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(Lois) Lorraine Reynolds
February 1, 1930-April 30, 2023
MASON CITY-(Lois) Lorraine Reynolds died on Sunday, April 30, 2023, at the age of 93. A funeral service will be held on Saturday, May 13, 2023, at 1 p.m., at Wesley United Methodist Church, 1405 South Pennsylvania, with Pastor Craig Luttrell officiating. Interment will be held in Memorial Park Cemetery. Visitation will be held an hour prior to service time on Saturday. Memorials may be directed to the family of Lorraine Reynolds. Lorraine was born February 1, 1930, on a farm south of Clear Lake to Art and Fannie Abel. When she was 3 the family moved to a farm south of Ventura where she attended the country school, Union #3, until 6th grade when the school was closed. She then attended Ventura Community School, was very active in music and graduated from Ventura High School in 1947. Lorraine was a cheerleader, in chorus, glee club, sang many solos, duets, and trios both in school and church. She was 1st chair trumpet player in the Ventura band and was chosen Miss Ventura for the 1947 Band Festival in Mason City. Following graduation, she enjoyed attending Hamilton Business College in Mason City and singing in their choir. She was employed at Iowa Hardware Mutual Insurance Co., and Romey Fischbeck Insurance Co.
Lorraine was baptized and attended the United Brethren Church in Ventura and later Wesley United Methodist Church in Mason City where on May 2, 1948, she was united in marriage to Rolland (Rollie) Reynolds. Four children were born to this union. For 64 years she lived on the corner of 15th Street and South Carolina. Since 2017, Lorraine has resided at Heritage Care Center in Mason City.
She was known for writing poetry, giving humorous readings, singing for weddings and funerals, baking beautiful wedding cakes, decorating the trees in her front yard, and managing a home daycare where she was Grandma Lorraine to everyone. She was often heard saying she majored in “Rollie” and minored in business. Another saying she said was, “I have never tried smoking, tasting beer or alcohol of any kind, nor had a cup of coffee, and I see no reason why anyone else needs to. I made it through life without any of that.”
Lorraine is survived by 3 daughters: Ann Hussong (Dean) of Tomahawk, WI, Kay Ackerman (Bob) of Mason City, and Dawn Moore (Monte) of Forest City, IA; a brother, Ronald Abel of Kansas City and a sister-in-law, Patricia Frank (Jim) of Michigan. She is further survived by 7 grandchildren: Heather Reynolds, Michael Legler, Ryan and Brent Hussong, Megan Casa de Calvo, Riley and Natalie Moore; 5 great grandchildren, 5 great-great grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, brother, Keith in 1954, husband, Rollie in 1987, and son, Allan in 2002.
Arrangements are with Major Erickson Funeral Home & Crematory, 111 N. Pennsylvania Avenue, Mason City, Iowa 50401, 641-423-0924, www.majorericksonfuneralhome.com. | https://globegazette.com/news/local/obituaries/lois-lorraine-reynolds/article_33797cd3-8d5e-5762-99ce-62267857a310.html | 2023-05-07T07:44:52 | 0 | https://globegazette.com/news/local/obituaries/lois-lorraine-reynolds/article_33797cd3-8d5e-5762-99ce-62267857a310.html |
Richard 'Dick' Earl Dombrowski
February 29, 1948-April 29, 2023
Richard 'Dick' Earl Dombrowski, 75, of Esko, MN, died Saturday, April 29, 2023, at Hilltop Healthcare in Duluth, MN as a result of Alzheimer's disease.
Per Dick's wishes, his body has been cremated and a Celebration of Life will be held at Epiphany Parish Holy Family Catholic Church, 722 North Adams Ave, Mason City, IA. Visitation: 10:00am until the Celebration of Life begins at 11:00am, Friday, June 9, 2023. A private burial service will be at Elmwood St. Joseph Cemetery, Mason IA.
Dick was born February 29, 1948, the son of Raymond and Jean (Lambert) Dombrowski in Chicago, IL. Dick graduated in 1966 from Newman Catholic High School in Mason City, and from Winona State University, MN. He married Cindy Weitmon on September 21, 1974 in Mason City. Their son, Nathan Andrew, was born November 29, 1985, and joined their family in April of 1986.
Dick and Cindy moved to Shakopee, MN in 1975, from there to Cloquet, MN, and currently live in Esko, MN. Dick was the manager at the Northwoods Restaurant in Barnum, MN for five years, was the chef at the Kitchi Gammi Club in Duluth for 20 years, and then a sales representative at Bix Produce Company.
Dick enjoyed annual winter golf trips to Arizona with all of his golfing buddies. He also liked to play racquetball, attend sporting events, and go to concerts. He was an avid reader, liked to go for walks, and enjoyed spending time with his many friends and family.
Dick is survived by his wife, Cindy, of Esko; son, Nathan (Lianne) Dombrowski of Duluth; brother, Robert Dombrowski of Severna Park, MD; sister, Diane (Richard) Strelow of Golden Valley, MN; niece, Amanda (Justin) Barsness Courtney; nephew, Colin Strelow; and his sweet cat, Tina.
He was preceded in death by his parents; sister, Deborah Barsness; brother-in-law, Jerry Barsness; niece, Emily Barsness; nephew, Jeremy Barsness; and sister-in-law, Patricia Dombrowski.
The family would like to thank the staff at Mille Lacs Health System/Senior Care Unit, in Onamia, MN; Hilltop Healthcare, and St. Croix Hospice in Duluth, for their excellent care and compassion.
Arrangements entrusted to Atkins Northland Funeral Home, 801 14th Street, Cloquet, MN 55720. To sign the guest book and leave an online tribute, see www.atkinsnorthlandfuneralhome.com, and Hogan-Bremer-Moore Colonial Chapels, in Mason City, IA. | https://globegazette.com/news/local/obituaries/richard-dick-earl-dombrowski/article_6ef43c16-8753-5024-8610-740dc79713a9.html | 2023-05-07T07:44:58 | 0 | https://globegazette.com/news/local/obituaries/richard-dick-earl-dombrowski/article_6ef43c16-8753-5024-8610-740dc79713a9.html |
Wilma Rose Gardner
March 15, 2020
Wilma Rose Gardner, 98, of Lakeville, MN, formerly Clear Lake, died Sunday, March 15, 2020, at Walker Methodist Highview Hills Assisted Living in Lakeville, MN, with her daughter, Patti, at her side throughout thirteen days in hospice care.
A memorial service will be held 5:30 p.m., Saturday May 13, 2023, at Ward-Van Slyke Colonial Chapel 310 1st Ave North, Clear Lake, IA 50428, with Al Berge officiating. The family will greet friends Saturday from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., at the funeral home. Graveside services will be at Oaklawn Cemetery, Cresco, IA; beside her beloved husband, Zack.
Wilma was born in Waucoma, IA to Joseph and Theresa (Schlicte) Doerr. She had four sisters and one brother.
She enjoyed a very social life with many loving friends who were with her in her final days. Her special place to be was in the middle of her grandchildren, in her recliner at the Upham home.
Wilma is survived by her four children: Ken (Emily) Young, Phyl (John) Evans, Ardy (Joe, deceased) Squiers, Patti (Kevin) Upham, Grandchildren: Joe J. Squiers, Kris (Kent) Larsen, Ken Jr (Sheri) Young, Debbie (Wayne) McFarland, Jackie (Todd) Doncavage, John G. (Jeanine) Evans, Kelley (Kyle) Kobe, Megan Upham and Zachary Upham. Also, surviving: more than 35 great and great-great grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents, three of her sisters, her brother, her former husband, Harvey Young and an infant daughter, DeLoris. The last to precede her in death were her loving husband, Zachary T. Gardner, son-in-law, Joe Squiers and great-grand-daughter, Stella Doncavage.
Ward Van Slyke Colonial Chapel 310 1st Ave. North Clear Lake, Iowa 50428 641-357-2193 www.colonialchapels.com | https://globegazette.com/news/local/obituaries/wilma-rose-gardner/article_2c3112e2-b4d1-5813-9bb2-80786a321ded.html | 2023-05-07T07:45:05 | 0 | https://globegazette.com/news/local/obituaries/wilma-rose-gardner/article_2c3112e2-b4d1-5813-9bb2-80786a321ded.html |
For 20 years, a crew of regular Richmond folks have globe-trotted in and out of developing countries, all the while staying out of the public limelight, to find sponsors to help more than one million children living without basic necessities.
Doug Burford, 80, founder and president of Burford Advertising, was a part of that group, and is now chronicling the stories and adventures by his fellow goodwill volunteers in a book by him and longtime friend Wayne Westbrook. The book called the “Untold Stories About Real Richmonders” is expected to be published later this year.
“I thought it was time that we acknowledged these people for what they did quietly, risking their lives and everything else to save all of these children,” Burford said. “They had no idea what they were going into, but they did it anyway because they wanted to help children.”
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In the early 90s, the Christian Children’s Fund -- an international children’s charity now called ChildFund Children's Charity -- was looking for an advertising agency to partner with on its mission to support children around the world by documenting their plight in hopes of finding sponsors and donations.
Burford Advertising was signed on to help: Burford was hired as a writer and creative director, and Westbrook came on as a photographer and film producer.
Cheri Dahl, who just started her role as public relations director for ChildFund, was tasked with bringing Burford and his team to Guatemala to shoot a commercial that captured the stories of children and families in need.
The trips for the ragtag group of good Samaritans did not always go as planned.
In Guatemala, the group was instructed to not drink the water but some did anyways. Burford regretted not heeding the advice as he and his troupe of volunteers braved a mountain climb to meet with families. “He was sweating and sick and I could see how bad he was,” Dahl said. “But he was bound and determined, and he met with the children.”
Instead of sticking to predetermined text for the commercial, Burford scribbled notes on the spot using cocktail napkins as she rewrote new lines for the spot.
“We didn’t stick to any of the scripts,” Dahl said. “You really just met wonderful people and found wonderful stories, and those commercials that we filmed at that time went on to help us find lots and lots of support for children.”
One of their first commercials, “Jose and Maria,” became a huge success. Through that ad, a Guatemalan mother was able to obtain medicine for her son who was suffering from strep throat. Other organizations took inspiration from that commercial for their future works.
ChildFund continued on to other countries in Central America, South America, Africa, Asia and the Caribbean. Some of those areas were hotbeds of upheaval and political unrest and violence. They endured shootings, thefts, police chasing criminals through the streets. There were scenes of unspeakable poverty as they found children meandering on dirty roads without shoes and families living in makeshift shacks.
“There were some (stories) that never made the screen that were pretty shocking,” Blair Martin, a writer on the team, said.
The crew carried on despite the risks. Westbrook in particular traversed through hostile areas without a care in the world.
“He was fearless,” Burford said. “He would walk into those gatherings with a big smile on his face and grab everybody and shake hands with them. You could hear guns going off in the background, but nothing fazed him.”
The crew received helped from many of the locals they visited, from interpreters to drivers.
Mylen, a young, Filipino girl, served as a guide when the team visited the Philippines. Mylen’s shanty burned to the ground when she was young, but was rebuilt with the help of ChildFund. She went on to graduate from college and become a teacher to kids in her village. Her story was later published in the Richmond Times-Dispatch.
Through ChildFund, sponsors develop personal relationships with not just a particular child, but a family as a whole.
Burford and Westbrook want to spotlight the “real heroes” of the story, their crew: Dahl, Martin, Alan Sader, Lockie Duggins, John Hartmann, Ed Jones, Bob Jones -- the late award-winning photographer for the Richmond News Leader and the Richmond Times-Dispatch -- Mary Arnold, Page Wilson and Mark Jenkins.
Children worldwide benefitted from the efforts of the group of “ordinary misfits.” Sader, who provided voiceover and on-camera work for the group, sponsored a child who later became a photographer and business owner in Nairobi, Kenya.
“If you just got a handful of people who you know have a better life because of work you did that’s rewarding,” Sader said. “This team made a difference and did some work that mattered; I’m real happy to have been a part of it.” | https://richmond.com/news/local/richmond-crew-spent-20-years-sponsoring-needy-children-worldwide/article_3e259186-ea9b-11ed-a4b5-cf891fee4a8c.html | 2023-05-07T09:13:31 | 0 | https://richmond.com/news/local/richmond-crew-spent-20-years-sponsoring-needy-children-worldwide/article_3e259186-ea9b-11ed-a4b5-cf891fee4a8c.html |
Stark County roundup: News from around the Canton region
Veterans food drive this month
CANTON – The Stark County Sheriff’s Office will hold a food drive all this month to support veterans receiving services through the Honor Home in Canton.
Through May 31, the Sheriff’s Office will host collection sites for nonperishable food items. Items can be dropped off at the Sheriff’s Office Safety Building, 4500 Atlantic Blvd. NE; at the Sheriff’s Office Training Center, 143 First St. SE in Massillon; and Veterans Service Commission of Stark County, 2955 Wise Ave. NW.
Drop off nonperishable items at the Sheriff’s Office or the Veterans Service Commission from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday; or 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays at the Training Center.
Items that can be dropped off include pasta and sauce, canned vegetables, soup, crackers, tuna, mayonnaise, seasoning packages (taco, chili, stew, etc.), various condiments, breakfast foods (cereal, pancake mix, oatmeal, etc.), dessert box mixes (brownies, cookies, cakes, etc.), snacks (such as chips, pretzels, etc.), individual serving powder drink mixes, and healthy kid-friendly nonperishable foods.
For more information, call 330-430-3889.
Peace Officer Memorial Ceremony is Friday
CANTON – The annual Peace Officer Memorial Ceremony, in recognition of National Police Memorial Week, will be held at noon Friday on the lawn of the Safety Building adjacent to the Stark County Jail, 4500 Atlantic Blvd. NE.
Fallen officers of the Stark County Sheriff’s Office and other Stark County police departments will be remembered during the service.
Everyone is welcome. To RSVP, send an email to 382@starksheriff.org.
Oddmall event is Friday and Saturday
CANTON – The Oddmall: Inside Out! festival will be 5 to 10 p.m. Friday, and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday at the Stark County Fairgrounds, 305 Wertz Ave. NW.
The festival will feature over 300 artist and vendor booths both inside the Exhibition Hall and outside on the surrounding grounds, live entertainment by local bands and musicians, the Oddmall exotic animal and pet show, tattoo artists, the Oddmall Caravan of Food Trucks, ax throwing, outdoor games and activities, the acrobats of Circus Inversus, tabletop games, cosplay and the Oddmall Costume Contest and the Oddmall Night Market.
Entry and parking are free to the public. More information is at www.oddmall.info.
Learn about dinosaurs
CANTON – The Wm. McKinley Presidential Library and Museum will hold Science Saturday: Dinosaur Day from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. Kids will learn about dinosaurs that lived in North America. There will be activities and crafts for kids of all ages.
Waco Homecoming Festival this week
EAST CANTON – The Waco Homecoming Festival is 5 to 10 p.m. Thursday, 5 to 11 p.m. Friday and noon to 11 p.m. Saturday.
The event features carnival rides, games and live music. Classic rock cover band Elliot Twist performs at 8 p.m. Thursday. Toni Rio & Relentless will perform at 8 p.m. Friday and New Wave Nation will play at 8 p.m. Saturday.
The Waco Homecoming Parade is at noon Saturday, and the Waco Homecoming Queens Pageant will be at 2 p.m. the same day.
Sports Card Show at Hartville Marketplace and Flea Market
HARTVILLE – More than 30 vendors will be at the Hartville Sports Card Show from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at the Hartville Marketplace and Flea Market, 1289 Edison St. NW. Each will be selling sports cards, memorabilia and autographs. This show is free general admission and will be in the food court at the Hartville Marketplace.
Massillon Rotary Foundation accepting grant applications
MASSILLON − The Massillon Rotary Foundation is accepting grant applications through May 31 from nonprofit organizations that sponsor projects focusing on health, wellness and other charitable purposes.
The foundation provides grants specifically for the Massillon and western Stark County areas. Grant applications are reviewed quarterly. Applications and guidelines are available via the link at www.massillonrotary.org under the Rotary Foundation tab.
Learn public speaking
MASSILLON – The Massillon Public Library will present Public Speaking for Beginners from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday in the main library auditorium.
Registration is required at https://massillonlibrary.libnet.info/event/8300513. For more information about this class, contact the Main Library at 330-832-9831.
Minerva library book sale this week
MINERVA – The Minerva Public Library, 677 Lynnwood Drive, will continue its book sale through Saturday during regular library hours. Most books are 25 cents each, and a selection of DVDs, audiobooks and music CDs will also be for sale. New items are added daily. Saturday is the $1 a bag sale; fill a grocery bag will all the books it will hold for $1.
Part of the sale proceeds will support the Dolly Parton Imagination Library of Ohio, which mails a free, age-appropriate book each month to children through age 5 in Stark County. For more information about the library or book sale, call 330-868-4101 or visit www.minervalibrary.info.
Historical Society sets community garage sale
NAVARRE – The Navarre/Bethlehem Township Historical Society's annual community garage sale will be held May 18-20 at the Navarre/Bethlehem Township Historical Complex between 123 High St. and 120 Canal St. People interested in Historical Society walking tours should call 330-879-5938 and leave a message to schedule a tour.
Learn how to save on groceries
NORTH CANTON – The North Canton Public Library will host the workshop Saving at the Supermarket from 6 to 7 p.m. Wednesday in Meeting Room A. Join registered dietitian and nutrition expert Jill Patterson in-person or on Zoom to learn how to cut your grocery bill while still eating nutritiously. Registration is required; visit https://ncantonlibrary.libnet.info/events and choose events for May 10.
Get help with energy bills
PERRY TWP. – Dominion Energy Ohio customers still have time to tap into the EnergyShare 2022-23 winter heating assistance program. Funds are available to eligible families before May 31 or until funds run out.
If customers have unpaid balances, they should contact local Salvation Army offices for an application. The EnergyShare program helps families who are experiencing financial hardships through unemployment or family crisis. EnergyShare pays energy bills when customers have exhausted all other forms of assistance.
To qualify for a one-time EnergyShare assistance payment, a person must live in the Dominion Energy service area, be a Dominion Energy customer, and must have:
- A demonstrated need for assistance
- Received a shutoff notice or the service has already been disconnected
Dominion Energy works with the Salvation Army offices to accept EnergyShare applications and to administer distribution of the funds. Dominion Energy covers the program’s administrative costs, so every dollar contributed to this fund goes to pay recipients’ heating bills.
Trivia Night at library
PERRY TWP. – The Stark County District Library Perry Sippo Branch, 5710 12th St. NW, will host a general knowledge Trivia Night from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Monday in the meeting room. Contestants will have a chance to win prizes. To register, visit https://tinyurl.com/ypue6tp7. For more information, call the branch at 330-477-8482.
Open-air market at Oakwood Square
PLAIN TWP. – Sidestreet Markets opens the season from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at Oakwood Square Plaza, 2610 Easton St. NE. Enjoy free admission to open-air shopping with local makers, bakers, brewers, growers and food trucks on the second Saturday of the month from May through October: May 13, June 10, July 8, Sept. 9 and Oct. 14. | https://www.cantonrep.com/story/news/local/2023/05/07/stark-county-roundup-news-from-around-the-canton-region/70169722007/ | 2023-05-07T10:35:13 | 0 | https://www.cantonrep.com/story/news/local/2023/05/07/stark-county-roundup-news-from-around-the-canton-region/70169722007/ |
Meet Dr. Dina Rooney, executive director of Aunt Susie's Cancer Wellness Center
- Dr. Dina K. Rooney is the executive director of Aunt Susie's Cancer Wellness Center.
- She served a residency at the University of Vermont Medical Center and and fellowship at Indiana University.
- "I truly believe that oncology was my calling," she says.
Dr. Dina K. Rooney is the executive director of Aunt Susie's Cancer Wellness Center. She lives at Meyers Lake in Canton and is single but lives with two rescue cats Sophie and Kenzi. She’s hoping to add a puppy to the mix soon.
Rooney graduated from Jackson High School in 1981 and went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry from The Ohio State University. She then served an internal medicine residency at the University of Vermont Medical Center and had a hematology and oncology fellowship at Indiana University.
“I knew I wanted to go to medical school as a high school student,” she said. "I spent two years as an ER doctor in Randolph, Vermont, and moonlighted in an ER in Crawfordsville, Indiana, during my fellowship.
“I returned to Canton in 1997 to practice. For most of my career, I was with TriCounty Hematology and Oncology Inc., where I served as president and vice president. I joined Dr. Farouq Ahmed in 1998 and together we built the practice from a two-physician group with six employees to four doctors and two nurse practitioners and over 50 employees in two offices, the second in Dover.”
Five questions with Kenny Freda:Plant lover and general manager of Glass Garden of Canton
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She has served on many committees at Mercy and Aultman hospitals and ran the general and breast tumor boards for Mercy. Rooney limited her practice to breast and gynecologic cancers for the second half of her career and served as the medical director of the Mercy Breast Center.
“I retired in 2016, hoping to open a wellness center to provide complementary support and other services to cancer patients," she said. "I joined Aunt Susie's Cancer Wellness Center for Women as a board member in May 2020 and started volunteering in the office in February of 2021.
“I initially chose to move back to Stark County to be close to my family. My mother was a nurse at Mercy for 41 years, so I have always felt connected to Canton’s medical community. The hospitals in Stark County were providing first-class health care, and the area needed more oncologists.”
Would you detail what Aunt Susie’s Cancer Wellness Center is about?
Aunt Susie's Cancer Wellness Center provides compassionate care to adults in Stark County with cancer, and their family and caregivers. We dropped "for Women" from our name in 2022 when we started providing services to men as well.
We are a registered 501c3 nonprofit that is 100% volunteer run and all of our services are provided free of charge. Services are available to all adults regardless of race, creed, color, gender orientation, nationality or disability.
We provide transportation to cancer-related medical appointments, food assistance is available in the form of grocery cards or Meals on Wheels. Housecleaning is provided in partnership with Quality Cleaning Services. Haircuts and donated wigs are provided in cooperation with Hair with Flair, Wild Orchid and Wig Style Center. We now have donated bras and prostheses. We have support groups for patients and caregivers on-site monthly.
What are some of your duties associated with being the executive director?
It is my job to run the business end of our nonprofit. I coordinate our office volunteers, assist with grant writing, help plan and run fundraising events, oversee cash flow and manage the building we currently occupy.
I coordinate with the board creating the budget, developing new programs/reporting on the existing ones and steering the organization forward. I am currently focusing on community outreach, hoping to reach more people in our community that need our assistance and finding financial and volunteer support.
I am also networking with other nonprofits here in Stark County so we can avoid duplicating services and optimize our budgets and time.
Why did you decide to get involved with the organization?
Marlene Mason, who founded Aunt Susie's in honor of her friend and Perry High School classmate Sue Nixon Darling with the help of Sue's husband Gary, contacted me a couple of times while I was still working.
I shared with anyone who would listen that my retirement plan was to start a cancer wellness center. I took some classes on nonprofit management and recognized the complexity of starting and running a 501c3. After I was slowed down with some health issues, Marlene called me again and directly asked me to get involved.
I was very impressed with the foundation they had created and the services they were providing.
Would you share some of the reasons why your commitment stayed so strong throughout your career?
I truly believe that oncology was my calling. I had a fascination with blood diseases and cancers in medical school after working under Dr. Bertha Bouroncle at Ohio State.
As a resident, the patients and families I enjoyed working with the most were my cancer patients. I was intrigued by chemotherapy and the way it works (or does not) because of my biochemistry background. I realized early that helping people live and die with dignity and compassion was every bit as important as treating or curing their cancer.
I feel that my work with Aunt Susie's is my way of giving back to the community that embraced me as a physician and made me successful.
What other organizations are you a volunteer with?
I am a member of the Mercy Service League because I believe in their mission of supporting the hospital, hospital staff, patients and community.
It has been my pleasure to serve as chairwoman for the Cause for Wine Women and Shoes since 2017 and help the Hearts and Hands Committee provide direct community service. I am also an avid supporter of the Anguilla Boat Racing Committee and I sponsor the Real Deal.
Editor's note: Five questions with ... is a Sunday feature that showcases a member of the Stark County community. If you'd like to recommend someone to participate, send an email to newsroom@cantonrep.com. | https://www.cantonrep.com/story/news/local/stark-county/2023/05/07/five-questions-with-dr-dina-rooney-executive-director-of-aunt-susies-cancer-wellness-center/70055843007/ | 2023-05-07T10:35:26 | 1 | https://www.cantonrep.com/story/news/local/stark-county/2023/05/07/five-questions-with-dr-dina-rooney-executive-director-of-aunt-susies-cancer-wellness-center/70055843007/ |
How Time Flies is a daily feature looking back at Pantagraph archives to revisit what was happening in our community and region.
100 years ago
May 7, 1923: Fourteen aldermen and a mayor will this evening take over the reins of the city government, which during the past eight years has been in the hands of commissioners. The meeting is expected to be a long one, as there are many ordinances that will be passed having to do with changes in returning to the aldermanic form of government.
75 years ago
May 7, 1948: Five generations of one family were together Monday through Thursday of this week at the home of Mrs. Vitula England, oldest member of the group, in Mackinaw. Mrs. England, 85, resides with her son and daughter-in-law, the Grant Englands. Also gathered were Mrs. England's daughter, Mrs. Zelma Young, 63, of Falls of Rough, Kentucky; Mrs. Young's daughter, Mrs. Katherine Wick, 45, of Detroit, Michigan; Mrs. Wick's daughter, Mrs. Ilma Kabboush, 26, and her 7-month-old son, William, also of Detroit.
50 years ago
May 7, 1973: The bird exterminating firm the McLean County Board tried to hire to rid the courthouse of pigeons and starlings has been forced out of business by federal safety regulations, said Charles Areson, owner of National Bird Exterminating Co. of Clinton, Indiana. Areson told a reporter that federal OSHA enforcers had "gotten real tough with us."
25 years ago
May 7, 1998: McLean County has essentially concluded Operation Broken Crown, an investigation into marijuana and cocaine trafficking linked to the Latin Kings street gang in 1997. The case saw 11 men sent to prison for sentences totaling 56.5 years and another 14 individuals convicted and sentenced to probation. Assistant State's Attorney Robert Freitag labeled the effort a major success because it was the first time that local authorities were able to infiltrate Latin Kings drug activity.
101 years ago: See vintage Pantagraph ads from 1922
Gerthart's
Union Gas and Electric Co.
Hoover
Dr. J.A. Moore Dentists
Moberly & Klenner
W.P. Garretson
W.H. Roland
Pease's Candy
Thor 32 Electric Washing Machine
The Kaiser's Story of the War
Ike Livingston & Sons
Gossard Corsets
Cat'n Fiddle
'Stolen Moments'
Case Model X
The Johnson Transfer & Fuel Co.
The Pantagraph want ads
Franklin Motor Car Co.
'A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court'
Calumet Baking Powder
Mayer Livingston & Co. Newsmarket
'The Emperor Jones'
'California Fig Syrup'
Compiled by Pantagraph staff | https://pantagraph.com/news/local/history/75-years-ago-5-generations-mark-mothers-day-in-mackinaw/article_bef32c0c-e496-11ed-95f5-cf82c5e27aa4.html | 2023-05-07T11:48:25 | 0 | https://pantagraph.com/news/local/history/75-years-ago-5-generations-mark-mothers-day-in-mackinaw/article_bef32c0c-e496-11ed-95f5-cf82c5e27aa4.html |
BOYS AND GIRLS. CREW
9 a.m.
Philadelphia City Championships at Schuylkill River
SOFTBALL
8 a.m.
Betty Howell Tournament at Oakcrest
BOYS AND GIRLS. CREW
9 a.m.
Philadelphia City Championships at Schuylkill River
SOFTBALL
8 a.m.
Betty Howell Tournament at Oakcrest
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Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/sports/local/highschool/high-school-schedule-for-sunday-may-7-2023/article_f3bda054-ea9d-11ed-95d1-0bd2236bf02e.html | 2023-05-07T11:50:41 | 0 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/sports/local/highschool/high-school-schedule-for-sunday-may-7-2023/article_f3bda054-ea9d-11ed-95d1-0bd2236bf02e.html |
CEDAR FALLS — The Board of Education will talk Monday about another component of its future high school off West 27th Street.
That’s the audio-visual equipment in support of instruction, specifically, television displays, projectors, speakers, amplifiers and switches.
The board will consider adopting the plans during its 5:30 p.m. meeting at City Hall, 220 Clay St., as well as setting a public hearing and putting the documents out to bid.
The new school, for grades 10-12, is expected to be open in time for the 2024 school year.
The University of Northern Iowa's Campanile bells returned May 1, 2023, to the campus in Cedar Falls, with the first of the largest ones reinstalled back inside the structure May 3. Credit: Andy Milone.
The board also will consider approving the 2023-24 lease agreement with Central Rivers Area Education Agency for River Hills School at 2700 Grand Blvd. Cedar Falls Community Schools would pay $665,000 to the agency in quarterly installments.
Other items up for approval are student accident insurance coverage options, agreements with other districts for shared athletic programs, the list of the Class of 2023 graduates, the 2021-22 audit, and the 2023-2024 school year fees.
Photos: UNI softball defeats Iowa, May 3
SBall UNI vs. Iowa 1
Northern Iowa celebrates on the field after defeating Iowa on Wednesday at Iowa City.
CHRIS ZOELLER Courier Staff Photographer
SBall UNI vs. Iowa 2
Northern Iowa celebrates on the field after defeating Iowa on Wednesday at Iowa City.
CHRIS ZOELLER Courier Staff Photographer
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Northern Iowa's sophomore Kylee Sanders fields ground ball and makes the throw to first base against Iowa on Wednesday at Iowa City.
CHRIS ZOELLER Courier Staff Photographer
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Northern Iowa's sophomore Kylee Sanders slides into home plate against Iowa on Wednesday at Iowa City. Sanders was called out at the plate.
CHRIS ZOELLER Courier Staff Photographer
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Northern Iowa's junior Madison Parks celebrates on her way to scoring against Iowa on Wednesday at Iowa City.
CHRIS ZOELLER Courier Staff Photographer
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Northern Iowa's sophomore Anna Wischnowski delivers a pitch against Iowa on Wednesday at Iowa City.
CHRIS ZOELLER Courier Staff Photographer
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Northern Iowa's junior Madison Parks connects with a pitch against Iowa on Wednesday at Iowa City.
CHRIS ZOELLER Courier Staff Photographer
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Northern Iowa's sophomore Kylee Sanders applies the tag to Iowa's Tatianna Roman at second base for the inning-ending out on Wednesday at Iowa City.
CHRIS ZOELLER Courier Staff Photographer
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Northern Iowa's sophomore Kylee Sanders and junior Taylor Hogan celebrate after Sanders gets the third out of the inning against Iowa on Wednesday at Iowa City.
CHRIS ZOELLER Courier Staff Photographer
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Northern Iowa's sophomore Mya Dodge makes a sliding catch in left field against Iowa on Wednesday at Iowa City.
CHRIS ZOELLER Courier Staff Photographer
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Northern Iowa's sophomore Mya Dodge slides into home plate against Iowa on Wednesday at Iowa City.
CHRIS ZOELLER Courier Staff Photographer
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Northern Iowa's junior Madison Parks throws into the infield after making a catch in center field against Iowa on Wednesday at Iowa City.
CHRIS ZOELLER Courier Staff Photographer
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Northern Iowa's freshman Alexis Pupillo smiles after the last out of an inning against Iowa on Wednesday at Iowa City.
CHRIS ZOELLER Courier Staff Photographer
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Northern Iowa's junior Maggie Erpelding slides safely into second base against Iowa on Wednesday at Iowa City.
CHRIS ZOELLER Courier Staff Photographer
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Northern Iowa's senior Brooke Snider celebrates at second base after hitting an RBI double against Iowa on Wednesday at Iowa City.
CHRIS ZOELLER Courier Staff Photographer
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Northern Iowa's junior Sammy Moss chases after a foul ball against Iowa on Wednesday at Iowa City.
CHRIS ZOELLER Courier Staff Photographer
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Northern Iowa's sophomore Anna Wischnowski delivers a pitch against Iowa on Wednesday at Iowa City.
CHRIS ZOELLER Courier Staff Photographer
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Northern Iowa's sophomore Kylee Sanders eyes the ball after taking a bad hop off the glove against Iowa on Wednesday at Iowa City.
CHRIS ZOELLER Courier Staff Photographer
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Northern Iowa's freshman Alexis Pupillo takes off for first base after connecting with a pitch against Iowa on Wednesday at Iowa City.
CHRIS ZOELLER Courier Staff Photographer
SBall UNI vs. Iowa 20
Northern Iowa's senior Brooke Snider swings at a pitch against Iowa on Wednesday at Iowa City.
CHRIS ZOELLER Courier Staff Photographer
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WATERLOO — Construction workers broke ground last week on one of Waterloo’s largest residential projects in recent decades.
Development of Paradise Estates began after the City Council approved the project’s final plat Monday.
The new neighborhood will eventually be around 240 to 250 lots. The first phase will consist of 64 lots.
There will be a total of three or four additions to the new subdivision, according to Melissa Hodapp, the real estate agent for CJ’s Construction. CJ’s Construction took over the land development process from land owner Hope Martin “Buzz” Anderson.
Anderson said at the Monday council meeting that the idea for the project originated about 10 years ago. The council approved the project in 2018.
Hodapp said depending on the lot sales for the first addition, phase two of the project could begin in spring 2024.
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The 121-acres of platted land span the area from Kimball Avenue to Iowa Highway 21, and the planned development would surround Orange Elementary School.
Hodapp said they’re hoping for development of the land to be completed by the middle of August, and lots will go up for sale in September. Lots will be publicly listed next week. She said CJ’s Construction does not intend to build the houses, and a few builders already have expressed interest.
The future single-family homes could be anything from ranch and two-story houses with backyard space and parking for two or three cars.
City documents describe the first 64 lots being 14,057 to 21,787 square feet.
Hodapp anticipates the lots will be sold in the $70,000 to $90,000 range. She expects the houses that will be built will sell for upwards of $350,000.
Bob Manning, the executive officer of the Cedar Valley Home Builders Association, said at the council meeting that he doesn’t remember the last time there was a development with 64 lots.
“It’ll be exciting to see grills on the decks and kids running around playing,” Manning said. “The tax dollars it’ll bring to the city of Waterloo is just tremendous.”
The development will also be served by new local roads — Paradise Boulevard, Moonlight Drive, Wall Street and Prosperity Drive.
Traffic has been a concern for the Orange Neighborhood Association and Orange Elementary. Currently, when parents pick up their children from the school cars become backed up onto Kimball Avenue.
Hodapp said that the school is purchasing one of the lots to alleviate traffic and to provide another access point to go into the subdivision.
The issue of water pressure also has been brought up.
City documents state Waterloo Water Works is aware of a water pressure issue in Orange Township. The reason behind the low pressure, according to the documents, is because Raymond, Orange Township and Eagle Center are all on one pressure zone and Orange Township has the highest elevation — which results in the lowest water pressure.
The consulting engineer for the project, the documents state, said the addition of homes for Paradise Estates will “have no impact” on Orange Township’s water pressure.
Cory Hodapp, owner of CJ’s Construction, said a booster pump will be installed to increase water pressure. He said the volume of water is adequate but not the pressure.
He also said there may be a water tower added to the area once more homes are built.
“A lot of development we’ve seen is in the Cedar Falls area, and we haven’t seen as much in Waterloo,” Melissa Hodapp said. “(Orange Elementary) is a great school and there is a need for housing in Waterloo. It provides a different development and aspect in the Waterloo community.” | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/development-of-land-begins-for-large-subdivision-in-orange-township/article_bc9990e3-0154-5ad2-a26c-2e46153ad080.html | 2023-05-07T12:00:52 | 1 | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/development-of-land-begins-for-large-subdivision-in-orange-township/article_bc9990e3-0154-5ad2-a26c-2e46153ad080.html |
CEDAR FALLS – A new tool seeks to address the challenges of bringing more affordable housing to Cedar Falls.
A housing needs assessment has not been completed in Cedar Falls since 1998. The Cedar Falls Economic Development Corporation solicited the help of Iowa Northland Regional Council of Governments and the University of Northern Iowa’s Institute for Decision Making in crafting the report.
The study is meant in part to be an economic development tool for growth and workforce recruitment, but came in response to a Cedar Falls Racial Equity Task Force request for solutions to a lack of affordable housing.
The assessment seeks ways to respond to rising home sale prices – up 25% the previous five years – and declining inventory of homes for sale – down 66% the previous five years – as well as slower housing construction and a near absence of buildable lots for sale to homebuyers and custom builders.
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Additionally, it sought to identify and bring about the kinds of housing options sought by low to moderate income households, as well as the workforce, young families, seniors and people with disabilities.
The 125-page document took a year to put together. It starts with a 12-page executive summary and concludes with 33 recommendations for action, supported with pages of data, focus group testimony, survey results and other background and research.
A major purpose is the unbiased information that can be referenced by an applicant seeking assistance related to housing. For instance, a developer may use the report while applying to Iowa’s Workforce Housing Tax Credit Program, focused on residential projects using abandoned, empty or dilapidated properties in communities with a growing workforce.
Among the proposals to improve Cedar Falls’ housing situation is eliminating code that “may no longer be necessary or achieve a clear public purpose,” and developing “more user-friendly and predictable” standards for developers, like was done downtown.
Another recommendation is forming a 501(c)(3) local housing trust fund so the city becomes eligible for state grants for efforts like owner-occupied and rental rehabilitation, improvements to emergency shelters and group homes, and down payment assistance for home buying.
The report says “local funding sources” could be dedicated to support housing opportunities for low-to-moderate and middle-income households, whether that be from the city, different organizations or employers whose workers need housing.
Among the suggestions are looking into some incentives, whether that be tax abatements tied to smaller or lower-cost units, or supporting infrastructure provided for one or more large housing developments with a mix of unit types and price ranges.
A landlord risk mitigation fund also is a consideration to reduce the fear of renting to certain tenants by offering reimbursement if tenants cause damage or rent is not paid, especially those qualifying for Housing Choice Vouchers known as “Section 8.”
Maximizing space for housing development is another focus. One recommendation is including requirements in future development agreements for a certain percentage of lots to be reserved for affordable housing within a subdivision.
The City Council will discuss the report May 15 and consider adopting it. INRCOG Executive Director Brian Schoon gave a rundown to the council May 1, and stakeholders hosted an open house May 2 to hear additional input and answer questions about the nearly final draft written by INRCOG Housing Planner Rose Phillips.
By the numbers
To get a better feel for the situation, look no further than the fact that the median sale price in Cedar Falls has been $225,000 from 2019 into fall 2022, significantly higher than the range of $170,000 to $200,000 in Denver, Hudson and Jesup, according to the report.
However, the study included an analysis that found the average price of a single family home between 2021 and 2022 was $476,800 in Cedar Falls. Means are typically larger than medians since they are skewed upward by the highest values in the dataset.
The assessment states that Cedar Falls listings spent a median of eight cumulative days on the market, slightly lower than the comparable communities (nine to 13 days), or what the report indicates is an “especially tight” market by comparison.
A lack of diversity in housing exists too. Single‐family homes account for 2,029 closed MLS sales from 2019 into September 2022, or 89% of sales. For both single‐family homes and condos, the report points out that notably smaller, moderately priced units sell more quickly than larger, more expensive units, suggesting that the Cedar Falls homebuyer market has pent‐up demand for more “affordable” or “workforce” housing options.
From 2016 through 2021, an estimated 997 residential unit projects were given work permits in Cedar Falls. Of these, 564 units (57%) were single‐family homes; 221 (22%) were two‐family structures, townhomes, or condominiums, and 212 (21%) were multifamily units.
The city’s residential permit volume has generally declined in recent years, from a high of 251 units in 2016 to an estimated low of 89 units in 2022. However, if multifamily unit permits are disregarded, the decline is "much less pronounced," with a high of only 149 units in 2016.
At the current permitting rate, and if factoring in the conservative population growth estimates, the assessment indicates Cedar Falls will have a projected shortfall of 569 units by 2030 and 748 units total by 2040. The higher population growth estimates have the shortfall at 911 units by 2030 and 1,453 units by 2040.
Developers and builders in Cedar Falls also report that lots for sale to custom builders and homebuyers are in short supply – sometimes as low as zero last year, compared to a supply of several hundred a decade ago.
But city data indicated in August 2022 that several newer residential subdivisions have vacant lots – 245 single‐family lots and 172 duplex, townhome, and condominium lots, for a total of 417 lots.
However, the assessment says anecdotal evidence from developers and builders suggests that most are owned by builders or homebuyers who already have plans to construct homes on the lots.
With that in mind, a survey included within the assessment indicates that Cedar Falls seemingly has “very few” units in "poor condition," and no dilapidated units were identified, meaning the city has limited opportunities, as well, to expand the housing stock through demolition and reconstruction, or through substantial rehabilitation of deteriorated housing that has been off the market for years.
For the most part, its the opinion of the report that the city must expand its housing supply by developing new units, whether on “greenfield” (undeveloped) land, on the infill tracts, or in vacant upper stories of commercial buildings.
Other options for expanding housing supply include construction of accessory dwelling units (ADUs) on existing residential parcels, and subdividing large residential parcels into two or more parcels to increase vacant lots for housing development.
On the leasing side of the equation, according to the study, Cedar Falls’ median gross rent was $944 in 2020, higher than the statewide median gross rent of $806. Median gross rent increased more rapidly in Cedar Falls from 2010 to 2020 than in Iowa as a whole.
Of the estimated 5,400 occupied rental units in Cedar Falls, 1,330 have gross rents of $1,250 or more, while another 1,121 have gross rents from $1,000 to $1,249. Only 20% of occupied rental units have gross rents under $700.
Another fact to note is that Cedar Falls also had a high prevalence of low‐ to moderate‐wage jobs, particularly in service, manufacturing, and heath care sectors in 2022, according to the assessment.
The report points out how housing costs may impact whether many of Cedar Falls’ low‐wage essential workers, such as home health aides and grocery workers, can afford to live in Cedar Falls.
Additionally, the 2022 data, included within the report, demonstrated that a “mismatch” between earnings and housing prices exists for several essential occupations in Cedar Falls, especially in health care, education, and traditional “blue‐collar” jobs in manufacturing, construction, and transportation.
These occupations together account for 11.6% of all Cedar Falls jobs. Of the ones included, the reports explains how only secondary school teachers had the median earnings ($32.20 per hour or $66,982 per year) necessary to afford a median‐priced home at $225,000.
Several other occupations have necessary earnings to purchase a home for $153,000, the median price for a single‐family home built before 1940 – a significant amount of the housing stock. A household needs a minimum income of $23.53 per hour ($48,942 per year) to afford a home at that price.
$153,000 is out of reach though for many other essential workers, including preschool teachers, nursing assistants, construction laborers, EMTs and paramedics, assemblers, truck drivers, and licensed practical and vocational nurses. | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/rundown-125-page-cf-housing-needs-assessment-explained-in-fewer-words/article_890505bb-3d87-51e4-b5e7-817645f66d8a.html | 2023-05-07T12:00:59 | 0 | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/rundown-125-page-cf-housing-needs-assessment-explained-in-fewer-words/article_890505bb-3d87-51e4-b5e7-817645f66d8a.html |
May 7 is National Tourism Day, which is a great reason to visit all the attractions right here in this area. Or, you can start planning that dream trip to Nepal. Your choice. Check your Get Out & About section every Thursday in your Kenosha News for the latest on area music, festivals, theater and other fun activities. And if you do head to an exotic location? Stay safe and drop us a postcard.
Kenosha Tourism Week starts today with FREE streetcar rides. The Downtown route takes riders on a scenic trip along the Lake Michigan shore, as well as through historic districts. The streetcars are running today from 10:35 a.m. to 6:15 p.m.
Also during Tourism Week, stop by the Wisconsin Welcome Center at I-94 and Highway 165 each day, May 7-13, for free sausage and cheese samples (while supplies last), courtesy of Brat Stop. Staff members are at the center from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.
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Today is your last chance to “Spring Awakening” — the winner of eight Tony Awards, including Best Musical — in the Main Stage Theatre at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside. The final performance is 2 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $20 for adults, $15 for senior citizens (age 60 and older) and $10 for youths (age 17 and younger). Note: The show contains mature themes. For tickets, go to uwp.edu or call 262-595-2564.
The Southport Light Station Museum, 5117 Fourth Ave., is now open for the season, offering tours and climbs through Oct. 29. Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and noon to 4 p.m. on Sunday. Visitors are welcome to climb the 1866 Southport Lighthouse: $10 for adults and $5 for ages 8-12. Children must be 8 or older to climb. All ages are welcome inside the free maritime museum. For more information, visit kenoshahistorycenter.org.
The Transparent Watercolor Society of America’s exhibit is on display at the Kenosha Public Museum. The show features paintings from top watercolor artists, working in a wide range of styles. The group’s annual National Juried Exhibition is a summer staple at the Kenosha museum, 5500 First Ave., and it’s available to view for free through Aug. 6. The museum is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sundays. Admission is free. | https://kenoshanews.com/news/local/kenosha-area-events-for-sunday-may-7/article_b5b25c60-eb96-11ed-990e-7716fa6137c3.html | 2023-05-07T12:31:59 | 0 | https://kenoshanews.com/news/local/kenosha-area-events-for-sunday-may-7/article_b5b25c60-eb96-11ed-990e-7716fa6137c3.html |
WGTD (91.1 FM) is owned and operated as a public service of Gateway Technical College and is an affiliate of Wisconsin Public Radio.
For an updated schedule, go online to wgtd.org. WGTD 91.1-FM’s “Morning Show” airs 8:10 to 9 a.m. weekdays.
Guests this week include:
Monday, May 8: Kenosha alderman Anthony Kennedy, who is soon to receive a Bryan Albrecht Living Legend Award from the Mary Lou and Arthur F. Mahone Fund for his tireless service to the community. Kennedy serves Kenosha 10th aldermanic district.
Tuesday, May 9: Award-winning designer Manuel Lima, author of “The New Designer: Rejecting Myths, Embracing Change.” Lima dismantles a number of incorrect assumptions that people tend to make about designers and their work.
Wednesday, May 10: Simon Read, author of “Winston Churchill Reporting: Adventures of a Young War Correspondent.”
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Thursday, May 11: Nan Calvert—with two representatives from Hawthorne Hollow- Executive Director TJ Leveque and Naturalist and Education Manager Kailyn Daum.
Friday, May 12: For Mother’s Day: Lori Leibovich, author and editor of “Maybe Baby: 28 Writers tell the truth about Skepticism, Infertility, Baby Lust, Childlessness, Ambivalence, and how they made the biggest decision of their lives.” (from the archives) | https://kenoshanews.com/news/local/wgtd-announces-morning-show-schedule-for-this-week/article_e8e9dc96-eb5c-11ed-b43a-cf5d9db904d8.html | 2023-05-07T12:32:05 | 1 | https://kenoshanews.com/news/local/wgtd-announces-morning-show-schedule-for-this-week/article_e8e9dc96-eb5c-11ed-b43a-cf5d9db904d8.html |
COWETA COUNTY, Ga. — An older woman showing early signs of dementia is missing in Coweta County, according to deputies on Sunday.
Anita Watson is 64 years old and was last seen walking on Upland Court in Redwin Plantation on Sunday around 1:30 a.m. The sheriff's office said she was seen wearing either a leopard print jacket or a sleeveless sweater. Its report said she is 5 feet and 2 inches tall, weighing 120 pounds.
The sheriff's office said she is showing early signs of dementia and taking heart medication. A photo was provided.
Anyone with information about Watson is urged to call the office at 770-254-3911.
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KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — A North Knoxville doggie daycare hosted a prom for dogs on Saturday, bringing together pups and their owners for a special night.
The Bark is a beer garden and dog park, giving pet owners a chance to bring their pets to a place where they can also hang out and enjoy a drink. Before pet owners can go to The Bark, they need to take some steps to make sure their dogs are ready to play with other pups.
They need to set up an online pet profile for their dog, including their pet's name, photo and other details. They also need to update vaccine records for their dogs, and will need to make sure their dogs stay in body harnesses while at the park. Dogs also undergo a behavior check before entering. A staff member may ask owners to hang out in a leashed area while their pet settles in.
Organizers said anyone who wanted to bring their pets to Dog Prom would need to make a pet profile before arriving and have their vaccine records either uploaded to the profile or with them when they arrive.
The Bark said a prom king and prom queen would be crowned during the event. It started at 6 p.m. on Saturday. | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/dog-prom-2023/51-333fbe5c-8d03-44b5-b629-d126f2137d32 | 2023-05-07T13:41:24 | 1 | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/dog-prom-2023/51-333fbe5c-8d03-44b5-b629-d126f2137d32 |
SAN ANTONIO — A man is dead following a deadly wreck on the southwest side of town late Saturday night.
The crash happened just before 10 p.m. near Loop 410 and Old Pearsall Road.
Police say the car was trying to get to the access road at the same time an SUV was getting on the highway, and crossed across all lanes of the traffic. That car ended up getting t-boned by the SUV.
The passenger in that car, a man in his early 20, died at the scene.
Police have not said if the driver of the SUV will face any charges.
No other injuries were reported and no other details were provided.
This is a developing story.
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Want to get in touch with someone at KENS 5? You can send a message using our Contacts page or email one of our team members. | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/man-killed-in-deadly-wreck-on-southwest-side-late-saturday-night-loop-410-san-antonio-texas-accident-crash-tboned/273-cbe189c8-11ce-4f81-8bd7-1a72cf5ff3c7 | 2023-05-07T13:41:30 | 1 | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/man-killed-in-deadly-wreck-on-southwest-side-late-saturday-night-loop-410-san-antonio-texas-accident-crash-tboned/273-cbe189c8-11ce-4f81-8bd7-1a72cf5ff3c7 |
ASHEBORO, N.C. — The semester is winding down with final papers to write but Kiersten Yow, the UNC Chapel Hill sophomore, is already wise beyond her years. Keys to her past are on her laptop. One sticker says "I don't like sand." Another sticker shows a caricature of a child in a shark's mouth with the caption "Stay positive" which is what she did after surviving a shark attack.
"It definitely gave me a greater appreciation for life," said Yow.
Her life could've ended in 2015 when she was 12 years old. The Asheboro girl was playing in waist-deep water at Oak Island when a bull shark pounced.
"At one point, it let go of my leg and got onto my arm, and came around and faced me. That's when it was in front of me and that's when I started punching it with this hand," explained Yow.
She managed to break free after the shark dragged her under.
"I saw a bloody mess. As I was walking out of the water, I looked to check to see if my hand was still there and it wasn't."
Bystanders rushed to help. One person used a boogie board leash to help stop the bleeding. Yow spent two months at UNC Children's Hospital where doctors saved her left leg. She's undergone more than 20 surgeries since then.
Yow had to relearn how to walk and master everyday tasks with just one hand, like eating, cooking, and playing. Today, she continues to work on rehabilitating her leg by running every day.
"My leg is still weak because I'm missing parts of muscle and hamstring so my knee sometimes gives out."
Adjusting is still difficult with people staring at her prosthetic.
"I really don't like it. I really hate it especially because I'm a very introverted, anxious person.
The nightmares subsided but the fear of water remains. For the first time in nearly eight years, she recently stepped into the ocean.
"It's very scary. I went in and out a few times. It was scary every time. I'm constantly looking at my feet and around me... Terrifying, when I get to the point where I can't see my feet anymore, that's when the fear gets the strongest."
She refuses to let the shark attack hold her back. She graduated from high school with a 4.5 GPA. Familiarity is one of the reasons she chose to go to college in Chapel Hill. It's where she was treated.
"Sometimes I drive past [UNC Children's Hospital] and I'm like that's where I was then and here I am now. I can see the growth of the changes that have happened since then."
She's majoring in psychology and philosophy with plans to help others deal with trauma as a future therapist, as she copes with her own. She admits she's still traumatized today and could be for the duration of her life. But she's made tremendous strides. She's grateful and grounded with each step.
"I used to have dreams that I'd be able to walk again so sometimes I would be like this is what I always wanted at one point in time so it's cool to appreciate that." | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/shark-bite-survivor-shares-what-it-feels-like-getting-back-in-water/83-cdbbc0a7-58b7-4d40-ad0f-093049ebf5c3 | 2023-05-07T13:41:36 | 1 | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/shark-bite-survivor-shares-what-it-feels-like-getting-back-in-water/83-cdbbc0a7-58b7-4d40-ad0f-093049ebf5c3 |
URBANA — Eastern Illinois Foodbank, the primary food source to feeding programs in eastern Illinois, is marking 40 years of alleviating hunger this May.
Eastern Illinois Foodbank was formed as part of a major regional effort to develop an emergency food network in Central Illinois.
In 1980, a group of 20 local citizens met in Springfield to form a food distribution network that eventually became three independent food banks: Central Illinois Foodbank in Springfield, Peoria Area Foodbank and Eastern Illinois Foodbank. In May 1983, Eastern Illinois Foodbank was incorporated, and the following month the food bank opened its doors in downtown Champaign.
Today, Eastern Illinois Foodbank serves 18 counties, including the Central Illinois counties of McLean, Woodford, Livingston, Ford, DeWitt, Piatt, Moultrie, Coles and Cumberland.
When former EIF board chair Vern Fein was asked to join the meeting in 1980, he originally declined, but had a change of heart when he came across a magazine in his office.
"I read that the Detroit Foodbank had recovered 9,000 pounds of frozen butter beans that were spilled on a railroad track due to a collision, and quickly distributed them to those in need. I changed my mind at once and plunged into helping start the foodbank," Fein said.
Today, EIF is the largest hunger relief organization in eastern Illinois, serving more than 1 million neighbors each year through a network of 170 partner agencies. EIF recently completed a capital campaign allowing it to expand into a warehouse adjoined to the original facility, enabling the food bank to increase efficiency, accommodate more nutritious and fresh products, and extend the number of people serves.
The EIF will be marking this milestone with a celebration in September during Hunger Action Month. The event will recognize individuals and organizations in the community who have had an impact on EIF's mission of alleviating hunger.
"What the foodbank has accomplished is a reflection of our community. Without their support, we wouldn't have been able to fulfill our mission for the past 40 years," said President and CEO Kelly Daly. "Though so much has changed over the years, the one constant has been the dedication of our volunteers, donors, board, staff and community partners. That is what ensures we are able to meet the growing needs of eastern Illinois and will continue to be a vital resource for years to come."
EIF is a member of Feeding America, Feeding Illinois, the United Way of Coles County and the United Way of Champaign County.
In this file photo from Feb. 2, 2016, Eastern Illinois Foodbank workers Teresa Brown and Jacob Bilvin sort donated items during the group's foodmobile distribution at the Western Avenue Community Center, 600 N. Western Ave., Bloomington. | https://pantagraph.com/news/local/eastern-illinois-foodbank-celebrating-40-years-this-month/article_049379c8-ec5e-11ed-bf8f-cb2e67029b1f.html | 2023-05-07T13:50:08 | 0 | https://pantagraph.com/news/local/eastern-illinois-foodbank-celebrating-40-years-this-month/article_049379c8-ec5e-11ed-bf8f-cb2e67029b1f.html |
BLOOMINGTON — Three years into teaching English at Central Catholic High School, this school year has been like trying on eyeglasses for the first time, Dana Coletta said.
“It’s just like I can see more clearly,” she said, having experienced the school’s shift to a president-principal team this year. “... It wasn’t broken, but it’s just so much better now.”
Central Catholic changed ahead of this school year, with former principal Sean Foster stepping into the president role and Chris McGraw coming in as principal. He had previously been a building administrator in McLean County Unit 5.
“For me, it has been extremely invigorating,” McGraw said, and Foster agreed the change has been rejuvenating for them both.
Both said they felt the new model has allowed them to really focus on their work, rather than having to juggle the academic and administrative parts of running a building.
For McGraw, for instance, it has given him time to meet with all of the school’s teachers at the start of each semester.
"It was this very focused, intentional one-on-one face time with every single teacher in the building, that was outside of an evaluation meeting,” he said.
McGraw can often be found sitting with students at lunch, sometimes joined by Foster, to host “listening sessions.”
"Personally, for me, I felt like it hyper-accelerated my ability to connect with students. I was getting so much face time with students that historically is difficult to do as a building principal," McGraw said.
Izzie Niepagen, a junior at Central Catholic, said those listening sessions have been productive, and this year students consistently have seen that their voices matter at the school.
“The things we're asking for, the things we're like, ‘Hey, can we change this or make a tweak on that?’ (McGraw) almost instantly is making some sort of change or at least vocalizing to us that he hears what we're saying and they're trying to make a change, which is really nice,” she said.
Niepagen said the time McGraw is able to dedicate to students, be it through listening sessions, classroom visits or attending extracurricular events, is “just like making you feel that love and appreciation that he goes out of his way to care for students, and not only just us, but the teachers, too.”
With the perspective of a teacher and a parent of two freshman sons at Central Catholic, Coletta said she feels more heard as well, with McGraw sending regular updates to parents with the reminder that his inbox and phone are always available.
With the president-principal model separating duties, she said McGraw has time to “bounce ideas around” and work through issues with teachers.
“He’s very excited about everything you want to do, and you feel affirmed by that,” Coletta said. “And it’s all just that accessibility.”
Now, after 14 years at Central Catholic, Foster sees his role as “to provide opportunity where it currently does not exist."
That includes helping the school grow in its enrollment and funding. Tuition costs are one of the main hindrances for students to attend the school, and in part because Foster has been able to prioritize that work, scholarship opportunities have grown from 13 scholarships to 28 scholarships over the past year, he said.
Next year, Foster anticipates the school will have more than $500,000 to offer in scholarships through donors. Between financial assistance provided by Central Catholic, parishes and the diocese, 44% of students receive some type of assistance.
The school is also anticipating its largest freshman class since 2012 to join next year. Staff project enrollment about eight years out, based on enrollment at area Catholic elementary schools. The high school draws from around 10 different schools, including students who come from as far as Pontiac and El Paso.
Central Catholic currently has about 267 students.
In addition to tasks like fundraising for the school, Foster has also focused more broadly on community relationships. One way the school does that is by having students pick a senior class charity, as serving others is part of the school’s mission.
Extending partnerships with those local organizations beyond one year is part of Foster’s role.
"It is our desire to have a more meaningful interaction or engagement, and therefore a more meaningful impact on the Bloomington-Normal community," he said.
As Foster focuses on increasing school access for families, McGraw said he sees his role as “increasing the excellence within the building.”
As the transition to the new system continues, this semester Central Catholic is conducting a student life survey, focusing on how students feel about the school’s community. It includes questions like how many adults at the school they feel they can go to with concerns and for life advice.
Almost all of the students identified at least two adults they felt they could trust, McGraw said.
“That’s a testament to the atmosphere of this place,” he said.
Foster said building relationships is “the most important thing” at Central Catholic, especially given the small size of the school.
“We now have the time to more fully invest in those relationships in a meaningful way. ... I have seen just in this past year, the short time that we've had this model, and we've worked together, the culture is truly enhanced. A lot of that is the model, but it's also having the right people in the right place,” Foster said of McGraw sharing in the leadership of the school.
McGraw said he has found it helpful in navigating his first year at Central Catholic to have Foster there as the former principal. Foster has been slightly surprised by how well the transition to the model has gone.
“It’s been much more seamless than I anticipated. I’d say it’s been a very healthy, smooth transition,” Foster said, noting they're both already looking forward to further changes at Central Catholic, including block schooling and the creation of a "house system," which would provide leadership opportunities for students. | https://pantagraph.com/news/local/education/one-year-in-central-catholic-sees-advantages-of-new-leadership-model/article_3c9268d4-ea0b-11ed-90aa-979b886050ba.html | 2023-05-07T13:50:14 | 0 | https://pantagraph.com/news/local/education/one-year-in-central-catholic-sees-advantages-of-new-leadership-model/article_3c9268d4-ea0b-11ed-90aa-979b886050ba.html |
In the hours before he's due at Upper Darby High School, senior Khalid Doulat has time to say prayers, help his mother or prepare for track practice.
It's a welcome shift from last year for him and thousands of students at the school, which pushed its start time back by more than two hours — from a 7:30 a.m. start time to 9:45 a.m. One goal for the change: to ease strains on students that were more visible than ever coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I’ll be honest, I’ve been much happier in the mornings,” Doulat said. “I’ve been more positive, and I’ve come to school smiling more rather than, you know, grudging out of bed and stuff like that at 7:30.”
The idea of later school start times, pushed by many over the years as a way to help adolescents get more sleep, is getting a new look as a way to address the mental health crisis affecting teens across the U.S.
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For some schools, the pandemic allowed experimentation to try new schedules. Upper Darby, for one, initially considered later start times in 2019. Ultimately, it found a way to do it this year by using distance learning as a component of the school day.
As students first came back to in-person learning, many dealt with mental health struggles and behavioral issues, Upper Darby Superintendent Daniel McGarry said. Officials saw a breakdown in students respecting the authority of teachers in the classroom.
“We had a lot of those things that we were facing and we’re still working our way through it; we’re in a much better place,” McGarry said. “I think our kids feel better. They’re not 100% better." But, he said, much of the social anxiety students felt after being in online school has dissipated.
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During the pandemic, soaring numbers of high school students expressed persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness, with girls and LGBTQ+ youth reporting the highest levels of poor mental health and suicide attempts. It doesn't help that research suggests middle and high school students aren't getting enough sleep.
“These mental health challenges are already going to happen and then, with the absence of sleep, are much worse,” said Orfeu Buxton, director of the Sleep, Health & Society Collaboratory at Penn State University. “The same with decision making, suicidal ideation, those kinds of things.”
The reasons why high schools start as early as they do — many begin their day before 7:30 a.m. — are “lost to the sands of history," Buxton said. But now, he said, ”everything is baked into that: traffic light patterns, bus schedules and adults’ work.”
Nationally, at least nine states are considering legislation related to school start times, up from four the previous year, according to the National Conference on State Legislatures. California in 2019 became the first and only state to dictate school start times.
Large school systems including Denver, Philadelphia and Anchorage, Alaska, have been looking into later start times.
It can require innovation to forge a new schedule.
At Upper Darby High, the school day technically still begins at 7:30 a.m., with students assigned coursework to be done remotely that ties into their lessons for the day. But they can use the early morning hours as they see fit — they can meet with teachers during office hours, sleep in or finish other homework. Ultimately, the work assigned for the early morning needs to be done, but when is up to students.
“I think getting more sleep is definitely helping,” Elise Olmstead, a junior. “I would be more irritable throughout the day, especially later, because I have a lot of after-school things. I would just have a harder time getting through the day.”
The school day still ends by 3 p.m.
Fatima Afrani, a freshman, said that when she gets home, she’ll usually relax, then help her mom or do homework.
“If I’m tired I go to sleep, which was not something I was able to do last year. Last year I just had to get my homework done because there wasn’t an option of being able to do it later,” she said. “And so I liked that if I was tired, I could listen to my body and just let myself sleep.”
Principal Matthew Alloway said educators have noticed fewer students sleeping in class. The new schedule also has allowed "kids to go to school for exactly what they need,” he said. About 400 of the school’s 4,250 students attend only through virtual learning — an option it offered to compete with online schools.
Critics have argued students have less instruction time in the new schedule. The original 80-minute periods have been shortened, but Alloway said that it’s not as if lectures always took up the full 80 minutes.
“It was sometimes a 60-minute concentrated instructional time. But then there was time to write. There was time to read. There was time to view a video,” he said.
Other challenges wrought by the pandemic — teacher shortages, for one — have also benefitted from the schedule change, administrators said. Teachers can take care of themselves and their families in the morning. Administrators have more time to replace staffers who call out sick.
Doulat, the Upper Darby senior, said that even if students can’t see the effects every day, there’s been a big positive impact.
“It’s such little changes in our daily lives that we don’t notice it,” he added. “But they slowly start building up, and we actually see the difference within our own lives.”
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Brooke Schultz is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
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The Associated Press education team receives support from the Carnegie Corporation of New York. The AP is solely responsible for all content. | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/to-improve-kids-mental-health-some-schools-start-later/3561301/ | 2023-05-07T13:51:51 | 1 | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/to-improve-kids-mental-health-some-schools-start-later/3561301/ |
BALTIMORE — As she raises two sons, there’s a time Jamyla Bennu and her husband, Pierre, like to keep sacred as a family: doing their hair.
“One of my kids would be getting a haircut from dad and one was getting his hair twisted with mom, and we’d be watching a movie and stuff,” Bennu, 47, said. “That’s one thing I’m really happy is a part of our family culture: the fact that we do that grooming time together, and it’s part of our family together time.”
Bennu’s hair care isn’t limited to her home in Northeast Baltimore. She runs Oyin Handmade, an “artisanal manufacturer of moisture-rich personal care products especially formulated for highly textured hair and dry skin.” The products are available at Whole Foods stores throughout Maryland, at independent retailers throughout the country and online.
Founded by Bennu and her husband, Oyin Handmade is Black- and woman-owned. The company makes its products at its new 3,500-square-foot facility in Baltimore’s Greenmount West. Bennu has four employees and is looking to hire one more.
This year, Bennu is celebrating her company’s 20th anniversary. On top of that major milestone, the company’s products are now available to patients at all 11 hospitals in the University of Maryland Medical System.
DoRhonja Nichols is the director of critical care and behavioral health services at the University of Maryland St. Joseph Medical Center. She said one of her colleagues told her about buzz within the health care community surrounding the availability of inclusive hair products for Black patients.
The university medical system’s new offerings puts it in league with other hospital systems in states like Iowa, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. The systems drew inspiration from their patients to offer more inclusive products, such as wide-tooth combs, hair bonnets and moisturizers that use products like coconut oil and shea butter.
“I immediately thought this is something that would be very good to implement within the University of Maryland Medical System,” Nichols said. “I also thought it would be really cool if we could partner with a local minority-owned business to be able to provide the product to us.”
Nichols said that when she cared for Black patients as a nurse, she noticed the haircare products she had available didn’t meet their needs. She added that many patients don’t expect to be hospitalized and therefore aren’t able to plan ahead and bring their preferred products.
“Our patients are often in crisis, they really don’t feel themselves, they might not feel the best,” Nichols said. “I want them to know that they are really thought of and it’s so, it’s so incredibly important that we are looking through the lens of equity, diversity and inclusion in everything that we do regarding patient care.”
Honey wash shampoo, honey hemp conditioner and hair dew leave-in conditioner are all products available to patients in the University of Maryland hospitals, though Nichols said she wasn’t sure if all locations had rolled out the products yet. Patients also will be able to access wider tooth combs, hair picks and detangling brushes.
While Black patients make up 49% of the patients in the University of Maryland Medical System, the number varies by hospital. Because hospitals will order by need and only recently began making the products available, estimates for how much will be spent were not available.
With Bennu’s sons now in junior high and high school, she sees a drastically different attitude towards natural hair than she experienced.
“When I was growing up (in the Mid-Hudson Valley, New York), you wore your hair naturally when you were a kid and then eventually you would relax it or begin to straighten it because that was kind of like what grown up women did,” Bennu said. “Even though my home had an emphasis on natural hair and understanding the beauty, like there was no cultural support for the idea of wearing my hair in its natural state.”
Bennu said she started straightening her hair in high school because she was tired of being “mocked and derided.” When she got to Spelman College in Atlanta, a historically Black women’s liberal arts college where she studied philosophy and sociology, she finally saw other Black women wearing natural hairstyles, which inspired her to start experimenting with her own hair.
Bennu then started making hair products for her own use, a hobby that evolved into Oyin Handmade. Bennu would experiment with her hair and share the results online. After researching ingredients, she would start with a cheap conditioner and add nutrients, such as olive oils, sweet almond oil and honey.
While options may have been limited, there were some brands offering products for natural hair decades ago such as SheaMoisture and Carol’s Daughter. Still, at the time Bennu started her company, natural hairstyles were often considered unprofessional and inappropriate, she said.
“It’s something that we are really proud of as a company, as well as me personally, to have been a part of that kind of cultural movement in its early stages because it is a cultural movement that has literally shifted industries,” Bennu said.
According to a 2022 report on Black haircare released by the research firm Mintel, the movement towards natural hairstyles also was motivated by the coronavirus pandemic, which encouraged consumers to use less products as they spent more time at home. The “trend towards minimalism and efficiency” is expected to continue even as consumers return to their pre-pandemic lifestyles.
“The fact that we’re still here, the fact that we’re still able to do this, we’re still creating relationships through our products, and we’re still a part of people’s healthy hair journey — that in and of itself makes me feel so fulfilled,” Bennu said. | https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/2023/05/07/exchange-haircare-brand/515c7312-ecd7-11ed-b67d-a219ec5dfd30_story.html | 2023-05-07T13:51:58 | 0 | https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/2023/05/07/exchange-haircare-brand/515c7312-ecd7-11ed-b67d-a219ec5dfd30_story.html |
ROANOKE, Va. — Students squinting along a sunny stretch of sidewalk outside the Roanoke College library find a moment of cool refuge beneath the leafy shade of an old, but steady-growing champion.
Using a long tape measure to note the tree’s width and spread, plus a laser tool to gauge height, volunteer tree steward Harry Van Guilder scribbled those arboreal measurements on his clipboard on a recent Wednesday. During the six year span since he last measured this state champion for the Virginia Big Trees program, Van Guilder said its trunk width grew at a rate of about an inch per year.
“For a tree at this maturity, and as slow-growing as they are, it still amazes me,” he said. “It’s starting to decline a little now. You can see the top is broken out, which may have been storm related. But then there are some dead limbs out toward the tips, and that’s a sign of age decline, or disease.”
Roanoke College puts a lot of time, money and effort into taking care of its urban forest on campus, including properly big trees like the state champion Dutch elm, said Bill Martin, manager of landscaping.
“We did just do a big inventory. That included over 500 trees,” Martin said. “We’re going to start tagging 50 of those with QR codes, so that we’ll be able to do a tour, a walk through campus.”
People can use their cellphones to scan those newly installed codes and read more about the species, size and history of notable trees on campus, he said. First stop on the campus tour is that state champion Dutch elm shading High Street, which has outlived human memory, and whose planting might date back more than 180 years, to before 1842.
“I read somewhere that it was planted before or around when the school was started,” Martin said. “So that tree predates Roanoke College, and obviously survived surrounding construction and other things.”
The college hires out expert arborists to care for its trees, maintaining an urban forest of more than 1,000 trees from 77 different species, he said. In addition to surviving the elements, certain species, like the state champion Dutch elm, endure unique threats, such as fungal disease.
“Wind damage, storm damage. That tree does have lightning protection in it as well,” Martin said. “We treat several elm trees on campus for Dutch elm disease, and that’s one of them.”
It’s the only champion tree on Roanoke College campus, he said.
“We did lose a champion gum on Elizabeth Campus several years back to lightning,” Martin said.
At Virginia Tech, meanwhile, professor Eric Wiseman coordinates the Virginia Big Trees program, and maintains a list of state champions for more than 300 species.
“Many of these champion trees, they’re not out in the wilderness,” Wiseman said. “They’re in places that are right around the corner, and oftentimes these trees are located at places that have either cultural or historical significance.”
But champion trees do not often hold their title for long, he said. The big trees program makes an effort to remeasure state champions at least once every decade.
“Not all champion big trees are necessarily at the end of their biological lifespan, but a lot of them are, so something that often catches up with these trees is old age,” Wiseman said. “Another big one is storm damage, either lightning strikes or ice storms.”
Forests — full of big trees and small — fulfill other important purposes that people might not notice, he said.
“These trees, in my opinion, serve as ambassadors of our forests. People are enamored and curious about superlatives, the biggest of something,” Wiseman said. “If we can get people curious about superlative trees, we now have a gateway to talk to them about forest ecology, conservation and all the important roles trees play in day-to-day life.”
Trees provide ecosystem services like protecting water quality, and storing the carbon that people emit into the atmosphere when driving cars and using other devices that burn fossil fuels, he said. Bigger trees store more carbon.
Another valuable service is that refreshing shade offered by trees on a hot day.
Roanoke College Professor Katherine O’Neill has led environmental studies students in recent years to map urban heating in Salem, part of a statewide effort to chart temperature variations in cities across Virginia.
“What we found is a lot of cities will have elevated heat relative to the surrounding rural area. That’s because there’s less green space, less water movement, and a greater area of dark surfaces like asphalt and dark-colored roofs,” O’Neill said. “We found the neighborhoods that were most impacted by that, and those are some areas where we are currently planting food forests.”
As Juneberry and pecan and pawpaw trees planted recentl by Roanoke College students grow, their branches will shade surrounding neighborhoods, providing respite from the sun. And as an added bonus, the plants will seasonally grow edible produce.
“In addition to helping to offset the cooling, they’re also providing other ecosystem benefits,” O’Neill said. “They’re contributing to biodiversity, helping with stormwater runoff, and also maybe increasing some community resilience by providing another source of food.”
Whether any of the newly planted saplings in Salem sprout up into state champions for their species is a test for time, said Wiseman, the Virginia Big Trees coordinator.
“Many champion trees were planted by someone 100 or 150, maybe even 200 years ago,” Wiseman said. “That’s kind of inspiring to me, if someone goes out and plants a tree today, what they’re planting could eventually have the claim to fame of being the biggest of its kind in the state.”
Van Guilder, the volunteer tree steward, said his group, Trees Roanoke, is about 50 people strong and always seeking new members. To get involved, he said go online to treesroanoke.org.
“It’s tree huggers like me that are interested,” Van Guilder said, measuring the state champion Dutch elm. “It’d take several of us to hug this tree.”
On a slope of U.S. Forest Service land near the Blue Ridge Parkway in Botetourt County earlier this year, Dan Miles and Beck Stanley walked across the new Virginia champion pignut hickory tree, measuring more than 130 feet tall.
Stanley said big trees are just one of the amazing things you’ll find in Virginia’s mountain woodlands. He said:
“It shows that some of the greatest wonders in life are often right in our own backyard.” | https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/2023/05/07/exchange-tracking-big-trees/550e5688-ecd7-11ed-b67d-a219ec5dfd30_story.html | 2023-05-07T13:51:58 | 0 | https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/2023/05/07/exchange-tracking-big-trees/550e5688-ecd7-11ed-b67d-a219ec5dfd30_story.html |
Fresh Harvest Farmers Market to debut on May 21 in North Port's Wellen Park community
NORTH PORT — A new weekly farmers market is coming to Downtown Wellen Park.
The Fresh Harvest Farmers Market, 19745 Wellen Park Blvd., begins on May 21 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and will offer a selection of goods from local vendors. The market will be open every Sunday as part of Downtown Wellen Park’s event schedule.
“We are thrilled to bring Fresh Harvest to Wellen Park residents and visitors,” said Christine Masney, vice president of marketing for Wellen Park. “This is such a great way to come out and enjoy downtown while shopping for produce and goods from local vendors.”
Shoppers can peruse over 30 vendor booths and stock up on a variety of goods. Vendors will offer produce, herbs, spices, cut flowers, teas, canned and preserved fruits and vegetables, syrups, baked goods, pickled foods, fresh seafood, meats, poultry, eggs, milk, specialty cheeses, and prepared food and beverages.
“Fresh Harvest is a community hub – a place to meet up with your friends, bring your children or just get a taste of local products,” Masney said. “You’ll connect with the farmers who grow your food and other vendors who have a unique offering of goods. There is something for everyone here.”
Starting in the fall, Fresh Market also will offer cooking demonstrations with local chefs who will provide tips on food preservation and other kitchen skills.
As a producer-only farmers market, Fresh Harvest will feature locally grown and prepared foods with limited exceptions, such as tea and seasonings. A limited selection of craft vendors are also participating in the farmers market.
For a list of vendors and more information, visit wellenpark.com/events/fresh-harvest-farmers-market. Applications are also available online for interested vendors.
Submitted by Laura Hardin | https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/local/2023/05/07/fresh-harvest-farmers-market-is-coming-to-north-ports-wellen-park/70169349007/ | 2023-05-07T14:00:24 | 0 | https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/local/2023/05/07/fresh-harvest-farmers-market-is-coming-to-north-ports-wellen-park/70169349007/ |
VIN'S PEOPLE: Manatee High School Alumni Association to salute new class at Bradenton CC
Congrats to 2023’s Manatee High Outstanding Alumni and Outstanding Class (1987) being inducted Thursday at the Bradenton Country Club.
Honorees are Angelina “Angel” Colonneso (1986), Community Achievement: Manatee County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller; Jacki Dezelski (1989), Professional Achievement: president-CEO Manatee Chamber of Commerce; Linda Boone (1974), Service & Support to MHS and MHS Alumni Association: retired educator and Sugar ‘Cane director also served in multiple leadership roles; Harry "Hank" Rennagel (1957), Military/Academic Achievement: West Point, decorated Vietnam veteran, retired colonel and distinguished chemistry professor; Robert Martini (2002), Heroic Achievement: Sarasota County Beach Lifeguard Lieutenant/EMT honored for lifesaving several times; Joey Wingate (1958), Military Achievement: 30 years USMC, decorated Vietnam veteran.
· That’s 22 years of wedded bliss for Sharon and Harold Byrd.
· And 13 for Lienna and Damon May.
· Well done to Southeast’s A’Rhiya Bundrage, a scholarship recipient at the Steve L. Lewis Awards Program by the Kappa Alpha Psi Sarasota Florida Alumni Chapter, and Kalie Martin, an AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) student and Launching Leaders in the Arts Scholarship awardee from the National League of American Pen Women.
· Big ups to Anna Maria Oyster Bar boss and community leader John Horne, a new Bartow High Hall of Famer.
· Pam Bellamy is 39. Again.
· So is Schuyler Counihan.
· Savannah Francis, too.
· And John Karl.
· Props to the girls on the Manatee County All-Stars Traditional weightlifting team – 101: Kim Amy Phung (Manatee); 110: Sarah Griffin (Parrish); 119: Brooke Consentino (Saint Stephen’s); 129: Maddie Palso (Southeast); 139: Emily Dowd (SS); 154: Payton Mangay-Aram (Braden River); 169: Elyse Skoumal (SS); 183: Lucy Milner (BR); 199: Valle Fescemeyer (Bayshore); Unlimited: Madelyn Wilson (P).
And the Olympic weightlifting team all-stars – 101: Angeline Cao (S); 129: Maddie Vassallo (Lakewood Ranch); 154: La-Juria Thomas (S); 169: Lauren Jolly (Bradenton Christian); 183: Alexis Rissler (LR); 199: Mia White (M); Unlimited: Annesley Flint (SS).
Their coaches are Manatee’s Rich Lansky, Saint Stephen’s Erik Schultz and Southeast’s Brian McKnight.
· Bravo to the Hernando de Soto Society’s new Queen Alli Cruz, Hernando de Soto Scott Monroe, Princess Kaylah Gunst, Captain Erik Marshall and Padre Lee Barnes.
· And the 14th annual Lucky Ducky Race for Pace is Saturday at Caddy’s Bradenton, 801 Riverside Drive E. Want to adopt a duck and help the Pace Center for Girls Manatee continue changing young women’s lives in our community? Visit duckrace.com/manatee
Vin’s People runs Sundays. Email Vin Mannix at vinspeople@gmail.com. Or call 941-962-5944. Twitter: @vinmannix. | https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/local/2023/05/07/vin-mannix-manatee-high-school-alumni-association-to-honor-new-class/70169187007/ | 2023-05-07T14:00:30 | 0 | https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/local/2023/05/07/vin-mannix-manatee-high-school-alumni-association-to-honor-new-class/70169187007/ |
The Arizona Daily Star Sportsmen’s Fund raises money so children from low-income households and military families can attend summer camp at little or no cost to their families.
Since 1947, the Sportsmen’s Fund has helped pay for 43,468 children to go to camp. We’re one of the oldest 501(c )(3) charities in Arizona and one of the most efficient, with 97 cents from every dollar going to send kids to camp.
We send local kids to weeklong YMCA, Boy Scout and Girl Scout overnight camps, as well as overnight camping at Camp Tatiyee for school-age children and older teens with special needs.
Our goal is to raise $225,000 to send up to 700 kids to camp. So far, we’ve received 496 donations totaling $78,701 or just under 35 percent of our goal, with camps starting in about a month.
Your contribution qualifies for the Arizona tax credit of up to $800 for donations to qualifying charitable organizations. Our code is 20450.
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Donations are welcome throughout the year.
We do not share or sell our donor information.
Recent donations include:
Jim and Judi Brown, $312.65.
Loraine Chapman, $200.
Vinco Danicic, $100.
Joe D. Daniszewski, $100.
Jim Elder, $50.
Stewart Fleisher, $1,000.
Cheryl Foster, $52.37.
Joanne and Michael Goldberg, $400.
Beverly B. Goodwin, In memory of Charlotte and E.D. Brooks, $100.
Jane Gray, in honor of Bob, $208.54.
Jack Harmon, $25.
Suzie Hawkins, in memory of Mike and Norma Kelly, $200.
Margaret Hendrickson, $104.42.
Bruce Hilpert, $50.
Tanya Ivey, $104.42.
Frederic Jandrey, $100.
Martin Kahn, $100.
Mary Keane, $208.54.
Duncan P. Macdonell, $225.
Cecelia Matson, $208.54.
Patricia McSweeney, $100.
Ron Lent and Evan Mendelson, $52.37.
Sarah Nadeau, $200.
Nancy Polster, $104.42.
Karen Pope, $104.42.
William Pratt, in honor of Worthington, MN, where I spent my childhood, $520.87.
Tom and Eileen Rotkis, $1,000.
Hank and Chris Shea, $1,000.
Debbie Summers, in memory of Hubert and Jeanette Summers, $500.
Barbara L. Summers, $400.
H.I. Weinberg, $100.
Suzanne Westbrook, $50.
Teresa Westhoff $50.
K. Rebecca Winter $100.
One anonymous donation of $875.90. | https://tucson.com/news/local/donate-to-send-kids-to-camp-get-an-arizona-tax-credit/article_5dd59484-eb6a-11ed-9c3d-4fc6705fd154.html | 2023-05-07T14:04:51 | 1 | https://tucson.com/news/local/donate-to-send-kids-to-camp-get-an-arizona-tax-credit/article_5dd59484-eb6a-11ed-9c3d-4fc6705fd154.html |
As spring replaces this past year’s harsh winter conditions, it is bringing many things with it: warm weather, the melting of the last mounds of snow and another string of catalytic converter thefts.
Catalytic converters are an essential part of an automobile’s exhaust system, located in the undercarriage and easily accessible from underneath the vehicle. The catalytic converter converts harmful chemicals a car’s engine produces, such as carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides, into the “less bad” carbon dioxide and nitrogen.
While a car will still function without a catalytic converter, it cannot pass emissions testing, making driving it illegal. The car's health and efficiency will also be reduced and the unconverted pollutants from the exhaust are toxic to people and harmful to the environment.
The reason catalytic converters are one of the most commonly stolen auto parts is because of the valuable metals inside. Sections inside the converter, called “honeycombs” for their resemblance to beehives, are coated in valuable metals such platinum, rhodium or palladium.
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The accessible location of most catalytic converters allows thieves to remove a converter in only one to two minutes. Once stolen, the scraps can sell for anywhere between $150 to $1,500, depending on the model of car from which the converter comes.
In 2022, Arizona ranked ninth in the nation for most catalytic converter thefts, according to insurance data from State Farm. Although most of the state’s thefts take place in the Phoenix metropolitan area, Flagstaff has also seen a rise in cases over the last two years.
The uptick in Flagstaff is likely because COVID-19 caused supply chain issues for the metals used in converters, dramatically raising their value.
Tasked with investigating catalytic converter theft is the Flagstaff Police Department (FPD). Michael Hansen has been with the FPD for nine years and is one of the detectives looking into converter thefts.
Despite Flagstaff’s rise in converter theft, Hansen said, there has only been one arrest related to catalytic converters. He said the low arrest rate for these crimes is because it is incredibly difficult to track a stolen converter without serial numbers.
“Bike thefts are even easier [to investigate] sometimes,” Hansen said. “Bike thefts, if we have a serial number, make them easier because we can track them in pawn records. Catalytic converters, they do not have serial numbers that actually attach them to a certain car.”
If a thief is not caught in the act of sawing off a converter, it is unlikely they will be caught at all as there will be no traceable paper trail when the converter is sold.
Hansen said the successful arrest, made in November 2021, was made possible in large part because a witness called the police while taking a video of a car they suspected to be involved in converter theft. He said it was thanks to the video that Hansen identified the car and apprehended two suspects. After obtaining a search warrant, an inspection of the car led to police discovering 12 catalytic converters in multiple luggage pieces.
Another reason it is difficult to investigate converter theft is because victims will likely not notice the converter is missing until they turn their car on and hear the trademark noise a converter-less vehicle makes. Hansen said some cases are reported when a driver turns their automobile on for the first time in days or even weeks, meaning the converter could have been stolen long before the police were aware of it.
Investigating converter theft in Flagstaff can be especially difficult, Hansen said, because police suspect the stolen converters are sold in Phoenix. He said Flagstaff does not have facilities where converters could be sold.
“That makes it really hard, because we don’t have [metal facilities] here,” Hansen said. “If we had that stuff here, it would be a little bit easier to track [converters] or at least conduct follow-up with these places.”
In response to the national rise in converter theft and the associated difficulties of investigating thefts, the newly introduced Preventing Auto Recycling Theft (PART) Act is under discussion in the Senate. The legislation would raise converter theft to a class 6 felony, meaning those convicted could face a maximum of 18 months in prison and a maximum fine of $150,000.
The PART Act would also require new catalytic converters to be marked with a traceable identification number.
Hansen said an identification number could potentially help with tracking stolen converters because buyers would be required to keep a log of the numbers, making it easier to prove a converter was stolen.
Under the PART Act, it would be illegal for anyone to buy, sell or advertise used catalytic converters, meaning a replacement converter would always need to come from a reputable seller.
Kodiak Namingha has worked for O’Reilly Auto Parts for eight years, managing the west Route 66 location for the past five. Namingha said even without the new legislation, it is important to buy converters from a reputable seller because they can guarantee there will be no missing parts.
“It’s better to buy [converters] from a reputable place because you can actually go all the way into those catalytic converters and punch out what we call honeycombs, because they look like honeycombs,” Namingha said. “You can punch those out and you wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between what’s inside and what isn’t. [Thieves] could still be taking that metal and then selling that catalytic converter.”
Converters become a more popular item during the spring and summer months at O’Reilly.
Namingha said last year O’Reilly sold nearly 40 converters only in the warmer months.
While managing an auto parts store in the Valley, Namingha said, converter theft became such a common problem he and his team started marking their converters themselves.
“When I was running my store down in Mesa, we had that problem a lot with our delivery vehicles,” Namingha said. “We got to the point where we would take a high-temperature paint, like a really bright orange, and just paint [the converters] all the way around so when people tried to sell our catalytic converters to junkyards, they would know it’s stolen.”
Depending on the vehicle model and the type of converter, Namingha said, a replacement converter from O’Reilly could cost anywhere from $100 to $2,000. That price does not include installation, which is not offered at O'Reilly. For full repairs, a victim of converter theft would likely need a mechanic.
Arron Stump has been the owner of Randy’s Downtown Garage for the last seven years. He said he has seen an increase in the number of missing catalytic converters over the last two years.
In 2022, Stump said, his shop treated 10 vehicles with missing catalytic converters.
“The most common has been Honda Pilots; that’s the easiest one to access,” Stump said. “[Pilots have] been the most common we’ve seen up here. A lot of Honda Elements. I know that Mitsubishi Outlanders, it’s pretty common on those, but we don’t have a lot of Outlanders in Flagstaff.”
Stump said there was one time when a thief went down a line of cars parked in front of Harkins, resulting in six cars in a row being brought to his shop.
“They were all parked at Harkins,” Stump said. “It was within a couple weeks. There were six cars in a row that came in. I think we had four of them all next to each other, waiting on insurance companies to pay for the catalytic converters.”
Buying and installing a new catalytic converter could cost between $2,000 and $3,000 depending on the vehicle, Stump said.
Hansen said during the times when converter theft was more prevalent, he and other detectives conducted multiple overnight stakeouts to try to catch thieves in the act of stealing.
To reduce converter theft, Hansen said, FPD tells the community to be mindful of where they are parking and talk with owners of apartment complexes about getting better video quality for their security cameras. | https://azdailysun.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/flagstaff-police-department-other-agencies-looking-for-ways-to-battle-catalytic-converter-theft/article_1592d6c4-eb87-11ed-91d3-9b8ae43ad4dc.html | 2023-05-07T14:05:01 | 1 | https://azdailysun.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/flagstaff-police-department-other-agencies-looking-for-ways-to-battle-catalytic-converter-theft/article_1592d6c4-eb87-11ed-91d3-9b8ae43ad4dc.html |
The Flagstaff Police Department (FPD) responded to 10 automobile burglary calls in April, with items being stolen from 15 vehicles.
Roughly half of the crimes happened near hiking trailheads and outdoor recreation areas.
The uptick led FPD spokesperson Jerry Rintala to post a warning to residents on Facebook that read, “Flagstaff Police Department would like to remind you: Move it or lose it! This includes entrances to fitness locations such as Buffalo Park, Mount Elden Trail Head, and other popular hiking areas in and around Flagstaff. We have seen an uptick in auto burglaries in these areas.”
Two burglaries were reported at the Campbell Mesa trailhead. In one case, the car was left unlocked. In the other, the lock appeared to be manipulated, according to police. At the Fat Man’s Loop trailhead, located at the base of Mount Elden, the victim reported that their car had been broken into despite the fact that they locked their door.
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As temperatures warm, burglaries and break-ins of this nature tend to become more common, Rintala said.
“Vehicles at trailheads are targeted because often when people are going on hikes, they don’t want to carry certain items, and, unfortunately, they will leave them in plain sight in their vehicles or neglect to lock their vehicles,” said Rintala.
Police are currently investigating any possible connections between the trailhead burglaries.
“We document the time frame the act occurred, the way entry was made, what was taken, and process the vehicle for fingerprints and/or DNA evidence. Often patterns can be developed ... in sprees where we can target the methods to reduce burglaries,” Rintala said.
Not every car that was broken into, or left unlocked and rummaged through in April was parked near an outdoor recreation area.
On April 2, camping equipment, a fishing pole and a .22 caliber Winchester Model 67 rifle were stolen out of the backseat of an unlocked Jeep parked at a West Flagstaff apartment complex. The case has been forwarded to FPD’s criminal investigations unit, and if a suspect is apprehended they could be charged with felony burglary.
In Sunnyside, just three days later, $180 worth of Taki’s were snatched from an unlocked van while the owner was loading her vehicle. A neighbor told police she had seen a group of teenagers steal the spicy corn chips from the van.
Police haven’t made any arrests, but because such a large quantity of snacks was stolen, the suspects could be subject to felony charges.
As police look into the surge in thefts, they emphasize that burglaries are often crimes of opportunity. In the case of the stolen chips, the vehicle was unlocked. In still other burglaries reported this month, valuables were simply visible to would-be thieves.
“Valued items should be left at home, placed in locked areas such as glove boxes or trunks, or carried with the owners and not left in vehicles. Overall, don’t leave anything in plain sight in vehicles and lock the doors,” said Rintala. | https://azdailysun.com/news/local/hiking-trails-targeted-by-burglars-flagstaff-police-urge-caution/article_ffc28488-eb55-11ed-83cd-07175960e779.html | 2023-05-07T14:05:07 | 0 | https://azdailysun.com/news/local/hiking-trails-targeted-by-burglars-flagstaff-police-urge-caution/article_ffc28488-eb55-11ed-83cd-07175960e779.html |
The following is the opinion and analysis of the writer:
On Monday, Janet Yellen reported that in less than a month the Treasury Department will have exhausted all “extraordinary measures” available to keep the nation from defaulting on our obligation to pay our current debt. If at that point Congress has stubbornly still failed to raise the debt ceiling — something it has routinely done in the past, including three times during the Trump administration — the calamity of the strongest economy on earth being unable to pay its creditors could start to impact our everyday lives.
The most vulnerable will likely to be the hardest hit, from seniors experiencing delays in receiving their social security checks to workers being laid off by panicked employers. The harm to the economy is potentially so huge — economists warn of 8 million job losses and a stock market crash rivaling that of 1929 — you would think Congress would do everything possible to avoid the slightest possibility we would fall into this economic abyss.
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But no. Astoundingly, the Republican majority in Congress, joined by southern Arizona’s Congressional District 6 representative, Juan Ciscomani, is not only leading the charge to this point of economic collapse, but doing so to gain political leverage, and for what? For budget cuts in that will hurt Arizona’s veterans, seniors and students and undermine the prospects for building a stronger future Arizona economy.
As a condition of raising the debt ceiling, Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s bill would require cuts that could, according to the White House and federal agencies:
Threaten medical care for 186,100 Arizona veterans, leaving them unable to get appointments for care like wellness visits, mental health services, and substance disorder treatment.
Force Customs and Border Patrol to implement a hiring freeze, just when we are facing an increase in demand for agents at the border with the imminent repeal of Title 42. With limited staffing, the agency’s ability to carry out inspections would be reduced, risking our border security and an increase in the amount of fentanyl entering the United States.
Make life for seniors harder by severely increasing Social Security and Medicare wait times for 1.5 million Arizona seniors due to staff cuts and field office closures.
Make college more expensive for Arizonans. It may require elimination of Pell Grants for up to 2,000 Arizona students, it could also force reduction of the maximum award by nearly $1,000 for 314,000 students the who currently receive Pell Grants—making it harder for them to attend and afford college.
Place hundreds of new clean energy jobs in Arizona at risk and undo recent efforts to battle climate change-driven drought by repealing clean energy production tax credits and consumer rebates, all the while giving huge breaks to big oil companies.
Slash funding for low-income students. Arizona’s Title I funding could be reduced by $80 million, impacting approximately 260,000 students in Arizona, and cutting the equivalent of 1,200 teachers and specialized personnel from our schools.
The Good Faith and Credit of the United States is the bedrock of global markets and makes our economy the envy of the world. An honorable nation, a prosperous nation, pays its bills. Going forward, Congress should aim for revenue neutral legislation, but the need to raise the debt ceiling concerns the need to pay the nation’s currently accumulated debt, much of it resulting from the Trump tax cut.
This is why I am once again running to represent Southern Arizona in Congress. Our community deserves a Representative who will support our veterans, protect seniors, fight to improve access to higher education, secure our water future and provide the resources needed to stop drug trafficking. We deserve a Representative who will put the people and future of Southern Arizona over party politics and results over political gamesmanship.
I pledge to be that kind of Representative.
Kirsten Engel is a law professor and former Arizona State Senator. She was narrowly defeated by Juan Ciscomani in the 2022 midterm election for Arizona’s Sixth Congressional District, but recently announced that she will challenge Mr. Ciscomani in the 2024 election. | https://tucson.com/opinion/local/local-opinion-wanted-a-representative-that-puts-arizonans-over-partisan-politics/article_4163b5b0-eab1-11ed-9ce6-738276980cb9.html | 2023-05-07T14:05:10 | 0 | https://tucson.com/opinion/local/local-opinion-wanted-a-representative-that-puts-arizonans-over-partisan-politics/article_4163b5b0-eab1-11ed-9ce6-738276980cb9.html |
The buzz of chainsaws cuts through the morning air just off Highway 180 on Wing Mountain Road Friday morning.
Four Flagstaff Hotshots make short work of the log that once was sprawled across the road, one cutting while the three others move the pieces farther away from the road.
It’s work they, and other crews, have been doing for the past few weeks as forest officials endeavor to reopen roads across the Coconino and Kaibab national forests after record breaking snows this winter.
For example, Wing Mountain Road, which crews largely finished working on last week, had five to 10 trees down that had to be cleared, said lead firefighter Cheyenne Quigley.
That has been a pretty common sight on the forest roads they have been reopening, and a far cry from the conditions last spring.
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At that time, instead of clearing roads after heavy snows, Quigley said they were already responding to fire.
“This time last year I think we were already on our second assignment, we’d already been on the Tunnel Fire and the Crooks Fire. So compared to last year, this is a little bit of a slower start, but allows us to be free to do stuff like this to help out with other parts of the forest,” Quigley said.
And the work certainly beats having to do grueling physical training hikes every day, senior firefighter Kyle Nelson said.
But fallen trees are by no means the only issue forest officials face in reopening roads.
Coconino National Forest spokesperson Randi Schaffer said they are still assessing the conditions of roads across the forest themselves as melting snowdrifts allow personnel to begin scouting how damaged they are.
The same access issues that prevent them from reopening roads to the public also sometimes prevent them from assessing the damage to roads and getting that work started.
Indeed, some of the crews assessing and working to reopen roads have themselves become stuck due to poor conditions.
But Schaffer said they already have a long list of repairs and work on many roads, everything from erosion from melting snows, clogged drainage structures, and roads covered with rocks, debris and fallen trees.
“We haven't assessed a large portion of the roads yet, so it's hard to say definitively, but so far, I can say the damage we're seeing is more significant than any typical winter we have here,” Schaffer said. “Some erosion repairs can be done in a matter of days, you know, just like filling a small hole with excavated material, and others […] can result in years, or indefinite closure durations -- it just kind of depends on the type of repairs that are needed, and where they are needed.”
Last week, the Coconino National Forest announced the reopening of many forest roads, with more scheduled to open this week.
But other roads might remain closed for some time, Schaffer said.
As such, forest officials are asking that residents and visitors respect closed gates and understand that the roads that remain closed are that way for a good reason.
“We know it's very frustrating. But the longer that we can preserve our road conditions, the less money we will have to spend in repairs, and the less time we will have to have those roads closed while we repair them,” Schaffer said.
And visitors should be careful even when driving on forest roads that are open, and especially in areas where off-roading is permitted.
Soils are likely to remain soft due to all the moisture for some time, especially in shady areas, and it may be easy for vehicles to cause damage and create ruts.
Between the beginning of April and this week, Shaffer said, they have received six reports of vehicles driving and causing damage to either roads or off-road areas. | https://azdailysun.com/news/local/showtime-after-snow-time-officials-with-national-forests-work-to-reopen-roads-after-hard-winter/article_582422ca-eb93-11ed-87ba-835f25fd64d1.html | 2023-05-07T14:05:13 | 1 | https://azdailysun.com/news/local/showtime-after-snow-time-officials-with-national-forests-work-to-reopen-roads-after-hard-winter/article_582422ca-eb93-11ed-87ba-835f25fd64d1.html |
WATERLOO — Even now, Clifton Truman Daniel can remember the glare from his grandfather when, as a young boy, he and his brother, William, were caught misbehaving.
“He could be kind of stern, and he was getting older and had a house full of small children running every which way. I had tremendous respect for him. I wasn’t afraid of him. He just didn’t have to say much to get it across to behave yourself,” Daniel said, laughing.
His grandparents were Harry S. Truman, 33rd president of the United States, and first lady Bess Truman.
On May 17, Daniel will present, “Being Truman: An Evening with Clifton Truman Daniel” at the Sullivan Brothers Iowa Veterans Museum, 503 South St. The museum opens at 5:30 p.m., and his presentation begins at 7 p.m.
Preregistration is required online at gmdistrict.org/Truman.
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Daniel will discuss his life growing up as the grandson of a U.S. president and Truman’s tenure in the White House and role in World War II.
“The joke is, my family did not tell me he had been president. I found out in the first grade. Nobody told me. That was my mother, who said she wanted to keep our feet on the ground,” Daniel recalled with a laugh.
“I remember hanging out with my grandparents in their big, beautiful old house in Independence, Missouri, and going down to Key West, Florida., for spring break. Once, when we were traveling with grandpa to Key West, I was 6 or 7, and we were surrounded by police and Secret Service, riding in a private jet and limos. At one point, my late brother William turned to my dad and asked, ‘Are we getting rich?’ and my father shook his head and said, ‘No, we’re just traveling with your grandfather.’”
Daniel is the son of author Margaret Truman and former New York Times Managing Editor E. Clifton Daniel Jr. He is honorary chairman of the Truman Library Institute board and board secretary of the Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation. In addition, he is the author of “Growing Up with My Grandfather: Memories of Harry S. Truman” and “Dear Harry, Love Bess: Bess Truman’s Letters to Harry Truman.”
“My grandmother had a wonderful sense of humor and was so much fun. I made it my mission in life to make her laugh,” Daniel said. “And if we asked for sharp-edged toys or something that fired plastic bullets, grandpa would glare, my mom would say ‘No, no, no!’ but when they left the room, Gammy would ask ‘How many and what kind do you want?’”
Daniel spends a considerable amount of time on the road, presenting lectures and performing as Harry Truman. In 2017, Daniel began portraying his grandfather on stage in “Give ‘Em Hell, Harry!” — a role originated by actor James Whitmore. It was the first time in history that a U.S. president was portrayed on stage by a direct descendant.
In addition, Daniel presents a series of lectures and presentations, including “Gammy and Grandpa: Growing Up around Harry and Bess Truman,” “This Place is Haunted Sure As Shootin’: The White House Restoration,” and “Beneath the Mushroom Cloud: Survivors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.”
Daniel said his grandfather never spoke to him about the atomic bombings in August 1945. In 2012, Daniel visited those Japanese cities for memorial ceremonies.
“It is one thing I always come back to, and what was, I think, his most momentous decision and is still considered to be so today. He’s called the ‘accidental president,’ but he took over when the world was on fire,” Daniel said.
Truman was known as a no-nonsense, straightforward, honest and hardworking president. “The Buck Stops Here” was a sign on his desk in the White House Oval Office, “and he meant it. He showed us in this country and the world, that a regular guy, a haberdasher, farmer and soldier can rise to the highest office in the land and do a better job of it than everyone else. That’s the promise of our democracy.”
He’s excited about visiting the Iowa Veterans Museum and meeting with veterans. “What an opportunity, being able to meet people who had a front seat to history. I’ve never been to the Sullivan Brothers museum, but I saw ‘The Fighting Sullivans’ movie. I’m a movie buff, in part because of my mom, so I’ve known the story almost all of my life, and I’m looking forward to learning more,” Daniel said.
Harry Truman always wanted a military career and joined the Missouri National Guard. His eyesight kept him out of West Point and Annapolis, Daniel said, and “in 1917, he had to quit the Guard and run the family farm. He rejoined the Guard and was sent to France in the spring of 1918. He didn’t have to go because he was 33 and the chief cook and bottle washer for the farm. He went anyway. He thought it was his duty.”
Daniel loves talking about his grandparents, and especially keeping his grandfather’s legacy and memory alive. That means frequent visits to the Truman Library, for example.
“He wanted it to be a teaching tool, not a monument to his memory or a museum full of statues. He wanted young people to learn about his presidency, about democracy and try to build more interest in public service,” he added.
Registration for the May 17 event with Daniel is $35 for members; $40 for non-members. In addition to the presentation, the cost includes the opportunity to explore the Veterans Museum and see the newly renovated event space. A cash bar will also be available.
In addition, tables are available for purchase. Tables seat eight and include eight drink tickets and snacks. Cost is $400. To purchase, contact Teresa Bryant at (319) 234-6357. | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/clifton-truman-daniel-to-share-memories-of-harry-s-truman-at-special-grout-event/article_b97c6c93-139f-5f1c-887b-c5eeaba453b2.html | 2023-05-07T14:13:10 | 1 | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/clifton-truman-daniel-to-share-memories-of-harry-s-truman-at-special-grout-event/article_b97c6c93-139f-5f1c-887b-c5eeaba453b2.html |
WATERLOO — After each census, school districts analyze their current boundaries for director districts. On Monday night, some of those districts in the Waterloo Community Schools may change.
The Board of Education is expected to vote on a proposed map updating the four director district boundaries due to population changes reflected in the 2020 Census. This does not affect school attendance boundaries.
The board meets at 5 p.m. in the Education Service Center, 1516 Washington St.
The most recent census showed more people moved out of Director District 1, currently represented by Astor Williams.
Population increased in Director District 2, represented by Sue Flynn. This district is currently the largest. Director District 3, represented by Jesse Knight, also gained population.
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Director District 4, represented by Endya Johnson, lost population.
The proposal would shift portions of the population from District 2 to District 4 and portions of District 3 into all of the other districts.
Also on the agenda:
- Personnel appointments and adjustments, including 21 teacher resignations.
- An $18,929 change order for the Central Middle School remodeling and Waterloo Career Center expansion project.
- A recommendation to set a public hearing on May 22 regarding the instructional support program. The program provides additional funding for the budget. | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/education/waterloo-school-board-could-vote-to-make-changes-in-its-director-districts/article_e4be55cc-ee81-5261-9502-6ca1febc5c15.html | 2023-05-07T14:13:17 | 0 | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/education/waterloo-school-board-could-vote-to-make-changes-in-its-director-districts/article_e4be55cc-ee81-5261-9502-6ca1febc5c15.html |
CEDAR FALLS --- A fire at Cedar Falls’ compost facility sent smoke into the air early Sunday.
A passing bicyclist spotted the fire at the site on East Main Street near Big Woods Lake in the morning, said Acting Fire Chief John Zolondek.
City public works employees used earthmoving equipment to break up mountains of shredded wood and vegetation while firefighters doused the burning debris.
Fire crews shuttled water from hydrants blocks away, and officials set up a system to pump water from a nearby lake to aid in the effort.
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Jeff Reinitz
Police and Courts Reporter
I started with The Courier in 1999 and cover criminal justice and public safety.
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Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/fire-at-cedar-falls-compost-site/article_f0a0d65d-0a3b-51e6-9f53-721fe713d7d5.html | 2023-05-07T14:13:23 | 0 | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/fire-at-cedar-falls-compost-site/article_f0a0d65d-0a3b-51e6-9f53-721fe713d7d5.html |
The clock is ticking on legislation that would add controversial restrictions to the state's abortion laws.
Late last week, lawmakers passed a bill that would prohibit almost all abortions after 12 weeks — a ban that's currently 20 weeks — as North Carolina became the latest Republican-led state to curtail the reproductive rights of women.
As other Southern states have enacted their own restrictive laws, North Carolina had become the last bastion for many women seeking an abortion.
But no longer if Senate Bill 20 becomes law.
Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper has committed to waiting the allotted 10 days — to let North Carolina digest the revamped SB 20 — before vetoing legislation that cleared the Republican-controlled General Assembly in less than 48 hours last week between Tuesday and Thursday afternoons.
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"This bill has nothing to do with making women safer and everything to do with banning their reproductive freedom," Cooper said following the passage of SB 20 in both chambers by narrow votes.
Predictably, Republican supermajorities in the state House and Senate will act swiftly to override the veto, allowing the abortion restrictions to become law, some as soon as July 1.
SB 20 "will protect more lives than at any point in the last 50 years," said state Sen. Joyce Krawiec, a Forsyth County Republican who is a primary sponsor of the bill. “We are beginning the process of creating a culture that values life, and that’s something we can all be incredibly proud of.”
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Among the ripple effects of Rep. Tricia Cotham switching from Democrat to Republican on April 5 — giving House Republicans a veto-proof 72-48 advantage — was making abortion the defining legislation for the 2023 session.
Cotham had voted against abortion restriction bills in previous legislative sessions.
In doing so, SB 20 supplanted the remarkable, feel-good bipartisanship that finally got North Carolina across the finish line for Medicaid expansion after 10 years.
As Krawiec has climbed the ranks of Republican leadership in recent years, she has become a pivotal sponsor of conservative-focused healthcare legislation. In many instances, she serves as the often-impassioned voice of controversial bills with health and socioeconomic impacts.
Krawiec consistently refers to SB 20 as "common sense legislation." SB20 also contains language for a long-sought goal of Krawiec: requiring that doctors and nurses protect and care for children born alive during a failed late-term abortion.
Cooper successfully vetoed a standalone bill on that issue in 2021, saying "laws already protect newborn babies, and this bill is an unnecessary interference between doctors and their patients."
SB 20 contains criminal penalties that make it a Class D felony and a $250,000 fine for any physician that does not care for babies born alive following a botched procedure.
Krawiec said pro-choice legislators and advocates are mistaken when they call SB 20 an "abortion ban."
"Most people agree that there should be limits," she said, "on when abortions can be performed."
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Senior Republican leaders point to a March poll from conservative-leaning Carolina Partnership for Reform, which found 57% of 500 registered voters support the 12-week abortion cutoff in SB 20.
However, a Pew Research Center poll found North Carolinians equally divided — 49% said yes in most cases, 45% said no — on whether abortions should be legal in the state.
Krawiec said she is "getting lots of responses from both sides. It’s not unusual for a high-profile bill to generate lots of activity. This is an important piece of legislation."
Greensboro Democrat Pricey Harrison is not shy about sharing her opinion on bills she opposes, often in a courteous, folksy manner. Her tone was decidedly more pointed for SB 20.
"I opposed Senate Bill 20 because women have the absolute right to make their own reproductive and healthcare decisions," Harrison said. "This bill not only restricts women’s access to healthcare, it also creates unnecessary restrictions on when, where and how abortion services can be provided."
Harrison said the swiftness and behind-closed-doors nature of pushing through Senate Bill 20 "shows that the supporters of this terrible legislation know that they face opposition from the majority of North Carolinians. It was cowardly and shameful."
Democrat Paul Lowe of Forsyth County said it's possible, though not probable, that one or two Republicans with moderate views on abortion rights could have a "twinge of conscious" and vote to uphold Cooper's veto because SB 20 may be too restrictive for them.
"I know supporters of the bill don't consider it a ban, but there are some major restrictions that a lot of people don't want," Lowe said. "This is a medical issue between a woman and her doctor that has been turned into a political issue.
"If there truly was majority support for SB 20 among North Carolinians, we wouldn't have been debating it for multiple hours in both chambers. We would have been in and out like we were for Medicaid expansion."
Roughly 20 states where access to abortion is protected has been due to Democratic majorities. Those same protections can be found in some other states as well, but only because the legislature is evenly split between both parties.
For the first time in awhile, Republicans are enjoying control of both the House and Senate. In the unlikely event of a GOP defection, SB 20 will become law.
Alexis McGill Johnson, president and chief executive of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, said that "make no mistake, this bill goes beyond a 12-week abortion ban."
Johnson said SB20 "does nothing to make patients more safe, but will instead compound the harms already done in North Carolina by denying people access to essential care and forcing some to carry pregnancies against their will or flee the state if they have the means." | https://greensboro.com/news/local/abortion-law-north-carolina-senate-bill-20/article_68c517aa-ec07-11ed-a1e9-1fb34cae4574.html | 2023-05-07T14:16:52 | 0 | https://greensboro.com/news/local/abortion-law-north-carolina-senate-bill-20/article_68c517aa-ec07-11ed-a1e9-1fb34cae4574.html |
BROWNSBURG, Ind. — Fire crews from multiple departments responded to a fire at Cardinal Elementary School on Hornaday Road in Brownsburg Sunday morning.
The fire in the attic area of the school was reported shortly before 7 a.m. and firefighters worked for two hours locating and extinguishing hot spots in the building's attic.
The cause is under investigation, but a lightning strike is suspected as the lightly.
Nobody was injured.
Some classrooms sustained water damage, but a school spokesperson told 13News that the district expects to hold classes on schedule on Monday.
Check back for updates. | https://www.wthr.com/article/news/local/lightning-strike-suspected-fire-brownsburg-cardinal-elementary-school/531-ce88237a-753e-462c-8287-6670152774d7 | 2023-05-07T14:17:44 | 1 | https://www.wthr.com/article/news/local/lightning-strike-suspected-fire-brownsburg-cardinal-elementary-school/531-ce88237a-753e-462c-8287-6670152774d7 |
CROWN POINT — St. Mary Catholic School fifth-graders recently took a trip out of this world.
After spending the last several weeks studying and learning about outer space, comets, asteroids, meteors and working as a team, they toured the Challenger Learning Center in Hammond.
The students were split into groups. One set of students participated in a Space Simulation Mission. The other worked in a Living in Space Lab and watched a planetarium show about how a future mission to the moon is a stepping stone to Mars.
The students in one group started their day at the space mission simulation. They worked in the spacecraft and Mission Control. The main objective was to find Comet Encki, and both groups found Comets Crisman and Wildcat.
“My favorite part of this field trip was the spaceship. We all had to work together to solve the problems," said Braelyn LaMere.
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The students also experienced the Living in Space lab. During this lab, the students predicted what would happen if a marshmallow and shaving cream were in a vacuum-sealed container.
The students also made space suits for their potato astronauts.
“I enjoyed the lab that we did there. We tried to save our potato astronaut by making it a space suit with aluminum foil and paper," said Lashawn Walker.
During the planetarium show, they learned that an advantage of using the moon as a steppingstone to Mars is its proximity to Earth.
A crewed mission can reach the moon in three days, but a mission straight from the Earth to Mars would take at least seven months.
Many students were interested to learn NASA has yet to send astronauts to the Moon since the historic Apollo missions ended in 1972. NASA is scheduled to send a four-person crew to circle the Moon in November of 2024, and NASA is not planning on landing on the Moon until sometime in 2025.
This will be humanity’s first return to the lunar surface in over five decades and the first time humans will explore the South Pole region of the Moon.
“I loved watching the movie in the planetarium. It was so realistic. I think it is neat we are getting closer to being able to land on Mars,” said Genevieve Abad. | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/st-mary-students-visit-challenger-center/article_f6a89196-e946-11ed-9bac-1390c9402f14.html | 2023-05-07T14:28:39 | 1 | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/st-mary-students-visit-challenger-center/article_f6a89196-e946-11ed-9bac-1390c9402f14.html |
There’s never been a better time to “See the Elephant.”
But first, we need to explain. There are no actual elephants involved, nor a zoo or a circus.
This “elephant” can be found in Kenosha’s Civil War Museum and — on Tuesday, May 9 — visitors can see the elephant free of charge, as part of this year’s Kenosha Tourism Week specials.
“Seeing the Elephant” is the 360-degree film at the heart of the museum’s permanent exhibit, “The Fiery Trial.”
The movie was filmed in 2012 at the Old World Wisconsin outdoor history museum in Eagle.
“Seeing the Elephant” is the term Civil War soldiers used to describe their first experience with combat.
As film narrator Bill Kurtis explains (yes that Bill Kurtis, the longtime Chicago TV news anchor), seeing an elephant can be exciting but also very dangerous.
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The movie is shown at 10 a.m. Monday through Saturday and then at the top of each hour at the museum. Viewers stand in a circular area, and the movie takes place all around them. (The movie starts at noon on Sundays.)
360-degree experience
Doug Dammann, site coordinator for the Kenosha Public Museums, advises visitors to “let your ears be your guide” when watching the film.
“It’s participatory,” he said. “That’s why we have visitors stand and not sit. We want them to look around.”
Indeed, the action moves all around, jumping from front to back and then to the front again.
That 360-degree experience means you can watch the movie again — and again — and notice new things.
The Civil War Museum is one of just a handful of venues that feature 360-degree films, and Dammann said it’s a popular attraction.
“I love that we get seventh-graders in here and, when the film is over, they applaud,” he said.
In addition to the visuals — including the screen being obscured by smoke from rifles — the movie makes effective use of sound effects to bring viewers into the Civil War battle unfolding all around them.
The story follows three characters: a young man seeking adventure, a patriotic family man and an abolitionist. We meet them from enlistment to their first taste of combat.
All three face battle together and ultimately deal with the consequences of war.
As Dammann explains, “These guys were excited and expecting glory, but when they got to battle they found chaos and mayhem, and they weren’t too anxious to ‘see the elephant’ again.”
The exhibit
The rest of “The Fiery Trial” also works to help museum visitors connect to the Civil War era, from the pre-war rhetoric and preparations to soldiers returning home after the fighting ended.
“It’s an immersive experience,” Dammann said. “We try to do that with the architecture, flooring and murals to draw people into a sense of being there in that time period.”
That’s why you’ll hear birds singing and people discussing the coming war as you move through “The Fiery Trial.”
And don’t be startled when you sit in a train car and the passenger seated next to you starts chatting.
Local history
When you exit the train, don’t miss the American flag hanging near a wall. It’s an important local artifact.
“This is the Kenosha flag,” Dammann explains.
The silk flag was given to the Park City Grays, Kenosha’s militia, during a send-off celebration before the start of the war.
It’s now carefully preserved under glass that shields it from ultraviolet light.
“The biggest enemy is light,” Dammann said. “It makes the flag begin to fade and makes it brittle.”
The museum acquired the flag from the Kenosha Unified School District and carefully preserves it.
Preservation — and understanding — of the past is what the Civil War Museum is all about.
The Civil War was an American war, fought on American soil. It shaped the nation for decades after the battles ended and, in some ways, continues to shape our nation today.
And that’s something worth learning about.
The Civil War Museum, 5400 First Ave., is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. For more information about the museum, go to museums.kenosha.org/civil-war-museum | https://kenoshanews.com/news/local/civil-war-museum-film-is-part-of-kenosha-tourism-week-freebies/article_f8951eea-e6e2-11ed-aa98-179f78b39fb0.html | 2023-05-07T14:38:06 | 0 | https://kenoshanews.com/news/local/civil-war-museum-film-is-part-of-kenosha-tourism-week-freebies/article_f8951eea-e6e2-11ed-aa98-179f78b39fb0.html |
Name: Nina Pelli
School: Central High School
Parents: Eric and Kristine Pelli of Salem
Most memorable high school moment: Most of my favorite moments in high school come from my years playing tennis here, but one of those most memorable was this season when my doubles partner and I won the conference tournament at our flight.
Most influential teacher: Brenda McClure in Physical Education; Mrs. McClure as a gym teacher my freshman and sophomore years and I was given the opportunity last year to be her student aide, which turned into an extremely valuable experience. In the years that I was in her class, I strengthened skills such as problem-solving and working in teams, but my student aide experience was my most influential with her. In discussions both while I helped out with class and during breaks, Mrs. McClure offered me advice and helped me to determine my plans for the future, for which I will be forever grateful.
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School activities/clubs: Freshman mentors, Future Business Leaders of America, Key Club, National Honor Society, peer helpers/tutors, Geography Club
School athletics: Tennis
School offices held: National Honor Society President
Honors, letters or awards: National Merit Finalist; 7th Place in Journalism at FBLA Nationals; AP Scholar with Distinction; College Board National Rural and Small Town Recognition Program 22-23 Scholar
Out-of-school activities/hobbies: Crocheting; reading; sewing; listening to music
College choice: Undecided
Intended major/field of study: English/Computer Science
Role model: My aunt Diane
Three words that best describe my role model: Kind-hearted, skilled, and spirited
What I hope to accomplish in my lifetime: I hope to work in the book publishing field as an editor, helping other people to achieve their dreams as authors. | https://kenoshanews.com/news/local/todays-teen-2023-nina-pelli-of-central-high-school/article_51beb40e-eb75-11ed-aac8-6f98b5e503e4.html | 2023-05-07T14:38:13 | 1 | https://kenoshanews.com/news/local/todays-teen-2023-nina-pelli-of-central-high-school/article_51beb40e-eb75-11ed-aac8-6f98b5e503e4.html |
What's the status of water's future in Arizona? Here are 7 things we know
Arizona water leaders met this week to discuss the future of water in the West Valley.
The event, which was hosted by the Western Maricopa Coalition, or WESTMARC, aimed to discuss solutions to water issues, as well as to give attendees a better understanding of the complexity of water.
People from the Arizona Department of Water Resources, local governments and utility companies, like Salt River Project and EPCOR, spoke at the event Wednesday morning.
Here are seven key takeaways.
The Colorado River basin is smaller than it used to be
It’s no secret that Arizona is facing water troubles due to the shrinking Colorado River. While it was once thought that the Colorado River was 15 million to 20 million acre-feet per year, it’s now believed that, after years of drought and climate change, the river has 12 million to 13 million acre-feet per year.
Some estimates even say that number is as low as 9 million to 11 million acre-feet, Brenda Burman, general manager for Central Arizona Project, said. One acre-foot probably serves about three families per year in the West Valley, Burman said.
Colorado River isn’t the only one experiencing problems
The Columbia River system, Sacramento River system and Colorado River basin certainly have some similarities in that economies and millions of people are dependent on each one. But that doesn’t mean each river system is without troubles, Burman said.
The Columbia River is 10 times the size of the Colorado River, Burman said, and also flows through seven states and two countries. The Pacific Northwest is also experiencing a drought, Burman said, although the issues that come along with it often involve flooding.
The Sacramento River is about the same size as the Colorado River with about 15 million acre-feet per year and runs throughout California. The state has seen 200% of normal snowfall as of May 1, which is causing flooding there.
The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, which is the largest supplier of treated water in the country, received a 100% allocation from the river this year for the first time since 2006. In the last four years, that number has fluctuated from 20% to 5%. That raises concern each year, Burman said, since it’s never certain how much water there will actually be.
Arizona has already seen Colorado River cuts
In a non-shortage year, Arizona has an allocation of 2.8 million acre-feet of water from the Colorado River, Sarah Porter, director of the Kyl Center for Water Policy at Arizona State University, said.
Central Arizona receives 1.6 million acre-feet of water, while 1.2 million acre-feet would be divided among the rest of the state. Much of it goes to Yuma and tribes along Lake Havasu, Porter said.
But the state has already seen cuts to the river. In 2023, Arizona’s allocation was cut by the Bureau of Reclamation by about 21% of its usual allocation, or 592,000 acre-feet. Even still, that’s an 80,000 acre-foot increase from 2022. Nevada and Mexico also saw cuts to their usual allocations.
Taking steps:Feds cut Colorado River allocation for Arizona and Nevada in 2023, citing need for 'urgent action'
Growth isn’t necessarily a driver of shortage
Most of the state’s water use comes from agriculture, Porter said. Municipal water use only comprises 22% of Arizona's water demand, while industrial water use only accounts for 6%.
“Population growth and economic growth are not drivers of shortage,” Porter said.
Water use has actually decreased since 1980 with the creation of the Groundwater Management Act, while the state’s population has grown significantly.
Assured water supply designations are always in flux
Cities can obtain a 100-year assured water designation from the Arizona Department of Water Resources. In cities that don’t have a designation, developers can obtain a certificate from the department. While many cities in the Valley have a designation, two high-growth cities that are working toward their designation include Queen Creek and Buckeye.
Arizona's water crisis:What that means for some metro Phoenix cities
And despite the news of Colorado River water shortages or groundwater being fully allocated, cities still have room to grow.
"Every 15 years or so they are demonstrating, over and over again, that they have a 100-year supply of water for their growth," Porter said.
More cities may consider advanced purification
Phoenix announced last month that it would invest in an advanced water purification facility to use by 2030. The facility would treat wastewater to the point of drinkability.
Underway:Phoenix to build multibillion-dollar purification plant to make wastewater drinkable by 2030
The process is called direct potable reuse. Surprise is already doing indirect potable reuse, which involves treating wastewater and then storing it somewhere before it is again extracted, Michael Boule, director of water resource management for Surprise, said. For example, EPCOR's Luke 303 Regional Water Reclamation Facility in Litchfield Park recharges industrial wastewater to recharge aquifers.
Boule said he believes it will be helpful in order to continue to sustain growth as society warms up to the idea and the technology becomes more accessible. Advanced purification is already being used in places like San Diego and Orange County, Porter said.
What can private utility companies do?
Ron Klawitter, manager of water system projects for Salt River Project, said several water augmentation projects on the Verde River are currently being reviewed. SRP is currently working with 23 funding partners, including almost all of the municipalities in the Valley, to fund the Bureau of Reclamation investigating the possibility of expanding the Bartlett Dam.
The project would nearly double the storage capacity on the Verde River. With the rainfall this year, Klawitter said the proposed capacity of the Bartlett Dam would have been nearly filled. The reservoir would be able to hold about 350,000 additional acre-feet of water, although it wouldn't be a total solution for the West Valley.
Doug Dunham, water resources manager for EPCOR, said there will be a lot of opportunities in the future available for private utility companies to help develop infrastructure and water supplies when it comes to public-private partnerships.
Laura Grignano, manager of the Central Arizona Groundwater Replenishment District for Central Arizona Project, said it has been contemplated for many years that the Central Arizona Project Canal could carry other sources of water. If this comes to fruition, EPCOR would play an essential role in getting the water that's pumped from wells to the canal, Grignano said.
Reach the reporter at ahardle@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @AlexandraHardle. | https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/southwest-valley/2023/05/07/what-is-the-status-of-water-future-in-arizona-here-are-7-things-we-know/70164484007/ | 2023-05-07T14:56:56 | 0 | https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/southwest-valley/2023/05/07/what-is-the-status-of-water-future-in-arizona-here-are-7-things-we-know/70164484007/ |
Sun City residents get their own autonomous vehicle service — and the price is right: Free
An autonomous ride-hailing service plans to give Sun City residents a new way to get to and from popular places in their community.
May Mobility, an autonomous transportation provider, began service in Sun City in late April. The service allows users to hail a vehicle on-demand for pick up and drop off at various locations. The service is starting with two vehicles, both Toyota Sienna hybrids, one of which is wheelchair accessible.
The service is free to users based on a partnership with AARP, Daisy Wall, director of government business at May Mobility, said.
“The West Valley has not had adequate transportation coverage,” Wall said of the company’s decision to launch in Sun City, a 55 and older community.
May’s vehicles have a safety driver sitting in the driver’s seat who can help passengers, answer questions and assist in accessibility for wheelchair users, but the vehicles operate autonomously.
The company first started working with the Arizona Department of Transportation to secure its permits about a year ago, Wall said.
“We want to see a future where autonomous innovation can be inclusive for all,” Wall said.
Waymo:Metro Phoenix now has world's largest self-driving car service zone after expansion
Riders can hail the cars at various spots throughout Sun City, and if another rider is going in the same direction, multiple people can go in the same vehicle, like an Uber pool. Rides are ordered through the May Mobility app, which is available for download at the App Store or the Google Play store. If a user does not have a smartphone, they can also call 602-647-3953 to book.
Rides are available Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The Sun City stops are:
- Lakeview Recreation Center
- SunCity Sundial Recreation Center
- Maxwell Group
- The Palms
- The Gardens of Sun City
- Bell Recreation Center
- McDonald's / Sun Shadow Square Plaza
- Banner Boswell Medical
- Safeway Stop / Bell Rd. / Bell Camino Center
- Medicare Service Center
- The Woodmark
Meghan Grela, the autonomous vehicle lead at Via, the app and back-end technology provider for the service, said the company considers the vehicles a mode of public transportation, giving some users more independence and convenience of point-to-point transport, unlike a bus that drives along a fixed route.
Self-driving cars were once 'freaky, but that was back then'
Spencer Jay, one of the safety drivers for May Mobility, said he had never traveled in an autonomous vehicle before but is very interested in technology and wanted to try it out. Working as a safety driver has allowed him to meet new people and learn more about autonomous technology.
“People have been interested in it,” he said. “It’s something new in the neighborhood. People always ask questions about what it is and what it does.”
Jay, who lives in Tolleson, said riders are curious about the vehicle and are starting to book more trips. When he doesn’t have passengers, the vehicle drives around the area, which he hopes will generate more interest in the service.
Earl Peters, a Sun City resident, said he started seeing autonomous vehicles around the Valley about five years ago and said the idea was “freaky, but that was back then.” Now, he said, he's interested in trying out the service.
Peters and his friend, Victor Smith, were playing darts at the Bell Recreation Center, one of the service’s stops. Both said they would like to try the autonomous vehicle, which could make getting to their afternoon games more convenient.
Reach the reporter at cvanek@arizonarepublic.com. Follow her on Twitter @CorinaVanek. | https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/surprise/2023/05/07/sun-city-self-driving-taxi-service-may-mobility-launches/70171913007/ | 2023-05-07T14:57:02 | 1 | https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/surprise/2023/05/07/sun-city-self-driving-taxi-service-may-mobility-launches/70171913007/ |
Danville, Va – Leaders with Statesville Painting and Maintenance are hosting a community meeting discussing Employment Skills and Development.
The event designed to help those who served time behind bars is happening at 11:00 a.m. at Bible Way Cathedral.
City leaders said the program has helped people find work who otherwise would have had a chance to get become successful. | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2023/05/07/virginia-today-chats-with-danville-leaders-about-empowering-life-skills/ | 2023-05-07T15:02:11 | 1 | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2023/05/07/virginia-today-chats-with-danville-leaders-about-empowering-life-skills/ |
GILES COUNTY, Va. – Giles County Tourism leaders share outdoor adventures you and the family can enjoy when heading to the area.
Leaders said people spent $77,000,000 in the area, which is why they say tourism is vital to the area’s economy.
Check out the interview. | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2023/05/07/virginia-today-chats-with-giles-county-tourism-director/ | 2023-05-07T15:02:18 | 0 | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2023/05/07/virginia-today-chats-with-giles-county-tourism-director/ |
TFSD names Teacher of the Year
Brian Gentry, English language arts teacher at Robert Stuart Middle School, was named Teacher of the Year by the Twin Falls Education Foundation and the Twin Falls School District.
The Teacher of the Year award is given as a culmination of the education foundation’s Teacher of the Month program. This program runs from October through February and recognizes and celebrates teachers who are making an impact in the Twin Falls School District.
“We are truly lucky to have teachers like Brian Gentry working in the Twin Falls School District,” Superintendent Brady Dickinson said in a press release. “He is such a passionate teacher who cares deeply about his students. He is so deserving of this award as he continues to make a difference in the lives of his students.”
Charlie Wright, president of the Twin Falls Education Foundation, said that the Teacher of the Month program is rewarding, because teachers are nominated by staff and students. The nominations include explanations of how the teacher has gone above and beyond in sharing knowledge and impacting the lives of students.
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“It’s heartwarming to read all the nominations and see the amazing things teachers are doing in our District,” Wright said in a press release. “Out of this group, Brian Gentry emerged as being truly exceptional.”
Gentry was nominated for this award numerous times by colleagues and students. His name will be submitted for consideration to the State Department of Education’s Teacher of the Year program.
Burley High attends Business Professionals of America
Burley High School Business Professionals of America students had a successful week while competing in the National BPA competition in Anaheim, California.
Eight students from Burley who qualified at the State level in nine events competed with students from the United States, Puerto Rico and China at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California on April 26 through 30.
BHS student Cree Milliron took the top award for graphic design, Promotion, ranking first in the nation in that contest.
The website design team of Natalie Kornbau, Keileigh Tolman, Charmaine Lowe ranked sixth in the Nation.
Keileigh Tolman placed 12th, and Logan Hepworth placed 37th for fundamentals of web design. And Glen Shaw placed 23rd in the nation for Linux operating systems.
In addition to the events, Cree Milliron received the President’s Volunteer Service Award and a $500 Executive Council Scholarship.
Scholarship available for girls interested in aviation
The Idaho 99s Women Pilots, the local chapter of the Ninety-Nines international women’s pilots association, is offering to pay the $70 tuition for girls to attend the three-day Aviation Career Exploration (ACE) Academy in June, hosted by the Idaho Division of Aeronautics.
The ACE Academy summer program is for both boys and girls, grades 9 through 12 and will take place June 21 through 23, in Boise.
The program features a combination of hands-on labs, classes, field trips and speakers focusing on aviation careers.
Students will visit the Boise air traffic control tower, a flight school, jet and helicopter maintenance facilities, the national guard base, and the Warhawk Air Museum in Nampa. On the last day, students fly in a small airplane.
For an ACE application and further details please visit Idaho Division of Aeronautics website at itd.idaho.gov/aero.
To apply for the Idaho 99s scholarships for girls, please contact Cheryl McCord at cheryle.mccord@gmail.com or (208) 440-4509.
The due date for applications is May 19.
Jerome Homework Dinner
Jerome School District will hold a Homework Dinner, where students and families can get a free meal and help with homework or school questions. Certified elementary and secondary school staff will be on hand to answer questions about homework or school.
Jerome’s Homework Dinner takes place from 6 to 8 p.m., Tuesday at Horizon Elementary. | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/education/magic-valley-school-briefs/article_000acd50-ec56-11ed-ae08-7b3a3b825582.html | 2023-05-07T15:40:35 | 1 | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/education/magic-valley-school-briefs/article_000acd50-ec56-11ed-ae08-7b3a3b825582.html |
Saguaro blooms are back.
Peak saguaro bloom season is happening across Tucson and Southern Arizona right now, and that means you can find many cacti topped with blooms resembling soft white flower crowns.
Despite reports of saguaro blooms popping up over the last couple of weeks, the blooms typically begin in May and taper off through June, according to Theresa Crimmins, a plant ecologist and professor at the University of Arizona and director of the USA National Phenology Network.
“In looking at the data that's been coming in so far this year, we are a smidge early,” she said. “We do seem to have more individuals with open flowers on them this year than in most previous years when we've had a nice tight peak of a good solid bloom.”
Most saguaros will have some blooms by May 10, which has been the peak timeframe over the last several years, according to Crimmins.
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Because cacti store water extremely well, they don’t rely on rainfall as much as other plants do for a prosperous blooming season.
But rainfall can impact when we start to see blooms in Tucson.
“We documented a positive relationship, which means that in the dataset we analyzed, wetter Decembers seemed to lead to later flowering,” Crimmins said in a follow-up email.
When saguaro blooms finally make their arrival, they aren’t here for long. Their lifespan typically lasts one day — so it’s best to enjoy them (and their melon scents) while you can.
The flowers will typically bloom at dusk or later and exist until the following day when they wither away. During a saguaro's bloom, the flower could be pollinated by many Sonoran Desert creatures, including bats, doves and bees.
Saguaros are a “keystone species” in our ecosystem, according to Crimmins, who says that many desert creatures rely on the tall cacti for homes and food.
Once a saguaro flower has been pollinated, it matures into fruit that splits open when ripened — revealing bright red pulp. According to the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, each piece of fruit contains about 2,000 small black seeds.
This season, you can find blooms pretty much anywhere there are saguaros, according to Crimmins, who recommended places like Saguaro National Park, Tucson Mountain Park, along State Route 77 and even in people’s yards.
“Saguaros are so iconic in the Sonoran Desert,” Crimmins said. “And that's the only place you can find them and they’re utilized for food and habitat for so many other species in the region, too, as well as humans. … And so it is really special.” | https://tucson.com/news/local/saguaro-blooms-tucson-2023/article_76d31332-eb81-11ed-90eb-0b3de63f730b.html | 2023-05-07T15:40:35 | 0 | https://tucson.com/news/local/saguaro-blooms-tucson-2023/article_76d31332-eb81-11ed-90eb-0b3de63f730b.html |
The following is the opinion and analysis of the writer:
Years ago, I was tidying up my classroom on the last day of school when one of my fifth-graders strode over carrying a folded piece of fabric. She smiled expectantly as I unwrapped the hand-dyed pink and purple cloth to reveal a custom-decorated t-shirt.
Gold fabric paint spelled out “I’ll Miss You, Miss Mace” in wobbly lettering. Red sequins in the shapes of hearts and stars covered the body and sleeves. The shirt was much too small for me to wear comfortably and felt stiff with glue and paint, but those details didn’t bother me one bit. It was the most magnificent item of clothing I’d ever received.
Twenty-one years later, that shirt still lives in my dresser drawer, a reminder of the many students I’ve been honored to serve during my career in education. It is also a reminder that there are a multitude of unique ways we can show thanks for others, especially during Teacher Appreciation Week (May 8-12). From schools and camps to businesses and places of worship, teachers are all around us. Whether the teachers in your life carry the title of educator, coach, mentor, or friend, now is the perfect time to celebrate them.
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To show thanks for teachers and staff in schools, young children can draw handmade cards, create artwork, or write notes of gratitude. Older students might bring a teacher her favorite coffee order or share how a specific lesson has impacted them. While these gestures may seem simple, there’s a reason teachers remember them for decades. They are validation that all the hard work they’ve invested in students has been noticed and appreciated.
Words of thanks from parents and guardians mean a great deal, as well. Telling school staff how they have positively impacted your child’s life will fill their cup more than you can know. And of course, giving gift cards from places like Bookmans, local coffee shops, or the website Teachers Pay Teachers is also a fun and easy way for families to show gratitude.
Business owners can take part in this week by providing snacks, pampering products, or coupons for free food or services to nearby school staff. Neighbors can join in by donating gently used books and games to teachers’ classrooms, or clothes to the school’s clothing bank. Retired folks can show support year-round by volunteering with programs like Reading Seed, helping tend campus gardens, or being a guest speaker in a teacher’s classroom.
All of these gestures relay one clear message to educators: you are appreciated.
If you are not a current student or parent of a student, you can still take this week to honor folks who have played the role of teacher in your life. Was there a coach who kept you going when you were tempted to quit the team? Or a boss who put in extra time and effort to help you master a trade? Perhaps a family member encouraged your curiosity about cars or cooking as a child, and that hobby bloomed into a life-long passion. If so, it’s never too late to say thank-you.
With that in mind, and in true teacher fashion, here’s a little homework: Express appreciation to a teacher this week. For some, that might simply mean texting a mentor with whom you’ve kept in touch. Others may have to conduct online sleuthing to track down a former instructor and share words of thanks. If an important educator in your life has passed away, pay homage to them with your actions. Read poems by an author they loved or shoot hoops at their favorite park; honor their memory by keeping it alive.
Armed with this assignment, only one question remains: how will you show appreciation to a teacher this week?
Heather Mace is a contributor to the Arizona Daily Star and a teacher mentor in Tucson. | https://tucson.com/opinion/local/heather-mace-teachers-of-all-types-deserve-appreciation/article_1d9080ce-ea92-11ed-b0d8-1344ba8bf194.html | 2023-05-07T15:40:47 | 0 | https://tucson.com/opinion/local/heather-mace-teachers-of-all-types-deserve-appreciation/article_1d9080ce-ea92-11ed-b0d8-1344ba8bf194.html |
The following is the opinion and analysis of the writer:
You might ask what a collegiate softball player knows about mental health, and I’d argue a lot.
On the outside, student-athletes are seen as tough, focused, driven and unbreakable. We are here to perform, dominate and win. But behind the scenes, many of us are struggling with things you would never think of because of how we appear on the outside. I’m here to talk about my own journey with mental health while juggling being a student-athlete.
My name is Allie Skaggs and I am a junior second baseman at the University of Arizona. People would describe me as a happy-go-lucky, energetic presence on and off the field, but this journey has not always been easy, despite how things appear.
Throughout my mental health journey, I have learned incredible things about myself. I no longer fear asking for help, I have become more confident, and have embraced the ability to be vulnerable with those around me. I credit a lot of this to my generation, and have been thankful for the openness and willingness of my peers to discuss mental health and finding help for each other.
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My generation has been reported to prioritize mental health, both in the workplace and at home. It is a topic I talk about with friends and teammates, whether in person or on social media.
The most important thing that has come from my mental health journey is my new comfort with the idea of being vulnerable. For so long, I tried to be strong on my own. And it worked, but not for long. We are not meant to wear all of our emotions, feelings, and struggles on our own, and it is okay to rely on others.
This conversation isn’t just for college students. May is Mental Health Awareness Month, which is an excellent excuse for everyone to check in with ourselves about our vulnerability with others, and to take the next step of having vulnerable conversations with those we trust to help improve health and connection.
Vulnerability has a direct correlation with my mental wellness, and the more vulnerable I am, the better I feel in all aspects of my life. I have dealt with stress, anxiety, loss, grief and countless other emotions, as many people do. But opening up about those struggles has been what has kept me afloat.
It can be hard for people to open up about their struggles because they may feel like their issues aren’t big enough or they may be embarrassed to speak up about something. Putting your full, authentic self out on display in search of finding help can be scary, and it takes a lot of bravery to take that first step.
I encourage you to take that first step when you are ready. Whether it is asking a family member, a friend or even an outside source for help, there are people ready to be there for you.
If you determine you need to talk to a professional about your mental health, talk to your primary care provider for recommendations or try a mental health company like SonderMind that can quickly get you connected with a therapist who can help you and takes your insurance. And if you are thinking about hurting yourself in any way, the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is available 24/7 by calling 988.
I’m excited to see where this mental health journey continues to take me as well as my peers around me. Our generation is starting to prioritize our mental health just as much as our physical health, and I think that is an encouraging thought to have. I hope we can inspire those of all ages to take the time to have a vulnerable conversation, today.
Allie Skaggs is a Tucson native and a junior second baseman at the University of Arizona. Allie’s goal in life is to encourage others to be kind and to lead by example every day. She wants to leave this world better than she found it, and she hopes others join her in doing that! | https://tucson.com/opinion/local/local-opinion-let-s-talk-vulnerable-conversations-with-those-you-trust-can-improve-your-mental/article_d96bbeac-e84f-11ed-a43f-e3166f69c4f4.html | 2023-05-07T15:40:53 | 0 | https://tucson.com/opinion/local/local-opinion-let-s-talk-vulnerable-conversations-with-those-you-trust-can-improve-your-mental/article_d96bbeac-e84f-11ed-a43f-e3166f69c4f4.html |
DALLAS (KDAF) — Country Icons Dolly Parton and Garth Brooks will be hosting the 58th Academy of Country Music Awards on May 11.
To kick off the ACM Awards Week, Miss Dolly will have her own pop-up experience from May 9th to May 14th.
The pop-up will be located at The Tangerine Salon, 3620 The Star Boulevard, Suite 1205.
Dolly! All Access will feature Dolly Parton merchandise, a live DJ playing all things Dolly, and so much more.
If you miss this experience, Dolly Parton merchandise will also be available via merchandise trailer during ACM Awards Week.
You can also get your last-minute Dolly merch inside the Ford Center during the 58th Academy of Country Music Awards. For more information, visit here. | https://cw33.com/news/local/country-singer-dolly-parton-to-open-a-pop-up-store-in-frisco/ | 2023-05-07T15:43:22 | 0 | https://cw33.com/news/local/country-singer-dolly-parton-to-open-a-pop-up-store-in-frisco/ |
ROANOKE — Woodford County's oldest food pantry is under new leadership and seeking community support to upgrade and expand.
For 40 years, Greg Funk and his wife Toni ran the Roanoke Food Pantry, serving a sizeable chunk of Woodford County. After Toni Funk's death in October, her husband decided to step down and let a new board, headed by Todd Harris, take the reins.
"Our goal is to take what Greg has and just kind of build upon it," Harris said. "The hardest thing that we're going to have to replace is Greg because he's done all the work himself."
The pantry is currently open 9 to 11 a.m. every first and third Monday of the month at 311 N. Main St. in Roanoke.
'On my shoulders'
While Greg Funk has managed the food pantry for four decades, he said the initial idea and effort came from Charles Johnson, then a local minister and firefighter.
Johnson noticed that many of the community's firefighters needed some help with groceries. He turned to Funk, who was fire chief at the time.
"He approached me saying a lot of firefighters were out of a job," Funk recalled. "It was 1982, that's when you had a whole bunch of guys lost their jobs."
Funk said the firefighters agreed to give Johnson some money from their slush fund: $50.
"They gave him 50 bucks ... that's a lot of money back in '82," Funk said. "And he went to the grocery store and picked up a bunch of supplies. We put out cinder blocks in the back of the fire house, put a plank on top of that, put the food on top of that. And we started that way."
That same year, though, Johnson got a call to be the minister at a different parish, Funk said. "And then it was put on my shoulders."
Needed a menu
Before Johnson left, though, Funk said they had to shake things up a bit, add some variety.
"My wife came over one day and she said, 'What are you doing?'" Funk said. Perplexed, he asked her what she meant.
"She says, 'You just have egg noodles back there. People don't exist only on egg noodles,'" Funk said.
So, he went to Johnson and told him, "'My wife ... said we need a menu.'"
Funk and Johnson then visited a food pantry in Washington, Illinois, and modeled their operation after it.
Funk has been using that model for the past 40 years.
He said everyone who has visited the Roanoke Food Pantry has walked away with a grocery bag filled with, at the very least, two cans of fruit, seven cans of vegetables and two cans of soup.
Now, the pantry has snacks, canned goods, boxed goods, pantry staples and other household needs, and a clothing section that contains mostly children's clothes.
Paper products are offered on the first Monday of the month and hygiene products, like soap and shampoo, on the third Monday, Funk said.
A permanent home
Funk said the pantry reorganized as a nonprofit in 1984, switching funding from the firefighters' union to community donations.
Still, it remained in the firehouse for 20 years before needing to be relocated. "They wanted the room I was using," Funk said, "And they were getting bigger."
The pantry then moved into an empty spot behind the local library, until: "Four years ago, we had to move again because the library decided they needed that room," Funk said. "So I was an orphan all this time."
The current location at 311 N. Main St. is owned by the Morton Community Bank, parent organization of Hometown Community Banks.
Jeremy Knepp, executive vice president of Hometown Community Banks, is also the treasurer for the pantry's new board of directors.
"When we talk about Greg and Toni and what they've done," Knepp said, "they've not only started the food pantry, but they've grown it, they've enhanced it."
Knepp described the pantry as "a wonderful community outreach to provide for those in need."
"From the bank standpoint, we're a community bank — we want to see the enhancement and growth of our local businesses and organizations within our community," he said. "And we feel like Roanoke Food Pantry is a great example."
Knepp said the new board wants to break out of the "just a food pantry" mentality. He said they are thinking of "ways that we can expand and make the food pantry more of a resource center and potentially add some additional things."
What's next
Knepp and Harris said they want to get the community more involved. They hope to find local religious organizations interested in helping and volunteers who could help to staff the pantry.
Harris said the organization's board aims to purchase the building from the bank for $50,000, establishing it as the pantry's permanent home, by the end of June.
Then, Harris and Knepp said, renovations will be needed to ensure the building meets accessibility standards, and to upgrade its amenities and expand its resources. That could cost another $35,000 to $50,000.
To do this, Harris said, they need the community's help.
Anyone interested in donating or volunteering can contact Harris at the Knapp-Johnson-Harris funeral home at 309-923-3651 and ask for Todd Harris.
You can also email him at tharris@mtco.com. | https://pantagraph.com/news/local/woodford-county-food-pantry-looks-to-expand/article_c8861142-e920-11ed-b096-438e6717065c.html | 2023-05-07T15:43:35 | 0 | https://pantagraph.com/news/local/woodford-county-food-pantry-looks-to-expand/article_c8861142-e920-11ed-b096-438e6717065c.html |
PINELLAS PARK, Fla. — A 15-year-old Pinellas Park teen was arrested on Saturday for making mass shooting threats online, according to a news release.
Concerned parents contacted the police after seeing a video on social media in which threats were made about the safety of students at Pinellas Park High School, police say.
Pinellas Park police say they began an immediate investigation and identified a teen who later admitted to posting the video.
The teen told police the video was meant as a joke, but was still arrested and charged with electronic threats to conduct a mass shooting.
The gun believed to be shown in the video was discovered to be a realistic replica toy and no guns were found in the teen's possession, the new release says.
"Any and all threats of violence will be taken seriously and investigated thoroughly. When it comes to situations involving the safety of our community, no stone is left unturned," Chief Michael Haworth said in a statement. | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/pinellascounty/mass-shooting-threats-pinellas-park-teen/67-1fdd0c75-3d13-49d2-9551-2a858c4f83b3 | 2023-05-07T15:51:29 | 1 | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/pinellascounty/mass-shooting-threats-pinellas-park-teen/67-1fdd0c75-3d13-49d2-9551-2a858c4f83b3 |
PORT DEPOSIT, Md. — Maryland State Police are investigating a shooting that left one state trooper and two sheriff deputies injured on Saturday night.
Just before midnight, the Cecil County Sheriff's Office received a call from in regard to a burglary in progress at a home in the unit block of Twin Lakes Drive in Port Deposit.
Two sheriff deputies and a state trooper responded to the call.
As they were investigating, a suspect was thought to still be inside the home. Two out of the four deputies at the scene and the trooper entered the backyard of the home where they were struck by gunfire.
Both deputies were taken to a hospital for their injuries. The trooper was treated for his injuries and released.
The suspect then fled the scene into a nearby wood line.
Additional forces responded to the scene and a reverse 911 call was sent out alerting nearby residents of police activity.
Police say no shots were fired by deputies or troopers on the scene.
A shotgun was recovered from the scene.
While multiple units were on a manhunt for the suspect, police received a phone call just after 4:00 a.m. in reference to a suspicious man at a convenience store in the 1300 block of Jacob Tome Highway, just a short distance away from the shooting scene.
According to police, the suspect, who was identified as 23-year-old Daniel Padraig Colin Donnelly, was attempting to solicit rides from customers.
Troopers responded to the scene and made contact with Donnelly. The on-scene investigation indicated his involvement in the shooting. He was taken into custody without incident.
Donnelly is facing three counts of attempted first and second degree murder, three counts of first and second degree assault, first degree burglary, and reckless endangerment. | https://www.wmar2news.com/local/msp-trooper-two-deputies-shot-while-responding-to-burglary-in-port-deposit | 2023-05-07T15:57:36 | 1 | https://www.wmar2news.com/local/msp-trooper-two-deputies-shot-while-responding-to-burglary-in-port-deposit |
ROCK SPRING, Ga. — Georgia State University’s Perimeter College celebrated a significant milestone on May 5 with the graduation of its first-ever class of incarcerated students, all with honors.
"This is a historic moment for Georgia State University," Patrick Rodriguez, director of GSUPEP, said. "By providing incarcerated individuals with access to higher education, we are investing in their futures, breaking down barriers to social mobility, and rejecting the stigmas that surround the potential of incarcerated people."
Nine students at Walker State Prison in Rock Spring were awarded their associate degrees in general studies from English to environmental science, geology, philosophy and ethics.
“I learned several things about myself throughout the course of completing this degree, but the most important to me is that I do have worthwhile thoughts, ideas and insights,” one new graduate said. “My long-term goal is to use the skills I’ve learned and developed to make positive and meaningful contributions to humanity. My immediate goals are to help others reach their education goals and to help them learn how to make better decisions.”
The program, Georgia State University Prison Education Project (GSUPEP), started in 2016, offers college courses at Walker State Prison and Phillips State in Buford and provides enrichment courses at the federal U.S. Penitentiary in Atlanta.
"Education is one of the leading factors in reducing recidivism in the United States. The GSUPEP program is helping do this in the state of Georgia," Caroline Cain, a counselor at Walker State Prison, said.
All coursework was taught by Perimeter College faculty and is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. Three graduates completed their studies with the highest honors, achieving GPAs of 3.9-4.0, while six graduated with high honors, with a GPA of 3.70-3.89.
"Not only have these students demonstrated that they are critical thinkers by completing a degree, but they’ve also shown tremendous character to seek education and follow it through to the end," Blake said. "The degree they rightfully earned can never be taken away."
The students graduated in cap and gown, and Georgia State President Dr. M. Brian Blake and Perimeter College Interim Dean Dr. Cynthia Lester virtually bestowed their degrees. Dr. Lauri Goodling, Associate Dean for GSU’s Perimeter College Honors College, spoke to graduating class at Walker State Prison.
“This has given me a passion for learning,” said another student. “I never knew why someone would want to become a teacher, but I see how good it is to give back and now I get it.” | https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/first-class-incarcerated-students-graduates-georgia-state-perimeter-college/85-f2051b55-d967-415c-99b2-7c0d2a0d5976 | 2023-05-07T16:06:27 | 1 | https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/first-class-incarcerated-students-graduates-georgia-state-perimeter-college/85-f2051b55-d967-415c-99b2-7c0d2a0d5976 |
GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — Editor's note: The video is previous coverage of the lockdown.
A teen was arrested following a shooting near South Gwinnett High School on Wednesday, according to Snellville Police Department.
Not many details were released, but the department posted on Facebook that the juvenile was charged with aggravated assault and is in custody.
The incident happened on May 3. According to officials with Gwinnett County Public Schools, students at South Gwinnett High School were placed on a "soft lockdown" due to an incident near the school property.
Several social posts regarding a person wearing a ski mask were circulating; the district said they had not heard of any of these reports, stating, "Once again, this didn’t happen on GCPS property. It happened in the community near the school."
Soft lockdowns allow students to move inside the school, but they are not allowed to go outside. Teaching and learning are still taking place, officials said. | https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/teen-arrested-shooting-near-south-gwinnett-high-school-snellville-police/85-ea8dfbf0-26a5-4572-ade7-890732fff803 | 2023-05-07T16:06:34 | 1 | https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/teen-arrested-shooting-near-south-gwinnett-high-school-snellville-police/85-ea8dfbf0-26a5-4572-ade7-890732fff803 |
Suspect killed, trooper wounded in Wichita County shootout
Staff Reports
Times Record News
About 11:30 p.m. Saturday, the Archer County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call for service in Archer County which turned into a vehicle pursuit of a suspect.
The pursuit ultimately ended in Wichita County when the suspect stopped their vehicle on Old Windthorst Road near Hatton Road. A standoff with the suspect followed involving several agencies including Archer County, Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), Wichita County Sheriff’s Office and the Wichita Falls Police Department.
Shots were fired, resulting in the death of the suspect and a DPS trooper being wounded. The trooper was transported to an area hospital and is in stable condition.
The Texas Rangers are now investigating the incident. | https://www.timesrecordnews.com/story/news/local/2023/05/07/suspect-killed-trooper-wounded-in-wichita-county-shootout/70192505007/ | 2023-05-07T16:11:52 | 0 | https://www.timesrecordnews.com/story/news/local/2023/05/07/suspect-killed-trooper-wounded-in-wichita-county-shootout/70192505007/ |
14-year-old girl survives shooting that killed man in Wilmington on Saturday, police say
1-minute read
Gunfire in Wilmington sent one victim to the hospital and killed another last night, according to Wilmington police.
Police said there was a shooting on the 1800 block of W. Third St. around 9:36 p.m. Saturday.
Police report that they located a 47-year-old male gunshot victim. They said he was taken to an area hospital in critical condition but later died from his injuries.
They also report a second victim from this gunfire, a 14-year-old girl, who arrived at a hospital in stable condition.
Trouble on the force:Ex-Wilmington police sergeant latest officer to plead guilty amid law enforcement scrutiny
Police have not provided more details. They said the incident is under investigation.
Anyone with information about this incident should call Detective Brandon Mosley at 302-576-3646.
Contact reporter Anitra Johnson atajohnson@delawareonline.com. Join her on the Facebook group,Delaware Voices Uplifted. Support her work and become asubscriber. | https://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/local/2023/05/07/shooting-near-judy-johnson-park-in-wilmington-kills-man-teen-survives/70192329007/ | 2023-05-07T16:13:36 | 0 | https://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/local/2023/05/07/shooting-near-judy-johnson-park-in-wilmington-kills-man-teen-survives/70192329007/ |
WAUCOMA -- A federal grand jury has handed up another indictment in the investigation into fraud allegations at a Waucoma livestock company.
On Wednesday, the grand jury based in Iowa’s northern district charged Robert “Bob” Bickerstaff, a former employee at Lynch Livestock from 2014 to 2021, with one count of wire fraud and one count of keeping inaccurate livestock records.
Bickerstaff had been a regional manager for the company, overseeing buying stations in Iowa, Minnesota and South Dakota, and at times personally counted, weighed and shorted pigs, according to court records.
In 2017, during his tenure, the company entered into a consent agreement with U.S. Department of Agriculture regulators over the practice of falsifying weights and classifications to benefit the business at the expense of the pork producers. The agreement included installing electronic scales and other measures to guard against fraud.
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The charges filed last week allege that between 2018 and 2021, Bickerstaff and others continued to falsely lower weights and classifications of pigs, sometimes by using crowbars or other objects to manipulate buying station scales and issuing fraudulent sort sheets. This ultimately meant farmers were getting paid less for their livestock, according to court records.
In recent years, several Lynch managers and employees have been charged in connection with the scheme.
In February, the company, now known as Lynch Family Companies, was sentenced to five years’ probation and a $196,000 fine and ordered to pay $3 million in restitution on a charge of failure to comply with an order of the U.S. secretary of agriculture as part of a plea agreement. | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/another-indictment-issued-in-livestock-fraud-investigation/article_d9b38b01-7efd-5d13-a5a6-569e2f9106a0.html | 2023-05-07T16:21:17 | 1 | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/another-indictment-issued-in-livestock-fraud-investigation/article_d9b38b01-7efd-5d13-a5a6-569e2f9106a0.html |
“How’s your sobriety going?” I asked my ol’ buddy Lamar.
His head bobbled side to side the way folks do. “I still get a tad thirsty from time to time.”
“That so?”
“Those danged beers-on-a-beach advertisements—” his voice trailed off.
Ah, yes. Tropical beaches. Frolicking every-persons. Beer.
“I don’t know how you do it,” I said.
“Do what?”
“Not drink alcohol.”
Lamar said nothing as he seemed to look intently at something I couldn’t see.
I felt a thirst rising, but I stayed where we were, leaning against his truck parked in front of my house. I looked at my watch. It was five o’clock somewhere.
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“Funny thing, isn’t it?” Lamar said. “The role alcohol has had in our lives.”
Uh-oh. Maybe I should have inquired instead about the weather or his thoughts on the proposed hospital complex.
He said, “Remember when we were kids? Every adult male we knew drank alcohol. Our dads, our coaches, our teachers. It was endemic to our upbringing.”
“Endemic?”
“What? I can’t exercise an expanded vocabulary?”
“Sorry.” My thirst increased. I looked longingly at my front door. “You were saying?”
“It was just a question of time,” he said. “Right? It wasn’t a question if we’d drink alcohol. It was only a question of when we would start.”
“High school.”
He nodded. "Right. Boys will be boys. Boys will be men. If you’re going to be a man, well then, men know how to hold their liquor.”
“So, we learned how to do it,” I said.
“The hard way,” Lamar said.
A cumulonimbus of memories cast a slow shadow across my mind. Ugh. “We had some good times,” I said.
“That we did.”
I tensed up. “So, what? Are you turning into a member of a 21st-century temperance movement?” Man, I could use a cold one right about then.
“Calm down,” Lamar said. “It’s just an interesting situation to consider. Back when I was drinking, I can recall meeting folks who didn’t drink. I was as puzzled as you are. How? Why? Then I realized it doesn’t matter why or how they don’t drink. What mattered was why I was drinking.”
I stepped away from his truck. Maybe if I feigned a need to hit the head.
He said, “Imagine if alcohol hadn’t been an integral part of our upbringing, if our self-concept of masculinity and manhood had not included a mandate to learn how to hold our liquor, and how to show up for work and sweat out the booze.”
I’d had enough. “I gotta hit the head. I’m gonna grab a beer. Do you want a soda or something?”
Lamar smiled. “Naw. I’m good.”
I hustled inside and did what I said I’d do. I carried the can back and leaned against the truck. Ah-h-h.
“You were saying,” I said, rejuvenated.
Lamar said, “Back to your original question. I’m doing fine. Twinges come few and far between.”
“How so?”
“For one thing. Juanita stopped our cable TV subscription,” Lamar said. “And we’re too far from the beach to feel the pull of the tides.” | https://azdailysun.com/news/local/carpenters-column-cut-to-frolicking-persons-on-a-beach/article_90f048c2-eb8e-11ed-8e4c-7749d6d5512f.html | 2023-05-07T16:28:24 | 1 | https://azdailysun.com/news/local/carpenters-column-cut-to-frolicking-persons-on-a-beach/article_90f048c2-eb8e-11ed-8e4c-7749d6d5512f.html |
100 years ago
1923: Mayor Tom E. Pulliam requests that those who object to the speed cops recently put on duty, and to whom several arrests for speeding have been credited, make their objections to the city council and direct it toward the ordinance. Pressure has been brought to bear on some of the three boys who have been timing autoists. He said the boys were only doing their duty, and instead of being censured, should be commended for doing it fearlessly. The ordinance against speeding is one of the oldest ones we have, and Pulliam feels that just as long as it is on the books it should be enforced. If it is to be repealed, it is up to those who object to it to have it repealed.
Review of work being done by the Flagstaff Social Service Club: This body of public-spirited women is accomplishing great things in the betterment of our town. Many families have been tided over financial difficulties that were due to ill health or lack of work. The supply station where partly worn but clean and mended clothing, shoes, etc., are sent has proved a source of wealth. Many children are kept out of school because of lack of proper clothing in the cold weather. If parents lack funds the child is fitted out if possible from the supply station, otherwise new shoes or other necessary wearing apparel is obtained.
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75 years ago
1948: The “Lost Treasure of the Padres,” a great fortune in silver and gold believed hidden in the vicinity of the San Francisco Peaks, will be sought on one of the series of “Flagstaff Cavalier” tours this summer, according to Lloyd Harrell of the Chamber of Commerce. The tours are planned for visitors in the area and will be conducted by local men who are experts on various attractions, including Grand Falls, the Hopi Villages, the American Meteorite Museum, Oak Creek, Canyon Diablo, etc. The treasure, silver and gold, is said to have been buried by the priests when they fled from the Indians during the rebellion of the late 17th century and has been sought by many as recently as the 1930s.
Underweight women are poor marital risks, because too-thin women are usually jittery women. So says Dr. James F. Bender, director of the National Institute for Human Relations. If that is true — and statistics show that women who are 15 or more pounds underweight have an excessively high divorce rate — then American women have been choosing the wrong type of woman to admire and emulate. The too-thin woman is the Queen Bee in feminine circles. It is her figure that other women strive to copy. She also sets the pace for the activities of other women. It’s the woman who says that she has to be constantly on the go and who prods her sisters into taking on more activities than they can handle.
50 years ago
1973: Thousands of Flagstaff and northern Arizona residents will enter the hospital Sunday. Their visit will be brief and they won’t even have to be sick to get in between the hours of 2 and 4 p.m. Sunday, you see, is the time for the official grand opening of the new $4 million hospital tower, which will be unveiled for the first time. It was just over a year ago that the most massive construction project in the hospital’s history got underway. The work actually was completed ahead of schedule but the official opening was delayed to permit the installation of fire dampers in the heating and ventilating ducts. Visitors will have the opportunity to tour 110 patient rooms and specialized areas on each of the three floors of the tower -- which will be opened immediately. The fourth floor of the tower has been roughed out, but it won’t be finished until a later date when expansion is needed.
25 years ago
1998: As Arizonians enter the 1998 gubernatorial election season, they have a much different set of issues on their minds than they did four years ago, according to a new statewide poll. Back when Fife Symington was running against Eddie Basha, 38% of those surveyed listed crime as their top concern in the 1994 Arizona Survey conducted by the Social Research Laboratory at Northern Arizona University. The economy (16%) and education (14%) were a distant second and third. But this year’s Arizona Survey, conducted in late March and early April, found education as the top voter issue at 30%, with crime (11%) and taxes (9%) trailing well behind in second and third places. This year’s poll was based on telephone interviews with 438 respondents and has a margin of error of five percentage points.
In a campaign marked by growth debates, traffic plans and little quarreling, two former city employees have taken off the gloves and renewed their call for the firing of Flagstaff City Manager Dave Wilcox. They allege in a publicity pamphlet for their joint campaign that they have endured “threat, intimidation, cover-up, evidence-tampering and more” inside City Hall. They also charge the city with $14.3 million in “financial improprieties.” City officials have cited personnel and legal constraints in declining to comment since the pair filed a lawsuit for $15.3 million and unspecified punitive damages -- first in superior, then in federal court. That lawsuit is still moving through the federal court system, although no trial date has been set. A year ago, despite the lawsuit, running for public office was the last thing on their minds. But they said they decided to run so that the city would be operated by people who know how: themselves.
Susan Johnson has lived in Flagstaff for over 30 years and loves to delve into her adopted hometown’s past. She has written two books for the History Press, Haunted Flagstaff and Flagstaff’s Walkup Family Murders, and, with her son Nick, manages Freaky Foot Tours. You’ll find her hiking the trails with her corgi, Shimmer.
All events were taken from issues of the Arizona Daily Sun and its predecessors, the Coconino Weekly Sun and the Coconino Sun. | https://azdailysun.com/news/local/flagstaff-history-lost-treasure-was-highlight-of-summer-tours/article_c036ced0-e3d7-11ed-a3e2-2379074d95bd.html | 2023-05-07T16:28:30 | 1 | https://azdailysun.com/news/local/flagstaff-history-lost-treasure-was-highlight-of-summer-tours/article_c036ced0-e3d7-11ed-a3e2-2379074d95bd.html |
“I’ll never do a race that long,” I told my friend Larry Phoenix when we sat down last year to talk about his recent finish at the Cocodona 250-mile race.
“Anyone can do it,” he said.
That statement surprised me. Running makes me happy, but I’m a recreational runner who occasionally races. I’ve never thought I had the potential to be a superhuman ultrarunner like Larry.
Larry doesn’t consider himself superhuman, though. He’s convinced that achieving a goal like this is more about the mental than the physical.
“Sure, you have to be in shape,” he says, “but anyone could do it if they set their mind to it.”
Listening to Larry’s stories from the Cocodona trail, I think he accomplished that goal by combining smart training with a solid race plan and an inner fortitude he’s nurtured by taking on many challenges in life (including the 800-mile Arizona Trail).
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When he said, “Anyone can do it,” he wasn’t just talking about running ultras. “It doesn’t matter what your goal is -- it’s all relative to where you are. If your goal is to run five minutes without stopping, set your mind to it and you will. If you want to try to run a marathon, go do that. It’s all relative to where you are.”
As someone who became a Flagstaff runner by starting with “run a minute, walk a minute” at Buffalo Park, I strongly agree that accomplishing any goal in running requires accepting where you are today.
That kind of acceptance requires humility and a willingness to be honest with yourself. It isn’t about crossing a fabulous finish line six months from now; it’s about setting aside the pride of ego today in order to make a clear-headed self-assessment.
Larry’s Cocodona preparation included lots of running, of course, but he also prepared his mind and spirit for the endurance test he was about to subject himself to.
“It’s almost all mental,” he said to me. “You know it will be hard, you know you’re going to hurt and be super tired. You just have to have the mental fortitude to know that’s coming and go do it anyway.”
Maybe I’ll never do a race this long. Relative to where I am, in my training and my life, 250 miles is Everest. But Larry challenged me to look for a goal that makes sense for me, relative to where I am. His encouragement is one reason why I signed up for the Flagstaff Running Series this year -- for the first time.
I know it’s going to hurt. I know I will be super tired. But I want to do it, and I will.
Please send your running stories and ideas to coordinating editor Julie Hammonds (runner@juliehammonds.com) to be featured in this column. | https://azdailysun.com/sports/local/high-country-running-i-ll-never-do-a-race-that-long----or/article_4ae926ee-eb9f-11ed-bfd1-7b295fed191e.html | 2023-05-07T16:29:37 | 1 | https://azdailysun.com/sports/local/high-country-running-i-ll-never-do-a-race-that-long----or/article_4ae926ee-eb9f-11ed-bfd1-7b295fed191e.html |
The Flagstaff Snow Sharks swim club is losing its top swimmer. But it’s for a positive reason.
Basis Flagstaff senior and Snow Sharks standout swimmer Adam VanLuvanee signed Friday to attend Harvey Mudd College in Claremont, California, and compete for the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (CMS) men’s program.
In 2022, CMS placed 20th at the Division III national championship meet.
Friday’s ceremony, attended by family, Snow Sharks teammates and coaches at Northern Arizona University’s Wall Aquatic Center, was the end of a long journey to become a college swimmer.
“I always looked up to the big swimmers like Michael Phelps or Ryan Lochte, all those guys. They’ve all mostly all gone through it, and I knew it was something that I wanted to do, too,” VanLuvanee said.
Though college athletics was a goal at an early age, it took a while to find the right fit. When VanLuvanee seized on the opportunity earlier this winter and officially committed, he felt he’d made the best choice.
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“They have great academics, especially in engineering, which I want to go into. And they had a good Division III swim team. It was everything I was looking for,” he said.
VanLuvanee is leaving behind a major wake, at least metaphorically, with the Snow Sharks. He’s the only swimmer in his age bracket, and thus the oldest competitor with the club, but has been one of the team leaders for many years.
“He’s really just been the heart and soul of our team for pretty much as long as I’ve been here. He’s always been the one here day in and day out, looking to do as much as he can to move forward in school and swimming,” Snow Sharks coach Nicholas Reed said. “He’s like our model for what athletes should do and how they should be to be successful.”
Reed joined the Snow Sharks staff several years ago, and instantly recognized VanLuvanee’s work ethic.
The young swimmer’s skill continually improved, but what never changed was his competitiveness.
“Not to pump him up too much, but the first time I met him and the first day I saw him in practice he was a 13-year-old trying to keep up with the older teenagers like I did when I was in high school. And he’s right there with some of them. And that motivation has never stopped as he’s gotten older and better,” Reed said.
VanLuvanee has been competing in club meets throughout the year, most recently in the AZ PSC Phoenix Spring Invitational in Phoenix. At that meet, his best performance came with a third-place finish in the 200-meter fly. Last July, he swam in the 2022 Arizona Senior State Championships in Chandler, highlighted by a 10th-place swim in the 100m fly.
Reed said in VanLuvanee’s best moments, he’s recording times that would already would be competitive in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, which CMS is part of.
“All that’s before he gets the advanced weight training and practices and really gets to compete with people who are just as good. And that’s going to keep him going even more,” Reed said.
VanLuvanee has appreciated his time with the Snow Sharks and hopes his success leads to continued improvement for the younger swimmers he’s passing the torch to in Flagstaff.
“It’s still kind of sinking in that I’m going off to college. But over the last year it’s gradually become more real,” he said. “It’s exciting. Not many people from this club have gone on to college swimming. But I think even more will take that route now.” | https://azdailysun.com/sports/local/snow-sharks-standout-vanluvanee-signs-with-cms-swimming-in-california/article_3faf98f0-ebc0-11ed-8a51-b7af94c5d2b1.html | 2023-05-07T16:29:43 | 1 | https://azdailysun.com/sports/local/snow-sharks-standout-vanluvanee-signs-with-cms-swimming-in-california/article_3faf98f0-ebc0-11ed-8a51-b7af94c5d2b1.html |
HARRISBURG, Pa. — Pennsylvania's May Primary is ten days away and election officials are making final preparations before the polls open.
“The good news is everything is on track and all the milestones have been hit," said Sean Drasher, director of the Lebanon County Board of Elections. "We have all of our poll workers lined up, the polling places are all set, and we're going to start delivering materials this week."
Drasher said the Lebanon County Board of Elections have already received 3,400 mail-in ballots from voters. To date, over 683,000 voters have applied for mail ballots across the Commonwealth.
Pennsylvania’s Department of State say voters have until Tuesday afternoon to turn in their applications for mail and absentee ballots.
“As long as you’re registered, you have until the end of the day on Tuesday to get it in," said Drasher. "And it has to be by the close of business, we have to have the application.”
Drasher said voters have several ways to turn in their ballots, including using a county drop box and going to your county’s board of elections.
“And of course, you can drop it in the mail. But if you do mail it to us, make sure you’re allowing us enough time to get it, like three to four days at least," said Drasher.
Drasher says this election cycle won’t be as busy as the November midterms.
Public policy professor Dan Mallinson from Penn State said turnout is traditionally lower in off-year elections.
“When you don’t have a big race at the top of the ticket, it does impact what we call ‘down ballot’ races below that top ticket," said Mallinson.
Despite the off-year election label, Drasher is urging voters to participate in their local elections.
“These are the people who decide when and where the potholes get filled, they decide whether you can have a chicken coup in your yard, they decide what materials go into your schools and how much you spend on sports teams," said Drasher.
"That’s this election.” | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/mail-ballot-application-deadline-for-pennsylvania-primary-on-tuesday-politics-elections-dauphin-county/521-c0313739-c07f-4748-8b0b-50b751df5c27 | 2023-05-07T16:32:50 | 0 | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/mail-ballot-application-deadline-for-pennsylvania-primary-on-tuesday-politics-elections-dauphin-county/521-c0313739-c07f-4748-8b0b-50b751df5c27 |
CUMBERLAND COUNTY, Pa. — After a young woman’s suicide, one York County mother made it her mission to ensure a similar tragedy would never happen again.
“We honor my daughter Shawn Shatto, it’s the anniversary of her death,” said Jacqueline Bieber, mother of Shawn Shatto.
With May being Mental Health Awareness month, Jacqueline Bieber thought it appropriate to organize an event that acknowledges the dangers and warning signs of suicide idealization.
Family, friends, and members of the Cumberland and York County communities joined Bieber at Neill Funeral Home, offering their fellowship and support. Neill Funeral Home in Cumberland County was the same location where Shawn's funeral service was held.
“It’s so heartwarming and it makes me feel so gracious and I have so much gratitude that just keeps coming and supporting me and our cause,” Bieber said.
Shawn Shatto was 25-years-old when she took her life in 2019.
Her family believes her death was contributed by a website in which other users engage in suicidal discussions.
After years of heartache, Bieber decided to use the anniversary of her daughter’s death to bring people together.
“The first year of her anniversary, I did nothing but lay in bed and cry and I didn’t want my kids to see me do that every year, I thought let’s do something good,” Bieber explained.
Thus, ‘Sharing Kindness Day’ was created and has since become an annual event.
“Every year for her anniversary we get together and try to share good things and encourage people to do good things,” Bieber said.
But Jacqueline’s work extends even further because in October 2021, Shawn’s Law or Senate Bill 184 passed in the Pennsylvania statehouse, increasing penalties to anyone found guilty of encouraging someone to commit suicide.
Jacqueline hopes the bill and her event will help other parents see the warning signs before it’s too late.
“That was always my biggest thing with doing these events is brining awareness,” Bieber said. | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/mental-health-suicide-kindness-prevention-community-family/521-c4e3fcff-15f5-4190-9dd3-3b65405ec375 | 2023-05-07T16:32:56 | 1 | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/mental-health-suicide-kindness-prevention-community-family/521-c4e3fcff-15f5-4190-9dd3-3b65405ec375 |
FORTY FORT, Pa. — A craft fair not for the faint of heart was held Saturday in Luzerne County.
The third annual Paranormal Craft and Aristan Fair was held at the Forty Fort Cemetery in Forty Fort.
From the creepy to bizarre, to downright macabre, there was something for everyone who enjoys the paranormal.
"Different small businesses throughout the area get their name known and it also benefits the Forty Fort Cemetery Association by providing new equipment or whatever they need to continue the restoration progress here," said Cariann and John Balucha, hosts and owners of Wyoming Valley Ghost Tours.
Tours were also held at the cemetery, along with live music, food and entertainment. | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/paranormal-craft-fair-in-luzerne-county/523-9420be52-7b1e-4890-bb19-358c751c84fc | 2023-05-07T16:33:03 | 1 | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/paranormal-craft-fair-in-luzerne-county/523-9420be52-7b1e-4890-bb19-358c751c84fc |
HARRISBURG, Pa. — Editor's note: The above video is from Jan. 17.
Pennsylvania Lt. Governor Austin Davis announced Saturday in a tweet that he and his wife, Blayre Holmes Davis, are expecting their first child--a baby girl!
"We're thrilled to announced that our family is growing!" the dad-to-be tweeted shortly after 10 a.m. on Saturday. "We are so excited to welcome our baby girl to our family this September."
Governor Josh Shapiro congratulated the couple in a tweet saying, "Lori and I cannot wait to welcome the newest member of the Shapiro-Davis Administration. Congratulations, Blayre and Austin. We couldn't be more thrilled for you both to become parents."
Davis, 33, is the first Black lieutenant governor in Pennsylvania's history.
Prior to becoming the youngest lieutenant governor in the country---Davis was a state representative for the 35th District that covers parts of Allegheny County. | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/pennsylvania-lt-governor-austin-davis-and-second-lady-blayre-holmes-davis-are-expecting-their-first-baby/521-8023c077-dc3c-46ae-94d9-f4147480a7f5 | 2023-05-07T16:33:09 | 1 | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/pennsylvania-lt-governor-austin-davis-and-second-lady-blayre-holmes-davis-are-expecting-their-first-baby/521-8023c077-dc3c-46ae-94d9-f4147480a7f5 |
KINGSTON, Pa. — This weekend's Coronation of King Charles III has Luzerne County business owner Tom Bedford witnessing his home country's history on the other side of the world.
"It's not often something like this comes along. We are all very excited. I can't speak for everyone, but I can certainly speak for myself and my other Brits, family, and friends that we are all pretty excited to see that transition," said Tom Bedford, owner of Matterns Floral.
Bedford spent much of his life across the pond before moving to Kingston two years ago.
While he now calls northeastern Pennsylvania home, he says the United Kingdom is never far from his mind.
"I was able to move over here and bring a little piece of me to northeast PA through the store and the things that we sell here," said Bedford.
Tom and his wife own Matterns Floral, a cafe in Kingston that sells flowers, tea, and other products, all endorsed by the royal family.
"All of these are official royal warrants. They are a statement saying that the Halcyon Days supplies candles to the royal family," explained Bedford.
"So I am from London originally, and a lot of the brands we have here or not only the UK brands, they are London brands. It's fantastic for me to be able to carry that forth in my new life here," said Bedford.
As for Saturday's coronation, Bedford says his morning is booked, "It's a 5 a.m. start, so I'm not sure I'll capture it all. I certainly know my family will be keeping me in the loop with what's going on. I'll be up as early as I can muster."
More than 2,000 people are expected to attend the coronation ceremony, which begins at 5 a.m.
Check out WNEP’s YouTube channel. | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/uk-native-in-luzerne-county-preps-for-coronation-of-king-charles-iii-matterns-floral-cafe-tom-bedford-london-kingston/523-6236354c-5915-46ac-a1b6-7e90997a44dc | 2023-05-07T16:33:15 | 1 | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/uk-native-in-luzerne-county-preps-for-coronation-of-king-charles-iii-matterns-floral-cafe-tom-bedford-london-kingston/523-6236354c-5915-46ac-a1b6-7e90997a44dc |
A new coffee house is percolating in St. John.
Biggby Coffee, one of the Region's fastest-growing coffee shop chains, opened at 9151 Wicker Ave in the former Centier Bank branch in the St. John Mall in St. John. Being in a former bank building, it boasts three drive-through lanes.
Nicholas Novak, a U.S. Army National Guard veteran and former police officer, and his wife Mary, who works at a cancer treatment facility, opened the Biggby Coffee. The Michigan-based chain serves coffee, lattes, tea lattes, Red Bull mocktails hot chocolates and freezes. It for instance has energy blast drinks with flavors like mango, blood orange, dragonfruit, lemon, green apple, blue raspberry and strawberry.
It also has a variety of food items like bagels, Kind Bars, Cuban ciabatta and bragels or breakfast bagel sandwiches. All in all, it has more than 200 menu items because of how customizable the drinks are.
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"The variety appeals to everybody," said Novak, who previously worked as a Lake County correction officer, Gary police officer and South Shore Line police officer. "We've got different beverages with caffeine, milk alternatives, something for everyone. We were introduced to the product in February of last year, started drinking the product and found it amazing. It's a superior product. We were sold on the business."
The Novaks were big fans of the coffee and liked how people-centric Biggby Coffee was. The fast-growing chain has 350 locations in nine states. It has coffee shops in Chesterton, Crown Point and Michigan City and is expanding to Highland and Valparaiso.
The Novaks thought St. John would be a perfect location for a Biggby Coffee.
"It's growing at a rapid pace," he said. "It's a diverse community. The comprehensive plans calls for more cafes and coffee shops. People have been incredibly supportive. We're between Lake Central High School and St. John the Evangelist, so we're in a prime location."
Biggby Coffee is located in a 2,000-square-foot building with a bank vault it's using for storage. It did renovations that maintained "the spirit of the bank" while giving it more of a 1920s-style steampunk design.
"Because of the lobby, we have one of the larger locations," he said. "It's a pretty interior. We believe people are really starved to gather and communicate. We believe people miss that connection."
The Novaks plan to add outdoor seating and a stage where aspiring musicians can perform.
"As a coffee shop we have a unique opportunity to be the best part of someone's day," he said. "We offer an experience. We want to know about the customer's day. We're very focused on people, on our employees and our customers."
Biggby Coffee is open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday.
For more information, call 219-558-0145 or find Biggby Coffee St. John on Facebook or Instagram.
Open
Flora Plants grew from a home-based business that sold houseplants at local markets to a brick-and-mortar store in downtown Valparaiso.
Pablo Baldetti and Cheyenne May opened the new plant shop at 13 N Washington St., a space it shares with Be Good Juicerie. It sells house plants, food, fertilizer, soils and seeds, as well as candles and other accessories.
"It's a mom-and-pop business," Baldetti said. "We both have a love for plants. Cheyanne has always been an entrepreneur. We've really wanted to start a business together for a while now. It's something we dreamed of together."
They started selling plants at markets like Fetching Market, doing pop-ups at Fluid Cofffeebar, Sip Coffee House, America's Antique Mall and other places. They expected it would take years to open their own storefront but then an opportunity emerged.
Flora Plants specializes in tropical plants, cacti and succulents.
"Plants bring life to the room," he said. "They create a different ambiance in a living space. It's a rewarding hobby. It's a reading experience and feeling to grow them and not kill them."
Flora Plants offers customers advice on plants.
"We have put a lot of thought into the types of plants we bring in. You probably wouldn't be able to find a lot of them anywhere else locally," she said. "There's something for everyone and gift products for non-plant people. We offer education on plants like on which can tolerate long periods without water. We have plants that require different maintenance."
The store has been meticulously curated, she said.
"At corporate stores and nurseries, you don't get that type of love or energy in any other place, she said. "We put a lot of love and care into this store. You notice and feel it when you walk in. There's a certain energy and ambiance."
Plants in stock at the store include Peperomia, Philodendron Birkin and booty planters that are shaped exactly like they sound.
Flora Plants will continue to go around to markets like Hunt and Gather and the Chesterton European Market. It built up a following on the market circuit before ever opening our doors.
"We have a lot of return customers," he said. "We see a lot of familiar faces. It's a happy rewarding experience."
In the long run, they aspire to keep growing and get their daughters involved in the store.
"This happened fast. It happened quick," he said. "We had the space and the opportunity, so we jumped on it."
They like the downtown location because of all the traffic, including foot traffic.
"Washington Street feels like Chicago, like Lincoln Park," he said. "It feels like the city. We were really fortunate to have the opportunity to be in downtown Valparaiso."
Flora Plants is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday.
For more information, find Flora Plants on Facebook or Instagram.
Open
Funk My Life Eclectic Gallery opened in a side room in the Rae Kicks Sass beauty salon in Valparaiso.
"I'm big on plays on words," said owner Rae Benson.
Benson, Maggie Grivetti, Michael Gross, Pam Rocha and Maria Puckett opened the new vintage and antique store at 359 Indiana Ave in Valparaiso.
"Me and my sister and some good friends opened the store, which has midcentury modern furniture, lamps and something from every era," she said. "We have kitschy things, tchotchkes and artwork. My sister had a booth at Yesterday's Treasure and needed a bigger space and then other people got involved."
Funk My Life carries vintage items from the 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s and 1980s.
"We have things from when we were growing up as kids that we really didn't appreciate in that era," she said. "When you're growing up you just don't have an appreciation for it."
The store stocks formica dining sets, 1980s fashions, vintage couches, cedar chests and swag lamps.
"It's fun to enjoy the hunt," she said. "We always have new inventory and if it doesn't sell mark it down a little to get things moving."
The owners are constantly scouring estate sales, yard sales and marketplaces to find new merchandise.
"We might even find something on the side of the road," she said. "Most of it is vintage and nostalgic."
The store is cash-only. It's about 1,000 square feet.
"It's not super-huge but it's crammed," she said. It has a vintage feel. It's nostalgic for all ages. We just had a young kid telling her mother she wanted a rotary phone and she was explaining how it works to her daughter. It cracks me up."
Funk My Life is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
For more information, 219-241-8547.
Open
The new McDonald's held a grand opening celebration a few weeks ago at 501 E.109th Place in Crown Point.
The new 4,700-square-foot Golden Arches is located at the southeast corner of 109th Avenue and Delaware Parkway, just off Interstate 65 by the booming Beacon Hill Development. It's owner-operator Jack Lubeznik's 23rd restaurant in Northwest Indiana and Chicago.
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The Aster & Gray boutique recently closed, just a year after relocating to a more visible location in downtown Valparaiso.
The fair trade and artisan shop moved its storefront from 20 Indiana Ave. to 118 Lincolnway last year, ceding its former space to the Porter County Museum.
It celebrated its fifth-anniversary last year. It stocked the work of artists and artisans, as well as clothing, home decor, kitchenware and shoes.
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Elements Wine Bar has served its last glass of vino in downtown Valparaiso.
The wine bar at 23 Washington St #100 has wine, light bites, live music and an outdoor patio amid the hustle and bustle of the heart of Valparaiso.
It hosted many live music acts like Chicago bluesman Vino "The Music Man" Louden, jazz singer Lauren Dukes, singer-songwriter Jason Murphy, the Marty "Big Dog" Mercer Band and Scotty & The Bad Boys. It also had wine tasting and an intimate venue that invited chilling out. | https://www.nwitimes.com/business/local/nwi-business-ins-and-outs-biggby-coffee-flora-plants-funk-my-life-and-mcdonalds-open/article_c8dc147c-ebe9-11ed-98ff-332aaf9a1a99.html | 2023-05-07T16:35:06 | 0 | https://www.nwitimes.com/business/local/nwi-business-ins-and-outs-biggby-coffee-flora-plants-funk-my-life-and-mcdonalds-open/article_c8dc147c-ebe9-11ed-98ff-332aaf9a1a99.html |
Hoosier lawmakers have reconsidered the wisdom of conducting, in the months leading up to the 2024 elections, an expansive Republican-led investigation of how the Republican governor and mostly Republican local officials responded to the COVID-19 pandemic.
A provision establishing the Health Powers Review Task Force, which was added April 17 by the House to Senate Enrolled Act 4, was deleted from the public health expansion legislation before it won final approval last month at the Indiana Statehouse.
The coronavirus investigation was among a number of measures to initially earn the endorsement of either the House or Senate, or sometimes both, but ultimately fail to make it to the governor's desk to be signed into law for one reason or another.
Here are seven additional legislative proposals whose momentum was stymied before they could reach the last step toward becoming law by passing both chambers of the General Assembly with identical language, as required by the Indiana Constitution.
Pet stores:Senate Bill 134 would have required Indiana localities that did not ban the sale of dogs at retail pet stores prior to Jan. 1, 2023, to allow pet-store dog sales in accordance with the specific customer protection components of the proposal.
The measure would have blocked Valparaiso from enacting a then-pending ban on pet-store dog sales, although it would not have affected the bans adopted by Crown Point, Dyer, East Chicago, Hebron, Highland, Lake Station, Lowell, Munster, Schererville and Whiting.
Advocates for the plan unambiguously said their intent was to preempt local pet-store ordinances. Opponents said local governments should be allowed to prevent pet-store dog sales that originate from bad actors from operating "puppy mills" featuring overbreeding, inbreeding and unsafe conditions.
The legislation passed the Senate 29-18 but died in the House Agriculture and Rural Development Committee, where the substantially similar House Bill 1121 also failed to advance earlier in the session.
Under the plan, a person who continued to protest or picket outside a residence with the intent to harass a resident of the home, after being warned by police to disperse, could be ticketed for the new crime of residential harassment, a Class C infraction, punishable by a fine of up to $500.
Supporters of the proposal said they want homes to be protected spaces where individuals won't have to encounter people who believe they have a basis to harass the individual through picketing or protesting, even if the protester is standing on a public sidewalk or street.
The measure was approved 29-16 in the Senate but never got a hearing in the House Courts and Criminal Code Committee during the second half of the session.
Prosthetics:House Bill 1433 sought to require Indiana Medicaid to cover the costs of all orthotic devices and permit eligible children to obtain separate orthotic or prosthetic devices for routine and recreational use.
Indiana Medicaid only covers one pair of prosthesis or artificial limbs for a child every five years — no matter how much a child grows during that period. Similarly, certain orthotic devices, such as ankle braces that treat foot, leg or back problems, are covered, but recipients are limited to one device every five years.
"Low-income families often struggle to pay for costly prosthetics and orthotics for their children, and Medicaid simply isn't meeting the need in this area," said Rep. Hal Slager, R-Schererville, the sponsor. "This legislation could really help improve the quality of life for these kids who are already facing health challenges.
The plan won unanimous House approval and easily cleared the Senate Committee on Health and Provider Services. It stalled, however, in the Senate Appropriations Committee due in part to the unknown cost of extra devices.
Township assessors: Had House Bill 1035 become law, voters in counties that still have township assessors — including Lake, Porter and LaPorte — would have been asked at the 2024 general election whether the office should be abolished and its duties transferred to the county assessor on Jan. 1, 2026, to save money and reduce duplicate services.
The ballot question was approved 61-37 by the House. It died in the Senate Committee on Local Government, similar to numerous other recent proposals to partially reduce or totally eliminate township government in Indiana.
Likewise, a plan in House Bill 1355 initially focused on merging townships in select counties, including LaPorte's state-leading 21 townships, was approved 80-15 in the House but ignored by the Senate.
Taxpayer receipt:Senate Bill 243 could have obligated the Indiana Department of Revenue to prepare and distribute a one-page annual spending report to every Hoosier who pays income tax to the state.
It passed the Senate unanimously after being converted to an electronic report to reduce printing and mailing costs. But the proposal failed to advance out of the House Ways and Means Committee, in part because much of the information is available on the Indiana Transparency Portal: in.gov/itp.
Meet the 2023 Northwest Indiana legislative delegation
Numerous legislative proposals that appeared headed toward becoming law didn't make it across the finish line during the 2023 Indiana General Assembly. | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/once-promising-legislative-proposals-fail-to-make-it-across-statehouse-finish-line/article_f44086c8-e920-11ed-914a-c397bd837e36.html | 2023-05-07T16:35:24 | 0 | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/once-promising-legislative-proposals-fail-to-make-it-across-statehouse-finish-line/article_f44086c8-e920-11ed-914a-c397bd837e36.html |
GREENSBORO — Y’all.
“I don’t use it, but I smile when I hear it,” said Dmitry Sitkovetsky, the internationally-known violinist and world traveler who is stepping down as the conductor for the Greensboro Symphony Orchestra, of the distinctly Southern expression.
It is just one of the reminders of the city where he has been a magnet for the past 20 years, drawing world-class musicians to play here and filling concert seats with record-breaking ticket sales — all while raising the profile of the symphony and, by extension, Greensboro.
The Russian-born and charismatic Sitkovetsky — “Dima” to family and friends — makes his home in London and was in Canada this past week as a member of the Concours Musical International de Montréal jury before coming back here to end an era.
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The 68-year-old Sitkovetsky was already an acclaimed violinist when he took the job as music director in 2003.
“I hear his soul when he plays,” said Caroline Jones, a symphony violist.
One reviewer called a 2004 performance with the symphony almost “overwhelming.”
“The GSO and Sitkovetsky played every note, from first to last, for all the poignancy and ferocious power they contain,” reviewer Bob Workman wrote.
On Thursday, Sitkovetsky will close out his tenure at the Steven Tanger Center for the Performing Arts with guest saxophonist Branford Marsalis.
On Friday, he will perform the season’s final Rice Toyota “Sitkovetsky & Friends” chamber series, featuring a small group of musicians at UNCG, playing again with Marsalis.
He still will travel the world to perform.
Over the years, he has brought in special guests like Marsalis while working to raise the orchestra’s performance level, which Sitkovetsky says speaks for itself.
That will surely once again be on display this final week.
So, too, will something else.
The passing of the baton.
****
For symphony lover Ches Kennedy, it was a moment to behold.
Sitkovetsky and his guest artists often stayed in the homes of symphony board members, at the O’Henry Hotel or with people who became friends. Kennedy and his husband, John Covington Overfield, have welcomed Sitkovetsky, his wife, American soprano Susan Roberts, and daughter Julia, now a professional soprano, as they made Greensboro their American base. Sitkovetsky’s mother is the famous pianist Bella Davidovich, who has performed in Greensboro with her son.
“Imagine how overwhelmed I was listening to Dmitry and his mother rehearse for a chamber concert in my living room — playing my grandmother’s grand piano,” Kennedy recalled.
That the famous violinist came to Greensboro is one of symphony president and CEO Lisa Crawford’s great feats.
A former principal guest conductor of the Russian State Symphony and conductor laureate of the Ulster Orchestra in Northern Ireland, one of his musical claims to fame is his string transcription of Johann Sebastian Bach’s Goldberg Variations. A 1995 recording with his New European Strings Chamber Orchestra brought critical acclaim and sold more than 100,000 copies.
Sitkovetsky had been a child prodigy from a fourth-generation musical family in the Soviet Union. His father, Julian Sitkovetsky, was born in Ukraine’s capital city of Kyiv, which was then part of the Soviet Union. He played the Mendelssohn Concerto with the Kyiv Symphony at the age of 9. In 1958 while in his early 30s, his father died of lung cancer. Dima was just 3.
Sitkovetsky began studying with his maternal grandfather, who also served as concertmaster and assistant conductor of the opera house in Baku, Azerbaijan, and later studied with renowned teachers at the Central Music School of the Moscow Conservatory. By age 12, he had taken first prize in the first International Concertino Prague Competition.
He had considered defecting to the United States as a young adult, but he didn’t want to cause problems for his family in the Soviet Union. Sitkovetsky feigned illness, convincing the Russian government that it was futile to invest in his career. It worked. He would later enroll in the acclaimed Julliard School in New York, winning national competitions with his violin.
In 1979, he won the first International Fritz Kreisler Competition in Vienna.
By the 1980s, he had launched a career as a violin soloist and performed with orchestras in the United States and Europe.
In 1988, he and his mother became the first Soviet emigre musicians invited back to Moscow to perform under Mikhail Gorbachev’s reforms, called perestroika.
He thought he would never go back after he left there.
Sitkovetsky was drawn to conducting in the late 1980s. After the fall of communism he pulled together the New European Strings Chamber Orchestra — what he considered a dream team of string players from the East and West.
By then, Sitkovetsky was receiving numerous invitations as a guest conductor.
The symphony’s concertmaster in Greensboro, however, wanted to invite him as a performer.
“He was way above what we normally pay for a guest artist,” said Crawford, who was then the organization’s executive director. “But we said, ‘OK, we are going to splurge.’”
At the same time, the symphony was auditioning conductors to replace the popular Stuart Malina, the sixth — and youngest — maestro ever to lead the orchestra.
One of the five conductors who planned to audition during the upcoming season dropped out. Crawford just happened to see on Sitkovetsky’s resume that he was a conductor as well. She asked during his visit if he’d consider auditioning in the other candidate’s place.
The orchestra search committee had received more than 300 resumes.
“He just got out his calendar and said, ‘What are the dates?’” Crawford recalled.
He didn’t even know there was a search for a music director.
“We were not on the radar for him,” Crawford said. “We just offered his fee. It was a gig for him.”
He was already recording with the London Symphony Philharmonic and Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, while working with such legendary maestros as Sir Colin Davis, Mariss Jansons, Sir Neville Marriner and Yehudi Menuhin.
“What I love about conducting is the totalness of the musical experience,” Sitkovetsky explained. “You are totally immersed in music. You control it, and yet it controls you.”
At the end of the auditions, the search committee, board of directors, musicians and the audience all voted.
“He was No. 1 all across the board,” Crawford said. “It was pretty clear, and that was the beginning of what we call the Sitkovetsky Era.”
****
Marjorie Bagley had long been a fan.
“The first time I ever heard Dima play live was actually at the Moscow Conservatory around 2004,” recalled Bagley, a symphony violinist and the concertmaster.
She was in Moscow with her dad and sister and saw posters for a concert while exploring the halls of the school steeped in history.
“He performed the Mendelssohn Concerto that day,” Bagley said, “and it was stunning.”
He has been a great study for her.
“Dima has such clear ideas about the pieces he chooses to lead as a soloist and conductor — his interpretations have grown out of decades of experience and study and I always leave these rehearsals and concerts with ideas to contemplate,” explained Bagley, who will play alongside Sitkovetsky and Marsalis as a principle on this season’s final Toyota series.
That he would sign a contract at the time with the Greensboro Symphony was larger than the position.
And then his imagination took over.
He created the Rice Toyota “Sitkovetsky & Friends” series in 2004 and consulted on the sound system in the 3,000-seat Steven Tanger Center for the Performing Arts where the symphony plays.
“I’ve always been a big city boy, but some of my best work, say as a festival director, I’ve done in small places,” Sitkovetsky said.
Greensboro gave him the ability to “build something of my own musically,” which he did with the Toyota series.
He had been asked to create a sound for the orchestra and to improve the artistic quality. One thing he did right away was start string sectionals, which led to the performance series with renowned guest artists who might have come simply because of their relationship with Sitkovetsky.
“You couldn’t get better chamber concerts in New York,” Crawford said of those performances.
When Sitkovetsky told Crawford who he wanted to book, she would always ask if they wanted to additionally play a chamber concert with Sitkovetsky.
“It’s kind of unusual that your musical director is one of the most prominent violinists in the world,” Crawford said.
“They’d all say ‘Oh, and yes,” Crawford said.
Members of the orchestra also got the chance to play with them, which Crawford said raised the level of artistry.
“He brought the best,” said Jones, the violist who has been with the symphony for 39 years.
Jones recalled Sitkovetsky taking time out with young musicians at the Eastern Music Festival. Two of her own students preparing for their recitals sat through a rehearsal of the symphony playing the same music.
“He met them and talked to them and encouraged them,” said Jones, who teaches violin, the viola and piano.
It wasn’t an isolated gesture to her or others.
As important for her was him becoming involved with the Sphinx organization, which promotes the power of diversity in the arts. For years, she had talked to him about bringing in violinist Kelly Hall-Tompkins, who The New York Times calls “the versatile violinist who makes the music come alive.”
And he did.
“I have the utmost respect for him inviting her,” Jones said. “He did tell her, ‘Caroline has been talking about you for years.’”
Sitkovetsky was only in Greensboro six weeks out of the year. But he raised the prominence of the city as well. A typical season might find him performing in Germany, Italy, Austria and elsewhere before returning to Greensboro for daily rehearsals and later performances.
“He really lives on a plane and he would travel to a different country every week and then, of course, he’s taking the name — the ‘music director of the Greensboro Symphony’ wherever he would go,” Crawford said.
Crawford and others could pinpoint wherever he had been prior because the symphony’s Facebook page would “get all these likes from that country,” Crawford said.
While here, he also commissioned new works by composers such as Jakov Jakoulov and Mark Engebretson.
This season featured Sitkovetsky leading six Masterworks concerts with acclaimed soloists including Michelle Cann, Sergey Antonov, James Ehnes, Trio Zimbalist and Marsalis.
Davidovich, his mother, performed with Sitkovetsky at UNCG to benefit symphony education programs and at Elon University to raise money for concerts.
After Russia invaded Ukraine, he responded with his talents, performing two orchestral works by composers from Ukraine, and a third by Russian composer Pyotr Tchaikovsky known as the “Ukrainian Symphony.”
“I will never go back there,” Sitkovetsky said with some sorrow. “I will never again see my father’s grave.”
Sitkovetsky says if he had a regret it was that he tried and failed to put the Winston-Salem and Greensboro symphonies under the same umbrella because they shared so many musicians.
“It’s a missed opportunity that wasn’t to be,” he said.
Sitkovetsky says the next music director will need to fill the Tanger Center, which he helped design. Significant portions of audiences here and elsewhere, who have now grown accustomed to streaming and on-demand performances, have not returned.
There are surprises before their “Dima” moves on, Crawford said.
But she won’t say.
He says he is sure to come back to Greensboro as a guest conductor or performer.
“I’m not dead,” he deadpans.
He also has stops planned in Havana, Berlin and Istanbul, and that’s not his full calendar.
He walks away with a sense of pride built over the years.
“I am very proud of our achievements together,” he said of the symphony.
****
Transitions are bittersweet. With a search for a new leader comes new opportunities.
Next season has been christened the “Season of the Seven“ as seven guest conductors carry the baton as part of an audition for the music director position. Candidates include a former conductor of the Winston-Salem Symphony and another who grew up in Greensboro.
The committee had initially agreed to whittle the resumes to six, which is a hint about the strength of the maestros.
“As we got to the end, the committee couldn’t agree on the last candidate, so we made it seven,” explained Crawford, the symphony president.
While she can tick off the wonderful things that have taken place over the last 20 seasons, Crawford says that the symphony will also take the transition to try new things to broaden the audience.
“We are on an upward trend,” Crawford said.
While keeping a focus on classical music, the symphony has been expanding its reach into gospel, rock and other areas.
Rocker Sting and gospel singer Yolanda Adams have recently performed with the orchestra to strong responses.
“We’re doing something totally different — like music from video games,” Crawford said.
And look for the symphony in the near future to play more music from the “Harry Potter” movies as well as a collaboration with former “American Idol” star Ruben Studdard, who will sing music from legend Luther Vandross.
The day before a Ben Folds concert this past week there were just 100 tickets left.
“I probably will not even recognize most people in the audience,” Crawford said with excitement. “That’s the direction that we are going in for some concerts.” | https://greensboro.com/news/local/dmitry-sitkovetsky-greensboro-symphony-orchestra/article_ef32dffe-e6ba-11ed-8f95-ab405965e790.html | 2023-05-07T16:38:35 | 0 | https://greensboro.com/news/local/dmitry-sitkovetsky-greensboro-symphony-orchestra/article_ef32dffe-e6ba-11ed-8f95-ab405965e790.html |
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A woman was killed during a shooting early Sunday in Sacramento's Meadowview neighborhood, officers with the Sacramento Police Department said.
The shooting happened around 2:55 a.m. in the 2000 block of 67th Street. Police say the woman was pronounced dead at the scene.
One person, not yet identified by police, has been arrested in connection to the homicide.
Police call the deadly shooting an isolated incident but say the investigation remains very active.
Watch more from ABC10: 17-year-old killed, 5 hurt in Chico house party shooting | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/sacramento/woman-shot-meadowview-homicide/103-1fefd0c9-f575-4948-ba64-7ee5eada174f | 2023-05-07T16:45:08 | 1 | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/sacramento/woman-shot-meadowview-homicide/103-1fefd0c9-f575-4948-ba64-7ee5eada174f |
FRISCO, N.C. — A 17-year-old boy from Chesapeake died Saturday after being trapped under several feet of sand at Cape Hatteras National Seashore, according to the National Park Service.
Around 2 p.m., Seashore law enforcement rangers responded to a call for help regarding a teen trapped in a hole less than a mile east of off-road vehicle ramp in Frisco, North Carolina.
Before rangers arrived, family and friends searched for the boy and found him buried under several feet of sand, apparently caused by portions of the adjacent dune collapsing into a hole.
The hole was dug in a back-dune area behind the primary dune and not visible from the beachfront, said a release from the park service.
Rangers, along with family members, Dare County emergency medical staff and Hatteras Island Ocean Rescue, worked to get the teen out of the hole and performed CPR.
The incident is under investigation.
“Cape Hatteras National Seashore offers our condolences to his family and friends," said David Hallac, superintendent, National Parks of Eastern North Carolina. "We urge visitors not to dig deep holes on the beach due to the danger they present to beachgoers and emergency response staff.” | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/chesapeake-teenager-dies-after-hole-dune-collapse-at-cape-hatteras-national-seashore/291-260f5752-05ac-4f55-9eb2-7009803d5fb2 | 2023-05-07T16:46:01 | 1 | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/chesapeake-teenager-dies-after-hole-dune-collapse-at-cape-hatteras-national-seashore/291-260f5752-05ac-4f55-9eb2-7009803d5fb2 |
COLUMBUS, Ohio — A woman is charged with felonious assault after allegedly injecting her 9-month-old infant with an unknown substance Friday morning, according to the Columbus Division of Police.
Police were called to Nationwide Children's Hospital at 11:31 a.m. where a witness told them they saw 26-year-old Stephanie Whitley injecting the infant with an unknown substance using a syringe.
The infant was taken to the intensive care unit and was administered CPR after going into cardiac arrest, according to Franklin County Municipal Court records. She remains in critical condition.
Whitley was arrested and taken to the Franklin County Jail. Her next court appearance will be on May 15. | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/columbus-mother-charged-after-allegedly-injecting-infant-with-unknown-substance/530-4d8b5ac4-1971-47ab-b5c7-f9a50395f760 | 2023-05-07T16:46:07 | 0 | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/columbus-mother-charged-after-allegedly-injecting-infant-with-unknown-substance/530-4d8b5ac4-1971-47ab-b5c7-f9a50395f760 |
SAN ANTONIO — Amid a rising storm of needed care for dementia and other neurologic diseases, construction began this week on the $100 million Center for Brain Health, a new patient care and clinical trials facility of The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.
The Center for Brain Health, expected to be complete in 2025, is among $1 billion in capital investments undertaken by UT Health San Antonio over the next four years, including the UT Health San Antonio Multispecialty and Research Hospital.
The Center for Brain Health is being built to advance research and provide innovative expert care of patients with Alzheimer’s disease, related dementias, movement disorders, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and other vexing health concerns.
The facility also will serve as a training venue for medical residents and postgraduate trainees.
“There is an urgency to our standing up this new comprehensive center of care, the first of its kind in our region,” said William L. Henrich, MD, MACP, president of UT Health Science Center San Antonio, also called UT Health San Antonio.
The primary risk factor for developing dementia is a person’s age. According to census data, Bexar County is home to 250,000 senior adults 65 and older, and the number is projected to grow as San Antonio is an attractive retirement destination.
The city’s population is more than 60 percent Hispanic. Data show Hispanics are 1.5 times more likely than Caucasians to develop dementia.
One of every six Americans suffers from brain disease including dementia, headache, epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, ALS, neuropathy and multiple sclerosis.
“The Center for Brain Health will be a critically important site of clinical research, offering the latest advancing therapies for dementia, neurodegenerative diseases and all neurologic disorders,” Sudha Seshadri, MD, said. “It will also be a major U.S. center in the recruitment of Hispanics into clinical trials, expanding our nation’s understanding of how these diseases specifically affect them.”
Seshadri is professor of neurology and founding director of the Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Diseases at UT Health San Antonio. The Biggs Institute will share space in the Center for Brain Health with the Department of Neurology of UT Health’s Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long School of Medicine.
“Neurology patient care services, including those for dementia and disorders such as ALS, require comprehensive assessments accompanied by imaging studies, neuropsychology testing, family services and other facets,” said Carlayne Jackson, MD, professor and chairman of the Department of Neurology.
She directs UT Health San Antonio’s Neuromuscular Disorders Program, which offers a Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) Clinic that is one of only 38 MDA/ALS Research Centers in the country. The program also is an ALS Association-Certified Treatment Center of Excellence.
A team of psychologists, radiologists and other professionals in the Center for Brain Health will align closely with the neighboring large outpatient practice at UT Health San Antonio’s Medical Arts and Research Center (MARC).
Learn more about KENS 5:
Since going on the air in 1950, KENS 5 has strived to be the best, most trusted news and entertainment source for generations of San Antonians.
KENS 5 has brought numerous firsts to South Texas television, including being the first local station with a helicopter, the first with its own Doppler radar and the first to air a local morning news program.
Over the years, KENS 5 has worked to transform local news. Our cameras have been the lens bringing history into local viewers' homes. We're proud of our legacy as we serve San Antonians today.
Today, KENS 5 continues to set the standard in local broadcasting and is recognized by its peers for excellence and innovation. The KENS 5 News team focuses on stories that really matter to our community.
You can find KENS 5 in more places than ever before, including KENS5.com, the KENS 5 app, the KENS 5 YouTube channel, KENS 5's Roku and Fire TV apps, and across social media on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and more!
Want to get in touch with someone at KENS 5? You can send a message using our Contacts page or email one of our team members. | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/construction-underway-on-first-of-its-kind-center-for-brain-health-at-ut-health-science-center-san-antonio-hospital-texas-neurology/273-bb9a31fd-edca-4b64-8924-b38eeb0e74bf | 2023-05-07T16:46:13 | 1 | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/construction-underway-on-first-of-its-kind-center-for-brain-health-at-ut-health-science-center-san-antonio-hospital-texas-neurology/273-bb9a31fd-edca-4b64-8924-b38eeb0e74bf |
What to Know
- 30-year-old Jordan Neely died on a train at the Broadway-Lafayette station in Manhattan Monday after allegedly threatening passengers and being put into a chokehold by a rider; that rider, identified as 24-year-old Daniel Penny, was questioned by the NYPD and later released from custody
- The medical examiner's office ruled Neely's death a homicide, which incited a debate around whether the rider's actions were justified defense or vigilantism; he and his attorney have declined comment
- A senior prosecutor with the Manhattan district attorney's office is looking into the case, sources say, and the NYPD is asking anyone with footage or images of what led up to Neely's death for help
Protesters chanting "no justice, no peace," swarmed a Manhattan subway station Saturday, bringing oncoming trains to a halt after dozens jumped down onto the tracks in another day of demonstrations over the chokehold death of Jordan Neely.
New Yorkers have been protesting much of the week following the death of Neely, a 30-year-old killed on a train at the Broadway-Lafayette station Monday and being put into a chokehold by a rider. Daniel Penny, later identified by his own attorneys as that rider, was questioned by the NYPD and later released from custody.
Amid the ongoing investigation, the case has incited calls for Penny — initially hailed as a good Samaritan for intervening — to be arrested. The weekend demonstrators took their chants through the streets of Manhattan before descending to the tracks at Lexington Avenue and East 63rd Street around 6 p.m. Saturday.
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Power was temporarily cut to the station, for roughly 30 minutes, as dozens stood on the tracks, preventing a Q train from entering the station and sending reverberating delays for the lines running through the station. The NYPD said a number of people in the crowd were arrested at the station, but would not provide how many or what charges were being leveled against them.
By 7 p.m., the demonstrators had mostly cleared from the station and back out onto the street. The MTA had resumed train service with some residual delays.
The head of New York City Transit, Richard Davey, said the protesters' actions jumping on the tracks "dangerous, reckless and can be life threatening."
"While peaceful protest has always been part of American fabric, endangering transit workers and other responders, while also delaying New Yorkers just trying to get where they need to go, by deliberately risking contact with an electrified third rail, is unacceptable," the president's statement read Saturday.
At one point in the afternoon, hundreds of people had rallied and marched through downtown as part of the ongoing demand to get justice for Neely's killing. The medical examiner's office has ruled his death a homicide.
A senior prosecutor was said to be looking into the matter and, according to two sources familiar with the matter, was preparing to present the case to a Manhattan grand jury, which would determine whether criminal charges would be brought against Penny.
It wasn't immediately clear when the Manhattan district attorney's office would present those details to the grand jury, the sources said Friday.
"This man had a mental issue and the way you handle that is not to put him in a chokehold and squeeze the life out of him," Rev. Al Sharpton said before the National Action Network on Saturday.
The growing outcry for justice has been bolstered by many who say they are angry and fed up with a system that failed Neely, who was living on the streets, performing as Michael Jackson while battling mental illness.
"Mr. Neely suffered from mental illness which began at age 14 when he experienced the brutal murder of his mother. It is a tragedy for all of us to know that Jordan Neely’s life was also cut short. Mills & Edwards is committed to holding accountable the MTA and Neely’s killer," his family's attorneys said in a statement last week.
During Monday's chaos, witnesses and sources say Neely was acting aggressively on the F train and said that he was hungry, thirsty and didn't care about going to jail, but had not attacked anyone before Penny put him in the deadly chokehold.
"A mental issue on a train is not to be sentenced to death," Sharpton said. "How can no one be charged? That man, Jordan Neely is dead because he was Black, homeless and angry."
Penny's attorneys released the first statement on behalf of their client Friday, saying he "never intended to harm" the 30-year-old homeless man, and "could not have foreseen his untimely death."
"When Mr. Neely began aggressively threatening Daniel Penny and the other passengers, Daniel, with the help of others, acted to protect themselves, until help arrived,' the lawyers' statement reads. "For too long, those suffering from mental illness have been treated with indifference. We hope that out of this awful tragedy will come a new commitment by our elected officials to address the mental health crisis on our streets and subways."
Since Penny's identity was made public, those seeking justice on behalf of Neely have sought to identify the two other people seen holding the man down and hold them accountable.
"I'm looking at the video, you got one man choking and the others holding him down. They all need to be in front of a grand jury," Sharpton said. | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/jordan-neely-protesters-jump-onto-manhattan-train-tracks-stop-subways-before-arrests/4311114/ | 2023-05-07T16:48:17 | 0 | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/jordan-neely-protesters-jump-onto-manhattan-train-tracks-stop-subways-before-arrests/4311114/ |
As New York City cracks down on structurally deficient parking garages in the wake of a deadly collapse in lower Manhattan last month, part of a garage near Times Square has been partially vacated after inspectors uncovered a slew of safety problems.
Four floors of a 9-story commercial parking garage on West 40th Street are now off limits, considered too dangerous after Department of Buildings inspectors found structural problems that worried them.
The partial vacate order issued last week means the parking garage is still open and drivers can still park their cars, just on other floors.
City officials inspected the site after News 4 tipped the DOB off about concerns regarding possible unsafe conditions at the garage. Following a review of the garage, the agency discovered dangerous structural conditions that raised red flags, including missing structural steel supports, corrosion on other steel supports, and unpermitted temporary shoring work.
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The floor that are now off limits because of the partial vacate order include the cellar, and the first, sixth and seventh floors.
The city is ordering the owners to do emergency shoring work. It comes as the city continues to inspect nearly 80 parking garages after the April 18 collapse that killed a 59-year-old manager and injured five others.
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"If other New Yorkers suspect unsafe conditions at a parking structure in their neighborhood, they are strongly encouraged to let us know about it right away by filing an official complaint through 311," a DOB spokesperson told News 4.
All of the garage on the inspection list were either managed by the same company as the Ann Street garage or had previous open violations. So far, the city has issued various vacate orders to eight parking garages between Manhattan and Brooklyn. | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/missing-supports-corrosion-close-part-of-another-parking-garage-amid-nyc-inspections/4311370/ | 2023-05-07T16:48:23 | 0 | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/missing-supports-corrosion-close-part-of-another-parking-garage-amid-nyc-inspections/4311370/ |
The Mary Lou & Arthur F. Mahone Fund has announced 2023 scholarships to be awarded to Kenosha students at the fund’s Reaching for Rainbows “Pursuit of Excellence” gala at Carthage College Tuesday evening.
This year’s awards include nine Mary Lou & Arthur F. Mahone Fund Career Exploration Organization (CEO) scholarships, one Carthage College Mahone Fund Education Access award, and one Carthage College Mahone Fund full-tuition scholarship.
“We are immensely proud of the 2023 class of Mahone Fund scholarship recipients,” said Sabrina Morgan, co-chair of the fund’s Scholarship Committee. “Every year, these scholarship awards are reserved for young leaders who excel academically and embody the principles of hard work, commitment, and community service. The group of students selected this year are no exception to the rule, and they certainly live up to the strong tradition of excellence forged by past Mahone Fund scholars.”
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The event allows Mahone Fund supporters and friends to hear directly from the students about their accomplishments, future goals and aspirations.
This year’s gala, to be held Tuesday, includes a new twist: 2019 Mahone Fund scholars Na’Kia Hughes and Jada Mone’ Robinson will emcee the event, sharing their experiences of academic success.
The event also includes the presentation of the Bryan Albrecht Living Legend Award to retired Kenosha Human Development Services Director Byron Wright and current Kenosha Alderman Anthony Kennedy. The award is granted to individuals or organizations whose lifetime accomplishments represent the late Mary Lou and Arthur F. Mahone’s multicultural, humanitarian and educational philosophy.
Carthage College continues as the host venue, and as the Mahone Fund’s partner on the Education Access and full-tuition scholarships.
“Carthage is proud to continue its longstanding relationship with the Mahone Fund, which shares our commitment to enriching and improving the lives of youth in our community through education,” said Carthage Vice President for Enrollment Ashley Hanson. “The scholarships awarded today will serve to open doors tomorrow for this group of talented, hardworking students.”
“We, too, are pleased to partner with Carthage College and other institutions to support the dreams and aspirations of youth in our community, said Mahone Fund Chairman Tim Mahone. “The involvement of Mahone Scholars in this year’s program is a reflection of what next-generation success looks like.”
Since its inception in 1999, The Mary Lou & Arthur F. Mahone Fund has raised substantial private college scholarship support for local high school students. The scholarships reduce the financial barriers impacting college readiness, access, and affordability for first-generation students.
The Mahone Fund is a component of the Kenosha Community Foundation. Its mission is to provide educational opportunities for economically and academically deserving youth, while also supporting healthy lifestyle initiatives in communities of color. More details are available at https://mahonefund.org.
The 2023 Reaching for Rainbows “Pursuit of Excellence” event will be held at the Carthage College Todd Wehr Center starting with an hors d’oeuvres reception from 5 to 6:15 p.m. The program will begin at 6:30 p.m.
This year’s Reaching for Rainbows gala is now sold out, but event sponsorship or donation opportunities remain. For more information, please call the Mahone Fund office at 262-661-5130 or send an email to chairman@mahonefund.org.
The 2023 scholarship recipients include:
Bradford High School
Mahone Fund CEO Scholarship: Ariana Ervin will be attending Clark Atlanta University where she will study Theater and Performing Arts. She was a member and President of African American Youth Initiative (AAYI), a member DECA and the National Honors Society, and found a new approach for activism in community service. After the riots of 2020, she participated in painting murals for local businesses and helped organize a Building our Future Student Forum for school board candidates. Ariana participated on a Courageous Conversation panel and presented an original poem at the 2022 NAACP Banquet and hopes to continue to use art to serve her community and inspire others.
Mahone Fund CEO Scholarship: Marciara Fuller will be attending Georgia State University where she will be studying nursing. She is a recipient of the Mayor’s Youth Award, was named Student of the Month, was a member and President of the National Honor Society and held leadership positions in DECA. Marciara was a member of African American Female Initiative (AAFI), Leading Ladies, Student Government, Link crew and was the Football Team Manger. She participated in many community events including Building our Future’s Youth Town Hall. She says that she has been motivated by her hardships and thrives to provide equitable care to those around her. Marciara hopes to become a travel nurse and erase the disparity gap within the healthcare system.
Mahone Fund CEO Scholarship: Ja’Nya Parks was born and raised in Kenosha and has a passion for equality and justice, fueled through reading, research and documentaries. Ja’Nya will be attending the University of Wisconsin-Madison to study political science and plans to further her education in law school. She was President of Academic Decathlon and a member of the National Honor Society, Environmental Club, Student Government and Girl’s Basketball. Ja’Nya hopes to become a civil rights attorney to protect the rights of marginalized communities and assist those in need.
Indian Trail High School and Academy
Mahone Fund CEO Scholarship: Keyon Hill-McAbee was born and raised in Kenosha and will be the first in his family to graduate from college. He will be attending Gateway Technical College majoring in Website Programming with goals to continue his education to earn a bachelor’s degree in video editing. He plans to become a website editor/designer. He was a member of the African American Youth Initiative, 3D Printing Club and Student Council. He enjoys doing community service and volunteer work and hopes to continue doing so throughout his college career.
Mahone Fund CEO Scholarship: Vivian Jones is graduating Magna Cum Laude from Indian Trail High School and Academy, is ranked 17th of 272 students, and has served 185 hours of community volunteer hours. As Co-President of Minorities Empowerment, she has established herself as a cultural and social advocate. She is a 4-sport athlete and works as a Medical Assistant with the Respiratory Therapy and Care Department at Froedtert South Hospital in Pleasant Prairie. Vivian will attend the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, majoring in Biomedical Sciences in hopes of becoming a vital impact in the exchanges between medical providers and underrepresented communities, specifically minority women that oftentimes fight to be self-advocates for their medical needs.
Mahone Fund CEO Scholarship: Joshua Robinson was born in Lake Forest, Ill., and raised in Kenosha. He is a member of the National Honor Society, and the African American Youth Initiative. He was co-captain of the Indian Trail Varsity Basketball Team, enjoys sports, and watching and reading about sports and athletes. He is proud that he will be a second-generation college student at Marquette University and plans to major in Communication with a goal to be a sports analyst.
Lakeview Technology Academy
Carthage Access Scholarship: Peyton McRoy will attend Carthage College and plans to major in Psychology. She has had her own business “Made By Pey” since 2014, and has participated in school activities including Yearbook, Choir, Tennis and served as a Teacher’s Aid. Through her planned major, Peyton hopes to learn more about mental illness so that she can help people who struggle with problems. She has been motivated by family members to apply herself to school and to attend and succeed in college and her career.
Reuther High School
Mahone Fund CEO Scholarship: Destiny Washington will attend Gateway Technical College with a major in Liberal Arts and plans to continue to a four-year college to pursue a career in Social Work. She has had her own business “Destiny’s Shoe Customs” and has been a member of the African American Female Initiative (AAFI) and Art Club. She credits her father, who raised her and her siblings, for motivating her and focusing on her future.
Tremper High School
Mahone Fund CEO Scholarship: Kezia Preko will attend Loyola University Chicago. Inspired by how the FBI, police, and forensic scientists analyze evidence to solve crimes, she plans to major in Forensics. Kezia was active in tennis, the African American Youth Initiative (AAYI), Travel Club and was a Teacher’s Assistant. Born in Ghana, Kezia is motivated by opportunities she feels are available in the United States and feels that home is not a location but where you are surrounded by people that love and care for you.
Carthage Full-tuition Scholarship: Lindsie Vasquez will attend Carthage College. Though her major is undecided she is interested in criminal justice as well as law practice. Born in Kenosha, Wisconsin, she was active in art, acting classes, and orchestra. Lindsie has participated in Summer Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra and Solo and Ensemble. She attributes the arts with helping her find out who she is and giving her and others a voice they wouldn’t have without it. She is extremely excited to be able to further her education at Carthage, explore her personal passions and continue to flourish as an individual.
Mahone Fund CEO Scholarship: Ben Wajerski will be attending Northwestern University studying Industrial Engineering. He has served as President for the National Honor Society, the African American Male Initiative (AAMI) and Tremper Student Government. Ben has been Vice President for the Class of 2023 all four years and has been on the Honor Roll each quarter. Ben is a National Honor Society Scholarship Semifinalist and a member of Future Business Leaders of America, Link Crew, and Key Club. He has been active in baseball and soccer, where he also served as Captain. Born in Ethiopia, Ben is motivated by opportunities that lie before him and feels a responsibility to achieve not just for himself, but his parents, the community and for those in need. | https://kenoshanews.com/news/local/mary-lou-arthur-f-mahone-fund-announces-2023-scholarship-recipients/article_a05ae622-eb5d-11ed-8eef-2b7ad9af6ffa.html | 2023-05-07T16:48:36 | 1 | https://kenoshanews.com/news/local/mary-lou-arthur-f-mahone-fund-announces-2023-scholarship-recipients/article_a05ae622-eb5d-11ed-8eef-2b7ad9af6ffa.html |
WINTER GARDEN, Fla. – A security officer working the front gate of Knox Nursey — a cannabis cultivation facility in Winter Garden — was approached by three masked men early Sunday and pistol whipped, according to the Winter Garden Police Department.
Police responded to 940 Avalon Road around 3:42 a.m., according to a news release. The security officer who was hit had attempted to retrieve his own weapon upon seeing a pistol being pointed at him by one of the masked men, but a second security officer managed to draw their own gun on the suspects, prompting the three men to run away, the release states. The security officers described the men as wearing masks and blue hoodies.
An extensive search turned up one of the suspects hiding in a nearby lake, identified as 34-year-old James Brenton, who has so far been uncooperative in the department’s investigation.
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The hurt security officer was taken to a hospital for lacerations to his ear, police said.
No other information was shared.
Anyone with information about the incident was urged to contact Winter Garden police at 407-656-3636, or Crimeline at 1-800-423-TIPS (8477) to remain anonymous.
Get today’s headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily: | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2023/05/07/guard-pistol-whipped-by-masked-men-at-knox-nursery-1-arrested-winter-garden-police-say/ | 2023-05-07T17:07:41 | 1 | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2023/05/07/guard-pistol-whipped-by-masked-men-at-knox-nursery-1-arrested-winter-garden-police-say/ |
LOS ANGELES — Lou Harris fears little when he spends long days surfing — except maybe long-lasting harm if he were not to wear sunscreen.
If he doesn’t protect himself from the sun, Harris, founder of the Black Surfing Association/East Coast based in Rockaway, New York, says he will burn on his nose, lips and chin.
Harris is a regular sunscreen user, but for many people, choosing a sunscreen isn’t easy. Some sunscreens can leave a white cast on dark skin, which may make some people of color reluctant to wear it regularly.
And while there are a number of brands catering to different skin tones, surveys indicate people of color want more choices.
After a long, rainy winter in Arizona and California, summer is coming up fast. But not all of those who venture outdoors may view their chances of incurring sun damage the same. In particular, 61% of Black people and 23% of Latinos said they never wear sunscreen, Consumer Reports found in a 2020 survey.
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Even the darkest skin has a sun protection factor, or SPF, of 13 while dermatologists recommend a minimum of SPF 30 for daily use, Dr. Janiene Luke, residency program director at the Loma Linda University Department of Dermatology in California, explained in a video.
“While it is true that people with darker skin may show delayed signs of photoaging (such as fine lines, wrinkles, sunspots etc.), sun protection is still important,” Luke wrote in an email to Cronkite News.
Those with dark skin are more likely to risk advanced stages of skin cancer, making it potentially more deadly, the American Academy of Dermatology reports. Also, too much sun exposure is one of the factors that can lead to developing patches of darker skin, called hyperpigmentation, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
For all people, no matter what skin tone, “it’s essential to choose a sunscreen with a high SPF value and apply it generously before going out in the sun, and often reapply, especially after swimming or sweating,” said Dr. Sanusi Umar, a dermatologist in Manhattan Beach, California.
A 2022 study published in the medical journal MDEdge Dermatology states that using sunscreens that disappear into the skin offers ultraviolet protection but does little to thwart damage from visible sunlight.
Market research firm Mintel, which monitors the $1.8 billion sun protection market, found 84% of Black sunscreen users said there aren’t enough choices on the market for their particular skin tones.
“The lack of sunscreen made specifically for darker skin tones plays a role in Black consumers’ limited engagement in the category,” stated Carson Kitzmiller, senior beauty and personal care analyst at Mintel, in the report last month.
But increasingly, sunscreens are coming to store shelves that are both fully effective and made for darker skin tones. That’s important since consumers put a higher priority on how they appear wearing sunscreen than on its effectiveness. The MDEdge Dermatology study pointed to a web survey by cosmetic chain Sephora that found 31% of those responding seek “cosmetic elegance” from a sunscreen, followed by product performance at 10%.
Some of the new products were developed by entrepreneurs who themselves are people of color and could sense what the market needed.
“Sunscreens and skin care products have come a long way in the formulation and cosmetic elegance, and I think this is partly due to the increase in minority founders (and) minority-led companies we have seen over time,” said Luke.
Finding an inclusive, cast-free sunscreen is easier than some might think.
Supergoop! promotes itself as having more than 40 options for all skin types, tones and routines, while Undefined Beauty makes R&R Sun Serum, billed as “water-resistant and with a universally flattering tint.”
“Seeing is believing is becoming,” said Undefined Beauty CEO Dorian Morris. “We incorporate diverse illustrations on the packaging because representation matters.” She said with the launch of R&R Sun Serum, her goal was to “undefine” what the sun care category looks like.
Sunscreens should be inclusive, she said, and part of that is changing the narrative. “Within the Black community, SPF is often overlooked as we feel that due to our melanin-rich skin, the sun will not harm us,” overlooking the fact that the sun is still delivering dangerous, damaging UV rays, Morris added.
Harris, whose passion is introducing people of color to surfing, looks to Zinka sunscreen for his sun protection. It’s a sunscreen brand that comes in bright colors — red, blue, green and others — rather than trying to only match skin tones.
Harris said he first heard about Zinka after members in his association started showing up with blue, orange or pink nose coats. He quickly noticed that their skin was not burning with the new product. Zinka has been the only sunscreen in which Harris said he has seen instant results, especially after burning on his nose, lips and chin.
The company takes such endorsements in stride.
“We just really want people to have fun and enjoy our products while getting superior sun protection,” said Lisa Bohenski, general manager of Zinka Sunscreen. | https://tucson.com/news/local/business/new-sunscreen-choices-offer-ray-of-hope-for-people-of-color/article_103d8294-eb70-11ed-ae7f-67aa01d97db8.html | 2023-05-07T17:16:18 | 0 | https://tucson.com/news/local/business/new-sunscreen-choices-offer-ray-of-hope-for-people-of-color/article_103d8294-eb70-11ed-ae7f-67aa01d97db8.html |
Marissa DiPaolo pitched a complete game, struck out three and allowed just three hits to lead the third-seeded Ramapo College softball team to a 2-0 victory over fourth-seeded Stockton in a New Jersey Athletic Conference first-round game Saturday.
The tournament is double-elimination.
With two outs, in the bottom of the first inning, Mahogany Wheeler (Millville High School) drew a walk and, after a Stockton error, Avery Kontura singled in Wheeler and Avery Bartolomeo.
Nerina Tramp allowed just two hits and struck out five in six innings for the Ospreys (19-18). Charli Czaczkowski, Lilly James and Vanessa Tancini each singled.
The Ospreys will play the winner of top-seeded Rowan and sixth-seeded William Paterson at 4 p.m. Tuesday. The Roadrunners will take on second-seeded The College of New Jersey.
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Baseball: Stockton lost to Kean University 17-0 in a New Jersey Athletic Conference Tournament elimination game in Union.
Kean led 5-0 after six innings and scored 12 runs in the final three innings.
Playing with a roster that included 14 freshmen and 13 sophomores, the Ospreys finished the season 22-20. They were one win short of matching the program record and reached the conference tournament for the first time since 2013.
Kean improved to 24-16-1.
Stockton’s only two hits were singles by Cooper Fiore and Nick Avagnano. Stockton starter Alfonso Lombardi, the first of six Ospreys pitchers, gave up nine hits and five runs in 5 2/3 innings, walked four and struck out three.
Stockton went into the losers bracket of the double-elimination NJAC Tournament on Thursday after losing 3-1 to Rowan University.
Kean had 17 hits, including a two-run homer by Josh Jackson. Brett Hilsheimer went 3 for 4 with a double, two runs and two RBIs for the Cougars, and Phil Marcantonio was 3 for 6 with a run and an RBI. Winning pitcher Jason Gilman worked eight innings, gave up two hits, struck out five and walked three.
Despite the outcome, Stockton's season was a success as the Ospreys won 22 games, just one shy of the school record, and qualified for the NJAC Tournament for the first time since 2013 with a young roster that included 14 freshmen and 13 sophomores. | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/sports/local/stockton-loses-first-game-of-double-elimination-njac-softball-tourney-ospreys-baseball-season-ends/article_eefd73ec-ec54-11ed-9ffa-6f50f1281726.html | 2023-05-07T17:17:01 | 0 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/sports/local/stockton-loses-first-game-of-double-elimination-njac-softball-tourney-ospreys-baseball-season-ends/article_eefd73ec-ec54-11ed-9ffa-6f50f1281726.html |
Three Lighthouse Middle School students who participated in a journalism project won a social impact award for their work.
“The award was to acknowledge student work that has illuminated an important, overlooked issue in the community,” said Lighthouse Middle School Language Arts Teacher Kora Moore.
The students who won the award are Paige Horlacher, Andie Slack and Hayley Pallin. Their article is titled, "Vaping is affecting teens at a higher rate than in the past.”
The students said they learned a lot while researching and writing the article.
“My favorite part about this project is that I got to write about something that has a big effect on our world and teens in middle schools and high schools. Teen vaping is something that I have known about – and the dangers about – for awhile,” said Paige Horlacher.
“I've always known how bad it is and the sad part is that not many know the true danger of it,” she said.
Andie Slack said she loves writing in general so writing a journalism article was fun for her.
“I especially loved the part of searching the web for facts and learning new things.” she said.
The student journalists said they hope people who read their article take away an important message about teen vaping.
“I hope they learn that vaping affects people's lives and also makes some people have a shorter life span,” said Hayley Pallin.
“I hope other teenagers and kids will realize the problem and how it can damage you,” Andie Slack added. “Hopefully they will take the hint and stay away from vape pens or cigarettes, knowing it doesn't make you feel better, but instead it makes you feel worse.”
“I really hope that when people read our article they can realize how easy it is for teens to get a hold of vapes and that it isn't just the vapes, it's the stuff that some teens mix into the vapes to make it even more deadly,” said Horlacher.
“Something that I learned about was that you could even get vape pens on Amazon! That's something that would make it incredibly easy to get a hold of, and in my opinion, I feel like there should be a change. Either there should be something to prove your of age or there shouldn't be any way to get it off of there in the first place,” Horlacher said.
Language Arts teacher Moore said overall she was really impressed with all of her students who participated in the journalism project. Moore taught the students about journalism after completing professional development with the Journalistic Learning Initiative.
“The students found this project really relevant. They could clearly understand the connection between what we were doing and things they could apply to their futures – including interview skills and writing professional emails,” Moore said.
They also learned media literacy.
“Students got to look at different news sources and decide what sources are credible or not credible,” Moore said. “We had a really good running joke about, ‘Birds aren’t real and armadillos are robots,’ because you can find anything on the internet. How do you know what really is real and relevant and not misinformation?”
Moore taught the journalism segment to 15 different groups of students across sixth, seventh and eighth grades. Students could write about topics of their choice. The teacher said her students enjoyed the freedom to write about issues that were important to them.
“It was actually pretty incredible. They had such a wide range of topics,” Moore said.
Student journalism topics touched on everything from wildfires and homelessness, to animal shelters, education, racism, beach trash, restaurants, electric cars, trans and homophobia and teen smoking.
“It was a really wide range of topics and we were able to speak with a wide range of people for our interviews. We got to speak to doctors. We got to meet city planners. We got to meet advocates and restaurant owners,” Moore said.
The middle school teacher said she submitted several student projects for awards through The Student Voice, the digital publication of the Journalistic Learning Initiative. This digital publication strives to help students become civically engaged self-directed learners through journalistic story telling and academic discovery.
Moore said the students who worked on the teen vaping story were successful with their article because they were smart about choosing a knowledgeable source, and made good choices about where they got their information.
“That, coupled with the fact that they really wanted to bring attention to their topic, made their story stand out,” the teacher said.
All of the Lighthouse middle school students work, including Paige, Andie and Hayley's award-winning story, can be viewed here: https://sites.google.com/thelighthouseschool.org/lmsn/home | https://theworldlink.com/news/local/middle-school-students-receive-journalism-award/article_e7f073f2-eb86-11ed-ac19-430e8dfdc34b.html | 2023-05-07T17:20:33 | 0 | https://theworldlink.com/news/local/middle-school-students-receive-journalism-award/article_e7f073f2-eb86-11ed-ac19-430e8dfdc34b.html |
Nick Gilbert, son of Rocket Cos. founder Dan Gilbert, dies from genetic condition at age 26
Nick Gilbert, the son of Rocket Companies founder and chairman Dan Gilbert and Jennifer Gilbert, died Saturday from a genetic condition, according to a funeral announcement from the Ira Kaufman Chapel. Nick Gilbert was 26.
Nick Gilbert lived with neurofibromatosis, a condition that causes non-cancerous tumors to grow along nerves in the skin, brain, and other parts of the body.
"Nick died peacefully at home surrounded by family," the chapel notice said.
Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan tweeted condolences on Sunday to the Gilbert family.
"Nick inspired people everywhere with his bravery and brought joy to everyone he met. All of Detroit has the Gilbert family in our prayers today," Duggan said.
Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson tweeted that Dan and Jennifer Gilbert "exemplified love and devotion to their son in so many ways."
"So many were fortunate to know Nick Gilbert as a bright light and inspiration," Benson said.
Nick Gilbert, whose father owns the National Basketball Association's Cleveland Cavaliers, gained the national spotlight in 2011 when he represented the team at the NBA draft lottery just after the departure of Cavaliers superstar LeBron James. The Cavaliers had two draft picks in the lottery and won the lottery by landing the No. 1 selection, which turned into future All Star guard Kyrie Irving.
Irving ended up helping the Cavaliers win an NBA title when LeBron James returned to the Cavaliers after spending four seasons with the Miami Heat. Nick Gilbert was considered the Cavaliers good luck charm.
Nick also represented the Cleveland team at the 2013 draft lottery. The Cavaliers won the No. 1 pick again, which was used on Anthony Bennett.
Cavaliers fans tweeted photos of Nick and his father at Cavaliers games and the NBA Draft Lottery.
In 2022, the Gilbert Family Foundation, a private fund established by Dan and Jennifer Gilbert, announced it was funding more than $18 million in grants toward a cure for Type 1 neurofibromatosis. The money was to fund a three-year campaign as part of the organization's Gene Therapy Initiative.
More:Gilbert Foundation invests $18M toward Gene Therapy Initiative
Diagnosed with NF1 at 15 months old, Nick had multiple brain surgeries, loss of vision and rounds of chemotherapy.
In 2018, he underwent an eight-hour operation and spent more than a month in recovery. After the surgery, Dan Gilbert tweeted out his son was recovering, and that his son's first question post surgery was: "Did Cavs beat OKC?"
The disease can be inherited, but none of the Gilberts' other four children have been diagnosed.
Jennifer Gilbert, who co-founded the Gilbert Family Foundation in 2015 to increase NF research, said last year the foundation and family are committed to finding a cure for the disease and had committed $72.5 million to the effort.
"NF1 affects 1 in 3,000 people throughout the world, including our son Nick. The progress from our last research cycle and the promise of this one continues to give us hope that anyone enduring NF1 will see a cure in our lifetime," Jennifer Gilbert said in a statement last year.
The funeral for Nick Gilbert will be held at Temple Israel on Walnut Lake Road in West Bloomfield Township on Tuesday afternoon followed by an internment at Clover Hill Park Cemetery. | https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/detroit-city/2023/05/07/detroit-businessman-dan-gilberts-son-dies-from-genetic-condition-at-age-26/70192297007/ | 2023-05-07T17:21:35 | 0 | https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/detroit-city/2023/05/07/detroit-businessman-dan-gilberts-son-dies-from-genetic-condition-at-age-26/70192297007/ |
“Strawberries,” announced The Pantagraph of May 29, 1868. “This luscious fruit, with all the necessary accompaniments, and all the chance to spend an agreeable hour besides, can be found at Royce Hall this evening.”
The occasion was the Free Congregational Society’s strawberry festival in one of the cozy auditorium halls in downtown Bloomington.
Spring means many things, but in the mid-19th century it especially meant strawberries, and by the late 1850s, strawberry festivals were all the craze in Bloomington and elsewhere. Organized by churches, fraternal societies, schools and other groups, these events were used as fundraisers, by way of an admission fee or the sale of strawberries, ice cream, cakes and other sweet treats.
Good cause or not, these springtime soirees were really about celebrating nature in all its fecundity and munificence, preferably while flirting with that special someone.
Once railroads reached Bloomington in 1853, strawberries from “Little Egypt” (that is, southern Illinois) were more readily available, meaning the local strawberry season could start a few weeks earlier than that normally set by Mother Nature’s calendar.
“The ‘Strawberry Man’ arrived yesterday, and is now holding forth at the corner of Center and Jefferson streets,” reported the May 16, 1857, Pantagraph. “He expects to leave this afternoon for the southern part of the state.”
A few years later, it was not uncommon to have two or more strawberry festivals a week from mid-May to mid-June. On June 9, 1859, for example, the McLean County Floral Association staged an exhibition at Phoenix Hall on the south side of the courthouse square. The women of First Presbyterian Church were in charge of the strawberries and cream, while the committee of arrangements accepted donations and loans of flowers (from both the garden and the still-wild prairie outside of town), artwork and even caged songbirds, all to decorate the venue.
Canary birds “made the hall fairly ring with their sweet music,” while visitors strolled past works by local artists, including Mary J. Rouse’s painting of Switzerland’s Chillon Castle with its “seven pillars of gothic mould” (in the words of Lord Byron).
During the Civil War, the United States Sanitary Commission, a relief agency supporting sick and wounded soldiers, called for things like fresh strawberries, as well as dried pie plant (rhubarb), gooseberries and currant, putting a dent in the local supply of fresh, dried and canned fruit.
Even wartime, though, could not dampen enthusiasm for strawberries. German-born freethinker Herman Schroeder, known for his large vineyard next to what is now called Evergreen Memorial Cemetery, also cultivated varieties of other fruit.
“Dr. Schroeder called around yesterday with a specimen of his ‘John Brown’ strawberries, which, for size, richness of flavor and general appearance, will take the palm,” declared The Pantagraph of June 2, 1863 (John Brown being the fiery abolitionist who led the Oct. 16-18, 1859 raid on Harpers Ferry, Va.).
And the week after Schroeder’s visit to The Pantagraph, local Methodist congregations organized a strawberry festival, with all money raised going to Bloomington’s German Methodist Episcopal Church.
Yet sometimes there weren’t enough strawberries around to hold any festivals by that name.
“It has been impossible thus far to supply the demand for strawberries, and many families have been disappointed,” stated the May 31, 1865, Pantagraph, this a little less than two months after Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee’s surrender at Appomattox Court House.
Not surprisingly, the number of strawberry festivals increased in the years after the war.
On June 1, 1866, some 500 folks were expected for the Bloomington Base Ball Club’s strawberries-and-ice cream social that evening, with tickets going for 25 cents.
“It is not yet quite time for strawberries from our home vines, but plenty of Egypt’s best will be sold,” noted The Pantagraph.
Other similar events followed, including a “strawberry festival and promenade sociable” at Royce Hall organized by the “ladies of the Catholic Church.” (There was only one Catholic church at the time — what is now Holy Trinity.)
Sadly, in this age of year-round (and often flavorless!) strawberries, with varieties designed for long-haul shipping and extended shelf life, the anticipation of strawberry season is a thing of the past.
Way back on May 23, 1867, the Young Men’s Christian Association laid claim to hosting Bloomington’s first festival of the strawberry season. Held at Herman Schroeder's Opera House on the east side of the courthouse square, the proceeds went to a local poor fund.
“Is there a young man who will allow his fair friend to remain at home and miss the fine show in the Opera House tonight?” asked The Pantagraph.
5 spicy, summer recipes to make this week
This week's recipe roundup features dishes that are spicy and summery at the same time. Think gilled lamb chops or spicy sesame noodles. Also, there's a strawberry shortcake recipe just because.
A long soak in a spicy jalapeno-garlic marinade gives the chops exactly the right amount of kick, with a minty finish.
When you want to get a little creative with your sides, whip up this easy sesame noodle recipe with a spicy peanut sauce.
This 100% from-scratch recipe is better than those processed store-bought cakes from the grocery store. | https://pantagraph.com/news/local/history/bloomington-wild-about-strawberries-in-1800s/article_2e75ff20-ea1c-11ed-95fa-6b02ca34dfb8.html | 2023-05-07T17:31:52 | 0 | https://pantagraph.com/news/local/history/bloomington-wild-about-strawberries-in-1800s/article_2e75ff20-ea1c-11ed-95fa-6b02ca34dfb8.html |
Originally published May 1 on IdahoCapitalSun.com.
Since 1949, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society has raised more than $1.5 billion to establish effective treatments and find a cure for blood cancers through research.
The LLS has helped advance more than 70% of the blood cancer treatment options approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration since 2017, according to the organization. Those treatments have been a lifeline to families facing the daunting diagnosis of blood cancer, including leukemia, lymphoma, myeloma and other rare types of cancers.
Now, eight individuals and three teams of students from Idaho are doing their part to ensure the life-saving research continues through the LLS Visionaries of the Year initiative.
Formerly known as the Man and Woman of the Year Awards, the Visionaries of the Year Award creates a friendly competition among participants to raise the most money they can, in a 10-week campaign to honor local cancer survivors through volunteerism and fundraising.
Organizers hope to raise $100,000 from this year’s competition, which concludes on May 13, when the winners will be announced during an online grand finale celebration.
“This is where the term visionaries comes into mind,” said Adan David Callsen, the campaign development manager for Idaho’s chapter of the LLS. “We’re often doing the work now that may not lead to a cure or a clinical trial or something that’s approved by the FDA for five, six, seven, maybe 10 years out, but we have to have those visionaries doing the research right now to find those cures and to really dive deep into blood cancer.”
LLS VISIONARIES OF THE YEAR FUNDS ALSO SUPPORT FAMILIES, POLICY CHANGES
But funding research isn’t the only way money raised from the competition can help survivors.
Participants can also select to support two other important mission pillars of the LLS through their fundraising: providing education and support to cancer survivors and their families — including assistance with identifying and enrolling in clinical trials — and mobilizing advocates and volunteers to drive policy changes that accelerate the development of new cancer treatments and break down barriers to care, Callsen said.
Tom Wheeler, a Realtor and co-founder of the HomeFound Group affiliated with Keller Williams Realty in Boise, didn’t hesitate to join the competition one day before it launched because he believes in the mission of the LLS and giving back to his community.
He chose to direct his fundraising toward the patient advocacy pillar.
“In Idaho, there’s a lack of (resources),” he said. “There’s transportation needs; there’s rural areas. So, to me, it was really the human element of the cancer diagnosis experience that stuck out to me.”
Wheeler, who helped establish Idaho’s first chapter of the LGBTQ+ Real Estate Alliance, said it was also important for him to represent the LGBTQ+ community and show its willingness to step up and contribute to causes that affect Idaho.
“The term ‘visionary’ really feels like it resonates with being an LGBTQ business owner and community member,” he said. “I’m rallying my supporters, my clients, my friends, my community, the businesses I frequent … all those folks that support me and the work that I do for a good cause.”
The experience has allowed him to interview and connect with cancer survivors in the Treasure Valley as he’s promoted his fundraising goal through sponsorships, businesses matching donations, a silent auction and even dinner parties. As he aims to become the first LGBTQ+ Visionary of the Year Award winner in Idaho, the competition has allowed him to have conversations with people he knows about their own cancer diagnoses.
“I’ve met so many folks who have had cancer experiences themselves that I’m acquainted with and had no idea (they were survivors),” Wheeler said. “So it’s been a really cool opportunity to have a deeper level of vulnerable conversation with folks who’ve been affected by it.”
Bringing people together from all walks of life is one of the core missions of the Visionaries fundraiser, Callsen said, because “cancer doesn’t care if you’re Black or white, what race you are, what gender you are, what political party you belong to.”
“There are so many things that are polarizing right now, but cancer doesn’t discriminate against anybody,” Callsen said. “Literally every type of person is affected by this. I feel like this is one of those unique opportunities, specifically here in Idaho, to really focus on bringing people together versus tearing us apart because … cancer is a common enemy.”
IDAHO STUDENT GROUPS GIVE BACK TO LEUKEMIA AND LYMPHOMA SOCIETY
Jada Nguyen and Addison Cardoza are no strangers to activism and volunteerism through One Stone-Boise, a student-led and -directed nonprofit founded in 2008.
The two 15-year-old Renaissance High School students dedicate each Thursday to Project Good, a program through One Stone that tackles about 15-20 projects per year to better the community.
The students work with a cancer support group and often volunteer for the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Idaho with the aim to understand how the disease affects our community. They regularly interview health care workers and oncologists to understand cancer and its impacts, which is how they met Callsen and became involved in the Visionaries project as Team Cancer Crushers.
“Out of the three pillars — advocacy, support and research — we chose research, because we’re really interested in the different treatments that LLS has gotten approved on a nationwide level,” Nguyen said. “They recently got a new treatment approved through the research that was funded by this fundraiser that we’re doing now, which is super cool. That’s helping people across America right now.”
Both of Nguyen’s parents and Cardoza’s mother work in health care, and the stories and experiences of their parents’ patients have always stuck with them, Nguyen and Cardoza said.
“I believe that health care should be a universal right, and us doing this fundraiser itself is helping so many people,” Cardoza said. “Right now, as students, we can’t work in hospitals, but we can actually help those people who are in hospitals.”
They’ve held fundraisers at a local pizza shop and encouraged friends and family to learn about the stresses of cancer and donate to their cause.
“I really want to put that impact out to my community and to the whole entire nation and see what I can do to help those in need,” Cardoza said. | https://www.idahopress.com/news/local/breaking-down-barriers-to-care-meet-the-idaho-visionaries-competing-to-find-a-blood-cancer/article_e50880ac-e9fc-11ed-aebc-f7de6b2d60e6.html | 2023-05-07T17:46:44 | 1 | https://www.idahopress.com/news/local/breaking-down-barriers-to-care-meet-the-idaho-visionaries-competing-to-find-a-blood-cancer/article_e50880ac-e9fc-11ed-aebc-f7de6b2d60e6.html |
The rural Meridian home Tara McCallister and her family bought early in the COVID-19 pandemic to escape urban life had a 5-acre yard rife with shoulder-high weeds and dead fruit trees.
Rather than putting in sod to improve the property’s aesthetics, McCallister came up with an alternate beautification plan that’s also providing her family a supplemental income, using skills learned through University of Idaho Extension’s Master Gardener program.
McCallister is among a growing group of Treasure Valley property owners who are devoting residential yard space for raising and selling cut flowers. The Master Gardener program has provided aspiring entrepreneurs in the budding field of homegrown cut flowers with a trusted source for training and helpful tips.
McCallister sells her cut flowers at farmers markets and via subscription services, through which locals pick up bouquets throughout the growing season. She recently sold out every slot for a wreath-making course that made use of her dried flower petals. Her expansive flower garden also makes an idyllic setting for paid events, such as wedding showers.
Through Master Gardeners, McCallister has become well versed in the science of gardening, broadening her background in soil health, irrigation, fertility management and controlling pests and weeds. An Advanced Master Gardener who spoke to her class gave her valuable tips for designing the perfect greenhouse in which to raise flower seedlings. She’s also become better prepared to answer frequent questions from the public that come with being a professional gardener, including from aspiring cut-flower gardeners.
“I think the Master Gardener program helped me not only with actual knowledge, but also with the confidence and resources to problem solve as we move forward,” McCallister said. “As we are expanding our business, I feel like my foundation is so much stronger, and it also helps me in representing the agricultural community to our customer base.”
Participants must perform 50 hours of community service to become certified as Master Gardeners. McCallister helped with the landscaping at the UI Extension office in Ada County. She also answered phone calls and interfaced with community members seeking information about specific plants and insects from the program’s diagnostic lab. Furthermore, she taught some beginning gardening courses.
McCallister believes interest in growing cut flowers on residential property ballooned in response to the pandemic, as people looked for opportunities to maintain a safe social distance while working outside and surrounding themselves with beauty. Early in her endeavor, McCallister joined a Facebook group for Treasure Valley flower farmers — most of whom raised beds in their suburban yards.
About 25 local flower farmers showed up to a social gathering McCallister hosted at her home, including Adele Smith, who was in her Master Gardener class.
Smith worked as a healthcare administrator with the Veterans Administration in Boise before leaving her career of 13 years to raise cut flowers full time. She grows some of them in her one-third-acre downtown Boise yard. She also rents land and a greenhouse in Garden City for cut flower production and raises more flowers in an acquaintance’s backyard, providing the property owner the chance to have a garden without putting in the work.
“During COVID, hospital staff, we were all so burned out. I read a book about cut flower production, and I thought, ‘Oh my gosh!’” Smith said.
Prior to making the life-changing transition, as an exercise in a leadership training program, Smith was asked to identify her personal short-term and long-term goals. Her short-term goal was to become a Master Gardener. In her home office, her certificate of completion from Master Gardeners hangs beside her master of public health certificate.
“There’s no way I’m going to call myself a professional gardener unless I have some kind of certificate that validates it,” Smith said. “I think it was always a pipedream for me to have a badge of honor to say, ‘I am a Master Gardener.’”
Smith supplies local florists, and like McCallister, she sells bouquet subscriptions directly to area residents. Furthermore, she partners with local wineries, bringing in buckets of bulk flowers for bouquet-building workshops and wine tastings.
“There are so many people moving to Idaho and so many people have no concept of how to grow in our soil,” Smith said. “They’re hungry for knowledge.”
UI Extension educators involved in the Master Gardener program have also noticed the trend of patrons seeking information on raising cut flowers on residential properties. In recent years, the Extension office in Ada County has been fielding three or four calls about cut flower production per month.
“It seems to be a really up-and-coming thing,” said UI Extension educator Susan Bell, Ada County. “What we find with the Master Gardener clinic we have, which is a free clinic, we’re getting the public calling the Master Gardeners on how to get started with their flower farm.”
In Twin Falls County, UI Extension educator Andy West fields frequent calls from people interested in raising cut flowers with questions about how to break new ground, when to add fertilizer and why soil testing is important. He’s heard from a few gardeners who raised cut flowers in California and moved to Magic Valley, seeking guidance on how to continue production in a new growing area.
A former Pocatello florist who recently moved to Twin Falls also contacted West. She’s now raising flowers in Twin Falls to supply hard-to-find flowers to her former flower shop.
“It’s a trend that’s moving here in southern Idaho and up into the Boise Valley,” West said. “It’s a nice niche market.” | https://www.idahopress.com/news/local/master-gardeners-helping-patrons-raise-commercial-cut-flowers-from-home/article_e98b2954-eb96-11ed-9114-07f35dca7e4b.html | 2023-05-07T17:46:50 | 0 | https://www.idahopress.com/news/local/master-gardeners-helping-patrons-raise-commercial-cut-flowers-from-home/article_e98b2954-eb96-11ed-9114-07f35dca7e4b.html |
Ripon theater to hold open auditions for its summer musical: Your weekly dose
Performances of 'A-Wop Bob A-Loo Bop' will be Aug. 11-13.
RIPON - Ripon Area Community Theatre will hold open auditions for its summer musical, “A-Wop Bop A-Loo Bop,” on May 12-13 in Ripon and Waupun.
Auditions are open to actors 12 and older. Those auditioning should be prepared to sing and read portions of scenes.
Auditions will be 5 to 7 p.m. May 12 and 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. May 13 in the Fellowship Hall of the First Congregational Church, 220 Ransom St., Ripon; and 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. May 13 in the Carnegie Room at the Waupun Public Library, 123 S. Forest St., Waupun.
Sign up to audition at ract.riponnoonkiwanis.org/summe-musical-auditions. Walk-ins are welcome.
Performances will be Aug. 11, 12 and 13.
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We appreciate your readership! Support our work by subscribing. Find details online or call 1-877-424-5048 and give offer code W-C4 to subscribe. | https://www.fdlreporter.com/story/news/local/2023/05/06/ripon-area-community-theatre-holds-auditions-for-summer-2023-musical/70176266007/ | 2023-05-07T17:49:30 | 0 | https://www.fdlreporter.com/story/news/local/2023/05/06/ripon-area-community-theatre-holds-auditions-for-summer-2023-musical/70176266007/ |
FORT SMITH, Ark. — Bikers from all over the region and the Fort Smith community came to the 2023 Steel Horse Rally.
5NEWS spoke to bikers at the event and they say "It's a motorcycle rally...we wanted to enjoy the motorcycles...it's a brotherhood."
A brotherhood that's grown to more than 200,000 people last year, according to organizers and city officials. This year it's expected to have grown even larger.
"What I love about the event is it's not just for a specific demographic, it's for people of all ages there's tons of stuff for everybody to do," said Josh Buchfink, City of Fort Smith.
Thousands came out for fun, food, and games all for a good cause. The rally raised money for local charities and paid tribute to those who serve.
"I love their mission and that's to honor all who served...that's veterans, first responders, police...but also to help the community to give back and they've done that year after year," Buchfink said.
Steel Horse Rally President, Dennis Snow says this year they have a projected economic impact of 22 million dollars which he says is a win-win for everyone. City officials say with the event happening downtown hotels and businesses on Garrison are seeing an uptick in revenue this weekend.
"Because this is an opportunity for them to get their name out there to different people and to really sell to people who may really not otherwise come by downtown. So it's a good opportunity for them to show locals as well that 'hey we're here this is some of the things we offer',” Buchfink explained.
Not only is this event impacting downtown Fort Smith in a positive way but it's benefiting those in need through philanthropy.
"Steel horse rally has donated several thousand dollars to us,” said Sharon Chapman, children's service league president.
Children's service league is a nonprofit organization that provides clothes to students in need in the Fort Smith school district. Chapman says she's grateful to be a recipient of this event.
"The financial support that we've received from the steel horse rally has helped us to provide additional clothing - products such as shoes, socks, underwear, t-shirts....we provide clothing from head to toe,” Chapman said.
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To report a typo or grammatical error, please email KFSMDigitalTeam@tegna.com | https://www.5newsonline.com/article/news/local/steel-horse-rally-economic-impact-fort-smith-event-motorcycle/527-1afa1c0d-9c4b-4bf3-a3fe-1975279c2e54 | 2023-05-07T18:03:20 | 1 | https://www.5newsonline.com/article/news/local/steel-horse-rally-economic-impact-fort-smith-event-motorcycle/527-1afa1c0d-9c4b-4bf3-a3fe-1975279c2e54 |
Four people were shot in separate incidents throughout the city on Saturday night, law enforcement officials said.
In West Philadelphia, at about 9:48 p.m., police responded after a 28-year-old man was shot multiple times while, according to law enforcement officials, he was attempting to steal a vehicle.
The man has been transported to a local hospital where he was listed in critical condition.
Officials said an arrest has been made and a weapon was recovered in this incident.
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About an hour later, at 10:43 p.m., a 26-year-old man was shot in the right leg while walking along the 5000 block of Old York Road in the city's Logan neighborhood, police said.
The victim of this shooting was able to walk himself into a nearby hospital, where he was listed in stable condition, according to police. No arrests have been made, but officials said an investigation is underway into this incident.
Then, at about 11:20 p.m., two men were injured in a shooting that happened along the 2400 block of North Marston Street in North Philadelphia, police said.
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According to police a 51-year-old man was shot once in the hip and twice in the hand, while a 28-year-old man was shot once in the arm.
Both men, officials said, were transported to nearby hospitals where they were listed in stable condition. No arrests have been made in this shooting, but, law enforcement officials said an investigation is ongoing.
This is a breaking news story. It will be updated as more information becomes available.
There are additional resources for people or communities that have endured gun violence in Philadelphia. Further information can be found here.
Sign up for our Breaking newsletter to get the most urgent news stories in your inbox. | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/man-stealing-vehicle-among-four-shot-on-saturday-night-police-say/3561386/ | 2023-05-07T18:05:17 | 0 | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/man-stealing-vehicle-among-four-shot-on-saturday-night-police-say/3561386/ |
ALLEN, Texas — Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced Sunday morning that he'll be traveling to Allen later in the day, in the wake of the mass shooting that killed eight victims at the Allen Premium Outlets mall Saturday afternoon.
Abbott confirmed the Allen visit in an interview on Fox News Sunday with Shannon Bream, in which the governor emphasized mental health as the "long-term solution" for gun violence in America.
"People want a quick solution," Abbott told Bream. "The long-term solution here is to address the mental health issue."
Abbott's mental health talking point was in response to Bream sharing Fox News poll results from April that showed an overwhelming majority of respondents - all above 80% - supported proposals to reduce gun violence, such as background checks for guns, enforcing existing laws for guns, raising the legal age to buy guns to 21, and requiring mental health checks.
Abbott told Bream that there has been an increase in shootings "in both red states and blue states" that have varying levels of gun control laws.
"One thing that we can observe very easily is that there has been a dramatic increase in the amount of anger and violence that is taking place in America," Abbott said. "And what Texas is doing in a big-time way is we are working to address that anger and violence by going to its root cause, which is addressing mental health problems behind it."
Abbott called the Allen shooting "just devastating."
"Texans are hurting today," Abbott told Bream. "The people who are hurting the most are the families of the victims, families who lost a loved one. Our main priority right now is to help and support those families and the Allen community."
Authorities have not confirmed much information about the shooter and what type of weapon he used. They also have not released his name, though sources told WFAA that FBI agents were at his home in northeast Dallas on Saturday night.
More coverage of the Allen outlet mall shooting: | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/allen-texas-outlet-mall-shooting-governor-greg-abbott-fox-news-interview-reaction-victims-suspect/287-bff31cf6-e8c9-4984-b0a2-8727774381dd | 2023-05-07T18:13:53 | 0 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/allen-texas-outlet-mall-shooting-governor-greg-abbott-fox-news-interview-reaction-victims-suspect/287-bff31cf6-e8c9-4984-b0a2-8727774381dd |
ENNIS, Texas — The Texas Commission of Environment Quality (TCEQ) has required the City of Ennis to issue a Boil Water Notice, according to city officials.
An official told WFAA that the City of Ennis Water Plant lost power Saturday night due to the storms. Power has since been restored and there is water available, but the water pressure dropped to a point where a Boil Water Notice was deemed mandatory.
Ennis officials say customers need to boil their water before consuming it (washing hands/face, drinking, brushing teeth, etc.).
To make sure there are no harmful bacteria or other microbes, officials suggest bringing your water to a "vigorous rolling boil," then allow it to boil for two minutes before letting it cool off.
The city will issue a notice once the Boil Water Notice has been lifted.
Click here to look at other guidelines.
Other local news: | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/ennis-texas-boil-water-notice/287-9e8854e9-1ce8-41d5-869a-51e865682066 | 2023-05-07T18:13:59 | 1 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/ennis-texas-boil-water-notice/287-9e8854e9-1ce8-41d5-869a-51e865682066 |
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) – The District 1-3A baseball playoffs have been put on hold following an in-game altercation between Elizabethton and Unicoi County high schools Saturday afternoon at TVA Credit Union Ballpark.
Video of the incident shows an altercation beginning between a pair of competing players at third base, followed by a rush of players exiting their respective dugouts.
The game did not resume following the altercation and was suspended in the seventh inning, according to Unicoi County Director of Schools John English.
English told News Channel 11 the TSSAA is reviewing the events and umpire reports before making a determination as to if, or how, the game will proceed.
Due to the suspension of Saturday’s game, Sunday’s District 1-3A championship game has been postponed.
According to English, he and the Director of Elizabethton City Schools, Richard Van Huss spoke at length with Gene Menes of the TSSAA on Saturday evening. English said both schools made a proposal that they were “unified in.”
English said a final decision from the state’s governing body could come as late as tomorrow. | https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/benches-clear-after-altercation-at-unicoi-elizabethton-district-1-3a-playoff-game/ | 2023-05-07T18:21:39 | 0 | https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/benches-clear-after-altercation-at-unicoi-elizabethton-district-1-3a-playoff-game/ |
CEDAR FALLS — The University of Northern Iowa Family Business Center will welcome Robert Pasin, chief wagon officer at Radio Flyer, to the virtual stage to discuss the family business’ governance strategies.
“Balancing Legacy and Innovation In the Family Business” will focus on the balancing act between the legacy of the business and the spirit of entrepreneurship that so many emerging leaders are experiencing. It is the final Virtual Breakfast Series session of the FBC’s 2022-23 season. Registration is required to receive the Zoom link, and all members of family-owned businesses are welcome to attend the event for free.
“One of the most powerful attributes of a family business is legacy, but the trick is being able to harness that tradition in order to fuel creativity and growth,” Pasin said in a news release. The iconic wagon manufacturing company is based in Chicago.
“Staying relevant in the family business requires both innovation and entrepreneurship,” Dan Beenken, director of the UNI FBC, said in the release. “Multi-generational companies often look very different from the business that the founder established, and we offer families the support they need to grow and develop – personally and as an organization.”
The FBC offers a suite of services to family-owned businesses in Iowa and surrounding states. It functions with a membership model and hosts multiple virtual and in-person events each year, including the Iowa Family Business Conference. | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/education/chief-wagon-officer-of-radio-flyer-to-speak-on-panel-about-innovation-in-family-businesses/article_b278b5f2-e8a4-54c5-a98c-e6b66da88c18.html | 2023-05-07T18:21:56 | 1 | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/education/chief-wagon-officer-of-radio-flyer-to-speak-on-panel-about-innovation-in-family-businesses/article_b278b5f2-e8a4-54c5-a98c-e6b66da88c18.html |
COURIER STAFF
WATERLOO — Waterloo Community Schools has named Megan Allen the director of special education, pending approval by the Board of Education.
Allen is currently special education coordinator for Waterloo Schools, a position she has held since 2020. In that role, she has directed the work of instructional coaches and behavior support specialists throughout the district, designed and delivered professional development for instructional strategists, and coordinated the administration of Iowa’s Alternate Assessments.
Prior to her current role, Allen has served the district as a special education instructional coach, a comprehensive intervention model coach, and an instructional strategist at Lincoln Elementary School.
Interviews with royal fans, Sarah Exner, Kim Bilson and Mari Boepple, waiting on the Mall in London ahead of King Charles III's Coronation on Saturday.
Allen holds an advanced studies certificate with a focus on principalship in the area of Pre-K-12 supervisor of special education from the University of Northern Iowa. She also holds an advanced students certificate in literacy intervention, and an endorsement in special education consulting. She earned her bachelor’s degree in elementary education from the UNI in 2009 and her masters degree as an instructional strategist in 2015 from Sioux City’s Morningside University.
Allen replaces Sandy Schmitz, who was named to the position in 2021.
Photos: A look back at the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II ... 70 years ago
This image in Trafalgar Square, London, June 2, 1953, shows crowds of people gathering in the hope of seeing the coronation procession of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II later that day.
AP file
The Very Reverend Alan Campbell Don KCVO, Dean of Westminster, bears St. Edward's Crown during the Procession of Regalia, prior to the coronation of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II at Westminster Abbey, London, June 2, 1953.
AP file
Surrounded by his clerics and ladies-in-waiting, Queen Elizabeth II sits in the Chair of Estate in Westminster Abbey, London on June 2, 1953, before being crowned. In royal gallery in background, Queen mother Elizabeth is leaning over to attend to the unseen little Prince Charles. Princess Margaret also lends a hand. Duchess of Gloucester may be seen at right in royal gallery.
AP file
The Archbishop of Canterbury, foreground, reads the Benediction to Britain's Queen Elizabeth during the coronation ceremony in this June 2, 1953 photo.
AP file
Britain's Queen Elizabeth II is crowned the Monarch of Britain holding the Royal Scepter, sat on throne, wearing St. Edward's crown, at Westminster Abbey, in London, June 2, 1953.
AP file
Queen Elizabeth II passing through Westminster Abbey, London wearing her crown on June 2, 1953.
AP file
Queen Elizabeth II, wearing her crown, center foreground, leads the procession through Westminster Abbey's nave after her coronation in London, England, June 2, 1953. The Queen of England is flanked by the Bishop of Durham Rev. Arthur Michael Ramsay, left, and the Bishop of Bath and Wells High Rev. Harold William Bradfield. Maids of honor follow behind, carrying the cape.
AP file
In this June 2, 1953 file photo, Britain's Queen Elizabeth II wearing the bejeweled Imperial Crown and carrying the Orb and Scepter with Cross, leaves Westminster Abbey, London, at the end of her coronation ceremony.
AP file
The Queen's train is lifted by footman as she leaves Buckingham Palace, to enter the state coach to drive to Westminster Abbey, London, for the coronation this morning June 2, 1953, for Elizabeth to become Queen Elizabeth II.
AP file
The smiling Queen Elizabeth framed in the window of the State coach as she left Buckingham Palace quadrangle for Westminster Abbey for the Coronation ceremony on June 2, 1953 in London.
AP file
Part of the parade of Commonwealth troops pass under Marble Arch, London, June 2, 1953, on the processional drive from Westminster Abbey, following the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.
AP file
The Gold State Coach, carrying Britain's Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, leaves Hyde Park en route to Buckingham Palace following the Queen's coronation at Westminster Abbey. London, June. 2, 1953.
AP file
Members of the Ceylon contingent march through Picadilly Circus, London, during the processions following the coronation of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, June. 2, 1953.
AP file
A carriage carrying Sir Robert Gordon Menzies, Prime Minister of Australia, passes through Picadilly Circus, London, following the coronation of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, June. 2, 1953.
AP file
In this June. 2, 1953 file photo, Britain's Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh wave to supporters from the balcony at Buckingham Palace, following her coronation at Westminster Abbey, London.
AP file
Britain's Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, gather with other members of the British Royal Family to greet supporters from the balcony at Buckingham Palace following her coronation, which took place in Westminster Abbey, London, June 2, 1953.
AP file
With her majesty, Queen Elizabeth II are her family and other members of the Royal family. From left to right are front row: Prince Michael of Kent and his mother the Duchess of Kent (behind her is her elder son, the Duke of Kent; Princess Martha of Norway; Princess Margaret (sister of the Queen); Queen Elizabeth; the Duke of Edinburgh; Queen Elizabeth the Queen mother; the Princess Royal (Aunt of the Queen); the Duchess of Gloucester, and Princess Alice, countess of Athlone (great-aunt of the Queen). Between the Queen Mother and the Princess Royal can be seen the Duke of Gloucester. In front of the Duchess of Gloucester are her two sons, Prince Richard (left) and Prince William. In front of the Queen are her two children, Prince Charles and princess Anne. The Queen wears the imperial state crown and her coronation robes. The Queen and her family gathered at Buckingham Palace for this Coronation portrait on June 2, 1953.
AP Photo/London Times
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The award-winning Kenosha HarborMarket returns for its 21st outdoor season on Saturday, May 13, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., on Second Avenue and the adjacent Place de Douai.
Make Kenosha HarborMarket part of your Saturday routine and partake in the gorgeous park-like setting, tree lined streets, two live music tents, special events throughout the season and the freshest and best variety of local foods and artisan creations in the region. Amenities include free parking as well as indoor restrooms.
More than 150 vendors
Bring bags, yes bags and an empty stomach. You’re going to need both. With more than 100 booths ever Saturday, there is so much to explore, learn and experience. Thirty new vendors are eager to meet you this season.
Find fresh, in-season fruits and vegetables, some organically grown. Over a dozen produce vendors including Churchill Orchards, with berries and stone fruits, as well as Piscasaw Gardens and Van Laar’s Fruit Farm with super-sweet Mirai sweet corn, will be back. Vintage Prairie Farm will again have heirloom varieties of vegetables and herbs. Sherwood Game Farm and Adoption Acres will both bring cuts of beef, pork and chicken, as well as fresh eggs, all raised on their local farms. Stamper Cheese returns with their cut-to-order cheese selection, as will Glas All Naturals with their cheese spread.
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Come hungry and stay for breakfast and lunch. Over two dozen prepared food and beverage vendors will participate this season, including familiar favorites as well as a dozen new cuisine options.
Artisan breads, pies, French pastries, cheesecakes, toffee, cookies and so many more sweet treat options await you. Pick up handmade fresh and dried pastas, ravioli, pasta sauces, fruit preserves, snacks, seasonings, olive oils and vinegars, hot sauces and much more. Find soap and body care products, jewelry, clothing, woodworking and other artisan creations as well as dog and cat treats, toys and accessories. Onsite knife sharpening is available every week while you shop
Special events
Adding to the HarborMarket experience are events, including a Bags Tournament and Maypole Dance on opening day. Check out the Kenosha Public Library’s Bookmobile as well as performances by The Puppet Underground. For those with a green thumb, the Four Seasons Garden Club plant sale will take place on May 20 and the Racine Kenosha Master Gardener Association will attend regularly. On Oct. 7, Italian American Heritage Day at HarborMarket will feature Italian foods and entertainment.
KHM is so much more than a market — it’s an experience; a treat for all senses; a place to meet family and friends to explore new cuisines and live music, learn about gardening, pick up one of a kind artisan creations and find fresh produce and proteins from local producers.
Make a day of it every Saturday starting May 13. See you at KenoshaHarborMarket, your weekly destination for shopping local since 2003 and Kenosha’s Best Event in 2021 and 2022.
Our theme is “Kenosha HaborMarket — Eat.Shop. Relax. Repeat.”
For more information, visit www.kenoshaharbormarket.com. | https://kenoshanews.com/news/local/community-update-from-kenosha-habormarket-twenty-first-outdoor-season-opens-on-saturday-may-13/article_0720c7be-ec35-11ed-aeb5-e7a6b602fcc6.html | 2023-05-07T18:28:58 | 0 | https://kenoshanews.com/news/local/community-update-from-kenosha-habormarket-twenty-first-outdoor-season-opens-on-saturday-may-13/article_0720c7be-ec35-11ed-aeb5-e7a6b602fcc6.html |
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – Julie Brim-Edwards is a long-time member of the Portland School Board and is now running for Multnomah County Commissioner in District Three after the position was vacated by Jessica Vega-Pederson when she was elected as commission chair.
District Three is in Southeast Portland, roughly between Cesar Chavez Boulevard and Southeast 148th.
Brim-Edwards, who is also a former Nike executive, says she has a 30-year track record as a community and business leader “basically pulling people together to create solutions and getting things done,” which she hopes to bring to the county position.
“I’m from east Portland, I grew up here, I went to public schools, and I see that we have really big challenges related to homelessness, access to mental health services, drug treatment and also our neighborhoods are less safe,” Brim-Edwards told KOIN 6 News.
The candidate says she’s “not at all” satisfied with the county’s response to the homeless crisis.
“The county needs to take immediate effective action and the fact that we have thousands of people living on the streets without basic services, without a path to shelter or to permanent supportive housing is completely unacceptable and it’s a humanitarian crisis. It’s heartbreaking for the individuals who are in that situation and also for the neighborhoods and the community in which they’re living,” Brimm-Edwards said.
“As a county commissioner, I’m really going to push for more immediate, urgent action to end street camping, help move those individuals into shelters where they’re safe, they get stabilized and get on a path to permanent supportive housing.”
Besides addressing the homeless crisis, Brim-Edwards says she’ll also work to combat crime if elected as county commissioner.
“In District Three, there are very high levels of crime and gun violence and not only in our neighborhoods but also local businesses struggling with vandalism and crime,” Brim-Edwards said. “I’m going to be a champion and advocate for more resources, both in terms of law enforcement so they have adequate staffing — people call 911, they actually respond in a timely way– but that also the district attorney has resources in order to be able to investigate and prosecute those who have committed crimes, those who have engaged in gun violence.”
Reflecting on her role as a Portland Public Schools board member, the commissioner hopeful said the board has focused on helping students academically, socially and mentally, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It’s heartbreaking, the impact the pandemic had on our students both academically and their social, emotional health not being around other students and their peers,” Brim-Edwards said.
“So, as a school district, we have focused resources on sort of two main places. One, helping students catch up – whether that’s adding additional resources into the school year, the school day, or adding some additional summer programming so students can get that extra boost and acceleration academically,” Brim-Edwards explained. “And the second thing is, we’ve added social workers, counselors, mental health professionals to really provide support to students based on the social isolation being out of school for a long period of time and the trauma that impacted lots of our students – they may have lost family members due to COVID.”
Brim-Edwards says there are approximately 46,000 students enrolled in Portland public schools after the district saw enrollment decline by more than 1,000 students and notes there needs to be outreach to parents to increase enrollment.
As the board works on the schools’ budget process, she says while there may be some “reductions,” she does not expect drastic budget cuts.
“We may have teachers who lose their positions in a particular school but we expect that they’ll be deployed to other schools. There probably will be reduction in the number of teachers because we have fewer students, but we’ll still have smaller class sizes and it’s unlikely that those teachers will lose their jobs, they will probably get a different assignment.” | https://www.koin.com/local/multnomah-county/multco-candidate-aims-to-address-unacceptable-response-to-homelessness/ | 2023-05-07T18:30:16 | 0 | https://www.koin.com/local/multnomah-county/multco-candidate-aims-to-address-unacceptable-response-to-homelessness/ |
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — An apartment fire in Seaside, OR Saturday night displaced seven families, authorities said.
Just after 8:00 p.m., Seaside Fire & Rescue responded to a fire at an apartment building at 365 South Columbia Street where they said they found a single-story building with four units ablaze.
While crews fought the flames, authorities said one man had to be transported to a hospital for minor injuries.
According to Seaside officials, utilities in the surrounding area had to be disconnected to successfully put out the fire.
Due to the impact on water and power in the area, seven families were displaced and officials said that Red Cross responded to handle their care.
By 10:44 p.m., officials said the situation was handled and crews began to leave.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation. | https://www.koin.com/local/oregon-coast/7-families-displaced-after-apartment-fire-in-seaside/ | 2023-05-07T18:30:22 | 1 | https://www.koin.com/local/oregon-coast/7-families-displaced-after-apartment-fire-in-seaside/ |
Midland police reported a 43-year-old man was killed while attempting to cross Florida Avenue early Sunday morning.
Around 2 a.m. officers with the Midland Police Department and EMS personnel were dispatched to the 200 block of East Florida Avenue in reference to a crash with a pedestrian. EMS personnel arrived and found a pedestrian in the roadway deceased.
“Initial investigation by the Midland Police Department Traffic Unit discovered that the male was attempting to cross the roadway from the north side of the street to the south,” MPD reported. “He was not using the crosswalk and was struck by a vehicle traveling westbound.”
MPD reported next of kin has not been notified and that the investigation is still on-going.
The fatality is the 18th reported inside Midland County this year, according to Reporter-Telegram records. | https://www.mrt.com/news/local/article/midland-pd-investigates-pedestrian-fatality-south-18084360.php | 2023-05-07T18:32:14 | 0 | https://www.mrt.com/news/local/article/midland-pd-investigates-pedestrian-fatality-south-18084360.php |
ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – An Iowa family back from vacationing in Central Florida has searched everywhere to no avail for “Bruce,” a stuffed elephant that belonged to their late son Gabryel and now contains a bag of his ashes.
Described in a Facebook post, Bruce was given to Gabryel while he was in the NICU, present there forward for each of his many surgeries and hospitalizations. The vacation — arranged in Gabryel’s memory, as he died before he could visit Disney — set out with the stuffed animal in company, but Bruce did not return.
“The trip was a bit hectic with 3 different cities and hotels and grief brain kicked in at some point with all of the emotions, making me really struggle with simple memory tasks,” Liz Atkinson, Gabryel’s mother, said in the post. “...Because vehicles get messy on trips, I kept thinking maybe he was just mixed in somewhere (very unlike me, I know where everything is 100% of the time even on trips, thank you grief) but once we got home May 1 I searched EVERYWHERE. Every bag. He’s gone.”
Now, Atkinson is pleading with Central Florida for help locating Bruce, offering details of where her family visited during the April trip in hopes more ground can be covered.
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According to Atkinson, her family stayed at a seaside resort in Cocoa Beach from April 22-24.
The family brought Bruce boat parasailing with Cocoa Beach Parasail at 9 a.m., April 24, but Atkinson stated she could not recall whether Bruce was brought back into their vehicle.
The family drove to Disney Springs on April 24, staying for several hours before checking in at the Palazzo Lakeside Hotel in Kissimmee where they stayed until April 25.
“I don’t recall ever carrying him from the vehicle to our hotel room (usually he would’ve been packed inside the suitcase but because of parasailing he wasn’t). It was storming so we split up bringing things in into many trips,” Atkinson said.
On April 25, the family drove to Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, staying there until April 30. There, too, Bruce was nowhere to be found.
Atkinson encouraged anyone who may find Bruce to contact her directly. Her Facebook post had been shared over 3,800 times at last check.
“If you’ve found Bruce or saw him around any of these locations, please PM me!!! I need him back,” Atkinson said. “I really think he is probably somewhere in the parking lot near cocoa beach parasailing, the palazzo, or the orange parking ramp of Disney springs maybe from falling out of the car.”
Get today’s headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily: | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2023/05/07/i-need-him-back-iowa-family-pleads-for-help-after-sons-ashes-go-missing-on-florida-vacation/ | 2023-05-07T18:38:55 | 0 | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2023/05/07/i-need-him-back-iowa-family-pleads-for-help-after-sons-ashes-go-missing-on-florida-vacation/ |
Mesa police ID lake drowning victim who tried to retrieve basketball from water
Bradley Perry was sitting at a ramada watching people play basketball when he saw the basketball go into the lake near Dobson Ranch Golf Course in Mesa, police said.
He went into the lake to help retrieve it. As Perry attempted to return to the water's edge, witnesses say he struggled, according to police.
Perry then went underwater and never resurfaced.
Just before 1 p.m., Mesa fire crew members responded to a call of a man who went into the lake at the park and did not come back up. The male body was recovered at approximately 5:45 p.m. by the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office dive team. The body was found in water 8 feet deep and more than 80 feet from the location where the man reportedly entered the water, according to Detective Richard Encinas, a spokesperson for the Mesa Police Department.
Mesa police identified Perry, 54, as the drowning victim on Sunday morning.
"Unfortunately, the time lapse from the time this person called us and the time the male went into the water had already been about five minutes," Encinas said on Saturday. "Before police or fire were ever called, it had already been at least a five-minute delay."
Upon arrival, the Fire Department collaborated with local law enforcement officers to launch an inflatable raft search of the lake.
Several residents at a nearby apartment complex stood behind the police tape to watch the search and rescue effort in its early hours after noticing helicopters hovering over the park while they were at the pool, according to Tyler Davis, a resident of the complex.
"I was just sitting at my apartment and heard the helicopter, it was so low that I could feel my apartment shaking," said Megan Lewis, another resident of the nearby apartment complex. "It's unfortunate that someone had to die in this lake, but my prayers to the family."
The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office loaned its dive team to the search effort following a call from the Fire Department, Encinas said.
The dive team working the recovery mission retrieved the body from the lake just before 6 p.m., according to the spokesperson.
According to Encinas, Bradley was unsheltered and known to frequent this area daily. His family was notified of his passing. | https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/mesa-breaking/2023/05/07/mesa-police-id-lake-drowning-victim-who-tried-to-retrieve-basketball-from-water/70192642007/ | 2023-05-07T18:43:34 | 0 | https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/mesa-breaking/2023/05/07/mesa-police-id-lake-drowning-victim-who-tried-to-retrieve-basketball-from-water/70192642007/ |
SOMERS -- A crowd gathered near the Petrifying Springs Biergarten Saturday afternoon as 18-year-old Racine resident Trenton Hooper cut the ribbon on his Eagle Scout project, a public water station.
The project was completed just before winter, and Saturday marked the first time water flowed through the new station, where the public can get a refreshing drink or refill water bottles. The station uses the same water as the Biergarten.
“To see this project be completed really means a lot to me,” Hooper said. “I chose Petrifying Springs because I enjoy coming here year-round. When I went for my Eagle project I knew I wanted to do something in this park.”
On March 23, Hooper, after presenting his project to the Eagle Scout Board of Review, was officially awarded the rank of Eagle.
Hooper will be graduating from Walden High School and has been a Boy Scout since the first grade. He’s a member of Boy Scout Troop 101, the same as his father.
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Steve Hooper, Trenton’s father, said they are the first father-son duo to achieve the rank of Eagle Scout from Troop 101.
“To watch him manage this whole project was impressive,” Steve Hooper said. “There was a lot of pride while watching him.”
During Saturday's event, a small crowd of friends and family gathered to see the ribbon cutting. Trenton Hooper spoke to the group, thanking them for their support, including Kenosha Ald. Rocco LaMacchia, who helped raise funds for the water station and was in attendance to congratulate the Eagle Scout.
Hooper said the project cost about $5,000, and required many hours of planning, communication and work. Looking back, he was grateful for the lessons he’d learned.
“I got a ton of leadership skills, the ability to communicate and work under timelines and deadlines,” Hooper said. “It was an interesting experience, I’ve never led any project this big before. To have that experience before I go out to the real world was great.”
Steve Hooper also expressed his gratitude to everyone who helped his son and came out to support him on Saturday. Living and working together in a community was part of the philosophy of the Boy Scouts, the elder Hooper said.
“None of this is a one-person gig. That’s a big thing you learn in the Scouts,” Steve Hooper said
Like any good Boy Scout, Trenton Hooper was carrying his trusty pocketknife which he used to cut the ribbon, allowing the first guests to fill up their water bottles from the new station.
“This bubbler will serve the visitors of Petrifying Springs Park for many years to come,” he said.
With the project under his belt, Hooper said he plans to attend Gateway Technical College to study welding. | https://kenoshanews.com/news/local/eagle-scout-project-brings-public-water-station-to-petrifying-springs/article_f7771938-ec59-11ed-820e-07309db65817.html | 2023-05-07T18:46:04 | 1 | https://kenoshanews.com/news/local/eagle-scout-project-brings-public-water-station-to-petrifying-springs/article_f7771938-ec59-11ed-820e-07309db65817.html |
PHOENIX — Arizona lawmakers are moving to make it illegal to sell or possess sex dolls with the faces of real children, as investigators warn that children's photos are being lifted from social media.
The use of children's faces is a real problem, Detective Randall Snyder of the Pinal County Sheriff's Office told state senators.
He said such dolls are available, and not just on the "dark web'' used by criminals and others seeking to hide their activity. "These dolls have been found on YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, Amazon, eBay and even Etsy,'' Snyder told the Senate Judiciary Committee.
"In some of these cases, these dolls can be modified based upon pictures found on social media to look exactly like the child the predator wants it to look like,'' he said. "These dolls can look like my kids, your kids, your grandkids based upon pictures that are posted on social media ...."
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Scaled back over First Amendment
The proposed legislation isn't as broad as originally proposed by Reps. Selina Bliss and Quang Nguyen.
The original version of House Bill 2169 advanced by the two Yavapai County Republicans sought to make it a felony for anyone to buy, transport or possess a "child sex doll.''
The legislation defined that as an "anatomically correct'' doll, robot or mannequin with features resembling an infant or child younger than 12 and is "intended to be used for sexual stimulation or gratification.''
Lawmakers had second thoughts when court rulings were pointed out to them that indicate the simple possession of such a doll, absent more, falls within First Amendment protections.
The new version awaiting a Senate roll-call vote keeps the essence but with a key distinction: It would only be illegal if the doll "uses the face, image or likeness of a real infant or minor who is under 12 years of age.''
Snyder said the dolls are realistic and not just blowups or something people might get as a party favor, Snyder said: "They're designed to look like a child, they're designed to act like a child, they're designed to sound like a child."
Deputy Pinal County Attorney Jim Heard told lawmakers the measure isn't an effort to get ahead of the issue. "We're behind this problem already,'' he said.
Sen. Justine Wadsack, R-Tucson, said she is alarmed to hear about dolls for predators that mimic or resemble "a child in their neighborhood, a child in their family, a child that they've seen, or just any child that resembles a young person."
"Gateway" for predators
Snyder said that isn't illegal under federal law because "there's no actual harm to a real child,'' particularly if the image cannot be linked to an actual child. Sometimes the dolls have more generic or computer-generated faces, he said.
But he said his experience is that the dolls become a "gateway'' for people to start looking for real children. The dolls can be used by predators to "groom'' children into believing certain acts are normal, he said.
Wadsack agreed. "Having sex with a child sex doll is going to lead 100% to them no longer getting satisfied in that way and moving on to actual children,'' she said.
She said it should be a warning to parents.
"When you're putting your photographs of your children online there is the possibility that somebody is stealing that photograph and creating a doll in the image of your child and having sex with the image of your child,'' she said.
"Be very careful, parents,'' Wadsack said. "We live in very dangerous times.''
Court ruling on protected speech
Katherine Gipson McLean, a lawyer with Arizona Attorneys for Criminal Justice, told lawmakers about a 2002 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that virtual or artificial depictions of children, including showing them engaged in sexual conduct, was protected speech.
"No actual children were harmed in the production,'' she said the court found.
McLean said the justices rejected arguments that allowing that type of material would lead to criminal behavior.
Sen. John Kavanagh, R-Fountain Hills, said he is willing to challenge that ruling. But short of that, he said it's clear the legal line gets crossed when a doll has the image of a real child.
"So now, we're not talking about a made-up, non-existent person,'' Kavanagh said. "We're talking about an actual real person digital image.''
McLean was unwilling to concede that would be enough difference to make the measure legal.
Bliss disagreed. "That 2002 Supreme Court decision on digital art porn is indeed a First Amendment right of free speech,'' the Prescott Republican told lawmakers. "But this, folks, is not digital art.''
The measure cleared the Senate Judiciary Committee with only Sen. Anna Hernandez, D-Phoenix, in opposition.
"We do need to keep our kids safe,'' Hernandez said. But she said she's not sure laws aimed at dolls protect actual children, and that the bill's language suffers from "vagueness.''
If the measure gains full Senate approval it still needs to go to the House, which has not yet considered it.
Emergency clause included
One issue is timing. As written, the bill contains an emergency clause that would make it effective immediately upon the governor's signature.
But the emergency clause requires approval by two-thirds of both the House and Senate. If it passes with a lesser margin, it would not take effect until 90 days after the legislative session ends, which at this rate could mean August or later.
That possibility bothers Kavanagh.
"If you don't pass the emergency measure, you'll basically be getting people who wish to purchase these who are in Arizona, or sell them who are in Arizona, you would essentially be giving them six months to nine months of time to stock up before it's illegal,'' he said.
Rep. Christine Marsh, D-Phoenix, said she's not convinced that's a problem.
"It's ownership, right?'' she asked, noting the language banning possession. She said that would mean a police officer entering a home and finding an offending doll once the law took effect could still make an arrest.
Kavanagh said he remains convinced an emergency clause is necessary to put an immediate stop to the sale and advertising of such dolls.
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/subscriber/arizona-bill-outlaws-sex-dolls-with-kids-real-faces/article_eb163af4-e9e1-11ed-b947-af22a598d7c8.html | 2023-05-07T18:47:45 | 0 | https://tucson.com/news/local/subscriber/arizona-bill-outlaws-sex-dolls-with-kids-real-faces/article_eb163af4-e9e1-11ed-b947-af22a598d7c8.html |
PORTAGE — If you’re egg-cited about raising chickens, the City Council has news for you: They’re now legal to raise within the city limits.
A long string of requirements apply, including keeping chickens fenced in properly and cooped up when appropriate.
Peacocks, turkeys, waterfowl and roosters are not allowed to be raised as pets except on agricultural land. Farmland is exempted from the ordinance’s restrictions.
Renters are allowed to raise chickens, but only with their landlord’s permission, the same as for having a dog or cat on the premises.
“There is no doubt we have people with chickens in the city already,” Councilman Collin Czilli, D-5th, said.
Roosters have been heard crowing in the city,” Councilman Ferdinand Alvarez, D-at large, said. He asked who will be responsible for enforcing the ordinance.
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That’s up to code enforcement and the police, City Attorney Dan Whitten said. Animal control could also get involved, Czilli said.
“You can have your chickens!” Czilli proclaimed.
In other business, Mayor Sue Lynch said the veterans banner program is on hiatus while a committee looks for a solution. The banners were hung off poles along Central Avenue. “Even though they were 5 feet long, they look like postage stamps up there,” she said.
The wind shredded some of the banners, but that’s not the biggest problem. The brackets that held them were rusted out, Lynch said. The city has priced new brackets to see if they can be replaced.
“Last year, when we started in the spring to put the banners back up, several of them were already beat up pretty bad by the wind, so we had new banners made for the ones that were in bad shape," she said. "We had them double-stitched, extra grommets, everything we could, and it didn't matter because we don't have any protection for them once they're up that high and the wind starts beating on them.”
Anyone who wants to serve on a committee looking at options for honoring veterans is invited to call Lynch’s office at City Hall, 219-762-5425.
The council voted 5-2 to rezone 32.7 acres south of Lute Road for multifamily housing. Czilli and Alvarez voted against it.
“This is a difficult site,” attorney Todd Leeth told the council. “It's been the subject of a couple petitions through to the city, a failed attempt to rezone and develop about three years ago, and then when that failed, the property owners, the Lute family, had the property revert back to the R2 zoning that it currently owns or possesses today. The reason for that was to provide the best opportunity for a developer to come forward.”
Olthof Homes, represented by Leeth, proposes to build 40 multifamily townhomes and 90 paired patio duplexes on the site.
It took 11 months to gain city approval, Leeth said, with the plan changing repeatedly as the developer worked with the city to gain approval.
Complicating development of the property is that it’s contiguous to several zoning categories. There’s usually a progression from one zoning category to another, but that’s not possible with this site, Leeth explained. “It's one of the most unique pieces of property in my practice that I've ever come across.”
Olthof promises to build a pedestrian path, a robust landscape buffer along the eastern property line and a dedicated right of way for Augusta Boulevard. The developer also promises to limit the number of driveways onto Augusta. | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/porter/portage/portage-allows-hens-outlaws-roosters/article_5d946b68-ec54-11ed-8f96-bf107176eb3b.html | 2023-05-07T18:50:20 | 1 | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/porter/portage/portage-allows-hens-outlaws-roosters/article_5d946b68-ec54-11ed-8f96-bf107176eb3b.html |
A New York hospital system is suing a former morgue attendant from Brooklyn for allegedly posting "macabre" pictures and videos of cadavers onto her personal social media accounts.
Northwell Health filed a lawsuit in Nassau County claiming the ex-employee kept posting to her Instagram account after she was fired from Long Island Jewish Medical Center.
According to the lawsuit, Quantaise Sharpton worked at the hospital for about 45 days before staff learned she was filming content in the morgue for her followers.
"In an apparent effort to improve her presence on social media, Sharpton began posting graphic, macabre photos and videos from the morgue of Long Island Jewish Medical Center (“LIJMC”), the Northwell hospital where she worked," the suit says.
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To her nearly 20,000 followers, Sharpton was allegedly posting photos and videos that included amputated body parts, internal organs and a late stillbirth, the hospital claims. The suit claims Sharpton would refer to herself in posts as "#autopsybae," and used the content to increase her social media following.
Hired back in December and on the job since January, staff reported Sharpton's alleged online behavior that led to her firing in mid-March. The hospital requested she take down the images taken at the hospital, which the suit says she complied with.
However, Northwell said she continued to post the pictures after her firing. The company is asking for compensatory damages for harming its business and reputation, in addition to taking down the images or erasing her archive.
News
In her latest post on Instagram, Sharpton said she would no longer post "for reasons I'm not ready to disclose yet."
"Sorry to everyone who loved the process and was interested in seeing it. It was worth inspiring you guys to go to school for mortician/autopsy work," a message read. | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/ny-hospital-suing-ex-morgue-worker-for-allegedly-posting-cadaver-pics-to-social-media/4311419/ | 2023-05-07T18:53:16 | 0 | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/ny-hospital-suing-ex-morgue-worker-for-allegedly-posting-cadaver-pics-to-social-media/4311419/ |
LEASES
CBRE reports the following transactions:
Virginia Cardiovascular Specialists leased 19,628 square feet at 7611 Forest Ave. in Henrico.
Primis Bank leased 18,885 square feet at 10900 Nuckols Road in Henrico.
Blue Ridge Bankshares leased 18,032 square feet at 1801 Bayberry Court in Henrico.
Soul Aerial and Performing Arts Center leased 9,600 square feet at 2407 Ownby Lane in Richmond.
Thomas, Thomas & Hafer leased 2,649 square feet at 4551 Cox Road in Henrico.
Baronian & Associates leased 1,212 square feet at 1500 Forest Ave. in Henrico.
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TTEC Government Solutions leased 1,023 square feet at 808 Moorefield Park Drive in Chesterfield.
Cushman & Wakefield | Thalhimer reports the following transactions:
Performance Pickleball RVA leased 41,163 square feet of retail space and adjacent outside area for six outdoor courts and spectator area at Regency at 1420 N. Parham Road in Henrico.
Vintage Glass & Pottery renewed its lease of 6,900 square feet of retail space at 6925 Lakeside Ave. in Richmond.
Sleepy’s LLC renewed its lease of 6,000 square feet of retail space at 4914 W. Broad St. in Richmond.
Brunches leased 3,360 square feet of retail space at The Shops at Wellesley at 3400 Lauderdale Drive in Henrico.
The Honey Baked Ham Co. leased 3,068 square feet of retail space at Ivymont Square Shopping Center at 14101-14257 Midlothian Turnpike in Chesterfield.
JuJu Bee’s LLC renewed its lease of 2,500 square feet of retail space at Lakeside Town Center at 6920 Lakeside Ave. in Richmond.
Virginia Barbecue renewed its lease of 2,000 square feet of retail space at Lakeside Town Center at 6920 Lakeside Ave. in Richmond.
Joyner Commercial Real Estate reports the following transactions:
Westwood Athletics LLC leased 4,280 square feet of retail space at 1105 N. Arthur Ashe Blvd. in Richmond.
Higher Ground Recovery leased 2,625 square feet of office space at 2821 Parham Road in Henrico.
SALES
Cushman & Wakefield | Thalhimer reports the following transaction:
Prudent Growth Partners LLC purchased the Wistar Center, a three-building, leased flex industrial and retail portfolio at 8101-8157 Staples Mill Road in Henrico from Fernau LeBlanc Investment Partners for $7.2 million. Sale negotiations were handled by Bo McKown, Catharine Spangler and Eric Robison of Cushman & Wakefield | Thalhimer’s Capital Markets Group.
Have Site Will Travel and The Man with Square Feet reports the following transaction:
1911 Bishop LLC purchased 2,220 square feet at 1911 Bishop Road in Henrico for $325,000 from the Bridge Center. John Jay Schwartz with Have Site Will Travel & The Man With Square Feet represented the seller. | https://richmond.com/business/local/commercial-real-estate-highlights-wistar-center-sold-for-7-2-million/article_2d1c8fee-ea90-11ed-8749-d700524d678c.html | 2023-05-07T18:58:33 | 0 | https://richmond.com/business/local/commercial-real-estate-highlights-wistar-center-sold-for-7-2-million/article_2d1c8fee-ea90-11ed-8749-d700524d678c.html |
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