to continue serving Schuylkill County from the bench.
“Because we all know that justice is blind and everyone is entitled to a fair and impartial decision when they come into court,” O’Pake mentioned.
Both O'Pake and Burke have years of experience practicing law at the Schuylkill County Courthouse. So Newswatch 16 asked both of them what they would change in the courtroom if elected.
If elected, O'Pake plans to create a veterans court, helping veterans convicted of crimes get treatment and education instead of time behind bars.
“Maybe they have a drug problem, an alcohol problem, PTSD, something like that, and their actions that cause them to commit a crime may be related to that,” O’Pake added.
As for Burke, he says one priority would be to crack down on absentee landlords.
“Perhaps similar to criminal terms and civil terms, and orphan court terms, that we look at a blighted property term as well. To devote time to blighted real estate to make sure concerns of the people are being resolved,” Burke said.
Primary election day is Tuesday, May 16th. Because each candidate has cross-filed, one or both could end up on the ballot in November.
Check out WNEP’s YouTube channel. | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/schuylkill-county/opake-and-burke-race-for-schuylkill-county-judge-bill-mike-primary-election-voting-district-attorney/523-7378c19c-20ca-4d60-afc7-e9a976292448 | 2023-05-02T02:25:53 | 1 | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/schuylkill-county/opake-and-burke-race-for-schuylkill-county-judge-bill-mike-primary-election-voting-district-attorney/523-7378c19c-20ca-4d60-afc7-e9a976292448 |
WAYMART, Pa. — A weekend of rain has left benches, kayaks, and the campsite playground submerged at Keen Lake in Wayne County.
"So we started getting rain probably around Friday night, and then it kind of stopped, but then Saturday it continued all day into Sunday pretty much all day, and then finally stop today. We've had a few rain showers, and we did get a lot of flooding," said Janell Gibbs, Assistant Office Director of Keen Lake.
Assistant Office Director Janell Gibbs says much of their weekend was spent checking on cabins and finding boats that drifted away, "If you go down the campground more, we have where our seasonals stay and all of that, a lot of our docs are flooded. Some of the boats did get loose and were running down into the waterfall area as well."
Just as campers started returning to the popular vacation spot, Gibbs says they were pushed out.
Due to weather, that has become quite common around the campground in late April and early May.
"This time of year right now is what usually gets hit pretty hard with the rain and tornadoes as well. We have to watch out for this time of the season," explained Gibbs.
Much of the shoreline at Keen Lake is underwater, and with more rain coming this week, workers say they are concerned about the upcoming holiday weekends.
"We are just hoping that the water is going to go down, and we are going to do our best to try, hoping the water goes down. If anything, we might have to move something off our shore area to get it so that it's not in the water sitting there, but we're hoping to still do all of the boat rentals and everything like that we have to offer," said Gibbs.
Gibbs says they are fully booked for Memorial Day weekend and some clear skies would get them back on track.
Check out severe weather tips on WNEP’s YouTube channel. | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/wayne-county/rain-floods-campsite-in-the-poconos-keen-lake-wayne-county-janell-gibbs-weather-water/523-d94bf4b0-f3a2-4d6b-a839-4b2f083f70e7 | 2023-05-02T02:25:59 | 1 | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/wayne-county/rain-floods-campsite-in-the-poconos-keen-lake-wayne-county-janell-gibbs-weather-water/523-d94bf4b0-f3a2-4d6b-a839-4b2f083f70e7 |
PORTLAND, Ore. — There’s a relentless rhythm on the streets of any sufficiently large city in Oregon that’s become increasingly routine for everyone, regardless of where they sleep. Homeless people set up camp, then the city posts it for removal. Most of the time, the homeless people move to another location and the cycle repeats.
A proposed Oregon bill aimed to reverse that routine and even allow homeless people to sue for $1,000 if they are harassed or told to move. The legislation, House Bill 3501, is called the “Right to Rest Act” and it’s been introduced in Oregon before.
National media outlets like CNN and Fox News have been giving the bill a lot of attention in recent weeks. However, what’s not being widely reported is that the bill is dead, having missed the deadline to advance in this legislative session. Regardless, there will still be public testimony on the bill later this week as unsanctioned homeless camps remain a point of statewide contention.
“I felt like I’m just a worthless person sleeping out on the street,” said Charles Lindsey. Homeless, he's currently sleeping in a shelter.
Lindsey's story is not unique. He’s 18 years old and his campsite was just cleared by Portland's Rapid Response team.
“I lost just about everything I owned,” he said.
Sitting next to Lindsey in a wheelchair Monday morning on the streets of Old Town was a woman named Josephine Allen. She called the city’s camp removals “cold blooded.” She is still fighting to get her things back after her camp was cleared a year ago.
“I feel emotional about it because this is really a sad thing out here. They don't really realize the lives that are at stake,” Allen said.
The Right to Rest Act was proposed by two Democrats from Beaverton and Portland. It would make removing homeless camps from public property illegal and allow homeless people to sue for $1,000 if they are harassed or told to move if there was no where else for them to go.
“If a bill like that was passed that would definitely be a headwind for us,” said Kurt McCanles, co-owner of an Old Town bike shop called Cycle Portland. “Everyone's entitled to human rights but when it comes to trying to be a normal business, trying to cater to especially tourists and people coming from out of town, it can be frustrating to think that it would be more difficult to move people from our storefront when we are trying to do business here.”
A public dialogue
KGW reporter Blair Best spoke with Oregon Rep. Farrah Chaichi, one of the bill’s co-sponsors, over the phone Monday. She said that while the bill won't be passed during this legislative session, they're still going to hold public testimony since it’s important to hear what the public has to say about issues like this and to further this type of legislation. She mentioned that last time it was introduced, they only got 15 minutes of public testimony and this week they're hoping for much more.
The bill’s other sponsor, Rep. Khanh Pham, said the following in an email to KGW:
“While I support the important conversation around how we lift up our homeless neighbors, I am devoting my limited time in the remainder of session to working on bills that are still alive and advocating for a state budget that can respond to what we’re seeing on our streets. I have appreciated the good faith outreach about the bill from my constituents and Oregonians wanting to understand the debate. I look forward to more public dialogue after session about sweeps, maintaining public spaces to be available to all, and not criminalizing homeless people.”
Hundreds of people statewide have already submitted written testimony. The overwhelming majority live in Portland and oppose the bill.
A Portland woman writes: “Please consider the unintended consequences of passing a bill with this language … Portland has been descended upon by sick people seeking to take advantage of our enabling policies. It’s become a scary place to raise kids. That’s why I oppose.”
A Portland man writes: “HB 3501 elevates the rights of homeless persons above those of law-abiding citizens. If someone erects a camp in a public park next to a neighboring property owner's fence and creates a nuisance … the property owner could be found in violation of HB 3501 for attempting to diminish the nuisance. In other words, attempts to protect one's own property could be deemed illegal under HB 3501.”
A man from Bend writes: “The unhoused are citizens too. Often the unhoused have no recourse but to be in public or urban space because they have no place else to go. They have a right to share urban space as much as those of us who are housed.”
Someone from Grants Pass writes: “I think this bill is absolutely needed and could definitely help ALOT of homeless people to have some stability in which they could work on bettering themselves and their situation.”
Some argue more support for mental health and addiction treatment will be what it takes to reverse this routine that’s currently forcing homeowners out of Portland and homeless people into despair.
“We're people, we're not animals — and even animals need to be loved,” added Allen.
The public hearing is on Thursday, May 4. Those behind the bill plan to introduce it again in future legislative sessions. | https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/homeless/oregon-bill-homeless-camp-sweeps-illegal/283-637ab1aa-e152-4b8a-a678-e2faba73e425 | 2023-05-02T02:26:49 | 0 | https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/homeless/oregon-bill-homeless-camp-sweeps-illegal/283-637ab1aa-e152-4b8a-a678-e2faba73e425 |
PORTLAND, Ore. — More affordable housing is moving into Portland's South Waterfront.
The new Waterleaf apartment will soon move 178 families into permanent, affordable housing apartments in the RiverPlace District. It's thanks to the Metro Affordable Housing Bond Program passed in 2018 by voters.
Affordable housing partners within the City of Portland celebrated the ribbon cutting of its latest building off South River Parkway and Moody Avenue.
"This is a combination of years of preparation,” said PNW Executive VP of Bridge Housing, Kurt Creager. “Throughout this housing state of emergency — we worked really hard to bring all the resources necessary."
As of last month, Metro has added nearly 1,500 affordable housing units within the greater Portland metro area — since the bond passed. Now Waterleaf is added to that list. An additional 5,900 units, in the greater metro area, are either under construction, pre-construction or still remaining.
The goal with this bond is to build enough housing for more than 14,000 — with rent locked in at affordable rates for the next 60 to 99 years.
"We are keeping rents affordable to people with a spectrum of incomes from 0 to 60% of median income," said Creager.
For example, a family of four has to make between $32,000 and $64,000 a year to qualify.
"I know I'm never going to own a home, but I am very happy to live here, it's a great feeling," said Mark Funk, the first resident to move into the Waterleaf apartments.
In the past, Funk said he and his wife lived in a small garage. Now, thanks to this bond, he can afford a safe home at the Waterleaf apartment.
"The apartment that we have is more than three times the size for only $100 more than our last apartment from which we moved," said Funk. "I would especially like to thank all the homeowners of Portland. Because much of the taxation that supports these homeless initiatives, these affordable housing projects, a lot of that burden falls on people that do own their homes."
Waterleaf has Studios, one, two and three bedroom apartments available. With new appliances, a community room, residential services and so much more.
Twenty of Waterleaf's 178 apartment homes are set aside for veterans under the Veteran Affairs Supportive Housing program.
Waterleaf is the second and final phase of BRIDGE’s RiverPlace Parcel 3 development. The first phase, The Vera, was completed in late 2019 and offers 203 affordable family apartments which, coupled with Waterleaf, brings a total of 381 affordable apartment homes to the area.
By 2025 — the city of Portland itself will open more than 900 affordable units with these bond funds. | https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/new-affortable-housing-riverplace-waterleaf-housing-bond/283-35b4be03-e245-4c23-b449-a1aa1ca0cae4 | 2023-05-02T02:26:56 | 1 | https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/new-affortable-housing-riverplace-waterleaf-housing-bond/283-35b4be03-e245-4c23-b449-a1aa1ca0cae4 |
ASTORIA, Ore. — A transit district that runs bus routes and paratransit services for Clatsop County riders and provides a bus service between Astoria and Portland has suspended its operations due to financial problems.
The Sunset Empire Transportation District’s board voted unanimously on April 27 to discontinue operations indefinitely and furlough employees. The agency has an annual budget of $6.6 million and 46 employees.
Jeff Hazan, the transit district's executive director, stunned those in attendance at an earlier special board meeting April 18 when he said the district was out of money and recommended suspending operations, The Astorian reported.
“The message is we will not be offering any public transportation services ... due to the financial situation that we’re in. We will get it restarted as soon as we have a financial package in place,” he told the newspaper.
It remains unclear how or why the transit district ran out of money so abruptly. The state is working to complete a financial audit on the transit district as soon as possible.
Debbie Boothe-Schmidt, the board chairwoman, said she did not learn of the financial issues until two weeks ago.
Karyn Criswell, a state Department of Transportation public transportation district administrator, said the transit district gave the state no indication of the financial crisis until last week.
Paratransit supervisor Nicholle Searle said 60 riders who rely on the district's service will not have transportation.
“I have riders who are going through dialysis, lifesaving treatments that they need to prepare, ask family, ask neighbors and being — excuse me, but — willy-nilly about … a decision — these people don’t have that kind of time to sit and wait," she said. | https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/north-coast/clatsop-county-transit-district-stops-service/283-a1a4df95-37b2-483a-9deb-f745657d5717 | 2023-05-02T02:27:02 | 1 | https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/north-coast/clatsop-county-transit-district-stops-service/283-a1a4df95-37b2-483a-9deb-f745657d5717 |
PORTLAND, Ore. — Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt along with Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler and local law enforcement announced plans Monday to create a pair of task forces to combat auto theft and organized retail theft.
Multnomah County will contribute $418,000 for two deputy district attorney positions, while Portland will kick in $370,000 for a pair of district attorney investigators and a legal assistant.
Schmidt said the task forces will focus on the worst offenders — prolific shoplifters and car thieves.
“We’ve got to prioritize the people who have three, four, five, six stolen car cases out there and make sure at the very least they are being held accountable,” said Schmidt.
Police data suggests there’s been a surge in auto theft and shoplifting cases in Portland over the past few years.
Some retailers complain shoplifting has become so out-of-control they don’t even bother reporting it. A KGW investigation showed criminals literally stealing merchandise off store shelves and walking out the front door with little or no fear of being arrested or prosecuted.
Multnomah County’s top prosecutor admitted he’s witnessed retail theft.
“I’m in the Lego aisle with my son and we saw somebody scoop up a bunch of Legos and walk out. I think we’ve all seen it,” said Schmidt.
A KGW report in November found the prosecution rate for misdemeanor petty theft cases in Portland, which includes shoplifting was 46%. That meant less than half of the Theft Two or Theft Three cases sent to the Multnomah County DA’s office by police were charged. Most cases were dismissed. At the time, Schmidt explained cases that are dismissed are often rejected because prosecutors don’t have the evidence they need.
RELATED: Multnomah County DA prosecutes fewer than half of misdemeanor theft cases, including shoplifting
The DA hopes the extra prosecutors and investigators on the task forces can help with that follow-up — such as collecting interviews, evidence or surveillance video.
“We think this will have an immediate impact,” explained Schmidt. “It will help us make sure that we’re making cases and that if we’re just lacking follow-up, they aren’t going to languish on the vine.”
In addition to the task forces, Portland police hope to build on its project using data science to help track down stolen cars. Officers at East precinct worked with OHSU cancer doctors to better understand how to collect and analyze stop data so they’d be more successful in identifying stolen cars.
“We’re starting to see this concerted effort be really efficient and effective,” said Portland Police Chief Chuck Lovell.
Last year, nearly 11,000 cars were stolen in Portland. On average, a vehicle is stolen every 48 minutes. | https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/portland-create-theft-stolen-cars-task-force/283-120822c1-9f5d-43ce-9e26-e91b174fe87a | 2023-05-02T02:27:08 | 1 | https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/portland-create-theft-stolen-cars-task-force/283-120822c1-9f5d-43ce-9e26-e91b174fe87a |
DAUPHIN COUNTY, Pa. — State Police were dispatched to I-83 northbound, exit 51A at 9:53 a.m. to investigate a fatal crash.
Upon arrival, it was discovered the car traveled off the right shoulder at a suspected high rate of speed when the driver lost control.
The car then skid through the grass, before becoming airborne three times and coming to a stop on the grassy shoulder of the 51A ramp.
The Dauphin County Coroner's Office was called to the scene and identified the victim as Gabriel Frederick, 22, of Lancaster County. | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/dauphin-county/early-morning-i-83-crash-in-dauphin-county-1-dead-pennsylvania/521-892b9cce-750c-44f5-ac56-feb058fb17a0 | 2023-05-02T02:28:02 | 0 | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/dauphin-county/early-morning-i-83-crash-in-dauphin-county-1-dead-pennsylvania/521-892b9cce-750c-44f5-ac56-feb058fb17a0 |
HARRISBURG, Pa. — Pennsylvania's state Senate on Monday approved legislation to ban so-called safe injection sites, after Philadelphia became the center of a legal battle over opening safe havens where opioid users could legally inject heroin and other drugs under supervision as a way to reduce overdoses.
The bill passed, 41-9, with every Republican in favor of it and nine of 22 Democrats against it.
The bill's sponsor, Sen. Christine Tartaglione, D-Philadelphia, said she supports recovery and harm-reduction efforts, such as needle exchanges and mobile methodone units, but not what she called “programs that perpetuate addiction without a path to recovery.”
Sen. Nikil Saval, D-Philadelphia, said efforts to ban the centers are based on misconceptions that they provide drugs or contribute to crime. Rather, the centers are sanitary and staffed by professionals who save lives by connecting addicts to treatment and services that can help them and reduce pressure on police and emergency responders, Saval said.
Gov. Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, has said he opposes safe injection sites. The subject has divided Democrats, making it unlikely that the bill will come up in the Democratic-controlled state House of Representatives.
The U.S. Department of Justice in 2021 won a lawsuit when the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia rejected a plan to open a supervised injection site in the city. The court concluded the operation would violate a 1980s-era drug law aimed at “crackhouses.”
The U.S. Supreme Court declined to take the case. The Justice Department has since said it is “evaluating” such facilities and talking to regulators about “appropriate guardrails.”
Rhode Island and New York City have allowed their use while the governors of California and Vermont each vetoed safe injection sites bill last summer. | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/pennsylvania-senate-votes-ban-safe-injection-sites/521-12742cf5-ec83-42d4-ac4b-3f33312d6fc3 | 2023-05-02T02:28:08 | 1 | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/pennsylvania-senate-votes-ban-safe-injection-sites/521-12742cf5-ec83-42d4-ac4b-3f33312d6fc3 |
PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, Md. — Maryland State Police are investigating a pedestrian-involved crash that left a suspect in a stabbing dead Monday afternoon.
At 4:15 p.m., police responded to Route 50 at Route 193 for reports of a crash involving a pedestrian.
According to MSP, a pedestrian walked into traffic and was hit by a tractor-trailer.
The pedestrian, 42-year-old Maurice Logan Mitchell of Annapolis, was taken to a local hospital, where he died.
Mitchell was considered a suspect in a stabbing that occurred earlier today in Annapolis.
Just before 2 p.m., Annapolis police were called to the 700 block of Newtowne Drive, where a woman was stabbed multiple times. Mitchell fled the scene.
Police determined the stabbing to be a domestic incident.
The woman was taken to Shock Trauma and is in critical condition.
Anyone with information can contact the Annapolis Police Department at 410-260-3439. | https://www.wmar2news.com/local/suspect-in-annapolis-stabbing-killed-in-pedestrian-crash | 2023-05-02T02:32:23 | 0 | https://www.wmar2news.com/local/suspect-in-annapolis-stabbing-killed-in-pedestrian-crash |
The local nonprofit Foundation 45 will host its "Narcan Happy Hour" Thursday in Deep Ellum to address opioid use and overdoses in the community.
Instead of cheap drinks, those who attend will receive two free doses of Narcan while supplies last. Narcan is the brand name for naloxone and is a medication used for emergency treatment of opioid overdose.
The nonprofit focuses on helping musicians, artists, and those in the entertainment industry with mental health and addiction.
“We provide free mental health services to our creative community. So, all of our groups are led by licensed professional counselors, which means that they are master level and above," said Lauren O'Connor, the president and executive director of Foundation 45. "We have a specific vetting process because we want to get the quality counselors to provide to the community, and everything is free to those 18 and up."
Thursday’s happy hour is free for those 21 and up and will take place at Three Links Deep Ellum, a well-known spot among those in Dallas’ creative community.
“This is a safe space for so many people. So, I think people are going to be a lot more relaxed and be able to have a drink,” O’Connor said. "I think it starts in the music venues, those in the creative communities, especially those touring, that's where we're seeing a lot of impact in general substance use. So, we just want to we wanted to start it off as a 21 and up event to get parents involved, friends, family members to have that adult conversation.”
The event will discuss topics including signs of an overdose, fentanyl test strips, harm reduction resources and safety tips.
“I just think this is just the beginning of a wonderful journey of us having that conversation with the community,” O’Connor said.
Narcan Happy Hour will be from 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, May 5 at Three Links located at 2704 Elm Street. No registration is required to attend. | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/nonprofits-narcan-happy-hour-to-raise-awareness-on-impact-of-opioids/3248120/ | 2023-05-02T02:36:15 | 1 | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/nonprofits-narcan-happy-hour-to-raise-awareness-on-impact-of-opioids/3248120/ |
A group of founders and former leaders of the Wyoming Food for Thought Project on Monday published a searing open letter accusing the Casper hunger relief organization’s board of directors of unfairly disciplining Executive Director Jamie Purcell — and wounding public trust in the nonprofit as a result.
“The actions of the board have destabilized the organization,” says the letter.
Purcell was placed on administrative leave the morning of April 20, according to Donovan Short, one of the letter’s authors. As of Monday, the group believed Purcell was still suspended and feared she would soon be fired.
The letter says Purcell was put on leave in relation to an internal complaint, which is being investigated by an outside attorney. It doesn’t say what the complaint was nor who is leading the investigation.
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It also alleges the board didn’t clearly communicate with Wyoming Food for Thought’s “stakeholders, funders or partners” about the inquiry or Purcell’s leave of absence. The letter’s authors suspect Purcell may have been pushed out before she had a chance to respond to the complaint.
The organization’s board of directors did not confirm Purcell’s leave of absence or that any disciplinary action had been taken against her.
Stephanie Sprecher, the board’s chair, declined a request for comment.
“Wyoming Food For Thought Project does not comment on personnel matters,” she wrote in an email to the Star-Tribune.
Purcell did not return a request for comment Monday.
Short and the letter’s other three signatories — Kim Summerall-Wright, Joe Dedic and Cassandra Bush — all played major roles in establishing Wyoming Food for Thought, which was founded in 2012. They’ve been in touch with Purcell in the days since her suspension, according to Short.
The board’s treatment of Purcell — whom the letter describes as the beating heart of the Wyoming Food for Thought Project — has put the organization’s future in jeopardy, the letter says. It asks current leadership to step down.
“We have been notified that long term partners will likely end their ties with WFFT regardless of the outcome of the investigation,” the letter reads.
According to the letter, this isn’t Wyoming Food for Thought’s first brush with internal conflict — it says the board fended off a “hostile takeover” by two members years ago.
The Wyoming Food For Thought Project is one of Casper’s best-known nonprofits.
It’s known for its weekend food bag program, community gardens and winter farmers market. It recently launched the Good Food Hub, a vendor and community space located downtown on First Street.
For the 2021 fiscal year, the organization pulled in $792,824 in revenue – almost entirely from contributions, according to data published by ProPublica’s nonprofit explorer. | https://trib.com/news/local/casper/wyoming-food-for-thought-founders-slam-board-over-directors-treatment/article_5b84beb8-e867-11ed-875a-d3585c96a825.html | 2023-05-02T02:40:16 | 1 | https://trib.com/news/local/casper/wyoming-food-for-thought-founders-slam-board-over-directors-treatment/article_5b84beb8-e867-11ed-875a-d3585c96a825.html |
BLOOMINGTON — The four newly elected members of the Bloomington City Council were officially sworn into office during a ceremony Monday at the Government Center.
Jenna Kearns (Ward 1), John Danenberger (Ward 4), Cody Hendricks (Ward 6) and Kent Lee (Ward 8) all swore to faithfully serve the city of Bloomington to the best of their ability. Alderwoman Donna Boelen also was sworn into a new term after running unopposed in the second ward.
The ceremony came after a roughly four-hour orientation on Saturday to educate the new council members on procedures, upcoming projects and other decisions.
Bloomington Mayor Mboka Mwilambwe said it is a special thing to be an elected official although he doesn't know how significant the honor is to each council member. However, he reminded each candidate that they are part of a group that is given the privilege by their community to make decisions on their behalf.
"I've seen already that you have a tremendous desire to learn and to serve and work with everyone on the council as well as staff on behalf of your constituents," Mwilambwe said to the new council members.
After Saturday's orientation, Kearns said it appears that a lot of the upcoming votes will involve public works and infrastructure.
"I'm making sure I'm the most prepared that I can be to move some of those projects forward that I know the community really wants," Kearns said.
She added that she hopes she can match the energy of city staff moving forward.
Lee said he is new to local government and knows there will be a lot thrown at him but looks forward to serving his ward.
"I ran on the infrastructure, safety and economy so I hope I can focus on those things and see how the current plans and projects align with those priorities," Lee said.
As part of the city of Bloomington's $290 million budget for the 2024 fiscal year, there will be a $10 million investment in concrete and asphalt repairs and other resurfacing projects. The city has committed about $7 million it received through the American Rescue Plan Act for infrastructure projects over the next two years. | https://www.pantagraph.com/news/local/new-bloomington-city-council-members-sworn-into-office/article_f66e16da-e87c-11ed-9353-dfe3ba4a2f7e.html | 2023-05-02T02:45:43 | 0 | https://www.pantagraph.com/news/local/new-bloomington-city-council-members-sworn-into-office/article_f66e16da-e87c-11ed-9353-dfe3ba4a2f7e.html |
Carol Jean Clark, 75, of Twin Falls died Friday, April 28, 2023, at St. Luke's Magic Valley Hospital. Arrangements are under the care of Parke's Magic Valley Funeral Home, Twin Falls.
Donald Sykora, 83, of Twin Falls died Saturday, April 29, 2023, at home. Arrangements are under the care of Parke's Magic Valley Funeral Home, Twin Falls.
Isidro Velasco, 66, of Twin Falls died Saturday, April 29, 2023, at home. Arrangements are under the care of Parke's Magic Valley Funeral Home, Twin Falls.
Roberta Pero, 84, of Jerome died Monday, May 1, 2023. Arrangements are under the care of Farnsworth Mortuary & Crematory, Jerome.
Joyce Snapp, 87, of Hagerman Monday, Saturday, April 29, 2023, at the North Canyon Medical Center in Gooding. Arrangements are under the care of Demaray Funeral Service - Gooding Chapel.
Jacob Roach, 22, of Hansen died Saturday, April 29, 2023. Arrangements are under the care of Parke's Magic Valley Funeral Home, Twin Falls. | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/obituaries/death-notices/article_c204e5d2-e853-11ed-ac81-4ffe6d7b8c37.html | 2023-05-02T02:54:17 | 1 | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/obituaries/death-notices/article_c204e5d2-e853-11ed-ac81-4ffe6d7b8c37.html |
Of the 1,154 bills filed, Indiana lawmakers approved 252 of those in the 2023 legislative session, with many still waiting for a final signature from the governor.
The Republican-controlled General Assembly convened for 110 days, during which education, health care and taxes dominated much of the discourse. The highlight, however, was the passage of Indiana’s new, $44 billion biennial budget.
Here’s a recap of the issues – some big, some small – and a look at what prevailed before “Sine Die” brought the 2023 session to a close.
Holcomb’s agenda
Gov. Eric Holcomb’s 2023 legislative agenda highlighted proposals for several major funding increases in the next two-year state budget, including paying for all K-12 textbooks, salary increases for state police troopers, and millions more for public health services in all 92 counties. A massive private school voucher expansion was the sticking point in the final hours of the session – although vouchers weren’t part of Holcomb’s priorities.
Still, the governor got most of what he wanted – saying he will “gladly sign” the final budget draft – and praised lawmakers for their work an hour after the session’s end.
He said the budget “contains unprecedented levels of commitment and investment in public education, public safety and public health – both mental and physical – workforce development and economic development, and community development, and numerous quality-of-life and quality-of-place initiatives that we are eager to get to work on.”
K-12 textbook fees: Indiana’s governor rallied hard to eliminate textbook and curricular fees for Hoosier kids. Figuring out how to fund the request proved less straightforward, though.
Holcomb’s proposed budget explicitly included a line item for textbook fees – separate from the school funding formula – directing funds to the state education department, which would then be responsible for dishing out textbook dollars to schools.
But House budget writers originally took a different approach, seeking to require schools to dip into their foundational funding to fully pay students’ curricular materials costs.
Pushback from public school officials prompted changes to that funding mechanism in the final budget plan.
Now, $160 million annual line item – added by Senate Republicans – ensures that Hoosier families will not have to pay student textbook fees in K-12 public schools. Private school students who qualify for free- or reduced-price lunch will also see their textbook fee waived, according to the budget.
21st Century Scholars: The Holcomb administrations’ push to get more Hoosiers educated included a move to automatically enroll eligible Hoosier students into Indiana’s 21st Century Scholars Program – a statewide grant program that funds lower income student attendance at two- and four-year schools.
A bill doing just that advanced to the governor’s desk last week.
House Bill 1449 requires the Indiana Commission for Higher Education to work with the state education department to identify kids who qualify for the program, and then notify students and parents about their eligibility. Students must agree to participate in 21st Century Scholars and can opt out at any time.
Big pay raises for some: In his initial budget request, Holcomb stressed the importance of increasing the state’s compensation for its employees, citing high turnover rates during the pandemic. The typical state employee saw a 5% boost to their salary, though lower-paid employees saw slightly more of a raise while higher-paid employees received a slightly smaller increase.
The final budget kept those increases, but gave the state’s highest elected offices their own boost – including a 48% raise for the governor’s office. Leaders said those offices were “woefully” underpaid and needed to grow in order to keep up with comparable positions.
Culture wars
Lawmakers said just weeks before the start of the legislative session that the 2023 General Assembly would avoid so-called “culture war” issues.
That was not the case, however. Multiple contentious bills targeted LGBTQ+ rights, especially transgender youth, and drew hundreds to rally in opposition to the Statehouse throughout the session.
Law passes banning gender-affirming care: The Indiana Youth Institute estimates that roughly 3,350 Hoosier children identify as transgender, but that small number fell under the spotlight repeatedly during the legislative session.
In particular, lawmakers targeted the estimated 1,000 children seeking gender-affirming care at the state’s only pediatric hospital, Indianapolis’ Riley Hospital for Children. Care includes assistance with social transitioning, access to puberty blockers and hormone replacement therapies – all of which are generally considered to be reversible, time-tested treatments.
Repeated, hours-long testimony failed to find any instance of a minor receiving a surgical intervention, which is not reversible.
Just hours after Holcomb signed the ban on gender-affirming care, the American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana filed a lawsuit to block the measure, representing a handful of children whose care would be disrupted by the prohibition.
Pronouns in classrooms: A controversial bill mandating that Indiana schools notify parents when a student asks for name or pronoun changes is now awaiting a signature from the governor.
House Bill 1608 also bans human sexuality instruction to the youngest Hoosier students.
The proposal is reminiscent of Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” law that has been described by some as one of the most “hateful” pieces of legislation in the country.
Supporters say parents have the “right” and “responsibility” to control what their children learn – and are called – when at school.
But critics of the bill – which was pared down in its final iteration – have argued that it’s part of a nationwide wave of legislation “singling out LGBTQ+ people and their families.”
More specifically, they say that the legislation could put transgender children at risk of harm if they’re outed to unsupportive or abusive parents.
Legislating ‘anti-woke’ pension investing: Indiana’s public retirement system and its external investment managers will begin operating under new scrutiny – after House Republicans successfully pushed through “finances-first” priority legislation.
House Bill 1008 is Indiana’s take on the national backlash brewing to ESG investing, when environmental, social and governmental factors are considered in investment decisions. Hours of discussion pitted some pension members and finance leaders against industries claiming ESG-based “financial discrimination.”
The legislation empowers a supportive state treasurer with investigating asset managers he suspects are engaging in ESG investing, and forces the retirement system to divest from violators unless it can’t find “comparable” replacements.
Indiana Capital Chronicle is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Indiana Capital Chronicle maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Niki Kelly for questions: info@indianacapitalchronicle.com. Follow Indiana Capital Chronicle on Facebook and Twitter. | https://www.journalgazette.net/local/several-bills-head-on-to-become-law-at-end-of-indiana-legislative-session/article_17995106-e866-11ed-8aea-07f6f6cf64bf.html | 2023-05-02T02:57:14 | 0 | https://www.journalgazette.net/local/several-bills-head-on-to-become-law-at-end-of-indiana-legislative-session/article_17995106-e866-11ed-8aea-07f6f6cf64bf.html |
PHOENIX — On Monday 12News Reporter Joe Dana and his sister, Kari Gibney, discussed the passing of Kent Dana one year ago.
Kent died on April 19th, 2022, from complications resulting from hip surgery. He was 80 years old.
The siblings discussed with Mark Curtis and Caribe Devine their memories of Kent as a father, grandfather, and broadcaster.
He was an evening anchor for 12 News from 1979 to 2005. He anchored at CBS 5 from 2006 to 2011.
Joe Dana has been a reporter and anchor for 12News since 2002.
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12News+ showcases live video throughout the day for breaking news, local news, weather and even an occasional moment of Zen showcasing breathtaking sights from across Arizona. | https://www.12news.com/article/news/local/arizona/broadcast-legend-kent-dana-remembered-during-12-news-70th-anniversary/75-694ac2db-c44c-47c8-b9e8-13ed5ca0ef6b | 2023-05-02T02:57:28 | 1 | https://www.12news.com/article/news/local/arizona/broadcast-legend-kent-dana-remembered-during-12-news-70th-anniversary/75-694ac2db-c44c-47c8-b9e8-13ed5ca0ef6b |
PHOENIX — Phoenix is among the cities in the nation warming the fastest and is seeing more calls and deaths from the heat.
On Monday, city officials gathered to kick off Heat Awareness Week, hoping to let people know of the dangers of the heat and what's available to assist residents through the hot summer months.
"We saw about 1,600 people call 911 last year because of a heat emergency, about 435 people died prematurely from heat in Maricopa County," David Hondula, Phoenix's Director of Heat Response and Mitigation said. "Those are really significant numbers.
Those are numbers that Hondula said have been increasing and adds people who are experiencing homelessness are more at risk. Last year, Hondula said there was an increase of 10%-15% in heat-related 911 calls and a 25% increase in heat-associated deaths.
"We're focused every day on trying to move those numbers in the other direction as quickly as possible," Hondula said.
Programs like Phoenix's Weatherization Assistance Program and Emergency Rental Assitance are available to assist residents to help address heat-related housing costs.
In addition, city staff and volunteers will be on the streets again this summer to provide heat relief help like already filled reusable water bottles, sunscreen, hats and electrolytes.
What will be new on the streets this year is a van that will be parked to help provide those items complete with a tent for shade as well as chairs, fan and a generator.
"If someone wants to come and sit in the shade for about two hours and talk to our Phoenix C.A.R.E.S. person about other resources that are going to be available to them. That's now an option that wasn't available in the past in the hope that we continue to get people into care," Michelle Litwin, Phoenix's Heat Response Program Manager said.
Litwin said people are welcome to volunteer to help with those stations as well.
Cooling and respite centers and hydration stations are also going to be available around the city and county through Maricopa Association of Government's Heat Relief Network, which is still looking for additional locations.
"We do need more particularly for some critical gaps in the network, like late afternoon and evening hours and weekends. That's when we really could use some help," Hondula said.
When out in the heat, Phoenix's Public Health Advisor Nicole Witt recommends people drink a lot of water, and be aware of dizzyness or signs of dehydration. In addition to keeping an eye on others.
"If they're looking red, they're sweating very heavily, get them into a cool area, get them into shade. If you can't find A/C, make sure they're drinking water and staying hydrated," Witt said.
Up to Speed
Catch up on the latest news and stories on the 12News YouTube channel. Subscribe today. | https://www.12news.com/article/news/local/heatbeat/heat-relief-during-hot-phoenix-summer/75-f8408fd8-b807-4d37-afad-1d0a357d2d33 | 2023-05-02T02:57:34 | 0 | https://www.12news.com/article/news/local/heatbeat/heat-relief-during-hot-phoenix-summer/75-f8408fd8-b807-4d37-afad-1d0a357d2d33 |
PHOENIX — Gov. Katie Hobbs has signed legislation that allows Arizona's 911 dispatchers to receive free trauma therapy.
Police officers and firefighters already qualify for a program that funds therapy sessions for public safety workers who undergo traumatic experiences while on the job.
State law allows an officer or firefighter to get 12 free counseling sessions if they witnessed a person's death, was subjected to deadly force, or were involved in a case where children were victimized.
House Bill 2717 ensures 911 dispatchers can also qualify for this benefit if they encounter a traumatizing experience while on duty.
Hobbs announced Monday she had signed the bill after it passed through the Arizona Legislature with broad bipartisan support.
HB 2717 prohibits employers from forcing dispatchers to use their vacation or sick time to attend therapy sessions.
The legislation comes at a time when Arizona desperately needs more 911 dispatchers.
The Arizona APCO/NENA Chapter has previously told 12News that public safety agencies across the state have reported staffing shortages ranging between 25-60%.
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12News+ showcases live video throughout the day for breaking news, local news, weather and even an occasional moment of Zen showcasing breathtaking sights from across Arizona. | https://www.12news.com/article/news/local/valley/hobbs-sign-bill-911-dispatchers-qualify-trauma-therapy/75-477fba3d-d21c-48b0-9a53-a9e9cd22ad87 | 2023-05-02T02:57:40 | 0 | https://www.12news.com/article/news/local/valley/hobbs-sign-bill-911-dispatchers-qualify-trauma-therapy/75-477fba3d-d21c-48b0-9a53-a9e9cd22ad87 |
Celebration of Life planned for Marta Moody
A Celebration of Life for Marta Moody, the late executive director of the Delaware-Muncie Metropolitan Plan Commission, will be conducted on Saturday, May 20, at the Kitselman Trailhead on East Jackson Street in Muncie.
Moody, who died in January, was also president of the Cardinal Greenways Board of Directors. The program will begin with remarks from her family followed by the opportunity for her friends and colleagues to speak about her. A memorial plaque will be dedicated by the Cardinal Greenways to honor her many commitments to the Greenway and the community as a whole.A reception will be conducted immediately following the Celebration of Life at the Cardinal Greenway Depot at 700 E. Wysor St. Light Refreshments will be served.
A memorial website has been set up for family, friends and colleagues to share condolences and memories at: https://everloved.com/memorial/marta-moody/ . | https://www.thestarpress.com/story/news/local/2023/05/01/celebration-of-life-planned-for-marta-moody/70170665007/ | 2023-05-02T02:59:35 | 0 | https://www.thestarpress.com/story/news/local/2023/05/01/celebration-of-life-planned-for-marta-moody/70170665007/ |
BOONE, Iowa — A response to a no-contact order violation took a turn when a fire broke out at a Boone home, according to Boone police.
Officers initially responded to a home in the 1300 block of College Street at approximately 2:43 p.m. on Monday. At the time, police believed someone was in violation of a no contact order.
When they arrived, police found Michael Glynn, the subject of the no contact order. Glynn was the only person at the house.
Police worked with Boone County Sheriff's Office and the Iowa State Patrol to secure the home.
Officials attempted to convince Glynn to leave the home, but he refused.
As officials continued their efforts, a fire was started inside the home and eventually spread to the entire structure, according to a press release.
The Boone Fire Department, Boone County Ambulance and Iowa State Patrol Tactical Team responded to assist with the fire.
Glynn left the residence at approximately 4:44 p.m. and was taken into custody. He was taken to the Boone County Hospital.
Local 5 will update this story as more information becomes available. Download the We Are Iowa app or subscribe to Local 5's "5 Things to Know" email newsletter for the latest.
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► Subscribe to Local 5 News on YouTube | https://www.weareiowa.com/article/news/local/1300-college-street-house-fire-boone-iowa-police-no-contact-order-updates/524-752b4d8a-c667-4b8f-b3f5-f38b15ba1ade | 2023-05-02T03:01:42 | 1 | https://www.weareiowa.com/article/news/local/1300-college-street-house-fire-boone-iowa-police-no-contact-order-updates/524-752b4d8a-c667-4b8f-b3f5-f38b15ba1ade |
AMES, Iowa — A nurse practitioner in Ames has been arrested and charged with sexual exploitation of a minor, according to Ames police.
Police executed search warrants at the home and business of 44-year-old Carl Markley of Ames, according to a criminal complaint. Detectives seized several electronic devices during the search, including a clock featuring a hidden camera.
After further investigation, police located "images of individuals taken by covert means in Markley's clinic" as well as web history indicating that Markley searched for "tween porn sites."
One of the photos from the clinic shows Markley touching a minor male's genitals. The victim in the photo verified his identity to detectives, saying the photo depicted him at age 15-16.
The victim told police that Markley told him that he needed a physical examination in order to work at Markley's business. The offense took place on Oct. 13, 2020, according to the criminal complaint.
In addition to working as a nurse practitioner, Markley is also one of the owners of Inside Golf and Perfect Games in Ames, the Iowa State Daily reports.
Ames Superintendent Dr. Julious Lawson informed families of Markley's arrest via email, saying Markley helped perform athletic physicals at the district's middle and high school as far back as 2014.
In a statement to Local 5, the district said "We want to reiterate, as a district, the safety of our students is a number one priority and we would never knowingly put them in harm's way. We take this matter very seriously and have been working cooperatively with the Ames Police Department."
Markley also helped perform physicals in the Gilbert Community School District. In an email to parents, district officials said they are not currently aware of any suspicious incidents, but asked parents to speak to their children if they've received a physical at school since 2017.
Markley was initially arrested on April 28, but posted bond on April 29.
However, Markley was arrested again on Monday and is charged with pimping, prostitution and human trafficking. His bail is set at $10,000.
If you or someone you know may have information about this case, you're asked to contact Ames police at 515-239-5230.
Anonymous tips can be submitted at 515-239-5533 or to Crime Stoppers of Central Iowa. | https://www.weareiowa.com/article/news/local/carl-markley-ames-nurse-practitioner-schools-sexual-exploitation-of-a-minor-prostitution-pimping-human-trafficking/524-40bd4095-4da0-4ce1-8b51-af8ce6acf79c | 2023-05-02T03:01:49 | 0 | https://www.weareiowa.com/article/news/local/carl-markley-ames-nurse-practitioner-schools-sexual-exploitation-of-a-minor-prostitution-pimping-human-trafficking/524-40bd4095-4da0-4ce1-8b51-af8ce6acf79c |
INDIANAPOLIS — One person is dead in a crash on the near east side of Indianapolis Monday night.
The single-vehicle crash happened around 8:30 p.m. at Hillside Avenue and Tipton Street. An IMPD spokesman tells 13News the occupant of the vehicle died at the scene.
The crash remains under investigation.
This story will be updated as more details are confirmed. | https://www.wthr.com/article/news/local/1-killed-in-east-indianapolis-single-vehicle-crash/531-811e47ea-1658-4450-b55b-395a3f727518 | 2023-05-02T03:12:25 | 0 | https://www.wthr.com/article/news/local/1-killed-in-east-indianapolis-single-vehicle-crash/531-811e47ea-1658-4450-b55b-395a3f727518 |
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (WIAT) — Tuscaloosa Police are trying to find whoever is responsible for breaking into cars at Sokol Park.
In the past month investigators say there’s been a rash of burglaries where thieves are shattering windows and stealing valuables.
Gina Kelly’s car was broken into Friday night while she was watching her grandsons play at baseball game at the park. Thieves stole her purse and charged more than $12,000 on several of her credit cards. Kelly’s daughter’s vehicle was also broken into, Kelly says the whole experience was terrible.
“I am really upset because my purse was stolen, and everything was in my purse and I can’t believe I left it in the car I did leave it in the car but it was not in plain sight it was under my seat, and it just upsets my they went through my stuff and stole my things,” said Kelly.
Capt. Michael Baygents is urging folks to lock their doors and make sure not leave valuables in your car. He is in charge of the Criminal Investigation Division with Tuscaloosa Police.
“We are having car auto burglaries where windows are getting busted and most cases people are leaving items of value inside the cars in view and persons are breaking the window and grabbing valuables and are taking off and we’ve had these at Sokol Park and the trail head on Rice Mine,” Baygents said.
Tuscaloosa Park and Recreation Authority has rangers who patrol the park. Becky Booker handled public relations for PARA.
“We have our park rangers for several reasons and our rangers patrol around and they are looking for situations and they are here available for safety reasons,” said Booker.
TPD is asking is anyone has any information on the car break-ins to call Tuscaloosa Police. | https://www.cbs42.com/news/local/tuscaloosa-car-break-ins-under-investigation-at-sokol-park/ | 2023-05-02T03:16:34 | 0 | https://www.cbs42.com/news/local/tuscaloosa-car-break-ins-under-investigation-at-sokol-park/ |
BOISE, Idaho — After three years working at one of the largest home lenders in the state - Fulcrum Home Loans - Senior Loan Officer Tom Kirchmeyer has noticed a trend.
"A slight increase in people tired of paying rent and wanting to do this on their own," Kirchmeyer said. "They're starting to get married, have a family, so everyone's you know, wanting to settle down."
Pew Research Center defines millennials as anyone born between 1981 - 1996. Meaning, millennials are now in their 40's. It's this same group of people who are starting to dig into the housing market across the country.
A RentCafe report analyzed U.S. Census numbers to conclude 52% of millennials are now homeowners. Boise ranks 6th nationally in the metric - only looking at the top 110 metropolitan areas by population - where 71.7% of millennials own a home.
"You know, I know the numbers last year were like 48% and that's compared to like 70% for some of the older generations," Kirchmeyer said. "Even though rates are higher people still wanna live here. It's volatile. Very low housing inventory."
Millennials are still purchasing homes later in life than previous generations, according to Kirchmeyer. Not to mention, the city - and Treasure Valley as a whole - is booming in population.
"Especially over the past three years, the majority of our business has been people relocating [to Idaho]," Kirchmeyer said. "They see the affordability. They see a better style of living."
Kirchmeyer attributes a portion of the increasing number of millennial homeowners to realtors and lenders leveraging social media to connect with younger audiences. The report concluded millennial homeownership in Boise has increased by 82.1% over the last 5 years.
Kirchmeyer adds the biggest barrier to becoming a homeowner is preparation, and the decision made years in advance.
"The rising amount of debt that people are carrying, that's the biggest thing I see. live within your means," Kirchmeyer said. "Pay off your debt, keep your payments, manageable, and, you know, buying a house just kind of it comes along with that."
Watch more Local News:
See the latest news from around the Treasure Valley and the Gem State in our YouTube playlist: | https://www.ktvb.com/article/news/local/local-report-nearly-72-of-millennials-in-boise-are-homeowners/277-bc95db4f-f31a-4990-a482-57be5e261973 | 2023-05-02T03:19:19 | 0 | https://www.ktvb.com/article/news/local/local-report-nearly-72-of-millennials-in-boise-are-homeowners/277-bc95db4f-f31a-4990-a482-57be5e261973 |
FRISCO, Texas — The City of Frisco has revoked the permit for the Frisco Fair, effectively canceling the remainder of the two-week event.
The city on Monday cited public safety concerns for the decision to take away the fair's special events permit.
According to the city, the police department received multiple calls to the fair over the weekend in regards to "disruptive behavior, arguments, fights and gunshots."
The police response, according to the city, required 26 officers for calls on Saturday, April 29, alone.
The city did not detail what led to the calls, but said the decision to revoke the permit was based on an assessment of what had occurred.
Frisco police on Sunday dispelled rumors swirling on social media about gunshots being fired at the fair. The department would only say that it responded to multiple disturbances in that area -- including a shots fired call -- but said that no gunshot victims were found, and no arrests made.
The fair had been slated to run through Sunday, May 14.
Refunds for any pre-sold tickets should be addressed with the fair itself, the city said.
"Frisco believes its permit revocation is in the community's best interest," the city's statement read. | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/frisco-fair-canceled-remainder-schedule-permit-revoked-by-city/287-ed0261b3-912f-4290-8f5f-4cad0207fcb9 | 2023-05-02T03:29:21 | 0 | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/frisco-fair-canceled-remainder-schedule-permit-revoked-by-city/287-ed0261b3-912f-4290-8f5f-4cad0207fcb9 |
State parks near San Antonio could face same threat as closed North Texas park
Texas has roughly 700,000 acres of state parks. To put it in perspective, that is roughly the size of the entire state of Rhode Island.
State parks across Texas, including some near San Antonio, could face the same threat that resulted in the closure of one North Texas park.
Texas has roughly 700,000 acres of state parks; that's roughly the size of the entire state of Rhode Island. The parks see massive visitorship throughout the year, but a park southeast of Dallas that closed in February is raising alarm bells for parks throughout the state.
Fairfield Lake State Park
"People need the opportunity to come and experience nature, to experience the serenity of what it feels like to sit on the lake shore and hear the leaves rustling and the waves of the lake lapping against the shore," Fairfield Park Superintendent Daniel Stauffer said.
The beautiful waters of Fairfield Lake in North Texas are at the center of a storm brewing around our state parks. If lawmakers don't take action, the public may never see those waters again.
"The State of Texas has made a vast amount of improvements. We've put in hiking trails, we put in camping spaces, we've got two boat ramps people can use," Stauffer said.
The Fairfield Lake was created in 1969 by damming Big Brown Creek to make a cooling reservoir for the Big Brown power plant. The land around it was granted a state park designation in 1976.
In 2018, the power plant was decommissioned. By April of 2021, it was demolished. And, almost two years later came more shocking news: Vistra Corporation, which ran the plant, was selling the 5,000-acre site.
An investment firm in Dallas is now planning to build a private, gated community there.
"Yeah, it's been a real gut punch to me and the people here, as well as the people of Texas," Stauffer said. "There will be no more access to the lake, no more camping opportunities, fishing opportunities, boating opportunities. So the public will no longer be allowed into the state park or access to Fairfield lake."
House Bill 4757
And the investment firm buying the site was not willing to negotiate.
State Rep. Angelia Orr (R-D13), whose district includes Fairfield State Park, co-authored a bill that could prevent this from happening in the future.
"I'm very confident that we're going to save this state park," Orr said.
House Bill 4757 requires whoever owns the land and lake to get TCEQ and Texas Parks and Wildlife's permission before a drop of water is removed from the lake. An added amendment would ensure "historical public access," meaning even if there is a gated community, anybody who lives outside can still use the lake.
"Well, that's been the goal all along—just to get to the table to talk. And I would think this would be very instrumental in that," Rep. Orr said. "I think this bill gets the parties back to the table so that we can have a conversation about it… and I think the result in that conversation will be that we save this state park."
Fairfield Lake is not the only such wilderness area in this situation. There are 15 total state parks leased from private organizations. The two closest to the Alamo City are Lake Casa Blanca in Laredo and Choke Canyon, the latter of which sits just 100 miles south of San Antonio.
Looking ahead
State Sen. Charles Schwertner also represents the Fairfield Lake area and says the legislature is not stopping with Fairfield.
"The state has put in millions, tens of millions of dollars in improvements since 1976, in the state park… and so that needs to be recognized as well," Sen. Schwertner said.
He says there are amendments in the state budget to examine all the state park leases, adding work is being done to make sure the state gets the first crack at any current leased park land whenever it sells.
"If we do have that option and opportunity to lease – essentially for free – a piece of property and turn it into a state park, that the state's interests are protected and that we are first in line and have a right of first refusal if that property owner decides to divest of that property," Sen. Schwertner said.
Many of the leased parks are on federal land, so the chances are low this battle would come up again. But, until the governor signs the bill, there remains a chance.
"We have so little access as it stands now," Stauffer said. "Losing any piece of that would be a tragedy."
>TRENDING ON KENS 5 YOUTUBE: | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/texas/texas-state-park-gated-community-firm-outdoors-expensive/273-c2765130-50c7-49b6-b9c9-3ed9b4d14168 | 2023-05-02T03:29:27 | 0 | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/texas/texas-state-park-gated-community-firm-outdoors-expensive/273-c2765130-50c7-49b6-b9c9-3ed9b4d14168 |
The director of the state's child protection agency is leaving her post after five years to become chief executive officer of the American Red Cross, Indiana region.
The governor's office announced Monday that Terry Stigdon's last day as Indiana Department of Child Services director will be Friday.
Stigdon was appointed DCS director in early 2018. During her tenure, DCS halved the number of children in foster care, prioritized child placement in home- and community-based settings instead of residential facilities, and developed new screening tools for DCS involvement in child abuse and neglect incidents, among other accomplishments.
"Under her leadership, Terry has focused on serving children in need with the right services at the right time, which resulted in more children receiving the right care," said Gov. Eric Holcomb.
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Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb speaks to reporters April 28, 2023, following the adjournment of the 2023 Indiana General Assembly
"Terry leads with compassion, kindness and grace and has embraced all of Indiana’s children as if they were her own, and we are all better because of it. While I will miss her, I’m equally excited for her next chapter of service to others," he added.
Stigdon, a registered nurse, will take the helm as Indiana Red Cross CEO May 15, overseeing Red Cross programs and services for over 6 million people in 104 counties and six Red Cross chapters.
"I'm very excited to be joining the American Red Cross and have long been impressed by the lifesaving mission of this humanitarian organization. As a part of their many services, the community resiliency efforts of the Indiana Red Cross are making a difference and I can’t wait to roll up my sleeves and get to work alongside our many Red Cross volunteers and employees!" Stigdon said.
Holcomb said he's selected Eric Miller, DCS chief of staff and senior adviser to Stigdon, as new leader of the state child protection agency. Miller previously served as chief of staff at the Indiana Department of Health.
Riding Shotgun with the Gary Fire Department
"Eric has a demonstrated history of public service and is clearly committed to acting in the best interest of all Hoosiers," Holcomb said. "I have no doubt DCS is poised to make continued progress under his leadership and benefit from a seamless transition."
Miller said he's honored to lead such a vital state agency.
"I appreciate Gov. Holcomb's confidence in me, and I'm delighted to build on the important work started under Director Stigdon and continue to improve how we protect and serve our most vulnerable children and families," Miller said.
Gallery: Indiana historical markers in the Region
First Physician
First Physician
Location: 2985 W. 73rd Place, Merrillville
Erected by Woman's Auxiliary, Lake County Medical Society
Henry D. Palmer, M.D. (1809-1877) located at this site in 1836. First physician in Lake County, he was also counselor to the pioneers for 40 years and member of the underground railroad aiding escaped slaves.
Great Sauk (Sac) Trail
Great Sauk (Sac) Trail
Location: Van Buren Street at West 73rd Avenue (Old U.S. 30/Lincoln Highway) on traffic median east of Calumet Cemetery and west of Broadway, Merrillville
Erected by Indiana Sesquicentennial Commission, 1966
Part of a transcontinental trail used by prehistoric peoples of North America, it passed through modern Detroit, Rock Island and Davenport in the Midwest. The trail was important into the 19th century.
St. John's Lutheran Church Tolleston
St. John's Lutheran Church Tolleston
Location: 2235 W. 10th Avenue at Taft Avenue, southeast corner, Gary
St. John's Church, the oldest surviving institution in Gary and north of the Little Calumet River, began with the work of the Rev. Henry Wunder in the early 1860's. He regularly came from Chicago by horse and buggy. Baptism records date from 1863; the first church was built on this site in 1868 or 1869; 1870 is celebrated as date of organization. The church served German immigrants to Tolleston (named for George Tolle who came in 1856). Tolleston was annexed to Gary in 1910.
Dutch in the Calumet Region
Dutch in the Calumet Region
Location: 8941 Kleinman Road, Highland
Erected 1992 Indiana Historical Bureau and Lamprecht Florist & Greenhouse, established 1923
Dutch immigrants after 1850 began moving to this area because of its similarities to their homeland. They helped to locate ditches to drain water from the extensive marshes, leaving rich land to expand successful horticultural activities.
St. John Township School, District #2
St. John Township School, District #2
Location: 1515 Joliet Street (Old U.S. 30/Lincoln Highway), east of St. John Road at the St. John Township Community Center, Schererville
Erected 1995 Indiana Historical Bureau and Committee to Save Township School #2
Built, 1853, approximately one half mile south; closed, 1907; moved to this site and restored for educational and community uses, 1993-1994. One of twelve St. John Township schools; structure typical of early one-room school buildings in Indiana.
The Lincoln Highway/The Ideal Section
The Lincoln Highway/The Ideal Section
Location: Southeast corner U.S. 30 (Joliet Street) and Janice Drive, Schererville
Erected 1996 Indiana Historical Bureau, Northwest Indiana Lincoln Highway Association, Dyer and Schererville Historical Societies, Sand Ridge Bank, Welsh, Inc.
United States' first transcontinental highway, constructed 1913-1928, from New York City to San Francisco. Dedicated to the memory of Abraham Lincoln. Conceived by Carl G. Fisher to encourage building "good roads." Sponsored by Lincoln Highway Association and supported by automotive industries.
The Lincoln Highway/The Ideal Section
"Ideal Section" - 1.5 miles - of Lincoln Highway, completed 1923, designed and built as a model for road construction. Funded by county, state, and U.S. Rubber Co. Features included 100 foot right-of-way, 40 foot paved width, 10 inch steel-reinforced concrete, underground drainage, lighted, landscaped, bridge, and pedestrian pathways.
Froebel School - side 1
Froebel School - side 1
Location: 15th Avenue and Madison Street, Gary
Installed 2014 Indiana Historical Bureau, Froebel Alumni Park Committee, and Northern Indiana Public Service Company
Froebel opened here, 1912, as many European immigrants and southern blacks moved to Gary for jobs in steel mills. An experiment in progressive education, it served students of diverse backgrounds and the local community. Despite early status as integrated school, black students were excluded from many extracurricular activities and facilities into 1940s. Closed 1977.
Continued
Froebel School
Froebel School
Location: 15th Avenue and Madison Street, Gary
Installed 2014 Indiana Historical Bureau, Froebel Alumni Park Committee, and Northern Indiana Public Service Company
After WWII, Froebel made national headlines when hundreds of white students walked out protesting "integration experiment" there. "Hate strikes" lasted several weeks in 1945 and reflected growing racial tension in North. In 1946, Gary school board adopted desegregation policy, but discrimination continued. Indiana state law desegregating public schools passed 1949.
Stewart Settlement House
Stewart Settlement House
Location: 1501 E. Massachusetts St., Gary
Installed 2014 Indiana Historical Bureau, Indiana Landmarks, and Christ United Methodist Church
Stewart House was organized during depression of 1921 to provide social services for Gary’s black community. A vital neighborhood center for unemployed WWI veterans and southern blacks who migrated for jobs in steel mills, it helped thousands adjust to urban life. Services included lodging and meals, as well as legal, medical, and employment advice. Moved here, 1925.
Stewart Settlement House
Stewart Settlement House
Location: 1501 E. Massachusetts St., Gary
Installed 2014 Indiana Historical Bureau, Indiana Landmarks, and Christ United Methodist Church
U.S. Steel, with an interest in regulating its workers, helped fund the settlement house, designed by architect W.W. Cooke. The Methodist Episcopal Church and Gary’s blacks also donated funds. Rev. Frank Delaney guided its development as superintendent, 1920-1939, and made it a source of pride for blacks. During Great Depression, it aided hundreds daily. Closed 1970s.
Origin of Dr. MLK Day Law
Origin of Dr. MLK Day Law
Location: 1927 Madison St., Gary
Installed 2019 Indiana Historical Bureau, KHEF, Inc., Atty. Junifer Hall, Atty. Jacqueline Hall, and Law Office of Deacon-Atty. John Henry Hall
Rep. Katie Hall (1938-2012)
Democratic leader Katie Hall was born in rural Mississippi and moved to Indiana in 1960. She taught in Gary before serving in the Indiana General Assembly, 1974-82. Hall became the first African American U.S. Representative from Indiana, serving 1982-85. During her tenure, she authored and sponsored the bill that made Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day a federal holiday.
Origin of Dr. MLK Day Law
Origin of Dr. MLK Day Law
Location: 1927 Madison St., Gary
Installed 2019 Indiana Historical Bureau, KHEF, Inc., Atty. Junifer Hall, Atty. Jacqueline Hall, and Law Office of Deacon-Atty. John Henry Hall
Origin of Dr. MLK Day Law
The struggle to make Dr. King’s birthday a federal holiday began soon after the civil rights leader’s death in 1968. Growing interest, publicity, and advocacy helped Representative Hall secure passage of a bill in 1983. President Ronald Reagan signed the bill into law that November, designating every third Monday in January as the holiday. Celebration began in 1986.
Bailly Homestead
Bailly Homestead
Location: Bailly Cemetery, U.S. 12
Marker no longer standing.
Home of Joseph Bailly, a French Canadian, who established a fur trading post here on the Detroit-Chicago road in 1822. It became a center of trade, culture and religion. The family cemetery is on the land near by.
Iron Brigade
Iron Brigade
Location: Eastbound U.S. 20 at southeast corner of Ind. 49 overpass, Chesterton
Erected 1995 Indiana Historical Bureau, Porter Co. Tour. Com., Indpls. Civil War Rnd. Tbl., Porter Cmp. 116, Dept. of Ind., Sons of Un. Vets. of Civil War
Composed of infantry regiments from Indiana, Wisconsin, and Michigan, the Iron Brigade fought with Army of the Potomac during the Civil War (1861-1865). Received name for valor at battle of South Mountain, Maryland (1862). Sustained combat fatalities among the highest in the Union armies.
Willow Creek Confrontation
Willow Creek Confrontation
Location: Southeast corner of Woodland Park, 2100 Willow Creek Road, Portage
Erected 1995 Indiana Historical Bureau
As railroad lines expanded through U.S., conflict occurred between competing lines. Michigan Central Railroad, with track in Porter County since 1851, briefly defied state militia and court orders (1874) to allow Baltimore and Ohio Railroad to cross its track. Crossing was built at Willow Creek Station.
Ogden ski jump.jpg
Ogden Dunes Ski Jump
Location: Kratz Field, 82 Hillcrest Road at Boat Club Road, Ogden Dunes
Erected 1997 Indiana Historical Bureau and Historical Society of Ogden Dunes.
Steel and wood ski jump with adjustable height and length was built here for Ogden Dunes Ski Club, incorporated in 1927 to promote winter sports. Five annual events with international competitors were held 1928-1932, with 7, 000 to 20, 000 spectators. Reputed to be the largest artificial ski jump at the time. Dismantled after 1932 event.
Teale 1.jpg
Edwin Way Teale
Location: 285 E. U.S. Highway 20, Chesterton
Installed: 2009 Indiana Historical Bureau and Musette Lewry Trust
Born 1899 in Illinois, Teale became an influential naturalist, author, and photographer[ who won 1966 Pulitzer Prize for his book Wandering Through Winter. Teale wrote that boyhood summers and holidays spent near here at his grandparents’ farm inspired his interest in nature. Teale moved to New York City; employed by Popular Science Monthly 1928-1941.
Teale 2.jpg
Edwin Way Teale
Location: 285 E. U.S. Highway 20, Chesterton
Installed: 2009 Indiana Historical Bureau and Musette Lewry Trust
Teale published his first critically acclaimed book, Grassroot Jungles, in 1937. In 1943, he published Dune Boy, recollections of time spent exploring the dunes and woodlands in this area. During his life, he wrote, edited, and contributed to over 30 books, which educated Americans about nature’s importance and beauty. He died in Connecticut in 1980.
Steel 1.jpg
Legacy of Steel/Burns Harbor Steel Plant
Location: Burns Harbor Town Hall, 1240 N. Boo Rd., Burns Harbor
Installed 2018 Indiana Historical Bureau, ArcelorMittal, and the Town of Burns Harbor
In the early 1900s, steel plants were developed on southern Lake Michigan to improve access to growing Midwest markets. After purchasing 3,300 acres in Porter County, Bethlehem Steel built and began its Burns Harbor operations in 1964. The plant’s development spurred local conservation efforts leading to the creation of the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore in 1966.
Steel 2.jpg
Legacy of Steel/Burns Harbor Steel Plant
Location: Burns Harbor Town Hall, 1240 N. Boo Rd., Burns Harbor
Installed 2018 Indiana Historical Bureau, ArcelorMittal, and the Town of Burns Harbor
The Burns Harbor plant was key to building the Port of Indiana and incorporation of the Town of Burns Harbor in 1967. Designed as a fully integrated plant, it relies on the port for transporting raw materials. Since 1969, Burns Harbor remains the newest integrated U.S. steel facility. Global steelmaker ArcelorMittal gained ownership of the Burns Harbor plant in 2007.
Civil War camps.jpg
Civil War Camps
Location: Ind. 2 W and Colfax Avenue, La Porte
Erected by the Indiana Civil War Centennial Commission, 1963
Two Civil War training camps: Colfax and Jackson, were located near La Porte. The 9th and 29th Indiana Volunteer Infantry regiments were organized and trained here.
Old lighthouse.jpg
Old Lighthouse
Location: Old Lighthouse Museum in Washington Park, Michigan City
Marker no longer standing. Replaced by local marker.
Built on the water’s edge, 1858, by the United States Government. One of the first lights on the Great Lakes. Harriet E. Colfax was the tender from 1853-1903. Remodelled 1904, electrified 1933, discontinued 1960.
Railroad.jpg
Chicago-New York Electric Air Line Railroad
Location: CR 250 and Ind. 39, south LaPorte
Erected 1995 Indiana Historical Bureau.
Proposed in 1905 as a 742 mile, straight-line, high speed route, without crossings; estimated ten hours travel time at a cost of ten dollars. Just under twenty miles, between LaPorte and Chesterton, were constructed, 1906-1911.
Camp Anderson.jpg
Camp Anderson
Location: 2404 E. Michigan Boulevard at Carroll Street, Michigan City
Erected 1996 Indiana Historical Bureau and McDonald's Restaurant
One of three Civil War training camps in La Porte County. Site is one fourth mile west. Named for Colonel Edward Anderson. Used 1863-1864 to train Indiana Union volunteers of the 127th, 128th, and 129th regiments.
Boundary line 1.jpg
Indiana Territory Boundary Line
Location: 213 Pine Lake Avenue, LaPorte
Erected 1999 Indiana Historical Bureau, the Hinton Family, and L Porte County Historical Society, Inc.
Northwest Territory formed 1787; Indiana Territory formed 1800. Admission of Ohio 1803 and formation of Michigan Territory 1805 established Indiana Territory's northern boundary at southern tip of Lake Michigan. When Indiana became state in 1816, Congress moved boundary ten miles north giving Indiana part of Lake Michigan.
Boundary line 2.jpg
Indiana Territory Boundary Line
Location: 213 Pine Lake Avenue, LaPorte
Erected 1999 Indiana Historical Bureau, the Hinton Family, and L Porte County Historical Society, Inc.
Northern boundary of Indiana Territory established at southern tip of Lake Michigan when Michigan Territory formed in 1805.
LaPorte courthouse 1.jpg
LaPorte County Courthouse
Location: 813 Lincolnway and Michigan Avenue, southeast corner of LaPorte County Courthouse lawn
Installed: 2001 Indiana Historical Bureau, LaPorte County Board of Commissioners, and LaPorte County Historical Society
County formed by Indiana General Assembly and LaPorte selected county seat 1832. Three courthouses built on this site: first 1833, second 1847-1848. Present courthouse constructed 1892-1894 of Lake Superior Red Sandstone; designed by Brentwood S. Tolan of Fort Wayne in Richardsonian Romanesque Style. Incorporates cornerstone from 1848 courthouse.
LaPorte courthouse 2.jpg
LaPorte County Courthouse
Location: 813 Lincolnway & Michigan Avenue, SE corner of La Porte County Courthouse lawn, LaPorte
Installed: 2001 Indiana Historical Bureau, La Porte County Board of Commissioners, and La Porte County Historical Society, Inc.
Features include open-arched central tower, stained glass window transoms, wood paneling, and gilded friezes. Goddess of Justice stained glass graces courtroom. Tower has 272-piece glass skylight; gargoyles decorate exterior. Included in Downtown La Porte Historic District, listed in National Register of Historic Places 1983.
Carnegie 1.jpg
LaPorte's Carnegie Library
Location: LaPorte County Public Library, SW corner of 904 Indiana Avenue/US 35 & Maple Avenue
Installed: 2002 Indiana Historical Bureau and Friends of the LaPorte County Public Library
La Porte's first public library was established 1896. La Porte City School Board was awarded $27, 500 Carnegie grant 1916; by 1919 local support had been secured to meet grant requirements. Architect Wilson B. Parker designed the Neo-Classical style structure. Library opened in 1920 with 30, 000 volumes.
Carnegie 2.jpg
LaPorte's Carnegie Library
Location: LaPorte County Public Library, SW corner of 904 Indiana Avenue/US 35 & Maple Avenue
Installed: 2002 Indiana Historical Bureau and Friends of the LaPorte County Public Library
Renovation and expansion designed by architect William Koster; building dedicated 1991. Original 1920 section retained. Library has played a major role in community's development. One of 1, 679 libraries built in U.S. with funds from philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. Indiana built more Carnegie libraries than any other state.
Rumely Co 1.jpg
The Rumely Companies
Location: NW corner of Madison Street & Lincolnway, La Porte
Installed: 2003 Indiana Historical Bureau and Rumely Historic Recognition Committee
Meinrad Rumely (1823-1904), a German immigrant, founded a blacksmith shop here 1853, which grew into a dominant company through reorganizations and acquisitions. Rumely companies in La Porte benefited from available rail transportation plus German and later Polish immigrant laborers. Products included a wide variety of agricultural machines.
Rumely Co 2.jpg
The Rumely Companies
Location: NW corner of Madison Street & Lincolnway, La Porte
Installed: 2003 Indiana Historical Bureau and Rumely Historic Recognition Committee
Rumely's prizewinning thresher later became one of the earliest powered by steam. Thousands of OilPull tractors sold worldwide 1910-1930. Rumely companies were at the forefront of mechanization of American and world agriculture and had significant impact on La Porte. Allis-Chalmers acquired the firm 1931 and closed La Porte plant 1983.
Lincoln train 1.jpg
The Lincoln Funeral Train
Location: 100 E. Michigan Blvd. (U.S. 12), Michigan City
Installed 2010 Indiana Historical Bureau and Indiana Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission
Assassinated President Abraham Lincoln's funeral was April 19, 1865 at the White House. The funeral train left for Springfield, Illinois April 21 directed by military; stops en route allowed the public to pay homage. From Indianapolis, train passed mourners lighted by bonfires and torches along the way; arrived in Michigan City by 8:35 a.m., May 1.
Lincoln train 2.jpg
The Lincoln Funeral Train
Location: 100 E. Michigan Blvd. (U.S. 12), Michigan City
Installed 2010 Indiana Historical Bureau and Indiana Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission
Residents decorated depot north of here with memorial arches adorned with roses, evergreens, flags, and images of Lincoln. Train stopped to switch engines and to allow dignitaries from Illinois and Indiana to board. Sixteen women entered funeral car to place flowers on casket. Train left for Chicago on Michigan Central Railroad; track was lined with mourners.
LaPorte university 1.jpg
LaPorte University/Indiana Medical College
Location: Lincoln Elementary School, SE corner of Clay St. and Harrison St., LaPorte
Installed 2018 Indiana Historical Bureau and the Healthcare Foundation of LaPorte
LaPorte University was established in the early 1840s to include law, literary, and medical departments. The medical department, later Indiana Medical College, began classes by 1842. Its distinguished faculty attracted students from across the U.S. Notable attendees included Dr. William W. Mayo, whose practice evolved into Mayo Clinic, and Dr. William H. Wishard.
Laporte university 2.jpg
LaPorte University/Indiana Medical College
Location: Lincoln Elementary School, southeast corner of Clay Street and Harrison Street, LaPorte
Installed 2018 Indiana Historical Bureau and the Healthcare Foundation of LaPorte
Before the university’s founding, Indiana offered few opportunities for professional medical training. The medical college trained skilled doctors in the Midwest, preparing them for the region’s medical needs in surgery, anatomy, theory, and obstetrics. Classes ceased circa 1850; it consolidated with Indiana Central Medical College (1849-1852) in Indianapolis, 1851.
Source: Indiana Historical Bureau, www.in.gov/history/
Gary Roosevelt 1
Gary Roosevelt High School
730 W. 25th Ave., Gary
Installed 2020 Indiana Historical Bureau, Lady Panthers & Supporters '63, Roosevelt Adult Booster Club, National Gary Theodore Roosevelt Alumni Assoc., Inc., and Indiana Landmarks
As Gary grew in the early 1900s, African American students were segregated within white schools or overcrowded into small, separate schools. To compensate, officials transferred some Black students to Emerson High School in 1927. After over 600 white students walked out in protest, the school board reinforced segregation by building a new school for the Black community.
Gary Roosevelt 2
Gary Roosevelt High School
730 W. 25th Ave., Gary
Installed 2020 Indiana Historical Bureau, Lady Panthers & Supporters '63, Roosevelt Adult Booster Club, National Gary Theodore Roosevelt Alumni Assoc., Inc., and Indiana Landmarks
Theodore Roosevelt High School was dedicated in 1931 as an all-Black K-12 school. While many community members opposed segregation, they took pride in Roosevelt, and strove to make it equal to Gary’s white schools. It employed highly educated Black teachers, pushed students to excel in academics and sports despite discrimination, and produced many distinguished alumni.
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PHOENIX — Three lawmakers filed a complaint Monday that Tucson Democratic Rep. Stephanie Stahl Hamilton violated House ethics rules by her admitted action of hiding Bibles.
The complaint filed by three first-term Republican lawmakers says Stahl Hamilton moved Bibles and placed them under seat cushions in the Arizona House of Representatives lounge, "potentially causing Christian members of the House, staff, and guests to unknowingly sit on their own holy text.''
They said her placement of one in a refrigerator is "disrespectful in the extreme.''
Stahl Hamilton publicly apologized last week, saying her actions were meant to make a "playful'' point about the separation of church and state.
Reps. Justin Heap of Mesa, David Marshall of Snowflake and Lupe Diaz of Benson said her statements "did not provide sufficient justification or excuse for her conduct.''
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"These public comments came only after the representative was aware that her actions had been caught on camera and the incident became a matter of national concern,'' they wrote.
"Had a camera not been installed, these deeply inappropriate actions could have continued indefinitely to the detriment of other members,'' Heap, Marshall and Diaz wrote. "The people of Arizona deserve a higher standard of decorum and respect from their elected representatives.''
They want the Ethics Committee to investigate her actions.
Stahl Hamilton said Monday evening she was aware of the complaint and had no immediate comment.
Disorderly behavior, theft claimed
Any lawmaker can file an ethics complaint. Any move to proceed with any sanction against the legislator — which can range from censure to expulsion — requires that the Ethics Committee pursue the complaint and also that the House finds there was a rules violation.
Heap, Marshall and Diaz say there are several ways Stahl Hamilton broke the rules.
The first fits under a section of the Arizona Constitution allowing lawmakers to punish members for "disorderly behavior.''
They acknowledge there is no Arizona case defining what that means. Instead, they cite a 1910 edition of Black's Law Dictionary, printed around the same time as the 1912 Arizona Constitution, saying it can include conduct contrary to rules of good order and decorum, contrary to law, or that "scandalizes the community and is offensive to the public sense of morality.''
"Rep. Stahl Hamilton's conduct was all three of these things,'' the three GOP lawmakers wrote.
On a more concrete note, they contend her action constitutes theft under state law based on the definition that includes controlling the property of another "with the intent to deprive the other person of such property.'' That "other person'' can include the Arizona House, they said.
"It is unnecessary for the Ethics Committee to make a determination as to whether Rep. Stahl Hamilton intended to permanently or only temporarily deprive the House and fellow members of the use of the property to determine if her actions constitute a theft,'' the three filing the complaint said.
They said the only reason the Bibles were found after multiple incidents of hiding was they were located by other House members.
"If the Bibles hadn't been located, Rep. Stahl Hamilton would likely have been pleased,'' they wrote. "The repetition of the theft after the Bibles were replaced further supports that assumption.''
Finally, they said removal of the Bibles violates state and federal laws prohibiting religious harassment in the workplace. Stahl Hamilton's actions created a "hostile work environment," they said.
"By requiring co-workers and staff to unwittingly desecrate their sacred texts, Rep. Stahl Hamiltin appears to have violated these laws as well,'' the complaint reads.
Past tweet cited
Beyond the actions this session, the three lawmakers also point in the complaint to comments Stahl Hamilton made in a Twitter post in 2020.
There, she used a picture of Donald Trump posing for a photo in front of the parish house of St. John's Episcopal Church in Washington, D.C., holding a Bible aloft in his right hand.
Stahl Hamilton, an ordained Presbyterian minister, said in the post she "got into politics because I was so angered by the number of Bibles on desks at the Arizona State House.''
"Holding a Bible — or any religious text — doesn't make you a good person,'' she posted. "Nor should you use this (as) a political photo op. This is disgusting.''
The complaint filed against Stahl Hamilton says "her comments demonstrate a strong disdain for Bibles placed by individual members of the House on their own personal desks, and suggest the presence of Bibles in the House angered her so much that she chose to enter public service. Consistent with their constitutional rights, many members keep a Bible on their desks as a reminder of their faith, commitment to personal integrity, or for other reasons.''
In her apology last week on the House floor, Stahl Hamilton said, “The intent was never to be destructive, to never desecrate or to offend.’’
Hiding the books from being easily found, she continued, was not the best way to raise the issue of Bibles in the House lounge. “I acknowledge that a conversation about the separation of church and state should have began with a conversation,’’ Stahl Hamilton said.
She said she has the “utmost respect’’ for people of all faiths and for those who have no religious beliefs. “And because of that respect, I recognize my actions could have been seen as something less than playful, and (as) offensive,’’ Stahl Hamilton said.
In hands of ethics panel
The issue is now in the hands of Ethics Committee chairman Rep. Joseph Chaplik, R-Scottsdale. If he determines there is enough reason to proceed he will give Stahl Hamilton the opportunity to respond.
The committee can, but is not required to, make recommendations to the full House. It is then up to the chamber to decide whether to pursue the matter.
It takes a simple majority to censure a member. Expulsion requires a two-thirds vote.
That last happened last month when the House voted 46-13 to oust Rep. Liz Harris, R-Chandler.
Lawmakers accepted the Ethics Committee's findings that Harris she knew that someone she invited to testify at a hearing on election integrity was going to present not just false but libelous accusations against lawmakers, judges and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, accusing them without evidence of being involved in a scheme to rig elections and other crimes. The committee members also found Harris was not truthful with them about what she knew ahead of time that Scottsdale insurance agent Jacqueline Breger planned to say at the hearing.
Following state law, precinct committee members submitted three names to fill the vacancy — including Harris herself. So far, Maricopa County supervisors, who have the final word, haven't chosen from that list, leaving the Republican majority with 30 members, one short of the 31 needed to pass any bill that Democrats don't support.
Howard Fischer is a veteran journalist who has been reporting since 1970 and covering state politics and the Legislature since 1982. Follow him on Twitter at @azcapmedia or email azcapmedia@gmail.com. | https://tucson.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/ethics-complaint-filed-vs-tucson-lawmaker-for-hiding-bibles/article_005ac340-e883-11ed-9e1c-3b98f3b699cb.html | 2023-05-02T03:34:43 | 1 | https://tucson.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/ethics-complaint-filed-vs-tucson-lawmaker-for-hiding-bibles/article_005ac340-e883-11ed-9e1c-3b98f3b699cb.html |
Two people were hurt following a crash involving at least seven vehicles that led to a house fire in North Philadelphia on Monday, police said.
The multi-vehicle crash occurred on 31st and Diamond streets. SkyForce10 was over the scene, showing widespread damage and a home that was struck by a car. Police said at some point the home caught fire.
Police initially said at least ten vehicles were involved in the crash. They later changed the amount to at least seven. Police also said one of the drivers involved in the crash fled from the scene. They have not yet revealed a description of that driver.
At least two people were injured and taken to the hospital. Officials have not yet revealed their conditions.
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Sign up for our Breaking newsletter to get the most urgent news stories in your inbox. | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/10-cars-involved-in-crash-house-catches-fire-in-north-philly/3557402/ | 2023-05-02T03:35:17 | 0 | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/10-cars-involved-in-crash-house-catches-fire-in-north-philly/3557402/ |
Metro Detroit voters set to consider school bond issues, tax plans in elections
Voters across Metro Detroit are set to vote Tuesday on a variety of ballot proposals, but most of them are focused on school improvement bond issues and Headlee override votes on school operating taxes.
Polls in select communities will be open Tuesday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Absentee ballots must be returned to the local clerk's office before the polls close to be counted.
The largest ballot question is Utica Community Schools' $550 million school bond proposal to overhaul school buildings and athletic fields and purchase school buses. The proposal in Michigan's second largest district would also fund new technology equipment and prioritize safety improvements, such as removing the open concept design in many of the district's schools.
An evaluation of the Utica district, which has roughly 26,000 students and 44 buildings, found the district had $1.4 billion in needs but chose to develop the $550 million bond proposal to avoid tax increases, Superintendent Robert Monroe said. "We're well over a 50-year average of the age of our schools and some of them are just really getting close to nearing the end of their useful life," he said, adding that the property tax for bonds would not increase.
But some members of the Michigan Taxpayers Alliance have concerns, said Macomb Township Treasurer Leon Drolet.
"They target what the maximum amount of dollars they can get out of the residents," Drolet said. "They feel as long as they can say it's not an increase, it has a good chance of passing."
Utica is among three school bond proposals of $100 million or more in Metro Detroit, including those in the West Bloomfield and Northville districts, and seven bond issues overall in the region that voters are weighing in on.
School districts request bonds to improve facilities and try to stay competitive with the amenities and services offered by nearby districts, said Craig Thiel, research director at the Citizens Research Council of Michigan.
"You are always competing with the district next door for mobile students," Thiel said.
The Utica district is also seeking a Headlee override vote that would effectively lock in an 18 mill levy on nonhomestead properties, such as businesses, second homes and rental units. The district is asking voters to approve 20 mills. Under state law, the maximum rate is 18 mills.
The millage represents $41 million in annual funding to maintain academic programs and services.
Also in Macomb County, Fraser Public Schools is seeking a $59 million bond proposal over 25 years to remodel school buildings; install technology; build an addition to the high school stadium and buy school buses.
On ballot in Oakland County
In West Bloomfield, the district is seeking a $148 million bond issue for 10 years.
If approved, funding would go toward replacing two existing elementary schools at the Sheiko and Doherty campuses; building additions at other schools throughout the district; upgrading infrastructure at West Bloomfield High School and improving Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics (STEAM) and Career Technical Education (CTE) spaces as well as outdoor multi-activity spaces; and create dedicated early childhood space at both preschool-second grade school buildings.
Both elementary schools are over a half-century old and aren't built to serve preschool students, provide collaboration spaces or serve students with special needs, Superintendent Dania Bazzi said. The proposal would not raise the current bond millage of 6.15 mills, Bazzi said.
Some parents in Keego Harbor, which is part of the West Bloomfield district, are opposing the bond proposal
Many parents in Keego Harbor, which is in the West Bloomfield School District, are opposing the plan because a 2017 bond issue they thought would benefit their neighborhood school, Roosevelt Elementary, hasn't been used to fix the ceiling of Roosevelt, which collapsed in June 2022, causing its closure. Money to repair the original building are not included in this bond proposal, Bazzi said.
Berkley is seeking a 3.46 mill Headlee override millage for operating expenses, including police and fire, generating $2.55 million in the first year (2023).
On ballot in Wayne County
Residents in the Northville Public Schools district are being asked to approve a $134.4 million bond for 22 years to repair and upgrade school facilities. The district has residents in both Wayne and Oakland counties.
Airport Community Schools is seeking a $64 million bond issue over 26 years to build a performing arts center, gymnasium, and concessions buildings; build additions to and remodel the middle school building; install, equip and re-equip the middle school building for instructional technology; and improve and equip athletic fields and facilities.
Lincoln Park Public Schools asked voters to approve a Headlee override vote on the nonhomestead millage, setting it at 20 mills but having it fall to the state maximum of 18 mills over 20 years.
Wyandotte voters are being asked to approve an operating millage of 3 mills for 10 years in the Downriver community. It would raise approximately $1.78 million in its first year (2024).
laguilar@detroitnews.com | https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/oakland-county/2023/05/01/may-2023-metro-detroit-school-bond-and-tax-proposal-results/70159049007/ | 2023-05-02T03:35:29 | 0 | https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/oakland-county/2023/05/01/may-2023-metro-detroit-school-bond-and-tax-proposal-results/70159049007/ |
Highland Park mayor: City in state of emergency
Highland Park — Highland Park Mayor Glenda McDonald said Monday she would declare a state of emergency for this small Wayne County community if the City Council rejected hiring a law firm with municipal bankruptcy expertise to represent the city in talks over its estimated $24 million water and sewer bill.
The council rejected hiring the firm at a Monday night council meeting.
"I have no choice but to declare a state of emergency," McDonald said at the packed meeting before the body rejected her request. "And in the state of emergency, we will move forward with what we have to do."
The council rejected hiring the firm Troutman Pepper. After the vote, council member Khursheed Ash-Shafii said, "Let the mayor have her state of emergency."
The mayor could not be reached for comment after the council vote. McDonald's declaration is the latest maneuver by Highland Park officials as they scramble to deal with an estimated $24 million water and sewerage bill to the Great Lakes Water Authority.
The city and GLWA have been in a years-long legal fight over the bill. Last month, the Michigan Supreme Court rejected Highland Park's contention that GLWA has overcharged the city for years.
Since the ruling, Highland Park officials have said the bill will financially sink the city. The majority Black city has a population of 8,900 residents, a per capita income of $19,401 and a 41% poverty rate in 2021, according to the Census Bureau. The estimated $24 million tab, the exact amount with interest is still being determined, is two and a half times larger than the $9.6 million Highland Park collects annually in property tax revenues.
On April 19, a Wayne County Circuit judge gave Highland Park and GLWA, the regional authority that serves more than 80 communities, until May 31 to negotiate a debt payment plan. Highland Park and GLWA need to present the potential payment plan to the court on June 6.
The court-ordered mediation is set to begin May 8, Highland Park officials said Monday night. McDonald urged the council to approve the law firm for the mediation. Mayors traditionally declare a state of emergency after a natural disaster or a major civil disturbance. In 2021, the mayor of Flint Sheldon Neeley declared a state of emergency due to the rise of gun violence.
Highland Park officials also are asking Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer for help. Last month, the city requested the state government begin the process to declare a financial emergency. A week later, Highland Park raised the stakes, requesting Whitmer's help with an expedited Chapter 9 municipal bankruptcy filing.
That process is rare and usually takes months of financial reviews, among other considerations. The city still awaits the state's response to the request, city officials said Monday night.
McDonald has said she supports filing for bankruptcy.
laguilar@detroitnews.com | https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/wayne-county/2023/05/01/highland-park-mayor-city-in-state-of-emergency/70171453007/ | 2023-05-02T03:35:35 | 0 | https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/wayne-county/2023/05/01/highland-park-mayor-city-in-state-of-emergency/70171453007/ |
CALDWELL — The city of Nampa is looking to expand its area of impact for the first time in seven years.
An area of impact is where the city sees itself growing and developing in the foreseeable future. City staff and officials would like to adjust the western border of the area of impact, which would involve expanding west past Midway Road and some parts west of Midland Boulevard near Lake Lowell, said Doug Critchfield, principal planner with the city, at a meeting between the city planning staff, council, and the Canyon County Board of Commissioners on Monday, April 24.
The move would transfer about 2,600 acres from the county to the city, Critchfield said.
A similar proposal was floated in 2016 but did not lead to substantive changes in the border apart from swapping a few parcels with Caldwell based on parcel boundary lines and the availability of city services, said Breanna Son, a planner with the city.
The proposed change is the same as in 2016 except that two county subdivisions north of Lake Lowell requested to not be included in the area, and the city decided against expanding southward at a January 2022 meeting to avoid disturbing seed producers, Son said.
The city council approved the proposal at a February meeting, Son said, but has postponed developing a specific area plan for the area in question until it could coordinate with the county, said Rodney Ashby, the city’s planning and zoning director.
Within that area, the city is proposing three types of land uses. One type would be residential and mixed use, which could include commercial uses, Critchfield said. The second use would be low-density residential development, which would include larger-sized lots and estate lots, he said. The third use would be for agriculture, he said.
For agriculture areas, there could be two options for lot design. One option is limiting development to one dwelling per acre. Another is doing a cluster development where lot sizes are smaller but are surrounded by large open space or agricultural lands. This would be akin to Harris Ranch in Boise, except that the larger open spaces could be agricultural, he said.
Critchfield acknowledged that agriculture and residential development are not always compatible, but can be on a smaller scale. He pointed to Brentwood, California, as an area that has successfully preserved ag land while expanding its residential offerings.
PROTECTING AG LANDThe county and its cities have long grappled with growth pressure and preserving farmland. The proposed change to Nampa’s area of impact raised some questions about the role of each entity in protecting farmland.
Part of the issue is that the county and Nampa do not share the same definition of agriculture, said Sabrina Minshall, the county’s director of development services. In its 2030 Comprehensive Plan passed last year, the county created three commercial agriculture zoning districts: AC-5 (one unit per five acres), AC-20 (one unit per 20 acres), and AC-40 (one unit per 40 acres).
Minshall said that Nampa and county planning directors creating a joint definition or a continuum to describe ag use would help in conversations with the public about the vision for different areas.
Historically, the county has been thought of as responsible for protecting ag land, Ashby said. But recently, cities like Nampa “have had support to do a lot more to preserve ag land,” he said.
“I think the best thing we can do is be clear about what we mean when we say ‘ag,’” Ashby said. “What does that mean for the city versus the county? So I completely agree,” with Minshall’s comments, he said.
Given the interest in avoiding urban sprawl to preserve ag land, Nampa Mayor Debbie Kling asked why the county approves subdivisions.
“If we were truly trying to protect our ag ground, there wouldn’t be subdivisions out in the county because we’d be protecting (it) for ag,” she said.
From a growth perspective, Nampa only has so much room given that it is bound by the Ada County border to the east, and does not want to expand southward so as not to disturb ag producers there, Kling said. The proposed expansion will put the city’s western border against Caldwell’s area of impact, she said.
Ag ground preservation is “crazy hard” because the city feels pressure to grow to fund itself in the long-term, she said.
Commissioner Brad Holton, who is also the mayor of Greenleaf, said the question Kling raised is one reason he ran for the office. In a perfect world, different regions might have an Avimor-like area that allowed for some development in a more rural setting, he said.
Defining Nampa’s area of impact will be beneficial for the city and the county, Holton said.
“I look forward to this process because I think we owe it to farmers, we owe it to the developers, to collaborate together on these areas of impact,” he said. He said a solution would help balance the preservation of private property rights and the preservation of natural resources.
The next step in the approval process for the area of impact will be having a meeting with the county’s planning and zoning commission, Minshall said. That meeting will be at least a couple of months out, which will allow time for city and county staff to work together on developing a definition of agriculture and a vision for the area moving forward, she said. | https://www.idahopress.com/news/local/nampa-proposes-expanding-city-area-raising-questions-about-ag-preservation/article_b85c91f6-e84e-11ed-9771-2f9c12131cee.html | 2023-05-02T03:51:23 | 0 | https://www.idahopress.com/news/local/nampa-proposes-expanding-city-area-raising-questions-about-ag-preservation/article_b85c91f6-e84e-11ed-9771-2f9c12131cee.html |
DALLAS — Dallas salon owner Shelley Luther, who had been hospitalized for more than 20 days following a brain aneurysm, is back home and recovering, according to her husband.
Luther's husband, Tim Georgeff, has been posting updates on her status on Facebook since she suffered the aneurysm on April 5, 2023.
On day 23 of his updates, Georgeff said Luther was cleared to return home while she continues to recover. He said she still has some symptoms like lack of appetite.
"The survival rate of the hemorrhage she suffered is not very good, and we beat those odds," Georgeff said in his Facebook post.
Luther garnered national attention in 2020 during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic when businesses were shutting down to prevent spreading of the illness.
Luther had reopened her Dallas salon despite county and state orders that shut down non-essential businesses. She was issued a citation but later tore it up during a rally to reopen businesses in the Texas.
At a court hearing after she ignored a temporary restraining order from the city and kept her salon open, a state district judge found her in contempt of court and ordered her to seven days in jail. She was released from jail early after an order from the Texas Supreme Court.
Later in 2020, she ran as a Republican for a Texas Senate seat in District 30, which covers areas of North Texas such as Sherman, Denton, Weatherford and Stephenville. She lost in a special runoff election in December 2020 to Drew Springer.
Nearly two years later, Luther also ran for Texas House District 62 in the Sherman area. She lost to incumbent Rep. Reggie Smith in the March 2022 primary. | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/dallas-salon-owner-shelley-luther-back-home-recovering-brain-aneurysm/287-bed4dd92-a880-4aff-9b17-3e3e04445199 | 2023-05-02T03:58:01 | 0 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/dallas-salon-owner-shelley-luther-back-home-recovering-brain-aneurysm/287-bed4dd92-a880-4aff-9b17-3e3e04445199 |
PRINCETON, Texas — A former North Texas high school baseball player is recovering in intensive care after being shot during a college baseball game in Texarkana on Saturday.
Matthew DeLaney, who played at Princeton High School and is now a player for Texas A&M-Texarkana, was struck in the chest by a stray bullet during the fifth inning of the university's final homestand of the season.
DeLaney, per the Texarkana Police Department, was standing near a bullpen and batting cages at the southwest corner of George Dobson Field when he was hit.
He was taken to an area hospital, where he remains as of Monday.
The game was stopped while detectives and police scoured the field for possible evidence.
Investigators said Sunday that the stray bullet was fired roughly 400 yards away in a neighborhood just west of the stadium during a gunfight between two people.
Demarco Banks, 20, turned himself in and has been charged with deadly conduct in connection to the shooting. A 17-year-old named Kamauri Butler is still at large and wanted for aggravated assault.
Police added that they received calls about the gunfire nearby and connected the two scenes when they found shell casings in front of a home in the neighborhood.
DeLaney is in stable condition, but his injuries are serious. Princeton High School head baseball coach Leroy Mansanales told WFAA that the teen is dealing with a collapsed lung and that the bullet hit a few of his vertebrae.
Per Mansanales, DeLaney is dealing with some paralysis on his left side.
"My son is close with Matthew, and they sent each other messages on Snapchat all day before that. To hear what happened hit hard. He's at a baseball field, where he's supposed to be, and he wasn't causing trouble or anything," Mansanales said.
"He walked through our gate daily ready to fight with a great attitude. His effort and attitude were unmatchable and unquestionable. I texted him that now was the time to fight and that if I've ever asked him to fight, now is the time. He texted back, and I was happy to see that. So he's a fighter," Mansanales said.
Mansanales is working to gather donations to deliver to the DeLaney family, as they will likely be in Texarkana for the foreseeable future as their son recovers.
He said he grew close to the DeLaney family throughout his six years of coaching at Princeton.
While the 2022 graduate is now dealt a severe and tragic hand in life, Mansanales said the teen would find a way to get better and back on the field.
"I can't imagine what he's going through right now, but he will fight," Mansanales said. | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/former-north-texas-baseball-player-recovering-hit-by-stray-bullet-college-game-texas-am-texarkana/287-72e24b0d-96ec-45c9-8eb7-adeb884234c2 | 2023-05-02T03:58:07 | 1 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/former-north-texas-baseball-player-recovering-hit-by-stray-bullet-college-game-texas-am-texarkana/287-72e24b0d-96ec-45c9-8eb7-adeb884234c2 |
GLEN ROSE, Texas — Some park rangers in North Texas came across a unique-looking snake that has now caught the attention of social media.
Employees for Dinosaur Valley State Park recently found a red-and-orange copperhead near the main track site in the Glen Rose park. Park media members shared an image of the snake on the organization's Facebook page.
According to the post, this snake had "quite an attitude" with park rangers while they worked to move it to a safer, more remote area of the park.
As a result, park rangers determined an appropriate name for the snake was "Red Hot Cheeto."
Park rangers reminded people in the Facebook post that all species of wildlife, including snakes, are protected in the park. If someone comes across a snake while exploring the park, they are asked to follow these tips to keep them and the snakes safe:
- Turn around and go back the other way if hiking. Do not get close as it could irritate and cause the snake to become frustrated and upset.
- Feel free to call park rangers if you need to. They are happy to come check and relocate the snake as needed.
- Leave the snake alone. Follow "Leave No Trace" by respecting wildlife and their homes.
Archeological evidence suggests humans have occupied Dinosaur Valley State Park for many centuries, according to the park's website. Native American Indians reportedly lived at sites in the park from about 6,000 years ago until Europeans arrived. They came here for the water and the game, fish and mussels. They were probably ancestors of the Tonkawa, who lived in this region in later times, according to the park. | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/texas-park-rangers-come-across-red-and-orange-copperhead/287-0d6364db-8247-4bcb-9ed5-ea135190aa70 | 2023-05-02T03:58:14 | 0 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/texas-park-rangers-come-across-red-and-orange-copperhead/287-0d6364db-8247-4bcb-9ed5-ea135190aa70 |
ATLANTA — Atlanta City Council wants all Georgia troopers and Bureau of Investigation agents to wear body cameras -- and they passed a resolution to make its point.
During Monday's regularly scheduled meeting, the council nearly unanimously voted to pass a resolution that calls on Georgia state lawmakers to mandate body-worn cameras for all law enforcement officers responding on behalf of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and Georgia State Patrol troopers.
Currently, GSP and the GBI do not require their law enforcement to wear body cameras.
This became a point of contention after the death of Manuel Esteban Paez Terán.
The climate activist was killed at the future site of the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center in January during a shootout with troopers during a clearing operation. The site has been dubbed 'Cop City' by those who oppose its construction.
The GBI maintains that the 26-year-old was shot and killed after the activist fired at GSP troopers. Paez Terán's family and the Defend The Atlanta Forest movement said the young activist was a pacifist and contest the law enforcement narrative surrounding the incident.
As the shooting happened with troopers, there's no law enforcement body camera video of the actual incident, only video of portions of the clearing operation and the aftermath of the shooting from Atlanta Police Department officers who were at the site.
Though Atlanta City Council's resolution doesn't enforce any new regulations or impose a mandate, it serves as a symbol of urgency for the General Assembly.
Georgia State Sen. Jason Esteves, who represents parts of Atlanta, previously told 11Alive that the idea behind the push for body cameras on state law enforcement officers is to eliminate future situations like this one.
"I've certainly spoken to law enforcement officers who agree that body cameras are a best practice in the industry and something that is encouraged. And the Georgia State Patrol encourages the use of body cameras," Esteves said. "By requiring that usage while they are in duty, I think we are not only protecting those officers, we're also protecting our citizens."
Esteves previously said he plans to bring the issue up in the next legislative session. | https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/atlanta-city-council-resolution-urges-lawmakers-to-mandate-bodycams/85-964f6d43-3319-4a4d-9163-16c817a77223 | 2023-05-02T04:02:39 | 0 | https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/atlanta-city-council-resolution-urges-lawmakers-to-mandate-bodycams/85-964f6d43-3319-4a4d-9163-16c817a77223 |
GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — The parents of 22-year-old Jerrett Mitchell said Gwinnett County Police confirmed over the weekend a warrant has been issued for their son’s accused killer. However, the alleged shooter has not been apprehended as of late Monday night.
Dekenya and Jefferey Mitchell said their son was out shopping for an outfit on Friday afternoon for his upcoming birthday along with a friend at Three Points. Jerrett’s birthday is May 14, which is also Mother’s Day. He was one of six siblings.
Jefferey said his son called him on FaceTime just after 5 p.m. on Friday to show him some shoes he’d bought himself. He said Jerrett and his friend were going to stop and grab some food, and then be on his way home.
The two stopped at Discover Wings off Indian Trail Lilburn Road in Norcross around 6 p.m. Dekenya said it’s their understanding one of Jerrett’s former classmates, who had some "beef" with her son several years ago was also in the restaurant. She said after talking with Jerrett’s friend, who was with him, they had no idea this young man was also at the restaurant.
“He (the alleged shooter) just felt like this is my opportunity to take his life and he did take his life for no reason,” she said.
Gwinnett County Police said Jerrett was shot inside the restaurant. His friend was also hit. The shooter was seen running off. Initially, police said witnesses saw two people running from the shooting.
Dekenya said when she got the call on Friday night that her son was shot, she raced to the hospital. However, she found herself waiting for quite some time until someone came out to update her. It just wasn’t about her son. Dekenya said she told them, “I’m glad he’s going to be okay, but that’s not my baby. 'Where is my son?'”
She said they then took her to another room-- where they waited. She said a detective eventually came in the room, asked their names, her son’s name and then broke the news that he wasn’t okay.
“He said unfortunately your son is deceased, and that’s all I remember because literally my heart dropped, I’m sitting here waiting on my baby to come and he’s gone,” she said.
Dekenya described the whole thing as "senseless."
“You hurt us so bad. You took away my kid’s brother, you took away their big brother. They loved Jerrett so much,” she explained.
Jefferey said his son was loved by everyone. He said Jerrett was just waiting for his break. He was an aspiring rapper. He launched his own clothing line. Jefferey and his wife said their son was a homebody.
“Because I cooked, he made sure he didn’t leave the house. He also had his little sister and brother at home. He helped out with them,” Dekenya said.
It was Jerrett’s appetite that put him in the right place at the wrong time.
“I’m not okay, he (the alleged shooter) hurt me. He hurt us, we wake up crying,” Dekenya said.
As of late Monday night, police haven’t publicly identified any suspect in the homicide. Anyone with information on this deadly shooting is asked to call Gwinnett County Police or Greater Atlanta Crime Stoppers at (404) 577-8477.
The family is holding a balloon release on Saturday, May 6 at 6 p.m., which is around the time Jerrett was shot and killed. They've also created an online fundraiser to help with funeral and burial costs. | https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/family-grieves-death-of-son-gwinnett-county-shooting/85-1dea3cf6-1522-4386-8451-2297065649f7 | 2023-05-02T04:02:45 | 1 | https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/family-grieves-death-of-son-gwinnett-county-shooting/85-1dea3cf6-1522-4386-8451-2297065649f7 |
SOUTH FULTON, Ga. — May 1 marks six years of South Fulton becoming a city of its own. While many are celebrating this milestone, others who live in the city are pushing for it to be deannexed back into unincorporated Fulton County.
An online petition, supporting the deannexation, is targeting districts 1 and 2 in the northern part of the city. As of Monday night, it has more than 700 signatures in support.
Steve Littles is part of a group of people who voted against South Fulton becoming a city in 2016.
“We know with everything that’s going on, there’s probably more people who don’t want to be in the city," Littles said.
State Representative Roger Bruce sponsored the bill to put the cityhood question on the ballot. He said 25,000 people voted for South Fulton to become a city, and 17,000 people were against it.
“It’s growing pains, and there are people who feel like things are supposed to happen overnight," Bruce said.
One reason Littles started the petition is that property taxes have gone up.
“Our city taxes are higher than the City of Atlanta’s taxes," Littles said.
“It just was a coincidence that when the city was created, your property values changed and became more competitive, and when your property value goes up, your taxes go up," Bruce said.
Littles calls the city government dysfunctional, with the mayor and city council filing lawsuits against each other.
“You guys have reported on it. I’m not going to say who is at fault, but we’re in the news all the time about something that’s not going properly. It’s sad," Littles said.
“I think what we have is a city council and a mayor that don't see eye to eye on how things ought to be done," Bruce added.
City of South Fulton manager Tammy Sadler Jones resigned in March amid dueling accusations of creating a hostile work environment within the city government, allegations of millions in misplaced federal aid money, and implications of meddling with and undermining the city manager's authority by councilmembers.
Littles said a state legislator will write a local bill and send it to the Fulton County Delegation. If approved, the delegation would put together a deannexation referendum for residents to vote on.
“This has been an ongoing thing. We’ve not wanted to be in the city even before it was created," Littles said.
A City of South Fulton spokesperson sent 11Alive the following statement:
We are aware of recent reports indicating that a small group of citizens are seeking de-annexation from the City of South Fulton. While we cannot comment on specific actions, we want to emphasize that we are committed to serving all our residents and ensuring they receive the best possible services and amenities.
On our sixth anniversary, we believe that the City of South Fulton has a bright future, and we are constantly working to make it an even better place to live, work, and play. We understand that there may be differing opinions on certain issues, but we believe that the best way to address them is through open and honest dialogue and collaboration.
We are proud of our city and the progress that we have made since inception, and we remain committed to building a strong and vibrant community for all our residents. | https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/online-petition-deannex-south-fulton/85-36e6dfd0-27d0-4208-8f34-ccfce2b912f4 | 2023-05-02T04:02:52 | 1 | https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/online-petition-deannex-south-fulton/85-36e6dfd0-27d0-4208-8f34-ccfce2b912f4 |
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) — The Johnson City School Board gave preliminary approval to a plan that would double the district’s investment in mental health services, jumping from about $500,000 to just over $1 million.
The increased funding would allow the district to hire 16 master’s-level therapists and move away from it’s reliance on contractors from Frontier Health.
“We’re excited to hopefully increase capacity for our students,” Supervisor of Safety and Mental Health Greg Wallace told News Channel 11.
The board approved the proposal unanimously.
“We have some really fantastic services in place, probably more than many of the districts around us, but we’ve found an opportunity us to make sure that we get even more services for our students,” said Board Chair Kathy Hall.
The plan aims to provide greater access to mental health care in school.
For example: Science Hill currently has seven school counselors and one therapist from Frontier Health. Next year they’ll have eight school counselors, three new masters-level therapists and a Frontier Health contractor.
The plan aims to provide greater access to mental health care in school.
Wallace said the plan is a response to the increased need for mental health services among students in part due to the pandemic and increased social media use.
“Kids are so connected and there are some positives to that but there’s also some negatives to that because they never get to turn down the drama,” said Wallace.
Funding for the new staff will be voted on as a part of the district’s 2023-24.
If the funding is approved, Wallace said, the district plans to hire new staff over the summer. | https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/johnson-city-schools-could-double-investment-in-mental-health/ | 2023-05-02T04:04:28 | 0 | https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/johnson-city-schools-could-double-investment-in-mental-health/ |
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) — Johnson City Parks and Recreation leaders are working on naming a new athletic complex expansion at Winged Deer Park, and they’re asking the public for ideas.
City leaders said in a release that proposed names must include an explanation of the name’s significance to the property or overall park system.
All name proposals must be in writing, and either emailed to mhollifield@johnsoncitytn.org or mailed to their office at 4137 Bristol Highway.
The deadline to submit name proposals for the new athletic complex expansion at Winged Deer Park is May 30. | https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/public-invited-to-pitch-names-for-athletic-complex-expansion-at-winged-deer-park/ | 2023-05-02T04:04:34 | 1 | https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/public-invited-to-pitch-names-for-athletic-complex-expansion-at-winged-deer-park/ |
BLUFF CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) — Sullivan East High School’s first-ever head baseball coach, John McKamey, was honored Monday night at a senior night and rededication event for the school’s field.
According to Sullivan East Principal Andy Hare, McKamey not only played a pivotal role in building the baseball field, but he also built the school’s program from the ground up and coached for 19 seasons.
The Sullivan East baseball field was revamped with new turf, and officials took the opportunity to rededicate and name it McKamey Field at Monday night’s event in honor of Coach McKamey.
Sullivan East school leaders thanked Coach McKamey for always believing in students’ potential and making it a personal goal of his to help those in his life. | https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/sullivan-easts-first-baseball-coach-mckamey-honored-at-mondays-game/ | 2023-05-02T04:04:40 | 1 | https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/sullivan-easts-first-baseball-coach-mckamey-honored-at-mondays-game/ |
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News from around the state of Texas. | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/texas-news/search-for-texas-mass-shooting-gunman-francisco-oropesa-continues/3248155/ | 2023-05-02T04:06:16 | 0 | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/texas-news/search-for-texas-mass-shooting-gunman-francisco-oropesa-continues/3248155/ |
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News from around the state of Texas. | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/texas-news/texas-legislature-advances-bill-to-end-temporary-paper-tags/3248152/ | 2023-05-02T04:06:22 | 1 | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/texas-news/texas-legislature-advances-bill-to-end-temporary-paper-tags/3248152/ |
DANVILLE, Va. – Danville Police are connecting neighbors of the Woodside Village Apartments with resources following a deadly shooting on Monday morning that left one man dead and two others hurt.
Danville Police stopped by the neighborhood where it happened later in the day to conduct a H.E.A.R.T. walk. H.E.A.R.T. stands for ‘Healing and Engagement After Recent Trauma.’
During their walk, they talked with neighbors about how they were feeling. Matt Bell, the Public Relation Specialist for Danville Police, said it’s not about learning details of the incident.
“H.E.A.R.T. walk is not for information gathering. That was last night. This is an opportunity for us to allow residents to be able to heal and be able to get the help that they need,” Bell said.
Living next to or near a place where something tragic happened can be challenging for some people. H.E.A.R.T. walks help connect these people with resources available.
“By meeting people in the community … meeting people where they are, we’re taking the resources to them. It shows that we’re out and about, that we’re available, and that we want to be an interactive part of this community,” Bell said.
Police are not the only ones on the walks. They’re often joined by members of Fire and EMS along with other community organizations. Mothers Stronger TWOgether has made sure to be at any H.E.A.R.T. walk conducted.
Jean Jackson with the group said that over the years, the walks have built trust between neighbors and the police.
“The H.E.A.R.T. walk has made a big difference. They’re being trusted more, even the police department. When nobody did, they do now. They talk more, they can tell people about their problems,” Jackson said.
One group it has impacted in particular is the children. During Monday’s H.E.A.R.T. walk, a group of kids was tossing around a football with police, and they even got to check out the inside of a police vehicle.
“Them being out here among the children is getting them to trust them. They love them. Anywhere you go now, they don’t run from them they run toward them because they know help is on the way,” Jackson said.
As far as the incident goes, there are several persons of interest, according to police.
Anyone who has information about the shooting is asked to please contact the Danville Police Department by either calling patrol at 434-799-6510 option 4, investigations at 434-799-6508 option 1, and option 1 again, calling 911, contacting Crime Stoppers at 434-793-0000, approach any officer you see, through social media, via email, or use the crime tips app CARE. | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2023/05/02/danville-polices-heart-walk-connects-neighbors-with-resources/ | 2023-05-02T04:06:49 | 1 | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2023/05/02/danville-polices-heart-walk-connects-neighbors-with-resources/ |
Two big lottery wins in Arizona over the weekend; tickets sold at Chevron gas stations
One lucky Arizonan is now $421,000 richer after Saturday night's drawing, the Arizona lottery said. A jackpot-winning Fantasy 5 ticket was sold at a Chevron in Casa Grande.
The winning Fantasy 5 numbers that donned the Trekell Road Casa Grande ticket were 3, 8, 13, 24 and 28. The Fantasy 5 jackpot now sits at $51,000 for Monday's drawing.
Another winning ticket was sold for Saturday's Powerball drawing at a Chevron in Rio Rico on Yavapai Drive. The ticket saw a prize of $100,000 total, $50,000 with Powerplay.
The winning Powerball numbers on Saturday were 1,6, 53, 54, 57, 65 and Powerball 8. The jackpot prize for Monday's drawing is at an estimated $60 million.
When is the next Powerball drawing?
Drawings happen three times a week on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday at 8:59 p.m. MST.
Powerball drawings can be streamed live on the lottery website and may also be broadcast on some local TV channels.
When are Fantasy 5 drawings held?
Drawings are held Monday through Sunday evenings. | https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona/2023/05/01/two-big-lottery-wins-in-arizona-over-the-weekend/70173013007/ | 2023-05-02T04:07:01 | 1 | https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona/2023/05/01/two-big-lottery-wins-in-arizona-over-the-weekend/70173013007/ |
BALTIMORE — A study, with the help of a local researcher, shows AI could make a real difference in doctor's offices.
Mark Dredze, a Johns Hopkins associate professor, studied with colleagues from around the country the software transforming the world: AI, and what it means for physicians.
"We learned that, first of all, the answers the AI gave us were pretty good," said Dredze, "but surprisingly, they’re actually preferred by licensed medical professionals to the answers that we were seeing on the forum."
The study pulled online forum questions asked to real doctors, and asked ChatGPT the same questions. In many cases, evaluators found AI answers had greater quality and empathy than a human doctor's.
While it won't replace your local practitioner, it could be a helpful new tool.
"This really opened our eyes to the potential of this technology," Dredze added. "Doctors get lots and lots of questions, and while they care a lot about their patients and they want to put the time in to answering those questions, they don’t always have the time to provide the level of detail necessary."
If you’re thinking about booting up ChatGPT right now for this, just hang on for a moment. Dredze says AI can help doctors with their workflow, but not to give yourself direct medical advice.
"You should not go to AI systems for medical advice. You don’t know what they’re going to give you - and just because they seem to do a good job, doesn’t mean you have the ability to figure out when they’re giving you something reliable vs something really harmful," Dredze said.
Dredze says human doctors are always going to have a place. As he points out, there’s a certain level of accountability when you walk into a doctor’s office and speak to a human; that's not quite the case with AI.
But for the things doctors don't have enough hours in the day for:
"Maybe AI can fill that role, where a doctor might say 'here are the directions I’m giving you,' and the AI is going to supplement it to give you all these details that a doctor may not have the time in order to deliver to the patient," said Dredze. | https://www.wmar2news.com/local/chatgpt-m-d-hopkins-prof-studies-how-ai-can-help-physicians | 2023-05-02T04:08:09 | 0 | https://www.wmar2news.com/local/chatgpt-m-d-hopkins-prof-studies-how-ai-can-help-physicians |
Towson's free ride, The Loop, is planning to expand to other areas in Baltimore County.
It's a free, safe, and efficient service for those in Baltimore County.
The number of riders taking the orange and purple loop lines has increased over the past year.
"I think it's great; I like that it's free, and I like that it takes me right to where I need to go,” said Kameron Wooderum, who rides The Loop.
The Towson Loop has been operating since October 2021.
Each bus holds 25 passengers, with 42 bus stops between two routes. Using the Passiogo app or Transit app, one can find the times and locations where the hop-on, hop-off bus will be coming near them.
"I use my phone and use the app, and I can track when the buses are coming, so it is very convenient and very easy, so I don't have to wait most of the time,” said Razendra Bista, who rides The Loop.
With such positive feedback, the county is looking to expand its services to the Owings Mills and Catonsville areas.
“We found that it's working in Towson so we want to be able to give that to other areas in the Baltimore County region. So, we just feel as though it's a good fit for here and we're figuring it's going to be an even better fit for the areas that we are looking at,” said Marchel Simmons, who is the general manager for the Towson Loop.
Although the number of riders is lower than anticipated in Towson, Simmons says they are still pleased with the turnout over the past year.
"We're happy with what we have right now with our service. The projected goal was over 100 thousand and unfortunately, we were just coming out of covid. We're coming up on our second year, and first year was just around 50,000, and right now we are at 80, 80 plus thousand" said Simmons.
The expansion is currently undergoing feasibility studies for the two locations, looking for key spots to add stops for the added locations.
"We'll take that information out to the public and see what they like, what they dislike, and we'll go from there,” said Simmons.
Simmons says Baltimore County and the state fund the free service.
"Right now the project is about a $3 million project so I would imagine the next one will be about the same,” said Simmons.
The service is offered Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. until midnight and from 10 a.m. until midnight on Saturday.
Simmons says they are looking to have the expanded service up and running within the next year or two. | https://www.wmar2news.com/local/towsons-free-ride-the-loop-will-soon-be-expanded-to-other-baltimore-county-areas | 2023-05-02T04:08:15 | 1 | https://www.wmar2news.com/local/towsons-free-ride-the-loop-will-soon-be-expanded-to-other-baltimore-county-areas |
WATERLOO --- Police are investigating a body found in a wooded area Monday night.
Details, including the identity of the deceased, weren’t available.
Officers were called to the wooded area off of LaPorte Road behind Crossroads late Monday. Paramedics with Waterloo Fire Rescue were also called to the scene.
The cause of death hasn’t been determined, and an autopsy will likely be conducted. | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/police-investigate-body-found-in-wooded-area/article_2407dcb7-dcde-5bad-b4c9-c0056d8c730a.html | 2023-05-02T04:24:28 | 0 | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/police-investigate-body-found-in-wooded-area/article_2407dcb7-dcde-5bad-b4c9-c0056d8c730a.html |
PALM BAY, Fla. – A large crowd gathered at Lake Eola on Monday for a “March for Our Dreams and Freedom” rally.
The march organizer told News 6 that the rally is all about advocating for a number of issues, including “rights” for LGBTQ+ people and abortion.
“There are human rights that are being violated and attacked, and we have to come together because our government is not for us right now,” Hope Community Center Event Coordinator Jeremy Rodriguez said.
The Florida state legislature recently passed a bill expanding the Parental Rights in Education law, prohibiting teachers from teaching topics like sexual orientation and gender identity for students in Pre-K through 12th grade.
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In April, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed into law the “Heartbeat Protection Act,” which bans abortions after six weeks. Supporters say the law protects unborn children at a time when their central nervous system begins to develop, though critics say the law unduly restricts women’s bodily autonomy.
Clinton McCracken, the union president for Orange County Public Schools, took part in the march.
“It’s really important that those students know that their teachers stand with them and that their school district stands with them,” McCracken said.
With the crowd of hundreds, McCracken said there is hope for change.
“In the history of our country, big changes, big shifts in perceptions of the public happen when lots of people of similar like-minded values stand together,” McCracken said.
Get today’s headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily: | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2023/05/02/protestors-gather-at-lake-eola-to-rally-against-florida-laws/ | 2023-05-02T04:30:55 | 1 | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2023/05/02/protestors-gather-at-lake-eola-to-rally-against-florida-laws/ |
EGG HARBOR CITY — Residents can participate in the 16th annual City-Wide Clean Up from 8 to 11 a.m. Saturday. A free community barbecue will follow the event at Egg Harbor City Lake Park.
Participants can register at the Egg Harbor City Fire Department, 631 Philadelphia Ave., from 8 to 9:30 a.m. and will receive trash bags, gloves and more, including a free Atlantic County Utilities Authority T-shirt. The barbecue will follow at 11 a.m., with food provided by the ACUA and the city.
Organizations that participate will receive certificates for six hours of community service and be entered into a drawing for a cash prize of $250. Individuals who participate can enter for a $25 Wawa gift card.
For more information, call 609-965-9146 or 609-965-0081, ext. 5, or visit eggharborcity.org. | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/egg-harbor-city-to-hold-citywide-cleanup-saturday/article_017e4ec8-e84b-11ed-9815-f35a1557c6ad.html | 2023-05-02T04:32:48 | 0 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/egg-harbor-city-to-hold-citywide-cleanup-saturday/article_017e4ec8-e84b-11ed-9815-f35a1557c6ad.html |
SALEM, Ore. — Hundreds of bills are making their way through Salem right now, and any Oregonian has the right to weigh in on whether they become law. As this year's legislative session got going in January, The Story covered ways to get involved in government and create change in local communities, namely by contacting lawmakers or giving public testimony on individual bills.
One person who saw The Story's segments was Kellee Harris of Milwaukie. She decided to contact her lawmakers in order to create some positive change after living through a horrific tragedy.
Just over two years ago, Harris experienced the unimaginable loss of a child. Her daughter, Kelsey Harris, was 31 years old; a teacher and coach at Lebanon High School.
"I think she just really loved being in a classroom environment," reflected Kellee Harris. "She really cared about kids, she loved coaching, she loved teaching, she loved counseling."
But in March 2021, Kelsey ended up in the hospital. She'd been nearly strangled to death, Kellee believes, by her abusive boyfriend. She took her own life just over a week later.
"I think she was so traumatized by what happened, that she just felt that no one was there for her," Kellee said.
'Juries like to see bruises'
Kellee said that when Kelsey went to the hospital, doctors determined that she'd been strangled. But Kelsey wasn't given any diagnostic tests, didn't undergo a forensic examination and wasn't referred for services. Instead, she was simply sent home after being treated.
Charges against the man accused of strangling Kelsey were dismissed. Kellee was told that the case would have been too difficult to prosecute.
"The Linn County District Attorney's office told me, when it comes to strangulations, juries like to see bruises," Kellee recalled. "I will never forget those words. I was told even if Kelsey had lived to testify against her abuser, the jury might not have believed her, since she did not have highly visible neck bruises."
Theresa Muncy is a forensic nurse examiner. She treats patients who have lived through domestic violence. She knows that strangulation injuries are often invisible on the outside — she also knows just how dangerous they are.
"Fifty percent of the time, there are no visible injuries after a strangulation," Muncy said. "Every time a person is strangled, they are more and more at risk of dying just because of the way that injury can impact the brain."
According to the National Domestic Violence Hotline, it's possible that strangulation will produce no outward symptoms, but victims can still die weeks later due to lack of oxygen and other internal injuries. Strangulation can also cause traumatic brain injuries, with symptoms including dizziness, vomiting, seizures, miscarriage, changes in mood and sleep patterns, among many others.
Strangulation is also an important bellwether for escalating abuse. It's a major predictor of future lethal violence, according to the hotline — people who have been strangled by a partner are 10 times more likely to be murdered by that partner.
RELATED: Portland domestic violence murder suspect had his bail covered by community fund a week prior
When it comes to treating strangulation patients, looking closely at their injuries and collecting evidence is vitally important. That's the job of a forensic nurse examiner like Muncy. One of their newest tools is a strangulation kit or "skit." The idea is similar to a rape kit, according to Savannah Powell, another forensic nurse.
"It's usually like a swab on the neck, and what that is collecting is DNA from the perpetrator," Powell said.
And there are ways to take a closer look at potential internal injuries, like with special CT scans. However, those tests can be expensive and — as in Kelsey's case — aren't always done even if there are signs of strangulation.
Taking the law into her own hands
Knowing full well the challenges that strangulation victims face, Kellee got the idea to do something about it after learning from The Story how she could get involved in the legislative process.
Determined to take action in the wake of Kelsey's death and wanting to help other victims of domestic violence, Kellee reached out to her lawmakers and told them she was interested in bills having to do with strangulation victims.
"And they said, 'Well, coincidentally we've got something very strong and solid and we would love to have your support,'" Kellee said.
House Bill 2676, among a number of other benefits for crime victims, would provide strangulation kits free of charge to survivors of domestic violence.
"And they said, 'Come and testify. Tell your daughter's story.' And I said, 'OK, that's going to be really hard. But for Kelsey, I'm willing to do that,'" Kellee said.
Muncy and Powell say that this bill could make a huge difference in ensuring that strangulation victims receive justice.
"You can see on people's faces when you say, 'This is covered, sign this piece of paper and this is covered,' their faces just like relax," Powell said. "And to be able to do that ... expand that funding to strangulation, is going to absolutely change our work."
On April 19, 2023, just over two years after Kelsey Harris' death, Kellee got her chance to testify.
"Chair Sen. Prozanski and members of the Judiciary Committee," she began. "My name is Kellee Harris and I am here as the voice of our late daughter, Kelsey Harris."
As promised, Kellee told her daughter's story in order to advocate for others.
"If strangulation kits had been available in Linn County at the time of my daughter's assault, they could've made all the difference for Kelsey," Kellee went on to say. "I urge you to pass HB 2676."
Kellee said that this is what Kelsey would have wanted her to do.
"It's not just something that happens to someone else — it can happen to you, it can happen to your family, it can happen to your daughter, just like it did for us," she said.
HB 2676 remains in the Senate Committee on Judiciary, having undergone two recent work sessions. It has yet to be referred for a floor vote in either chamber, but the recent activity is a good sign that it could continue to advance.
The National Domestic Violence Hotline is operated 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Call or text 800-799-7233 if you or someone you know may be a victim of domestic violence, to get connected to resources and support. | https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/the-story/strangulation-kit-crime-victims-bill-oregon-legislature/283-1abe4aaa-f7e6-4b98-a374-39deeee6a99a | 2023-05-02T04:33:00 | 0 | https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/the-story/strangulation-kit-crime-victims-bill-oregon-legislature/283-1abe4aaa-f7e6-4b98-a374-39deeee6a99a |
The Cherry Hill East boys lacrosse team beat host Egg Harbor Township 8-5 on Monday in a nonleague game.
Colin Inman and Tyler Short both scored twice for Cherry Hill East (2-5). The scored was 2-2 at the end of the first quarter but the Cougars scored three goals to lead 5-2 at halftime and kept the lead.
For EHT (1-6), Nick Gargan scored two and had one assist, and Sam Hornikel and Donnie Chishko both scored once.
Rumson-Fair Haven 16, Ocean City 4: Rumson-Fair Haven led 9-2 at halftime.
John Moyer led the host Red Raiders (5-4) with two goals and an assist, and Chayston Labarr and Charlie Schutta each scored once. Winfred Dunn made eight saves for O.C.
Colin Cashion led the Bulldogs (8-3) with nine goals and had two assists.
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Williamstown 15, Oakcrest 3: Connor Flynn scored two and had one assist for the visiting Falcons (1-6), and Mark DeCicco scored once.
Jordan Foley tallied six for Williamstown (6-3) and Bobby Stevens tallied four. Joe Hatefi scored once and won 12 of 13 faceoffs. | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/sports/local/highschool/cherry-hill-east-boys-lacrosse-beats-eht-mondays-roundup/article_508dbcc4-e85f-11ed-be2a-bb275fc702b4.html | 2023-05-02T04:33:31 | 0 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/sports/local/highschool/cherry-hill-east-boys-lacrosse-beats-eht-mondays-roundup/article_508dbcc4-e85f-11ed-be2a-bb275fc702b4.html |
St. Augustine Prep's AJ Galinus shot a 1-over-par 37 with two birdies on Monday to lead the Hermits golf team to a win over Mainland Regional and Cedar Creek at Buena Vista Country Club.
St. Augustine totaled 160, and Mainland finished at 162. Cedar Creek's score was 173.
Ty Simonet scored a 39 with one birdie for the Prep (12-2). Alex Zeck shot a 41 and Pat O'Hara had a 43. PJ Foley and Mateo Medina each scored a 40 for Mainland (10-2), and Phil Stefanowicz had one birdie in a round of 41. Andrew Squire led Cedar Creek (2-6) with a 41.
MR: PJ Foley 40, Mateo Medina 40, Phil Stefanowicz 41, Zach Freed 41
SA: AJ Galinus 37, Ty Simonet 39, Alex Zeck 41, Pat O'Hara 43
CC: Andrew Squire 41, Dylan Guercioni 42, Hunter Stubley 45, Drew Brosh 45
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Birdies: Galinus (2), Simonet SA. Stefanowicz MR.
Records: Prep 12-4; Mainland 10-2; CC 2-6.
Barnegat 199, Donovan Catholic 300
At Donovan Catholic, par 36
B: Aidan Toddings 41, Mason Krey 41, Joseph Bacskai 55, Marion Nunez 62
DC: James Monahan 40, Dylan Espineli 55, Timothy Johnson 59
Records: Barnegat 1-8; Donovan Catholic 0-7
Of note: Donovan Catholic only had three golfers. | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/sports/local/highschool/galinus-shoots-37-to-lead-prep-over-mainland-cedar-creek-mondays-roundup/article_394d5f80-e862-11ed-84d2-7b7b0e09657a.html | 2023-05-02T04:33:38 | 1 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/sports/local/highschool/galinus-shoots-37-to-lead-prep-over-mainland-cedar-creek-mondays-roundup/article_394d5f80-e862-11ed-84d2-7b7b0e09657a.html |
Mary Kate Armstrong struck out 18 and allowed one hit to lead the Holy Spirit High School softball team to a 7-0 win over Cape May Tech on Monday.
Lily Hagan went 3 for 4 with three RBIs for the Spartans. Madison Berry was 3 for 3 with an RBI.
Absegami 22, Pleasantville 1
Audrey Phillips was 4 for 4 with three runs scored and two RBIs for the Braves. Alyssa Bailey was 3 for 3 with three runs scored and two RBIs.
Buena 12, ACIT 2
Buena coach Pam Pickett earned career win No. 699.
Laylah Collins was 3 for 3 with three RBIs for Buena (7-5). Camryn Johnson scored four runs. Jamirah Roberts had three RBIs.
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Buena plays at Ocean City 4 p.m. Tuesday. | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/sports/local/highschool/mary-kate-armstrong-fans-18-for-spirit-mondays-roundup/article_a0698d94-e883-11ed-939c-03064ad2c3f0.html | 2023-05-02T04:33:50 | 0 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/sports/local/highschool/mary-kate-armstrong-fans-18-for-spirit-mondays-roundup/article_a0698d94-e883-11ed-939c-03064ad2c3f0.html |
The Our Lady of Mercy Academy girls lacrosse team beat visiting Oakcrest 17-1 on Monday.
Lucia Visalli scored three and had two assists for the host Villagers (9-2), and Rylie Gemberling, Gabby Celli and Gabby Eaise each tallied three.
Alex Sirakides added a goal, an assist, five ground balls and three draw controls, and Ally Reidenbach, Drew Coyle, Madeline Brown and Lexi Otto each scored once. Kenzie Celli had three assists.
Oakcrest fell to 0-9. | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/sports/local/highschool/olma-dominates-oakcrest/article_2b44630e-e860-11ed-914e-9ba3b9f97909.html | 2023-05-02T04:33:56 | 1 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/sports/local/highschool/olma-dominates-oakcrest/article_2b44630e-e860-11ed-914e-9ba3b9f97909.html |
The Pinelands Regional High School boys volleyball team improved to 11-1 with a 2-0 win over host Central Regional on Monday.
The Wildcats won by scores 25-16 and 25-21.
Brogan Duelly and Matt Davis had eight and six kills, respectively, for Pinelands, and Joe Cardillo added four kills and nine service points. Dan Brunke had 21 assists. Ethan Woods contributed three kills and five digs, and Ryan McCorry had nine digs.
For Central (7-4), Dan Kejda had six kills and four digs.
Absegami 2, Cedar Creek 0: The host Braves had set scores of 25-18 and 25-17.
Nasir Hernandez-Haines led Absegami (5-3) with five kills, six service points and five aces. Xavier Vazquez contributed 15 assists, five service points and two aces, and Dinh Yih had three digs, five service points and two aces. Julian Rivera and Chikaodi Wokocha each added four kills, and Jake Khuc had three aces.
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Cedar Creek fell to 0-7.
Oakcrest 2, Hammonton 0: The host Falcons (2-5) won with scores of 25-19 and 25-16.
For Hammonton (5-7), Joe Tierno had four kills and two digs, Isaac Fishman added three kills, 12 assists and five service points. Hector Feliciano contributed three kills and six digs. Sebastian Pangia added three kills and four service points, and Brandon Chainey had three kills and three digs.
Lacey Township 2, Toms River North 1: Brayden Jiminez topped the visiting Lions (6-6) with 14 kills and had four service points.
Paul Introna had six digs, 14 assists, nine service points and six aces, Brady Noon led with 23 digs. Joe Arevalo added seven kills and three blocks, and Jack Engel contributed four kills, nine service points and five aces. David Alvarez added five digs and 16 assists, and Mason Mozal had seven digs. | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/sports/local/highschool/pinelands-boys-volleyball-tops-central-mondays-roundup/article_9d03c5ea-e85e-11ed-8008-23f11b2759e1.html | 2023-05-02T04:34:02 | 0 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/sports/local/highschool/pinelands-boys-volleyball-tops-central-mondays-roundup/article_9d03c5ea-e85e-11ed-8008-23f11b2759e1.html |
MID-MICHIGAN (WJRT) - Tuesday is a special Election Day with 21 different proposals on the ballot across Mid-Michigan.
A controversial measure in Montrose will determine whether the city allows recreational marijuana dispensaries.
Most of the questions on the ballot Tuesday involve school millages, including costly millages for voters in Saginaw Township Community Schools and Lake Fenton Community Schools.
The Saginaw Township school district is asking voters to approve nearly $245 million in bond funds. The district says it will use the money to build a new high school and renovate seven other buildings.
Voters in the Lake Fenton school district will decide on a $57 million bond proposal. The money would be used to build new facilities and a new early childhood center.
Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Click here to see which communities have questions on the ballot Tuesday and where to vote. | https://www.abc12.com/news/local/key-questions-on-the-ballot-for-some-mid-michigan-voters-wednesday/article_3b9393e8-e882-11ed-9c14-4fdc1fdf8a12.html | 2023-05-02T04:34:28 | 1 | https://www.abc12.com/news/local/key-questions-on-the-ballot-for-some-mid-michigan-voters-wednesday/article_3b9393e8-e882-11ed-9c14-4fdc1fdf8a12.html |
SPRINGFIELD — Six people were killed and dozens injured after multiple crashes involving 72 vehicles Monday on Interstate 55 south of Springfield as blowing dust choked off visibility, authorities said.
Shirley Harper, 88, of Franklin, Wis., was identified Monday night as one of the people who died, and state police said the Montgomery County Coroner’s Office was working to identify the other five and notify their families.
State police said 37 people were transported to area hospitals with injuries ranging from minor to life-threatening. Their ages ranged from 2 to 80 years old, state police said.
The crashes, first reported about 10:55 a.m., occurred in both the northbound and southbound lanes along a two-mile stretch between mileposts 76 and 78, north of Farmersville, which is about 15 miles south of Springfield. All of the deaths were in crashes on the northbound side, police said.
The interstate remained shut down late Monday night and would remain so until all vehicles are removed and the Illinois Department of Transportation inspects the roadway, state police said. They said earlier in the day they expected it to remain closed until late morning or early afternoon on Tuesday.
The closure was between mileposts 63 and 80, which is between Zanesville about 12 miles north of Litchfield in Montgomery County and Divernon, which is about 17 miles south of Springfield in Sangamon County.
“Visibility in the area is reported to be low due to blowing dust,” state police said in a statement issued Monday afternoon. "... The cause of the crash is due to excessive winds blowing dirt from farm fields across the highway leading to zero visibility."
Interstate 55 in southern Sangamon and northern Montgomery counties remains closed in both directions because of numerous crashes caused by a dust storm, which has greatly reduced visibility. (photo via @wics_abc20) pic.twitter.com/rYbWKndJa6
— IDOT_Illinois (@IDOT_Illinois) May 1, 2023
After the initial crash, 20 commercial vehicles and 40 to 60 passenger vehicles become involved in the pileup, state police Maj. Ryan Starrick said during a news conference Monday afternoon. State police later put the total at 72 but indicated the count was preliminary.
During the crashes, at least two semis caught fire, and both had been been extinguished by 2:30 p.m. Starrick also said there were unconfirmed reports of an explosion.
I-55 traffic was being diverted using state Routes 104 and 48 through Taylorville, according to a tweet from the Illinois Department of Transportation.
Motorists are asked to avoid the area.
The Auburn Travel Center in Divernon was being used for reunification for those able to safely leave the scene from the north side, but by 4 p.m., state police began to direct travelers to the Mr. Fuel Travel Center in Litchfield where troopers and deputies were "working to get people reunified."
The National Weather Service reported Monday night that the high winds are expected to subside a bit overnight but still reach 30 mph to 35 mph on Tuesday.
Blowing dust causing a multiple car pile up on I-55 between Divernon and Farmersville. Visibility less than a quarter of a mile. Visibility can become zero at times. If you encounter blowing dust on the roadway or see it approaching, pull off the road as far as possible. #ilwx pic.twitter.com/8NS4zT76zg
— NWS Lincoln IL (@NWSLincolnIL) May 1, 2023
Kevin Schott, director of the Montgomery County Emergency Management Agency, said it had been an emotional day, but no first responders had reported injuries, despite their eyes being full of dust.
"This is a difficult scene, something that is very hard to train for, something that we haven't experienced locally before," he said, adding that they were "very lucky" to have the quality of first responders that were on scene keeping each other safe.
Schott said the most difficult part was "trying to get to the victims in a rapid manner. Multiple vehicles were involved, some were on fire" and responders had to search every vehicle to check for injuries.
They've found those who were involved in the crash have been upset, "visibly so and understandably so," he added.
More than 30 agencies, including law enforcement, fire departments and EMAs, responded to the scene. Hazardous materials teams responded as a precaution and the Illinois EMA offered support, Starrick said, noting some fuel spillage resulted from the crash.
Fire engines remained on scene late Monday afternoon in case of hot spots and reignited fires, Schott said.
Other agencies like the American Red Cross and Salvation Army also responded to offer assistance and support.
Starrick also said multiple helicopters responded to the scene and at least one person was airlifted.
"My heart goes out to the families; my heart goes out to anybody that found themselves in this situation," Starrick said.
State Sen. Steve McClure, R-Springfield, said he visited the area on Monday afternoon and saw how hazardous the conditions were.
"I’m amazed at the work of the first responders from numerous agencies working to save lives in an extremely difficult situation," he said in a statement.
Lee Enterprises reporter Erin Henkel contributed to this report. | https://www.pantagraph.com/news/local/accident-and-incident/6-killed-dozens-hurt-in-crashes-on-dust-choked-i-55-in-central-illinois/article_ad34ff50-e855-11ed-8005-3f647d1783aa.html | 2023-05-02T04:38:51 | 0 | https://www.pantagraph.com/news/local/accident-and-incident/6-killed-dozens-hurt-in-crashes-on-dust-choked-i-55-in-central-illinois/article_ad34ff50-e855-11ed-8005-3f647d1783aa.html |
ANDOVER, Kans. (KSNW)–More than a year after the 2022 Andover Tornado, the United Way of the Plains has collected $902,062 from 1,618 donors in 33 states.
United Way’s Director of Community Services, Mark Stump, says the Long-term Recovery Committee meets once every two weeks to determine how more of that money should be used—an endeavor he calls far from over.
“We’ve assisted 73 of the 197 total cases that we have,” Stump said.
According to Stump, roughly $256,000 of the total $902,062 has been distributed to those impacted by the tornado. Of that amount, $145,233.51 has gone to home and auto deductibles.
“Shelter, a primary vehicle that they would need to drive to work … we’re trying to get those lower cost these things,” City of Andover Public Information Officer Megan Schapaugh said.
Andover resident Mick Lowderman says he filed with his insurance hours after the tornado struck.
“Our roof was ripped off,” Lowderman said. “Around 100,000 was the final amount [for insurance claims].”
Lowderman says he first heard about the Long-term Recovery Fund roughly six months after the tornado.
“We were actually contacted by phone by them, saying, ‘Hey did you know this was out there?’, and we didn’t, so we went ahead and applied for it,” Lowderman said.
Within weeks, Lowderman received at least $3,000 to cover his home deductible.
But for many others, the relief cannot come soon enough.
However, Stump says a long wait time is not unusual. He says after the Greensburg Tornado disaster, it took roughly two-and-a-half years to split $1.1M amongst impacted residents.
“I am going through and getting all the insurance claim summaries and both autos and homes, we’re getting detailed receipts…we want to be accountable for all of these dollars,” Stump said.
Another part of the problem: both Stump and Schapaugh say the committee hasn’t been able to keep in contact with the parties involved in 50 cases.
“You know, like, a specific deadline of, ‘okay, we’re done with these 50 cases that we haven’t heard from, we’re going to move on’, we haven’t said that, so maybe that is, you know, something we need to talk about,” Schapaugh said.
Stump says as long as there’s money available, those impacted by the tornado can still apply. If you’re interested in learning more (or in donating to the fund), call 211 to get in contact with a United Way representative. | https://www.ksn.com/news/local/united-way-of-the-plains-still-working-on-distributing-donated-funds-nearly-one-year-after-andover-tornado/ | 2023-05-02T04:47:42 | 0 | https://www.ksn.com/news/local/united-way-of-the-plains-still-working-on-distributing-donated-funds-nearly-one-year-after-andover-tornado/ |
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — A former detective has resigned from the Scottsdale Police Department after he allegedly drove while impaired and caused a traffic collision.
Michael Lanouar resigned from the agency on March 20 after his involvement in a crash last November, the police department said Monday.
Criminal charges were filed against Lanouar earlier this year, accusing him of endangerment and aggravated assault for the crash near Pima and Indian School roads.
The people who were reportedly hit by Lanouar are Jessica and Dan Stites. They were in Scottsdale for a business conference and to watch some fall league baseball games.
They had just left one of those games and were returning to a hotel when they said the crash happened.
“We were in so much pain,” Jessica said.
Dan said the collision was so severe his Apple Watch called 911 moments after the crash.
They also said Lanouar approached their vehicle and identified himself as a police officer. They claim he told them he was rear-ended by a driver who took off.
“And I was like, ‘Really?’" Jessica said. "There was obviously nothing wrong with the back of his car.”
Both were taken to the hospital, and Dan was told his foot was fractured from the crash.
Lanouar was off-duty and allegedly driving his assigned car when the crash occurred. He was initially demoted from detective to detention officer before his resignation.
The Stites have recently filed a notice of claim seeking damages from the city.
John Kelly, a lawyer representing the victims, said the injured parties were visiting Scottsdale from out of state.
"This detective should be there to protect the community and not be the danger to the community," Kelly told 12News.
Lanouar's criminal charges remain pending in court.
VERSIÓN EN ESPAÑOL: Ex detective de Scottsdale renuncia tras choque, se encontraba intoxicado
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12News+ showcases live video throughout the day for breaking news, local news, weather and even an occasional moment of Zen showcasing breathtaking sights from across Arizona. | https://www.12news.com/article/news/local/valley/former-scottsdale-detective-resigns-dui-crash-lanouar/75-dc636b46-b3a8-4ea3-8b4f-82158a731e75 | 2023-05-02T04:50:11 | 1 | https://www.12news.com/article/news/local/valley/former-scottsdale-detective-resigns-dui-crash-lanouar/75-dc636b46-b3a8-4ea3-8b4f-82158a731e75 |
PHOENIX — A man died over the weekend while at the Tonto National Forest in what is believed to be a heat-related death, according to authorities.
The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office said Bruce L. Ruben, 83, died on Sunday.
The sheriff's office said that Ruben was hiking in the area of Sears K Trail and Ruins Recreation Sight when he passed out.
Rural Metro Fire Department responded at around 1:20 p.m. and tried to help Ruben but could not, and he was pronounced dead.
According to the sheriff's office, preliminary information from the medical examiner suggests Ruben's death is an exposure death.
The sheriff's office said Ruben "was treated for possible heat-related symptoms, and we do believe there were other underlining medical issues."
The sheriff's office said this is the first heat-related death of the year.
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Stay connected by downloading the 12News app, available on Google Play and the Apple Store. Catch up on any stories you missed on the show on the 12News Youtube channel. Read content curated for our Spanish-speaking audience on the Español page. Or see us on the 12News Plus app available on Roku or Amazon Fire. | https://www.12news.com/article/news/local/valley/man-dies-while-hiking-at-tonto-national-forest/75-f3f5eb5b-7be4-4372-a4ab-5118566acd74 | 2023-05-02T04:50:17 | 0 | https://www.12news.com/article/news/local/valley/man-dies-while-hiking-at-tonto-national-forest/75-f3f5eb5b-7be4-4372-a4ab-5118566acd74 |
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Contact Us | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/neighbors-in-south-jersey-remain-concerned-after-driver-allegedly-tries-to-kill-police/3557429/ | 2023-05-02T05:07:05 | 1 | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/neighbors-in-south-jersey-remain-concerned-after-driver-allegedly-tries-to-kill-police/3557429/ |
Theodore W. Shafer
04/01/1960-05/02/2020
Has it really been three years already since our Lord took you to your eternal home? I have the pictures of you, the articles that were yours, the cards from you, the ticket stubs from the cubs games we went to and the memories of us going to church together and so much more but I don't have you. Tears swell up in my eyes when I come across these things. You were a great son. It's good that you have a home away from your earthly home, your home now with our Lord Jesus Christ. How great is that! I miss you so much and so does the family. Rest in Peace Love,Mom. | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/obituaries/wayne-d-shafer/article_84644402-ea7f-5252-add4-b90070685b4b.html | 2023-05-02T05:09:30 | 0 | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/obituaries/wayne-d-shafer/article_84644402-ea7f-5252-add4-b90070685b4b.html |
Two people self-evacuated, but one suffered injuries, after a fire began at an industrial building in the 2900 block of Lower Huntington Road this evening, the Fort Wayne Fire Department said.
Firefighters arrived at 5:27 p.m., two minutes after the alarm, and had the fire under control by 5:33 p.m., according to a news release.
R&R Dumpster Service is listed as the occupant of the building at 2916 Lower Huntington Road.
The fire unit arrive found fire and smoke coming from the building. One of the two occupants received minor burns and was transported by medics to a local hospital.
Fire investigators determined the cause of the accidental fire was due to a glue-stripping product that was being used too close to an open flame near a water heater, the news release said. | https://www.journalgazette.net/local/fire-at-dumpster-service-leaves-1-with-minor-burns/article_f0f47ef4-e892-11ed-8be5-4b316f1e7683.html | 2023-05-02T05:17:07 | 0 | https://www.journalgazette.net/local/fire-at-dumpster-service-leaves-1-with-minor-burns/article_f0f47ef4-e892-11ed-8be5-4b316f1e7683.html |
Nature at Franke Park May 2, 2023 1 hr ago Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email A pair of turkey vultures search for a meal Monday at Franke Park. Mike Durbin | The Journal Gazette A fox squirrel chomps on a nut while sitting on a tree stump Monday at Franke Park. Mike Durbin | The Journal Gazette A red-bellied woodpecker perches in a tree as rain falls around it Monday at Franke Park. Mike Durbin | The Journal Gazette Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Nature at Franke Park Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Most Popular Fort Wayne-area restaurants plan Mother's Day brunch, specials FWCS lawsuit blames social media companies for 'mental health crisis' Hostage situation ends peacefully in Fort Wayne 1 dead following Decatur Road crash IU adds forward from Miami Stocks Market Data by TradingView | https://www.journalgazette.net/local/nature-at-franke-park/article_971faace-e875-11ed-a6f3-ab7f8997fa21.html | 2023-05-02T05:17:13 | 1 | https://www.journalgazette.net/local/nature-at-franke-park/article_971faace-e875-11ed-a6f3-ab7f8997fa21.html |
Raindrops on tulips at Freimann Square May 2, 2023 1 hr ago Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Raindrops collect on a tulip blossom at Freimann Square Park on Monday. A quarter-inch of rain had fallen as of 8 p.m. Mike Durbin | The Journal Gazette Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Raindrops on tulips at Freimann Square Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Most Popular Fort Wayne-area restaurants plan Mother's Day brunch, specials FWCS lawsuit blames social media companies for 'mental health crisis' Hostage situation ends peacefully in Fort Wayne 1 dead following Decatur Road crash IU adds forward from Miami Stocks Market Data by TradingView | https://www.journalgazette.net/local/raindrops-on-tulips-at-freimann-square/article_4ade9044-e875-11ed-a349-f30055562787.html | 2023-05-02T05:17:20 | 0 | https://www.journalgazette.net/local/raindrops-on-tulips-at-freimann-square/article_4ade9044-e875-11ed-a349-f30055562787.html |
WACO, Texas — A 2018 murder case in McLennan County is now being labeled as "cold" by Waco Police Department after not receiving new tips or information that would help solve the shooting death of Justin Bibles.
On the five-year anniversary of his death, his mother is pleading for answers and for people to speak up.
"This could have been your child," Zada Bridgewater said. "At any given moment, it could be your child. You would want someone to speak up for your child. I'm doing as much as I can as a mom to get justice for for Justin."
Bibles, a well-known rapper in Central Texas, was 32-years-old when he was shot in the back of the head in the parking lot of Red Lobster in Waco.
Waco Police arrested and charged a man just days after the shooting happened, but a McLennan County grand jury would choose to not indict him.
Bridgewater tells 6 News she feels there have been roadblocks after roadblocks in getting her son justice. On Monday, she had a message for the person, and/or people, involved in Bibles' death.
"We know there was not just one person involved," she said. "We focused on the one because that's the one that Waco PD said did it. What I've always said from day one to this day, he's a coward. He did not meet my son head on. He did not face him. He did not give my son a chance to protect himself. That's cowardice. So he's a coward. That's all I have to say to you -- you are a coward."
As Bibles' case is unsolved for five years, Bridgewater is reminded every day that the justice system has failed her and her own son. She is frustrated with how the investigation has gone and that the case is now being considered "cold."
"Angry, disappointed upset, all of those adjectives because it shouldn't be," she added."
Bridgewater described her son as bright, smart and dedicated to serving his family.
"He was a good dad, as good as he could be at his age becoming a dad as young as he was," she explained. "He made sure his kids were taken care of."
She said he was musically talented and rapping was his artistic expression.
Bridgewater just wants the justice system to provide for her son and not see him for his past, color of his skin or his artistic expression. | https://www.kcentv.com/article/news/local/murder-of-waco-rapper-now-considered-a-cold-case/500-dacdfcb2-fc46-4fe4-a973-5aea8c11495c | 2023-05-02T05:22:06 | 1 | https://www.kcentv.com/article/news/local/murder-of-waco-rapper-now-considered-a-cold-case/500-dacdfcb2-fc46-4fe4-a973-5aea8c11495c |
Old video of Westland mayor's comments spark controversy
Less than a week after old video surfaced that brought an end to the Westland police chief's tenure, the city's interim mayor is facing controversy for nearly decade-old, profanity-laced footage some residents say features racist comments.
Two clips showing interim Mayor Mike Londeau were posted April 26 on YouTube by a group called Westland Watchdogs. Both were shot at the city's Token Lounge.
Londeau told The Detroit News the videos were of him delivering a comedy roast of a colleague, Richard Rockman, known as Rikki Roxx, in 2014. Rockman is a musician and former radio host.
One of the clips is about nine minutes long and shows Londeau making a number of remarks at the man's expense, including some with profanity. A second, shorter video was labeled "Westland Mayor's Racist Comments." It was the focus of a Facebook post the political action committee Move Westland Forward shared on Saturday.
The minute-long footage appears to include the last two jokes that concluded Londeau's appearance.
Londeau is first heard saying the roastee's liver was “so shriveled, black and dead, if you put your ear to the side, you can hear it say, ‘What you looking at Willis?’" in apparent reference to a catchphrase African American actor Gary Coleman uttered in the sitcom "Diff'rent Strokes." He died in 2010.
Londeau then was heard referring to candidates running in elections that fall.
"Speaking of running, you want to see Rikki run really fast?" Londeau is recorded as saying.
Captions added to the video Westland Watchdogs posted said Londeau followed up with: "Just somebody in the room just yell 'I’m a chubby n-----.'"
In his statement Monday, part of which he read during the Westland City Council meeting Monday night, Londeau refutes the allegations.
"I do want to mention that certain people are trying to use this as a political opportunity and misrepresent the language that I used," he said. "On that, the evidence speaks for itself. I did not say what is being claimed. My comment was in reference to a female the roastee had a crush on named Michelle Jaeger."
Move Westland Forward, led by two city residents, responded to the video on Saturday on its Facebook page.
"When is council going to act and call for his resignation. When is enough, enough?" the post said. "... Why would any business want to invest in Westland when this is our mayor. Shameful but what happens with continued failed leadership, lack of a moral compass and bad behavior being supported, endorsed, etc., etc."
Group members did not immediately respond to a request for comment late Monday.
In his statement Monday, Londeau said: "The overall content and theme is embarrassing and immature in nature and in no way is representative of the way I conduct myself today as Mayor. ... These types of dirty tactics only serve to harm the public by creating a further distrust for government and a divide among our community at a time when we need to be coming together.
"I understand and accept that public officials have to be held accountable and am willing to own up to my past mistakes. I only hope that this decade old issue does not detract from the important matters at hand and the hard work and positive progress of our team. And going forward I hope to be judged by my conduct and actions in service to the residents of Westland, which I know will speak for itself.”
Reached Monday night, Londeau told The Detroit News in an email: "This is a political attack from my opponent in the upcoming election. Dirty politics at its best."
On Jan. 18, the City Council appointed Londeau, who had been its president pro-tem, as mayor. He succeeded William Wild, who left before the end of his fourth term to lead the Midwest Independent Retailers Association.
Last week, Londeau confirmed Police chief Jeff Jedrusik had resigned after controversy aftervideo clips from more than 25 years ago emerged when he was a patrol officer in the 1990s that allegedly show him taunting multiple suspects.
His resignation came a day after two state representatives sent letters to city officials demanding the chief resign or be fired. | https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/wayne-county/2023/05/02/old-video-of-westland-mayors-comments-spark-controversy/70173248007/ | 2023-05-02T05:24:39 | 1 | https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/wayne-county/2023/05/02/old-video-of-westland-mayors-comments-spark-controversy/70173248007/ |
MOJAVE, Calif. — California authorities are investigating the deaths of four people after a report of a shooting in a small Mojave Desert community.
No information on exactly what happened shortly before midnight Sunday or who was involved was immediately released by the Kern County Sheriff's Office.
“Currently no threat to the community,” public information officer Lori Meza said in an email to The Associated Press late Monday morning. Meza said updated information was expected shortly.
Deputies responding at 11:20 p.m. Sunday found four people “suffering from traumatic assault injuries” in the unincorporated community of Mojave, the Sheriff's Office said in a brief press release.
Three of the people died at the scene and one was pronounced dead at an area hospital, the office said. The location of the shooting was a street on the west edge of town with widely scattered homes.
“Homicide detectives responded and the investigation is ongoing,” the office said.
Mojave, population 3,600, is along an important rail line at an intersection of two state highways on the western side of the Mojave Desert about 70 miles (113 kilometers) north of Los Angeles.
The community is in a region with a history of gold and silver mining and is currently known for wind farms on nearby hills and the Mojave Air & Space Port, where aerospace companies such as Virgin Galactic have facilities.
Watch more on ABC10 | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/california/4-dead-in-mojave-desert-shooting/103-1f9bdc7d-f9f5-4b70-82b6-6cc9049bab8e | 2023-05-02T05:49:16 | 1 | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/california/4-dead-in-mojave-desert-shooting/103-1f9bdc7d-f9f5-4b70-82b6-6cc9049bab8e |
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California Attorney General Rob Bonta said Monday the state has filed a lawsuit against the City of Elk Grove.
Bonta said the City of Elk Grove violated state laws when they denied the Oak Rose Apartments project in July 2022. The project would have provided 66 units of affordable housing for people at risk of homelessness.
The lawsuit alleges the city’s denial of the project violates state laws including Senate Bill 35, the Housing Accountability Act, the Nondiscrimination in Land Use Law, and the Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing statute (AFFH).
“Our state is in a housing crisis and local governments must do their part to allow for affordable housing options for all members of our communities, regardless of their income level,” said Attorney General Rob Bonta in a statement. “Everyone deserves to have a place to call home. California has critically important laws designed to combat housing discrimination and increase affordable housing opportunities. Today’s lawsuit against Elk Grove sends a strong message to local governments: if you violate fair housing laws, we will hold you to account.”
The Oak Rose Apartments is a supportive housing project, providing permanent housing for individuals and families who previously experienced homelessness, or are at risk of homelessness.
The City of Elk Grove released a statement in March before the lawsuit was filed.
"We agree that every city must do its fair share to address the state housing crisis and Elk Grove is doing its part," Elk Grove Mayor Bobbie Singh-Allen said in a statement. "We reject the notion that Elk Grove is engaged in unlawful discrimination. We remain committed to supporting solutions that balance the needs of all in the community.”
The Elk Grove City Council denied the project, claiming that it did not meet the city’s zoning standards. In the lawsuit, the state seeks injunctive relief to require Elk Grove to approve the project and realign with state law.
“Building more affordable housing is the most effective tool to reduce and prevent homelessness – but the City of Elk Grove is blatantly evading fair housing laws and working against solving our housing and homelessness crisis,” said HCD Director Gustavo Velasquez in a statement. “HCD is laser-focused on helping all jurisdictions meet their housing goals, but when cities like Elk Grove refuse to do so, we will hold them accountable.”
According to Bonta, there was no compelling purpose for the city’s denial of the project. The residents who would benefit from the housing would need to look elsewhere for similar housing opportunities.
Read the full lawsuit HERE.
Watch more on ABC10 | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/elk-grove/newsom-administration-sues-elk-grove-housing-project/103-f7d5a93a-380e-4b77-8e5a-fca32eb870f0 | 2023-05-02T05:49:22 | 1 | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/elk-grove/newsom-administration-sues-elk-grove-housing-project/103-f7d5a93a-380e-4b77-8e5a-fca32eb870f0 |
ROSEVILLE, Calif. — A new Brazilian steakhouse is open bringing a casual, fine dining experience to Roseville.
Galpão Gaucho offers 17 different cuts of meat including beef, seafood, pork, chicken, lamb, and more, according to the restaurant.
“Residents and visitors of Roseville are in for a special treat with our traditional Brazilian rodizio dining experience,” Sidinaldo Silva, regional manager of Galpão Gaucho said in a statement. “We’re grateful and excited for the opportunity to expand the Galpão Gaucho brand and share Brazilian culture, cuisine, and hospitality.”
The restaurant is inspired by Gaucho culture and the traditional Brazilian cowboy, according to a press release. There is an unlimited two-course menu for $48 during lunch on weekdays and $69 during full-priced service.
Besides meat, Galpão Gaucho has salads and side dishes such as garlic mashed potatoes, homemade chimichurri sauce and cheese bread, as well as desserts and cocktails.
The steakhouse is located at 1400 Eureka Road.
“We chose Roseville as our next destination to be a part of their incredible growing food scene and make our brand the city’s premier steakhouse destination," Silva said in a statement.
Galpão Gaucho is open for lunch Monday through Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The restaurant is open for dinner Monday through Thursday from 5 to 9:30 p.m., Friday from 5 to 10 p.m., Saturday from 1 to 10 p.m., and Sunday from 12–to 9 p.m.
Roseville will be Galpão Gaucho's fifth location on the West Coast. The other locations are in Napa, Cupertino, Walnut Creek, and Las Vegas, Nevada. The grand opening of the Roseville location was on April 26.
Watch more on ABC10 | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/roseville/galpao-gaucho-brazilian-steakhouse-opens-roseville/103-e727fa89-a538-4778-bcb7-66c66c03a171 | 2023-05-02T05:49:28 | 1 | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/roseville/galpao-gaucho-brazilian-steakhouse-opens-roseville/103-e727fa89-a538-4778-bcb7-66c66c03a171 |
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The Sacramento Kings had a great run this season, and local creatives have gained inspiration from their consistent wins.
Singer and songwriter John'nay Lasha wrote her song "Sacramento Kings" in July of last year, before the Kings even got their beam.
The all-ages song was created to hype up the Kings and their loyal fans and to become an overall theme song to highlight the success of the city.
"Any Kings fan knows that we have been waiting to have our moment for a long time," said Lasha. "It was really, really, really important to me to create a track that manifested a victory, a track that manifested that winning energy."
Born and raised in South Sacramento, Lasha loves being there for the community and giving back. She hosts events for local creatives to perform or even display their art.
Sometime in July after a night of writing and producing, Lasha finished her Sacramento Kings song and sent it to DJ StaceLace, a resident DJ for the Sacramento Kings. DJ StaceLace liked it so much, she played it during the King's season opener in the Golden 1 Center.
Since then, the song has over 4,000 views on YouTube and over 5,000 plays on Spotify.
"I was inspired to create something for the community, and I'm glad that I can officially say I was the first person to drop a Kings song and to know that we were going to win over and over again."
The hook is: "Big winner energy, this our year." Lasha wanted this song to be fun, something people can dance to and sing along to and she wanted the lyrics to be representative of Sacramento.
"I started the song with that because I want the Kings to feel like they've got their city on their back," said Lasha. "I just made sure that I continuously spoke of winning, continuously manifesting that it was happening and that we were already waiting. I say this is our year because I had a feeling. I just knew, I just knew."
Lasha's song has been playing various times on the radio in addition to its debut at the season opener for the Sacramento Kings.
"Sacramento is so beautiful to me," Lasha said. "Something about Sacramento that nobody can take from us is our unique qualities, our unique audiences, like we have a city that is catering to so many different types of people. Our creative community has grown and flourished. It's kind of like a parade every time we have a game now and I think we needed that. In the artist community, we are all realizing that we have the power to change how Sacramento is perceived."
You can stream John'Nay Lasha's song "Sacramento Kings" on all platforms such as YouTube, Spotify, Apple Music, and more.
WATCH MORE ON ABC10: Candlemaker creates ‘Light the Beam’ candle to celebrate Kings season | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/sacramento-kings-song-local-singer-songwriter/103-22be8cf1-c4bd-4d35-a7c7-d81231349ec7 | 2023-05-02T05:49:34 | 0 | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/sacramento-kings-song-local-singer-songwriter/103-22be8cf1-c4bd-4d35-a7c7-d81231349ec7 |
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A man caught stealing a catalytic converter at a home in Sacramento County has been arrested, the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office said.
Deputies said Joshua Wright, 34, was arrested April 26 after a video showed him stealing a catalytic converter.
The sheriff's office said a homeowner heard the sound of a power saw coming from her property when she found Wright under her car stealing the catalytic converter.
Deputies said the homeowner confronted Wright and began to record him before he removed the catalytic converter and took off.
According to the sheriff's office, detectives found a wallet at the victim's vehicle containing Wright's photo identification.
He was booked into Sacramento County Main Jail on suspicion of felony grand theft and felony vandalism but is no longer in custody.
If you recognize Wright from another catalytic converter theft, you can call the Property Crimes Bureau at (916) 875-5388.
Watch more from ABC10: UC Davis student identified as man stabbed to death in Sycamore Park | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/sacramento/catalytic-converter-theft/103-93e93324-fbb3-4a02-a054-daf822dedb96 | 2023-05-02T05:49:40 | 0 | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/sacramento/catalytic-converter-theft/103-93e93324-fbb3-4a02-a054-daf822dedb96 |
STOCKTON, Calif. — From the Taco Festival in Modesto to the Grilled Cheese Festival in Sacramento to even recruiting as far away as Lexington, Kentucky, the Stockton Police Department is going wherever it can to recruit much needed officers.
"The goal is to reach those candidates that are qualified but a diverse group of candidates that reflect the department and the city of Stockton," said Stockton police recruiter, Lt. Anabel Morris.
Morris has been with the department for 22 years and has been recruiting since 2012.
The department is at 364 officers but they have a goal of 485 officers. It is Morris's job, along with more than three dozen other recruiters, to convince those interested to join Stockton Police Department.
However, with departments across the country facing intense public scrutiny in recent years, it's become a difficult sell to get someone to wear a badge.
"We need to make sure we get out in the community and kind of not only reach the young people, the children in junior high and high school, but kind of educate them in regards to the opportunities that are available in law enforcement," said Morris.
The competition to recruit officers from other departments is fierce.
In fact, some law enforcement departments from the Bay Area have used billboard space around Stockton to recruit officers in the Port City to their departments.
Much of what it takes to get recruits to stay in Stockton comes down to money.
Starting pay for a Stockton police officer is over $79,786.08. In Tracy, that wage is over $91,348.92 and in the city of Pleasanton, just a short distance away, it's over $104,561.60.
"We've had the Texas Department of Public Safety, every quarter, come to Stockton to recruit," said Patrick High, Stockton Police Officers Association President.
High has 16 years on the force. He says Stockton has become a training ground for other departments looking for seasoned officers, and that more effort is needed to keep officers here.
"We're not in a day and age where we can go from a contract and just wait for the next one to go around because it's such a competitive marketplace. We've got to keep up with the market with other places and look at incentivizing people to stay at this agency," said High.
The Stockton Police Department has implemented what they call "organizational wellness" as a way to retain officers and show they care.
"We have an app on our phone as well to ensure that they can reach out at any time. They can reach out to any of the members which we now have two full-time officers on staff as well as a chaplain," said Morris.
WATCH ALSO: | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/stockton/stockton-police-recruiting/103-fdc35cc1-bf89-4439-a817-dd4cbd59fe01 | 2023-05-02T05:49:46 | 1 | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/stockton/stockton-police-recruiting/103-fdc35cc1-bf89-4439-a817-dd4cbd59fe01 |
FORT MYERS BEACH, Fla. – Sure, eating dinner on a boat is elegant and fancy, but have you ever thought about having lunch or dinner with a yacht nearly overtop of you?
On San Carlos Island, it’s a reality at Bonita Bills Waterfront Cafe.
“It does really look like something out of a movie,” said the owner of Bonita Bills, Katie Reynolds.
The boat has been propped up, nearly standing upright and sitting on what was the dock and tiki bar of the restaurant. Hurricane Ian’s storm surge dropped the boat here, bringing it from who knows where.
“Came in and realized, ‘Oh. We have a new showcase,’” said Glenn Diedricksen. “This is totally unique.”
With all the force Hurricane Ian brought with it, the boat stopped just a mere few inches from the main building of the restaurant. It’s sat here ever since, barely moving at all.
“I just kept looking at that boat and thinking, ‘How in God’s name did it stop right where it did,’” said Denise Kaleciak.
Some people that stopped by for a burger and beer have even asked if the restaurant’s owners placed the boat here as a photo op, thinking it was a crafty idea.
“People asked if we pushed in place there or if we arranged it somehow,” Reynolds said.
While Bonita Bills is a place like no other with its famous food, four-legged friendly scene and live music, even they couldn’t have pulled off a stunt like this.
However, while the boat is “docked” on top of their dock, the word of the spectacle is spreading, bringing customers from all over to experience their restaurant.
“That’s why we were here. Just to get a picture,” said Sue Hoinacki of North Fort Myers.
She’s not alone. Person after person lined up to take pictures of the boats as well as get their picture taken with the boat.
“It needs to stay,” said Rhonda Bindert. “We need to just make it a permanent part of Bonita Bills.”
“If they could keep it and serve on it, that would be really fun,” added Daria Friel.
The number one question is: will they keep the boat or get rid of it?
THE BIG QUESTION BEING:
“This is either going to make people really excited or really upset, but it will be going eventually,” Reynolds said. “We are excited to bring back our tiki bar and our dingy docks for more people to come and access.”
When that will happen, she doesn’t know. The boat is on the state’s list of vessels to remove. However, there’s no timeline for when that will happen.
“We never know when a boat is going to get taken away or salvaged…so, just kind of stay tuned,” Reynolds said. “It’s kind of a reminder of how far we come and also how far we have left to go at the same time.” | https://nbc-2.com/news/local/lee-county/2023/05/02/eat-dinner-almost-under-a-boat-dislodged-at-fort-myers-beach-restaurant/amp/ | 2023-05-02T05:53:44 | 1 | https://nbc-2.com/news/local/lee-county/2023/05/02/eat-dinner-almost-under-a-boat-dislodged-at-fort-myers-beach-restaurant/amp/ |
There's an ongoing stereotype that larger cities are more dangerous. While no larger cities (population of 300,000 or more) made the overall safest list, fewer than half of the 15 least-safe cities in the U.S. The most dangerous cities were determined from the analysis by their per capita cost of crime.
- St. Louis, MO - $8,457 cost of crime per capita
- Mobile, AL - $8,014
- Birmingham, AL - $7,900
- Baltimore, MD - $7,230
- Memphis, TN - $7,184
- Detroit, MI - $6,780
- Cleveland, OH - $6,491
- New Orleans, LA - $6,444
- Shreveport, LA - $6,344
- Baton Rouge, LA - $5,739
- Little Rock, AR - $5,374
- Oakland, CA - $5,329
- Milwaukee, WI - $5,243
- Kansas City, MO - $4,884
- Philadelphia, PA - $4,755
Mass Shootings in American Cities Are Getting Worse
Mass shootings are a particular scourge on American life. According to Gun Violence Archive, which defines mass shootings as any single incident in which four or more people are shot, there were 648 mass shootings in 2022 and 18 as of January 9, 2023.
Mass shooting events are included in our safest and most dangerous cities rankings. Though they are relatively rare, we do not adjust our rankings for these events. The emotional impact of mass shootings is incalculable, traumatizing families and entire communities. To quantify the economic impact, MoneyGeek calculated the total cost of mass shootings in 2021 to be $8 billion — that's about 4% of the total cost of crime in the approximately 263 cities analyzed and a 33% increase in costs from 2020 to 2021.
WORST CITIES FOR MASS SHOOTINGS IN 2021
- Boulder, CO - $108,651,414
- San Jose, CA - $108,393,140
- Indianapolis, IN - $98,457,785
- Atlanta, GA - $86,843,649
- Colorado Springs, CO - $75,875,198
Safety and the Cost of Crime
The direct economic costs of crime to individuals and society include victim medical and mental health care needs, damage to and loss of property and police and corrections costs. Aside from the imminent danger of crime, people living in higher crime areas see depressed home values and pay higher premiums on average for home insurance, renters insurance and auto insurance.
To assess the safest cities, MoneyGeek analyzed crime data, including violent crimes such as murder, rape and aggravated assault and property crimes such as home burglary and motor vehicle theft. This list calculated each city's cost of crime and ranked the cities based on the cost of crime per capita. Additionally, researchers have quantified how much more violent crimes cost a community than property crimes.
While perceptions of safety are vital, crime statistics do not capture any city or community's whole story.
"Behind all these averages that people like to cite about the crime rates in different communities are individual people and their decisions about how they choose to engage in their community," says Jesse Bruhn, Annenberg assistant professor of education and economics at Brown University who researches education issues and inner-city gang violence. "There's a lot more heterogeneity in these patterns that we just can't measure."
Despite genuine threats, Bruhn says, it may be surprising how safe people can feel in neighborhoods with high crime rates. | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/sex-offender-dies-while-serving-life-sentence-in-prison/article_9f76ded6-b107-5b46-91ce-39a35d3edb99.html | 2023-05-02T05:54:22 | 1 | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/sex-offender-dies-while-serving-life-sentence-in-prison/article_9f76ded6-b107-5b46-91ce-39a35d3edb99.html |
PULLMAN, Wash. — Washington Governor Jay Inslee is expected to sign a bill on Monday that strengthens anti-hazing laws.
The bill is named after Sam Martinez, who died in 2019 after a night of hazing at a fraternity at Washington State University.
The "Sam Martinez Stop Hazing law" increases the penalty for hazing from a misdemeanor to a gross misdemeanor. It becomes a felony when someone is injured or killed. It's the second hazing bill that Sam's family has advocated for, with the first bill passing into law last year.
Ahead of the signing of the new law, Sam's mother, Jolayne Houtz, said seeing these efforts come to fruition is bittersweet.
"Sam would be graduating from college next week, and it's heartbreaking that we won't get to see him do that," Houtz said.
Since his death, Sam's parents Houtz and Hector Martinez, have fought to eliminate hazing. They hoped advocating for reform on these laws would prevent another family from feeling the same devastating loss.
But in January, WSU freshman Luke Tyler was found dead in his dorm room. His family believes hazing was a factor.
"That really tears me up inside," Houtz said. "I really had so hoped that Sam would be the last. I hope that we never see another case."
When Governor Inslee signs the new hazing law, it will make Washington the 15th state to make hazing a felony. The bill made its final passage in the Senate three weeks ago.
"I really feel like we started a movement to raise the visibility of hazing that is still happening on college campuses and to bring an end to it," Houtz said.
She adds it's a legacy that Sam would be proud of.
"That feels so incredible to me to be able to say that Washington is sending a clear message that we have no tolerance for hazing, and we actually mean that we're going to put some teeth behind that," Houtz said.
When asked if this law is enough to eliminate hazing, she believes criminal penalties alone are not sufficient.
"I think of these as a package of reforms, education, transparency, and penalties to be clear that there are consequences for these actions," Houtz said. "But we first have to educate people about it, help prevent it where we can and bring it into the light of day so that people know that it is, in fact, still happening."
Her family's work is not yet done. Right now, they're developing a national public database that shows hazing incidents on every college campus in the United States.
"I will be very excited to launch that publicly," she said. "Once we collect all of the data, we'll put it into a free and searchable database for families to use and others to use. That way, they can learn about the extent of hazing that is happening right now."
You can watch KREM 2's full interview with Jolayne Houtz in the YouTube video below:
Editor's Note: This article has been updated to add additional clarifications following its initial publishing.
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To report a typo or grammatical error, please email webspokane@krem.com. | https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/governor-jay-inslee-to-sign-anti-hazing-law-sams-bill-washington-state-university/293-610b0cb2-6db7-4f63-b1fd-de46fc167d4a | 2023-05-02T05:54:52 | 1 | https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/governor-jay-inslee-to-sign-anti-hazing-law-sams-bill-washington-state-university/293-610b0cb2-6db7-4f63-b1fd-de46fc167d4a |
ANACORTES, Wash. — The Guemes Island ferry has operated in Anacortes since 1890, but it was not operating Monday, as ferry workers fought for a fair contract.
Standing outside the dock, holding signs demanding fair wages, ferry workers said their pay has only gone up $2.95 an hour over the past 14 years.
The inability to keep up with the cost of living is sinking their budgets as everything gets more expensive.
The 17 crew members have been working without a contract for nearly a year and a half.
Many can't even afford to live close to where they work.
"Some of our crew members live as far away as Mount Vernon," said deckhand and union representative Richard Walker. "One lives in La Conner. Another is in Oak Harbor."
That's a problem because the Guemes crossing isn't staffed full-time. So, if there is an emergency on the island, it takes longer for ferry crews to arrive at the terminal -- delaying critical care.
That's what worries islanders like Matt Enos.
He said being stranded on the island Monday is one thing, but being stranded when an emergency hits is unacceptable.
"It could mean in an emergency situation that our volunteer fire department are waiting potentially hours for backup services to arrive," Enos said.
On the picket line, ferry workers crowded around a pickup truck to hear a broadcast of Monday's county commission meeting where their issue was being discussed.
Crew members said other county workers are being offered 3% raises while ferry workers only get 2%.
They also said their schedules are being switched with short notice, impacting their family lives.
"We have some crew members who have older parents who need care," said Walker. "Some have children who have gotten older and have activities. All we're saying is we want to be treated fairly and equitably."
In a press release late Monday afternoon, a county spokesperson wrote, "Skagit County is deeply frustrated that the strike occurred after the County had asked repeatedly for mediation of the contract and addressed the issue of scheduling. The County remains committed to providing appropriate staffing and scheduling of ferry workers."
“The County does not take this situation lightly,” said Ron Wesen, Skagit County Board of Commissioners Chair. “We understand that this unexpected service closure has greatly impacted those living on the Island. The County is doing everything in our power to ensure that ferry workers and residents of Guemes Island are provided safe and dependable transport.”
Said Commissioner Peter Browning, “It is imperative that (the Union) join us at the table. The only way forward is through open communication between the parties involved.”
“Our focus continues to be on resolution,” said Commissioner Lisa Janicki. “We are incredibly disappointed that (the Union) has not joined us in working toward this goal. We are hopeful that, following this event, the County and the Union will be able to work toward common ground.”
The press release went on to say, "Skagit County remains committed to the process of providing fair wages and working conditions with appropriate scheduling that provides for safety of ferry workers and users now and for the future. The County hopes the Union will join in using the legal methods available to complete that process."
Ferry workers reported they will be back on the job first thing Tuesday morning. | https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/guemes-island-ferry-workers-strike/281-817e8cd0-aeb3-4c35-a752-0b5323dafd08 | 2023-05-02T05:54:58 | 1 | https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/guemes-island-ferry-workers-strike/281-817e8cd0-aeb3-4c35-a752-0b5323dafd08 |
SEATTLE — Monday ushers in a new era for Amazon as corporate staff start returning to the office for work at least three days a week.
It means tens of thousands of employees will be back in downtown Seattle, marking a big policy shift for the tech giant and a big change for the city post-pandemic.
Businesses in and around Amazon's South Lake Union campus are hoping it also means a boost to their bottom line.
"We're totally looking forward to it, we've been planning for it for a few weeks now and we've actually had meetings with Amazon," said Joseph Smith, who manages the Middle Eastern eatery Manna, which opened on the corner of Terry and Republican last summer.
Smith says since then, business has been slow. So slow in fact he's predicting a jump in sales by a couple hundred percent.
"Zero to 60 in about two weeks," Smith said adding they worked on their systems to be more efficient and also updated their presence on third-party delivery apps all to cash in on the lunchtime rush.
"DoorDash accounts for less than 10% of our sales right now," said Smith.
While businesses are hopeful, the new policy is causing anxiety among some employees who are calling for more transparency from the tech giant.
"If you were doing your work and you were productive doing it in your previous working situation, and now being told to do your work in this specific space these times a week," said one employee who wishes to remain anonymous.
He says it's the controlling party that is most frustrating, especially after being hired during the pandemic and under the impression he would be able to continue working from home.
"I also learned that each department head is going to start tracking...how many are coming in those three days a week," said the employee, who isn't alone.
KING 5 obtained a picture of a Slack channel called "Remote Advocacy" that has more than 33,000 people in it posting concerns and questions about the return.
A letter from leadership in response to a petition signed by employees to stop the rollout reads in part: “the guiding principle used in our decision making was to prioritize what would enable us to make our customers' lives better and easier every day, and relentlessly invent to do so."
While it's unclear if and how the new policy will be enforced, the employee says, "As much as I am complaining, if I need to comply I'll probably comply." He hopes for more transparency from Amazon in the future.
An Amazon spokesperson did respond to our request for comment about the rollout which reads in full:
"We're excited to have employees coming into the office more regularly because we believe it builds culture and connection among our teams and drives innovation on behalf of customers. Adjusting to a new way of working will take some time, and we'll continue to keep employees updated on the latest information and address personal circumstances on an individual basis."
Employees are also not expected back in the office until their building is ready. | https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/seattle/amazon-employees-anxious-businesses-hopeful-return-to-office-policy/281-4923b6fc-b1f3-4473-8600-81cff49bca87 | 2023-05-02T05:55:04 | 1 | https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/seattle/amazon-employees-anxious-businesses-hopeful-return-to-office-policy/281-4923b6fc-b1f3-4473-8600-81cff49bca87 |
SEATTLE — Demonstrators marched through downtown Seattle in support of worker and immigrant rights on May Day.
El Comité says International Workers Day on May 1 is “a day of unity and collective community power to support our most needed people.”
During the annual event, teachers, labor workers, immigrants, women’s rights activists and LGBTQ+ people typically march through Seattle.
"The rights of workers need to be prioritized because they get taken advantage of," said Tricia Schroeder, president of SEIU Local 925, which represents thousands of workers in education, local government and nonprofits.
What is May Day?
In most countries, May 1 is known as International Workers' Day or Workers' Day. In the United States, it's often a day for protests and commemoration to remember the struggle for the rights of working people, according to the University of Washington History Professor James Gregory.
Its modern roots worldwide trace back to a string of violent events in Chicago in the late 19th century, as unions pushing for fair working conditions began advocating for the eight-hour workday with strikes and demonstrations nationwide.
Other groups, like anti-capitalists, anti-fascists and anarchists, plan their own May Day events, too. They each have their own reasons for observing the day. Those gatherings, which don't have city permits, usually happen at night.
In the early 2000s, May Day often involved violent clashes between anarchists and police. In 2015, nine police officers were injured and 16 people were arrested after a May Day riot on Capitol Hill.
As a result, Seattle police have added additional crowd control management training, and the department was called to review its use of blast balls on the public and explore other forms of crowd control.
RELATED: What is May Day? | https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/seattle/seattle-may-day-march/281-471528be-27c0-4514-b3c7-bedb83be4ef1 | 2023-05-02T05:55:10 | 1 | https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/seattle/seattle-may-day-march/281-471528be-27c0-4514-b3c7-bedb83be4ef1 |
RICHARDSON, Texas — In the library of Berkner High School in Richardson, Eastman Lay eagerly waited to see his daughter. "I haven't told her anything yet so hopefully this is a really great surprise for her," he said.
In the same room, the chancellor of Texas Woman's University, Carine Feyten, was also waiting for the high school senior.
Brittney Lay, unsuspecting, walked into the library with her college counselor, finding her family, Berkner faculty and staff, and TWU employees in the back area. Her jaw dropped as she lifted her hands to her face realizing the gathering was for her.
Here, Chancellor Feyten announced Brittney as the recipient of the university's most prestigious scholarship.
"Today, we are honoring an extraordinary student here at Berkner High School," said Feyten.
The Chancellor's Endowed Scholarship is only given once a year. It covers tuition, textbooks, fees and other costs for four full years at Texas Woman's University.
Brittney was presented with a large check and a certificate, along with a cake and a basket of TWU gear.
Brittany's college application impressed Feyten. She has extracurricular achievements in addition to a 4.0 grade point average. Brittney ranks fifth in her senior class out of 510 students. Her college essay was especially memorable for the chancellor.
Brittney is a first-generation college student. Her parents immigrated to the United States from Vietnam in the 1970s. Her father said, "It was quite difficult around that time. It was just very hard to integrate into a totally different society."
Brittney describes being grateful for her parents sacrifice and support.
Brittney plans to major in health care administration. She wants to combine her interest in business with her passion in helping patients. Brittney's goal is to advocate for patient rights. | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/richardson-isd-senior-surprised-full-ride-scholarship-texas-womans-university-twu/287-a7327036-1019-4b37-b429-eb2e587030ee | 2023-05-02T05:59:45 | 0 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/richardson-isd-senior-surprised-full-ride-scholarship-texas-womans-university-twu/287-a7327036-1019-4b37-b429-eb2e587030ee |
March 17, 1929—April 18, 2023
Norman Standal, age 94, passed away April 18, 2023, of natural causes.
Dad was born in Longview, Washington, on March 17, 1929, to proud Norwegian parents Stanley Elias Matias Standal and Elizabeth (Showalter) Standal. He was raised in Spokane, the eldest of five children, and learned the tool and die trade as a teenager.
He married Anita Joy Heine on April 1, 1951, and was immediately activated to serve in the US Air Force at Ladd AFB, in Alaska, where he served as NCO in charge of the network of radar outposts.
After being discharged in 1954, dad worked for Kaiser Aluminum and Chemical Corporation in Spokane as a Senior Planner, and he built the family’s first home north of Newman Lake where he and Anita began their family.
Always ready to learn something new, he and Anita moved to Idaho in 1962 and purchased the family ranch in Bliss. After looking all over the west, they chose the Thousand Springs area because of the plentiful water flowing out of the cliffs into the Snake River. Dad realized his dream of being energy independent by building a small hydroelectric plant that met the needs of the ranch. As well as raising beef, he became a pioneer in the trout industry, building a trout farm on the family ranch and later developing the Magic Springs Trout Farm and Processing Plant.
Dad was a machinist at heart. In the late 1970’s, seeing another opportunity, he developed automated agriculture irrigation equipment and received six patents.
While living in Idaho he was a member of Hagerman Masonic Lodge.
Looking for a warmer climate and new adventures, he moved to Texas where he had an industrial painting business. While there he purchased a 41-foot sailboat, which he completely renovated. After sailing across the Gulf to Florida, he lived aboard the sailboat for many years sailing with family and friends in the Keys, Bahamas and up and down the Florida coast. He finally put down roots in North Fort Myers, building his dream retirement home on waters leading into the Caloosahatchee River and the ocean.
In his travels dad met Brenda Leighton and in 2009 they married. After looking for another new project, dad renovated a vintage Ultra Van RV. He and Brenda spent many years enjoying their Florida home and traveling in the RV, often attending Ultra Van Club events. He was also part of the Edison Inventors Club of Fort Myers.
Dad raised his family with purpose, giving us a strong moral compass, a discipline to work hard, to play hard, to be creative, to learn and try out new experiences and strive to achieve our dreams.
Dad was preceded in death by his first wife, Anita, his parents, his brother, Alfred, his sister, Loretta Lydig, brother-in-law, Dean Lydig all of Spokane, and brother-in-law, Robert Fisher of Olympia.
He is survived by his wife Brenda, and her family; two sisters: Dorothy (Jim) Backstrom of Collinsville, IL, and Millie (Tom Wanless) Fisher of Olympia, WA; four children: Joy (Michael) Heller of Gooding, ID, Stan (Loretta) Standal of Bliss, ID, Darlene (Daniel) Nemnich of Bliss, ID and Eric (Jeannie) Standal of Boise, ID; 11 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.
Care has been provided by Rosenau Funeral Home & Crematory, Twin Falls, Idaho. There will be a private family Celebration of Life at a later date. | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/obituaries/norman-stanley-standal-sr/article_321c7958-7c0d-502b-9d76-32a450106cf9.html | 2023-05-02T06:16:49 | 0 | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/obituaries/norman-stanley-standal-sr/article_321c7958-7c0d-502b-9d76-32a450106cf9.html |
NORMAL — Two new cannabis dispensaries will be coming to Normal and begin renovations this summer.
The Normal Town Council on Monday approved special use permit applications for two adult use cannabis dispensaries: Revolution Dispensary at 1609 Northbrook Drive and High Haven at 106 Mall Drive.
High Haven's application was passed unanimously while Revolution's application was approved despite trustees Kathleen Lorenz and Scott Preston voting against it. The Normal Zoning Board of Appeals endorsed High Haven's application in April but rejected Revolution's.
The council rejected a previous plan for the High Haven site in February after concerns were raised about traffic congestion and the impact the business would have on families visiting stores nearby. The site is near the Shoppes at College Hills.
The new plan addresses some of those concerns by proposing an increase to the number of on-site private parking spaces, up to 58 spaces, and improvements to the entrance and exit at the intersection of East College Avenue and Mall Drive to make them more clearly one-way drives, according to town documents.
This was Revolution's first time before the council.
Although a majority of residents who spoke during the public comment period were against the applications, trustee Kevin McCarthy said there were plenty of messages from individuals both for and against the dispensaries.
"It's pretty even from everything I head and clearly we have passionate feelings on both sides of this issue," McCarthy said. "We do have to apply the rules fairly and evenly to any business and not penalize one business because we like it or don't like their product."
Lorenz added that the traffic situation at the intersections College Avenue on Mall and Landmark drives as well as on Plaza and Baxter drives needs to be addressed by the town as soon as an intersection design study will be complete.
"I want to put a call out for an expedited, accelerated effort on our part following the completion of the (intersection design study) to move forward on whatever project come out of that study to improve the flow (of traffic)," Lorenz said.
High Haven CEO and founder Mahja Sulemanjee said she looks forward to getting the necessary permits to start renovation of the space sometime in the next six to nine weeks.
As far as the people who are against or unsure of cannabis, Sulemanjee said she recommends people find others who are well educated in cannabis and to have conversations with people who have differing opinions on the topic.
"Not all of their opinions might be exactly up to date, not just with the laws but also with the movement and progress of society," Sulemanjee said. "I'd love to see more education and really hope that we can end the stigma on cannabis."
As for Revolution Dispensary's application, both Lorenz and Preston said the proposed location was not safe and lacked adequate space for parking, even though it meets the town's code requirements.
"It's just not laid out well and I feel for the applicant because I do know from talking to some of them that they had looked at a dozen or so sites and this was likely the only one that fit a variety of constraints that they we're facing plus our own code," Lorenz said. "I know it's not easy but I don't think this is going to cut if for me on the special use permit."
According to town documents, the location for the proposed dispensary would have no impact on the existing businesses nearby, including Gloria Jean’s Coffee, Normal Maytag Coin Laundry and the McLean County Area EMS System.
The ZBA rejected the application on two occasions: the first in March after residents raised traffic safety concerns around the site and the second in April when the ZBA based its rejection on an objection by the owner of a nearby day care center.
Sean Molina, vice president of business affairs at Revolution Cannabis, said they plan to increase the number of parking spaces from 37 spots to 50 by restriping the lot and that there would be additional parallel spaces at the rear of the parking that would be used by employees.
According to town documents, the dispensary would be open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday, with peak hours anticipated to be 4 to 7 p.m. during the week and 2 to 6 p.m. on weekends. Fridays and Saturdays would be expected to be the busiest days.
The applicant expects to hire about 25 full- and part-time employees and anticipates serving around 250 customers per day, with 100 of those customers during peak hours.
"We do have the capability though our online ordering system to govern how many slots we give in various windows, whether it be 15-minute increments to half hour, hour increments," Molina said. "Obviously those flow in various peak times. Those peak times do not overlap with any of the existing tenants in the building."
Mark Steinmetz of Scottsdale, Arizona, who submitted the application through his Illinois Health & Wellness LLC, said he is glad the council upheld the ordinance and assured that this would help the area overall.
He said having a legal business would discourage people from buying from illegal dealers.
"It's a market-share battle," he said. "If you put a tax on a regulated business in place of an illegal business, crime is going to fall but a lot of people haven't really thought that through and they haven't look at the facts."
Steinmetz said he plans to start renovation of the space in the next four to six weeks, with hopes to open the dispensary some time in August.
Watch now: Photos from the JJ Swims Water Safety Event
Jack and Jill volunteers Landon Caffey, Lashonda Harden, Shomari Caffey, Courtney Marks
YMCA staff and volunteers Brad Ruehrdanz, Dani Freeman, Patrick Mainieri, Tessa Mizell, Eric and B.J. Wilken
Lifeguards and instructors
Leanna Bordner with the ISU Women’s Swim Team who volunteered at the
Getting a wristband
Gionee and LaRon Reed
Mateo Miranda
Swarnambika Appari, Medhasyi and Nishanth Lutukurthy
Samantha Lambros, Jace, Dimitri and Jason Campbell
Julie and Callie Letzkus
Sansanee Pattapongwat, Gawyn Edel
Erica and Audrey Larkin
Picking up freebies
YMCA director/CEO B.J. Wilken
Roxanne Stewart
Michael Cobarrubias, YMCA director of aquatics
Aerial View
Drawing door prize winners
Patrick Mainieri thanking the ISU Women’s Swim Team volunteers
Getting ready to swim
Playing games
Mateo Miranda on the side of the pool
Mateo Miranda floating on his back
Micah Thompson and Caleb Robinson help Merrell Robinson
Leo Swearingen holds Jirzhiel Jolly as Teliyah Johnson looks on
Elle Dejaynes holds Paris Calvert
Reeve Thomsen, Reese Harris
Instructor Ben McDorman is ready to assist Promise Warmsley and Genevieve Blockman
Even though both applications were approved, Lorenz said the council needs to reevaluate the language and requirements set in the special use permit.
City Manager Pam Reece said the council intends to have a work session on the topic in June.
In other business, the council swore in newly elected trustee Andy Byars.
Byars replaced former town trustee Stan Nord after securing a council seat during April municipal elections, along with incumbents Lorenz and Smith.
The council also approved the following:
- A one-year contract with T2 Systems for $25,988 for parking enforcement software.
- A contract with Stark Excavating Inc. for sump pump discharge and storm sewer improvements for $424,750
- The purchase of two 2023 Ford F-550 trucks from Bob Ridings Inc. for $109,526
- A lease agreement for uptown office space with U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood, R-Dunlap.
- A special use permit for an outdoor kennel at 1824 W. Hovey Avenue.
The council rejected bids for the 2023 Beech Street pavement replacement project. | https://www.pantagraph.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/normal-oks-two-cannabis-dispensaries-work-to-start-this-summer/article_565f3324-e893-11ed-adb8-4b4fb07141ee.html | 2023-05-02T06:27:50 | 1 | https://www.pantagraph.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/normal-oks-two-cannabis-dispensaries-work-to-start-this-summer/article_565f3324-e893-11ed-adb8-4b4fb07141ee.html |
PHOENIX — The year was 1970.
Nearly 100,000 people demonstrated in Washington D.C. against the Vietnam War. Richard Nixon was president. And Jimi Hendrix and The Who were the biggest names in music.
But here in Phoenix, Diane Kalas was making history as the first female reporter at 12News.
“I was taking a guest to be on the show 'Today in Arizona' that was on at that time. And I had already met the news director, trying to get a job,” Kalas said. “And so I was talking to him again, because he was one of the co-hosts on the show. And he said, ‘Well, let's do an audition.’ And I got in the studio and watched the re-run of my audition. And he just turned to me and he said, ‘When do you want to start?’ And I said, ‘Where do I put my purse?’"
Even Kalas was surprised when she got the job at 38 years old.
She never had any experience in TV or graduated college. But since Kalas was in high school, she always knew she wanted to be a reporter. And she also knew she was at the right place at the right time.
“I did stories about abortion with Roe vs. Wade … " Kalas said. "A lot of women's movement stories because there was a change going on in the country at that time. And so since I was the only woman on the staff, I got all those stories."
Kalas also had the opportunity to interview the biggest legends in Hollywood at the time, like Bob Hope, Sammy Davis Junior, Phyllis Diller, Don Rickles, and Liberace, who even signed his book for her.
Kalas covered feature stories recalling this wild one:
“There was a gorilla that was being transported from another zoo to the Phoenix Zoo in Hugh Hefner's plane, chained on Hugh Hefner's circular bed in his private plane," she laughed. "And we were trying to cover the arrival of this gorilla and the gorilla was waking up. He had been sedated… it was very exciting. So wild!"
Kalas said she had the time of her life. But back then, stories weren’t captured on taped shows – everything was live.
“We had no tape," she said. "In the beginning, we just had film and the film was rushed in every afternoon after people shot it all day, and had to be developed and cuts and everything in time for the 6 o'clock news or 5 o'clock news.”
Even though Kalas was the only female in a newsroom full of men, she said she was never treated any less just because she was a woman.
“The men I worked with all treated me like their little sister. They were helpful and welcoming,” she said.
But in 1977, after seven years working at Channel 12, Kalas was let go. She went on to work in radio.
Now, at 90, life is good for Kalas – who has three children, six grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren and four great-great-grandchildren. She is active and healthy and lives with her dog Rags who she takes on daily walks.
“I really enjoy it. And she enjoys it. And if I didn't have her, I don't think I would do it because I'm basically a little bit lazy,” she laughed.
Looking back, Kalas never thought of herself as a trailblazer. She was just living her dream. But she appreciates it now more than ever.
“I am proud to have been part of that legacy. And I'm also proud that it happened at Channel 12. Because to me, it's a very special place," Kalas said. "And it was like they were my family.”
Up to Speed
Catch up on the latest news and stories on the 12News YouTube channel. Subscribe today. | https://www.12news.com/article/news/local/valley/diane-kalas-first-female-reporter-at-12-news/75-b889b122-1c25-43a3-a388-aea59a606f50 | 2023-05-02T06:34:52 | 0 | https://www.12news.com/article/news/local/valley/diane-kalas-first-female-reporter-at-12-news/75-b889b122-1c25-43a3-a388-aea59a606f50 |
Officials say that New Yorkers owe the city $800 million in unpaid water bills, and now the Eric Adams administration is going after the the worst deadbeats who have dodged their payments -- including one that owes nearly half a million dollars.
"We don’t want to shut off anyone’s water," Mayor Adams said Monday, while instructing his team at the Department of Environmental Protection to target those who owe the most. There are said to be nearly 200,000 addresses with late water bills.
City officials singled out the Decoration and Design Building — known as the D&D building — on Third Avenue in Manhattan. That particular building is the worst offender of unpaid water bills in the city, owing more that $424,000.
Inspectors spray painted a "shut tap warning" on the street outside the building, as notices were plastered on the building's front door in the morning. DEP Commissioner Rohit Aggarwala said that got the building management's attention.
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"This building received a letter they ignored it. Only responded to sticker this morning," he said at a press conference.
A woman answering the phone at the D&D building on Monday called it an administrative error that’s been rectified. But the commissioner said that if they don’t pay, the water will be shut off.
"100%. I mean, we are not kidding around here," said Aggarwala.
News
The city is extending its debt forgiveness program for unpaid water bill through the end of May. The amnesty program allows those who owe money to pay off their bill without interest. It's a tactic that helped the city collect $60 million in recent months.
The problem is far from a new one for the city, as the issue stretches back decades. Mayor Michael Bloomberg made a point of mentioning it back in 2008. A homeowners group in the Bronx said the issue is high interest and surprise fees which put middle class taxpayers in a bind, but the amnesty program will help.
"This is not a handout — it allows the community to meet our obligation and pay our bill," said Haydee Rosario of the Shorehaven Homeowners Association.
In order to avoid paying any interest, the bill must be paid in full. If a quarter or half of the bill is paid, the interest can be reduced. The city said it will be going after those who’ve owed more than $1,000 per bill — for more than a year. | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/new-yorkers-owe-800-million-in-unpaid-water-bills-the-worst-offender-owes-424000/4294627/ | 2023-05-02T08:45:23 | 1 | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/new-yorkers-owe-800-million-in-unpaid-water-bills-the-worst-offender-owes-424000/4294627/ |
Following weeks of back and forth between the city of Richmond and Major League Baseball, the city is one step closer to finalizing a deal that could buy it a little more time to construct a new ballpark.
In late April, city officials announced they had finalized a deal with a developer to replace the aging Diamond by building a new field and constructing a neighborhood around it. The deal brings with it a newly projected opening day in 2026, a year past the MLB’s deadline.
While the announcement came from the Richmond Mayor’s Office, the proposed deal still needs final approval from the City Council before it can move forward with the expected $2.4 billion project.
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The city is well on its way after the Organizational Development Standing Committee’s unanimous vote Monday afternoon to recommend the city approve a 56-page ordinance that will authorize the deal at its meeting next week.
The committee’s vote came after the city’s Planning Commission also gave a unanimous recommendation to approve the plan at its earlier meeting that same day.
The decision came with some discussion as Leonard Sledge, the city’s director of economic development, presented the city’s proposed finalized deal with the committee.
“This project will be the largest economic development project in the city of Richmond at $2.44 billion,” Sledge said. “It is representative of the thoughts, desires and the opinions of Richmonders who actively participated in the planning process.”
Now, as a result of the committee’s vote, the city will make a final decision at the city’s next regular meeting at 6 p.m. Monday, May 8.
If approved, the ordinance authorizes Chief Administrative Officer Lincoln Saunders to execute the Diamond District Redevelopment Project Development Authority for the purpose of providing financing, construction, maintenance and operation of both public and private development within the Diamond District along North Arthur Ashe Boulevard and Hermitage Road.
According to Sledge, the city will cover some of the costs of Phase I, which includes the demolition of the stadium and the construction of a new one. It will pay for the public infrastructure, which typically includes roads, water and electricity.
The city anticipates covering those costs with cash from the land sale, public utilities enterprise funds and general obligation bonds. Additionally, the city plans to widen the tax district by adding adjacent properties along the intersection.
Tax revenue from the district will be used for building costs, and adding nearby properties to the district will help create a cohesive look from one neighborhood to another, according to a statement released by the city.
The city still had not released an estimated ballpark cost when it announced its proposed finalized plan per the development agreement. Years prior, the city estimated a total of $80 million, but that is projected to significantly increase.
However, Sledge said the EDA estimates a total cost of $118 million in bonds issued in order to construct the stadium. The city anticipates those bonds will generate a net proceed of $80 million.
Additionally, the city reassures Richmonders that low-income residents will not be priced out of the neighborhood with 20% of the apartments built going to low-income families and 100 units reserved for those with public housing vouchers.
The Flying Squirrels, the Double-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants, will form a lease agreement to occupy the stadium. Additionally, Virginia Commonwealth University’s baseball team will use the stadium.
The project still anticipates an 11-acre park — the original design showed a crescent-shaped green space weaving around the stadium’s outfield wall and in between buildings. It is unclear how closely the actual design will match the original renderings.
“We are working aggressively to finalize the stadium design,” Sledge said. “With the approval of the development agreement, it does allow us to advance the financing conversations, the underwriting for the project and to take all of those definitive steps.”
While the city announced last fall that it had come to an agreement with RVA Diamond Partners to build a stadium, residences, a hotel, retail and green space on 68 acres along Arthur Ashe Boulevard, plans stalled shortly afterward as rising interest rates delayed progress.
Initially, when the city first began soliciting donors in October 2021, the federal interest rate was 0.08%. Now, the rate is resting at nearly 5%. As a result, the city will convey the land to the Economic Development Authority, which will sell it to RVA Diamond Partners.
In the months leading up to the city’s deal announcement, it faced criticism from folks in the community as well as those associated with the stadium regarding the glacial pace it is taking to construct a stadium with a two-year deadline looming overhead.
Lou DiBella, managing general partner for the Flying Squirrels, recently issued a statement claiming that there has been little progress on plans for a new stadium. With the clock ticking, Richmond is at risk of losing its baseball franchise.
In order to continue playing, the city’s stadium, like many across the country, must meet specific structural standards set by MLB. Following a previous evaluation of the stadium, the league gave the city until 2025 to comply with the understanding that if it did not, then the Squirrels could not play.
“While we ideally would like to have the stadium open in time for opening day 2025, we remain confident with the steps that we are taking in an expedited manner,” Sledge said.
The deal announcement last week brought with it the news of a delay to the ballpark construction process by an additional year.
Despite statements issued by DiBella and the promised one-year delay, Mayor Levar Stoney said in a previous meeting with the Richmond Times-Dispatch’s editorial board that the Squirrels are not going anywhere.
While it is still unclear whether the one-year delay will have any ramifications on the team or the stadium project, MLB gave several cities a 2025 deadline to build stadiums up to league standards.
Earlier this year, the city agreed to pay roughly $3.5 million for repairs and improvements to The Diamond despite future demolition plans — seemingly in an effort to buy time.
In February, MLB sent a letter to the Squirrels asking for more evidence from city leaders that they are committed to funding the project along with a finalized plan and timeline. Last fall, the city said it would not start construction unless it has a long-term commitment from MLB.
Currently, the city has not released a ballpark design or a construction timeline but, during the presentation, Sledge said it is in the process of working on a design and a timeline with the Squirrels and have spoken with MLB about next steps. | https://richmond.com/news/local/government-politics/diamond-squirrels-stadium-deal-richmond-city-council/article_13a59a48-e83c-11ed-9635-1f845a4a4f0e.html | 2023-05-02T09:04:20 | 1 | https://richmond.com/news/local/government-politics/diamond-squirrels-stadium-deal-richmond-city-council/article_13a59a48-e83c-11ed-9635-1f845a4a4f0e.html |
NORTHAMPTON COUNTY, Pa. — The ACLU filed a lawsuit against Saucon Valley School District in Northampton County after the district decided not to allow the After School Satan Club to use the district's facilities.
The lawsuit claimed the district was violating the first amendment.
The district has now been ordered to allow the club to meet on three dates at Saucon Valley Middle School.
See news happening? Text our Newstip Hotline. | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/court-rules-satan-club-can-meet-at-school-in-saucon-valley-northampton-county-aclu-after-school-middle-school/523-c25fc89c-20c1-4f7c-b511-0bca2375c95f | 2023-05-02T09:09:05 | 0 | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/court-rules-satan-club-can-meet-at-school-in-saucon-valley-northampton-county-aclu-after-school-middle-school/523-c25fc89c-20c1-4f7c-b511-0bca2375c95f |
WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — The 1st of May marks the beginning of Skin Cancer Awareness Month.
Physicians at UPMC talked about the dangers of the disease.
"So, skin cancer specifically affects a significant portion of people, and it is still one of the most dangerous types of cancer to get specifically melanoma," Dr. Cameron Glagola said.
Throughout May, UPMC is hosting free skin cancer screenings at five locations in central Pennsylvania.
"We have our Melanoma Monday free skin cancer screening where anyone can sign up from all walks of life to come in and get a free cancer screening where we go head to toe and make sure there is nothing concerning," said Dr. Glagola.
"I probably wouldn't do this if this wasn't here today," said Chris Schaefer of Loyalsock Township.
Schaefer took advantage of the free screenings after noticing some questionable marks on her skin.
"A few moles that are concerning, and I just want to make sure that they are okay," she said.
These screenings are a vital part of detecting cancer early.
"Melanoma is one of those ones that if you catch it whenever it is really small and it is not super thick, and it hasn't invaded into the skin, then it can be really good for you as far as prognosis is concerned," added Dr. Glagola.
"Very important because you want to be around for your children and your grandchildren. It is so easily curable if they catch it early," Schaefer said.
You can find upcoming dates for the free skin cancer screenings here.
Check out WNEP’s YouTube channel. | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/upmc-offering-free-skin-cancer-screenings-williamsport-lycoming-county-dr-cameron-glagola-melanoma-monday/523-8209318d-37ad-4848-9770-6d4314e61da4 | 2023-05-02T09:09:11 | 1 | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/upmc-offering-free-skin-cancer-screenings-williamsport-lycoming-county-dr-cameron-glagola-melanoma-monday/523-8209318d-37ad-4848-9770-6d4314e61da4 |
Speeding tickets without being pulled over? What to know to about new traffic cameras
Indiana recently established an automated pilot program set to be implemented in the next year to ticket Hoosiers driving too fast in certain construction zones.
House Bill 1015 was signed by Gov. Eric Holcomb Monday, after receiving bipartisan support and years of author Rep. Jim Pressel, R-Rolling Prairie, lobbying for this initiative. Advocates hope implementation will slow drivers down, create a safer environment for construction workers and reduce the number of accidents.
Crashes in work zones resulted in 31 deaths and 1,426 injuries last year, according to the Indiana Department of Transportation. More often, it's not the construction workers who get injured; four out of five people who die in these areas are either drivers or passengers.
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INDOT says not all of the details are worked out yet, but it supports the program's adaption. They hope to have a similar rollout as Pennsylvania's pilot program, which has decreased fatal crashes significantly. Indiana will produce an annual report to track crash statistics, vehicle speeds and the number of violation fines.
Here's what Hoosiers need to know to avoid the fines.
When does the pilot program start?
The law establishing the pilot program begins July 1, but Pressel told the IndyStar drivers should see the new technology in about a year.
How will I know I am in a camera-patrolled zone?
The Indiana Department of Transportation can surveil up to four construction zones with this technology within a year. The worksite must be a highway with at least two lanes traveling each way and divided by an island or a concrete wall. The system will only be surveilling when active workers are onsite.
INDOT has yet to say what worksites will be surveilled.
Signs will be posted before a driver heads into a camera-patrolled zone and at the point they exit the zone. Pressel said it will be clear where these zones will stop and start and won't include the often miles of traffic barrels because workers won't be active in those areas.
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INDOT has also not released mock-ups for what signs will look like. However, in Pennsylvania's similar pilot program, which Pressel took inspiration from for his legislation, signs alerting drivers say "Active Speed Limit Photo Enforced" before the zone and “Active Enforcement Vehicle” on the car carrying the camera and speed radar. Their exit signs either say "End Road Work" or "End Active Work Zone."
However, Pressel said INDOT is figuring out what this program will look like, so its rollout may look different than other states.
No other camera traffic enforcement is currently allowed in Indiana.
How fast is too fast?
Any speed 11 mph or more over the speed limit will result in a violation. Worksite speed limits are typically 45 mph.
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What would it cost me?
Drivers will receive a written warning the first time they are caught going too fast. A second violation will cost $75 and anything thereafter will be $150. Offending drivers cannot get points on their license through this program.
The ticket cost is less than if a police officer pulled a driver over. Those first-time violations are $300, then elevated to $500 on second offense and $1,000 afterward.
How will I know I was ticketed?
INDOT has not yet determined how drivers will receive notice of their violation. Pressel said it will most likely be through the mail.
Can I appeal a ticket?
Since the person driving a car is not always the owner, people can appeal if they were not the ones driving or if their car was stolen at the time of the infraction.
Drivers can only be ticketed if workers are present, so they can also appeal if they are fined for speeding through an inactive worksite. Tickets can also be dropped if the radar system was not properly tested or calibrated at the time.
The process for an appeal has not yet been released.
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Why are they using cameras? What are they doing with the photos?
The system is only permitted to take pictures of speeding drivers' license plates in order to ticket them, and those photos can only be used within the speeding case. Those photos are confidential and will be property of the state, not any third-party tech company. Any pictures must also be destroyed after two years.
Despite some apprehension toward an automated camera system, Pressel said it's not something for people to worry about.
"There are cameras everywhere — literally everywhere," he said. "But we're afraid that because we did something wrong, that we shouldn't use the photography."
Contact IndyStar Pulliam Fellow Cate Charron at ccharron@indystar.com or follow her on Twitter @catecharron. | https://www.indystar.com/story/news/local/transportation/2023/05/02/what-to-know-to-about-new-traffic-enforcement-cameras-in-indiana/70055781007/ | 2023-05-02T09:18:03 | 0 | https://www.indystar.com/story/news/local/transportation/2023/05/02/what-to-know-to-about-new-traffic-enforcement-cameras-in-indiana/70055781007/ |
St. Johns County attorney appointed judge in 7th Circuit, which covers Volusia, Flagler
Rose Marie Karadsheh Preddy said her parents, who came to the United States through Ellis Island from Jordan, would have been proud that Gov. Ron DeSantis selected her as a circuit judge.
“I don’t think they ever would have imagined that their child would end up being appointed a judge in the third most populated state in the country,” Preddy said.
Preddy, who was born in Michigan, lives in St. Johns County and has a law office just across the county line in Jacksonville, was appointed to fill a judicial seat created when Circuit Judge Margaret Hudson retired. Circuit judges can serve anywhere in the 7th Circuit, which covers Volusia, Flagler, St. Johns and Putnam counties.
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Circuit Judge James Clayton, who is the chief judge of the circuit, wrote in an email that Preddy will begin her duties on the bench on May 15 taking over Circuit Judge Alicia Washington’s family law docket in Putnam County. Washington will take over the felony docket in Putnam County.
Preddy said she intends to roam beyond the bench in Putnam County and noted she is a member of the Rotary Club, a service organization involved in the local community.
"It's really important to me to branch out to people throughout the circuit," Preddy said.
Preddy had previously applied for a seat on a county bench once and on the circuit bench twice, once in the 4th Circuit and again in the 7th Circuit.
As she worked toward an appointment, Preddy said Circuit Judge Leah Case, who presides over a felony docket in Daytona Beach, was a source of encouragement and guidance. She also expressed thanks to Maryam Ghyabi-White, CEO and president of Ghyabi Consulting and Management in Ormond Beach and vice chair of the St. Johns River Water Management District.
Preddy is a member of the First Coast Blue Star Mothers Inc., which supports veterans and their families. Preddy’s husband, Lewis, is a retired commander in the U.S. Navy. Her son, Abraham, serves in the U.S. Air Force.
Preddy said her late brother, Abe, inspired her to become a lawyer. He planned to attend law school after serving in the Army. But he never got the chance.
Sgt. Abe Karadsheh was among 248 soldiers with the Army’s 101st Airborne Division who died when an Arrow Air DC-8 crashed on Dec. 12, 1985, in Gander, Newfoundland. The flight was returning the soldiers home after a deployment in the Sinai Peninsula as part of a peacekeeping force.
Preddy decided to follow her brother’s dream and attend law school.
Preddy's practice areas included estates, trusts and probate, according to her website.
She lists a number of memberships and awards on her website, including the Volusia County Bar Association and the St. Johns County Bar Association. She is also a recipient of the Florida Supreme Court Pro Bono Award. She was also recognized by the Jacksonville Area Legal Aid Society for her pro bono service, the website states.
Preddy belongs to the Federalist Society, which describes itself as a conservative and libertarian legal group. Preddy said in the phone interview that the functions she has attended have included diverse viewpoints.
She said she was thrilled to start a new phase of her career as she approaches her 55th birthday.
DeSantis also announced the appointment of Anne Marie Gennusa of Palatka to serve as a county judge in Putnam County.
In Clayton’s email, he also congratulated Gennusa and wrote she will begin on July 1 presiding over the Putnam misdemeanor docket. Putnam County Judge Elizabeth Morris will take over the civil docket.
Both Preddy and Gennusa's seats will be up for election in 2024. | https://www.news-journalonline.com/story/news/local/volusia/2023/05/02/desantis-appoints-st-johns-attorney-to-serve-as-7th-circuit-judge/70162511007/ | 2023-05-02T09:31:10 | 0 | https://www.news-journalonline.com/story/news/local/volusia/2023/05/02/desantis-appoints-st-johns-attorney-to-serve-as-7th-circuit-judge/70162511007/ |
CEDAR FALLS — The Hearst Center for the Arts has become a hub for live summer music events.
The Backyard Concert Series and Party on the Patio will showcase local and area performers throughout May, June and July. Friends of the Hearst will present an additional outdoor concert on Aug. 3.
An added bonus: Concerts are free.
“We have a beautiful outdoor venue during the spring and summer. The gardens are beautiful. Live music is a great way to celebrate the beautiful green space and the Outdoor Sculpture Garden. People love the performers, and it’s fun,” said Sheri Huber-Otting, Hearst program coordinator.
Two Backyard Concerts are planned, one in May and a second in June. The Rush Cleveland Trio will open the season at 6:30 p.m. May 11. The trio, featuring Cleveland on guitar/vocals, Gordon Sanky on bass and vocals, and Will Quegg on drums, will perform a mix of blues, classic country, electronic guitar solos, and rockabilly tunes.
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On June 22, Cedar Falls native Mike Staebell will perform at 6:30 p.m. His playlist includes songs across several decades and musical genres, such as rock, pop, hip hop, and country.
Those attending are encouraged to bring a lawn chair or blanket for comfort, and beverages and snacks, if desired.
Party on the Patio will take place each Thursday in July. Live acoustic music will be performed on the Corning Patio at the Hearst Center. Carter Guse of Cedar Falls, a rising star on Iowa’s music scene, will be on the patio July 6, followed by Ace Jones, an Iowa City-based singer/songwriter on July 13. On July 20, the Cedar Falls-based band Zoot & Newt will be on the patio, with local duo Ally & Mak closing out the patio parties on July 27. Performances are at 5 to 7 p.m. Second State Brewery will offer refreshments.
Folk-pop duo Brad & Kate will perform at an outdoor concert from 6 to 8 p.m. Aug. 3, hosted by Friends of the Hearst Center. In addition, this is the Friends’ annual meeting. Local food vendors will be on site.
Outdoor music events began in earnest at the Hearst in 2018 with Party on the Patio.
“I wanted a bigger venue that Mae Latta Hall during nice weather and the Corning Patio made sense,” said Huber-Otting. Public response was positive. The Backyard Concert series kicked off in 2020 during the COVID pandemic “because people could be outside more safely to hear live music.”
Huber-Otting recounts Raldo Schneider’s reaction to the garden setting in 2021. “The crabapples were blooming and a slight breeze sent blossoms cascading down on him. After he finished a song, he told the audience, ‘This is the most beautiful place I’ve ever played.’ That’s the reaction we hope the musicians and audience get from the garden.”
While there are audience favorites on the concert schedule, Huber-Otting’s goal is to interest new groups in the venue. “It’s such a good opportunity for musicians who haven’t performed here before, and the audiences are appreciative.”
The events attract newcomers to the Hearst Center, as well. “We’re a gathering place in the community. Music is part of the arts, and we’re an arts center. The concerts are a reason to visit the center and tour the indoor exhibits as well as the sculpture garden,” she explained.
Other concerts will take place in Mae Latta Hall throughout the season. At noon on May 12, bring a sack lunch and listen to the Schwestka | Nordahl Duo perform electronic music incorporating multiple facets from chant to fusion to ambient and rock.
University of Northern Iowa School of Music faculty members Josh Graham and Michael Conrad will present a free solo marimba concert on June 29. The time will be announced at a future date. The multi-movement work draws inspiration from the poetry of James Hearst, and will be followed by a reading and question-answer period. The concert is supported, in part, by the Iowa Arts Council Cultural Leadership Grant.
The Songbook Trio – Tom Tritle on piano, Al Jacobson on drums and Stephanie Althof on vocals – will perform a series of concerts in late summer and fall. On Aug. 10, “The Roaring 20’s: The Jazz Age Gets Rolling,” will be performed followed by “The Big Apple in Song,” music about New York City, on Sept. 14. “From Distant Shores,” the Songbook’s hits from abroad, is the theme Oct. 12 and “Broadways Contribution,” featuring “immortal tunes from the American musical,” is on Nov. 9. All concerts are at 7 p.m. in Mae Latta Hall. Admission is free.
In addition, gallery exhibitions are open for viewing. | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/backyard-concert-series-begins-may-11-at-hearst-center-for-the-arts/article_75e22ab0-ecd6-5bd2-ba49-e3ce3074988f.html | 2023-05-02T09:46:47 | 0 | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/backyard-concert-series-begins-may-11-at-hearst-center-for-the-arts/article_75e22ab0-ecd6-5bd2-ba49-e3ce3074988f.html |
WAUKON — A Waterloo woman accused of setting fire to her business in downtown Waukon in 2022 will be getting a new attorney.
Mindy Jo Jones, 43, also known as Mindy Riley, is charged with first-degree arson and animal abuse in the blaze that leveled her Tin, Rust and Harmony store and killed a dog living in an upstairs apartment.
She was released on bond, and the court appointed attorney Nathan Moonen of Ossian to represent her through a state public defender contract.
Last month, Moonen asked to be excused from the case because he is already representing the person who owned the dog that died in the fire in another matter, according to court records. Judge Alan Heavens has since appointed attorney Daniel Key to represent Jones. Trial is tentatively set for October.
The fire broke out Feb. 13, 2022, as Jones was facing financial difficulties.
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Investigators said two separate fires had been set in the business and her insurance carrier refused to pay on the policy.
Jones and the store took the insurance company, State Farm, to court in February. Last month, attorneys for State Farm filed a response alleging that recovery is barred because of fraud, misrepresentation or intentional acts on Jones’ part.
“It was an illegal act committed by plaintiff Mindy Jones which caused or contributed to the basis for plaintiffs’ insurance claim with State Farm, and plaintiffs are thus barred from receiving any financial benefit from such illegal act,” attorneys for the insurance company wrote in their response. | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/new-attorney-appointed-in-waukon-arson-case/article_397022e3-23b8-582e-9429-638546fc11e7.html | 2023-05-02T09:46:49 | 1 | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/new-attorney-appointed-in-waukon-arson-case/article_397022e3-23b8-582e-9429-638546fc11e7.html |
WILKES-BARRE, Pa. — The coronation of King Charles III and his wife Camilla is set for this Saturday at Westminster Abbey. The King and his wife may be overseas, but people in Northeastern Pennsylvania are bringing them right into their homes.
"Wet Paint" in Wilkes Barre is a business that gets about 80% of its profits from cardboard cutouts. Right now, they are busy with cutouts of King Charles for his coronation. The business in Luzerne County, who usually sells 100 cutouts of King Charles a week, is now up to 600-700. Many of their customers being from Canada and the U.S.
King Charles is a popular choice right now, but other cutout requests include The Queen, Elvis, Donald Trump, and Taylor Swift.
Check of WNEP's YouTube channel | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/hundreds-of-king-charles-cutouts-made-in-wilkes-barre-luzerne-county/523-58737100-fed1-4804-ba56-1d05ce26ea33 | 2023-05-02T10:04:01 | 0 | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/hundreds-of-king-charles-cutouts-made-in-wilkes-barre-luzerne-county/523-58737100-fed1-4804-ba56-1d05ce26ea33 |
New York is looking for love in all the wrong places, apparently — but a couple other states get burnt far worse by fake loves.
According to a study from the online investigative service Social Catfish, New York had 823 people fall victim to a romance scam in 2022, losing a total of $33.5 million. Believe it or not, that's actually an improvement from 2021, when victims from the state lost $57.6 million. So at least it seems people may becoming more aware.
Both in 2022 and 2021, New York was the fourth-worst in the country at falling for romance scams, which can occur on dating apps or social media profiles after the scammer steals a profile picture, pretending to be someone else. Last year, the three states that lost more due to the scams were Florida ($53.4 million), Texas ($60.3 million) and California, which lost far and away more money than any other state. The Golden State lost $158 million in the scams, according to the study, which is more than the next three states combined.
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Elsewhere in the tri-state, New Jersey ranked 15th (improved from 6th in 2021), with 361 victims losing $14.2 million. Connecticut was right in the middle of the pack, with 159 people losing a total of $7.1 million, which was 26th in the nation. However, Connecticut did have the 8th-highest average amount lost, at nearly $45,000 — that topped New York and New Jersey by about $5,000 each.
For the second year in a row, Vermont saw the fewest number of romance scams at just 28 overall. Victims in the Green Mountain State lost just over $373,000 in all, the study found.
Overall, Americans lost a record $1.3 billion to romance scams last year, way up from $547 million the previous year — a 138% increase year-over-year. It also marks the largest single-year hike over he past five years, the study stated.
It's not overly surprising to see California, Texas, Florida and New York topping the list — each of them is very highly populated, making it easier for them to rack up big losses. And California had the highest average loss per victim, averaging at just over $72,200, according to the study.
But the biggest increases in money lost year-over-over actually went to much smaller states, like Arkansas (which saw a 398% increase), New Mexico (268% increase), Maine (216% increase), New Hampshire (155% increase) and West Virginia (135% increase).
What's the most common method for pilfering cash away from unsuspecting victims just looking for love? That would be crypto, which accounted for more than a third of all money lost in such scams last year. Bank wire transfers were second-most popular, while gift cards were third.
A quarter of all romance scammers would use the line that they were "sick, hurt or in jail" in order get the target to send them money; it was used in just under a quarter of all scams, according to Social Catfish. Scammers would also go after those looking to learn more about money, as the lie of "I can teach you how to invest" was used in 18 percent of scams.
In a poll of those who had been targeted, Social Catfish said three-quarters of victims were college-educated, and 84% were either middle or lower class. Nearly half of those polled made less than $100,000 a year, according to the study.
In addition to the poll, Social Catfish analyzed data from the 2022 FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center fraud report released in March 2023 and the Federal Trade Commission’s annual fraud report released in February 2023 to get their findings.
The study also named three scams in particular to be on the lookout for:
- Celebrity Romance Scam: Social Catfish said that if a celebrity online appears to be reaching out to you asking for money, it's a scam. And as wild as this sounds, it does happen: They said one victim sent money to a fake Nicolas Cage; another chose not to send a fraudulent Keanu Reeves $400,000 to help him finance the "John Wick" movie.
- Cryptocurrency Romance Scam: Those looking to scam people will say they have gotten rich in crypto and will try to convince the victim to invest with them by downloading an app. Sometimes the app will even show a return on investment, but in reality, it's all a scam.
- Military Romance Scam: Some scammers will swipe military photos and claim to be stationed overseas, which they use as the reason they cannot meet in person. But they will ask for money so they can fly to the U.S. to meet up and be together. A reverse image search can help make sure who you are talking to is really the person in the photo, the investigative service said.
So where are all these scammers located? The answer has its roots in one of the oldest scams on the Internet: Nigerian prince scams. Social Catfish said that most romance scammers are located in Nigerian office buildings, where the criminals use a mix of different strategies that can be seen in corporate America and other places.
The office buildings are said to be in operation 24/7, and much of the money stolen by the scammer gets taken by whomever is in charge. | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/new-yorkers-lost-33m-in-romance-scams-last-year-thats-not-as-bad-as-this-state-study/4275672/ | 2023-05-02T10:18:28 | 0 | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/new-yorkers-lost-33m-in-romance-scams-last-year-thats-not-as-bad-as-this-state-study/4275672/ |
Under legal pressure from Knox News, Knoxville mayor releases some police chief search records
For nearly 14 months, Knox News has asked Knoxville Mayor Indya Kincannon to share public records about how she conducted her search in 2022 for a new police chief, a process she promised to conduct with transparency.
The Kincannon administration repeatedly denied requests, claiming the search for a new chief was not subject to open records law because the city hired a private organization, the Police Executive Research Forum, commonly called PERF, to conduct the search.
Knox News sued in July after the mayor's office repeatedly refused requests for public records, and the city hired private lawyers to try to keep the hiring process secret. A judge ruled city officials must answer Knox News' questions under oath about the process.
On May 1, Kincannon’s office sent hundreds of pages of documents related to the hiring process to media outlets in Knoxville, apparently in an attempt to bring the lawsuit to a close before officials are required to answer questions under oath.
“Now, with the applicants’ permission and PERF's records in hand, I am sharing these documents with those members of the media who have requested more information on the KPD Chief selection process,” part of Kincannon's statement read.
On Feb. 24, 2022, Knox News requested
- a list of the names of the people who applied for the Knoxville police chief position
- the age, ethnicity and gender of each of the applicants
- resumes of the applicants.
On March 22, 2022, the city said it did not have the records
“Applications were submitted to the Police Executive Research Forum and not to any City employee, so there is no City record that lists the names of applicants or provides a breakdown of applicants' ages, ethnicity or gender.”
PERF, the city said, is not subject to taxpayer oversight even though taxpayers provided the $43,000 to hire the firm.
The mayor's office said it had not created or received any records - no emails, no resumes, no documents - related to the hiring of the city's top law enforcement commander.
Knox News also requested written communication between city employees and the Police Executive Research Forum, which the city granted.
On April 14, 2022, Knox News requested
- the schedule of the mayor's Police Chief Advisory Committee meetings
- any/all documents created for/by the Police Chief Advisory Committee
- permission to sit in on committee meetings.
On April 28, 2022, city spokesperson Eric Vreeland said the city did not have the records
“Tyler - I have located no records responsive to your request.” (Tyler is Knox News reporter Tyler Whetstone.)
Knox News sued after the repeated denials for public documents from the mayor's office.
On Aug. 22, 2022, Knox News requested
- total amount of the city’s outside legal bills from Jan. 1, 2022-Aug, 22, 2022, and receipts for those bills
- total amount the city has spent in outside legal bills on the Knox News lawsuit.
On Sept. 20, 2022, the city provided the amount
The city did not immediately provide receipts due to confusion about the request, but on Sept. 28, the city provided the receipts.
Also on Sept. 20, 2022, Knox News combined the two original open records requests that were denied and added a request
The additional request was for “each and every record, document, electronic file or other material, regardless of physical form or characteristic, made or received pursuant to law or ordinance, or in connection with the transaction of the official business of the City of Knoxville in its police chief search.”
Vreeland gave a 372-word response Sept. 28 saying the city has none of the requested records.
“Nothing has changed since our earlier communications re: names of applicants, a demographic breakdown for the field of applicants, applicants' resumes, a schedule of Advisory Committee meetings, and any documents created for or by the Advisory Committee. The City has provided you at the time of your previous requests all responsive records, and there are no additional or subsequent records.”
He went on to offer publicly accessible City Council material or a search of every city employee’s email.
“A search of citywide emails will entail a significant amount of City staff time, resulting in a labor-reimbursement fee to you. Not knowing the number of emails to be found and copied, I am unable at this point to estimate the fee amount, but I would assume it would be at least several hundred dollars, and potentially a much higher fee. How do you wish to proceed?”
Knox News declined this suggestion, figuring that if the mayor's office said it did not have records related to the police chief search, it was unlikely such records would appear in emails from city employees who were not involved in the search.
In a follow up email Sept. 29, Vreeland reiterated the city’s position on the requests: “The City has produced to you all our public records that are responsive to your requests, and the City is not the legal custodian of PERF's records.”
Why Knox News sued
Knox News sued the city on behalf of taxpayers to see records from the search that ensued after the retirement of Chief Eve Thomas, who left the department while it was dealing with skyrocketing homicide rates and internal investigations. A Knox News investigation showed the department failed to address a culture of racism that extended into the command structure.
What we've learned from the lawsuit
In an October hearing to decide whether Knox News has the right to subpoena city officials, Knox News attorney Rick Hollow and Chancellor John Weaver backed the city’s private attorney, Chris McCarty, into a corner. McCarty admitted the city hired the private search firm so it could skirt open record laws.
“Your honor, obviously when I say – (pause) – the answer is yes because we were trying to eliminate the possibility that those candidates would fear that their names would be disclosed to the public, therefore, questioning and threatening their current jobs, therefore not having them apply in the first place,” McCarty said. “I have to keep bringing that up - that’s the actual motivation here.”
"So, when the question is posed to me that the point is to illicitly get around the statute, it wasn’t. The point was to get the best people for the job. That’s the point. And the statute, in some ways, the way in which Mr. Hollow reads is, which we don’t read it, would chill that.” (Editor's note: Mr. Hollow is Knox News attorney Richard Hollow.)
Weaver directly challenged McCarty's argument: “Does the statute say if there’s a chilling effect you can enter into arrangements with private entities and you can conduct your activities such that there will be no public record?"
A Knox News analysis of police chief searches conducted across the country showed that candidates who apply but are not hired for a top job do not suffer consequences for seeking a new position.
What's the status of the lawsuit now?
Weaver ruled in December that Knox News could depose anyone from the city, putting officials – including Kincannon – under oath to answer questions about the search and the city’s process for the search.
The city filed a motion asking Weaver to reconsider his previous ruling. Weaver has not ruled on the city's motion, which asked for sharp limits on who could be questioned, on what topics and for how long. Limiting depositions is extremely rare.
Tyler Whetstone is a Knox News investigative reporter focused on accountability journalism. Email tyler.whetstone@knoxnews.com. Twitter @tyler_whetstone. | https://www.knoxnews.com/story/news/local/2023/05/02/knoxville-mayor-indya-kincannon-releases-some-police-chief-search-records/70172938007/ | 2023-05-02T10:19:19 | 0 | https://www.knoxnews.com/story/news/local/2023/05/02/knoxville-mayor-indya-kincannon-releases-some-police-chief-search-records/70172938007/ |
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