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BALTIMORE — Plans to send toxic wastewater is headed from Ohio to Maryland are back on while a group of concerned citizens are doing what they can to stop it.
Save Our Back River is a grassroots group made up of 11 organizations made up of concerned citizens, and they want to meet with elected officials to help them fight back.
Norfolk Southern initially canceled its plans to bring toxic wastewater from its train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio to Baltimore to be treated and released.
It means 675,000 gallons of toxic wastewater, at a rate of 75,000 gallons a day is destined for Baltimore.
Norfolk Southern plans to treat the contaminated water at Clean Harbors facility in south Baltimore, then it will ship the water back to Ohio to Clean Harbors' Cleveland facility for final disposal.
Many are disappointed in the change in plans, after Norfolk Southern said in March that it would no longer have the toxic wastewater treated in Maryland.
Congressman Kweisi Mfume sent a letter to the EPA opposing the reversal and asked the EPA administrator for a discussion on the issue to reject those plans.
In a statement, Mfume said "Norfolk Southern made clear it was not bringing contaminated water to Maryland on March 28, 2023. Then thirty days later, the company does an about face. It is impossible to trust an individual or corporation when its deeds do not match its words. It begs for a lack of credibility."
Officials with the Maryland Department of the Environment say they don't have any authority over the issue.
Meanwhile, many people with concerns are speaking out to do whatever they can to prevent the toxic wastewater from heading to Baltimore.
Baltimore resident Barbara Klik said "I wish it wasn't being treated here of course. I think the idea that you're going to take this very hazardous material and transport it across five states it's dangerous and it would be better to try to keep it more local in the place where it is."
Save Our Back River will hold its meeting at 6:30 p.m. Monday night at Dock of the Bay on Millers Island. | https://www.wmar2news.com/local/renewed-fight-to-stop-ohio-train-derailment-toxic-wastewater-from-coming-to-baltimore | 2023-05-15T13:21:41 | 0 | https://www.wmar2news.com/local/renewed-fight-to-stop-ohio-train-derailment-toxic-wastewater-from-coming-to-baltimore |
One man is dead after a shooting just past the Richmond city limits in Henrico County Friday night.
Henrico Police responded to the 1600 block of Azrock Court shortly after 11 p.m. May 12 after reports that someone had been shot.
Upon arriving at the scene, officers found a man down in a parking lot, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.
The victim, who has not been identified by police, was taken to VCU Medical Center, where he later died of his injuries.
Police say the investigation is ongoing, and anyone with additional information is asked to call Henrico Police at (804) 501-5000 or contact Crime Stoppers anonymously at (804) 780-1000.
This morning's top headlines: Monday, May 15
With demand far outstripping available slots, a new U.S. government mobile phone app has been an exercise in frustration for many would-be asylum seekers. It also is a test for the Biden administration’s strategy of coupling new legal paths to entry with severe consequences for those who don’t follow them. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas says the Border Patrol made 6,300 arrests Friday — the first day after pandemic-era asylum restrictions known Title 42 expired -- and 4,200 on Saturday. That’s sharply below the 10,000-plus on three days last week as migrants rushed to get in before new policies to restrict asylum took effect.
Turkey’s presidential elections appear to be heading toward a second-round runoff. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has ruled his country for 20 years, is leading his chief challenger but is short of the votes needed for an outright reelection. With the votes of Turkish citizens living abroad still being counted on Monday, Erdogan had 49.3% of the votes, with his main rival, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, garnering 45%, according to state-run media. Erdogan, 69, told supporters he could still win but would respect the nation’s decision if the race went to a runoff on May 28. The vote is being closely watched to see if the key NATO country remains under the control of the increasingly authoritarian president or can embark on a more democratic course.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has received a promise of more missiles and attack drones from Britain in an effort to change the course of the war. Zelenskyy met Monday with U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, a staunch ally. It is the fourth European country Zelenskky has visited in the past few days in his effort to beef up munitions before a counteroffensive. He made an unannounced visit to Paris on Sunday to meet with President Emmanuel Macron, after earlier trips to Germany and Italy, meeting with those countries’ leaders as well as Pope Francis. Britain also said it would provide training for Ukrainian fighter pilots but no jets.
President Joe Biden says he and congressional leaders will likely resume talks on Tuesday at the White House over the debt limit as the nation continues to edge closer to its legal borrowing authority with no agreement in sight. The meeting was initially supposed to be Friday, but was postponed to let the staff-level talks continue along. Administration and congressional officials say the next meeting hasn't been finalized. Biden told reporters on Sunday that he remains optimistic there will be an agreement on the debt limit. And he indicated he could be open to tougher work requirements for certain government aid programs, which Republicans are proposing as part of the ongoing discussion.
Rescuers have evacuated about 1,000 people trapped by seawater 12 feet deep along western Myanmar’s coast after powerful Cyclone Mocha injured hundreds and cut off communications. Six deaths were reported, but the true impact was not yet clear in one of Asia’s least developed countries. Winds blowing up to 130 miles per hour injured more than 700 people among those sheltering in sturdier buildings on the highlands of Sittwe township in Rakhine state, where the cyclone blew ashore Sunday. The Rakhine Youths Philanthropic Association said residents moved to roofs and higher floors as the waters rose. Water was still about 5 feet high in flooded areas Monday morning, but rescues were being made as the wind calmed.
Palestinian Health officials say Israeli forces shot and killed a Palestinian man in the occupied West Bank. Monday's death was the latest in a spiral of violence that has rocked the region. The Palestinian Health Ministry said the 22-year-old was killed after being shot in the chest in the flashpoint West Bank city of Nablus, a frequent site of Israeli arrest operations. The Israeli military had no immediate comment, but Israeli media reported that troops preparing to demolish the home of a Palestinian attacker came under fire and shot back.
Doyle Brunson died Sunday, according to his agent, Brian Balsbaugh. Brunson was 89. He was one of the most influential poker players of all time and a two-time world champion. Brunson was called the Godfather of Poker and also was known as “Texas Dolly.” He won 10 World Series of Poker tournaments that is second only to Phil Hellmuth’s 16. He also captured world championships in 1976 and 1977 and was inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame in 1988.
Several new movies infiltrated theaters nationwide this weekend, from a lighthearted trip to Italy with Jane Fonda, Candice Bergen, Diane Keaton and Mary Steenburgen to a Ben Affleck-fronted detective thriller. But the top two spots were once again claimed by Marvel and Mario. According to studio estimates Sunday, “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” added $60.5 million from North American theaters in its second weekend. Second place went to “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” with $13 million in its sixth weekend. “Book Club: The Next Chapter” placed third with $6.5 million from 3,508 locations.
The Celtics got a historic 51-point performance from Jayson Tatum to blow past the 76ers in Game 7 of their Eastern Conference semifinals matchup to land back in the conference finals for the second straight season. Awaiting them is a rematch with the Miami Heat, who the Celtics bested last season in that round after Jimmy Butler missed a potential game-winning jumper late in Game 7. Boston is hoping to carry the momentum and lessons it learned in its Game 7 blowout win over Philadelphia into what the Celtics think will be another slugfest with Miami. The teams split their four regular-season matchups.
Jonathan Marchessault scored three goals for his second career postseason hat trick as the Vegas Golden Knights beat the Edmonton Oilers 5-2 in Game 6 of their second-round series to advance to the Western Conference final. Reilly Smith and William Karlsson also scored for the Golden Knights, and Ivan Barbashev had two assists. Adin Hill finished with 39 saves. Connor McDavid and Warren Foegele scored early in the first period for Edmonton, which led 2-1 less than three minutes into the game. Stuart Skinner gave up four goals on 17 shots through two periods, and Jack Campbell stopped all four shots he faced in the third. Vegas will next face the winner of the series between Dallas and Seattle, which heads to a Game 7 on Monday night. | https://richmond.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/1-dead-in-eastern-henrico-shooting/article_f03b5658-f315-11ed-a6ab-7742b157c9af.html | 2023-05-15T13:25:50 | 1 | https://richmond.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/1-dead-in-eastern-henrico-shooting/article_f03b5658-f315-11ed-a6ab-7742b157c9af.html |
A hot air balloon made an emergency crash landing in Henrico County Sunday morning, police say.
Shortly before 7:30 a.m., Henrico Emergency Communications received a call about a balloon suspected of having crashed near Chamberlayne Road and Diane Lane.
Henrico Police and Fire officials located a possible crash site with help from the Hanover Sheriff's Office, then made contact with the balloon's pilot, who was able to make an unplanned, but safe, landing in the 800 block of Azalea Avenue.
There were multiple adult passengers in the balloon, but police say that no one was injured in the landing.
"Henrico Police would like to thank our partners with the Henrico Division of Fire, Hanover Sheriff’s Office, and Virginia State Police for their always professional response and assistance," the police department said in a statement Sunday. | https://richmond.com/news/local/hot-air-balloon-makes-emergency-landing-in-henrico-county-none-injured/article_792b197e-f318-11ed-9dd3-97d2c167ff5f.html | 2023-05-15T13:25:56 | 1 | https://richmond.com/news/local/hot-air-balloon-makes-emergency-landing-in-henrico-county-none-injured/article_792b197e-f318-11ed-9dd3-97d2c167ff5f.html |
LOWELL, Ark. — Lowell mom Wendy Davis is currently a quarter-finalist in Woman's World Magazine's 'Super Mom' contest.
"I've been told I'm supermom many times, I don't see it at most of the time," said Wendy Davis. "I feel like a failure as a mom because you're you're not perfect."
Davis shared her vulnerability during an interview on Sunday, May 14 with 5NEWS. She is a mom and stepmom to 10 kids. "The oldest is 21 all the way down to six years old," she said.
She shared that her kids are her life. "A lot of times, I don't feel like I have an identity without my kids."
Davis is her kid's therapist, chauffeur, doctor, nurse and more. "I mean, my kids would say I'm everything to them," Davis said. She's also an entrepreneur and a school substitute teacher.
"I do it on my own because my husband is a truck driver," said Davis.
She says she does it all because she loves her kids. That's why she's in the running to be a 'Super Mom.' She's already won the top spot in her group. Now, she has to compete against the other top winners.
"The winner will get a $20,000 the grand prize, a two-page spread in Women's World magazine and a vacation to Palm Springs. "I'm really wanting that vacation," Davis said. "I don't know if I've ever had a vacation honestly."
Voting for the competition resumes Monday, May 15. Click here to learn more about Davis.
Download the 5NEWS app on your smartphone:
Stream 5NEWS 24/7 on the 5+ app: How to watch the 5+ app on your streaming device
To report a typo or grammatical error, please email KFSMDigitalTeam@tegna.com. | https://www.thv11.com/article/news/local/northwest-arkansas-running-nationwide-super-mom-contest-lowell-ar/527-aaf660d0-0d27-4553-8da4-908ebe1c2fac | 2023-05-15T13:35:54 | 1 | https://www.thv11.com/article/news/local/northwest-arkansas-running-nationwide-super-mom-contest-lowell-ar/527-aaf660d0-0d27-4553-8da4-908ebe1c2fac |
Update: An earlier version of this story stated that the visit was going to be earlier in the week, however, due to a flight delay, the delegation will arrive on Tuesday. The story below has been updated to reflect the correct dates.
WINDSOR, NY (WIVT/WBGH) – The Windsor Central School District will host an educational delegation from the nation of Belize on Tuesday, May 16th, and Wednesday, May 17th, including the highest-ranking education officials from the Central American country.
The contingent will include Louis Zabaneh, Ph.D., Ed.D., Belizean Minister of State, Ministry of Education, Culture, Science and Technology, and Dian Castillo-Maheia, Chief Executive Officer, Belizean Ministry of Education, Culture, Science and Technology, and Ms. Miriam Paz, Head of the Teacher Support Team. The original flight of the delegation was delayed, causing the visit to be on Tuesday rather than arriving on Monday.
The group is visiting Windsor to learn about the district’s programming, with a focus on its career pathways for students, collaborative teacher teams, and professional learning opportunities.
“We’re pleased these education leaders from Belize are interested in the outstanding work done by our students and teachers. We hope this visit will provide assistance to them as they try to improve the educational outcomes for the children of Belize,” said Dr. Jason Andrews, Superintendent of the Windsor Central School District.
The Belize Education Ministry has instituted a nationwide effort to improve student outcomes called the BESPlan. The plan is organized along four domains: reforming the education system, transforming teaching and learning, prioritizing underserved sectors, and maximizing human capital.
Former Windsor CSD Board of Education member Barbara Mirch made connections with educational leaders in Belize. This led to Mrs. Mirch and Dr. Andrews visiting the Belizean embassy in Washington, D.C. in September 2022 to meet with the Belizean Prime Minister and Minister of Education.
While in the Windsor CSD, the delegation from Belize will visit classrooms and meet with teachers at Windsor Central High School, Windsor Central Middle School, and Floyd L. Bell Elementary School.
There will be a walking path dedication at Windsor Central High School today at 1 PM. This dedication is unrelated to the Belizean visit. The Windsor Central High School Community Walking Path was made possible through grant support provided by the Broome County Health Department’s Creating Healthy Schools and Communities Grant. There are beginner, intermediate, and advanced paths for the community utilizing the WCHS campus. | https://www.binghamtonhomepage.com/local/windsor-csd-to-host-highest-ranking-education-officials-from-nation-of-belize/ | 2023-05-15T13:55:58 | 0 | https://www.binghamtonhomepage.com/local/windsor-csd-to-host-highest-ranking-education-officials-from-nation-of-belize/ |
DANVILLE, Va. – A Danville man has been charged with second-degree murder after a fatal shooting on Sunday (May 14), according to the Danville Police Department.
Authorities say the shooting happened at about 11 p.m. in the 700 block of Hughes Street.
When officers arrived at the scene, they located a man, later identified as 38-year-old Randy Lamar Womack, who had been shot multiple times.
Womack was then transported to SOVAH Health, where he later passed away.
34-year-old Omar Rashad Chandler has been arrested and charged with second-degree murder in connection with his death, with additional charges pending.
At this time, Chandler is being held in the Danville City Jail without bond.
Anyone who has information is asked to please contact the Danville Police Department by either calling patrol at 434-799-6510 option 4, investigations at 434-799-6508 option 1, and option 1 again, calling 911, contacting Crime Stoppers at 434-793-0000, approach any officer you see, through social media, via email crimetips@danvilleva.gov, or use our crime tips app CARE at www.p3tips.com/tipform.aspx?ID=818#. | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2023/05/15/danville-man-charged-with-second-degree-murder-in-connection-with-fatal-shooting/ | 2023-05-15T14:03:34 | 0 | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2023/05/15/danville-man-charged-with-second-degree-murder-in-connection-with-fatal-shooting/ |
News Tribune, May 15, 1983
- Faced with a deficit of nearly $1 million this year, the Douglas County Board decided yesterday to hold the line on most expenditures. Any pay raises won by unions, board members maintain, will have to be offset with unprecedented layoffs.
- Northeastern Minnesota's high unemployment rate is making it hard for high school and college students to find summer employment. But a new tax incentive program for employers is expected to boost the hiring of young people by motels, restaurants and retail stores.
News Tribune, May 15, 1923
- An ordinance prohibiting Sunday dancing was given its first reading at the Duluth City Council meeting yesterday. The ordinance prohibits any public dances after midnight on Saturdays and any Sunday dances given by private organizations in public halls.
- The Public Market Committee report that recommends sites for Duluth's new public markets was submitted to the City Council yesterday. The report also recommends construction of an addition to the present public market at the old Courthouse site on Sixth Avenue East. | https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/news/local/bygones-100-years-ago-duluth-cracked-down-on-sunday-dancing | 2023-05-15T14:03:38 | 0 | https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/news/local/bygones-100-years-ago-duluth-cracked-down-on-sunday-dancing |
There was a grand opening ceremony as leaders celebrate the official opening of Caesars’ temporary casino Monday at about 9:30 a.m.
The 40,000-square-foot facility will feature more than 700 slot machines and 25 live table games, including blackjack and roulette, and a quick-serve restaurant opening called Three Stacks.
The ceremony included a ribbon cutting and remarks from officials. A line wrapped around the building, with many excited to place their bets.
Missed it? Don’t fret! You can watch the entire thing here: | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2023/05/15/watch-live-grand-opening-ceremony-set-to-be-held-for-temporary-danville-casino/ | 2023-05-15T14:03:40 | 0 | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2023/05/15/watch-live-grand-opening-ceremony-set-to-be-held-for-temporary-danville-casino/ |
Here is your Duluth News Tribune Minute podcast for Monday, May 15, 2023.
The Duluth News Tribune Minute is a product of Forum Communications Company and is brought to you by reporters at the Duluth News Tribune, Superior Telegram and Cloquet Pine Journal. Find more news throughout the day at duluthnewstribune.com. Subscribe and rate us at
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FORT PIERCE, Fla. – A brave 13-year-old girl fought off a shark while being attacked at a Florida beach Thursday, and she shared her story with News 6 partner WPLG-TV.
Ella Reed was sitting in shallow water with her friend near a jetty at Fort Pierce Beach when she suddenly felt a sharp pain on her side.
“The shark itself was so powerful. That was what I felt the most because it was hitting my stomach really hard,” she said.
Reed told WPLG-TV that she punched the shark as it approached her, but shortly after the shark swam away, it ended up swimming right back to her.
“It wouldn’t leave me alone, so I had to use my arm and use my hand, too, so it got my arm and my finger,” she said.
After being approached once again by the shark, Reed immediately called for her mom and brother.
Reed’s mother said that she was in shock after seeing the shark swimming around her daughter.
“It was insane because she was totally covered in blood pretty much from head to toe, so she couldn’t really see what went on,” said Reed’s mother, who added that she was shaking but was calm.
Reed said she received 19 stitches after being bitten in the stomach, arm, finger and the top of her knee.
“I was kind of in shock about everything that happened, so I wasn’t really in pain because the adrenaline was through the roof,” she said.
Reed, a Florida native, said that she’s never been afraid of the ocean and even after this encounter, she plans on getting right back into the water.
“It was clear water so you never really know when it’s going to happen,” she said.
Reed, who believes she was bitten by a bull shark about 5 to 6 feet long, is at home recovering.
Reed says she is proud of the scars she has because she knows it could’ve been so much worse. | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2023/05/15/13-year-old-girl-fights-off-shark-during-attack-at-florida-beach/ | 2023-05-15T14:07:10 | 1 | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2023/05/15/13-year-old-girl-fights-off-shark-during-attack-at-florida-beach/ |
The best 'secret' beaches in Delaware: Broadkill, Pickering, Slaughter. Plan your visit.
Delaware has three of "America's Favorite 100 Secret Beaches," according to Family Destinations Guide.
The website dedicated to family-friendly hotels, resorts and destinations surveyed 3,000 U.S. families "to determine the hidden beaches they most want to visit in summer 2023." Hawaiian beaches took three of the top five spots.
Delaware beaches took spots 83, 97 and 100.
Broadkill Beach
At No. 100 is Broadkill Beach, just north of Lewes on the Delaware Bay. Family Destinations Guide actually rates Broadkill the sixth-best beach in Delaware overall, as well.
"It’s a nice place to go on a stroll," writes Tanner Wilkes.
Indeed, Broadkill is great for walking because it's less crowded than the more popular beaches to the south. It's less populated, as well, with Broadkill Beach being only a narrow strip of land between the bay and the marsh.
There's limited parking available and, due to the steep dunes, you might have to do an awkward slide/walk down a dune to get to the beach. But the beachcombing is great; you'll find plenty of horseshoe crabs, mermaid's purses, whelk shells and other marine curiosities. Shorebirds, too.
More:What to know as Delaware's surf-fishing reservation system launches ahead of Memorial Day
When you're ready for a snack, the Broadkill Store — the only joint in town — has some killer cheesesteaks.
Pickering Beach
The 97th favorite "secret" beach in the U.S. is Pickering Beach in Kent County, off Route 9. It's even smaller than Broadkill, with only about 40 beachfront homes. Many Delawareans themselves have never heard of it.
It's rockier than the Atlantic Ocean beaches but just as enjoyable as the other Delaware Bay beaches. Beachcombing is prime here, as well, and this time of year, you'll find stunning numbers of horseshoe crabs spawning on the beach. You might see some diamondback terrapins, too.
Parking is sparse, but Pickering being a "secret" beach, there are usually spots available.
Slaughter Beach
Delaware's No. 1 "secret" beach, in the 83rd spot nationwide, is Slaughter Beach. Family Destination Guide also ranks it the eighth-best beach in Delaware.
Slaughter Beach is both a horseshoe crab sanctuary and a certified wildlife habitat community. Crustaceans and gastropods abound. Like Broadkill, it's also a thin slice of land between the bay and the marsh, home to about 200 people year-round. You'll have plenty of space between beach blankets.
Bonus: Slaughter Beach has public restrooms. Park at the fire department.
Shannon Marvel McNaught reports on Sussex County and beyond. Reach her at smcnaught@gannett.com or on Twitter @MarvelMcNaught | https://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/local/2023/05/15/delawares-3-best-secret-beaches-broadkill-pickering-and-slaughter/70208442007/ | 2023-05-15T14:07:18 | 0 | https://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/local/2023/05/15/delawares-3-best-secret-beaches-broadkill-pickering-and-slaughter/70208442007/ |
The seven acres of hilly pasture along Little Rock Creek were lush with bluebunch wheatgrass, needlegrass and an abundance of native forbs.
Georgia Harrison, a University of Idaho plant sciences graduate student, was encouraged by the healthy native plant communities in her experimental plot, which had been aerially treated nearly two years earlier with the long-lasting herbicide Rejuvra. Just as important to the researcher were the plants that weren’t present — the hillside was devoid of cheatgrass, Japanese brome and other invasive annual grasses, which outcompete native species, degrade forage quality and increase wildfire risk.
While showcasing her research to a tour group at U of I’s Rinker Rock Creek Ranch in central Idaho’s Wood River Valley, southwest of Bellevue, in the spring of 2022, Harrison also surveyed an 8-acre untreated check plot nearby. Both areas were part of the same grazing unit, but annual grasses were getting a foothold in the untreated pasture.
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Harrison, of Kalamazoo, Michigan, is involved in one of three ongoing U of I studies at the research ranch evaluating the efficacy of Rejuvra, as well as how it should be applied and its effects on nontarget plant or animal species. The herbicide could provide land managers with an important new tool.
The research projects
Harrison’s three-year study, funded with $90,000 from Bayer Crop Science, wraps up this season, analyzing how treatments affect annual grasses, nontarget species and wildfires.
“We saw reduced annual grass cover and minimal impacts on native forbs and grasses,” Harrison said. “It looks promising.”
Another project wrapping up this season, funded with $30,000 from Bayer, will quantify how the broad and even distribution of Rejuvra droplets improves the herbicide’s efficacy. The study is also evaluating a treatment of Rejuvra applied in combination with the herbicide imazapic, which moves farther laterally in soil but doesn’t last as long.
A two-year study launching this spring will be funded with $110,000 from a U.S. Forest Service competitive grant, building upon the prior research. The project seeks to inform federal land managers how Rejuvra’s effects on nontarget vegetation may impact small mammals and sage grouse.
The Forest Service will use the results to guide the possible approval of Rejuvra, which contains the active ingredient indaziflam, for use on its terrain. The federal Bureau of Land Management may also look to the study for its own Rejuvra approval process. Studies show Rejuvra controls cheatgrass for at least 18 months following spring application, compared with about one year with imazapic, which is the agencies’ current go-to herbicide.
Other researchers involved in the Rejuvra studies include Tim Prather, a College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS) professor and senior associate director of the U of I Rangeland Center; Tracey Johnson, an assistant professor in the College of Natural Resources (CNR) and director of research at Rinker Rock Creek Ranch; and master’s student Kirby Lau, of Hillsborough, North Carolina, who is studying natural resources.
“The idea is when you make changes in plant communities, that’s basically the habitat in which small mammals and sage grouse live,” Prather said. “When you make changes, is that to their benefit or detriment?”
A powerful tool
Rejuvra would help federal land managers remove highly flammable annual grasses from fuel breaks on public lands. The herbicide could also provide a tool for restoring largely in-tact plant communities where annual invasive grasses are beginning to take hold.
Lau will evaluate treatment responses of forbs of importance to sage grouse, in addition to trapping small mammals to assess their responses. The researchers will also evaluate how annual grass density affects fire patterns and behavior.
“If we understand something about how animal communities or wildlife habitat are affected by herbicides, that’s going to inform when and how to use these herbicides,” Johnson said.
Small mammals of interest in the study area include deer mice, Great Basin pocket mice and sagebrush voles, which are a species of conservation concern. The rodents are essential cogs in the food web of their ecosystem and seeds from annual grasses may provide them an important food source. Furthermore, the researchers will be interested to see how treatments affect certain shallow-rooted native annual grasses.
To understand how the herbicide affects sage grouse habitat, the team will monitor bird droppings, the time sage grouse spend in treated areas versus untreated areas and how well forbs of importance to chicks fare.
“What we have found is we’re getting forb recruitment. Forbs are increasing,” Prather said.
Within hill pasture at the research ranch, where Rejuvra has been applied aerially, Prather has also observed encouraging signs for sage grouse.
“There is a lek there,” Prather said, referring to locations where sage grouse gather for courtship displays, “and when we go there to sample plants for a study looking at differences in the plant community, pretty much every time we flush at least one group of sage grouse. We haven’t lost those sage grouse.”
The study analyzing Rejuvra’s effects on small mammals and sage grouse was funded with a two-year, $110,000 competitive grant from the U.S. Forest Service under award No. 22-DG-11010000-006. | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/research-at-u-of-i-ranch-near-bellevue-finds-promise-in-long-lasting-herbicide/article_ca346ba6-f113-11ed-9f5a-d3251161b808.html | 2023-05-15T14:09:38 | 1 | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/research-at-u-of-i-ranch-near-bellevue-finds-promise-in-long-lasting-herbicide/article_ca346ba6-f113-11ed-9f5a-d3251161b808.html |
CLINTON — University of Illinois Extension will host a succulent workshop from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday, June 10.
The workshop will take place at the Vespasian Warner Library in Clinton. Attendees will learn about common succulents and create a succulent gnome for home.
The event is hosted by the DeWitt County Master Gardeners, whom are volunteers trained by University of Illinois Extension.
The workshop is free, but registration is required by June 9 by calling the library at 217-935-5174.
URBANA — University of Illinois Extension will host a seven-week online series about how to take proactive steps to improve economic well-being.
The series is called "Let's Talk Money." Registration can be completed at go.illinois.edu/LTM.
Attendees will receive research-based information and learn how to have conversations about money to make better financial decisions.
All sessions will be held at noon.
Sessions include "Who Are You With Money?", June 6; "How Much is Too Much Debt?", June 13; "Fair Access to Credit", June 20; "Debt Payment Strategies", June 27; "Credit Scores Revealed", July 11; "Secrets for Financial Success", July 18; and "Make Your Savings Grow", July 25. | https://pantagraph.com/news/local/monday-memos-succulent-workshop-set-for-june-10-extension-to-host-lets-talk-money-series/article_a5680bba-ee7b-11ed-a79a-c3bd47aa5064.html | 2023-05-15T14:15:57 | 1 | https://pantagraph.com/news/local/monday-memos-succulent-workshop-set-for-june-10-extension-to-host-lets-talk-money-series/article_a5680bba-ee7b-11ed-a79a-c3bd47aa5064.html |
SC Judge says Murdaugh attorneys can't use 401k for appeal. Ruling soon on boat crash.
If disgraced former attorney Richard "Alex" Murdaugh is to proceed with plans to appeal his recent murder convictions and double life sentences, he must find an alternate way to pay for his legal defense ― or rely on a public defender.
South Carolina circuit court Judge Daniel Hall filed an order Friday denying a motion request by Murdaugh's legal defense team to use any more of Murdaugh's own money to pay for his criminal appeal.
Murdaugh, who was convicted March 2 in the June 2021 murders of his wife, Maggie, and younger son, Paul, and sentenced to consecutive life sentences, filed a notice of appeal of that conviction on March 9.
Attorneys: Murdaugh has a constitutional right to choose his lawyers
On March 21, Murdaugh's legal team, led by Richard Harpootlian and Jim Griffin, filed a motion "for payment of attorney's fees and costs from untainted funds" from a receivership that has been established when the courts seized Murdaugh's assets in light of his 100-plus criminal charges and the dozen lawsuits filed against him.
Harpootlian and Griffin claimed that Murdaugh's murder trial lasted longer than expected ― six weeks ― and had exhausted the fees Murdaugh had already paid, an amount they say is "grossly insufficient," adding they need more money to adequately mount his appeal case.
Murdaugh's attorneys also argue that their client has a "fundamental constitutional right" to an attorney of his choosing, and if he is unable to pay for an adequate defense, "the burden of representing Murdaugh will shift to the already overworked appellate public defenders."
Judge's order means Murdaugh's money goes to victims, not lawyers
However, those receivership funds are earmarked for Murdaugh's alleged victims.
Murdaugh's assets were seized and placed under control of two court-appointed receivers at the request of attorneys handling a wrongful death suit against Murdaugh in relation to the 2019 Beaufort County boat crash involving Murdaugh's son, Paul, that left 19-year-old Mallory Beach dead.
After the sale of several of Murdaugh's properties, including his home at Moselle, $2.786 million has been set aside for the victims of the boat crash case, and another $1.2 million has been raised for other alleged Murdaugh victims.
On May 2, the receivers, South Carolina attorneys Peter McCoy Jr. and John Lay Jr., filed a motion in opposition to Murdaugh's request, which Judge Hall took into consideration when denying Murdaugh's motion for more money.
The receivers argued the court had already approved an October 2022 request to liquidate Murdaugh's 401(k) retirement account and use $600,000 of that to pay for his murder defense and his appeal.
The receivers further argued that, by Murdaugh's own agreement, the remainder of his retirement funds, $424,941.24, were to be deposited into the receivership for his alleged victims ― and he was not legally entitled to any more money.
Alleged Alex Murdaugh accomplices:What's next for Russell Laffitte, Curtis Edward Smith?
What's next for Alex Murdaugh?
A total of 12 civil suits ― 11 in state court, and one federal ― have been filed against Murdaugh after an alleged decade-long, multi-county financial and drug-related crime spree in which he allegedly stole more than $8.7 million from his clients and other attorneys.
Murdaugh has signed confessions of judgement in some of these cases, and to date only one civil case, the Mallory Beach wrongful death suit, is scheduled for trial: in Hampton County beginning Aug. 14.
Judge Hall is currently considering a motion for summary judgement by a co-defendant in that trial, Gregory M. Parker Inc., the owner of the Parkers convenience store which allegedly sold some of the alcohol involved in the boat case.
Parker is asking the court to dismiss him and his business from the case and let the claim stand against Murdaugh alone, arguing that his store employees did not violate the law and are not responsible because they were duped by Murdaugh's underage son using a valid ID. The Greenville News will have more on that story later this week, and Judge Hall is expected to rule on that motion by May 26.
Murdaugh is also facing 104 remaining criminal charges, but court dates have not been set for those cases.
Meanwhile, Murdaugh is serving his life sentences under protective custody in an undisclosed maximum security state prison.
Hampton County Guardian Editor Michael DeWitt, the Greenville News and USA TODAY Network will continue to follow the ongoing criminal and civil cases surrounding the Murdaugh crime saga. Follow DeWitt on Twitter at @mmdewittjr and support his local and national journalism with a digital subscription. | https://www.greenvilleonline.com/story/news/local/south-carolina/2023/05/15/sc-judge-says-murdaugh-attorneys-cant-use-401k-for-appeal-updates-harpootlian-griffin/70216905007/ | 2023-05-15T14:16:05 | 1 | https://www.greenvilleonline.com/story/news/local/south-carolina/2023/05/15/sc-judge-says-murdaugh-attorneys-cant-use-401k-for-appeal-updates-harpootlian-griffin/70216905007/ |
Even on a rainy San Francisco day, light floods the nearly floor-to-ceiling windows lining the walls of the Warfield Building. Exposed brick borders the windows, giving the office space a decidedly hip feel, one that echoes the urban loft vibe that was once so trendy in major cities. Market Street bustles below, but the street noise is minimal, and from the high floors, the views stretch out to Bernal Hill and beyond.
These office conference rooms could someday be someone’s bedroom, if local developer Group I can get past the city’s Byzantine permitting process and execute an incredibly rare office-to-residential conversion project, which many have billed as one of the only reasonable solutions to the city’s perpetual housing crisis. As downtown San Francisco continues to struggle to revitalize itself post-pandemic, transforming office buildings into housing has been talked about as something of a golden ticket. Not only would it help to make a dent in the city’s woefully inadequate housing supply, but it could also rejuvenate a district that desperately needs a boost, especially as more businesses continue to close.
Office conversion is notoriously difficult; most buildings lack the building depth necessary to create homes people would want to live in. Some downtown buildings have been identified as better candidates for conversions. The corner mid-rise at 988 Market St. is one such candidate, and its developer is pushing forward to make as many as 40 units of housing in the historic building.
Group I is still a ways away from making its project a reality, but the developer is nevertheless much further along than most others. It filed a preliminary application to convert five floors of offices in December 2022, and plans have since expanded beyond the initially proposed 34 apartment units. The apartments would be a mix of studios, one-bedrooms and two-bedrooms from the fifth to ninth floors. Nine of those units are slated for affordable housing. Construction would also add a basement bike room, transform some second-floor space into a gym, and give residents access to a communal roof deck.
Nothing about the exterior of the 1922 building would change, and 15,000 square feet of the building would remain office space. If the project stays within its current scope, it won’t need a full building retrofit, something that would have made the project financially unfeasible, Group I principal Mark Shkolnikov said. The project is estimated to cost $9 million, and barring any unexpected hurdles, would begin construction at the end of the year.
Since Group I began work at the historic building, several legislators have brought forward legislation that could encourage developers to do these types of conversions at downtown office buildings. Mayor London Breed and Board of Supervisors President Aaron Peskin introduced legislation in March that would exempt buildings in certain downtown zones from requirements such as rear yard space and a mix of unit types, while streamlining administrative approvals. Just last week, the legislation advanced, and is now set to go before the Board of Supervisors.
“The nature of office work is forever changed and this is a moment to reimagine downtown. But there is no silver bullet,” Peskin told SFGATE. “…[This legislation] signals that this is something that San Francisco wants, encourages and is going to facilitate.”
If approved, the legislation could speed up office-to-housing projects by 6 to 12 months, said Lily Langlois, principal planner in the SF Planning Department. It would likely remove the need for a public hearing, a notoriously difficult hurdle for San Francisco builders, and make the process more straightforward, Langlois said.
“It would also send a signal to our private landholders that the city is excited about these types of projects to activate downtown,” she said.
Separately, Peskin said he’s working on legislation that would give a “major haircut” to the number of affordable units required in new housing projects, a more controversial proposal that will likely see pushback from the left flank of the Board of Supervisors.
And District 6 Supervisor Matt Dorsey introduced a bill in early April that would exempt conversion projects from certain fees, shaving off less than 10% of the cost of converting the building. “This is a small step, but it’s part of an accumulation of small steps our city will be taking over the next few years,” Dorsey told the San Francisco Chronicle. “I am committed to removing constraints and barriers that make building housing more difficult.” (The Chronicle and SFGATE are both owned by Hearst but have separate newsrooms.)
While these conversions can be a tough sell, San Francisco’s building stock is better poised than most to handle the transformations. In a recent report from public policy group SPUR, architecture firm Gensler found that 40% of the downtown buildings that were analyzed would be good candidates for conversion, as opposed to 20% nationally. The study took into account factors such as location, building size and layout.
The report posits San Francisco could get as many as 11,200 housing units from these conversions, though with the enormous caveat that each unit carries an estimated cost of $472,000 to $633,000 — and that’s without seismic upgrades, according to the SPUR study.
An additional complication is that there aren’t many examples of office-to-residential conversions in San Francisco that could be used as a model. 100 Van Ness is the most cited example, as the former AAA California headquarters morphed from offices into 400 housing units in 2014. It’s the largest conversion ever completed in the city, and it’s not cheap: Studios start renting at $3,141, and tenants get access to amenities like a roof deck and wine storage.
The company responsible for that project, Emerald Fund, hopes to do another office-to-housing conversion in the future. President Marc Babsin said they’ve looked at three “distressed office buildings” recently, bringing in contractors and architects to “see if they can make the numbers work.”
Construction costs coupled with declining rent make most of these projects impossible, Babsin said, but with new legislation at the city level, projects could get done in the future. He said the currently proposed legislation is a step forward, but there’s even more the city could do. He referenced something like a New York City project that created about 5,000 housing units in the 1990s and 2000s, when the city allowed for exempted property taxes for up to 12 years on conversions in lower Manhattan office buildings, as one possible option.
“The city can’t do anything about construction costs or rental prices, but it does control fees and taxes,” he said. “That’s where it needs to push these levers.”
Group I, meanwhile, has applied for the Mills Act, a San Francisco program that reduces property taxes in exchange for the building owner’s commitment to upkeep a historic building, as one way to help make this project financially feasible.
As of now, there’s one other San Francisco property reportedly exploring conversion plans, though they’ve yet to submit anything to SF Planning, sources told SFGATE. As Group I trudges along, Shkolnikov said they’ve been encouraged by the amount of interest people have shown in their conversion plans.
Staring out from the potential bedrooms of the Warfield Building, things don’t always look promising. The building directly across the street used to be a WeWork, and it now sits mostly empty. Down the block, large retailers like Nordstrom and Saks Off 5th are slated to close in a matter of months. But Shkolnikov is still confident.
“We’re really committed to Mid-Market and see this as one part of a larger project to revitalize Mid-Market,” he said. “We remain optimistic. We have to.” | https://www.sfgate.com/local/article/san-francisco-office-building-could-become-housing-18096218.php | 2023-05-15T14:19:45 | 1 | https://www.sfgate.com/local/article/san-francisco-office-building-could-become-housing-18096218.php |
PORTAGE — Yet another motorist has been taken into custody after being found intoxicated and unconscious behind the wheel of their vehicle, Portage police say.
This time, Edward Levine, 41, of Crown Point, was found asleep behind the wheel of a 2020 Ram 1500 pickup truck eastbound on U.S. 6 at the intersection of Willowcreek Road, police said.
St. John Police CIT Officer Dustin Wartman is trained in mental health intervention.
The officer said he spotted Levine around 9:34 p.m. Thursday after noticing his vehicle not proceeding after the traffic light turned green.
"When I walked up to the vehicle, I had to knock on the window multiple times to wake the male up," the officer wrote.
After the officer informed Levine he had fallen asleep at the wheel of his vehicle, Levine told police he was coming from his 'girl's' house. Police said they spotted an open bottle of beer in the middle console of his vehicle and said he smelled of alcohol.
Levine reportedly told police he had consumed six to seven beers at a bar and was headed to his girlfriend's house.
He told police he had a gun in his truck and officers found a 9mm and 11 rounds of ammunition, the report reads.
Gonzales reportedly told police last month, "he did not want to go to jail for the money he had taken and how for the last few months he had been depressed and not been in a mental state to work."
He refused to take part in a chemical sobriety test and once in handcuffs, because verbally aggressive, police said.
Levine was taken to the Porter County jail and faces charges of operating while intoxicated endangering others and OWI, records show.
Portage police have reported finding a number of intoxicated drivers passed out behind the wheel on local roadways.
Devon McDonald, executive director of the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute, has said a rise in drug-impaired driving could be contributing to the problem.
Drug-impaired driving is increasing enough across Indiana and the nation that it is beginning to outpace drunken driving, he said. This includes drivers impaired on a single drug, multiple drugs or a combination of drugs and alcohol.
Gallery: Recent arrests booked into the Porter County Jail
Vanessa Velasquez
Arrest date: May 11, 2023
Age: 26
Residence: Chicago, IL
Booking Number: 2301986
Charges: Auto theft, felony
Patricia Lugo
Arrest date: May 11, 2023
Age: 50
Residence: Lake Station, IN
Booking Number: 2301975
Charges: Possession or use of legend drug or precursor, felony
Jose Gonzales
Arrest date: May 11, 2023
Age: 52
Residence: Portage, IN
Booking Number: 2301989
Charges: Fraud, felony
Justin Lehocky
Arrest date: May 11, 2023
Age: 37
Residence: Portage, IN
Booking Number: 2301990
Charges: OWI, felony
Amanda Eustace
Arrest date: May 11, 2023
Age: 32
Residence: Zuni, NM
Booking Number: 2301979
Charges: Domestic battery, misdemeanor
Sean Farley Jr.
Arrest date: May 11, 2023
Age: 26
Residence: Lake Station, IN
Booking Number: 2301978
Charges: OWI, misdemeanor
Thomas Frary
Arrest date: May 11, 2023
Age: 71
Residence: Lowdon, TN
Booking Number: 2301977
Charges: OWI, misdemeanor
Mya Woodard
Arrest date: May 10, 2023
Age: 21
Residence: Portage, IN
Booking Number: 2301974
Charges: Strangulation, felony
Lawrence Zitt Jr.
Arrest date: May 10, 2023
Age: 53
Residence: Michigan City, IN
Booking Number: 2301970
Charges: Possession hypodermic syringe or needle, felony
Lisa Tachar
Arrest date: May 10, 2023
Age: 39
Residence: Valparaiso, IN
Booking Number: 2301969
Charges: Strangulation, felony
Preston Walker
Arrest date: May 10, 2023
Age: 33
Residence: Michigan City, IN
Booking Number: 2301966
Charges: Resisting law enforcement, felony
Abigail Pearson
Arrest date: May 10, 2023
Age: 30
Residence: Hebron, IN
Booking Number: 2301957
Charges: OWI, misdemeanor
Anthony Hollins
Arrest date: May 10, 2023
Age: 28
Residence: Elkhart, IN
Booking Number: 2301951
Charges: OWI, misdemeanor
Rolando Martinez Jr.
Arrest date: May 10, 2023
Age: 32
Residence: Chesterton, IN
Booking Number: 2301964
Charges: Habitual traffic offender, felony
Joshua Bates
Arrest date: May 10, 2023
Age: 25
Residence: Portage, IN
Booking Number: 2301955
Charges: OWI, misdemeanor
Maria Butler
Arrest date: May 10, 2023
Age: 46
Residence: Valparaiso, IN
Booking Number: 2301971
Charges: OWI, misdemeanor
Tiffany Dickelman
Arrest date: May 10, 2023
Age: 26
Residence: Gary, IN
Booking Number: 2301967
Charges: Possession hypodermic syringe or needle, felony
Magley Galvez Borroto
Arrest date: May 10, 2023
Age: 25
Residence: Fort Lauderdale, FL
Booking Number: 2301954
Charges: Counterfeiting, felony
Ronald Arceneaux
Arrest date: May 10, 2023
Age: 46
Residence: Valparaiso, IN
Booking Number: 2301956
Charges: Possession of cocaine or narcotic drug, felony
Alicia Abeyta
Arrest date: May 10, 2023
Age: 24
Residence: Chesterton, IN
Booking Number: 2301961
Charges: OWI, felony
Cole Singleton
Arrest date: May 9, 2023
Age: 25
Residence: Chicago, IL
Booking Number: 2301946
Charges: Domestic battery, felony
Joshua Smith
Arrest date: May 9, 2023
Age: 46
Residence: Grand Junction, MI
Booking Number: 2301947
Charges: Strangulation, felony
Rhema Miller
Arrest date: May 9, 2023
Age: 19
Residence: Portage, IN
Booking Number: 2301926
Charges: Domestic battery, misdemeanor
Daniel Johnson
Arrest date: May 9, 2023
Age: 33
Residence: Portage, IN
Booking Number: 2301937
Charges: Domestic battery, felony
Darrius Kleckner
Arrest date: May 9, 2023
Age: 29
Residence: Portage, IN
Booking Number: 2301933
Charges: Intimidation, felony
Jacob Knoll
Arrest date: May 9, 2023
Age: 32
Residence: New Carlisle, IN
Booking Number: 2301939
Charges: Possession of methamphetamine, felony
Nathan Bickerstaff
Arrest date: May 9, 2023
Age: 47
Residence: Cedar Lake, IN
Booking Number: 2301936
Charges: Invasion of privacy, felony
Brian Fox
Arrest date: May 8, 2023
Age: 40
Residence: Chesterton, IN
Booking Number: 2301906
Charges: OWI, felony
Crystal Green
Arrest date: May 8, 2023
Age: 41
Residence: Elkhart, IN
Booking Number: 2301924
Charges: Possession of methamphetamine, felony
John Ward III
Arrest date: May 7, 2023
Age: 27
Residence: Valparaiso, IN
Booking Number: 2301894
Charges: Residential entry, felony
Kalena Harrop-Haywood
Arrest date: May 7, 2023
Age: 21
Residence: Valparaiso, IN
Booking Number: 2301897
Charges: OWI, misdemeanor
Russell Volk
Arrest date: May 7, 2023
Age: 54
Residence: Valparaiso, IN
Booking Number: 2301896
Charges: OWI, felony
Kyle Clay
Arrest date: May 7, 2023
Age: 29
Residence: Portage, IN
Booking Number: 2301898
Charges: OWI, misdemeanor
Tanya Embry
Arrest date: May 7, 2023
Age: 28
Residence: Griffith, IN
Booking Number: 2301903
Charges: Battery, felony
Jenna Stockman
Arrest date: May 6, 2023
Age: 24
Residence: Lowell, IN
Booking Number: 2301889
Charges: OWI, misdemeanor
Allan Samuel
Arrest date: May 6, 2023
Age: 43
Residence: Hebron, IN
Booking Number: 2301884
Charges: OWI, misdemeanor
Ricardo Santiago
Arrest date: May 6, 2023
Age: 23
Residence: Hammond, IN
Booking Number: 2301887
Charges: OWI causing serious bodily injury, felony
Russell Coble
Arrest date: May 6, 2023
Age: 46
Residence: Hudsonville, MI
Booking Number: 2301892
Charges: OWI, misdemeanor
Juan Delgado-Leal
Arrest date: May 6, 2023
Age: 48
Residence: Hammond, IN
Booking Number: 2301890
Charges: Habitual Traffic Offender, felony
Steven Kenniger
Arrest date: May 6, 2023
Age: 64
Residence: Hobart, IN
Booking Number: 2301883
Charges: OWI, misdemeanor
Isabella Ball
Arrest date: May 6, 2023
Age: 21
Residence: South Bend, IN
Booking Number: 2301886
Charges: OWI, misdemeanor
Mohammed Aljukhaydib
Arrest date: May 6, 2023
Age: 22
Residence: Valparaiso, IN
Booking Number: 2301885
Charges: OWI, misdemeanor
Daniel Turpin
Arrest date: May 5, 2023
Age: 46
Residence: Valparaiso, IN
Booking Number: 2301881
Charges: OWI, felony
Anthony Stewart
Arrest date: May 5, 2023
Age: 39
Residence: Gary, IN
Booking Number: 2301872
Charges: Sexual misconduct with a minor, felony
Dominic Padlo
Arrest date: May 5, 2023
Age: 52
Residence: Valparaiso, IN
Booking Number: 2301856
Charges: Battery, misdemeanor
Jennifer Ryan
Arrest date: May 5, 2023
Age: 36
Residence: Hebron, IN
Booking Number: 2301857
Charges: OWI, felony
Courtlandt Harris
Arrest date: May 5, 2023
Age: 39
Residence: Westville, IN
Booking Number: 2301861
Charges: Criminal confinement, felony
Jefferey Cook II
Arrest date: May 5, 2023
Age: 37
Residence: Valparaiso, IN
Booking Number: 2301876
Charges: Possession of cocaine or narcotic drug, felony
Colleen Fatla
Arrest date: May 5, 2023
Age: 60
Residence: Chesterton, IN
Booking Number: 2301858
Charges: OWI, misdemeanor
Joseph Gilbert
Arrest date: May 5, 2023
Age: 24
Residence: Gary, IN
Booking Number: 2301879
Charges: Possession or use of legend drug or precursor, felony
Isaiah Carroll
Arrest date: May 5, 2023
Age: 18
Residence: Portage, IN
Booking Number: 2301859
Charges: Theft, felony
Sergio Barragan
Arrest date: May 5, 2023
Age: 47
Residence: Lake Station, IN
Booking Number: 2301882
Charges: OWI, misdemeanor
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RI Kids Count's factbook is out. What does it say about the state of RI's kids?
Where are the weak spots in Rhode Island's education system? A new report shows much work to be done.
Data released Monday present an unflinching look at the staffing crisis within the state's education system, which is now threatening to further damage Rhode Island's youth.
Within the mountain of statistics presented in Rhode Island Kids Count's nearly 200-page fact book, the organization's executive director, Paige Clausius-Parks, said she is "very concerned about how our children are faring during the continuing workforce crisis."
"This staffing shortage is very serious, and if it’s not addressed immediately, it could send Rhode Island back in the wrong direction for our youngest kids," she said.
For years, Kids Count, an educational advocacy group, has released annual stats spotlighting weaknesses, disparities and improvements in education.
More:‘The kids can’t wait’: How Elizabeth Burke Bryant dedicated her career to Rhode Island’s children
Some teacher wages lower than fast-food pay
The latest information shows that children are now being kept out of Head Start preschool programs because hiring and retention of teachers has diminished and low wages fail to attract enough applicants. During the 2022-2023 school year, Kids Count reports, 30 Head Start classrooms closed and 14 classrooms cut enrollment as 237 children sat on a waiting list to get in.
More:Teacher shortage in Providence persists despite bonus spending but there are bright spots
Rhode Island's educational challenges are not unique, but they are local reflections of a national phenomenon. Across the country, "20% of Head Start and Early Head Start classrooms are closed, and there is an estimated waiting list of over 100,000 children," Kids Count said.
Clausius-Parks is troubled by a lack of competitive pay. For child care educators and preschool teachers, hourly wages fall somewhere between $13 and $14. Meanwhile, Clausius-Parks said that at the State House, she has seen "many early-childhood educators testifying that they could be paid more working fast food than in our early-learning program."
Racial disparities in education, health, justice system continue for youth
Kids Count's report also highlighted severe racial disparities that persist in many areas. Of the 15% of Rhode Island kids who lived in poverty from 2017 to 2021, 76% were children of color.
That's not all:Suspensions disproportionately impact kids of color, too
Children of color are also disproportionately involved in the criminal justice system at a young age. During 2022, Black youths made up 24% of children at the juvenile correctional facility's training school and accounted for 20% of kids on probation. That's despite being 6% of the state's total child population. That same year, Hispanic youth accounted for 42% of children in the training school and 37% of kids on probation, despite being 27% of Rhode Island's total child population.
The pandemic also remains a prevalent factor, still hampering educational outcomes and mental health. This, too, has had a disproportionate impact. According to Kids Count, LGBTQ+ students and kids of color are more likely to see mental-health issues because of the pandemic, and also more likely to encounter barriers to treatment.
Bright spots are there, including low 'disconnection rate'
Kids Count's report has its bright spots, too. From 2017 to 2021, an estimated 4% or more of Rhode Island teens age 16 to 19 were neither in school nor working — a metric defined as the "disconnection rate." That's low compared with the national rate. In 2021 alone, Rhode Island saw a 3% disconnection rate, while the nation overall logged a 7% rate.
"Most of our youth are connected to some type of program," Clausius-Parks said. "We had the lowest percentage of teens not in school and not working in the nation, which is really wonderful, and we don’t talk about that a lot."
A link to the report will be added to this story as it becomes available. | https://www.providencejournal.com/story/news/local/2023/05/15/kids-count-rhode-island-factbook-teacher-shortage-a-looming-crisis/70195960007/ | 2023-05-15T14:22:46 | 1 | https://www.providencejournal.com/story/news/local/2023/05/15/kids-count-rhode-island-factbook-teacher-shortage-a-looming-crisis/70195960007/ |
PORTAGE — A 52-year-old Portage man cheated the wrong woman out of $900 in what police say was a fraudulent contracting scheme that may have other victims.
Jose Arturo Gonzales was taken into custody at his home Thursday on felony counts of fraud and theft, records show.
The alleged scheme came to light in April when a 36-year-old Portage woman contacted police and reported she had hired American Fence Company to install a short fence in the rear of her property.
She agreed to a price, signed an agreement in September and gave a $900 deposit to Gonzales, who owns the business, according to the incident report.
When she went to city hall to obtain a permit, she learned American Fence Company had allowed its operating license to lapse, police said. She attempted to stop payment on the deposit check, but was told it had already been cashed.
Gonzales reportedly assured the woman he would renew his license and agreed to refund her deposit if he did not obtain the license by a certain date, the report says. The woman said Gonzales stopped responding to her repeated text messages at that point.
The woman told police she filed a small claims case against Gonzales in November and contacted police last month believing Gonzales had committed a criminal act as well.
"I just want to say I'm deeply, deeply sorry," Charles Trumble said through sobs.
The woman told police that while in court on the civil matter, she learned there were several others who had also been cheated by Gonzales.
Gonzales reportedly told police last month, "he did not want to go to jail for the money he had taken and how for the last few months he had been depressed and not been in a mental state to work."
Police said they confirmed he had taken the woman's money, yet did not do any work for her or others.
Gonzales was still at the Porter County jail Monday morning and his criminal case is pending before Porter Circuit Court Judge Mary DeBoer.
Gallery: Recent arrests booked into the Porter County Jail
Porter/LaPorte County Courts and Social Justice Reporter
Bob is a 23-year veteran of The Times. He covers county government and courts in Porter County, federal courts, police news and regional issues. He also created the Vegan in the Region blog, is an Indiana University grad and lifelong region resident. | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/portage-fence-contractor-jailed-on-fraud-charge-others-were-cheated-as-well-police-say/article_445cd92c-f312-11ed-a32d-bb463ff5c8b8.html | 2023-05-15T14:22:49 | 1 | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/portage-fence-contractor-jailed-on-fraud-charge-others-were-cheated-as-well-police-say/article_445cd92c-f312-11ed-a32d-bb463ff5c8b8.html |
RI to open more than 100 new shelter beds — here's where they are
The Rhode Island Department of Housing said Monday it has identified locations for and funded more than 100 new shelter beds to allow the closing of the Cranston Street Armory in Providence by the end of the day.
The new beds are in spaces in Woonsocket, North Smithfield, and Providence, plus the 55 beds previously announced at the Motel 6 on Jefferson Boulevard in Warwick, according to a news release.
The Community Care Alliance is set to open 40 new shelter rooms spread across a hotel in Woonsocket and two hotels in North Smithfield.
Crossroads Rhode Island is adding 10 beds to their shelter on Broad Street in Providence.
Emmanuel House in Providence has 20 beds available for individuals.
The temporary shelter at the Cranston Street Armory was occupied by up to 200 people over the winter and as many as 150 two weeks ago, but in advance of the space closing, occupancy there dipped to fewer than 100 people last week.
Because of the way the state’s coordinated entry system for allocating shelter resources works, "it’s not the case that all new beds will be allocated to any one category of Rhode Islanders experiencing homelessness, (such as individuals at the Armory)," the release said. "Some sites will be phasing in their capacity this week. Further expansions of Rhode Island’s emergency shelter capacity are being pursued on an ongoing basis, such as shelter options in Burrillville for 10 families, and more sites are being explored and considered." | https://www.providencejournal.com/story/news/local/2023/05/15/ri-to-open-more-than-100-new-homeless-shelter-beds-close-armory/70217695007/ | 2023-05-15T14:22:54 | 1 | https://www.providencejournal.com/story/news/local/2023/05/15/ri-to-open-more-than-100-new-homeless-shelter-beds-close-armory/70217695007/ |
EAST CHICAGO — Felix "Flex" Maldonado was perched in a lift 30 feet up, painting a steel bridge as trains zipped overhead and semitrailers zoomed underneath.
Winds whipped. Horns blared. Traffic sped by in a relentless flow.
He wondered whether it was such a good idea.
Maldonado recently completed a massive mural that serves as a new gateway to East Chicago. He painted the 10-by-120-foot bridge spanning Indianapolis Boulevard, just west of the South Shore Line commuter train station, the biggest and busiest in the system.
The mural says "East Chicago," flanking the giant letters with ruby-red cardinals that represent the mascot of East Chicago Central High School. It's set against a bright blue backdrop meant to evoke nearby Lake Michigan.
It's a highly visible piece of art seen by at least 10,000 motorists daily. It greets visitors to East Chicago as well as rail commuters to Chicago and motorists passing through to such nearby destinations as the BP Whiting Refinery, the Horseshoe Hammond Casino or the Unilever and Cargill plants at the Five Points intersection in Hammond.
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“Our city has been energized by several recent art projects, including our newly painted mural near the South Shore train," Mayor Anthony Copeland said. "This project was completed by East Chicago’s very own, Felix Maldonado. His work can be seen throughout our city and the region. We look forward to more art infusion throughout our city as part of our ongoing beautification efforts."
Maldonado is an East Chicago native who maintains a studio in downtown Hammond. He's painted many prominent murals across Northwest Indiana, including the Jackson 5 murals in downtown Gary and Miller, Michael Jordan murals at sports bars in East Chicago, and the wildlife murals at Wolf Lake in Hammond.
He won the popular vote in a citywide contest for a new mural on the bridge after getting a general consensus of what people wanted to see up there.
"It's one of those highly visible locations," he said. "You know you're in East Chicago when you see that bridge."
He lives in East Chicago's Roxana neighborhood, just down the street from the bridge.
"I was born and raised in East Chicago. I grow up there. I've been living my life there. I used to take the train every day to go to school at the American Academy of Art."
During his teenage years, Maldonado spray-painted graffiti at the train station next door.
"As a graffiti artist, I was tagging and bombing that train station," he said. "Now I'm a professional artist sought out to paint there. It's phenomenal. It's come full circle. I'm happy and proud they accepted my piece, and I gave it my best."
As a greeting to the city, the mural placed the text "East Chicago" front and center. Maldonado originally considered depicting the Chicago skyline and the Indiana Dunes in the background.
"I decided I wanted something to reflect the city itself and its landmarks and settled on the E.C. Central Cardinals. It's the mascot and people have taken ownership of that bird. It was perfect. People are very proud of it. That's what I heard from a lot of alumni comments. It's something that brings everyone together, whether in the Harbor or the East Chicago part of the city. It was a perfect fit for everybody."
He also wanted the artwork to reflect East Chicago's position on a Great Lake.
"I settled on blue to reflect the wind and water of being so close to Lake Michigan. I wanted something a little lighter, rather than dark. When you're going into the city, you don't want a dark type of sign that seems ominous or scary. I wanted something lively bright and inviting, something that showcases the city."
Maldonado was given 18 days to finish the project. Whether there was rain, sleet, hail, snow or sun, he had to get it done.
Fortunately, the weather was warm and sunny.
But the project was still treacherous for Maldonado and assistant Omar Marin.
The Indiana Department of Transportation closed part of Indianapolis Boulevard underneath while they worked, restricting the lanes in sections to make room for the overhead lift.
"If we didn't complete it in two weeks, it would have been a disaster," he said. "It was a very happy circumstance that it was completed on time and everybody was safe."
While he's painted pieces as big as a four-story mural in downtown Gary, Maldonado had never painted over a bridge before.
"It produced a lot of stress and anxiety," he said. "It was very intense, just holding onto a basket 30 feet in the air while cars and trucks are zooming underneath. You have to be conscious of your surroundings at all times. When you're painting a building, you just need to make sure you're going up and down the ladder safely. We needed to worry about how we maneuvered the lift and about cars and people underneath. Everything had to be secured so it wouldn't fall out of the basket."
While the weather cooperated, it was stressful because of the deadline, the height and the traffic.
"You had to worry about the lift not hitting the wall. You don't want to bump into or run over anything. You need to stay on that bridge," he said. "You need to worry that a semi won't clip the bridge or the lift. There are so many factors involved. Nothing can fall out because, if you drop a brush or a paint can, you don't want that falling on a speeding car."
Motorists constantly waved and honked to show their support.
"It was appreciated, but it got to be a distraction," he said. 'You need to focus on concentrate and I felt like people were expecting me to turn around and start a conversation. This one was up there in terms of difficulty."
He worried that the trains would rumble overhead and the vibrations would be a logistical challenge for painting. But they turned out not to be much of a problem.
"They're not going very fast by the time they get to the station. They're not zooming by. They're electric and on overhead lines. They're kind of quiet. I kind of forgot about them."
But there were still plenty of logistical challenges, like trying to stay above the semis' height limits, gusts that threatened to blow the stencils when they were painting letters, or wind that could overspray paint outside the lines into the background. They had to pause every time there was a red light so nothing would fall on the stopped cars below.
He's not sure he would ever paint such a large bridge again.
"I'm very grateful for the opportunity," he said. "I'm not sure I understood how intensive the job would be."
It was such a taxing project that he took a few days off after it was all done.
"Now I know what it feels like how to run a marathon and fall to the ground afterward. That's how I felt," he said. "I spent all that time stressed out. It took a toll mentally and physically."
Maldonado has been getting back to work as he gears up for the busy summer mural-painting season. He recently completed a greenhouse in Belstra Milling Co.'s new garden center in DeMotte. It depicts daisies, peonies, black-eyed Susans, tulips and other flowers.
"It represents the foliage and flora in the Region. It's not tropical plants or anything like that," he said. "I love planting flowers and nature. People love flowers. There's no judgment. No one asks why you painted Michael Jackson or why you painted Michael Jordan in East Chicago. People understand flowers."
He's slated to paint murals this year in Hammond, Hebron, Michigan City, Indianapolis and Mexico. His next mural is on a new plaza on 119th Street in downtown Whiting. It will depict the lakefront town's history, sports and culture.
"I'm going to get that ready in time for their festivals. I'm excited these different towns trust in my vision and my work. I'm very proud and grateful."
Maldonado has created some amazing art in Northwest Indiana, said Tom Dabertin, vice president of the Whiting Robertsdale Chamber of Commerce.
“Felix is a truly phenomenal artist and his work is well-known around Northwest Indiana," he said. "We can’t wait for his latest mural in downtown Whiting at the new plaza, as we are confident that it will quickly become another destination in our community.”
Maldonado lives four blocks from the new East Chicago mural in Roxana and makes a point of passing the bridge daily.
"I hope people enjoy the mural," he said. "It's a reminder you're entering the city. You can see it a mile away northbound coming down that bridge. It doesn't get lost like a sign. It's big and a unique spot that's reflective of the city. It's a steel bridge with a railroad that ties into the concept of place. If that weren't the sign, the next thing I would have proposed would be to buy a tanker train car and park it in Kosciuszko Park."
He just wants to make his mark as an artist. Coming from a graffiti background as a member of the Crazy Indiana Style Artists, he relishes working with the medium of murals.
"I want to make something that will hopefully represent the city, organization or entity that commissions the mural. I'm proud to reflect what they're looking for. I like to contribute around Northwest Indiana and put my fingerprint on it. Art is everything. It's good. It's beneficial for our cities in many ways. It's beautification. It's education. It's learning about the town or the history of that city. It shows some vibrancy. It peppers some color into Northwest Indiana. This is going to be my legacy. This is art that I'm leaving behind for as long as I'm alive and maybe longer."
He delights in the irony of having been hired to paint a mural next door to where they used to fine him for plying his craft.
"That train station was like a newspaper for graffiti artists. It was a Who's Who of tags. It had two entrances on each side of the boulevard, so you could get away. All the graffiti writers in the city hit it. It's mind-blowing to me that I'm getting paid for painting where I once had to pay fines. It's rewarding to come full circle. They thought I was a vandal and now they hire me to beautify it. It's just funny to me."
NWI Business Ins and Outs: Biggby Coffee, Flora Plants, Funk My Life and McDonald's open; Aster & Gray and Elements Wine Bar close
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NWI Business Ins and Outs: Buona/Rainbow Cone, Fat Burrito, Pickles Kids and Dear Dani Boutique opening | https://www.nwitimes.com/business/local/region-artist-paints-massive-new-gateway-mural-on-east-chicago-bridge-painting-in-whiting-next/article_c09b0522-f100-11ed-8750-932c3e0a876e.html | 2023-05-15T14:27:04 | 0 | https://www.nwitimes.com/business/local/region-artist-paints-massive-new-gateway-mural-on-east-chicago-bridge-painting-in-whiting-next/article_c09b0522-f100-11ed-8750-932c3e0a876e.html |
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Video provided in partnership with The Times, JEDtv and WJOB. Sponsored by Strack & Van Til. | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/219-news-now-sounds-of-sarahs-first-3k-raises-awareness-for-opioid-use-fentanyl-poisoning/article_6f95d236-2555-5aca-a017-af0d6b473015.html | 2023-05-15T14:27:10 | 1 | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/219-news-now-sounds-of-sarahs-first-3k-raises-awareness-for-opioid-use-fentanyl-poisoning/article_6f95d236-2555-5aca-a017-af0d6b473015.html |
VALPARAISO — Indiana Public Access counselor Luke Britt said the Porter County Board of Commissioners’ frequent informal meetings are legal.
Notification of meetings isn’t posted on the county’s website the way formal meetings are, but visitors to the Porter County Administration Building can see signs in the lobby that list the meetings two days in advance, in keeping with the Indiana Open Door Law.
That meets the letter of the law, board President Jim Biggs said.
Maybe so, County Council President Jeremy Rivas said, but it isn’t “open and transparent.”
“The general public’s not sitting in the entryway of our building to know when there’s a public meeting going on,” he said. Nor are videos recorded and minutes posted.
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Rivas filed the complaint with Britt’s office a few months ago, after the commissioners launched a Public Safety Commission and began to discuss a potential public safety local income tax.
The meetings are supposed to be about routine business, not discussions on raising taxes, Rivas said.
Britt’s letter to Rivas said the meetings appear to discuss “routine activities that are reasonable, related to the everyday internal management of the county or town, including conferring with, receiving information from and making recommendations to staff members and other county or town officials or employees.”
That doesn’t include taking final action, exercising legislative powers, awarding contracts or any other binding actions, Britt said.
“There’s a lot to do. There’s a lot to be talked about,” Biggs said. This year, the commissioners are scheduling “somewhere in the neighborhood of three or four times more meetings than in previous years.”
Biggs said he agrees with Commissioner Barb Regnitz that the commissioners shouldn’t delegate as much responsibility as in the past: “It’s a new way of approaching the job. I don’t expect everyone to like it.”
“There’s no accountability to what’s happening in these meetings,” Rivas said.
The meetings aren’t typically held in the large meeting room where audio/video recording equipment is installed. Rivas asked why they couldn't be held in the large room and record the meetings for the public to see.
“I just think they haven’t been operating in a very open and transparent way,” he said. | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/government-politics/public-access-counselor-says-meetings-are-legal/article_fa95a8f0-f294-11ed-ae71-a33a0db14113.html | 2023-05-15T14:27:16 | 1 | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/government-politics/public-access-counselor-says-meetings-are-legal/article_fa95a8f0-f294-11ed-ae71-a33a0db14113.html |
A proposed multi-million dollar solar project that could power 13,000 local homes could begin construction late next year in Dayton if things go the developer’s way.
The solar project would be the largest ever in Dayton and would help local groups meet their sustainability goals and reduce their carbon footprints, officials said.
“The Gem City project will produce clean, renewable electricity that will flow right back into the Dayton grid to be consumed by Dayton-area homes and businesses,” said Ian Edwards, manager of project development with TED Renewables, the company behind the project.
The Dayton Plan Board recommended city commission approve a zoning map amendment to rezone about 70 acres of farm land in the 5100 block of Little Richmond Road to permit the installation of freestanding solar panels.
The Plan Board voted 4 to 1 for the change. Dayton City Commission will decide whether to approve or reject the zoning request.
Gem City Solar, a subsidiary of TED Renewables, wants to turn about 260 acres of farm land north of the intersection of Olive Road and Hoover Avenue in northwest Dayton into a solar park.
About 70 acres of the property is zoned residential and needs to be rezoned to a business park designation to permit freestanding solar panels as a principal use, said Tony Kroeger, Dayton’s division manager of planning and land use.
TED Renewables, based out of Kansas, wants to install solar panels and project equipment capable of generating 49.9 megawatts of electricity that will be fed into an existing transmission line that runs through the site, said Edwards.
Edwards said the Gem City Solar park will produce enough electricity to power 13,000 homes in the Dayton area.
“All of the electrons generated by this project will flow into the Dayton grid,” he said.
Construction on the project could begin in the fourth quarter of 2024 and would take about a year to complete, Edwards said.
The total project cost is unknown at this time, but projects of similar size have cost between about $75 million to $85 million, he said.
This project will provide grid resiliency and will help Dayton become a clean energy leader in Ohio, Edwards said.
TED Renewables is currently developing 170 megawatts of solar across the state of Ohio. The company’s closest project is a 120-megawatt park located in Hancock County.
Dayton’s solar project could generate more than $12 million in taxes to local taxing jurisdictions over the anticipated 35-year lifespan of the solar panels, officials said.
Local renewable energy generation is important in order to have a sustainable and resilient community, said Meg Maloney, a sustainability specialist with the city of Dayton.
“We are excited for this project as it will physically power 13,000 homes, provide a steady tax revenue for the region and will improve the ecological habitat of the area as they are planting native plants underneath,” she said.
About the Author | https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/local/massive-dayton-solar-project-that-could-power-13k-homes-moves-a-step-closer-to-construction/UFAMKA7KH5D6FK7KPHGQSTIXVE/ | 2023-05-15T14:28:59 | 1 | https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/local/massive-dayton-solar-project-that-could-power-13k-homes-moves-a-step-closer-to-construction/UFAMKA7KH5D6FK7KPHGQSTIXVE/ |
The following is the opinion and analysis of the writers:
Though Arizonans have enjoyed a particularly wet and mild winter thanks to the effects of the La Niña weather system, the flipside of all that rain may be a more deadly West Nile Virus (WNV) season. Experts fear what is coming may be a repeat of the summer of 2021 when Maricopa County’s WNV outbreak totaled 1,487 symptomatic cases and was the largest ever recorded in that county.
WNV is spread by mosquitoes and can cause fever and fatigue for several months. It can also cause severe illnesses, including encephalitis, and even death. Those over 60 are at greatest risk. To prevent unnecessary illness and deaths, both the general public and clinicians need to be better aware of the symptoms, which can include headaches, neck stiffness, stupor, disorientation, coma, tremors, convulsions, muscle weakness, vision loss, numbness and paralysis. We also need to do more to reduce mosquito breeding by using insect repellent, using window screens, treating standing bodies of water — including home pools and spas, and clearing out backyard containers.
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Maricopa County public health officials acted quickly to put in place a public health messaging campaign called “Fight the Bite.” Those in charge of the state should follow Maricopa’s lead. In 2003, Kansas implemented a similar public health awareness campaign in response to the threat of WNV across the state. A 2005 study published in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases looked at how well their campaign reached individuals and whether it resulted in people taking action to protect themselves.
This report gave us some important lessons. First, people who spoke Spanish or another language did not show that they were as aware of the disease or measures to protect themselves. Secondly, although this health campaign increased awareness, it did not change behavior. Despite these drawbacks, awareness of WNV is the first step in preventing people from getting sick, especially when used in conjunction with other public health measures. When public health messaging is used, it is important that public health officials also consider the effect of previous situations on the public’s trust and confidence in the public health system. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the messaging from some major organizations left some individuals without trust in organizations like the CDC, says National Public Radio. Public health officials must take this into consideration when designing their messaging campaigns.
It is imperative that physicians and healthcare professionals counsel patients on the importance of proper practices to protect against mosquitos. For many Americans, WNV may feel like something of minimal concern. A 2019 article published in the journal PLoS pathogens pointed out that this virus was only introduced into the United States a little over two decades ago, meaning the practices many Americans have used for protection against insects may no longer be up to date. For many primary care providers, it is important to assess a patient’s understanding of the disease and clarify misconceptions. This can be driven by an epidemiological-based approach, with primary care providers in states with especially high incidence, such as our state of Arizona, making this a higher priority in patient education, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Additionally, reporting active cases to the Disease Outbreak Control Division and mosquito breeding problems to the local Vector Control Offices/ Health Department should be a priority to prevent the spreading of the virus and control this life-threatening disease. According to the CDC, all cases should be reported in a timely manner, as these reports can “assist local, state, and national authorities to recognize outbreaks and to implement control measures to reduce additional infections.”
In conclusion, WNV is a growing concern in the state of Arizona. It is essential that physicians and public health officials do their part by spreading awareness of what WNV is, counseling patients on the proper protection practices, and actively reporting all cases of WNV.
Dulce Maria Vivas Cruz, Erin Mills, Isabel Fangman, Negar Katirai, Oscar Salinas are Master of Public Health students in the Public Health Policy and Management Course at the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health at the University of Arizona. | https://tucson.com/opinion/local/local-opinion-here-we-go-again-how-public-health-officials-can-curb-the-impact-of/article_7baa1a9a-ef5f-11ed-bbe0-3f5ac235aae1.html | 2023-05-15T14:31:34 | 1 | https://tucson.com/opinion/local/local-opinion-here-we-go-again-how-public-health-officials-can-curb-the-impact-of/article_7baa1a9a-ef5f-11ed-bbe0-3f5ac235aae1.html |
DALLAS — (AP) — A man who didn't want his girlfriend to get an abortion fatally shot her during a confrontation in a Dallas parking lot, police said.
He was jailed on a murder charge as of Friday.
Texas banned abortions after roughly six weeks of pregnancy in September 2021. But nearly all abortions have been halted in Texas since Roe v. Wade was overturned last summer, except in cases of medical emergency.
Gabriella Gonzalez, 26, was with her boyfriend, 22-year-old Harold Thompson, on Wednesday when he tried to put her in a chokehold, according to an arrest warrant affidavit. She had returned the night before from Colorado, where she had gone to get an abortion.
“It is believed that the suspect was the father of the child,” the affidavit said. “The suspect did not want (Gonzalez) to get an abortion.”
Surveillance video from the parking lot shows Gonzalez “shrugs him off,” police said, and the two continue walking. Thompson then pulls out a gun and shoots Gonzalez in the head. She falls to the ground and Thompson shoots her multiple times before running away, the affidavit said.
Thompson was arrested later Wednesday and is being held in the Dallas County Jail without bond. Court records did not list an attorney who could speak on his behalf.
Gonzalez’s sister was at the scene and heard the shooting, police said. Another witness saw Thompson try to choke Gonzalez but couldn't call police because she did not have her cell phone.
At the time of the shooting, Thompson had been charged with assault of a family member, who accused him of choking her in March.
The affidavit from March does not specifically name Gonzalez as the person who was assaulted. But it does say the woman told police that Thompson “beat her up multiple times throughout the entirety of their relationship” and that Thompson told police the woman was pregnant with his child at that time.
The woman “reiterated that she is scared of the suspect because he had made threats to harm her family and her children,” according to the affidavit.
More Texas headlines: | https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/dallas-shooting-abortion-argument/287-a1b51a10-58be-4b81-bde4-06c320bf92ce | 2023-05-15T14:35:22 | 1 | https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/dallas-shooting-abortion-argument/287-a1b51a10-58be-4b81-bde4-06c320bf92ce |
FORT VALLEY, Ga. — President Joe Biden weighed in on the recent vote by workers at Blue Bird in Fort Valley to unionize.
Last week, 697 people voted to create their own union and 435 people voted against it, according to a spokeswoman for the United Steelworkers Union (USW), which worked with Blue Bird workers on setting up the election.
The vote took two days.
More than 2,400 people work at the bus factory, making it Peach County's largest employer.
On Sunday, President Biden released a statement congratulating the workers on voting to unionize. He said companies like Blue Bird are an integral part of America’s future.
The company has seven days to file an objection from when the vote was taken on May 12. Then, the National Labor Relations Bureau would certify and start negotiating a union contract.
So far, there's no timeline for when that would happen.
Here is the full statement from President Biden:
"Congratulations to the workers at Blue Bird in Fort Valley, Georgia, on their vote to unionize and join the United Steelworkers. The men and women at Blue Bird are building electric school buses that are powering America’s clean energy future, lowering greenhouse gas emissions, and ensuring our kids breathe cleaner air. The fact is: the middle class built America. And unions built the middle class. That’s why my Investing in America Agenda is about creating good-paying jobs – jobs that don’t require a four-year degree, jobs you can raise a family on. Jobs where you get a free and fair choice to join a union.
Where is it written that America can’t lead the world again in manufacturing? The workers at Blue Bird, and at companies just like it all over the country, are proving the future can and will be built in America. And union workers will be a big part of that future." | https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/president-joe-biden-releases-statement-on-blue-birds-vote-to-unionize/93-44fcd33f-2035-4b09-b9f9-b0eae3a91a59 | 2023-05-15T14:35:22 | 0 | https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/president-joe-biden-releases-statement-on-blue-birds-vote-to-unionize/93-44fcd33f-2035-4b09-b9f9-b0eae3a91a59 |
FORT VALLEY, Ga. — Mother Nature wasn't kind to one of Georgia's top crops, the one we're known for here in Central Georgia -- peaches.
Lawton Pearson sits on the state's Peach Council and owns Pearson Farms.
He says Central Georgia peach-growers saw about a 90 percent loss this year.
His wife Lanier says it will be slim pickings this summer.
“On a good year, you hope this tree has 700 peaches on it,” she said pointing to a tree with very few peaches on it.
This is not a good year.
The Pearson farm, normally bustling with activity in May, has carrying bins sitting idle in the barn.
The only movement on the packing line is a maintenance guy tuning up some gears.
“We have anywhere from five to 10 percent of a peach crop this year, so it's worse than anything I've ever seen,” Lanier said.
Pearson says not enough chill hours in December, a warm February, and frosts in March compounded another to create the disaster.
“It's kind of like a triple-whammy -- one of those events we could have sustained and had a loss, but not this significant,” she said, which means you might feel in the pits when you go to the produce aisle this summer.
“You will not be able to find a Georgia peach in grocery stores this year," she projected.
It's a historic loss and one that a lot of folks will feel, but the Pearsons say they are grateful for the few peaches they will have in their retail store this summer.
Lanier Pearson says another bitter result is that peach farmers just won't have the work this year for the people on H-2A visas.
That federal program brings migrant farm workers to Georgia to help with the harvest.
She says many of them rely on that income.
The Pearson Farms Market will open next week, selling some peaches along with other summer produce. | https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/you-wont-see-a-georgia-peach-in-the-grocery-store-farmer-says-about-crop-loss-2/93-1048a57e-b1c0-4da1-9165-13b8e6742f29 | 2023-05-15T14:35:23 | 0 | https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/you-wont-see-a-georgia-peach-in-the-grocery-store-farmer-says-about-crop-loss-2/93-1048a57e-b1c0-4da1-9165-13b8e6742f29 |
MEMORIAL DAY PARADE AND CEREMONY
The Bloomington-Normal Memorial Day Parade will step off at Front and Center streets in downtown Bloomington at 9 a.m. Monday, May 29. The parade will finish at Miller Park on Wood Street in Bloomington. The Memorial Day ceremony will be held at the band shell in Miller Park. Take a few minutes from your holiday activities to recognize and celebrate the lives of the men and women who gave the ultimate sacrifice to protect and reserve our nation and its values. Especially share these moments with our children, lest we fail to pass on to succeeding generations the greatness of our country and those who have served her.
EVERGREEN CEMETERY COMMUNAL CEREMONY
The Evergreen Memorial Day Ceremony Committee is still seeking participants for the communal military rites part of the ceremony. Contact Butch Ekstam at 309-825-2703 for more information about the communal ceremony for families of veterans who did not receive military rites at the time of their funeral.
Q: I fractured my kneecap while playing a pickup game of baseball during my active-duty military service back in the 1960s. I have always had pain and some limitations when bending the knee, but have never filed a claim for service-connected disability compensation. I never served in combat and have always felt embarrassed to file a claim for my injury when I consider those in the military who have been injured or killed during their military duty. I have been out of the military for more than 50 years. Should I file a claim now?
A: The decision to file or not file a claim is a personal one! Keep in mind that only about two-thirds of the veterans who have legitimate claims actually file claims. Also, keep in mind that when you entered military service you gave up virtually all your rights and freedoms to serve your country. Likewise, the military not only controlled everything about your life, but they also took responsibility for whatever happened to you while you were in the military (including being injured in non-military-duty activities). Finally, the VA budget funding for service-connected disability compensation is based on expectations of the number of claims that will be filed, not the actual number who have legitimate claims. The lower the number of claims expected, the lower the funding to support the claims. Additionally, if you have been denied VA Health Care benefits because your income has been above the VA means test, getting a disability compensation rating at even a 0% level will make you eligible for VA Health Care. The decision you make will be the right one, for you!
PTAX-342 REDUCTION IN REAL ESTATE TAXES PROGRAM
Each year, veterans who own or are buying their home who have a 30% VA service-connected disability compensation rating may be eligible for a $2,500 reduction in the equalized assessed value of their property for real estate tax calculation. Veterans with a 50% disability compensation rating may receive a $5,000 reduction in their EAV. Veterans who are rated at 70% or higher for VA disability compensation may not have to pay any real estate taxes on their home. The veteran must file a PTAX-342 form, a copy of their DD 214 and a VA compensation award letter dated after Jan. 1 of the year the reduction is requested, to the county assessor’s office to apply for the benefit. Yearly, the McLean County Assessor’s Office also mails reminders to the veterans who received a reduction the previous year. The veteran must file a PTAX-342R form with a copy of an updated disability award letter dated after Jan. 1 of the upcoming year to continue to qualify for the EAV reduction. Failure to file the PTAX-342R may result in loss of EAV reduction benefits.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
As we approach Memorial Day, let our hearts and our minds contemplate the meaning of the following quote concerning Memorial Day and how we observe it.
“I have never been able to think of the day as one of mourning; I have never quite been able to feel that half-masted flags were appropriate on Decoration Day. I have rather felt that the flag should be at the peak, because those whose dying we commemorate rejoiced in seeing it where their valor placed it. We honor them in a joyous, thankful, triumphant commemoration of what they did.” — Benjamin Harrison
ENJOBY THE MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND ACTIVITIES. THOSE WHO MAKE IT POSSIBLE WOULD NOT WANT IT TO BE ANY OTHER WAY! | https://pantagraph.com/news/local/veterans-corner-memorial-day-events-q-a-real-estate-taxes-program/article_ad25381c-f01c-11ed-9f3e-8b164617fac9.html | 2023-05-15T14:37:47 | 0 | https://pantagraph.com/news/local/veterans-corner-memorial-day-events-q-a-real-estate-taxes-program/article_ad25381c-f01c-11ed-9f3e-8b164617fac9.html |
SAN ANTONIO — After three difficult years, a San Antonio Military family is finally beginning to get a sense of normalcy again. Two national organizations known for helping children with critical illnesses, are stepping up to help a local family.
KENS 5 Anchor Sarah Forgany sat down with the mother of a 5-year-old who has been battling cancer since he was just two and she has a message for parents.
“In an instant, our life was just our life was shattered,” an emotional Brittany Smith said as she sobbed while hold her son Maddox. “I fell to the floor, and I cried and I screamed. “
In October of 2020, Maddox was just two years old when Smith received some devastating news.
“When they told me that they thought he had cancer."
Doctors diagnosed him with High Risk B-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.
"He was just playing, playing on the floor. He didn't have a clue what was going on or what was about to start happening to him.”
Within two days, Smith says her little boy was getting his first round of chemo. It would turn into a nearly three year journey, 110 hospital stays,
multiple surgeries and many chemotherapy treatments.
Every day was unpredictable.
“I mean, he's a baby. He hasn't gotten to enjoy life and do fun things,” Smith said, “I was terrified. I was so afraid that he wasn't going to live."
In that time the mother of seven children would often go weeks without seeing her other kids. She was next to Maddox in the hospital, isolated at the height of the pandemic.
“We've spent the better half of the past two, two and a half years, pretty much just kind of sheltering in place from the outside world for his safety."
The military family eventually left North Carolina where Smith’s husband was stationed with the Army and moved to San Antonio.
Maddox would continue his treatment here, at Brooke Army Medical Center.
Smith says treatments worked but not without serious side effects.
"A whole list of developmental delays because of his treatment. I mean, he's nonverbal for the most part right now."
But Smith is thankful Maddox is here today standing strong and she has a message for all parents.
"If you see any abnormal signs with your children, bruises, bleeding, get them checked and don't second guess yourself,” Smith said, “I trusted my mom gut and and it saved him.”
2000 beads of courage and 849 days later, Maddox is finally cancer free.
“He rang the bell on February 6th of this year, his fifth birthday."
Now Maddox is ready to take on the world.
“He’s been through so much in his in his little life, and he deserves to be able to go."
Soon the family will be headed to Disney, thanks to Make-A-Wish foundation. The organization said they’re sending the family on May 25.
Meanwhile, another national group, Campaign One At A Time is also helping the family. The charity has launched a donations campaign for the Smiths to raise money for any of their needs.
"This would mean the world to us,” Smith said, "All of his, his clinic visits and the pokes and lumbar puncture, then he still walks out of there with a smile. He's so resilient and so brave and just he amazes me."
If you would like to make a donation for Maddox, click on this link: https://www.campaignoaat.org/campaign-program/maddoxstrong. | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/child-battling-leukemia-now-cancer-free-heading-to-disney-world-military-san-antonio-texas-makeawish-heartwarming/273-52330ca4-30fe-4ca2-bd9c-96325aecc067 | 2023-05-15T14:48:07 | 1 | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/child-battling-leukemia-now-cancer-free-heading-to-disney-world-military-san-antonio-texas-makeawish-heartwarming/273-52330ca4-30fe-4ca2-bd9c-96325aecc067 |
SAN ANTONIO — Police are searching for the driver who hit a skateboarder and kept going on the city's west side late Sunday night.
It happened around 10:30 p.m. on the 3600 block of Culebra Road near St. Mary's University.
Police say the victim, a man in his 20s, was trying to cross Culebra Road, and was in the middle of the street, when he was hit by a vehicle.
He was holding onto his skateboard at the time.
Officials say some good Samaritans helped the victim and then called police.
Witnesses told police that some other people tried to follow after the vehicle that was involved, but the driver of that truck was able to get away from them.
They described the vehicle as being a truck that was either white or black.
The victim was taken to the hospital in critical condition.
No other injuries reported.
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/good-samaritans-come-to-aid-of-skateboarder-hit-by-vehicle-on-west-side-of-town-sapd-san-antonio-skateboard-texas/273-40cf1117-21cb-404a-8c9f-92c46180043d | 2023-05-15T14:48:11 | 0 | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/good-samaritans-come-to-aid-of-skateboarder-hit-by-vehicle-on-west-side-of-town-sapd-san-antonio-skateboard-texas/273-40cf1117-21cb-404a-8c9f-92c46180043d |
MIDLAND, Texas — A 20-year-old Midland girl, Madeline Pantoja, has been missing since May 10 and her family is desperate to find her.
"It's something we don't wish this on anybody, we never thought this was going to happen to our family." said Ruby Urias, Madeline's cousin.
Madeline Pantoja was last seen at her apartment complex on may 10th.
"Thursday at 1:30 her neighbors heard her arguing with her ex-boyfriend and after that we have not known anything about her." said Urias, who was translating for Roberto Pantoja.
Her phone, purse keys and dog were all left in her apartment, something that is very unlike her.
"She's been a very independent young lady, she gets her stuff paid she's very responsible." said Urias.
The Midland Police Department is investigating this case right now the family has no new information from them.
"He says absolutely not, they have not let us know anything." said Urias,
The family and others have searched for Madeline around the apartment complex and places in South Midland.
"We've gone to lands over there just empty lots looking, we've had people we don't know searching with their drones, they've sent us videos, pictures of the footage they took. We've had people offer horses to us so that we can search." said Urias.
The family just wanting to find Madeline as soon as possible.
"That all he wants is to find his daughter." said, Urias.
If you have any information about Madeline's whereabouts call MPD at 432-685-7108.
She is approximately 5' 4", 130 pounds with long dark hair. She also has 2 butterfly tattoos behind her right ear and a tattoo of a snake on her right arm. | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/midland-family-desperate-to-find-missing-person/513-8a133354-349a-4b43-84af-176130f05933 | 2023-05-15T14:48:17 | 0 | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/midland-family-desperate-to-find-missing-person/513-8a133354-349a-4b43-84af-176130f05933 |
SAN ANTONIO — There has a been a surge of new babies at the San Antonio Zoo and in honor of Mother’s Day they gave KENS 5 a look behind the scenes at how some of these newborns and hatchlings are being raised.
Holding a small plastic syringe up to the beak of a nestling flamingo, Animal Care Specialist Stephanie Brandon whispered: “Here you go, Poco.”
The syringe held a special formula that imitates a flamingo’s natural mothers’ milk. Brandon and other workers spent Sunday afternoon feeding many of the birds at the San Antonio Zoo.
Brandon pointed out that both flamingo mothers and fathers provide milk for their young. She said that when a flamboyance (colony) of flamingos has a new chick you can always spot the parents by their whiter color. She says the nutrients associated with their pink color get passed over to the baby.
"Parenting is a sacrifice," Brandon said.
Baby boom at the San Antonio Zoo
While some of the babies at the zoo are being raised by their mothers, others need the attention of surrogate caregivers like her.
"What better way to celebrate Mother's Day than with the arrival of all the new moms and babies at San Antonio Zoo,” said Tim Morrow, President & CEO of San Antonio Zoo. “Our recent baby boom is a momentous occasion for wildlife conservation, and a testament to the world-class care from the animal care staff at San Antonio Zoo.
“We look forward to this time of year because it's breeding season,” said Josef San Miguel, the San Antonio Zoo's Director of Aviculture.
San Miguel oversees the rearing of the birds who are hatched and raised at the Zoo.
“This is a time when we gather and get all our resources together and start raising babies," he said.
So far in 2023, the Zoo has seen 26 new babies, including an Addra Gazelle and a Northern White-Cheeked Gibbon, both from critically endangered species. They also welcomed three endangered Psychedelic Rock Gecko’s, four Palm Cockatoos, and two different species of Bird-of-Paradise.
San Miguel said this year there have been seventeen new arrivals in his department alone.
He says the more they can help these creatures reproduce, the easier it will be to help people understand the animals and world around them.
“Conservation helps animals in the wild, but it also helps our birds and all our animals in zoos to prosper for the future,” he said. | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/new-moms-and-staff-at-the-san-antonio-zoo-welcome-baby-animals-texas-award-kids-entertainment-brackenridge-park-monkeys-cats/273-1e013af3-2fa9-48b0-9807-48c9c2259d58 | 2023-05-15T14:48:23 | 1 | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/new-moms-and-staff-at-the-san-antonio-zoo-welcome-baby-animals-texas-award-kids-entertainment-brackenridge-park-monkeys-cats/273-1e013af3-2fa9-48b0-9807-48c9c2259d58 |
SAN ANTONIO — A police chase involving robbery suspects ended in a fiery crash on the west side early Monday morning.
This happened on the Highway 90 frontage road near the 9/11 Memorial.
The incident started around 3:00 am when a woman was robbed at gunpoint and her car was stolen by four males from her home in a neighborhood near Medina Base and Loop 410.
An hour later, police saw the vehicle on I-35 and Somerset and began to pursue it up to Loop 410 North and to Highway 90 East with speeds over 100 miles per hour.
Eventually, the vehicle crashed and four suspects bailed out of it, running into the brush nearby at the New Life Trailhead. The car, a Honda Accord, was fully engulfed in flames. Police say there is not much left of it now.
All four suspects were found with the help of a helicopter, as well as a K-9 unit after a chase through some thick brush. The four suspects, who police say include three juveniles and a 17-year-old, are now in custody.
The gun was not found.
This is a developing story.
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/police-chase-with-robbery-suspects-ends-in-fiery-crash-sapd-san-antonio-texas-carjacking-gun-weapon/273-ddb248cc-9b95-47c3-a1a8-619719ee7d87 | 2023-05-15T14:48:29 | 1 | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/police-chase-with-robbery-suspects-ends-in-fiery-crash-sapd-san-antonio-texas-carjacking-gun-weapon/273-ddb248cc-9b95-47c3-a1a8-619719ee7d87 |
VON ORMY, Texas — A suspected drunk driver going the wrong way on I-35 crashed into an 18-wheeler truck early Monday morning.
It happened around 2:35 a.m. on I-35 North near Fisher Road in Von Ormy.
Police say a man in his 30s driving a Lexus was traveling on I-35 going the wrong way. Multiple big rig drivers saw the driver and began alerting each other to the danger.
The 18-wheeler truck that the man hit had actually begun to slow down after he was told about the wrong-way driver, just beofre he was hit.
Both drivers refused to be taken to the hospital.
The driver of the Lexus is being evaluated by police for driving while intoxiated.
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/wrong-way-driver-crashes-into-18-wheeler-truck-sapd-san-antonio-texas-truck-drunk-dwi/273-1ede2fa3-f0d1-4917-931a-aa944505e497 | 2023-05-15T14:48:35 | 1 | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/wrong-way-driver-crashes-into-18-wheeler-truck-sapd-san-antonio-texas-truck-drunk-dwi/273-1ede2fa3-f0d1-4917-931a-aa944505e497 |
DALLAS(KDAF)— This week, you might want to break out your jackets as colder temperatures and a few storms are predicted. This morning, there will be some fog, but it will diminish as the temperature rises.
NWS Fort Worth said, “Patchy dense fog is expected through mid-morning with near-calm winds. A weak cold front will bring a chance of showers and storms to the area later today, as it slowly moves southward into Central Texas tonight. Not everyone will see rain. The main window for storms is from 4 PM to 9 PM, with showers lingering overnight after the storms diminish, mainly across western Central Texas. Brief heavy downpours may cause isolated flooding. Otherwise, a few strong storms with gusty winds and small hail are possible”.
Weather alerts will be provided by your local weather service this week, we are expecting a change in the weather by Wednesday. There could be a cold front and storms coming this week, possibly on Friday.
NWS Fort Worth said, “Most of the mid to late week period will feature seasonable temperatures and merely low-end chances for showers and storms. Better storm chances arrive late Friday with a cold front, followed by cooler and drier air in time for the weekend”. | https://cw33.com/news/local/cold-front-sweeping-through-north-texas-this-week-bringing-a-few-storms/ | 2023-05-15T14:53:43 | 1 | https://cw33.com/news/local/cold-front-sweeping-through-north-texas-this-week-bringing-a-few-storms/ |
TEXAS (KFDX/KJTL) — They say, “Everything’s bigger in Texas.” One example of just how big things can become in Texas is when a local legend became a nationally syndicated news story, eventually earning a city a title it may not have any claim to.
It’s the story behind one of the most beloved Southern entrees, chicken-fried steak.
The concept isn’t complicated: coat a beef steak in batter, fry it in a pan, smother it in gravy, and add mashed potatoes on the side. Since its inception, chicken-fried steak has become a staple in households and restaurants across Texas.
There are several different accounts of how the chicken-fried steak came into existence, but the city of Lamesa, Texas, claims to be the dish’s birthplace, and holds the title of the “Legendary Home of the Chicken-Fried Steak”.
Lamesa is located in west Texas, about 60 miles south of Lubbock. In 2011, the Texas Legislature passed HCR 134, authored by Tom Craddick of Texas House District 82, a resolution declaring Lamesa the “Legendary Home of the Chicken-fried Steak”.
The title has become Lamesa’s claim to fame. Every year since 2011, the city has held Lamesa’s Original Chicken-Fried Steak Festival downtown.
According to the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, former Lamesa Mayor Kelvin Barkowsky came up with the idea of the annual festival as a way to attract tourists to the town and make the local legend of the origin of the famous southern dish part of Texas history.
The Avalance-Journal reported in 2011 that a century prior, in 1911, the famous chicken-fried steak was created by accident when a short-order cook known as Jimmy Don Perkins misheard an order from a waitress, or misread the ticket.
According to the story, the order was intended to be for chicken and fried steak. However, Perkins misinterpreted the order, and instead of asking for clarification from the waitress, he rolled a piece of steak in flour and milk and fried it the way he’d fry a piece of chicken.
Perkins then served the new culinary creation with fries and cream gravy, not realizing he’d given birth to a dish that would become synonymous with southern-style food for generations to come.
Journalist Larry BeSaw finally put the local legend into print in the Austin American-Statesman in 1976, according to the text of HCR 134.
BeSaw’s account of the dish’s origin spread around the country. The article was picked up by a syndicated columnist and later published in trivia books and news publications, including The Washington Post and Texas Monthly, earning Lamesa the honor of being home of the chicken-fried steak.
However, there’s just one problem with Lamesa’s claim to fame. According to the text of HCR 134, the story isn’t true.
“Mr. BeSaw had created his article as a spoof, never intending it to be taken as fact, but the story quickly took on a life of its own,” HCR 134 reads. “Though the journalist has tried numerous times to set the record straight, the yarn continues to be widely told, having attained the status of a Texas tall tale.”
Lamesa didn’t want to spoil the legend, instead embracing and celebrating the lore of the creation of chicken-fried steak and making it a part of their city’s identity.
Plus, everybody loves a good story.
“Residents of the Lone Star State have long demonstrated their appreciation for harmless exaggeration and some good old-fashioned leg-pulling,” HCR 134 reads. “Because the Jimmy Don Perkins tale is just a darn good story, it is indeed appropriate that the city of Lamesa be recognized for its role in this imaginative and imaginary incident in Texas history.”
So, Lamesa remains the “Legendary Home of the Chicken- Fried Steak”, even though legend is their only claim to the title. | https://cw33.com/news/local/how-this-texas-city-became-the-home-of-the-chicken-fried-steak/ | 2023-05-15T14:53:49 | 1 | https://cw33.com/news/local/how-this-texas-city-became-the-home-of-the-chicken-fried-steak/ |
(NEXSTAR) — Summer is on its way and some new weather and allergy considerations are coming along with it. Saharan dust has increasingly become a notable visitor to Texas over the summer months — but is it expected to blow in anytime soon?
After all, as KXAN News’ Chief Meteorologist David Yeomans explains, right now is typically when the the whole process starts happening.
“Saharan dust travels our way in the summer,” Yeomans says. “This is the time of year when big, windy thunderstorms over the Sahara Desert kick up massive plumes of dust into the lower and mid-levels of the atmosphere.”
It’s during the summer months, typically, when these plumes of dust (which is technically a soil mineral), travel thousands of miles on easterly winds from Africa across the Atlantic — bringing the grit to the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico and the southeastern U.S. Plumes can sometimes be a mile high, Yeomans says.
You’ll usually know when a plume’s blown in due to the signature haziness it adds to skies. With the dust in the air, it can spell some trouble for sinus and allergy sufferers — especially those with conditions like asthma.
Allergist Dr. Thomas Leath, of Allergy Partners of Austin, told KXAN News he sees an uptick in patients whenever the African dust arrives.
“If they see the air quality is poor because of African dust, maybe spend a little less time outside, maybe not exercise outside. If they do go out and do those things, they’ll probably want to come home and shower and do a sinus rinse to rinse some of that dust out of their nose and sinuses.”
Yeomans points out that it’s important to remember that Saharan dust is an irritant, not an allergen. So, while it can worsen allergic symptoms, you won’t have a new allergy to worry about.
So for this year (2023), is Saharan dust expected — and when?
Yeomans says it may still be a bit too early to tell.
“The amount of dust kicked up into the atmosphere depends on how active the ‘wave train’ of disturbances is in the African monsoon,” he says. Here, monsoon refers to the shift in winds that causes rainy and dry seasons — which typically arrives in June in Africa.
Dust travel is most common between late June and mid-August and new dust outbreaks occur about every 3-5 days, Yeomans says.
And despite how pesky it can be, Saharan dust isn’t without a few silver linings.
Because the soil sometimes adds a reddish tint to the air, plumes can create a lavender haze to skies at dusk (shoutout to Taylor Swift). These “purple sunsets” are often seen over Texas when dust is particularly active.
Unintentional beauty aside, Saharan dust also adds one practical benefit. Since the air is extremely dry, it can inhibit formation and strengthening of hurricane systems when it’s traveling over water. Last year’s hurricane season was particularly quiet, according to experts, and Saharan dust is one major reason why.
Another interesting benefit: Yeomans says the mineral is protein-rich and the stuff that falls into the ocean turns into food for marine life. | https://cw33.com/news/local/saharan-dust-in-texas-will-it-come-in-this-year-and-when/ | 2023-05-15T14:53:55 | 1 | https://cw33.com/news/local/saharan-dust-in-texas-will-it-come-in-this-year-and-when/ |
(NEXSTAR) — Despite a recent slowdown in growth, rent costs across the U.S. are well above pre-pandemic levels – so where can you get the most space for your money in Texas?
An annual analysis from Rentcafe, a nationwide listing service that helps find apartments or houses for renters and buyers, compared cities in Texas to find out how much square footage you can get, on average, for $1,500.
The most square footage for $1,500
Unfortunately for many renters, the study found that the state’s big cities aren’t among the best places to find spacious units for $1,500.
That being said, the cost of square footage in the Lone State’s big cities is still substantially less than in other states. While, on average, you’ll only get 243 square feet in Manhattan, $1,500 is enough to afford 1,020 square feet in San Antonio, 997 in Houston and 805 in Dallas.
On the pricier side, the most expensive cities were Austin (714 square feet), Frisco (740 square feet), Plano (766 square feet) and Dallas (805 square feet).
So which cities offer the most apartment for $1,500? Rent Cafe found that McAllen was best, with the average apartment size coming in at 1,471 square feet, followed by Amarillo (1,318 square feet), Brownsville (1,307 square feet), El Paso (1,222 square feet) and Lubbock (1,218 square feet).
Rent Cafe used Yardi Matrix data for the study, which you can see here.
Good news for renters?
Rent prices are still sharply higher than they were before the pandemic, but there may be reason for some optimism.
Year-over-year average rent prices across the U.S. actually went down for the first time since COVID-19 upended life around the globe.
Unfortunately for apartment shoppers, rental prices are still quite expensive. The national media cost of rent is now $1,937, according to Rent, which tracks listings and rental data.
The last time it was below that level was February 2022, when it was $1,904. In January, 2020, the month when the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed the first COVID-19 case in the U.S., the median rental price was $1,585. | https://cw33.com/news/local/these-texas-cities-have-the-most-apartment-space-for-1500-report-finds/ | 2023-05-15T14:54:01 | 1 | https://cw33.com/news/local/these-texas-cities-have-the-most-apartment-space-for-1500-report-finds/ |
HOUSTON (KIAH) — Texas may not have a state income tax, but it does have property taxes, and they have been rising for the last 10 years.
Many state homeowners have seen their taxes rise as the state’s tax burden goes up. But the amount you pay depends on where you live in the state, and the appraisal value of your real estate and other property in your area and county. Also, local municipalities and school districts can affect your property tax rate.
The median property tax for the state of Texas is $2,275, which is a rate of 1.66%. According to the Tax Foundation, Texas currently has the sixth-highest property tax rate in the country.
So where in Texas are the property taxes the highest? According to the Tax Foundation, three counties, Collin County, Fort Bend County and Travis County, have median property taxes that exceed $6,000.
Collin County, which is a suburban county north of Dallas, has a median tax estimation of $6,377. Fort Bend County, which is a suburban county southwest of Houston, has a median tax cost of $6,186. And Travis County, where the state capitol of Austin is, has a median tax cost of $6,157.
Both Collin and Fort Bend counties have seen huge growth in their populations, which has exceeded the need for more schools and resources in those counties.
The two counties that neighbor Travis County, Hays and Williamson counties, also have high property taxes, with median costs at $5,820 for Williamson County and $5,365 for Hays County.
Another DFW suburban county, Denton, is also high with a median cost of $5,651.
Other counties with high property taxes include Kendall County ($4,870), Montgomery County ($4,504) and Tarrant County ($4,066).
The good news for homeowners and property owners is that the Texas Legislature is working on a $12 billion package to lower future property taxes.
But for right now, all taxpayers can do is protest the appraisal of their property and try and get their property tax lowered. They have until May 15 to file a protest with their district’s appraisal board. | https://cw33.com/news/local/where-are-property-taxes-highest-in-texas/ | 2023-05-15T14:54:07 | 0 | https://cw33.com/news/local/where-are-property-taxes-highest-in-texas/ |
Name: Cal Adamczyk
School: Tremper High School
Parents: Scott and Dana Adamczyk
Most memorable high school moment: My most memorable moment was the first day of freshman year. My first step into Tremper I knew that I had so much time to accelerate as both a student athlete and as a person, yet at the same time I realized that this time was also limited and that I should cherish the coming moments for the rest of my life.
Most influential teacher: John Matera as Athletic Director; Coach Matera has helped me develop not only as a player, but rather as a person in which I am proud to acknowledge myself as. He has paved the way for me both athletically and academically and I could not be more appreciative of him.
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School activities/clubs: National Honor Society, student government, yearbook
School athletics: Baseball, soccer
Honors, letters or awards: Baseball 2021 SEC All Conference Honorable Mention; Soccer 2021 SEC All Conference Honorable Mention and 2022 SEC All Conference Second Team
Out-of-school activities/hobbies: Travel Baseball for GRB Rays in Waukesha
College choice: UW-La Crosse
Intended major/field of study: Business
Role model: Steph Curry
Three words that best describe my role model: Optimistic, Discerning, Inspirational
What I hope to accomplish in my lifetime: In my future I hope to create a name for both myself and my family. I will strive to make all those that believed in me along the way proud of what I will accomplish. I look to earn all my degrees in college and become very successful in the business world. I will continue to give back to the Kenosha community that has treated me with such kindness and admiration, and to live a life that I can be thankful for. | https://kenoshanews.com/news/local/todays-teen-2023-cal-adamczyk-of-tremper-high-school/article_9742c4f4-f037-11ed-a22c-7f1b2a94d6e3.html | 2023-05-15T15:09:51 | 1 | https://kenoshanews.com/news/local/todays-teen-2023-cal-adamczyk-of-tremper-high-school/article_9742c4f4-f037-11ed-a22c-7f1b2a94d6e3.html |
Tempe's Election Day is May 16. A guide to Coyotes decision for same-day voters
Tempe voters will decide Tuesday whether they accept or reject a plan by the Coyotes franchise to build a $2.1 billion project that features a new hockey arena, after a six-month campaign.
The project involves building nearly 2,000 apartments, an NHL arena and an entertainment district on 46 acres of land west of Tempe Town Lake. It's the "last bulk" of city-owned land that Tempe has left to develop. Tuesday's election outcome will have major ramifications for city coffers for generations to come.
Tempe residents have been casting mail-in ballots for weeks. But Tuesday will settle the fate of a deal that has also been one of the most controversial in the city's history.
Tempe has found itself in the middle of an intercity court battle because of the deal and nearly every aspect of the proposal — ranging from its economic merits, to the tax breaks included, to claims made by the team about the property site — has been heavily scrutinized for more than a year.
On top of that, the campaigns have been heated. On one side, opposition group Tempe 1st levied charges of corruption against Coyotes owner Alex Meruelo, argued that the city is being ripped off. The campaign has worked to see the deal defeated on a budget of just $35,000.
The Coyotes' Tempe Wins campaign, supporting the plan, has raised roughly 35 times more cash than that — the vast majority of which came from Meruelo's development company. It spent more than $700,000 to secure a victory. The supporters threatened legal action in response to the corruption allegations, contend that the deal is a fiscal slam dunk for the city and promise to turn a "landfill into a landmark" at no cost to taxpayers.
A 'toxic' landfill?The Tempe-Coyotes site is probably not a 'toxic' landfill, but there's more to the story
The choice is ultimately one between taking the bird-in the-hand option, the Coyotes offer, or holding out for a potentially more lucrative bird in the bush, some unknown future development.
The Coyotes deal is the only offer Tempe has received in decades to buy the city-owned property, which is largely a landfill and will remain a multi-million-dollar liability so long as it stays on Tempe's books. It won't have massive traffic impact, according to city reports, and the city will also make a buck without having to put any existing cash on the line.
But there might be more money to be made on a different deal, if one comes along. An economic development expert suspects Tempe is forgoing $64 million too much in future tax revenue to help support the project, for example. And if the land isn't as distressed as the Coyotes expect, it might be worth tens of millions more than the city is selling it for.
On the ground, residents seem to sense the weight and controversy of Tuesday's decision.
Roughly 32% of Tempe voters have already cast a ballot, according to the Maricopa County Elections Department. That's roughly 12 percentage points higher than the general election last March, where three of Tempe's seven City Council positions were on the ballot.
Green light or red light?Traffic impact studied for Tempe-Coyotes development
In order to pass, the Coyotes project needs the majority of 'yes' votes on three separate ballot items — Proposition 301, 302 and 303. Together, they facilitate the needed zoning changes and approve the team's development agreement with Tempe.
The deadline to return ballots through the mail has passed, so any residents who haven't yet cast their ballot should vote in person during normal work hours at the Tempe History Museum (809 E. Southern Ave.) — which will also be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day — or leave their ballots in drop boxes located at either:
- Tempe City Hall (31 E. Fifth St.) from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekdays from now until Election Day.
- The Maricopa County Elections Office (510 S. Third Ave., Phoenix), which will be open 24 hours every day until May 16.
Polls will close at 7 p.m. on Tuesday. The Arizona Republic will be following the election results as they are released. Check back here for updates. | https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/tempe/2023/05/15/tempe-coyotes-election-may-16-what-to-know/70181438007/ | 2023-05-15T15:10:19 | 1 | https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/tempe/2023/05/15/tempe-coyotes-election-may-16-what-to-know/70181438007/ |
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The Lineup | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/the-lineup/the-final-push-in-philly-mayoral-primary-the-lineup/3566403/ | 2023-05-15T15:18:33 | 0 | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/the-lineup/the-final-push-in-philly-mayoral-primary-the-lineup/3566403/ |
Time is running out to claim your share of AT&T's $60 million "data-throttling" settlement.
Those eligible have until Thursday, May 18, to file a claim. AT&T already refunded $52 million to current and former customers, but couldn't reach all those owed, according to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
The FTC is now tasked with disseminating the remaining $7 million or so after fees. The regulatory agency put the word out about the settlement last month after suing AT&T for “unfairly” slowing down service for some customers who had unlimited data plans over a period of nearly five years.
“AT&T would significantly reduce data speeds for consumers who went above a certain usage in a billing cycle, a practice known as data throttling,” said Evan Rose, a staff attorney with the FTC. “Throttling can make common activities on your phone, web browsing, watching videos, difficult or even in some cases impossible.”
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How Do I Know If I'm Eligible?
You've got to meet four requirements. First, you've got to be a former AT&T customer.
Second, you had an unlimited data plan at some point between Oct. 1, 2011, and June 30, 2015. You also have to have endured slow data speeds during that time -- and not have already received some AT&T payout tied to the settlement.
Local
The average claim payout is between $20-30, but the FTC says payment amounts depend on several factors, including the number of people who file.
To file a claim for the settlement, visit the FTC’s website by clicking here, and fill out the ‘Online Claim Form.’
AT&T has denied these allegations, and said in an April statement, “While we continue to dispute the allegations in this lawsuit from 2014, we elected to settle in 2019 rather than continue with drawn-out litigation.” | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/att-customer-settlement-deadline-nears-how-to-claim-your-payout-check-eligibility/4334706/ | 2023-05-15T15:20:39 | 0 | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/att-customer-settlement-deadline-nears-how-to-claim-your-payout-check-eligibility/4334706/ |
A 1-year-old boy died in a raging house fire in Queens overnight that saw flames leap from a top-floor window, authorities say.
The NYPD identified the victim in the Jamaica house fire as Jason Eli. Fire officials responding to a call about the blaze on 106th Avenue around 11 p.m. Sunday encountered heavy flames.
Video from the scene showed firefighters using a ladder to access the flaming window. Police say the baby was found on one of the upper floors. He was pronounced dead at a hospital.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
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No other injuries were reported.
Copyright NBC New York | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/baby-dies-in-nyc-house-fire/4334594/ | 2023-05-15T15:20:45 | 1 | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/baby-dies-in-nyc-house-fire/4334594/ |
More than a half-dozen vehicles were believed destroyed in a fire that overtook a parking garage in Brooklyn early Monday, authorities say.
Fire officials say they got the call about eight cars ablaze on the top floor of a two-story East New York parking garage just after 2:15 a.m. The fire was out within about 90 minutes.
No injuries were immediately reported.
Video posted to the Citizen app showed intense flames.
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The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Copyright NBC New York | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/brooklyn-parking-garage-fire-devours-8-vehicles/4334443/ | 2023-05-15T15:20:51 | 0 | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/brooklyn-parking-garage-fire-devours-8-vehicles/4334443/ |
SARASOTA, Fla. — Gov. Ron DeSantis is expected to speak Monday morning at the New College of Florida, a statement from his office reads.
The Sarasota institution has been the target of DeSantis to remove what he calls left-leaning "woke" indoctrination on campuses across the state. Earlier this year, he and allies reformed New College's 13-member Board of Trustees and installed mostly conservative members.
Board members then fired the college president, replacing her with former state education commissioner Richard Corcoran, and voted to dismantle the office that handles diversity, equity and inclusion programs.
Joining DeSantis during his news conference will be Chancellor Ray Rodrigues of the State University System of Florida, the governor's office said.
It's expected to begin around 10:45 a.m.
10 Tampa Bay will carry his remarks live online and on the free 10 Tampa Bay+ app for Fire TV and Roku devices. | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/sarasotacounty/desantis-new-college-sarasota/67-68476a91-bddb-4ca1-b805-93046f218eec | 2023-05-15T15:28:05 | 1 | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/sarasotacounty/desantis-new-college-sarasota/67-68476a91-bddb-4ca1-b805-93046f218eec |
SARASOTA, Fla. — The Sarasota Police Department collected 30 firearms during the second "Done with a Gun" turn-in event held on Saturday.
The firearms included various rifles, handguns, shotguns and various types of ammunition. There were only two drop-off locations Saturday – including Sarasota Police Headquarters and the Sarasota Police Substation.
The first event was held back in January 2022, with 31 firearms being turned in then.
“We consider Saturday’s ‘Done with the Gun’ turn-in event a success,” Sarasota Police Chief Rex Troche said in a statement. “Thirty firearms will be disposed of properly and stay out of the hands of children and possible criminals. Our community came forward to dispose of firearms and ammunition responsibly, eliminating the risk of theft, misuse, or accidental discharge.
"This is another way we’re committed to keeping the City of Sarasota a safe place to live, work, and play."
Sarasota PD collects 30 firearms during 'Done with a Gun' turn-in event
The firearms are set to be taken to an incinerator in Lee County to be destroyed after ensuring they were not reported stolen or used in a crime. All ammunition collected will be destroyed by the Sarasota Police Department Explosive Materials Unit.
For anyone who couldn't attend the turn-in event, the Sarasota Police Department accepts unwanted firearms year-round. Residents with unwanted firearms or ammunition can call the Sarasota Police Department Property Unit at 941-263-6040 to learn how to bring unwanted firearms or ammunition to the Sarasota Police Department properly. | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/sarasotacounty/sarasota-police-done-with-a-gun-turn-in-event/67-b9585a10-7776-4758-bc38-155fc9608030 | 2023-05-15T15:28:06 | 0 | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/sarasotacounty/sarasota-police-done-with-a-gun-turn-in-event/67-b9585a10-7776-4758-bc38-155fc9608030 |
ROANOKE COUNTY, Va. – Avoid Colonial Avenue in Roanoke County if you can!
At this time, crews are working to repair two damaged utility poles that are blocking Colonial Avenue from Lanewood and Thompson to Poplar Drive.
Roanoke County Police are asking drivers to find alternate routes while Appalachian Power works to resolve the issue.
We will update this article once the scene is cleared | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2023/05/15/roanoke-county-drivers-asked-to-avoid-part-of-colonial-avenue-due-to-downed-powerline/ | 2023-05-15T15:37:08 | 1 | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2023/05/15/roanoke-county-drivers-asked-to-avoid-part-of-colonial-avenue-due-to-downed-powerline/ |
YORK, Pa. — The first draft of Central York School District's Library Resources 109.1 will be read on Monday.
The school district policy committee members drafted the revised policy last Thursday during a nearly three-hour long committee meeting.
The discussion, heated at times, hung on whether it was the school's responsibility to remove reading material from its library shelves or if the decision was up to the parents.
Nicole Montgomery, director of communications at Central York School District, said that the book rating system, originally proposed back in March, was not included in the draft on Thursday.
Montgomery also says they hope this first draft will be able to take in all viewpoints and work for both students and parents.
"It's important that we get this right, so our students can focus on what matters and making a difference within our communities," said Montgomery. "We have taken into consideration [the students'] thoughts, and we hear them."
However, a source told FOX43 that students said they're not being heard and they will continue to protest if book are not returned to the shelves.
The first draft will be read on Monday at 6:30 p.m. at the school district's Education Service Center at 775 Marion Road and will be open for public comment.
A second reading of another draft will be read on June 12.
The school district hopes to have the final draft of Library Resources 109.1 approved on June 20. | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/central-york-school-district-revised-book-ban-policy/521-671cd939-570e-459f-a86d-24776daf3e27 | 2023-05-15T15:37:21 | 1 | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/central-york-school-district-revised-book-ban-policy/521-671cd939-570e-459f-a86d-24776daf3e27 |
CARLISLE, Pa. — A Cumberland County woman is facing charges after police say she stabbed her partner at a Middlesex Township hotel over the weekend.
Amanda Gutierrez, 42, has been charged with aggravated assault, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, simple assault and harassment in the alleged incident, which occurred Saturday night at a Rodeway Inn on the 1200 block of Harrisburg Pike in Carlisle, according to Middlesex Township Police.
Officers dispatched to the hotel spoke to the victim, who sustained an injury in a stabbing. The victim identified Gutierrez as the person who stabbed them, according to police.
The victim claimed Gutierrez became angry after the victim asked her to leave their hotel room and stabbed the victim with a knife.
Police found Gutierrez and took her into custody without incident. She was transported to Cumberland County Booking to be processed and arraigned. | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/cumberland-county/amanda-gutierrez-arrest-stabbing-carlisle-rodeway-inn-middlesex-twp/521-3edd59ff-b995-40ec-8c2a-036c6513113d | 2023-05-15T15:37:28 | 0 | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/cumberland-county/amanda-gutierrez-arrest-stabbing-carlisle-rodeway-inn-middlesex-twp/521-3edd59ff-b995-40ec-8c2a-036c6513113d |
YORK, Pa. — Get ready to dig in like a pig tomorrow for National Barbecue Day.
Aleen Kuhn, owner of Hog Trough Food Truck, is coming into the holiday smokin' hot with his tried-and-true cookout menu.
A 15-year veteran of the smoked delicacy business, Kuhn has perfected his signature recipe: the Hog Trough.
The dish is piled high with "the best of everything," including mac n cheese, pulled pork, baked beans, coleslaw, barbecue sauce and scallions.
"A trough gets everything thrown in it, so why not throw it all together and see what happens?" Kuhn said.
Kuhn makes all of his own barbecue sauces from scratch and smokes his own meats.
To find a full menu and where the truck will be stopping next, keep up with the Hog Trough on Facebook.
Loyal fans may remember Kuhn as the owner of Hanover's 3 Hogs BBQ. While the brick-and-mortar restaurant is no more, the mobile eatery keeps on truckin' and still offers catering. | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/hog-trough-food-truck-national-barbecue-day/521-5fb46e10-430b-4700-9018-49732e6191f7 | 2023-05-15T15:37:34 | 1 | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/hog-trough-food-truck-national-barbecue-day/521-5fb46e10-430b-4700-9018-49732e6191f7 |
LANCASTER, Pa. — For the first time since 2019, the Lancaster County Pool will be open for a full season, the Lancaster County Commissioners and the County's Parks and Recreation Department announced Monday.
The pool will open on May 27 and remain open to those with a season pass or single-day admission pass until August 20, the county commissioners said in a press release.
The pool's 2020 and 2021 seasons were wiped out by the COVID-19 pandemic, and county officials announced in May of last year that a shortage of lifeguards would prevent the pool from opening for a third straight year. That announcement, however, triggered a response from the community that allowed the pool to open on a partial basis in July and August.
This year, county officials said, the pool is fully staffed and will be open for the entire season.
"Lancaster County Parks and Recreation is pleased to announce that they will have full staffing for the entirety of the season to oversee swimmers, run various programs and maintain the pool all summer long," the county commissioners said. "This year, the pool will feature many family fun programs including Christmas in July, Fall in the Summer Festival, STEAMing in the Sun and more."
The pool will also feature Community Celebration days, which will allow first responders, Veterans and education professionals free admission on designated dates.
Passes for the entire season begin at $121 for individuals and $204 for a family of four. Lancaster County residents age 65 and older can purchase a season pass for $59.
Go here to purchase a full-season pass.
The Lancaster County Pool will be filled with water for the season on Thursday, May 18 at 1 p.m. The public is invited to attend the event, which will also include the unveiling of new upgrades to the pool and remarks from the Lancaster County Commissioners and Parks and Recreation staff. | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/lancaster-county/lancaster-county-pool-2023-season-opening-announcement/521-78de9c3f-babf-4528-8345-19422d9242ef | 2023-05-15T15:37:41 | 0 | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/lancaster-county/lancaster-county-pool-2023-season-opening-announcement/521-78de9c3f-babf-4528-8345-19422d9242ef |
WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – A man stole and crashed a Winter Haven police car with a K-9 inside, according to the department.
Menylek Jarrett, 21, is accused of stealing the patrol car after burglarizing an Amscot store in Winter Haven.
According to the Winter Haven Police Department, officers were called around 9:20 a.m. Saturday to a burglary at Amscot after three employees said a man threw a rock through the front glass door.
The employees said the man threw another rock at the teller glass and tried to get into the teller area before leaving, according to police.
Officers went into the business not realizing Jarrett left and he broke the driver’s side window of a patrol vehicle, the department said.
Police said he jumped into the car, which had a K-9 inside, and drove off, crashing into multiple vehicles.
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He then left the car and started running before he was shocked with a Taser and taken into custody, the police department said.
One person inside a vehicle that was crashed into was taken to a hospital to be treated for head pain.
Police said the K-9 was OK.
Jarrett faces multiple charges, including burglary of a business, grand theft of a vehicle and leaving the scene of a crash with injury.
Get today’s headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily: | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2023/05/15/man-steals-crashes-winter-haven-police-car-with-k-9-inside-officials-say/ | 2023-05-15T15:38:46 | 1 | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2023/05/15/man-steals-crashes-winter-haven-police-car-with-k-9-inside-officials-say/ |
WILDWOOD — A Millville man was charged following a shooting on Friday that remains under investigation.
Nyshawn Ellis, 20, was found hiding in a boat in the 300 east block of Spencer Avenue shortly after police began probing the shooting at the intersection of Spencer and Ocean avenues.
He is charged with obstruction and resisting arrest, police said in a Sunday news release.
The shooting, which happened on Friday around 9 p.m., left one person injured. The victim was taken to AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center City Division with a wound in their upper-left leg, police said.
The unidentified victim is believed to have been an intended target.
While searching the scene, Ellis was traced to the boat and taken into custody after trying to fight off the officers, police said.
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Ellis was released with a summons.
Police believe more people involved in the shooting are at large. They're investigating with the Cape May County Prosecutor's Office.
Anyone with information about the shooting can contact police at 609-522-0222 or the Prosecutor's Office at 609-465-1135. | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/millville-man-found-hiding-in-boat-charged-in-connection-with-wildwood-shooting/article_f0588018-f31d-11ed-9db4-c791887c19f2.html | 2023-05-15T15:41:10 | 1 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/millville-man-found-hiding-in-boat-charged-in-connection-with-wildwood-shooting/article_f0588018-f31d-11ed-9db4-c791887c19f2.html |
GOODLETTSVILLE, Tenn. — Dollar General has opened its store at 30 North Albany Ave in Atlantic City and expects to provide six to 10 jobs there, the corporate office said Monday.
“At Dollar General, we believe the addition of each new store provides positive economic growth for the communities we proudly serve, and the addition of our new Atlantic City store highlights our commitment to deliver a pleasant shopping experience that includes great prices on quality products in a convenient location,” said Matthew Simonsen, Dollar General’s senior vice president of real estate and store development.
To commemorate the opening, Dollar General said it plans to donate 100 new books to a nearby elementary school to benefit students ranging from kindergarten to fifth grade.
In partnership with the Kellogg Company, the donation will be part of a planned donation of more than 60,000 books in fiscal 2023 across the country to celebrate new DG store openings.
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Schools, nonprofit organizations and libraries within a 15-mile radius of the store can also now apply for Dollar General Literacy Foundation grants, the company said.
The Dollar General Literacy Foundation has awarded more than $233 million in grants to nonprofit organizations since it was started in 1993, helping more than 19.3 million individuals take their first steps toward literacy or continued education, the company said. For more information about the Dollar General Literacy Foundation and its grant programs, visit www.dgliteracy.com.
The stores provide a place "to purchase household essentials including food, cleaning supplies, paper products, over-the-counter medicines, hygiene products, baby items and more," the company said. | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/dollar-general-opens-on-north-albany-avenue-in-atlantic-city/article_8a672e8a-f327-11ed-a503-07321cd6ef91.html | 2023-05-15T15:41:14 | 0 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/dollar-general-opens-on-north-albany-avenue-in-atlantic-city/article_8a672e8a-f327-11ed-a503-07321cd6ef91.html |
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) – To park in the main parking lot at Century II, you have to download the ParkMobile app and pay $5 for the day.
With high school graduations at Century II next week, some teachers have been asking why they have to pay $5 to go to an event that is mandated for many teachers.
“Teachers go the extra mile. And parking downtown, sometimes it’s hard to find good parking,” said United Teachers of Wichita President Katie Warren on Friday. “Especially with all the families coming for graduations.”
Warren was very happy to hear a compromise had been reached between Wichita Public Schools USD 259 and ASM Global, the group that manages Century II.
Century II managers on Friday announced a compromise for parking so teachers mandated to go to graduation ceremonies do not have to pay to park.
“You know we considered all the requests, and as soon as we heard their request and their concerns, we were ready to find an alternative location for their teachers,” said John Hale, Assistant General Manager of Century II. “So, we’ve created a private parking space are for them near our west loading dock where all the teachers will be able to go in and park for the duration of the event at no cost.”
Parents attending graduation who want to park in the main Century II lot will have to download the Parkmobile app and pay the parking lot fee for the day.
Hale points out there are still a few scattered old school parking meters in the area that still take quarters. He also says there are nearly 1,800 parking spots within two to three minutes of walking distance of Century II.
While Hale says there remain some growing pains with the new parking app for the main parking lot, he is happy to come to a compromise this Spring for teachers.
Warren with United Teachers of Wichita says five bucks to park is not an outrageous amount to pay, but says teachers pay for a lot of extras throughout the year, and she is thrilled with the compromise.
“I think graduation is such a great celebration. It’s such a great event,” said Warren. “I know so many teachers give so much out of their own pocket for incentives, celebrations and other things. I appreciate our teachers.” | https://www.ksn.com/news/local/compromise-over-parking-at-century-ii-for-upcoming-graduations/ | 2023-05-15T15:41:15 | 1 | https://www.ksn.com/news/local/compromise-over-parking-at-century-ii-for-upcoming-graduations/ |
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) – Everyone is safe and accounted for after a car drives through a vacant building in east Wichita Friday afternoon.
According to Sedgwick County Dispatch, around 3:30 p.m., they received a call of a car having driven into a building in the 8000 block of East Kellogg Drive.
Dispatch confirms that there were only two people involved, and they received little to no injuries.
At this time, it is unknown what caused the car to go through the building and what the damage estimate is.
KSN News will update this story online if more information becomes available. | https://www.ksn.com/news/local/photos-everyone-ok-after-car-drives-through-building-in-east-wichita/ | 2023-05-15T15:41:21 | 0 | https://www.ksn.com/news/local/photos-everyone-ok-after-car-drives-through-building-in-east-wichita/ |
ALABASTER, Ala. (WIAT) — In Alabaster, construction is almost done on the city’s new police department.
City Administrator Brian Binzer said this new addition is not a want but a need for the police department and community at large. He said Alabaster Police have not seen a new building since the 1950’s. This one will offer new features like a fitness center, locker room, and break room.
Binzer said this will also allow all of their officers to meet and function under one roof. They’re currently spread out throughout the city.
“It really does unify the police department,” said Binzer. “When you think of different types of occupations, you know, your facilities are often important for when you’re looking for a new job or you want to recruit people. People want to feel like it’s a great place to work in a new building and all the technology that comes with it is going to be critical to recruit new officers.”
Binzer said this will also be a welcoming place for the public. It will offer meeting and training spaces for multiple organizations, too.
He said this is a huge need from a public safety standpoint, especially for community members.
“Public safety is one of the priorities of the city, obviously from a quality-of-life standpoint,” said Binzer. “People need to feel safe in their community. And so, we put that really high up on the list. Obviously education is really important. You know, having a new commercial development, parks, all those things, but public safety is way up there on the list.”
Binzer said it will also offer new and critical technology through an in-house crime scene investigation unit.
“The type of technology they have there is going to be critical for their investigation services,” said Binzer. “You’ve obviously got a lot more space for the officers. The break room is really good, you know because you need some down time between shifts and those types of things.”
Binzer said they are looking to do a ribbon cutting in June. In CBS 42’s initial report, the city had their eyes set on a potential opening date in December of last year, but Binzer said construction delays caused a slight setback.
He also noted the city has a big list of other new projects with multiple efforts of improvement underway throughout the city. He said the two most notable are a recreation center and new library. | https://www.cbs42.com/news/local/alabaster-looks-to-open-new-police-department-in-june/ | 2023-05-15T15:42:08 | 0 | https://www.cbs42.com/news/local/alabaster-looks-to-open-new-police-department-in-june/ |
JEFFERSON COUNTY, Ala. (WIAT) — A child is dead and two others were injured following an overnight house fire in Jefferson County.
According to the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, a 7-year-old child was trapped in a house fire on the 2200 block of Cedar Crest Drive around 1:15 a.m. Forestadale Fire personnel were able to remove the child from the home, but he later died at UAB Hospital from injuries sustained in the fire.
The unidentified child’s 16-year-old brother was hospitalized for smoke inhalation after trying to save his brother. Additionally, a 5-year-old sister of the fatal victim is being treated at Children’s Hospital for what are believed to be minor injuries.
The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office said the children were at home with their grandmother when the fire happened. The grandmother was taken to UAB Hospital for treatment and has been released.
The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office and the State Fire Marshal are investigating the cause of the fire. | https://www.cbs42.com/news/local/child-dies-in-jefferson-county-house-fire/ | 2023-05-15T15:42:14 | 0 | https://www.cbs42.com/news/local/child-dies-in-jefferson-county-house-fire/ |
The Volusia County Council just set new goals. What are they?
It's been about five months since current Volusia County Council members started working together, and last week they set a new slate of goals for the county.
Five of the seven Council members launched their first terms in January. The goal-setting session highlighted priorities such as making it easier for people to do business with the county and beefing up recreation and entertainment offerings.
Herb Marlowe, who runs the strategic planning firm Analytica, facilitated the discussion. The county agreed to pay him $6,000 for the work.
So what did the Council talk about? Here are some highlights.
The goals, verbatim
- Create a more efficient regulatory framework.
- Increase the efficiency and effectiveness of government operations, particularly public safety, and economic development.
- Develop and implement a plan for expanded recreation and sports tourism activities fiscal stewardship.
- Continue and enhance fiscal stewardship.
- Foster and support a solution-oriented culture.
- Function as a highly effective Council with demonstrated impact.
Law change expected for beaches:Amid some acrimony, sheriff's office begins patrols of Volusia's beaches
Getting more specific
Marlowe talked with Council members before the workshop about things they care about. From that, he created a list of goals and objectives.
While the Council didn't take action on the list, Marlowe shared those ideas in a workshop document. Here are some based on the document and the Council's discussion.
- Reduce expenses in county government and make the county stronger in case of a recession or other challenge.
- Get rid of regulations that have little value or impact.
- Review stormwater, flood management, and road maintenance policies.
- Make permitting easier and get rid of unnecessary county regulations. Ideas include creating a one-stop shop for permitting and giving more authority to county staff and the Planning and Land Development Regulation Commission on certain decisions.
- Attract more entertainment to the Ocean Center.
- Expand access to recreation such as sports fields, water activities, and space for motocross and ATV access.
- Look into ending community redevelopment areas and hospital authorities.
Beach recovery:Over 1 million cubic yards of sand coming to Volusia beaches over the next two years
The full list:
What did Council members say about efficiency?
Councilman David Santiago said the county can do better with its state lobbying efforts and said one possibility is focusing the county's contracted lobbyists on appropriations.
He said the county has a strong legislative delegation.
"I think we failed to capitalize on the potential of what we have access to," he said.
Councilman Don Dempsey suggested creating an office for frustrated taxpayers to go to for help if they're having trouble getting something done, such as obtaining a permit.
Council Chair Jeff Brower said he would like to see the Council work with staff to eliminate some permitting requirements for home improvements.
"I would like to not penalize homeowners ― penalize is how they see it ― for working on their own homes," he said.
What's next?
County Manager George Recktenwald said he will meet with staff to come up with a plan for the goals and objectives, and a way to track their progress. | https://www.news-journalonline.com/story/news/local/volusia/2023/05/15/volusia-county-permitting-could-see-changes-under-county-council/70216315007/ | 2023-05-15T16:09:11 | 1 | https://www.news-journalonline.com/story/news/local/volusia/2023/05/15/volusia-county-permitting-could-see-changes-under-county-council/70216315007/ |
2 charged in shooting on I-96 in Detroit
Two men arrested in connection with a shooting last week on Interstate 96 in Detroit have been charged, Michigan State Police said.
Donyell Smith, 29, and Andre Richard-Jordan, 32, both of Detroit, were arraigned Friday in 36th District Court on multiple charges, according to authorities.
Smith was arraigned on charges of assault with intent to murder, discharging a firearm from a vehicle-causing injury, assault with intent to do great bodily harm-less than murder, being a felon in possession of a firearm, being a felon in possession of ammunition, felonious assault, six counts of using a firearm during a felony and being a habitual offender.
Richard-Jordan was also arraigned on several charges, including assault with intent to murder, discharging a firearm from a vehicle-causing injury, assault with intent to do great bodily harm-less than murder, felonious assault, and four counts of using a firearm during a felony.
A magistrate set bond for both men at $500,000 each and scheduled their next court date, a hearing to redetermine bond, for Monday.
If convicted of the assault with intent to murder charges, both men face up to life in prison.
The two men are accused of a May 8, 2023 shooting in which another man in a vehicle on eastbound I-96's local lanes near Wyoming was wounded.
State police said the victim was driving a vehicle that had been stolen and belonged to the two suspects. The two men allegedly shot at the vehicle after they followed it on the freeway from a neighborhood.
According to the Michigan Department of Corrections, Smith was discharged in 2022 after serving two years for pleading guilty in 2019 to attempted carrying of a concealed weapon.
cramirez@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @CharlesERamirez | https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/detroit-city/2023/05/15/2-charged-in-may-8-shooting-on-i-96-in-detroit/70217724007/ | 2023-05-15T16:11:47 | 0 | https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/detroit-city/2023/05/15/2-charged-in-may-8-shooting-on-i-96-in-detroit/70217724007/ |
Canadian officials seize more than 132 lbs. of suspected cocaine at Ambassador Bridge
More than 132 pounds of suspected cocaine was seized from a truck that entered Canada from Detroit over the Ambassador last month, officials said Monday.
The seizure involved a commercial transport truck that entered Windsor, Ontario on April 17, 2023, the Canada Border Services Agency said. Agents referred the truck for a secondary examination and found 60 bricks of what they suspected was cocaine. The bricks weighed a total of 60 kilograms, or 132 pounds.
They arrested the truck's driver and seized the suspected narcotics, officials said. Authorities identified the driver as Jasbir Singh, 40, of Paris, Ontario.
Singh has been charged with the importation of cocaine and the possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking, officials said. His case is proceeding through the Ontario Court of Justice in Windsor, they also said.
cramirez@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @CharlesERamirez | https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/detroit-city/2023/05/15/canadian-officials-seize-more-than-132-lbs-of-suspected-cocaine-at-ambassador-bridge/70218725007/ | 2023-05-15T16:11:53 | 1 | https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/detroit-city/2023/05/15/canadian-officials-seize-more-than-132-lbs-of-suspected-cocaine-at-ambassador-bridge/70218725007/ |
Source: Man arrested in nurse's kidnapping, killing
Detroit — A man accused of kidnapping his 29-year-old ex-girlfriend outside a Detroit hospital before her body was found in a car's trunk more than 20 miles away has been arrested, according to a Detroit police source familiar with the investigation.
The source said Jamere Miller, 36, was arrested in Detroit Monday morning. Investigators are working on a warrant to bring charges against him for his alleged role in the kidnapping and killing of his ex-girlfriend, Patrice Wilson.
Wilson, a nurse at the Detroit Medical Center, was kidnapped at about 7:40 a.m. Saturday in the 4200 block of St. Antoine St. outside Detroit Receiving Hospital, although it was unclear whether she worked at that hospital. Her body was found Saturday in the trunk of a car parked in Novi, the News source said.
Police say Wilson was getting into her 2020 Lincoln Nautilus after ending her shift, when Miller, wearing a blonde wig, pushed her into the passenger's seat, took over the wheel and sped south toward Interstate 75 and Mack Avenue. Police released photographs of Wilson and Miller, and launched a manhunt.
On Sunday, Detroit Medical Center spokesman Brian Taylor said in a statement: "It is with deep sadness that we offer heartfelt condolences to the family, friends and DMC colleagues of cherished nurse leader Patrice Wilson, as well as Patrice’s mother, another dedicated DMC team member. Patrice was not just a co-worker but a loving friend to many at the DMC."
Grief counseling is available for staff at the Adult Central Campus hospitals, he said.
Police officials are expected to update the case at a 4 p.m. press conference at Detroit Public Safety Headquarters.
ghunter@detroitnews.com
(313) 222-2134
Twitter: @GeorgeHunter_DN | https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/detroit-city/2023/05/15/source-man-arrested-in-nurse-kidnapping-killing-patrice-wilson/70218759007/ | 2023-05-15T16:11:59 | 0 | https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/detroit-city/2023/05/15/source-man-arrested-in-nurse-kidnapping-killing-patrice-wilson/70218759007/ |
Gasoline used as cleaning agent at Ann Arbor school prompts evacuation
Gasoline used as a cleaning agent at an Ann Arbor school last week forced students to be evacuated and a hazmat team had to be brought in.
No students were injured during the incident May 11 at the Ann Arbor Open School on Miller Avenue near Red Oak Road. Firefighters were called just before noon for a report that there was the smell of gasoline in the building, authorities said.
They investigated and discovered that gasoline had been used as a cleaning agent in one of the classrooms, which caused the odor.
Students were evacuated outdoors and a hazmat team was called as a precaution.
Firefighters used fans to ventilate the building and furniture that was affected was moved outside.
Fire officials said the Washtenaw County Hazardous Materials Response Team was called and they monitored the air inside the school. Its monitoring devices were unable to detect any volatile organic compounds or flammable vapors.
They also urge everyone to never use gasoline as a cleaning agent.
"It was fortunate there was no open flame in the area this was occurring, or this could have resulted in a serious tragedy of burn victims," they said in a statement.
Officials also said they have informed Michigan's Fire Marshal about the incident because the school's building is regulated by the state. | https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan/2023/05/15/smell-of-gasoline-prompts-officials-to-evacuate-ann-arbor-school-thursday/70218010007/ | 2023-05-15T16:12:05 | 0 | https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan/2023/05/15/smell-of-gasoline-prompts-officials-to-evacuate-ann-arbor-school-thursday/70218010007/ |
BALTIMORE — A man died after being hit by a car while crossing the 5400 block of Perring Parkway Sunday night.
Baltimore Police said Kevin Anthony Mason Sr., 55, walked into the intersection against oncoming traffic.
A Honda Accord had a green light and struck Mason just after 11:30pm.
The driver remained on scene.
Mason was taken to a hospital where he later died.
Detectives are still working to determine an official cause. | https://www.wmar2news.com/local/man-dies-after-being-hit-by-car-while-crossing-perring-parkway | 2023-05-15T16:14:42 | 1 | https://www.wmar2news.com/local/man-dies-after-being-hit-by-car-while-crossing-perring-parkway |
OWOSSO TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WJRT) - Two teenagers were airlifted from the scene of a serious crash near Owosso on Friday.
The Shiawassee County Sheriff's Office says the teens, who weren't identified, were heading west on Mason Road, when the driver lost control near Cleveland Avenue in Owosso Township.
Their Chevrolet Equinox went off the road and slammed head-on into a tree.
Both teens were pinned in the vehicle, so the Owosso Township Fire Department cut them free with hydraulic rescue tools. A FlightCare helicopter airlifted both from the scene to an area hospital for treatment of serious injuries.
The sheriff's office believes the driver was speeding when the crash happened. Investigators will continue looking into what caused the crash. | https://www.abc12.com/news/local/teenagers-airlifted-from-scene-of-crash-near-owosso/article_84ce77a0-f32a-11ed-a17d-f38bbe3d6f29.html | 2023-05-15T16:16:39 | 1 | https://www.abc12.com/news/local/teenagers-airlifted-from-scene-of-crash-near-owosso/article_84ce77a0-f32a-11ed-a17d-f38bbe3d6f29.html |
There's an ongoing stereotype that larger cities are more dangerous. While no larger cities (population of 300,000 or more) made the overall safest list, fewer than half of the 15 least-safe cities in the U.S. The most dangerous cities were determined from the analysis by their per capita cost of crime.
- St. Louis, MO - $8,457 cost of crime per capita
- Mobile, AL - $8,014
- Birmingham, AL - $7,900
- Baltimore, MD - $7,230
- Memphis, TN - $7,184
- Detroit, MI - $6,780
- Cleveland, OH - $6,491
- New Orleans, LA - $6,444
- Shreveport, LA - $6,344
- Baton Rouge, LA - $5,739
- Little Rock, AR - $5,374
- Oakland, CA - $5,329
- Milwaukee, WI - $5,243
- Kansas City, MO - $4,884
- Philadelphia, PA - $4,755
Mass Shootings in American Cities Are Getting Worse
Mass shootings are a particular scourge on American life. According to Gun Violence Archive, which defines mass shootings as any single incident in which four or more people are shot, there were 648 mass shootings in 2022 and 18 as of January 9, 2023.
Mass shooting events are included in our safest and most dangerous cities rankings. Though they are relatively rare, we do not adjust our rankings for these events. The emotional impact of mass shootings is incalculable, traumatizing families and entire communities. To quantify the economic impact, MoneyGeek calculated the total cost of mass shootings in 2021 to be $8 billion — that's about 4% of the total cost of crime in the approximately 263 cities analyzed and a 33% increase in costs from 2020 to 2021.
WORST CITIES FOR MASS SHOOTINGS IN 2021
- Boulder, CO - $108,651,414
- San Jose, CA - $108,393,140
- Indianapolis, IN - $98,457,785
- Atlanta, GA - $86,843,649
- Colorado Springs, CO - $75,875,198
Safety and the Cost of Crime
The direct economic costs of crime to individuals and society include victim medical and mental health care needs, damage to and loss of property and police and corrections costs. Aside from the imminent danger of crime, people living in higher crime areas see depressed home values and pay higher premiums on average for home insurance, renters insurance and auto insurance.
To assess the safest cities, MoneyGeek analyzed crime data, including violent crimes such as murder, rape and aggravated assault and property crimes such as home burglary and motor vehicle theft. This list calculated each city's cost of crime and ranked the cities based on the cost of crime per capita. Additionally, researchers have quantified how much more violent crimes cost a community than property crimes.
While perceptions of safety are vital, crime statistics do not capture any city or community's whole story.
"Behind all these averages that people like to cite about the crime rates in different communities are individual people and their decisions about how they choose to engage in their community," says Jesse Bruhn, Annenberg assistant professor of education and economics at Brown University who researches education issues and inner-city gang violence. "There's a lot more heterogeneity in these patterns that we just can't measure."
Despite genuine threats, Bruhn says, it may be surprising how safe people can feel in neighborhoods with high crime rates. | https://journalstar.com/news/local/accident-and-incident/55-year-old-motorist-hospitalized-after-south-lincoln-semi-crash-police-say/article_556dc08c-f330-11ed-800f-3f59c3623d92.html | 2023-05-15T16:19:40 | 1 | https://journalstar.com/news/local/accident-and-incident/55-year-old-motorist-hospitalized-after-south-lincoln-semi-crash-police-say/article_556dc08c-f330-11ed-800f-3f59c3623d92.html |
Corner gas station ready to carve out new success; Chief Standing Bear immortalized on new stamp; LPS students make plea for funding.
Deputies investigating a report of domestic violence ultimately arrested the 50-year-old Lincoln woman who first called authorities Saturday after they discovered she had set fire to her ex-boyfriend's home, according to the Lancaster County sheriff.
Michelle Grantski called police at around 8 p.m. Saturday and reported she had been physically assaulted at around 2 a.m. Saturday by her ex-boyfriend, who lives near 142nd and Guildford streets in Waverly, Sheriff Terry Wagner said.
Grantski
Lancaster County jail
Investigators went to that house to follow up on the woman's claims and discovered that she had set the interior of the man's house on fire, Wagner said, causing $5,000 in damage to walls, light fixtures, doors and other items inside the house.
The man wasn't at the house when Grantski is thought to have torched it, Wagner said. Rescue crews weren't required to put the flames out, the sheriff said.
Deputies arrested Grantski on suspicion of second-degree arson and took her to the Lancaster County jail.
Her ex-boyfriend wasn't cited, Wagner said, after deputies found no evidence of a physical altercation.
Photos: Firefighters in action
Photos: Firefighters in Action
A firefighter backs off from the heat of the flames Sunday coming from the roof of Romantix, 921 O St. Fire crews responded to the adult novelty store blaze at about 9 a.m. and needed most of the afternoon to extinguish the flames. The building is described as a total loss, but no one was injured.
FRANCIS GARDLER, Journal Star
Photos: Firefighters in Action
A massive plume of fire erupts in front of Lincoln firefighters Nick Thill (left) and Mark Sullivan moments after Sullivan ventilated the roof with the blade of his chainsaw at a working fire at 1717 A Street in Lincoln on Wednesday evening, April 6, 2011.
FRANCIS GARDLER, Journal Star
Photos: Firefighters in Action
With a fire hose at the ready, Lincoln firefighters look over the underside of a pickup truck which rolled over at the intersection of 16th and L Streets Monday afternoon, April 11, 2011. The scanner call mentioned there was leaking gasoline. One person was taken away on a stretcher to an ambulance.
FRANCIS GARDLER, Journal Star
Photos: Firefighters in Action
Marie Yost (left) and Nancy Harter (right) watch from the median on O Street as Lincoln firefighters pour water on the smouldering remains of the Lincoln Public Schools adminstration building on Tuesday morning, May 31, 2011. Harter, who worked in the building for 11 years, said a supervisor contacted staff at 6 a.m. to let them know of the fire.
FRANCIS GARDLER, Journal Star
Photos: Firefighters in Action
Heavy smoke envelopes the house fire at 236 S. 27th Street as Lincoln firefighters apply water to the attic fire on Tuesday afternoon, August 16, 2011.
FRANCIS GARDLER, Journal Star
Photos: Firefighters in Action
Lincoln Firefighter Nancy Engelbrecht (right) attempts to comfort Shari Elder as Elder watches smoke pour from the apartment building where she lives on Wednesday, March 13, 2013, at 27th and Randolph streets.
FRANCIS GARDLER, Journal Star
Photos: Firefighters in Action
Protected against the 1600 degree temperatures emanating from the fire pit, Dorchester Vol. Fire Dept. firefighter Brant Pracheil tosses the Stars and Stripes into the flames on Tuesday, June 14, 2016, during a flag retirement ceremony at the Dorchester American Legion Post 264. A total of 1957 unserviceable flags from the communities of Dorchester, York, Fairmont, Lincoln, Wilber, Fairbury and Crete were retired from life during the ceremony.
FRANCIS GARDLER, Journal Star
Photos: Firefighters in Action
The Stars and Strips opens to the swirling wind from the ladder of Lincoln Fire & Rescue Truck 1 on Friday, March 31, 2017, during the bridge dedication ceremony for Staff Sgt. Patrick Hamburger at the Spirit of '76 Armory.
FRANCIS GARDLER, Journal Star
Photos: Firefighters in Action
Surrounded by black smoke, a Lincoln Fire Department firefighter uses a pike pole to open the porch ceiling at the scene of a house fire on Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2019, at 1800 Euclid Avenue.
FRANCIS GARDLER, Journal Star
Photos: Firefighters in Action
Matt Barnard, with Beatrice Rural Fire District, uses a torch to spread flames during a prescribed burn of 45 acres of the prairie at Homestead National Monument of America on Wednesday, Oct. 20, 2010.
GWYNETH ROBERTS, Journal Star
Photos: Firefighters in Action
Lincoln Fire and Rescue teams help Alex Lekai and his mother, not pictured, evacuate from her south bottoms home on Thursday, May 7, 2015.
GWYNETH ROBERTS, Journal Star
Photos: Firefighters in Action
Cuddling her grandson's dog Milo, homeowner Deborah Ganz is consoled by a neighbor as she watches her garage burn on Wednesday, April 6, 2016, in west Lincoln.
KRISTIN STREFF, Journal Star
Photos: Firefighters in Action
A Lincoln firefighter directs his hose on the roof of La Mexicana Market & Restaurant, 17th and P Streets, on Monday, April 13, 2015.
TED KIRK, Journal Star
Reach the writer at 402-473-7223 or awegley@journalstar.com . On Twitter @andrewwegley
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Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. | https://journalstar.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/lincoln-woman-set-fire-to-exs-waverly-home-sheriff-says/article_c06c273c-f332-11ed-b019-3f2b42bd9647.html | 2023-05-15T16:19:46 | 1 | https://journalstar.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/lincoln-woman-set-fire-to-exs-waverly-home-sheriff-says/article_c06c273c-f332-11ed-b019-3f2b42bd9647.html |
MIDLAND, Texas — A 20-year-old Midland girl, Madeline Pantoja, has been missing since May 10 and her family is desperate to find her.
"It's something we don't wish this on anybody, we never thought this was going to happen to our family." said Ruby Urias, Madeline's cousin.
Madeline Pantoja was last seen at her apartment complex on may 10th.
"Thursday at 1:30 her neighbors heard her arguing with her ex-boyfriend and after that we have not known anything about her." said Urias, who was translating for Roberto Pantoja.
Her phone, purse keys and dog were all left in her apartment, something that is very unlike her.
"She's been a very independent young lady, she gets her stuff paid she's very responsible." said Urias.
The Midland Police Department is investigating this case right now the family has no new information from them.
"He says absolutely not, they have not let us know anything." said Urias,
The family and others have searched for Madeline around the apartment complex and places in South Midland.
"We've gone to lands over there just empty lots looking, we've had people we don't know searching with their drones, they've sent us videos, pictures of the footage they took. We've had people offer horses to us so that we can search." said Urias.
The family just wanting to find Madeline as soon as possible.
"That all he wants is to find his daughter." said, Urias.
If you have any information about Madeline's whereabouts call MPD at 432-685-7108.
She is approximately 5' 4", 130 pounds with long dark hair. She also has 2 butterfly tattoos behind her right ear and a tattoo of a snake on her right arm. | https://www.kvue.com/article/news/local/texas/midland-family-desperate-to-find-missing-person/513-8a133354-349a-4b43-84af-176130f05933 | 2023-05-15T16:20:07 | 1 | https://www.kvue.com/article/news/local/texas/midland-family-desperate-to-find-missing-person/513-8a133354-349a-4b43-84af-176130f05933 |
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) – The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) is holding a public meeting to discuss the 29th and Grove Environmental Site health study and the next steps.
The meeting will be held Friday, May 19, at 7 p.m. at the Boys and Girls Club, 2400 N. Opportunity Drive.
The site has contamination that, the KDHE says, originated with a leak of chemicals at the Union Pacific rail yard approximately 30 years ago.
The site is within the borders of Interstate 135 to the west, 29th Street to the North, Grove to the east and
Information about the site, including the health study, can be found on the 29th and Grove website.
KDHE staff and residents from the impacted area will discuss the following:
- Outcomes of the health study
- Available community resources
- Next steps on the project
If accommodations for the public meeting are needed for persons with disabilities or language, please notify KDHE by calling 785-296-3015 by Wednesday, May 17. Written comments about thE site may be sent to this email address. | https://www.ksn.com/news/local/kdhe-to-conduct-meeting-on-health-study-from-29th-and-grove-environmental-site/ | 2023-05-15T16:20:23 | 0 | https://www.ksn.com/news/local/kdhe-to-conduct-meeting-on-health-study-from-29th-and-grove-environmental-site/ |
BOISE, Idaho — This article originally appeared in the Idaho Press.
Idaho parks, which are seeing more visitors than ever, are slated to get a historic influx of funding for upgrades and to tackle a massive maintenance backlog.
The Legislature this year allocated a total of nearly $165 million in capital and operating funds for the state Parks and Recreation Department, and on July 1 that funding will be accessible.
“We’ve never seen this kind of funding coming into the department,” said Craig Quintana, parks department public information officer.
Around $95 million of that will go toward capital improvements, such as improving and repairing marinas, bathrooms and other infrastructure, and around $68.9 million is for the agency’s operating budget. In previous years, a typical annual capital budget for the parks department would come to about $5 million, Quintana said.
These funds will build on investments made last year with federal American Rescue Plan Act money. The Legislature allocated $20 million in federal funds for park projects last year, with a total of $45 million to be provided through 2026.
Idaho’s park system has seen its highest ever visitation numbers the past three years, and the department doesn’t anticipate that slowing down.
Average annual attendance the last three years compared to the average of five years prior to 2020 jumped about 27%.
The surges in use first happened at the beginning of the pandemic, but it’s likely to continue. Last year, the agency performed a public opinion poll and respondents indicated an increased interest in outdoor recreation and that they intend on continuing to recreate outside, regardless of the pandemic status.
Amid such high use, the park system has a $70 million backlog of maintenance, Quintana said. These new funds will go toward erasing that over the next several years, as well as adding 450 new campsites and 25 day-use areas, and rehabilitating 150 boat slips.
One of those projects will include a 50-space RV campground at Eagle Island State Park. Some other projects using this influx of funding include bike-in camping at Hells Gate, a new observatory at the Bruneau Sand Dunes, a backcountry yurt system expansion near Idaho City, and renovations of Kokanee Cove at Ponderosa State Park.
This investment in parks was one of Gov. Brad Little’s priorities for the legislative session and recommended in his proposed budget in January.
In a statement referencing the rededication earlier this month of the Challis Hot Springs as part of the Yankee Fork State Park, Little said, “Our investment will address a serious maintenance backlog in park facilities, ensuring Idaho’s world-class parks stay in top shape.”
Some of the projects previously funded with ARPA funds are already underway, but many of the projects won’t start until later this summer or later. However, over the next several years, visitors should see a number of upgrades at the state’s 30 parks, Quintana said.
“We hope to provide a much better experience for our visitors moving forward,” he said.
As part of the department’s operating budget, the Legislature added funds for 10 new rangers, as well as two maintenance workers and two trail rangers, who go on trails and move obstructions or safety hazards.
There was also money set aside to pursue a potential new funding mechanism for the department. The agency is expected to meet with the state Department of Lands, Department of Fish and Game, and stakeholders to discuss projects, Quintana said.
Possible projects could include the parks department acquiring land from the Department of Lands to expand parks and create new campgrounds, or improving roads and obtaining leases with private landowners to improve access to recreation, he said. These projects may produce stable funding sources that could be supported through fees or other means, he said.
“The governor and the Legislature were sensitive to the fact that things can be loved to death, and if you don’t reinvest in them, they’re naturally going to suffer — those parks, those marinas, those trails, those other resources,” Quintana said. “And so this is heartening for us in that we’re having this major infusion of funds that will allow us to upgrade our game and it to the place where people say that they want it to go.”
This article originally appeared in the Idaho Press, read more on IdahoPress.com.
Watch more Local News:
See the latest news from around the Treasure Valley and the Gem State in our YouTube playlist: | https://www.ktvb.com/article/news/local/idaho-press/idaho-state-parks-to-get-huge-infusion-of-funds-this-summer/277-0fe0eaec-04b4-412b-994e-d42e28dc5747 | 2023-05-15T16:25:52 | 0 | https://www.ktvb.com/article/news/local/idaho-press/idaho-state-parks-to-get-huge-infusion-of-funds-this-summer/277-0fe0eaec-04b4-412b-994e-d42e28dc5747 |
A day in the sun, fishing and education. What could be better than that?
The annual Kid’s Fishing Day returns to Yesness Pond on Saturday, June 3. Kids 14 and under can fish for free from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The Casper pond on Wyoming Boulevard will be stocked with over 1,500 trout and there will be prizes for the first 50 youngsters to make a catch, according to a press release from the City of Casper.
On top of the half a day of fishing, there will be education tours and goodie bags for all of the kids. The tours will cover bird watching, fish anatomy and the ecosystem of the pond.
“In addition to fishing in Yesness Pond, youth can learn about birds they might see in the area like osprey, wildlife diseases, aquatic invasive species, and so much more,” Janet Milek, public information specialist for Game and Fish, said in the release.
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It’s recommended you bring your own fishing poles and lures, but if you don’t have a fishing pole, no worries, North Platte Walleyes Unlimited Club will have more than 300 available to use. Trout Unlimited will have on-site casting lessons, too.
Kid’s Fishing Day is sponsored by the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, the Community Recreation Foundation.
Over a dozen businesses and organizations also came together to make this year’s Fishing Day happen including Wyld Gear, Peden’s, Ugly Bug Fly Shop and Kistler Tent and Awning among several others. Pepsi will have a “hydration station” and The Curly Wolf Den will be selling shaved ice, according to the release.
The event has been a Casper staple for 28 years. Residents flock to the pond with kids in tow each year for the easy outdoor recreation.
The press release reminds attendees to dress appropriately for what weather Wyoming may dish out. The Natrona County Health Department will provide sunscreen station and first-aid supplies.
Parking in the lot at the pond itself is limited but there will be an overflow lot at Crest Hill Elementary School.
Event registration starts at 9 a.m. To find more information you can call 307-235-8484. | https://trib.com/news/local/kids-fishing-day-set-for-june-3/article_1fa30fae-f0f4-11ed-9bc8-6f677c8f3a36.html | 2023-05-15T16:31:34 | 0 | https://trib.com/news/local/kids-fishing-day-set-for-june-3/article_1fa30fae-f0f4-11ed-9bc8-6f677c8f3a36.html |
VALPARAISO — In 2020, Luke Ventrsom and Peter Krenzke placed a couple makeshift batteries on a shelf at Valparaiso University, where the two serve as professors and researchers in the mechanical engineering department. Three years later, they pulled the batteries and were still able to release their energy.
These weren't ordinary batteries, however. They were charged using solar energy.
Solar energy has been around for a long time, but there are major roadblocks to implementing it on a mass scale to fulfill the needs of our technologically advanced and high-energy incumbent society. One of those roadblocks has been storage — how to store the energy so it can be used at night or on cloudy days.
Researchers have only been able to figure out how to do this on a large scale for up to eight to 12 hours, Venstrom said. That's why he and Krenzke believe they've made a breakthrough — storing energy for three years and releasing it with virtually no loss.
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"The idea is to store up excess solar energy," he said. "There is more than enough solar energy in the summertime in a place like Northwest Indiana to meet all the energy needs in the summer and the winter, when we don't have as much sunlight. The only challenge is that we don't right now have a way to store it and release it in the winter when we need it. That's the challenge we're trying to solve."
Venstrom and Kenzke, who have undertaken other projects with concentrated solar, hope this battery can solve this issue.
To create it, they heated up a block of a special material called metal oxide to about 1,400 degrees Fahrenheit — 10 times hotter than you'd typically cook a chicken in the oven — using a giant solar furnace they have on campus, Venstrom explained.
That solar furnace consists of an array of mirrors that channels sunlight and heat onto one concentrated object, in this case, metal oxide. However, the researchers needed the metal oxide to be heated evenly.
"I sometimes think of it like trying to heat up egg in a microwave," he said. "A frozen egg patty heats terribly in a microwave. The inside always stays frozen and it tends to heat from the outside in. It's the same idea."
Venstrom said they had turn the material into a sand-like powder while they processed it and had to rotate it so the powder got mixed up and heated evenly. To achieve this, they created a rotating reactor under the solar furnace.
"Think of it like a cement truck, but it doesn't spin quite as fast. But it's up, and the open end of the cement truck has concentrated light in it."
They inserted the powder into one end of the reactor. Because of the heat from the solar furnace, when it emerged from the reactor, it came out really hot. They then turned it back into a solid block.
Three years later, they were still able to access that heat, which can be used to create electricity the same way it would've if it had been harnessed from the sun that day.
"We chose three years," Venstrom said, "but I think if we would've kept this thing sitting there for 10 years, it would've had the same result."
While he's extremely excited about the breakthrough, Venstrom cautioned that they haven't yet come close to creating a workable model that can be implemented on a large scale to truly solve this storage dilemma.
"We have demonstrated that it is technically feasible," he said. "It is technically possible. The question now is, can we make it happen at a cost that is low enough to be interesting in the marketplace? And that's the next question. That's really where we're at now."
One key aspect to that challenge, for example, is the fact that there are many types of metal oxide, and they want to identify which is the best for this purpose.
"We've demonstrated that it's technically possible with a couple of candidates," he said, "but which one is going to be the lowest cost?"
Venstrom said two candidates seem most promising: iron oxide, which is really inexpensive but wasn't one they included in their original experiment, meaning they'll have to ensure it works the same way as the others; and cobalt oxide, which they proved was a really effective battery but is pricier.
Venstrom believes that within the next two to three years, they'll begin constructing models of what it would actually cost to build these systems to scale in hopes that a company might be interested in taking it to market.
Venstrom and Krenzke aren't the only ones working on this issue, though. Euronews reports that a group of Swedish scientists at Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenberg have created a system in a lab that can reportedly store energy for 18 years.
Additionally, a group of researchers from Michigan State University and Arizona State University have received a $2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to tackle this problem, according to the MSU news bureau.
"This is the next big thing in energy storage," Venstrom said. "We have figured out how to do short-term energy storage up to six, eight, maybe even 12. As soon as you start talking about storing energy up and releasing it a week later, a month later, six months later, a year or two later, nobody has any idea how we're going to do that cost-effectively.
"Lots of potential solutions exist. No one knows what the lowest-cost option is going to be. We think our little metal oxide material has a lot of promise, but we have a lot of work to do." | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/education/valparaiso-researchers-believe-theyve-made-a-breakthrough-in-solar-energy/article_62faf00e-ef4c-11ed-9c7d-0bcb7a929527.html | 2023-05-15T16:42:16 | 1 | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/education/valparaiso-researchers-believe-theyve-made-a-breakthrough-in-solar-energy/article_62faf00e-ef4c-11ed-9c7d-0bcb7a929527.html |
PORTER TOWNSHIP — A 49-year-old Crown Point man faces multiple felony counts after bloodying a woman he knows and pointing an AR-15 at her, threatening to "put a bullet in her head," Porter County police say.
James Relinski, who clams to have once been a police officer in Illinois, faces felony criminal counts of domestic battery in the presence of a minor, strangulation, intimidation and pointing a weapon, according to the arrest report.
Police said they responded at 12:35 a.m. Sunday to a home in the 1400 block of Happy Valley Road after receiving a 911 hang up call where they heard a crying female repeatedly saying, "leave" or "please."
Another person then contacted police saying the woman in question had texted her asking that she call 911.
Police said they were initially told the woman in question was not home. When police persisted, they heard a man from inside the home say, "go lock the door and don't let them in."
Police entered the home and found the woman in question in the basement with blood all over her face and shirt, the arrest report says. Relinski, who was also in the room, was placed in handcuffs.
The woman said Relinski was intoxicated and had repeatedly choked her to the point of nearly passing out, police said. He also struck her in the head and ear, and pointed the AR-15 rifle at her and "racked it back, which she believed was him chambering a round," according to police.
"When I walked up to the vehicle, I had to knock on the window multiple times to wake the male up," the officer wrote.
She told police she pushed the muzzle of the gun to the ground and was able to text a friend for help and dial 911, though she was unable to speak to the dispatcher due to Relinski being in the same room.
"(The alleged victim) hung the phone up so that James would not be made aware that officers were called to the residence," the report says.
A juvenile was found to be in an adjacent room and close enough to have heard the incident in question, police said.
Police said they recovered the rifle in question, which had blood on it. The gun was not loaded.
A second firearm was also found and confiscated with the AR-15.
A jail mugshot of Relinski was not yet available Monday morning.
Gallery: Recent arrests booked into the Porter County Jail
Porter/LaPorte County Courts and Social Justice Reporter
Bob is a 23-year veteran of The Times. He covers county government and courts in Porter County, federal courts, police news and regional issues. He also created the Vegan in the Region blog, is an Indiana University grad and lifelong region resident.
A 49-year-old Crown Point man faces multiple felony counts after blooding a woman he knows and pointing an AR-15 at her threatening to "put a bullet in her head," Porter County police say. | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/woman-places-discrete-911-call-after-man-chokes-and-bloodies-her-points-ar-15-porter/article_9a3be32e-f326-11ed-99d4-e3fd02294f96.html | 2023-05-15T16:46:31 | 1 | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/woman-places-discrete-911-call-after-man-chokes-and-bloodies-her-points-ar-15-porter/article_9a3be32e-f326-11ed-99d4-e3fd02294f96.html |
A man is dead after his ATV ran off the road Saturday night in Hanover County, sheriff's deputies say.
Deputies responded to a report of a crash involving an ATV in the 9100 block of New Worshams Way in Mechanicsville just after 11 p.m. Saturday, according to a statement from the Hanover County Sheriff's Office.
After a preliminary investigation, deputies have determined that Jonathan William Gurley, 40, the sole occupant of the ATV, was driving south on New Worshams Way when the vehicle approached a curve and left the roadway.
Emergency responders transported Gurley, who had been ejected from the vehicle in the crash, to VCU Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.
Investigators are still working to determine the circumstances that led to the crash.
This morning's top headlines: Monday, May 15
With demand far outstripping available slots, a new U.S. government mobile phone app has been an exercise in frustration for many would-be asylum seekers. It also is a test for the Biden administration’s strategy of coupling new legal paths to entry with severe consequences for those who don’t follow them. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas says the Border Patrol made 6,300 arrests Friday — the first day after pandemic-era asylum restrictions known Title 42 expired -- and 4,200 on Saturday. That’s sharply below the 10,000-plus on three days last week as migrants rushed to get in before new policies to restrict asylum took effect.
Turkey’s presidential elections appear to be heading toward a second-round runoff. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has ruled his country for 20 years, is leading his chief challenger but is short of the votes needed for an outright reelection. With the votes of Turkish citizens living abroad still being counted on Monday, Erdogan had 49.3% of the votes, with his main rival, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, garnering 45%, according to state-run media. Erdogan, 69, told supporters he could still win but would respect the nation’s decision if the race went to a runoff on May 28. The vote is being closely watched to see if the key NATO country remains under the control of the increasingly authoritarian president or can embark on a more democratic course.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has received a promise of more missiles and attack drones from Britain to support his battle against Russian forces in Ukraine. Zelenskyy met Monday with U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, a staunch ally. It is the fifth European country Zelenskky has visited in the past three days in his effort to beef up munitions before a counteroffensive. He made an unannounced visit to Paris on Sunday to meet with President Emmanuel Macron, after earlier trips to Germany and Italy, meeting with leaders there as well as Pope Francis. Britain said it would train Ukrainian fighter pilots but not offer any jets.
President Joe Biden says he and congressional leaders will likely resume talks on Tuesday at the White House over the debt limit as the nation continues to edge closer to its legal borrowing authority with no agreement in sight. The meeting was initially supposed to be Friday, but was postponed to let the staff-level talks continue along. Administration and congressional officials say the next meeting hasn't been finalized. Biden told reporters on Sunday that he remains optimistic there will be an agreement on the debt limit. And he indicated he could be open to tougher work requirements for certain government aid programs, which Republicans are proposing as part of the ongoing discussion.
Rescuers have evacuated about 1,000 people trapped by seawater 12 feet deep along western Myanmar’s coast after powerful Cyclone Mocha injured hundreds and cut off communications. Six deaths were reported, but the true impact was not yet clear in one of Asia’s least developed countries. Winds blowing up to 130 miles per hour injured more than 700 people among those sheltering in sturdier buildings on the highlands of Sittwe township in Rakhine state, where the cyclone blew ashore Sunday. The Rakhine Youths Philanthropic Association said residents moved to roofs and higher floors as the waters rose. Water was still about 5 feet high in flooded areas Monday morning, but rescues were being made as the wind calmed.
Palestinian Health officials say Israeli forces shot and killed a Palestinian man in the occupied West Bank. Monday's death was the latest in a spiral of violence that has rocked the region. The Palestinian Health Ministry said the 22-year-old was killed after being shot in the chest in the flashpoint West Bank city of Nablus, a frequent site of Israeli arrest operations. The Israeli military had no immediate comment, but Israeli media reported that troops preparing to demolish the home of a Palestinian attacker came under fire and shot back.
Doyle Brunson died Sunday, according to his agent, Brian Balsbaugh. Brunson was 89. He was one of the most influential poker players of all time and a two-time world champion. Brunson was called the Godfather of Poker and also was known as “Texas Dolly.” He won 10 World Series of Poker tournaments that is second only to Phil Hellmuth’s 16. He also captured world championships in 1976 and 1977 and was inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame in 1988.
Several new movies infiltrated theaters nationwide this weekend, from a lighthearted trip to Italy with Jane Fonda, Candice Bergen, Diane Keaton and Mary Steenburgen to a Ben Affleck-fronted detective thriller. But the top two spots were once again claimed by Marvel and Mario. According to studio estimates Sunday, “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” added $60.5 million from North American theaters in its second weekend. Second place went to “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” with $13 million in its sixth weekend. “Book Club: The Next Chapter” placed third with $6.5 million from 3,508 locations.
The Celtics got a historic 51-point performance from Jayson Tatum to blow past the 76ers in Game 7 of their Eastern Conference semifinals matchup to land back in the conference finals for the second straight season. Awaiting them is a rematch with the Miami Heat, who the Celtics bested last season in that round after Jimmy Butler missed a potential game-winning jumper late in Game 7. Boston is hoping to carry the momentum and lessons it learned in its Game 7 blowout win over Philadelphia into what the Celtics think will be another slugfest with Miami. The teams split their four regular-season matchups.
Jonathan Marchessault scored three goals for his second career postseason hat trick as the Vegas Golden Knights beat the Edmonton Oilers 5-2 in Game 6 of their second-round series to advance to the Western Conference final. Reilly Smith and William Karlsson also scored for the Golden Knights, and Ivan Barbashev had two assists. Adin Hill finished with 39 saves. Connor McDavid and Warren Foegele scored early in the first period for Edmonton, which led 2-1 less than three minutes into the game. Stuart Skinner gave up four goals on 17 shots through two periods, and Jack Campbell stopped all four shots he faced in the third. Vegas will next face the winner of the series between Dallas and Seattle, which heads to a Game 7 on Monday night. | https://richmond.com/news/local/accident-and-incident/hanover-county-sheriffs-office-atv-crash-mechanicsville/article_d1035e60-f334-11ed-8cda-2344abdcabd5.html | 2023-05-15T16:49:12 | 1 | https://richmond.com/news/local/accident-and-incident/hanover-county-sheriffs-office-atv-crash-mechanicsville/article_d1035e60-f334-11ed-8cda-2344abdcabd5.html |
Virginia State Police is investigating a single-vehicle crash in Dinwiddie County that killed an adult man and left two young boys in the hospital with serious injuries Friday evening.
State troopers were called to Interstate 85 near the Carson Road exit just before 6 p.m. Friday after reports of a crash.
Police say that a 2007 Ford pickup truck was traveling north when it ran off the left side of the road. The driver, Ronnie Humphrey of Reidsville, N.C., was able to re-enter the roadway but overcorrected and went off the right side of the highway and hit a ditch, which overturned the vehicle.
Humphrey, 35, who police say was not wearing a seatbelt, was ejected from the vehicle and died at the scene.
Two other passengers in the vehicle at the time of the crash have been taken to VCU Medical Center for treatment. A 10-year-old boy who was also not wearing a seatbelt and was ejected from the vehicle, is being treated for life-threatening injuries. A 3-year-old boy in the vehicle was in a child safety seat. His injuries, while serious, are not considered life-threatening at this time.
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VSP investigators are still looking into the circumstances surrounding the crash. Anyone with additional information is asked to contact the Virginia State Police. | https://richmond.com/news/local/accident-and-incident/virginia-state-police-interstate-85-crash-dinwiddie-county/article_90db1c08-f332-11ed-b2ba-af5baa2dda4f.html | 2023-05-15T16:49:18 | 1 | https://richmond.com/news/local/accident-and-incident/virginia-state-police-interstate-85-crash-dinwiddie-county/article_90db1c08-f332-11ed-b2ba-af5baa2dda4f.html |
Henrico Police have released new information about a shooting that left a man dead just past the Richmond city limits in Henrico County Friday night.
Officers responded to the 1600 block of Azrock Court shortly after 11 p.m. May 12 after reports of a firearm violation, according to a statement from the Henrico County Police Division. Upon arriving at the scene, officers found a man down in a parking lot, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.
Police started life-saving measures on the scene until emergency responders were able to transport the man, now identified as Cezar Amir Williams of Henrico County, to VCU Medical Center for treatment.
Williams, 27, died of his injuries at the hospital.
Police say that the investigation, which is ongoing, shows that an altercation may have taken place in the parking lot before the shooting.
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Anyone with additional information is asked to call Detective Hoover of Henrico Police at (804) 489-7199 or contact Crime Stoppers anonymously at (804) 780-1000.
This morning's top headlines: Monday, May 15
With demand far outstripping available slots, a new U.S. government mobile phone app has been an exercise in frustration for many would-be asylum seekers. It also is a test for the Biden administration’s strategy of coupling new legal paths to entry with severe consequences for those who don’t follow them. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas says the Border Patrol made 6,300 arrests Friday — the first day after pandemic-era asylum restrictions known Title 42 expired -- and 4,200 on Saturday. That’s sharply below the 10,000-plus on three days last week as migrants rushed to get in before new policies to restrict asylum took effect.
Turkey’s presidential elections appear to be heading toward a second-round runoff. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has ruled his country for 20 years, is leading his chief challenger but is short of the votes needed for an outright reelection. With the votes of Turkish citizens living abroad still being counted on Monday, Erdogan had 49.3% of the votes, with his main rival, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, garnering 45%, according to state-run media. Erdogan, 69, told supporters he could still win but would respect the nation’s decision if the race went to a runoff on May 28. The vote is being closely watched to see if the key NATO country remains under the control of the increasingly authoritarian president or can embark on a more democratic course.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has received a promise of more missiles and attack drones from Britain to support his battle against Russian forces in Ukraine. Zelenskyy met Monday with U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, a staunch ally. It is the fifth European country Zelenskky has visited in the past three days in his effort to beef up munitions before a counteroffensive. He made an unannounced visit to Paris on Sunday to meet with President Emmanuel Macron, after earlier trips to Germany and Italy, meeting with leaders there as well as Pope Francis. Britain said it would train Ukrainian fighter pilots but not offer any jets.
President Joe Biden says he and congressional leaders will likely resume talks on Tuesday at the White House over the debt limit as the nation continues to edge closer to its legal borrowing authority with no agreement in sight. The meeting was initially supposed to be Friday, but was postponed to let the staff-level talks continue along. Administration and congressional officials say the next meeting hasn't been finalized. Biden told reporters on Sunday that he remains optimistic there will be an agreement on the debt limit. And he indicated he could be open to tougher work requirements for certain government aid programs, which Republicans are proposing as part of the ongoing discussion.
Rescuers have evacuated about 1,000 people trapped by seawater 12 feet deep along western Myanmar’s coast after powerful Cyclone Mocha injured hundreds and cut off communications. Six deaths were reported, but the true impact was not yet clear in one of Asia’s least developed countries. Winds blowing up to 130 miles per hour injured more than 700 people among those sheltering in sturdier buildings on the highlands of Sittwe township in Rakhine state, where the cyclone blew ashore Sunday. The Rakhine Youths Philanthropic Association said residents moved to roofs and higher floors as the waters rose. Water was still about 5 feet high in flooded areas Monday morning, but rescues were being made as the wind calmed.
Palestinian Health officials say Israeli forces shot and killed a Palestinian man in the occupied West Bank. Monday's death was the latest in a spiral of violence that has rocked the region. The Palestinian Health Ministry said the 22-year-old was killed after being shot in the chest in the flashpoint West Bank city of Nablus, a frequent site of Israeli arrest operations. The Israeli military had no immediate comment, but Israeli media reported that troops preparing to demolish the home of a Palestinian attacker came under fire and shot back.
Doyle Brunson died Sunday, according to his agent, Brian Balsbaugh. Brunson was 89. He was one of the most influential poker players of all time and a two-time world champion. Brunson was called the Godfather of Poker and also was known as “Texas Dolly.” He won 10 World Series of Poker tournaments that is second only to Phil Hellmuth’s 16. He also captured world championships in 1976 and 1977 and was inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame in 1988.
Several new movies infiltrated theaters nationwide this weekend, from a lighthearted trip to Italy with Jane Fonda, Candice Bergen, Diane Keaton and Mary Steenburgen to a Ben Affleck-fronted detective thriller. But the top two spots were once again claimed by Marvel and Mario. According to studio estimates Sunday, “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” added $60.5 million from North American theaters in its second weekend. Second place went to “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” with $13 million in its sixth weekend. “Book Club: The Next Chapter” placed third with $6.5 million from 3,508 locations.
The Celtics got a historic 51-point performance from Jayson Tatum to blow past the 76ers in Game 7 of their Eastern Conference semifinals matchup to land back in the conference finals for the second straight season. Awaiting them is a rematch with the Miami Heat, who the Celtics bested last season in that round after Jimmy Butler missed a potential game-winning jumper late in Game 7. Boston is hoping to carry the momentum and lessons it learned in its Game 7 blowout win over Philadelphia into what the Celtics think will be another slugfest with Miami. The teams split their four regular-season matchups.
Jonathan Marchessault scored three goals for his second career postseason hat trick as the Vegas Golden Knights beat the Edmonton Oilers 5-2 in Game 6 of their second-round series to advance to the Western Conference final. Reilly Smith and William Karlsson also scored for the Golden Knights, and Ivan Barbashev had two assists. Adin Hill finished with 39 saves. Connor McDavid and Warren Foegele scored early in the first period for Edmonton, which led 2-1 less than three minutes into the game. Stuart Skinner gave up four goals on 17 shots through two periods, and Jack Campbell stopped all four shots he faced in the third. Vegas will next face the winner of the series between Dallas and Seattle, which heads to a Game 7 on Monday night. | https://richmond.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/henrico-police-azrock-court-homicide-cezar-williams/article_f03b5658-f315-11ed-a6ab-7742b157c9af.html | 2023-05-15T16:49:24 | 1 | https://richmond.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/henrico-police-azrock-court-homicide-cezar-williams/article_f03b5658-f315-11ed-a6ab-7742b157c9af.html |
A hot air balloon made an emergency crash landing in Henrico County Sunday morning, police say.
Shortly before 7:30 a.m., Henrico Emergency Communications received a call about a balloon suspected of having crashed near Chamberlayne Road and Diane Lane.
Henrico Police and Fire officials located a possible crash site with help from the Hanover Sheriff's Office, then made contact with the balloon's pilot, who was able to make an unplanned, but safe, landing in the 800 block of Azalea Avenue.
There were multiple adult passengers in the balloon, but police say that no one was injured in the landing.
"Henrico Police would like to thank our partners with the Henrico Division of Fire, Hanover Sheriff’s Office, and Virginia State Police for their always professional response and assistance," the police department said in a statement Sunday. | https://richmond.com/news/local/henrico-police-hot-air-balloon-azalea-avenue/article_792b197e-f318-11ed-9dd3-97d2c167ff5f.html | 2023-05-15T16:49:30 | 0 | https://richmond.com/news/local/henrico-police-hot-air-balloon-azalea-avenue/article_792b197e-f318-11ed-9dd3-97d2c167ff5f.html |
The Philadelphia Police Department has released surveillance footage after, officials said, a 48-year-old bicyclist was beaten until he was unconscious and robbed while riding along Pennsylvania Avenue, near the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
According to police, the incident happened at about 1 a.m. on Thursday, May 4, when a 48-year-old man was attacked while he was riding a bike along the 2500 block of Pennsylvania Avenue.
At that time, police said, the occupants of a black sedan knocked the victim off of his bike, then punched and kicked him until he was unconscious.
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The individuals sought in this incident then took the man's wallet and keys and fled in an unknown direction, law enforcement officials said.
Anyone who might have information on this incident can submit tips to the Philadelphia Police Department by calling or texting 215-686-TIPS (8477). Tips can also be sent anonymously, here. | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/bicyclist-robbed-beaten-unconscious-near-art-museum/3566453/ | 2023-05-15T16:50:19 | 0 | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/bicyclist-robbed-beaten-unconscious-near-art-museum/3566453/ |
Police in Philadelphia are investigating after a man -- believed to be in his 20s -- was found dead on a city street after it had been believed he was simply passed out in a roadway.
According to law enforcement officials, officers responded to the 2400 block of N. 11th Street in the city's Hartranft neighborhood at about 6:11 a.m. on Monday, after receiving a call of a person passed out in the roadway.
However, first responders found the man instead had suffered injuries consistent with being struck by a vehicle, police said.
The man was transported to a nearby hospital, where officials said, he was pronounced at about 6:39 a.m.
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Law enforcement officials believe the man was struck by a vehicle that fled the scene of the incident.
Police said an investigation into the deadly incident is ongoing.
Sign up for our Breaking newsletter to get the most urgent news stories in your inbox. | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/man-passed-out-on-north-philly-roadway-was-slain-in-hit-and-run-police-say/3566501/ | 2023-05-15T16:50:25 | 1 | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/man-passed-out-on-north-philly-roadway-was-slain-in-hit-and-run-police-say/3566501/ |
The Delaware State Police are investigating after a 23-year-old man was found in the front yard after having been shot following a house party in Bridgeville on Sunday night.
Law enforcement officials said that, at about 7 p.m., first responders to a reported shooting along the 21000 block of Mill Park Drive in Bridgeville, found Orbby Holder, 23, of Bridgeville, laying in the front yard of a residence, suffering from gunshot wounds.
Holder was taken to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced, officials said.
Investigators said they believe Holder had attended a party on nearby Mill Park Drive before he was involved in a confrontation with an unknown individual that ended in a shooting at that location.
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Officials said the gunman fled in an unknown direction and an investigation into the deadly shooting is ongoing.
Officials in Delaware are asking for anyone with information regarding this case to contact detectives calling 302-741-2729.
Information may also be provided by sending a private Facebook message to the Delaware State Police or by contacting Delaware Crime Stoppers at 1-800-847-3333.
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Sign up for our Breaking newsletter to get the most urgent news stories in your inbox. | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/man-shot-to-death-in-front-yard-after-house-party-in-delaware/3566604/ | 2023-05-15T16:50:31 | 0 | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/man-shot-to-death-in-front-yard-after-house-party-in-delaware/3566604/ |
ILION, N.Y. – Fire crews were called back to the site of a freight train fire Monday morning for another rekindling.
The fire started around 12:15 p.m. Sunday along Route 5 near the Ilion bridge. Crews had to go back again around 7 p.m. for the first rekindling.
Then around 9 a.m. Monday, light smoke was coming from the wreckage, so firefighters headed back to the scene.
East Herkimer fire officials say four railcars carrying garbage were destroyed in the fire. They say there were no hazardous materials involved.
The cause is still under investigation. | https://www.wktv.com/news/local/firefighters-return-to-site-of-train-fire-along-route-5-in-herkimer-county/article_0ea79160-f32f-11ed-a69a-136fe136cb2f.html | 2023-05-15T16:54:21 | 1 | https://www.wktv.com/news/local/firefighters-return-to-site-of-train-fire-along-route-5-in-herkimer-county/article_0ea79160-f32f-11ed-a69a-136fe136cb2f.html |
ERWIN, Tenn. (WJHL) — The Tanasi Arts and Heritage Center is hosting an event this week that has gotten so much popularity, the center has decided to host a follow-up event in June for those who are unable to attend the event.
The follow-up mushroom cultivating event will be on June 2 from 6 to 8 p.m. For more information on the event, click here.
Courtland Lewi from Tanasi Art Gallery and Kat Hayes from Herbalachia stopped by Good Morning Tri-Cities to talk about the event. | https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/tanasi-arts-and-heritage-center-and-herbalachia-combining-efforts-for-a-june-2nd-mushroom-cultivating-event/ | 2023-05-15T16:54:44 | 0 | https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/tanasi-arts-and-heritage-center-and-herbalachia-combining-efforts-for-a-june-2nd-mushroom-cultivating-event/ |
A man found guilty of intoxication manslaughter in a crash that killed a Dallas police officer in 2021 has been sentenced to three decades in prison.
On Friday, a Dallas County jury found Phillip Mabry guilty of crashing into Dallas Police Officer Mitchell Penton's car, killing him.
Following victim impact statements Friday night, Judge Amber Givens said she would take the weekend to consider Mabry's sentence and announced on Monday morning that he would spend the next 30 years behind bars.
On Feb. 13, 2021, Penton was standing near his patrol car directing traffic around a crash along the northbound lanes of North Central Expressway and Walnut Hill Lane when Mabry slammed into the back of the officer's cruiser.
The police car then hit Penton, knocking him off his feet. Penton was taken to Baylor University Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.
According to an affidavit obtained by NBC 5 in 2021, a woman riding with Mabry told police she had been drinking with him at a bar. Mabry told police he had "two tequila sunrises and maybe two shots of tequila" before the two left for his home in South Dallas, but told police he didn't think alcohol played a factor in the crash, the affidavit read.
A tow truck driver who witnessed the crash told police that Mabry "never put on his brakes."
Our partners at The Dallas Morning News reported prosecutor Andrew James said Mabry had seven and a half drinks in 74 minutes and that his blood alcohol content was 0.139 at the time of one toxicology test. The legal limit in Texas is 0.08.
At the time of his death, Penton was a husband and father of one child with another on the way. | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/man-sentenced-in-drunken-driving-crash-that-killed-dallas-police-officer/3258074/ | 2023-05-15T16:55:46 | 1 | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/man-sentenced-in-drunken-driving-crash-that-killed-dallas-police-officer/3258074/ |
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The latest news from around North Texas. | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/nbc-5-forecast-more-spotty-rain-chances/3257897/ | 2023-05-15T16:55:52 | 0 | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/nbc-5-forecast-more-spotty-rain-chances/3257897/ |
It's National Women's Health Week: a reminder for women to make their health and wellness a priority.
The first step can be as easy as a walk.
"Start with 15 minutes. Don't try to kill yourself, and increase from there but just get going. And, walking is something everybody can do without a whole lot of effort," said Correen Robertson, a woman who regularly walks with friends along the Trinity River in Fort Worth.
They meet up at The Trailhead at Clearfork once a week, a commitment they've kept for about four years now.
The pace of their steps and the conversation makes time fly.
"It is more than just walking," Robertson said. "It's a sisterhood. We support each other."
They are members of GirlTrek, a global health movement for African-American women.
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The latest news from around North Texas.
"The main mission is to get us a community to understand that diabetes and heart attacks, strokes," said Joyt Gray. "That's the #1 killer for African-American women."
Gray has been athletic all her life and regularly walks with her husband, but when fellow church member Babette Haines told her about GirlTrek, Gray stepped up.
"We just want to introduce this to everyone. Walking is free. It doesn't cost anything," Haines said.
Before too long, Wyntress Ware, a nurse and former business owner, joined the group, too. Ware is a mall walker and practices yoga but GirlTrek brings in another element.
"The girls here are part of my unique team," Ware said. "It's more than just walking. There's a fellowship, a friendship that we connected with each other."
Latoya Miller had recently moved to Fort Worth when one morning she was at breakfast and spotted a group of women walking along the Trinity River.
"I saw this blue, these ladies in blue, and I was like, 'GirlTrek!'," Miller said. She'd previously been part of groups in her home state of Mississippi and Memphis where she went to college and was ready to be part of the group again.
"It keeps me motivated. And it keeps me on track. Sometimes when I'm by myself and do things by myself, I can fall off," she said.
"This organization, it keeps us accountable," Robertson said. "As you see, I'm not the skinny one but I still work out and it makes you feel better."
"Now that I know that if walk enough, I can eat the things I want in moderation and still lose weight. So, I'm 11 pounds down. I'm motivated," said Haines.
"We have to, as African-Americans, relate to exercise and movement," Ware said.
GirlTrek started in 2010 with two friends in Los Angeles. The website describes GirlTrek as "a global movement of Black women leveraging the historic legacy of walking and the power of self-care as a pathway to heal and transform our lives. We believe walking 30 minutes a day is a radical act of self-love and the root of a cultural revolution."
According to GirlTrek:
- There is a 5-10 year less life expectancy for Black women behind other racial groups;
- 81% of Black women are overweight;
- 52% of Black women are obese;
- 20% are less likely to engage in physical activity.
The movement struck a chord. By 2020, a million women around the world had joined the movement.
The group surveyed members in 2019 and discovered:
- 61% of Black women lost weight;
- 90% experienced fewer symptoms of depression;
- 28% were prescribed less medication that year than previous years;
- 59% walk daily at life-saving levels (According to the CDC, 5 days per week for 30 minutes);
- 56% have sustained a habit of daily walking for more than one year.
If the impact isn't enough to inspire members, motivation also comes from abolitionist Harriett Tubman. They proudly wear sweatshirts with a H on the front and the hashtag We Are Harriett.
"Harriett Tubman is a big inspiration because she walked and so we as a movement, we can walk," Robertson said. "If she can walk in any kind of weather doing what she did, then we can walk, too."
And every step of the way, there's a sisterhood ready to embrace, motivate and cheer each other on to the finish line.
The Office on Women's Health under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is encouraging women and girls to reflect on their individual needs and take steps to improve and maintain their overall health. The public is invited to virtual discussions about health and aging, menopause and midlife health among other topics. Find out more here. | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/north-texas-women-find-wellness-and-friendship-in-walking-group/3257949/ | 2023-05-15T16:55:58 | 0 | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/north-texas-women-find-wellness-and-friendship-in-walking-group/3257949/ |
DULUTH — A bright-green laser was pointed at the pilot house window of a laker entering the Duluth Ship Canal last month.
The U.S. Coast Guard warned it could have damaged the eyesight of crew members, presenting a dangerous situation as they maneuvered the 728-foot-long Joseph L. Block into the Port of Duluth.
"Laser pointers have the potential to blind someone temporarily or permanently if pointed in their eyes," the Coast Guard said in a news release Monday. "When a laser is pointed at a vessel underway, this can create a hazard to the navigable waterway. The Coast Guard takes these incidents seriously and will be working with law enforcement to track these kind of activities as well as fine those responsible."
The laser was pointed at the ship April 21, but was discovered later when someone who had filmed the ship entering the port was editing their video. They then reported the incident to the Coast Guard.
The YouTube channel "1 Long 2 Short" posted a video of the laser appearing on the ship's pilot house.
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The Coast Guard said anyone who sees a laser pointed at a vessel should contact Coast Guard Investigation Services at p3tips.com/tipform.aspx?ID=878# or 503-247-4002.
The CGIS Tips app can also be downloaded from the App Store for iPhone or Google Play for Android devices.
The Coast Guard pointed to a 2021 law called the Aiming Laser Pointer at Vessel : “It shall be unlawful to cause the beam of a laser pointer to strike a vessel operating on the navigable waters of the United States.”
A violation can lead to a fine of up to $25,000. | https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/news/local/coast-guard-issues-warning-after-laser-pointed-at-laker-passing-through-duluth-ship-canal | 2023-05-15T17:03:09 | 1 | https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/news/local/coast-guard-issues-warning-after-laser-pointed-at-laker-passing-through-duluth-ship-canal |
DULUTH — Duluth police responded to the 100 block of East Third Street for a report of a shooting Saturday, according to a media release issued at 3:22 p.m.
According to public information officer Mattie Hjelseth, a male suspect fled the scene.
An update Sunday from Hjelseth said a 59-year-old man, who was not involved in the incident, was struck by a bullet. Hjelseth said his injuries were not life-threatening and that he was treated and released from a local hospital.
No further information was provided, citing an active and ongoing investigation.
This story was updated several times, mostly recently at 10:53 a.m. May 15 as the Duluth Police Department provided a corrected age for the victim. It was originally posted at 4 p.m. May 13. | https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/news/local/man-injured-in-duluth-shooting | 2023-05-15T17:03:19 | 1 | https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/news/local/man-injured-in-duluth-shooting |
VIRGINIA — An employee at a Mountain Iron restaurant has been charged with stabbing another man outside the business.
Jordan Steven Halloran-Redisi, 25, of Virginia, was set to make his first appearance Monday in State District Court on a felony count of second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon in the Wednesday incident outside Adventures Restaurant & Pub, 5475 Mountain Iron Drive.
The victim, Venzal Russell Jr., 34, was treated and released with non-life-threatening injuries, the St. Louis County Sheriff's Office reported. Authorities said he was known to Halloran-Redisi, and both had left the scene before deputies arrived.
A criminal complaint states that the manager at Adventures had stepped outside around 4:55 p.m. to see if Halloran-Redisi, a cook at the restaurant, had arrived for his shift. She told investigators she saw him pull up and yell, "Let's get it!" as he exited his car and charged at Russell, who was in his vehicle.
The manager said Halloran-Redisi, wearing gloves, was digging in his pocket as he approached Russell. He began punching the victim and shattered the driver's side window, according to the complaint. It was not until Russell got out of his car that he realized he had been stabbed at some point during the confrontation.
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The complaint does not identify any dispute that led up to the assault. The sheriff's office said both men were quickly located nearby and treated at a local hospital before Halloran-Redisi was booked at the St. Louis County Jail.
Halloran-Redisi was sentenced in December to two years of supervised probation. He admitted to possessing a pistol without a serial number and was granted a stay of imposition, which would allow the felony to be deemed a misdemeanor if he met all court-ordered conditions, including remaining law-abiding.
He also pleaded guilty to second-degree riot stemming from a brawl at the Sawmill Saloon, 5478 Mountain Iron Drive, in March 2022. Halloran-Redisi was accused of throwing punches and possessing a firearm during a fight in which two people were stabbed. He was granted a stay of adjudication in that case, which would allow the conviction to remain off his record upon completion of probation. | https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/news/local/virginia-man-charged-in-mountain-iron-stabbing | 2023-05-15T17:03:21 | 0 | https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/news/local/virginia-man-charged-in-mountain-iron-stabbing |
NESQUEHONING, Pa. — Two juveniles in Carbon County were taken to the hospital after a gun was discharged Saturday night.
Nesquehoning police were called to the state-operated rifle range on state Route 93 for reports of gunshots around 10 p.m.
The four juveniles inside the range denied having a gun, but officers heard a gunshot from the car they were sitting in.
The juveniles told police two of them were shot when the gun went off as they were trying to hide it.
They were both taken to the hospital.
Their conditions are not known after the incident.
Want to see what Newswatch 16's newscast was like in 1976? Head on over to WNEP's YouTube. | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/carbon-county/juveniles-injured-after-gun-discharged-at-rifle-range-nesquehoning-route-93-wnep/523-3a079621-035b-4722-bbc9-879ee4c27c48 | 2023-05-15T17:07:27 | 0 | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/carbon-county/juveniles-injured-after-gun-discharged-at-rifle-range-nesquehoning-route-93-wnep/523-3a079621-035b-4722-bbc9-879ee4c27c48 |
PENNSYLVANIA, USA — Blue Moon and L.T. Verrastro want to hook you up with a Solo Stove this summer!
ENTER HERE DAILY from now until July 17th for your chance to win!
The more times you enter, the more chances you have to win!
PENNSYLVANIA, USA — Blue Moon and L.T. Verrastro want to hook you up with a Solo Stove this summer!
ENTER HERE DAILY from now until July 17th for your chance to win!
The more times you enter, the more chances you have to win! | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/contests/blue-moon-solo-stove-giveaway/523-f3794b3d-da5f-4d5a-a354-9653d4c1ad43 | 2023-05-15T17:07:29 | 0 | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/contests/blue-moon-solo-stove-giveaway/523-f3794b3d-da5f-4d5a-a354-9653d4c1ad43 |
SCRANTON, Pa. — The Greenhouse Project held a Mother's Day fundraising plant sale in Lackawanna County.
The Greenhouse Project is a nonprofit with a mission to educate children and adults about the food ecosystem and healthy eating.
The director says the sale has been busy with people buying gifts, like hanging baskets and succulents, but also with people excited to get their vegetable gardens in this warmer weather.
The greenhouse is run by volunteers; they say a turn-out like this is rewarding.
"To grow our plants here from seed organically, all of our edible plants are grown organically, and we also offer heirlooms. We all work really hard from early March until now, so it's such an enormous shot of enthusiasm for us," said Jane Risse, director and greenhouse manager.
All proceeds benefit the greenhouse project's public programs such as gardening, cooking, and school programs held throughout the year.
There’s a wonderful place that you really should see called The Land of Hatchy Milatchy. | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/lackawanna-county/celebrating-mothers-with-plants-and-flowers-the-greenhouse-project-jane-risse-wnep/523-62cc27c2-8d56-4ca6-8a44-f56d5d3cd8af | 2023-05-15T17:07:32 | 1 | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/lackawanna-county/celebrating-mothers-with-plants-and-flowers-the-greenhouse-project-jane-risse-wnep/523-62cc27c2-8d56-4ca6-8a44-f56d5d3cd8af |
SCRANTON, Pa. — Families filled the pews at St. Peter's Cathedral in Scranton for a special kind of service.
While the Mother's Day mass recognized mothers of all kinds, many parents here are blessed to have their children thanks to Saint Joseph's Center adoption program.
“We work with couples who have fertility issues and have tried to conceive and may have had miscarriages, so when they come to St. Joseph's Center, we are their last chance to have a family,” said Tamara Hall, St. Joseph’s Center’s maternity and family services director.
“All of the families come together, and they've experienced this desire to be a family, and they've been blessed by someone else. So to come and give thanks maybe for the birth mother they've never met,” added Sister Mary Alice Jacquinot, St. Joseph's Center CEO.
The mass was specifically dedicated to mothers of adopted or foster children. That brought Beckie and Chuck Samuel from Scranton here. Beckie tells Newswatch 16 she's waited 11 years to finally become a mother, and St. Joseph’s made that a reality.
“We tried on our own, and then we had three miscarriages, and then we were like, 'You know what? It's just in our plan to adopt.' And we wanted to stay local, and now we have him,” she said about Sullivan Albert Samuel, their 9-month-old son.
Beckie's first Mother’s Day is a milestone in her and her husband's journey of becoming parents.
“It's really hard to speak, you know, with him being our first child after waiting for so long. You know, every day's a new day with them, and every day is an amazing day with them,” said Chuck Samuel.
Beckie Samuel is just one out of many moms who now get to participate in Mother's Day thanks to St. Joseph's Center.
“Learning that you have the inability to conceive, then when you find out that you have the gift of adoption coming your way, there's nothing like that,” added Jackie Galvin, who adopted her son J.J. from St. Joseph’s years ago.
If you're a family looking to adopt, or a mother-to-be, looking for an adoption plan, you can find ways to get involved with St. Joseph's Center here.
There’s a wonderful place that you really should see called The Land of Hatchy Milatchy. | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/lackawanna-county/mothers-day-mass-held-for-saint-josephs-center-moms-st-peters-cathedral-saint-josephs-center-adoption-program/523-2070e830-9861-41e7-aedc-8a39f0693468 | 2023-05-15T17:07:32 | 1 | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/lackawanna-county/mothers-day-mass-held-for-saint-josephs-center-moms-st-peters-cathedral-saint-josephs-center-adoption-program/523-2070e830-9861-41e7-aedc-8a39f0693468 |
FRANKLIN COUNTY, Va. – The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office is currently responding to a drowning call at Smith Mountain Lake in Moneta.
The incident is still active and further information isn’t available at this time.
We will continue to update this article with what we know.
Stay with 10 News as this breaking news story develops | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2023/05/15/franklin-county-deputies-responding-to-drowning-at-smith-mountain-lake-in-moneta/ | 2023-05-15T17:07:42 | 1 | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2023/05/15/franklin-county-deputies-responding-to-drowning-at-smith-mountain-lake-in-moneta/ |
SCRANTON, Pa. — An injured person was found on some railroad tracks in Scranton early Sunday morning.
Emergency crews responded to train tracks in the area of Luzerne Street and Meridian Avenue around midnight for reports of a person hit by a train.
Scranton police told Newswatch 16 the victim was found with serious injuries and was in critical condition as of Sunday morning.
Police have not said if the person was hit by the train, or if the person was already on the tracks when the train arrived.
The Norfolk Southern Railroad Police are investigating what happened in Lackawanna County.
See news happening? Text our Newstip Hotline. | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/lackawanna-county/person-found-hurt-on-train-tracks-in-scranton/523-ad17160a-7f39-4119-9e54-092802cdb4b2 | 2023-05-15T17:07:47 | 0 | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/lackawanna-county/person-found-hurt-on-train-tracks-in-scranton/523-ad17160a-7f39-4119-9e54-092802cdb4b2 |
HAZLETON, Pa. — In Luzerne County, a shooting took place that sent four young men between the ages of 19 and 22 years old to the hospital.
The city police chief says it took place around 5 p.m. in the area of 11th Street and Manhattan Court.
The chief says there is no danger to the public at this time, he says it was an isolated incident, and everyone believed to be involved is in custody.
Of the four men shot, two are in critical condition.
This is an active investigation that continues.
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Want to see what Newswatch 16's newscast was like in 1976? Head on over to WNEP's YouTube. | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/luzerne-county/four-men-shot-hospitalized-in-luzerne-county-11th-street-and-manhattan-court-hazleton-wnep/523-00ed6ec4-b25d-4c1c-acff-fb23bc7d430f | 2023-05-15T17:07:53 | 0 | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/luzerne-county/four-men-shot-hospitalized-in-luzerne-county-11th-street-and-manhattan-court-hazleton-wnep/523-00ed6ec4-b25d-4c1c-acff-fb23bc7d430f |
WILKES-BARRE, Pa. — After being hit over the weekend by vandals, the Irem Temple building in Wilkes-Barre was once again vandalized Monday morning.
Two men were caught on camera, allegedly damaging the building.
Vandals sprayed graffiti and cut a hole in the fence on the property on Saturday.
A $500 reward is offered to identify the vandals.
Call Wilkes-Barre police if you have any information. | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/luzerne-county/irem-temple-hit-by-vandals-again-photos-posted-wilkes-barre-damage-break-in/523-68ef2022-818e-47a6-a726-d565b8d2faa7 | 2023-05-15T17:07:53 | 1 | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/luzerne-county/irem-temple-hit-by-vandals-again-photos-posted-wilkes-barre-damage-break-in/523-68ef2022-818e-47a6-a726-d565b8d2faa7 |
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