text string | url string | crawl_date timestamp[ms] | label int64 | id string |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Oberer Homes no longer plans to develop a controversial housing subdivision on the south edge of Yellow Springs, and the land has been transferred to a company tied to Yellow Springs-based comedian Dave Chappelle.
Josué Salmerón, the Yellow Springs village manager, said his understanding is that Oberer transferred all of the 53 acres in question to Chappelle’s control.
Chappelle was among the many residents who vocally opposed the planned housing development along Spillan Road. Village officials gave the project the go-ahead, and in February, Oberer officials said they planned to move forward. At the time, Chappelle threatened to cancel some of his investments in the village, including a planned comedy club.
Greene County auditor records now show Spillan Rd. LLC as the owner of at least some of the property in question along Spillan Road and East Hyde Road. Spillan Rd. LLC was newly formed in March, according to Ohio Secretary of State records.
An exemption form from the county auditor’s office, dated in April, shows Oberer Land Developers Ltd. as the “grantor” of the property and Spillan Rd. LLC as the “grantee.” The exemption form says of the land transfer, “no money or other valuable and tangible consideration readily convertible into money ...” was paid.
George Oberer, the president of Oberer Companies, confirmed that Oberer will no longer be developing the land. He said he was not at liberty to explain why the company transferred the land.
Both Salmerón and Carla Sims, Chappelle’s publicist, said they have not spoken to Chappelle and do not know what he plans to do with the land.
Sims and Max Crome, Chappelle’s architect and a Yellow Springs native, argued earlier this year it would make more sense for the village to develop existing village-owned land set aside for affordable housing, add units to properties like in-law homes or cottages on their properties, and evaluate existing structures in the village that could be transformed into housing.
About the Author | https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/local/dave-chappelle-buys-land-intended-for-home-development-in-yellow-springs/RFVPR6L2GJEQLIQOC24QQFCVWE/ | 2022-06-24T20:01:55 | 1 | https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/local/dave-chappelle-buys-land-intended-for-home-development-in-yellow-springs/RFVPR6L2GJEQLIQOC24QQFCVWE/ |
RIPLEY, WV (WOWK) – Ripley’s 4th of July Celebration returns this year with festivities beginning next week.
According to the Ripley Convention & Visitors Bureau events for the town’s annual Independence Day celebration begin Wednesday, June 29, and will run through Friday, July 8. Ripley Mayor Carolyn Rader says the events include free concerts, a carnival, a two-mile run, fireworks, and of course, the oldest and largest parade in the Mountain State.
“Ripley’s Fourth of July is truly a special event,” said Rader. “It’s such a hometown tradition here. We’re excited to host our guests from out-of-town and it’s a big homecoming for so many families, too.”
The Ripley CVB says several of the events are going to take place at the Jackson County Courthouse lawn and square for “America’s Largest Small-Town Independence Celebration.” Some highlights among the events include:
- Gospel Night featuring the Gospel Harmony Boys at 8 p.m. Wednesday, June 28
- Charleston Metro Bands at 8 p.m. on Thursday, June 30, which will also take place on the courthouse lawn.
- Myer’s Amusements carnival will also arrive in town on Thursday, June 30 and will remain in town through July 4.
- Friday, July 1 will feature a “Class Act,” which is an all-class reunion for Ripley High School alumni and their friends set to begin at 7 p.m. This event will also take place at the courthouse square.
- Saturday, July 2 will include a concert from West Virginia singer and songwriter Morgan White, along with her band at 4 p.m.
- Bluegrass Night will kick off following Morgan White’s performance. The event will include a performance from Open Rail and The Putnam County Family and The Cossin Brothers performing on stage together for the event.
- U-Turn Concert Ministries will take the stage for a Christian Rock concert event on Sunday, July 3, with Kutless as the headliner.
More festivities are set for Independence day starting with Little Patriot’s Hour at the courthouse square at 9 a.m. and the Firecracker 2-Miler race starting at 11:30 a.m. The event will start in the block adjacent to the courthouse, according to the Ripley CVB.
Following the race, the annual 4th of July parade will kick off at 12 p.m. with a special appearance from West Virginia University’s new Mountaineer Mascot Mary Roush. The Grand Marshal has not yet been announced.
WOWK 13 News is a sponsor of Ripley’s 4th of July Parade and we will be broadcasting the event live on air.
Other events for the evening include music from WV Kids on First, Kurt Shultis, Track 9, Ultra Sound and Ricky K’s Road Trip. The events on July 4 wrap up with the fireworks display at 10 p.m.
The week of events will conclude with a visit from “A Call to Honor: The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.” The traveling replica of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier will be set up at the Dutch Miller of Ripley from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday, July 6 through Friday, July 8.
For more details on Ripley’s 4th of July events, visit the celebration’s website. | https://www.wowktv.com/news/local/ripley-prepares-for-annual-4th-of-july-events/ | 2022-06-24T20:11:39 | 1 | https://www.wowktv.com/news/local/ripley-prepares-for-annual-4th-of-july-events/ |
Skip to content
Main Navigation
Search
Search for:
Local
Weather
Responds
Investigations
Video
Sports
Entertainment
Newsletters
Live TV
Share
Close
Trending
Where Abortions Are Now Illegal
DOJ Disagrees With Ruling
Recession Worries?
Gas Tax Calculator
Alexa Could Mimic Dead Voices
Expand
Local
The latest news from around North Texas. | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/beyond-the-game-community-connections/2999964/ | 2022-06-24T20:13:21 | 1 | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/beyond-the-game-community-connections/2999964/ |
Skip to content
Main Navigation
Search
Search for:
Local
Weather
Responds
Investigations
Video
Sports
Entertainment
Newsletters
Live TV
Share
Close
Trending
Where Abortions Are Now Illegal
DOJ Disagrees With Ruling
Recession Worries?
Gas Tax Calculator
Alexa Could Mimic Dead Voices
Expand
Local
The latest news from around North Texas. | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/beyond-the-game-overcoming-obstacles/2999665/ | 2022-06-24T20:13:27 | 1 | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/beyond-the-game-overcoming-obstacles/2999665/ |
Skip to content
Main Navigation
Search
Search for:
Local
Weather
Responds
Investigations
Video
Sports
Entertainment
Newsletters
Live TV
Share
Close
Trending
Where Abortions Are Now Illegal
DOJ Disagrees With Ruling
Recession Worries?
Gas Tax Calculator
Alexa Could Mimic Dead Voices
Expand
Local
The latest news from around North Texas. | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/beyond-the-game-the-future/2999963/ | 2022-06-24T20:13:34 | 0 | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/beyond-the-game-the-future/2999963/ |
The Supreme Court's decision to end the constitutional right to abortion likely will lead to legal battles as already divided states grapple with the new landscape of abortion access.
Even before Friday's opinion, lawmakers, activists and legal scholars were arguing over whether Republican-led states can enforce abortion bans beyond their borders. That speculation could soon become reality as abortion opponents become more emboldened to try novel approaches to prevent women from crossing state lines to get an abortion.
The Supreme Court's decision Friday to overturn the constitutional right to abortion has only further fractured an already deep division between the states, where contentious legal battles are almost certain to erupt as legislatures and attorneys general grapple with the new landscape of abortion access.
Even before the opinion, lawmakers, activists and legal scholars were arguing over whether Republican-led states can enforce abortion bans beyond their borders and target providers, people who provide assistance and the women seeking abortions.
ABORTION LAW
That speculation could soon become reality as abortion opponents become more emboldened to try novel approaches to prevent women from terminating a pregnancy.
In their dissent, the court's liberal justices referenced the potential for the ruling to set off an era of legal chaos and peril for individuals.
They said the court's majority was trying to "hide the geographically expansive effects" of a ruling that "invites a host of questions about interstate conflicts." Justices Stephen Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan said the decision will put the court at the center of what some scholars have called the coming "interjurisdictional abortion wars."
Professor Michael Steenson of the Mitchell Hamline School of Law in St. Paul, Minnesota, predicted the legal landscape after the Supreme Court decision will be in "absolute chaos" and it will take years to sort out. But some Democratic states aren't waiting to shield women who travel to get an abortion and ensure patients do not face penalties back home.
Washington is barring the state from acting against doctors who perform such abortions, while California and Illinois are considering similar measures. On Friday, the Democratic governors of California, Oregon and Washington announced a joint commitment to defend abortion access.
"We will continue to protect patients from any state who comes to our state for abortion care," Oregon Gov. Kate Brown said. "We will resist intrusions by out-of-state prosecutors, law enforcement or vigilantes trying to investigate patients receiving services in our states."
In Massachusetts, Gov. Charlie Baker, a Republican who has said he supports a woman's right to choose, signed an executive order prohibiting state agencies from assisting another state's investigation into people or businesses that receive or deliver reproductive health services that are legal in Massachusetts. The order also protects Massachusetts providers who deliver reproductive health care services from being disciplined based on potential out-of-state charges.
Connecticut enacted a law earlier this year to stymie lawsuits or criminal cases from other states over legal abortions for out-of-state residents.
"This decision carves our nation in two -- states that trust the personal and professional decisions of women and doctors, and states where craven politicians control and criminalize those choices," said state Attorney General William Tong, a Democrat. "Connecticut is a safe state, but we will need to be vigilant, aggressive and proactive to defend our rights."
ABORTION LAW
In Minnesota, Attorney General Keith Ellison has already vowed to protect abortion rights as outlined in the state constitution. But he said "things will be much tougher" in states bordering Minnesota, some of which will have total bans on abortion. Some states such as Texas allow private citizens to sue people who assist in abortions. Ellison said he fears it might lead to lawsuits against those who help women traveling to the state for abortions, but he promised he would fight any possible extraditions.
Half the states are expected to outlaw most abortions with Roe falling, according to the abortion-rights think tank Guttmacher Institute. Twenty-two states, largely in the South and Midwest, already had total or near-total bans on the books. Aside from Texas, all those had been blocked in the courts before Friday's decision.
Once that was issued, several Republican state attorneys general, including those in Ohio and Tennessee, asked the courts to lift stays that have blocked previously passed abortion restrictions in their states.
Separately, 13 other states had enacted so-called trigger laws that immediately ban abortion with Roe overturned. Oklahoma began the process of invoking its trigger law Friday, and other states, including Kentucky, Ohio and West Virginia, said they were beginning work on trigger bans. Just moments after the court's decision was announced, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, a Republican, said he will seek legislation to ban most abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy, but it's unclear how such a bill would fare in a very closely divided legislature.
Some legal experts -- and even some anti-abortion lawmakers -- argue that states simply can't control what goes on beyond their borders. Buying and smoking marijuana is one example: Kansas waits until residents return from "pot vacations" in Colorado to pull them over.
Some abortion opponents argue that it's better to focus on providing help to pregnant women and make adoption less expensive so they don't choose abortion. Texas recently allocated $100 million for such services.
"I want the Legislature to continue to focus on providing and promoting these alternatives to abortion," said Joe Pojman, executive director of the Texas Alliance for Life.
ABORTION LAW
The Family Council, a conservative group in Arkansas that has advocated for numerous abortion bans, hailed the court's decision but said lawmakers still have work to do. The group is not pushing to prevent women from getting abortions in other states, said Jerry Cox, the group's president. Instead, he said Friday they will focus on helping women with unplanned pregnancies.
"We need to create a culture of life that spreads all across the state of Arkansas so that those women never feel that abortion is their only choice," Cox said.
Others warn that the Supreme Court's decision will encourage states to push extreme policies in their attempt to criminalize abortion. Louisiana lawmakers already have floated a proposal calling abortion homicide, which would have opened up women to murder charges if they got an abortion. The proposal was eventually spiked, and there is no immediate indication that Republicans in other states are interested in taking up similar legislation.
In New Hampshire, the Republican-controlled Legislature rejected a bill this year that would have given potential fathers the right to veto a woman's abortion. Though legislative leaders there say they don't expect the state to further restrict abortion, lawmakers who have filed bills in the past are expected to try again.
"They push the envelope," said Jessica Arons, the American Civil Liberties Union's senior lawyer for reproductive freedom. "They're always trying to propose things that in the moment seem outrageous or fringe, but the more they push it over time, it becomes normalized." | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/texas-news/dissenting-justices-worry-overturning-roe-v-wade-will-set-off-an-era-of-legal-chaos/3000014/ | 2022-06-24T20:13:36 | 1 | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/texas-news/dissenting-justices-worry-overturning-roe-v-wade-will-set-off-an-era-of-legal-chaos/3000014/ |
TUCSON, Ariz — In the two years documentary filmmakers shadowed former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords, the most jarring moment for them was in the kitchen of her Tucson, Arizona, home.
As cameras were rolling, she and her husband, Sen. Mark Kelly, nonchalantly opened the freezer. Kelly grabbed a plastic container and revealed it holds the piece of Giffords' skull that had to be removed after she was shot.
“This stays in here next to the empanadas and the sliced mango," Kelly said.
Giffords' response was “Sera, sera," referencing the song “Que sera, sera” or “What will be, will be."
The scene from the film is emblematic of Giffords' openness to reflect on but not languish in the 2011 shooting that changed her life. That desire is what led her to allow cameras into her life for two years — all as a pandemic was progressing.
“For me it has been really important to move ahead, to not look back,” Giffords told The Associated Press while in Los Angeles to promote the film. “I hope others are inspired to keep moving forward no matter what.”
From the filmmakers behind Academy Award-nominated Ruth Bader Ginsburg documentary “RBG,” the film “Gabby Giffords Won't Back Down” is partly an intimate look at Giffords' recovery after the January 2011 shooting that left six people dead and 13 others wounded outside a Tucson supermarket. But the movie, which arrives in theaters July 15, is also an insider view of how she and Kelly navigated gun control campaigns and later a Senate campaign. The movie could not be any timelier with gun reform being debated in government, schools and the U.S. Supreme Court.
“It’s just a fascinating story about how Gabby came back from an injury that so many people just don’t even survive,” said Betsy West, a co-director. “After meeting Gabby on Zoom, we saw just what a great communicator she is. And we had a sense that we might have a lot of fun despite the very difficult subject of gun violence.”
At the same time, they wanted to strike the right balance of how much to look back at the shooting.
“We certainly didn't want to shy away from January 8. Obviously, that's something that changed her life,” said Julie Cohen, the film's other director. “But Gabby is defined ultimately by everything that she's achieved before and after that. We wanted it to show that achievement.”
The film also doesn’t avoid discussing Jared Lee Loughner, the gunman in the Tucson shooting. Interviews with law enforcement, journalists and a video made by Loughner lay out how he was able to buy a semiautomatic weapon despite a history of mental illness. He was sentenced in 2012 to life in federal prison without parole.
“We did not want to dwell on the shooter but we also wanted to explain what had happened,” West said. “Gabby and Mark did not shy away from going to the sentencing hearing to make a very impassioned plea for life imprisonment. That was a very important part of the film.”
Recent mass shootings including the deaths of 19 schoolchildren and two teachers in Uvalde, Texas, and 10 supermarket shoppers — all Black — in Buffalo, New York, have put gun violence back at the forefront. The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday struck down a New York gun permitting law. The case involves a state law that makes it difficult for people to get a permit to carry a gun outside the home. The justices said that requirement violates the Second Amendment right to “keep and bear arms.”
Also on Thursday, the U.S. Senate easily passed a bipartisan gun violence bill. Weeks of closed-door talks resulted in an incremental but landmark package in response to mass shootings. The House will vote Friday.
Much like after Uvalde, the documentary recaps how gun control debates reached a fever pitch after 20 first graders and six educators were shot to death by a gunman at a Newtown, Connecticut, school. Giffords and other advocates, including some Newtown parents, were called “props” by National Rifle Association officials. Having spent time with Giffords and others impacted by gun violence, the film's directors say their voices are central to the discourse.
“To say that somehow Gabby shouldn't be speaking about gun violence because she's experienced violence? It just doesn't make any sense,” Cohen said.
A crucial element of the documentary came from videos Kelly had of Giffords in the Tucson hospital and at a rehab facility in Houston. These included then-President Barack Obama — who is interviewed in the film — and Michelle Obama’s visit to an unconscious Giffords’ bedside. They also include the first few months of speech therapy.
The bullet penetrated the left hemisphere of Giffords' brain that services language ability, causing her to suffer from aphasia. You see in old videos Giffords sob out of frustration as she struggles to read and get stuck on saying “chicken.”
Giffords said watching those videos can make her sad, but she is determined to be upbeat.
“I'm getting better. I'm getting (better) slowly but I'm getting (better) surely," Giffords said.
Giffords is the third movie West and Cohen have produced on a female icon. Last year, they released “Julia,” a documentary on the influence of TV chef and author Julia Child. “RBG” was a critical and commercial hit when it came out four years ago. The filmmakers say while Giffords and Supreme Court Justice Ginsburg, who died in 2020 at age 87, are very different personalities, they think viewers will see a lot of similarities. They both have toughness, persistence, optimism and are at the heart of “feminist love stories.”
Giffords often has to remind people that she still has a voice even if speaking doesn't come easily — whether it's on gun safety or other issues. She said she genuinely feels the climate is different now but people have to be patient because change is “slow," and Washington, D.C., is "really slow.”
She plans to refocus on making tougher federal background checks a reality through her Gun Owners for Safety coalition. The bill the Senate approved would only strengthen background checks for buyers age 18 to 20.
If there's one message she wants viewers to take from the documentary, it's “fight, fight, fight every day," Giffords said.
>> Download the 12 News app for the latest local breaking news straight to your phone.
Up to Speed | https://www.12news.com/article/news/local/arizona/gabby-giffords-documentary-comes-as-gun-debates-stay-center-stage/75-c052b9fc-6cac-4492-9998-964456197f19 | 2022-06-24T20:14:25 | 1 | https://www.12news.com/article/news/local/arizona/gabby-giffords-documentary-comes-as-gun-debates-stay-center-stage/75-c052b9fc-6cac-4492-9998-964456197f19 |
One of two serial robbers accused in a multi-state armed robbery spree last year pleaded guilty Friday to holding up Victoria Jewelers in Henrico County and taking $136,245 in jewelry, gold bars, coins and cash at gunpoint.
"Get all the gold!" Rickley J. Senning commanded his accomplice, Jesann L. Willis, during the Nov. 19 robbery, according to a federal criminal complaint.
"OK," Willis replied, who asked her partner what else she needed to take before removing dozens of items from store showcases. The loot included 36 pairs of diamond rings, 117 additional rings, 220 gold bracelets, 42 pairs of gold hoops and heart earrings, 5 gold bars, 5 gold coins, 28 chains, 262 charms and $5,100 in cash.
The couple then fled in a stolen Honda CR-V with Florida tags.
After their Dec. 2 arrest in Washington, D.C., the pair confessed to the Victoria Jewelers heist and other crimes on the East Coast. They were implicated in eight additional armed holdups in Maryland and Pennsylvania between Oct. 12 and Dec. 2, including robberies of an Essex Bank in Rockville, Md., a PNC Bank in Potomac, Md., and a M&T Bank in Frederick, Md. Those three holdups netted the defendants more than $18,000, federal prosecutors said in court papers.
People are also reading…
The couple also face burglary, theft and criminal mischief charges in Flagler Beach, Fla.
On Friday in U.S. District Court in Richmond, Willis, 35, of Gaithersburg, Md., pleaded guilty to robbery affecting commerce in the holdup of Victoria Jewelers at 8191 Brook Road in Henrico. In exchange for her pleas, the U.S. Attorney's Office agreed not to prosecute her for the eight other robberies. Judge John A. Gibney Jr. convicted Willis after accepting her pleas and set sentencing for Oct. 19.
Senning was indicted in March by a federal grand jury on charges of conspiring to commit robbery, robbery affecting commerce and using a firearm in a crime of violence. He is set to appear July 21 in U.S. District Court in Richmond.
According to the government's statement of facts, Willis and Senning first entered the business on Nov. 8 and sought to sell the owner/manager three pieces of jewelry for $1,000, but they had no identification with them. The owner advised that state law prohibited him from buying the jewelry without identification.
The pair then left and traveled to Ohio, where Senning allegedly obtained a Ruger semiautomatic pistol with a laser sight from a friend of Willis.
The defendants returned to Victoria Jewelers 11 days later. After the owner greeted the pair at the front counter, Senning yelled, "I have my ID this time!" before pulling the pistol he obtained in Ohio. As Senning pointed the gun directly at the owner's face, the owner's son tried to escape. Senning then hopped over the counter and grabbed the son, according to government's summary of evidence.
While robbing the store, Senning advised the owner that he knew where he lived and would kill him if necessary. After taking the jewelry, gold and cash, the pair returned to the Honda and Willis drove from the scene.
Willis and Senning then traveled to various pawn shops in multiple states and sold a number of the stolen items before returning to Maryland, where the pair committed additional holdups, prosecutors said.
After receiving information about the Dec. 2 robberies of the M&T Bank and PNC Bank in Maryland, law enforcement in Washington, D.C. began searching for the stolen Honda and officers located it that evening. Willis was driving the car when it was stopped, and Senning was armed with the Ruger pistol. During a later search of the vehicle, police recovered some of jewelry taken from Victoria Jewelers.
Henrico detectives linked the couple to the jewelry store robbery through fingerprints, telephone records and Facebook postings.
A latent fingerprint and palm print recovered by forensic detectives at the store were matched to Senning, and a phone number from a person who called the store about 30 minutes before the robbery was linked to a relative of Willis.
Police then checked that person's Facebook account and found photos of Willis wearing a black wrist brace on her right hand, which matched the wrist brace of the female suspect shown in store surveillance photos during the holdup.
Richmond police have identified the man shot to death in the Carver neighborhood last week.
All escapees face new federal charges of escaping from a prison, which carries a punishment of up to five years incarceration.
Chesterfield police on Friday released more details about June 6 vandalism spree that caused more than $5,000 in damages.
(804) 649-6450 | https://richmond.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/serial-robber-accused-in-multi-state-spree-pleads-guilty-to-136k-holdup-of-henrico-jewelry/article_518cf5ec-d111-5246-9bf7-126d70e09c01.html | 2022-06-24T20:14:30 | 0 | https://richmond.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/serial-robber-accused-in-multi-state-spree-pleads-guilty-to-136k-holdup-of-henrico-jewelry/article_518cf5ec-d111-5246-9bf7-126d70e09c01.html |
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. — Editor's Note: The video above is from an earlier broadcast.
Forest Service Burned Area Emergency Response specialists have produced a soil burn severity map that identifies which areas affected by the Pipeline Fire have a higher likelihood of future erosion or flooding problems.
The BAER specialists recently finished their field data evaluation to produce the map, which outlines unburned, low, moderate, and high soil burn severity categories.
The BAER team evaluating the Pipeline Fire found that approximately 1,310 acres (1%) of the fire is unburned, approximately 15,004 acres (56%) have low soil burn severity, approximately 9,141 acres (34%) sustained a moderate SBS, and approximately 1,315 acres (5%) were identified as having high SBS.
The SBS map outcome estimates the effects of fire on soils rather than vegetation, and describes how fire affects the soil's surface and below ground.
Estimates of vegetation mortality would be one of the effects of a fire on vegetation, however, these estimates are not always correlated with the intensity of soil burn severity.
Moderate to high soil burn severity can change or damage physical, chemical, and biological soil properties. When soil properties are disrupted and altered, it results in increased runoff, erosion, and poor soil productivity.
The changes that are made to soil properties determine the degree of soil burn severity.
Water repellency generally occurs naturally in soil, but it changes as a result of fire. This is a common post-fire effect. Fire can change the strength or thickness of water repellent layers in the soil. This affects post-water runoff and can extend the time it takes for a burned area to recover.
The SBS map was created using remote sensing imagery.
The BAER team will use the SBS map as a tool to estimate post-fire erosion, sediment deliveries, stream flows and debris flow.
The Pipeline Fire soil burn severity map can be viewed here: Pipeline Fire BAER Information - InciWeb the Incident Information System (nwcg.gov)
For all of the most up to date reports about the Pipeline Fire, find them here: Pipeline Fire updates: Wildfire scorches thousands of acres | 12news.com
>> Download the 12 News app for the latest local breaking news straight to your phone.
Up to Speed
Catch up on the latest news and stories on our 12 News YouTube playlist here. | https://www.12news.com/article/news/local/wildfire/39-of-land-scorched-by-pipeline-fire-sustained-moderate-high-soil-burn-severity/75-e361ebd8-7116-4556-aa94-e4335d2c29aa | 2022-06-24T20:14:31 | 1 | https://www.12news.com/article/news/local/wildfire/39-of-land-scorched-by-pipeline-fire-sustained-moderate-high-soil-burn-severity/75-e361ebd8-7116-4556-aa94-e4335d2c29aa |
No-show reservations, fake reviews hit RI senator's restaurants after gun bills pass
The Rhode Island Coalition Against Gun Violence says two businesses owned by a state senator who's led efforts for stronger gun-safety laws have come "under attack from gun extremists upset by the passage of the large-capacity magazine ban."
The group is urging people to "please consider patronizing" Trinity Brewhouse and The Hot Club, both owned by Sen. Josh Miller, a Cranston Democrat.
"Senator Miller has supported us for years, and now it’s our turn to support him," the coalition says in a Facebook post. "Gun extremists are using gross tactics to attack his businesses, including making phony reservations, publishing fake one-star reviews, and verbally intimidating his employees."
More:RI House passes gun limits: Ban on large-capacity magazines, minimum age 21 to purchase
Miller said, "There's always been a backlash. I have a history of sponsoring legislation."
"It goes away and comes back, but now it's come back," he said.
On Tuesday, Gov. Dan McKee signed into law bills that prohibit the possession of gun magazines that hold more than 10 rounds of ammunition, raise the age to buy a firearm or ammunition from 18 to 21, and prohibit people from openly carrying loaded rifles and shotguns in public.
Miller says he's aware of a recent Facebook post urging people to make no-show reservations at his restaurants. He says he's also been told his businesses have recently received poor online reviews from people who didn't appear to be actual customers.
Miller says he can't determine whether the tactics have affected business, since so many factors can affect business.
And, he noted, "There are a lot more supporters of this kind of legislation than those who are upset about it."
Still, he says, his employees have to deal with it, taking the phony phone calls for reservations and also wondering if their income will be affected by their boss's political involvement.
"Please consider patronizing Trinity Brewhouse and Hot Club of Providence to show your support for gun safety in Rhode Island," the coalition says in its Facebook post. "While there, be sure to thank the staff and let them know you appreciate the opportunity to patronize a business that supports making Rhode Island safer from gun violence."
Miller said, "The whole thing is unfortunate."
jperry@providencejournal.com
(401) 277-7614
On Twitter: @jgregoryperry
Be the first to know. | https://www.providencejournal.com/story/news/local/2022/06/24/gun-rights-supporters-targeting-restaurants-owned-ri-senator/7725133001/ | 2022-06-24T20:17:47 | 0 | https://www.providencejournal.com/story/news/local/2022/06/24/gun-rights-supporters-targeting-restaurants-owned-ri-senator/7725133001/ |
Providence Mayor Elorza signs final budget of his term; fire chief's salary defunded
PROVIDENCE — Mayor Jorge Elorza on Friday signed the final city budget of his term at a time when home values will mean higher taxes for residents.
The $568-million budget for fiscal year 2023 slashes the residential tax rate to $17.80 per $1,000 of assessed value, and the commercial rate to $35.40 per $1,000.
According to Elorza, once the new rates take effect, Providence will have the lowest property taxes in nearly all of the state.
"To all the council people and to everyone out there who I’m sure has heard, 'Oh, we can’t afford to buy a house in Providence. Tax rates are too expensive,' that is not true whatsoever," the mayor said.
Elorza said his administration brought about the first eight-year stretch in at least seven decades in which there were no tax hikes.
But that doesn't mean residents won't end up with a larger tax bill. The city's internal auditor determined that, on average since the last revaluation, residential property values rose 46% while commercial property values rose 15%.
See budget highlights here:Mayor Jorge Elorza unveils Providence budget proposal with 4% increase in tax levy
Read council members' concerns here:Providence city councilors pass new tax rates, despite worries about housing crisis
Fire chief's salary defunded
One significant change in the coming year's budget is the defunding of the salary of the fire chief, a position Public Safety Commissioner Steven Paré has held in an acting capacity since 2015.
Elorza opposed the defunding, calling it "an ongoing sort of dispute," but made peace with the budget despite the council's decision.
"In this final budget, I guess for accounting purposes, some things got changed, but in terms of being able to provide public safety services, nothing changes," he said.
Council President John Igliozzi, who hinted at his past differences with the mayor, delivered a message of unity.
"We don’t always agree on everything," Igliozzi said. "But we always agree on one thing: We try to do what’s best for the city of Providence." | https://www.providencejournal.com/story/news/local/2022/06/24/providence-budget-defunds-salary-fire-chief/7723882001/ | 2022-06-24T20:17:53 | 0 | https://www.providencejournal.com/story/news/local/2022/06/24/providence-budget-defunds-salary-fire-chief/7723882001/ |
Authorities have found two hikers who had become lost on Casper Mountain on Thursday afternoon. Neither was injured.
The two had set out early Thursday to hike together in the area of Archery Range Park on Casper Mountain, according to the Natrona County Emergency Management office. After being unable to find their way back, the two became separated on the mountain. Later in the afternoon, authorities were able to locate the two hikers through their cell phones and took them back to where they parked their vehicles.
The emergency management office used the occasion to remind those who use the mountain and surrounding areas to remain prepared, familiar and aware of their surroundings when venturing out. That includes bringing extra water, dressing for weather and always carrying a mobile phone with some sort of charge.
Authorities also recommended people download the app “BackCountrySOS”, which allows emergency personnel to find locations sooner. Due to unreliable service though, carrying a radio is also encouraged and those who tune the radio to Channel 3, Code 07 can communicate with first responders.
People are also reading…
“We would like to thank our Natrona County Sheriff’s Office deputies, our dedicated Search and Rescue Volunteers, and the great volunteers from the Casper Mountain Fire Department,” Michael Cavalier, the Natrona County Emergency Management Deputy Coordinator said in the release. “Their willingness to serve this way is a testament to our wonderful Natrona County community.” | https://trib.com/news/local/casper/hikers-found-safe-after-getting-lost-on-casper-mountain/article_86a4dfb2-f3e2-11ec-b3a6-0779766cfb2a.html | 2022-06-24T20:22:04 | 0 | https://trib.com/news/local/casper/hikers-found-safe-after-getting-lost-on-casper-mountain/article_86a4dfb2-f3e2-11ec-b3a6-0779766cfb2a.html |
Editor's note: This column by Jan Cleere first appeared in the Star in 2015 as part of the Western Women series. It profiled Margaret Sanger, a Tucson resident for many years, who founded an organization that eventually became Planned Parenthood.
Margaret Sanger Slee first appeared in Tucson in 1934. She was already well known for her sponsorship of birth control, particularly among poor, underprivileged women.
Many believed she was ahead of her time in her crusade to encourage open discussions about sex, procreation and contraception, but in all probability she was the right person for a very tough job.
The years she spent in Tucson became very important to her during times when she faced vilification from the public and press. The town was her haven from those who sought to silence her rhetoric. Yet even in the middle of the desert, she worked tirelessly on women’s health issues.
Margaret Louisa Higgins was born to Irish parents on Sept. 14, 1879, in Corning, New York.
People are also reading…
Her mother suffered from tuberculosis, and after giving birth to 11 children, Anne Higgins died at the age of 50. Margaret bore her mother’s proclivity for tuberculosis and endured several bouts of the disease throughout her life.
She wanted to become a doctor, but after her mother’s death, she left school to work as a nurse. In 1902, at the age of 23, she married architect William Sanger.
Shortly after her third child was born in 1910, Margaret took a position at Lillian Wald’s Visiting Nurses Association on the Lower East Side of New York City where immigrants arrived daily with little money, language barriers and limited knowledge of health care.
She was soon speaking out for indigent women through the Socialist Party and wrote for the Socialist newspaper The Call, producing a column entitled “What Every Girl Should Know.”
The Federal Comstock Law, passed in 1873, condemned all contraceptive information and devices as “obscene,” outlawing the use, sale or mailing of anything having to do with contraception. When Margaret’s column was ruled obscene according to the law, The Call ran the title, “What Every Girl Should Know—Nothing; by order of the U.S. Post Office.”
In 1914, she started her own publication, The Woman Rebel, but the Post Office again claimed she was mailing indecent material and confiscated the first issue. Margaret continued to publish the magazine until she was arrested that August.
To avoid prosecution, she fled to Europe, but when her 5-year-old daughter, Peggy, was diagnosed with pneumonia, Margaret returned to the United States.
Peggy Sanger died in November 1915, and public sympathy for Margaret may have played a role in the dismissal of the charges against her.
In 1916, she set out on tour the country espousing her views on birth control. Her appearance started a riot in St. Louis, and officials in Portland, Oregon, threatened to arrest her. Officials in several cities refused to allow her to speak.
She opened the first birth control clinic in New York City in October 1916. A week later, she was arrested, tried and found guilty of dispensing birth control products. She served 30 days in prison.
Margaret formed the American Birth Control League in 1921. Two years later, New York City opened the first physician-run birth-control clinic, providing legal contraceptive counseling to married women.
Margaret and William Sanger divorced in 1921, and she married 3-in-One Oil inventor Noah Slee in 1922. Slee’s affluence afforded Margaret the opportunity to travel extensively, advocating her views on birth control.
In 1934, Margaret and her son, Stuart, headed for Arizona, hoping to cure Stuart’s severe allergies.
Arriving in Tucson, she was not at all impressed with the heat that greeted her. In a letter to a friend, she wailed, “It’s sizzling hot — I drip. Sleep under the stars at night but with bats flying overhead & rattle snakes underneath & spiders watching for their midnight meal.”
She spoke to Tucson organizations advocating her views on birth control and recruited women of wealth and political connections to open a birth-control clinic.
Renting a small house in the barrio district, she and her followers started Clinica para Madres, the Mother’s Clinic. Charging $1 or less per visit, the nurse on duty had little to occupy her for the first three weeks as no one dared venture through the clinic’s doors.
When the Comstock Law was struck down in 1936, the little clinic began to flourish.
Margaret fell in love with Tucson, despite its heat, and whenever she left she missed “... the indescribable Catalinas, on which light and clouds played in never-ending changes of pattern.”
At the beginning of World War II, an emerging movement encouraged women to have more children for the betterment of the country. Margaret was condemned as a communist and anarchist for her views on birth control.
During the war, she and her husband spent much of their time in Tucson. Noah Slee died here in 1943. That same year, her two sons, Stuart and Grant, were sent to war.
When the war ended and her boys safely home, she took off for Europe in a quest to bring birth control out of the dark ages.
But Tucson was where she wanted to be.
She built a red brick home shaped like a fan so she could see the mountains from every window.
One of her granddaughters recalled her grandmother “Mimi” as a woman who “loved champagne, daiquiris, flambéed desserts, and great big salads that she made at the table. ... Her parties in Tucson were fabulous.”
Margaret was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1952, and served as the first president of the International Planned Parenthood Federation from 1952 until 1959. In 1960, the FDA approved use of the birth-control pill.
At age 83, Margaret moved into a convalescent home in Tucson.
The University of Arizona awarded her an honorary doctor of humanities degree in 1965.
That same year, Japan presented her with one of its highest honors, the Third Order of the Sacred Crown, for her diligence in bringing birth control to its country.
President Lyndon B. Johnson awarded her the Presidential Medal of Freedom shortly before her death on Sept. 6, 1966.
Time Magazine named Margaret Sanger Slee one of the 100 most influential people of the 20th century.
Jan Cleere is the author of four historical nonfiction books about the early people of the Southwest. Email her at Jan@JanCleere.com. | https://tucson.com/news/local/the-tucson-history-of-margaret-sanger-planned-parenthood-founder/article_05744d68-f3df-11ec-8ea2-6f0b170db1c3.html | 2022-06-24T20:23:08 | 1 | https://tucson.com/news/local/the-tucson-history-of-margaret-sanger-planned-parenthood-founder/article_05744d68-f3df-11ec-8ea2-6f0b170db1c3.html |
TAMPA, Fla. — Hillsborough County State Attorney Andrew Warren issued a joint statement with prosecutors nationwide declining to go after people "who seek, provide, or support abortions" following the Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.
The prosecutors who signed on to the letter from the organization Fair and Just Prosecution say that while they all don't agree on abortion, "we stand together in our firm belief that prosecutors have a responsibility to refrain from using limited criminal legal system resources to criminalize personal medical decisions."
It's to this end that their offices' resources will not be used to "criminalize reproductive health decisions."
Friday morning, the court's conservative majority overturned the landmark Roe v. Wade ruling that provided federal protections to receive an abortion. Abortion access now is a state issue, with levels of access varying nationwide. Several states had so-called abortion "trigger laws" on the books, which immediately makes abortion illegal with the justices' majority decision.
Florida has already taken steps to limit abortions. In April, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill restricting most abortions after 15 weeks unless the woman's life is endangered. It does not have exceptions for rape, incest or human trafficking. That law takes effect July 1.
Other abortion restrictions already exist in Florida. Most abortions are already banned after 24 weeks of gestation.
Following a seven-year legal battle, a Florida judge recently approved a 24-hour waiting period for abortions that are within the parameters outlined in state law.
Warren appears to be the only prosecutor in the state of Florida who signed on to the letter. His office covers all of Hillsborough County, including the city of Tampa.
Read the letter in full below: | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/hillsboroughcounty/prosecutors-decline-criminalize-abortion/67-1e9edb8d-fa24-442c-92e4-f5a13735d497 | 2022-06-24T20:24:55 | 0 | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/hillsboroughcounty/prosecutors-decline-criminalize-abortion/67-1e9edb8d-fa24-442c-92e4-f5a13735d497 |
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — A quarantine was established Friday in part of the St. Petersburg area, halting the transportation of fruits, vegetables and nuts without approval from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS).
Commissioner Nikki Fried's Office revealed it had confirmed the presence of Oriental fruit flies – which can threaten crops and seriously damage the economy.
Some flies were found during routine trapping done as part of the state's exotic pest surveillance work. But, as trapping efforts were expanded, more flies were discovered – raising concerns.
Fried's office said Oriental fruit flies lay their eggs in fruits and veggies. When the eggs hatch, maggots make the food inedible.
"This species is considered one of the most serious of the world’s fruit fly pests due to its potential economic harm," FDACS wrote in a statement. "It attacks more than 436 different fruits, vegetables and nuts, including fig, loquat, mango, orange, peach, plum, sapote, soursop, Surinam cherry, tangerine, tropical almond and guava."
The state said treatment efforts were already underway Friday in a 1.5-square-mile area around fly detection zones across areas in St. Petersburg.
"The treatments consist of male annihilation technique (MAT), foliar spot treatment, soil drench treatment and fruit removal," FDACS wrote in a news release. "MAT treatment uses a bait and insecticide mixture, killing the flies when they feed on the bait. It may be applied weekly to the upper portion of utility poles, trees and other inanimate objects out of the normal reach of people and pets."
Dr. Trevor Smith, director of the FDACS Division of Plant Industry, said the state is working with federal partners to eradicate the flies. And, the government has seen success with those efforts in the past. In fact, the state said Oriental fruit flies have been trapped repeatedly in Florida since the 60s and have been "successfully eradicated" each time.
“This detection highlights the importance of our world class exotic pest surveillance system,” Dr. Smith wrote in a statement.
More information can be found here or by dialing the Division of Plant Industry Helpline at 1-888-397-1517. | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/pinellascounty/quarantine-flies-fruit-vegetables-pinellas-st-pete/67-5e3741dd-765b-4132-8b9d-3df4381d5684 | 2022-06-24T20:25:01 | 0 | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/pinellascounty/quarantine-flies-fruit-vegetables-pinellas-st-pete/67-5e3741dd-765b-4132-8b9d-3df4381d5684 |
Longtime resident of Bandon Larry Sabin Sr. lost his battle to cancer on June 9, 2022. He passed away at his home with his family by his side.
He is survived by his wife, Juanice of 65 years; and five children, Janice & Larro Huntley, Pam & Bruce Johnson, Wendy Carrero, Larry Jr. & Pamala Sabin and Rick & Val Sabin. He has 20 grandchildren; 20 great grandchildren; four sisters, Kathy, Marilan, Mary Jean and Judy; and numerous nieces and nephews.
He attended the Bandon schools. He also served on the Bandon Fire Board for 46 years. He was a very talented man and loved working on building old toy trucks. Several people in the area have them in their homes.
A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to Bandon Fire Department, P O Box 1467 Bandon, OR 97411. | https://theworldlink.com/news/local/obituaries/larry-sabin-sr/article_f8a6e5f6-f3e2-11ec-ae17-7bf334054931.html | 2022-06-24T20:32:31 | 0 | https://theworldlink.com/news/local/obituaries/larry-sabin-sr/article_f8a6e5f6-f3e2-11ec-ae17-7bf334054931.html |
ATLANTA — Georgia's top lawyer is pushing the federal court to lift its suspension of the state's heartbeat abortion law in the wake of the Supreme Court's opinion on Roe v. Wade.
Court records show Attorney General Christopher Carr wrote to the U.S. Appeals Court, citing it can no longer keep Georgia's Living Infants Fairness and Equality Act from becoming law.
Carr writes now that the Supreme Court has delivered its decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, which triggered the high court's review of its opinion on the precedent-setting Roe v. Wade -- which blocked legislation like Georgia's LIFE Act.
"There is, simply put, nothing left of the Plaintiff-Appellees’ argument that Georgia law imposes an unconstitutional burden on the practice of abortion," the solicitor general writes on behalf of the Attorney General's Office.
Georgia's law bans abortions when a fetal heartbeat can be detected, which is about six weeks into a pregnancy. It was already passed and signed by Gov. Brian Kemp in 2019 and then quickly challenged and suspended by federal courts in 2020.
The ruling was appealed to the 11th Circuit, with the court deciding to ultimately put the case on hold until the Supreme Court finalized its decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization.
Though the Supreme Court has walked back on its precedent, Georgia's law remains suspended until further court action puts it into play. Kemp also has the power to hold a special session and enact stricter abortion policies with the Georgia General Assembly.
The governor could also decline to call a special session, leaving the matter to the next legislative session next year.
11Alive has reached out to the governor's office to see if Kemp will call a special session, but they have not returned a request for comment. | https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/georgias-attorney-general-heartbeat-law-take-effect/85-705167f3-6435-42f1-8982-ec45d47dc208 | 2022-06-24T20:32:43 | 0 | https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/georgias-attorney-general-heartbeat-law-take-effect/85-705167f3-6435-42f1-8982-ec45d47dc208 |
ATLANTA — The Supreme Court's decision on Roe v. Wade is impacting people nationwide and is expected to make ripples in Georgia.
The United States has the worst maternal mortality rate among developed nations, and Georgia ranks as one of the worst states in the country.
In 2019, according to the Center for Reproductive Rights, Georgia had the worst maternal mortality ratio of any state in the country. Experts say that overturning Roe will disproportionately affect communities of color in Georgia, as for years, they have already faced many barriers to maternal health.
Naomi Desta-Bell is the Community Outreach Manager for the Feminist Women's Health Center. The non-profit offers an array of services to patients, including a full-service GYN and abortion clinic.
“There are folks who have access and privilege that are still going to be able to access abortions," she said. "Folks who already go through so much to come to our center, these are folks who are black or brown, who are immigrants, who are refugees, who are survivors of violence, those are the folks whose stories often don’t get seen, and who will have the most difficult time accessing the most important critical abortion care that they need."
Black women in Georgia are 3.3 times more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications than white women, and black babies are twice as likely to die than white babies, according to the Center for Reproductive Rights.
Aside from accessibility and transportation to get care, the non-profit organization, says there are also financial barriers, which they try to help with.
“There’s a really high immigrant and refugee population that we see, and not everyone is documented," Desta-Bell explained. "So then there’s another issue of health insurance, even when folks do have health insurance, there are a lot of services that are not covered.”
Cost is the reason the nearly 20% of black and Hispanic Georgians living in poverty say they haven't seen a doctor in at least a year.
Vanesa Sarazúa is the CEO and Founder of Hispanic Alliance Georgia.
"Prenatal services cost about $150 a month for our pregnant immigrant women who are not eligible for Medicaid," she explained. "That actually includes women who have less than a five-year residency in the state. We’re talking about $150 a month for services for just the prenatal care. Yes, they can pay in installments but for those living in poverty, that really means they have a debt at the end of their pregnancy."
Sarazúa says many women from communities of color, end up going straight to the hospital to give birth, without seeing specialists throughout the pregnancy, without checking on their baby's health, or their own, leading to more deaths.
RELATED: Atlanta city councilmember proposes plan to decriminalize abortion if Roe v. Wade overturned
Latinos also face a language barrier.
“They’re very disconnected from the services and the access to services is not all that sometimes we envision for those that are living in poverty," Sarazúa said.
Lack of education and medical mistrust has been a problem, too.
In 2019 in Georgia, 23% of black women and 49% of Hispanic women said they don’t have a health care provider.
“These folks that we see every day, these are the folks that will be impacted by this the most," Desta-Bell added.
To help with the language barrier Latinos face and to educate the community, Desta-Bell says her agency started their "Lifting Latino Voices Initiative," which she says is the only program in Georgia that offers comprehensive sexual education to Spanish-speaking community members.
"What we're working on in our clinic is ensuring that our community members know that we're still here, that our doors are still open, that folks are able to access this care now," she said. "But these folks that we see every day, whose stories we hear, these are the folks that that will be impacted by this the most I feel."
She says many people they serve are from Georgia but a lot of people drive from out-of-state to receive their services.
"There are people who travel extensively to be able to access abortion care that they're not able to access it in their home state," she said. "So then there's another added level of care that we seek to provide in terms of accessing hotels and meals and other voucher resources that we give to people." | https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/roe-v-wade-impact-communities-of-color-in-georgia/85-a9236421-b14d-4f31-8002-c78e9dbd4787 | 2022-06-24T20:32:44 | 1 | https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/roe-v-wade-impact-communities-of-color-in-georgia/85-a9236421-b14d-4f31-8002-c78e9dbd4787 |
ATLANTA — The Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe vs. Wade has brought up tons of questions for Georgians including one about the fate of sex education in the state.
11Alive looked into the facts to see if the high court's decision will affect what's taught in Georgia schools.
Question
Does this decision change sex education in Georgia?
Our Sources
Georgia's department of education
Dr. Keri Hill with Georgia campaign for adolescent power and potential (GCCAP)
The Answer
What we found
In Georgia, the Department of Education requires that sex education:
Emphasize abstinence
Be age appropriate
And it does not require talk about contraception or abortion.
GCCAP, works to implement comprehensive sex education in schools across the Peach State.
“It's so important for more and more schools to revisit what is being delivered,” Hill said. “And make sure that they are selecting curriculum options that are based on research and that are delivered with comfort.”
Hill said that change may not happen after the supreme court's decision, but more educational awareness is needed.
“We have the opportunity to provide our young people with the critical information they need.”
So, we can verify: We will not see direct changes right now to sex ed in Georgia, but maybe in the future. | https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/scotus-roe-wade-sex-education-comprehensive-abortion-abstinence-supreme-court/85-885f1df2-4d74-4097-8f95-430ba54adefb | 2022-06-24T20:32:44 | 1 | https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/scotus-roe-wade-sex-education-comprehensive-abortion-abstinence-supreme-court/85-885f1df2-4d74-4097-8f95-430ba54adefb |
MICHIGAN CITY — Explicit images and videos of child pornography were uncovered in the possession of a Michigan City man, who was arrested
Scott A. Dailey, 50, faces a charge of a Level 5 felony count of possession of child pornography, according to LaPorte Superior Court.
The Indiana State Police Cyber Crimes Unit served a search warrant Wednesday in the 2700 block of Wozniak Road in Michigan City, ISP said.
Authorities said an extensive investigation by the Indiana State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force revealed Dailey had explicit videos and images of children.
The investigation was launched following a tip was that was received from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, alleging illegal activity on Dailey's social media account.
Investigators found Dailey had 16 uploaded files of child pornography, including an explicit video of a man sexually assaulting a girl who was around the ages of 7 or 8 years old, according to court records. Other media files saved to his phone included children who were between the ages of 5 and 13 years old.
Court reports alleged Dailey admitted to possessing the files and he said he has an addiction to pornography that turned into viewing child pornography.
Dailey was taken into custody without incident Wednesday and he was booked into the LaPorte County Jail where he will remain until his initial hearing.
Gallery: Recent arrests booked into LaPorte County Jail
Anna Ortiz is the breaking news/crime reporter for The Times, covering crime, politics, courts and investigative news. She is a graduate of Ball State University with a major in journalism and minor in anthropology. 219-933-4194, anna.ortiz@nwi.com
The man was shot about 11:35 p.m. Sunday outside the Save gas station in the 3200 block of West Fourth Avenue in Gary, according to the Lake County coroner's office and police. | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/investigation-into-child-pornography-results-in-michigan-city-mans-arrest-police-say/article_2b2637b9-5a96-5696-8ea2-4dcdb978833e.html | 2022-06-24T20:33:25 | 0 | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/investigation-into-child-pornography-results-in-michigan-city-mans-arrest-police-say/article_2b2637b9-5a96-5696-8ea2-4dcdb978833e.html |
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — With delight and anticipation, Chamber Music Northwest brings the region their 2022 Summer Festival.
Beginning June 25 with a gala event at Portland Art Museum, the 52nd annual festival will feature five weeks of programming across the Portland metro area with 28 mainstage concerts, and dozens of free community concerts and performances through July 31.
Themed Inspirations & Influences, this dynamic festival boasts music from around the globe with an array of world-renowned musicians to match.
Chamber Music Northwest’s 2022 Summer Festival features nearly 100 of the finest chamber musicians in the world — from string and saxophone quartets to renowned soloists — performing a wide variety of compositions —from classics to new works — by some of today’s great living composers, and with musical influences from across the globe.
With the launch of CMNW’s Young Artist Institute (YAI) — a new intensive education program for 16 talented string players from around the world, ages 14-18. | https://www.koin.com/local/chamber-of-music-northwest-kicks-off-2022-festival/ | 2022-06-24T20:33:53 | 1 | https://www.koin.com/local/chamber-of-music-northwest-kicks-off-2022-festival/ |
This July 4th, if you choose to grab a case of Miller Lite to sip on, you might be getting a history lesson as well.
Miller Lite cans are temporarily transforming into Mary Lisle cans in honor of the nation's first woman in brewing, who used to call Philadelphia home.
Lisle owned and operated a Philadelphia brewery in 1734, becoming the first American woman to take on the task.
In celebration of these limited-edition cans and women in the industry, on Thursday, June 30, Miller Lite is taking over the Devil's Den on South 11th Street from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. for There’s No Beer Without Women: Miller Lite Toast to Mary Lisle.
The private happy hour event is free with registration and will give guests a chance to check out the cans and learn about Mary Lisle and her contributions to the country's brewing industry.
Miller Lite will also be donating $5 from any case purchased online during the week of July 4th (June 27 to July 4) to the Pink Boots Society.
Local
Breaking news and the stories that matter to your neighborhood.
The society aids, inspires and encourages women and nonbinary individuals in the alcoholic beverage industry through education.
When you crack open a cold one on America's birthday, remember, there's no beer without women. | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/women-in-brewing-miller-lite-mary-lisle-brewing-can/3279605/ | 2022-06-24T20:34:20 | 1 | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/women-in-brewing-miller-lite-mary-lisle-brewing-can/3279605/ |
Wayne State University increases tuition by 4.5%
Wayne State University students will pay 4.5% more in tuition and about 4% more in room and board during the next academic year, following approval 7-1 Friday by the Board of Governors.
The tuition hike means that full-time resident undergraduate students will pay $14,675 in tuition and fees, up from $14,043 in 2021-22.
Room and board will go up to $11,420 for a typical first-year plan.
Costs for full-time students living on campus next year will total about $26,000.
Governor Dana Thompson casting the sole vote against increasing tuition and housing.
"It is not a sustainable trajectory to increase tuition on our students," Thompson said, adding that increased costs diminish WSU as a place of social mobility.
Governor Mark Gaffney, chair of the board, said that it's never easy to increase tuition. But the university is working to balance its budget and also try to make sure that "students can still afford to come here."
Gaffney added that more than half of Wayne State students will not see a tuition increase because they are receiving Pell Grants and university financial aid. Tuition increases in previous years were modest and there was no increase in 2020.
"We never like to make these kind of tough decisions," Gaffney said. "We are pleased we have a scholarship program to help." | https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/detroit-city/2022/06/24/wayne-state-university-increases-tuition-2022-2023/7726300001/ | 2022-06-24T20:38:53 | 0 | https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/detroit-city/2022/06/24/wayne-state-university-increases-tuition-2022-2023/7726300001/ |
CALIFORNIA, USA — The Democratic governors of California, Washington and Oregon on Friday vowed to protect reproductive rights and help women who travel to the West Coast seeking abortions following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.
“California, Oregon and Washington are building the West Coast offense to protect patients’ access to reproductive care,” California Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a video statement announcing the states’ plans along with Oregon Gov. Kate Brown and Washington Gov. Jay Inslee.
The three states issued a joint “multi-state commitment” saying they will work together to defend patients and medical professionals providing reproductive health care.
They also pledged to “protect against judicial and local law enforcement cooperation with out of-state investigations, inquiries, and arrests” regarding abortions performed in their states.
The liberal West Coast states anticipate an influx of people seeking abortions, especially as neighboring conservative states move to outlaw or greatly restrict the procedure.
KEY DEVELOPMENTS:
- The U.S. Supreme Court ends nearly 50 years o f constitutional protection for abortion.
- ‘Heightened alert’: Abortion providers brace for ruling
- Harris discusses abortion laws with state attorneys general
- Some clinics halting abortions while bracing for Roe’s fall
- If Roe falls, some DAs won't enforce abortion bans
ABC10: Watch, Download, Read
Watch more from ABC10: Roe v. Wade | What does Roe v. Wade being overturned mean for Californians? | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/california/roe-v-wade-multi-state-commitment-reproductive-rights/103-91e97352-22eb-4f90-bc55-b8ab38910f40 | 2022-06-24T20:46:23 | 0 | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/california/roe-v-wade-multi-state-commitment-reproductive-rights/103-91e97352-22eb-4f90-bc55-b8ab38910f40 |
CALIFORNIA, USA — The constitutional right to abortion in the United States is no more. Today the U.S. Supreme Court struck down its landmark Roe v. Wade precedent in a 5-4 decision, ending nearly 50 years of guaranteed abortion access for American women.
The historic ruling has been expected since early May, when a draft of the opinion was leaked, and was widely anticipated long before that as conservative justices tilted the court. The fight over abortion rights now returns to the states, where it played out five decades ago, with the procedure immediately set to become nearly or entirely illegal in almost half of them and several more bans likely to follow.
California is moving in the opposite direction, ramping up legal protections for abortion providers and pouring resources into expanding access as clinics prepare for a possible surge of patients traveling from other states to terminate their pregnancies.
“I want to be crystal clear: abortion remains legal here in California and we are working to ensure that people — regardless of where they come from — can access abortion services with as much support and as few barriers as possible,” Jodi Hicks, CEO of Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California, said in a statement. “To people across the country living in a state hostile to abortion: California is here for you. We will not turn people away, and we will find a way to support you so that you can get the care you need.”
Here is how the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization will play out in California:
Abortion will be a major focus of November election
Expect to hear a lot about abortion rights in the months ahead, as candidates tout their endorsements from Planned Parenthood and flood the airwaves with advertisements warning of the bleak future for access if their opponents win.
Since the draft ruling leaked last month, Democrats in California and across the country have latched onto protecting abortion rights as a key issue for the 2022 midterm elections. With decades of public polling showing that a majority of Americans believe abortion should be legal in all or most cases, it has put the party back on the offensive as it faces mounting voter dissatisfaction with President Joe Biden and withering Republican attacks over inflation and crime.
“I hope that people are enraged,” said state Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins, a San Diego Democrat who ran a women’s health clinic before entering politics.
“While we feel like we have better protections here and California is different, I hope they’re enraged and they understand what’s at stake,” she told CalMatters.
A poll conducted last month by Monmouth University found that abortion was nearly tied with economic policy as the top concern for voters nationwide, a considerable increase from four years ago driven by its rising importance among Democrats. Another recent survey from UC San Diego asked Californians whether they planned to vote in November, before and after reading an article about the possibility of a national abortion ban if the Roe decision is overturned; researchers determined it had a significant mobilizing effect on independent voters.
The potential for Republicans to pursue a national abortion ban should they win back control of Congress is likely to feature prominently in a number of battleground House races across the state. Gov. Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta have already made abortion rights central to their re-election campaigns, and even some candidates with less of a direct connection to ensuring abortion access, including Democratic state controller hopeful Malia Cohen, have tried to raise alarms about the beliefs of their GOP opponents.
Shortly after the Supreme Court ruling, Newsom announced a joint West Coast “commitment to reproductive freedom” with the governors of Oregon and Washington.
“We will not sit on the sidelines and allow patients who seek reproductive care in our states or the doctors that provide that care to be intimidated with criminal prosecution,” he said in a video message. “We refuse to go back and we will fight like hell to protect our rights and our values.”
Abortion rights will also literally be on the ballot in California in November. Democratic legislators in Sacramento are rushing to qualify a measure that, if approved by voters, would enshrine “reproductive freedom” in the state Constitution.
Though California already protects abortion access through a constitutional right to privacy, Atkins, who is shepherding the amendment through the Legislature, said a more explicit guarantee is important as legal battles over the future of reproductive rights continue.
“That is my biggest fear. You find one judge somewhere in California who rules and our whole right to privacy as it currently exists in California is in question,” Atkins said, though she acknowledged there were additional political benefits: “I sure as hell hope that it’s going to drive turnout.”
More legal support for abortion providers
As dozens of conservative states laid the groundwork for the end of Roe, passing abortion bans triggered by the Supreme Court ruling, California has been scrambling to build a bulwark for reproductive rights and accommodate a potential influx of patients from beyond its borders.
Last fall, Newsom convened the Future of Abortion Council, a coalition of reproductive rights, health and justice groups, to explore how to make the state a “sanctuary” for abortion. Its recommendations, released in December, formed the basis for a sweeping package of 15 bills currently moving through the Legislature.
They include Atkins’ Senate Bill 1375, which would increase the number of providers by allowing some nurse practitioners to independently perform first-trimester abortions without a doctor’s supervision, and Assembly Bill 1918 by Assemblymember Cottie Petrie-Norris, a Costa Mesa Democrat, which would create a “reproductive health service corps” for underserved parts of the state.
Several measures would protect doctors from legal and financial penalties if they travel to other states to perform abortions or treat out-of-state patients: Assembly Bill 1666 by Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan, an Orinda Democrat, won final legislative passage Thursday and would nullify civil judgments from other states. Assembly Bill 2091 by Assemblymember Mia Bonta, an Alameda Democrat, would prohibit medical providers and health insurers from sharing information in cases that seek to penalize abortion. Assembly Bill 2626 by Assemblymember Lisa Calderon, a Whittier Democrat, would prevent the state medical board from suspending or revoking the license of a physician who is punished in another state for performing an abortion in accordance with California law.
Another measure, Bauer-Kahan’s Assembly Bill 1242, would prohibit police from arresting someone for providing or obtaining an abortion and ban law enforcement agencies from sharing information with colleagues in other states regarding a lawfully-performed abortion.
Abortion opponents have showed up at the state Capitol in force to protest Assembly Bill 2223 by Assemblymember Buffy Wicks, an Oakland Democrat. Seeking to protect Californians from overzealous law enforcement and district attorneys who may be hostile to abortion rights, it would end a requirement that coroners investigate the cause of fetal deaths resulting from suspected self-induced abortions, clarify that women cannot be held criminally or civilly liable for pregnancy loss or abortion, and create an ability to sue prosecutors and others who violate that protection.
“We’re covering a lot of ground,” Atkins said. “As disheartening as this reality is that we have to prepare for…given all that we’re doing to shore up our protections and access to services, we will be ready.”
Newsom has expressed support for many of the proposals — and already signed legislation earlier this year to eliminate out-of-pocket costs for abortions in health insurance plans. Though some would take effect immediately if approved, including the three bills expanding legal protections for doctors, others would not become law until January.
Bonta quickly vowed today to “use the full force of the law to protect reproductive healthcare for everyone who seeks it in our state.”
Out-of-state influx, but how big?
As U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland noted following the release of the Dobbs ruling, it does not restrict states from keeping abortion legal or prevent women from traveling to states with access. He said in a statement that “under bedrock constitutional principles, women who reside in states that have banned access to comprehensive reproductive care must remain free to seek that care in states where it is legal.”
With Roe toppled, California has become the nearest state with abortion access for approximately 1.3 million out-of-state women of reproductive age, according to the Guttmacher Institute, an abortion rights think tank. That’s a nearly 3000% increase triggered by Arizona’s historical abortion ban that criminalizes the procedure and went into effect when the Supreme Court announced its decision.
Using women of reproductive age as a proxy for abortion demand is imprecise at best, and Guttmacher’s projection is based solely on driving distance. But without statewide data on abortions, it’s nearly impossible to estimate how many people may now rely on California clinics.
Even before today’s Supreme Court decision, California providers and advocates reported serving women from states farther than Arizona.
“One of the things we’ve seen is a cascading effect. The wait times for appointment availabilities increase in border states, and they travel to other states to get the care,” said Lisa Matsubara, general counsel for Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California.
In the first four months following Texas’ controversial six-week ban last year, Planned Parenthood clinics in California performed abortions for approximately 6,000 out-of-state patients, Matsubara said. Patients from out of state were three times more likely than California patients to be seeking abortions rather than other health care during the same time period.
In 2021, ACCESS Reproductive Justice, which gives grants to women to offset the cost of the procedure and remove barriers such as travel and lodging, helped people from 18 states, said Jessica Pinckney, the group’s executive director.
Pinckney, who is among the coalition of abortion advocates supporting the 13-bill package in the Legislature, said advocates have been clear with lawmakers that planning for the unknown is difficult, but providers have done their best to collectively estimate what access gaps remain in California and what they expect to see in the near future.
“There’s so much you can’t anticipate,” Pinckney said. “In a world where half of the states have banned abortion outright or nearly outright, the barriers are only going to be greater.”
Increase the number of providers?
Despite California’s reputation as a reproductive health safe haven, 40% of California counties do not have any abortion clinics. Lawmakers are pushing to increase the number of abortion providers by offering financial incentives and streamlining regulations that govern who can perform abortions.
Newsom’s proposed budget includes $20 million to give scholarships and loan repayment options to clinicians who commit to providing reproductive health care services. The Legislature’s spending plan invests an additional $21 million in existing reproductive health workforce programs and commits a one-time $20 million investment for recruiting and training clinicians that work at reproductive health centers.
Another measure aimed at allowing nurse practitioners to perform first trimester abortions without physician supervision has been billed as a way to increase the number of abortion providers, but even advocates say the impact may be limited.
In 2013, California adopted a measure allowing nurse practitioners, physician assistants and certified nurse midwives to perform first trimester abortions after receiving special training. Since then, however, training opportunities have remained limited.
“Very few nurse practitioners have been trained since the law went into effect,” said Debbie Bamberger.
Bamberger was the first nurse practitioner in the state to be trained to perform abortions and has been a nurse practioner for 28 years and works for Planned Parenthood in Oakland. Her training was conducted as part of a research study that assessed whether clinicians other than doctors could safely perform aspiration abortions — a procedure that uses suction during the first 10 weeks of pregnancy. Forty clinicians were trained during the course of that study, and Bamberger said not many more have been trained since.
Part of the problem is nursing schools and physicians assistant programs do not have abortion curriculum or training opportunities for students who want to learn the procedure. Most training is limited to medical residency programs for physicians, who don’t want to give up their limited spots to other kinds of clinicians.
Bamberger said her clinic has trained five nurse practitioners to perform abortions in the past two years and Planned Parenthood of Northern California does not offer widespread training.
“It’s mostly trying to remove barriers but it’s not necessarily going to hugely increase access if there’s still no training available,” she said.
The state is investing in abortion access
Both the Legislature’s Democratic leadership and Newsom administration have made it clear they’re willing to commit a significant amount of the state’s record surplus to abortion rights.
In his latest budget proposal, Newsom pledged $125 million to reproductive health care, including $60 million to directly subsidize the cost of providing abortions to low-income or uninsured patients. Roughly a third of that money is reserved for low- and middle-income Californians enrolled in the state’s insurance exchange, Covered California, but $40 million can be used to reimburse abortion providers for procedures conducted on anyone who can’t pay — even those from out of state.
His proposal, which is supported by the Legislature, also includes $20 million to improve physical and digital security at abortion clinics and $15 million for community-based organizations to provide sexual and reproductive health education.
The Legislature’s spending plan goes even further, earmarking an additional $156 million in reproductive health spending to train more providers, increase funding for clinics that serve Medi-Cal patients, and open an abortion “Safe Haven” pilot program in Los Angeles.
One headline-grabbing investment the Legislature and governor haven’t agreed on yet, is the creation of the California Abortion Support Fund. The fund would give grants to organizations that help defray travel, lodging, child care and other costs that advocates say prevent women from getting to an abortion clinic. While the money would go to California-based nonprofits, women seeking abortions from any state could apply for grants.
“Some of the hesitation I’ve heard from legislators and the administration is it’s not common for us to provide practical support,” said Pinckney, with ACCESS Reproductive Justice. “But there’s no other health care that is banned and is time sensitive. They can’t wait six months to save the money.”
ABC10: Watch, Download, Read
Watch more from ABC10: Roe v. Wade | What does Roe v. Wade being overturned mean for Californians? | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/california/what-happens-to-abortion-rights-in-california-roe-v-wade-overturned/103-1a84d240-5fad-4ded-a5c6-c7f562db0c41 | 2022-06-24T20:46:29 | 0 | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/california/what-happens-to-abortion-rights-in-california-roe-v-wade-overturned/103-1a84d240-5fad-4ded-a5c6-c7f562db0c41 |
WASHINGTON — King County announced a $1 million emergency fund and Washington state joined a multi-state agreement with California and Oregon Friday to protect women's abortion rights following the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.
The Supreme Court ended constitutional protections for abortion that had been in place nearly 50 years in a decision by its conservative majority. The outcome is expected to lead to abortion bans in roughly half of U.S. states.
King County Executive Dow Constantine said the $1 million abortion emergency fund will include $500,000 for the Northwest Abortion Access Fund and $500,000 for Public Health - Seattle & King County.
"It is clear that the Court’s sinister decision will not actually stop abortions from happening – it will, rather, take us back to a time when abortions were not safe," Constantine said in a release. "My administration will continue to support providers, public health workers, women, Trans and Non-Binary people and families to ensure that King County remains a safe and welcoming place to access abortion care, family planning services, and the right to privacy."
Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell said the city is working to expand access to reproductive services, because of the anticipated demand from people out of state seeking safe and accessible care.
The City of Seattle is also investing $250,000 into the Northwest Abortion Access Fund, Harell said.
“Men have an obligation to stand with the women in our country who have seen their constitutional rights eliminated," Harrell said in a statement. "A decision like this makes hope difficult and threatens our most precious rights and liberties. However, in Seattle, we reject this decision – full stop – and will ensure our response is based in a united commitment to maintain and expand our city’s embrace of privacy, freedom, and shared values.”
Hours after the reversal, Gov. Jay Inslee announced a multi-state partnership with California and Oregon to "defend access to reproductive health care, including abortion and contraceptives and committed to protecting patients and doctors against efforts by other states to export their abortion bans to our states."
“The law remains unchanged in Washington state, but the threat to patient access and privacy has never been more dangerous," Inslee said in a release. "Even in Washington state, Republicans have introduced about 40 bills in the past six years to roll back abortion rights and access to reproductive care. The right of choice should not depend on which party holds the majority, but that’s where we find ourselves."
Inslee said more than half of the country's population lacks safe access to abortion.
In 13 states, so-called trigger laws were designed to take effect if Roe v. Wade was overturned. Others states with conservative legislatures are likely to try passing partial or full bans on abortion. According to the abortion-rights think tank the Guttmacher Institute, nine more states fall into this category.
One of Washington state's neighbors, Idaho, has a trigger law in place to ban all or most abortions.
"Washington state remains steadfast in our commitment to protecting the ability and right of every patient who comes to our state in need of abortion care and we will fight like hell to restore that right to patients all across the country," Inslee said.
Despite the Supreme Court ruling, abortion rights are currently secured in the state of Washington.
In 1991, Washington state voters approved Initiative 120, which offers strong abortion protections, including funding for low-income women who want abortions. | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/king-county-washington-state-efforts-protect-abortion-rights/281-7897f293-618f-4494-ac00-e12e469e38b8 | 2022-06-24T20:46:35 | 1 | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/king-county-washington-state-efforts-protect-abortion-rights/281-7897f293-618f-4494-ac00-e12e469e38b8 |
ATLANTA — The Supreme Court's decision on Roe v. Wade is impacting people nationwide and is expected to make ripples in Georgia.
The United States has the worst maternal mortality rate among developed nations, and Georgia ranks as one of the worst states in the country.
In 2019, according to the Center for Reproductive Rights, Georgia had the worst maternal mortality ratio of any state in the country. Experts say that overturning Roe will disproportionately affect communities of color in Georgia, as for years, they have already faced many barriers to maternal health.
Naomi Desta-Bell is the Community Outreach Manager for the Feminist Women's Health Center. The non-profit offers an array of services to patients, including a full-service GYN and abortion clinic.
“There are folks who have access and privilege that are still going to be able to access abortions," she said. "Folks who already go through so much to come to our center, these are folks who are black or brown, who are immigrants, who are refugees, who are survivors of violence, those are the folks whose stories often don’t get seen, and who will have the most difficult time accessing the most important critical abortion care that they need."
Black women in Georgia are 3.3 times more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications than white women, and black babies are twice as likely to die than white babies, according to the Center for Reproductive Rights.
Aside from accessibility and transportation to get care, the non-profit organization, says there are also financial barriers, which they try to help with.
“There’s a really high immigrant and refugee population that we see, and not everyone is documented," Desta-Bell explained. "So then there’s another issue of health insurance, even when folks do have health insurance, there are a lot of services that are not covered.”
Cost is the reason the nearly 20% of black and Hispanic Georgians living in poverty say they haven't seen a doctor in at least a year.
Vanesa Sarazúa is the CEO and Founder of Hispanic Alliance Georgia.
"Prenatal services cost about $150 a month for our pregnant immigrant women who are not eligible for Medicaid," she explained. "That actually includes women who have less than a five-year residency in the state. We’re talking about $150 a month for services for just the prenatal care. Yes, they can pay in installments but for those living in poverty, that really means they have a debt at the end of their pregnancy."
Sarazúa says many women from communities of color, end up going straight to the hospital to give birth, without seeing specialists throughout the pregnancy, without checking on their baby's health, or their own, leading to more deaths.
RELATED: Atlanta city councilmember proposes plan to decriminalize abortion if Roe v. Wade overturned
Latinos also face a language barrier.
“They’re very disconnected from the services and the access to services is not all that sometimes we envision for those that are living in poverty," Sarazúa said.
Lack of education and medical mistrust has been a problem, too.
In 2019 in Georgia, 23% of black women and 49% of Hispanic women said they don’t have a health care provider.
“These folks that we see every day, these are the folks that will be impacted by this the most," Desta-Bell added.
To help with the language barrier Latinos face and to educate the community, Desta-Bell says her agency started their "Lifting Latino Voices Initiative," which she says is the only program in Georgia that offers comprehensive sexual education to Spanish-speaking community members.
"What we're working on in our clinic is ensuring that our community members know that we're still here, that our doors are still open, that folks are able to access this care now," she said. "But these folks that we see every day, whose stories we hear, these are the folks that that will be impacted by this the most I feel."
She says many people they serve are from Georgia but a lot of people drive from out-of-state to receive their services.
"There are people who travel extensively to be able to access abortion care that they're not able to access it in their home state," she said. "So then there's another added level of care that we seek to provide in terms of accessing hotels and meals and other voucher resources that we give to people." | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/roe-v-wade-impact-communities-of-color-in-georgia/85-a9236421-b14d-4f31-8002-c78e9dbd4787 | 2022-06-24T20:46:42 | 1 | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/roe-v-wade-impact-communities-of-color-in-georgia/85-a9236421-b14d-4f31-8002-c78e9dbd4787 |
In a decision that sent shockwaves across the country and the world, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Friday the nearly half a century landmark Roe v. Wade, which allowed for the constitutional right to an abortion.
The reactions were swift, with leaders and organizations immediately responding to the ruling, while many across America were left concerned about their access to an abortion.
With this in mind, Amazon, Apple and JP Morgan are among a number of companies who announced they are willing to reimburse employees who travel out of state to legally access abortion services.
Various companies have announced in the past they will support their employees following restrictive abortion laws previously passed in states like Texas and Oklahoma, as well as after a leaked memo of a draft opinion by Justice Samuel Alito indicating the court was prepared to to overturn Roe v. Wade, which the Court ultimately did on Friday.
Below are just some of the companies that announced they will help employees who must travel out-of-state in order to get an abortion:
Roe v. Wade
Amazon
Amazon.com Inc. will pay up to $4,000 in travel expenses for abortions and other non-life threatening medical procedures. The benefit applies if the medical care is not available within 100 miles of an employee’s home, Reuters reported. Among other procedures covered: cardiology, cellular gene therapies and substance-abuse disorder programs. The benefit is retroactive to Jan. 1. For life-threatening medical problems, Amazon offers to $10,000 in travel reimbursements.
Apple
The maker of the iPhone said its health insurance provider will cover travel and medical costs of employees who want to get an abortion. Apple Inc. CEO Tim Cook announced the benefit in September 2021 after the Texas anti-abortion law went into effect. That law says that except for medical emergencies, doctors may not perform an abortion if they have “detected a fetal heartbeat for the unborn child" though what constitutes a heartbeat is a matter of debate. It can be enforced by ordinary citizens filing lawsuits against anyone who aids an abortion. Cook previously spoke during a meeting for all of the tech giant's 160,000 employees across the world, a recording of which The New York Times obtained.
Bumble and Match
The dating app Bumble, which is based in Austin, created a relief fund for people seeking an abortion in the state. “Bumble is women-founded and women-led, and from day one we’ve stood up for the most vulnerable. We’ll keep fighting against regressive laws like #SB8,” the company tweeted, referring to the Texas anti-abortion law.
The Match CEO, Shar Dubey told employees that she would personally create a fund to support Texas-based workers who had to leave the state for care, a spokesperson confirmed to CNBC. Match also owns Hinge, Tinder, and OKCupid.
Citigroup
Citigroup also will cover costs for its employees in states such as Texas who would have to travel to another state for an abortion. It has about 200,000 employees, 8,500 of whom live in Texas. It would pay for airfare and lodging.
Conde Nast
According to CNBC, publisher Conde Nast, the owner of “The New Yorker,” “Vanity Fair,” and “Wired” magazines, will reimburse travel and lodging expenses for workers who must travel out of their own states in order to get legal abortions, CEO Roger Lynch told employees.
He called the Supreme Court’s decision “a crushing blow to reproductive rights that have been protected for nearly half a century.”
Dick's Sporting Goods
Lauren Hobart, president and CEO of Dick's Sporting Goods, announced via LinkedIn that the company will provide up to $4,000 in travel expense reimbursement.
"In response to today’s ruling, we are announcing that if a state one of our teammates lives in restricts access to abortion, DICK’S Sporting Goods will provide up to $4,000 in travel expense reimbursement to travel to the nearest location where that care is legally available. This benefit will be provided to any teammate, spouse or dependent enrolled in our medical plan, along with one support person," Hobart's statement reads in part.
"We recognize people feel passionately about this topic -- and that there are teammates and athletes who will not agree with this decision. However, we also recognize that decisions involving health and families are deeply personal and made with thoughtful consideration. We are making this decision so our teammates can access the same health care options, regardless of where they live, and choose what is best for them."
DISNEY
Disney sent an internal memo to employees Friday letting them know the company would help pay for pregnancy-related care if they have to travel to a different state.
Paul Richardson, chief human resources officer, and Pascale Thomas, vice president of enterprise benefits and well-being, signed the memo, which CNBC has obtained.
JP Morgan
JPMorgan Chase told workers that it will pay for travel to states that allow legal abortions, according to a memo first obtained by CNBC.
"Effective in July, you will be able to access additional covered benefits under the U.S. Medical Plan," the New York-based bank told workers. Those changes include "family-building benefits, such as cryopreservation," and enhanced benefits for LGBT+ workers, the bank said.
"We will also expand our existing health care travel benefit, which today covers certain services such as organ transplants, to all covered health care services that can only be obtained far from your home," JPMorgan told its staff.
Lyft and Uber
Lyft and Uber previously said they would cover legal fees for drivers on their respective platforms who are sued under restrictive abortion laws for taking passengers out of state to seek legal abortions.
Lyft said it will also reimburse employees who need to travel out of state to get a legal abortion.
Microsoft Corp.
Microsoft will add travel expenses to its abortion and gender affirming benefits for employees in the United States. “This support is being extended to include travel expense assistance for these and other medical services where access to care is limited in availability in an employee's home geographic region,” the company said in a statement to Reuters.
Salesforce
Salesforce told its employees last year that it would help relocate anyone concerned about getting reproductive care. The move followed Texas's adoption of its aggressive anti-abortion law.
Starbucks
Starbucks will pay travel expenses for U.S. employees to get abortion or gender-confirmation procedures if those services aren't available within 100 miles of a worker’s home. The benefit will also be available to dependents of employees enrolled in its health care coverage.
Yelp Inc.
Yelp was among the first to say it would cover costs for employees seeking out-of-state abortions. It wants to make sure that all of its employees have equal access to health care, the company said. The benefit will cover all of its 4,000 employees, including 200 workers in Texas. “We’ve long been a strong advocate for equality in the workplace, and believe that gender equality cannot be achieved if women’s healthcare rights are restricted," Miriam Warren, Yelp's chief diversity officer, told The Associated Press previously.
However on Friday, following the Court's ruling, Yelp co-founder and CEO Jeremy Stoppelman said the ruling “puts women’s health in jeopardy" and "threatens to dismantle the progress we've made toward gender equality," according to CNBC.
“This ruling puts women’s health in jeopardy, denies them their human rights, and threatens to dismantle the progress we’ve made toward gender equality in the workplaces since Roe,” he said in a statement. “Business leaders must step up to support the health and safety of their employees by speaking out against the wave of abortion bans that will be triggered as a result of this decision, and call on Congress to codify Roe into law.” | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/amazon-apple-among-companies-that-will-cover-abortion-travel-costs-for-employees/3748609/ | 2022-06-24T20:57:18 | 0 | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/amazon-apple-among-companies-that-will-cover-abortion-travel-costs-for-employees/3748609/ |
LGBTQ Pride commemorations that sometimes have felt like victory parties for civil rights gains are now grappling with an environment of ramped-up legislative and rhetorical battles over sexual orientation and gender identity, and fears that a Supreme Court ruling on abortion opens the door to rights being taken away.
Big crowds are expected Sunday at Pride events in New York City and a range of other places including San Francisco, Chicago, Denver and Toronto, in a return to large, in-person events after two years of pandemic-induced restrictions.
Like every year, the celebrations are expected to be exuberant and festive. But for many, they will also will carry a renewed sense of urgency and concern.
“There are so many anti-LGBTQ attacks going on around the country, and a lot of them are really about trying to erase our existence and to make us invisible, and to make our young people invisible and our elders invisible,” said Michael Adams, CEO of SAGE, which advocates for LGBTQ elders.
Extremists have taken an increasingly hostile stance toward Pride events, including plotting an attack against a march in Idaho, while conservative state governments has proposed and in some cases passed a slew of anti-LGBTQ legislation.
Roe v. Wade
Another blow came Friday, when the conservative majority on the Supreme Court overturned a nationwide right to abortion in an upending of a long-established legal standard that has people wondering whether same-same sex marriage might be next.
The majority decision claimed it was solely about abortion, but in his concurring opinion, Justice Clarence Thomas said other cases should be looked at again, including the one that made same-sex marriage legal.
In March, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a law barring teaching on sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through third grade, which critics decried as an effort to marginalize LGBTQ people and lambasted as the “Don’t Say Gay” law.
In Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott, like DeSantis a Republican, sent a letter to state health agencies in February saying that it would be child abuse under state law for transgender youth to get gender-affirming medical care. A judge has halted full implementation of any parental prosecutions.
Protest has always been an element of New York City’s Pride Parade, which roughly coincides with the anniversary of the beginning of the June 28, 1969, Stonewall uprising — days of angry demonstrations sparked by a police raid on a gay bar in Manhattan.
Marchers in the 1980s protested a lack of government attention to the AIDS epidemic.
In recent years, though, they’ve often been celebrations of major victories for LGBTQ communities to celebrate, like in 2015 when the Supreme Court issued the Obergefell v. Hodges decision recognizing same-sex marriage.
That’s not this year, though.
LGBTQIA+
“This year, we have seen an onslaught of aggressively hostile anti-LGBTQ+ bills in many state legislatures, and more of them have passed than last year,” said Jennifer Pizer, law and policy director for Lambda Legal.
It brings home a reality that in addition to celebration, there’s still a need for activism, said Joe Negrelli, 70, a longtime NYC Pride attendee, who was worried about marriage equality.
“Could it be overturned? Yes, I do believe that. It is a conceivability,” he said of the court’s decision legalizing same-sex marriage nationwide. It “makes me want to put more energy into engaging in marching.”
Anyone who might have been “lulled into a false sense of security” by previous civil rights victories “has been woken up now,” Adams said. “I think a lot of us who understand the history of the struggle for equality and equity and social justice in this country know that the fight is never over.”
It’s not just legislation and court decisions. Those who track hate speech say anti-LGBTQ language has increased online, which raises the fear that extremists will take it as a call to engage in action, like the rash of protests and physical interruptions that have taken place at Drag Queen Story Hours, where adults in drag read books to children.
Earlier this month, 31 members of a white supremacist group, carrying riot gear, were arrested over accusations that they were plotting a major disruption at a Pride event in Idaho.
That doesn’t mean the celebration’s over, advocates said.
“There can be celebration and joy, and also purpose in protest,” Pizer said.
Ellen Ensig-Brodsky, 89, has embraced both those roles in her decades of attending Pride as a LGBTQ rights activist.
“The parade is the display, publicly, of my identity and my group that I have been part of for at least 40 or more years,” she said, adding that she will be marching again Sunday. “I certainly would not want to miss it.”
After all this time, the animosity and hostility she’s seeing around the country aren’t unfamiliar to her.
“The intent to increase anti-LGBTQ existence is a return to what I started out with” decades ago, she said. Back then, “we didn’t come out. We hid.”
Not now, she said, “I think we need to show that love can persist and continue and spread.” | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/at-lgbtq-pride-celebration-but-also-worry-over-civil-rights/3748888/ | 2022-06-24T20:57:24 | 1 | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/at-lgbtq-pride-celebration-but-also-worry-over-civil-rights/3748888/ |
Woman's 'indecent exposure' citation over shorts, crop top goes viral: What we know
A Louisiana woman's account of receiving a citation at a music festival has gone viral. The TikTok video where she recounted the incident has had over 4 million views over the past two weeks since it was posted. Here's what we know
What happened?
Casey Lacaze-Lachney, known on TikTok by her username @kazzi112, attended a festival on June 11 in Winnfield, Louisiana, where she said she was cited for indecent exposure.
In her TikTok post about the incident, LaCaze-Lachney is shown wearing a black t-shirt that covered her shoulders and was cropped just above the belly button, paired with cutoff denim shorts and a studded belt.
In the video LaCaze-Lachney says, "All of my bits are covered. Are you kidding me? At a family event where there's alcohol being literally handed out for free and three female cops came up to me and gave me a ticket."
What is 'indecent exposure'?
A Facebook post by the Winnfield Police Department from June 15, which did not refer to LaCaze-Lachney by name, explained the citation:
The referenced city ordinance is 14-76, passed unanimously by then city council members on 6-14-2011 and is cited as follows:
“It shall be unlawful for any person to wear pants, trousers, shorts, skirts, dresses, or skorts in any public place or places open to the public which either intentionally exposes undergarments or intentionally exposes any portion of the pubic hair, cleft of buttocks, or genitals.” Fines range from $25.00 for a first offense to a maximum of $300, and the person may be ordered to perform up to 40 hours of community service.
What legal action has taken place?
Attorney Randall T. Hayes has taken LaCaze-Lachney's case.
In a comment to The Shreveport Times, Hayes said he believes the police officers who issued the citation had no legal basis and feels confident LaCaze-Lachney's citation will be dismissed.
Hayes posted on Facebook that he has requested body camera video of LaCaze-Lachney's encounter with the police but that he is still waiting on a callback from police and for the video. | https://www.shreveporttimes.com/story/news/local/2022/06/24/casey-lacaze-lachney-kazzi-112-tiktok-indecent-exposure-louisiana/7725017001/ | 2022-06-24T20:58:58 | 1 | https://www.shreveporttimes.com/story/news/local/2022/06/24/casey-lacaze-lachney-kazzi-112-tiktok-indecent-exposure-louisiana/7725017001/ |
DALLAS — Editor's note: The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The Supreme Court has ended constitutional protections for abortion that had been in place nearly 50 years in a decision by its conservative majority to overturn Roe v. Wade. Friday's outcome is expected to lead to abortion bans in roughly half the states.
The ruling came more than a month after the stunning leak of a draft opinion by Justice Samuel Alito indicating the court was prepared to take this momentous step.
In the wake of the SCOTUS ruling, protests were already being planned in North Texas, including several in Dallas.
On Friday night at 6:30, a Dallas Women's March is planned to happen at the Belo Garden Park in downtown.
A 6 p.m. protest was also being held in Denton at the city hall, according to several social media posts.
The Dallas Count Democratic Party is hosting a rally Saturday morning at 10 a.m. in downtown. The "Rising Together Rally for Our Rights" will happen at the Main Street Garden Park at 1902 Main Street.
The Dallas Rally for Abortion Justice was scheduled for Wednesday, June 29, from noon to 2 p.m. in downtown Dallas. Hosts include the Afiya Center, Jane's Due Process, the ACLU and Planned Parenthood. The rally will be held at Dallas City Hall downtown.
In Fort Worth, a "Decision Day Action" rally was being planned for Saturday at noon outside the Tarrant County courthouse downtown.
In Austin, Beto O'Rourke, who is challenging Texas Gov. Greg Abbott in this year's election, is holding a "Rally for Reproductive Freedom" at the Pan American Neighborhood Park at 5 p.m. Sunday.
"The public event comes in direct response to the Supreme Court’s dangerous decision to roll back women’s rights by overturning Roe vs. Wade," O'Rourke's campaign said in a press release.
Watch WFAA's coverage of the SCOTUS Roe v. Wade overruling here:
More Roe v. Wade coverage: | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/dallas-abortion-protests-roe-v-wade-texas-protests-north-texas-dallas-fort-worth-dfw/287-3e1181f0-a64a-4561-9e68-60bf90658d9c | 2022-06-24T20:59:30 | 1 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/dallas-abortion-protests-roe-v-wade-texas-protests-north-texas-dallas-fort-worth-dfw/287-3e1181f0-a64a-4561-9e68-60bf90658d9c |
PILOT POINT, Texas — Pilot Point Mayor Matthew McIlravy resigned from office Thursday after he was charged with soliciting a child days ago by Dallas police.
The resignation letter was brief and to the point.
"To the Pilot Point City Council and City Manager, I am resigning as mayor of Pilot Point effective immediately," McIlravy wrote in a letter.
McIlravy was just elected to the position in May.
He was just charged a few days ago with soliciting a minor under the age of 14, a second-degree felony.
McIlravy was arrested by the DPD's Internet Crimes Against Children Unit and had assistance from the U.S. Marshals Task Force, Homeland Security Investigations, Texas Department of Public Safety, the Collin County District Attorney's Office, the DPD Drone Unit and North Central CRT.
This arrest culminated in a five-month-long investigation by the DPD's ICAC Unit, police added, which is the lead agency of the North Texas ICAC Task Force.
Police said the investigation, which is ongoing, showed other communications with minors who haven't been identified.
Pilot Point City Manager Britt Lusk released a statement Tuesday night stating McIlravy was arrested Tuesday morning while at City Hall and said the city had no further information or comment, referring any questions to DPD.
"The City’s government is designed to be flexible and resilient," Lusk wrote in an email. "The City will follow applicable state law and the City’s charter to fill any vacancies. In the absence of the Mayor, the City’s charter provides that the Mayor Pro-Tem presides over meetings." | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/pilot-point-mayor-resigns-felony/287-e57d0a9f-7c81-4cc2-94b7-5cde8a1bae0e | 2022-06-24T20:59:36 | 1 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/pilot-point-mayor-resigns-felony/287-e57d0a9f-7c81-4cc2-94b7-5cde8a1bae0e |
DALLAS — Maegan Gross, 30, got pregnant at 20 years old and wasn't ready to be a mother.
Gross got an abortion in Texas in 2012. At 28, however, Gross became pregnant again and chose to have a child. She's now the mother of a 22-month-old little boy.
"I became a mother when I was ready," she told WFAA's Teresa Woodard.
On Friday, the Supreme Court overruled Roe v. Wade, ending constitutional protections for abortion that had been in place nearly 50 years. In Texas, the state has already passed a “trigger law,” making most abortions illegal.
Gross told WFAA the landmark ruling gave her a mixture of emotions.
"I'm angry. I'm emotional. I'm sad. I'm worried for the future of America," Gross said. "This is just insane."
"I had an abortion when I was 20 ... I had the right to choose," Gross added. "The fact that now women aren't going to be able to have that choice is just heartbreaking to me."
The decision by the court's conservative majority overturned the landmark Roe v. Wade ruling and is expected to lead to abortion bans in roughly half the U.S. states.
The ruling, unlikely just a few years ago, was the culmination of decades of efforts by abortion opponents, made possible by an emboldened right side of the court fortified by three appointees of former President Donald Trump.
Gross told WFAA the ruling made her feel devalued and degraded.
"I wasn’t put on this Earth to be an incubator. I wasn’t put on this Earth solely to bear children and I feel reduced to that. I feel reduced to nothing," Gross said. "It's frustrating and it's humiliating."
Abortion foes cheered the ruling, but abortion-rights supporters, including President Joe Biden, expressed dismay and pledged to fight to restore the rights. Many Texas leaders, politicians, organizations and local religious leaders have issued split opinions.
"No woman should be forced to become a mother when she’s not ready," Gross saod. "And I just really hope that one day for our daughters’ futures that this won’t be the case."
More Roe v. Wade coverage: | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/roe-v-wade-texas-woman-abortion/287-0a88d119-e757-4d98-8f52-16e762a6464b | 2022-06-24T20:59:42 | 1 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/roe-v-wade-texas-woman-abortion/287-0a88d119-e757-4d98-8f52-16e762a6464b |
DALLAS — In a landmark abortion ruling, the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade Friday, eliminating the constitutional right to an abortion and letting states decide on issue.
While questions remain what the impact will be across the nation, in Texas, the state has already passed a “trigger law,” making most abortions illegal.
Now, many are wondering how this would affect the already embattled Texas foster care system.
As recent as the last year, the Texas foster care system has faced allegations concerning physical and sexual abuse and human trafficking. There’s also an overwhelming need for more foster care families to take in children.
DFPS Media Relations Director Marissa Gonzales said the agency isn't sure what effect the Supreme Court's decision will have, but that a Texas law known as the Safe Haven Law allows infants younger than 60 days to be surrendered to a fire station or hospital emergency room.
"That can be a resource for a mother/parents who are unable to care for a child," she wrote.
Since 2009, 172 children have been surrendered under the Safe Haven Law.
There are currently 6,025 children in Texas in need of an adoptive placement. More information on how to become an adoptive family can be found here.
In April 2022, a grim Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) report provided to lawmakers and obtained by the Texas Tribune showed more than 100 children have died in Texas’ child welfare system since 2020. The report stated that 44 children died in 2020 and 38 died in 2021, while they were in the State’s care.
In September 2021, a federal court hearing was held about the ongoing issues of children’s safety in the Texas’s foster care system. During the first half of 2021, 501 children spent at least on night in their case workers’ offices or in hotel room due to the state not being able to find licenses agencies to care of them.
In that same hearing, DFPS Commissioner Jaime Masters admitted to feeling like she was “failing children.” | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/texas/roe-v-wade-texas-foster-system-impact/287-b0332740-039e-484c-843e-523856e4af2c | 2022-06-24T20:59:48 | 1 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/texas/roe-v-wade-texas-foster-system-impact/287-b0332740-039e-484c-843e-523856e4af2c |
TEXAS, USA — This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune.
Abortions in Texas have ceased following a Supreme Court ruling that eliminated the constitutional protection for an abortion and ensuing legal uncertainty, Whole Woman's Health and Planned Parenthood Texas said.
The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday ruled to overturn Roe v. Wade, allowing states to set their own laws regulating abortion procedures. Texas has a “trigger” law in place that will ban all abortions from the moment of fertilization starting 30 days after the Supreme Court’s judgement, which is typically issued about a month after the initial opinion.
But some clinics and abortion funds are ceasing services now because the attorney general of Texas and some anti-abortion activists are arguing that state laws that banned abortion before Roe v. Wade — that were never repealed — could now be in effect in Texas.
“We must pause abortion services at our separate organizations while our legal teams continue to review today’s devastating ruling and how it impacts and triggers existing Texas laws, including total abortion bans,” said Jeffrey Hons, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood South Texas.
He said abortion services at Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast, Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas and Planned Parenthood South Texas have all ceased.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton issued an advisory Friday warning that some prosecutors could immediately pursue criminal prosecutions based on violations of Texas abortion prohibitions predating Roe v. Wade that the Legislature never repealed.
“Although these statutes were unenforceable while Roe was on the books, they are still Texas law,” Paxton wrote. “Under these pre-Roe statutes, abortion providers could be criminally liable for providing abortions starting today.”
As a result of the state’s pre-Roe status, providers and abortion funds have ceased operations in the legal confusion.
Whole Woman’s Health, the nation’s largest independent abortion provider, said it has temporarily halted abortion services in its four Texas clinics located in Austin, Fort Worth, McAllen and McKinney.
“We don’t agree with Paxton about the interpretation of the ban, but to protect our staff and patients from hostile officials in Texas, we have ceased providing abortion care today,” said Amy Hagstrom Miller, president and CEO of Whole Woman’s Health, in a press conference Friday.
Alamo Women’s Reproductive Health, which provides abortion services in San Antonio, has also stopped providing abortions Friday, said Andrea Gallegos, the clinic’s executive director.
Abortion funds, too, have paused operations amid the threat of legal action in Texas. The Lilith Fund for Reproductive Equity, an abortion fund that provides financial assistance to people seeking abortions, and the Texas Equal Access Fund both said they have stopped funding abortions in Texas due to the state’s pre-Roe status.
“Due to the uncertainty and risk of what the decision could bring, we are pausing funding today until we have had a chance to understand the decision,” the Texas Equal Access Fund wrote on Twitter.
Texas first enacted a criminal ban on abortion in 1854. That ban was never repealed, but a 2004 case in the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals found that by passing laws that govern abortions — such as the availability of abortions for minors and the practices of abortion clinics — the Texas Legislature repealed its old bans by regulations that implied the ban was no longer in effect.
Still, Jonathan Mitchell, a former solicitor general for Texas and the architect of Senate Bill 8, which banned abortions in Texas as early as six weeks, argued that the pre-Roe statute is immediately enforceable in Texas except procedures necessary to save the life of the patient.
Previously, prosecutors did not pursue charges against patients or providers under Texas’ laws because courts would not uphold convictions under Roe, he said. Now, “no such obstacle exists anymore because Roe has been overruled,” he said in a statement.
The Lilith Fund said that because anti-abortion activists are arguing that the laws predating Roe v. Wade could go back into effect, they ceased operations to protect abortion fund staff and volunteers from the risk of arrest even while legal analysis “is still in the early stages.”
“Lilith Fund has been forced to pause direct funding of abortion care while we evaluate the impact of the recent decision by the U.S. Supreme court,” a statement from the Lilith Fund said. “We are evaluating how we may be able to otherwise assist pregnant Texans, but do not yet have answers.”
Emily Berman, an associate professor at the University of Houston Law Center, said it's unclear whether the old bans would be upheld in court.
"We are in a gray area with respect to what are sometimes called zombie laws, the pre-Roe holdovers," Berman said. "In some ways, it’s sort of going to be up to local prosecutors to decide if they want to bring cases."
She said that while prosecutors could decide to wade into such a legal battle, if they simply wait for Texas' "trigger" law to take effect, their cases will be on more solid footing.
Texas’ “trigger” law won’t go into effect until 30 days after the Supreme Court’s judgment, which could take about a month to be published. Texas’ law will have narrow exceptions to perform abortions only to save the life of a pregnant patient or prevent “substantial impairment of major bodily function.” It will criminalize the person who performs the abortion, not the person who undergoes the procedure.
More than half of all states are expected to essentially ban abortion in the coming months.
Some clinics in neighboring states have also said they have paused abortion services Friday. Planned Parenthood Great Plains said Friday that it has stopped providing abortions in Arkansas. Planned Parenthood in Texas said their “doors are open and they will remain open to serve Texans” but has not said whether the organization is providing abortion procedures in Texas Friday.
In Texas and other states where abortion procedures will no longer be legally protected, Whole Woman’s Health said it will continue to operate a program that provides financial assistance to patients who need to travel for out-of-state care.
“We will do everything we can to help obtain safe, timely, affordable care for those whose rights and access to safe and legal abortion services have been cruelly and unjustly revoked,” Miller said in a statement.
The provider, which largely serves the South and Midwest, said it will continue to operate clinics in Baltimore; Minneapolis; Alexandria, Virginia; and Charlottesville, Virginia. It will also offer abortion pills by mail to patients in Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, New Mexico and Virginia.
“Whole Woman’s Health will continue its long and proud tradition of providing high-quality, compassionate, personal abortion care in the remaining states where pregnant people’s needs and rights are still respected and protected under law,” said Amy Hagstrom Miller, president and CEO of Whole Woman’s Health in a statement.
The abortion provider said it is “exploring plans” to expand in-clinic and mail services in additional states where abortion is legally protected.
James Barragán contributed reporting. | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/texas/some-texas-clinics-cease-abortion-services/503-e8e34d5d-81c0-4dd2-b202-82077a098700 | 2022-06-24T20:59:55 | 0 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/texas/some-texas-clinics-cease-abortion-services/503-e8e34d5d-81c0-4dd2-b202-82077a098700 |
ORLANDO, Fla. – Rep. Anthony Sabatini, a Republican who represents Lake County’s District 32 in the Florida House of Representatives, is calling for a special legislative session after the landmark Roe v. Wade abortion case was overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court Friday.
He wrote a letter to Gov. Ron DeSantis following Friday’s historic decision, which ended nearly 50 years of abortion protection with a majority opinion penned by Justice Samuel Alito.
[TRENDING: Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade. What happens now? | Shipley Do-Nuts plans 1st Central Florida location. Here’s when, where you can find it | Become a News 6 Insider (it’s free!)]
The ruling comes as part of the case Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which was a challenge to Mississippi’s law which banned abortions after 15 weeks, and cascades the decision down to the states, allowing each one to decide their own laws surrounding abortion, and potentially other reproductive rights.
“We need an emergency session. We know that Florida is allowed to go a lot further on the issue of abortion now and so we need to start proposing stronger measures to protect the lives of the unborn,” Sabatini told News 6.
Sabatini said he would like to see stronger pro-life legislation passed.
“The heartbeat bill is just one of many things we can do to stop abortion. I believe life begins at conception and we should totally make abortion illegal in the state of Florida,” Sabatini said.
The anti-abortion bill, called “Florida Heartbeat Act,” was introduced by Rep. Webster Barnaby (R-Deltona). It would have prevented abortions if a heartbeat was found, however, the bill died in subcommittee.
“They tried to use the excuse that the Supreme Court hadn’t weighed in on the issue yet, so it was a legally murky area of the law. We now know that we can not only pass that bill, but go even further and actually make life protected from conception, which is what we should do in Florida,” Sabatini said.
Orlando Rep. Anna Eskamani (D-Orlando) also called for action after the ruling came down.
“Abortion is about freedom. It’s about options, self-determination and a free society,” Eskamani said.
At a virtual news conference, Eskamani told people to get involved, whether it be in the form of volunteering with a local abortion provider or volunteering with a campaign.
News 6 asked Eskamani about Sabatini’s call for a special session, to which she responded, “I have no doubt that if he calls for a special session, any Republican who supports it will be challenged at the ballot box.”
She is also set to attend a rally in Orlando Friday evening to “discuss the potential devastating impact of this decision, the status of abortion in Florida, and what we need to do to protect abortion access in our state.” | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2022/06/24/florida-leaders-argue-over-holding-special-session-to-strengthen-state-abortion-laws/ | 2022-06-24T21:02:45 | 1 | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2022/06/24/florida-leaders-argue-over-holding-special-session-to-strengthen-state-abortion-laws/ |
ORLANDO, Fla. – Orlando police released body camera video Friday which investigators say shows a man wanted for stealing a car out of Jacksonville trading gunfire with officers.
The shooting happened on May 25 along the 4500 block of Jim Glenn Drive, police said. The incident ended in the arrest of William Bullock, 36, who was wanted for failing to appear in court, according to investigators. Police added that Bullock was also driving a car stolen out of Jacksonville.
[TRENDING: Development chances increase for tropical wave in Atlantic | Shipley Do-Nuts plans 1st Central Florida location. Here’s when, where you can find it | Become a News 6 Insider (it’s free!)]
The body camera video shows two officers in an unmarked car come to the intersection of Jim Glenn Drive and Rose Avenue.
Surveillance video from the area shows another car driving along Rose Avenue. The driver of the car, Bullock, opened fire on the unmarked car, according to police.
After Bullock fired shots at the unmarked car, an officer inside the cruiser returned fire, according to investigators. The body camera video shows an officer shooting through the passenger side window of the cruiser at Bullock.
In the video, the officers, who were not injured in the gunfire, step out of the vehicle as additional cruisers speed past on Rose Avenue in pursuit of Bullock.
Police said Bullock ultimately ditched his vehicle in Ocoee and tried to run away.
The video shows officers tracking Bullock down in the backyard of a home.
“Get on the ground! Do not move,” police can be heard shouting at Bullock when they locate him.
“I am not moving, man. I ain’t doing none of that,” Bullock can be heard saying off-camera after police order him to come toward them.
Officers are eventually able to cuff Bullock without further incident.
“At this time, the independent investigation by FDLE remains in progress and once completed, the findings will be sent to the State Attorney’s Office,” Orlando Police Chief Orlando Rolón said in a statement. “After the State’s review, the findings will be sent to the Orlando Police Department and the Internal Affairs investigation will proceed.”
Statement from @OrlandoPDChief. pic.twitter.com/GA3l9iVMm2
— Orlando Police (@OrlandoPolice) June 24, 2022
Bullock faces charges of shooting into an occupied vehicle, attempting to elude law enforcement with sirens and lights on, possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon and attempted first-degree murder of a law enforcement officer with a firearm. | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2022/06/24/orlando-police-release-video-of-officers-trading-fire-with-man-wanted-in-jacksonville/ | 2022-06-24T21:02:51 | 0 | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2022/06/24/orlando-police-release-video-of-officers-trading-fire-with-man-wanted-in-jacksonville/ |
DALLAS (KDAF) — Friday, June 24, the Supreme Court has voted to overturn Roe v. Wade in a 6-3 decision, allowing states to decide on whether they want to ban abortion.
READ: Texas Gov. Greg Abbott responds to Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade
In North Texas, representatives are giving their thoughts on this ruling. Here are their responses:
Representative Eddie Bernice Johnson – TX District 30
“This is a moment of reckoning for reproductive rights – for human rights – in America. Roe v. Wade has been the law of the land for nearly 50 years. 4 in 5 American support upholding legal abortion. Today’s decision will immediately endanger the lives of millions across the country who can no longer make their own health care choices. People will still need and get abortions—and it’s on us to protect and support them, as well as those who are providing them care. Empty promises to take action now have real consequences. Congress must meet the urgency of the moment and act now,” Rep. Johnson said on Twitter.
Representative Pat Fallon – TX District 4
“Today marks a huge win for life and an even bigger win for the United States of America. During my time in public office, I have committed myself to always fight for the sanctity of life. Earlier today, we received incredible news out of the Supreme Court in the overturning of Roe v. Wade. At the end of the day – unborn children are no less alive than you and me, for precious life begins at conception. It doesn’t stop here; we must continue our fight to protect life,” Rep. Fallon said.
Representative Marc Veasey – TX District 33
“Today, we saw our nation’s highest court overturn an essential right that has been enshrined into the law of the land for almost 50 years. The decision to overturn Roe v. Wade is absolutely dangerous and destructive to the right to essential health care, the right to privacy, and our freedom to make our own decisions. Make no mistake–today’s decision paves the way for the Republican-led Supreme Court to overturn many of the rights and freedoms that we have held dear.
“It’s a heavy day for families, for women, and for the people we know who have had to make a difficult health care decision in my home state of Texas and beyond. However, we must turn our pain into action. This is just the beginning–we must keep fighting to preserve our essential freedoms at the ballot box in November. As a member of Congress, I will never stop fighting to preserve access to essential health care and the right to personal freedom. I urge my Republican colleagues to put partisan politics aside and join us in protecting American families”, Rep. Veasey said.
Representative Colin Alred – TX District 32
“This is a radical, dangerous, and deeply unpopular decision by a radical, activist, and out of touch court. In choosing to rip away 50 years of rights for women, this court has also laid the groundwork to rip away many other rights.
The United States now joins a vanishingly small list of countries where the right to an abortion is not protected, a list that also coincides with dramatic democratic backsliding.
Just like when abortion was illegal, before, abortion won’t end, it will just become dangerous and cost women their lives. This ruling joins the list of the worst decisions in the court’s long history. The rel world impacts will be devastating and will take us back decades.
The burden to protect women’s rights now falls to the Congress and our state legislatures. We can and should do that, but we must also recognize that we will need to organize and activate the millions of Americans who don’t want to see us go backwards any further.
My hope is that today is remembered in future history books not for this disgraceful ruling, but for the brave folks who stood up in its wake to fight for a more perfect union and the change they brought about. I will be fighting alongside them,” Rep. Allred said.
Representative Beth Van Duyne – TX District 24
“It has been the goal of our party to send this decision back to the states where it belongs, and I look forward to a rightful return to federalism, a constitutionally loyal Supreme Court, and am grateful for every life saved as a result,” Rep Van Duyne said.
Representative Kay Granger – TX District 12
“Today’s decision is a win for the lives of unborn children. For decades, millions of innocent lives have been lost to abortion, and now, millions will be saved. I commend the Supreme Court’s historic ruling to return the decision to states.
As the Lead Republican on the Appropriations Committee, I have fought to protect the most vulnerable and look forward to continuing our efforts on the federal level to support life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for all – including unborn children,” Rep. Granger said.
Representative Roger Williams – TX District 25
“Today’s Supreme Court ruling is a historic victory for life & the Constitution. I am thankful to all those who never gave up this charge. It is our Constitutional duty to defend all life, born & unborn, and I hold my unwavering belief that every child is a precious gift from God,” Rep. Williams said on Twitter.
Representative Lance Gooden – TX District 5
In a series of tweets Rep. Gooden said the following:
“In 1982, Joe Biden voted in favor of letting states overturn Roe v. Wade. The Biden Administration doesn’t want you to know this.”
“The word abortion appears 0 times in the Constitution.” | https://cw33.com/news/local/north-texas-legislators-respond-to-roe-v-wade-decision/ | 2022-06-24T21:03:15 | 0 | https://cw33.com/news/local/north-texas-legislators-respond-to-roe-v-wade-decision/ |
Atlantic County will make Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine available to children 6 months to 18 years old through a series of clinics beginning Thursday.
The vaccine will be available from 1 to 3 p.m. at 201 S. Shore Road in Northfield next week, and from 10 a.m. to noon each Thursday in July at 310 Bellevue Ave. in Hammonton. Appointments must be made first, county health officials said Friday.
An additional clinic will be held from 10 a.m. to noon July 11 at the All Wars Memorial Building, 1510 Adriatic Ave. in Atlantic City. Appointments are not needed for that clinic, officials said in a news release.
Each clinic will include the vaccine that was recently approved for children ages 6 months to 4 years. It's given in a primary three-dose set, in which the initial two doses are administered three weeks apart, followed by a third dose administered at least eight weeks after the second dose, officials said.
Here’s an update of the COVID-19 numbers in the state:
Appointments can be made by calling 609-645-7700, ext. 4500.
People are also reading…
The Atlantic County Division of Public Health continues to offer all three federally approved COVID-19 vaccines for residents 18 and older from 9 a.m. to noon Tuesdays at 201 S. Shore Road in Northfield, as well as from 10 a.m. to noon the first and third Tuesday of the month at 310 Bellevue Ave. in Hammonton.
Masks and proof of prior COVID-19 vaccinations are required to enter the clinic areas, officials said.
Both primary and booster doses are also available for homebound residents by appointment by calling 609-645-5933. | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/atlantic-county-offers-covid-19-vaccine-clinics-for-children/article_9871e782-f3f9-11ec-bf13-033d476e2fef.html | 2022-06-24T21:05:54 | 0 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/atlantic-county-offers-covid-19-vaccine-clinics-for-children/article_9871e782-f3f9-11ec-bf13-033d476e2fef.html |
The Absecon man who was shot May 24 by police outside Dollar General has been charged again, the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office said Friday.
Jalial Whitted, 37, was charged with unlawful possession of a weapon, possession of a weapon by certain persons not to have a weapon and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose.
Whitted had faced the same charges following the shooting, but on June 3, those charges were dropped through an administrative dismissal by the Prosecutor's Office, according to Atlantic County Judicial Clerk Karen Ruberts.
The recent charges stem from an investigation into the facts and circumstances surrounding what occurred at 9:35 a.m. May 24, when members of the Absecon and Pleasantville police departments responded to the 700 block of New Road for a report of a man with a gun inside the Dollar General.
People are also reading…
Review of video surveillance established that Whitted produced a gun inside the store, causing employees to flee outside. While in the store, Whitted discharged at least one round, authorities said.
MAYS LANDING — Charges against an Absecon man who was shot by police May 24 outside a Dollar…
Interaction between Whitted and police outside the store resulted in Whitted being shot, authorities said. Whitted, who was previously hospitalized, is being held in the Atlantic County jail. A detention hearing is pending.
The Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office has been handed the investigation into the shooting under attorney general directive, to avoid any conflict of interest with the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office, according to the release.
The state Office of Public Integrity and Accountability will serve as the independent supervisory reviewer.
By law, the state Attorney General’s Office must investigate police-involved shootings. An independent team interviews witnesses and collects evidence, including video footage. Police are then directed to release any footage tied to the shooting when requested after 20 days. | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/absecon-man-shot-by-police-is-charged-again/article_a6558eca-f3eb-11ec-b8a7-ffff0781e450.html | 2022-06-24T21:05:55 | 0 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/absecon-man-shot-by-police-is-charged-again/article_a6558eca-f3eb-11ec-b8a7-ffff0781e450.html |
They had missed school, failed classes, were held back or come up short on credits to graduate with their peers.
But many were embarrassed and reluctant to attend classes with younger students to meet the state high school graduation requirements.
Then they got a second chance and enrolled in an alternative program at Woodrow Wilson High School in Camden known as SOAR, or Students on Academic Rise. They attended classes in a special wing of the sprawling school — minimizing any stigma — where counselors gave them daily pep talks and carefully tracked their progress.
The program provides an accelerated schedule, said Kandace Butler, the program's director: Students could complete a year's work in a semester.
"Our goal is to show them that you have to work hard if you want to achieve anything in life," Butler said. "The goal is to make sure they finish successfully."
On Friday, nearly three dozen students who completed the program will be among the 147 Woodrow Wilson students graduating this year. It will be the last class with the name Woodrow Wilson listed on their diplomas as the school has been renamed Eastside High.
People are also reading…
ATLANTIC CITY — As the number of mass shootings in the United States continues to grow, pare…
"It's a big moment in my life," said Jacier Proctor, 19. "I'm proud of myself that I am able to do it. Some of my peers weren't able to do it."
The Camden School District, under state takeover since 2013, has struggled to improve its four-year graduation rate. The pandemic disrupted learning in 2020-21, when the rate dropped 11.4 percentage points to 58.5%, the lowest in the region. The state average is 91%.
Butler, a teacher in Camden for 17 years, said about 200 students have graduated from the program since it began in 2018. The district, which enrolls about 5,200 students, previously used an outside vendor to operate its alternative program.
Students typically enroll in SOAR after falling two to four years behind, she said. It is not uncommon to have an 18-year-old freshman in the program, Butler said.
"Joining this program was the best thing for me," said MyNezia Thomas, 18, who hopes to study criminal justice at Camden County College in the fall. "I knew it would be a great opportunity for me to catch up."
Thomas said she fell behind in the seventh grade when she was commuting to school in Paulsboro and transportation problems led to increased absences. She was a full year behind when she joined SOAR her sophomore year. She became an honors student and completed the program in February.
Buddy Kennedy did a little last-minute Father’s Day shopping for his dad.
"I knew that I could work hard enough and graduate with my right class. That's exactly what I did," she said.
The reasons that students fall behind academically vary, including difficult home situations, personal challenges and life-changing events, Butler said. Some moved to other districts where they were held back and returned to Camden behind, she said.
After moving around with his family and enduring "a lot of craziness," Anthony Warren failed the fifth and ninth grades. The aspiring singer didn't care too much about school, until he joined the SOAR program in 2019, he says.
"I was going to finish, but I was going to finish really late and that would have been really embarrassing," said Warren, 19. "I didn't want be 21 graduating from school.
"I'm going to be so proud. I just can't wait."
The students credit the program's structure and tough discipline for their success. They eat lunch together family-style and have team-building activities. No cellphones are allowed, and unexcused absences aren't tolerated. While their academic classes are separate, they have gym in the main school building with other Wilson students. They are also allowed to participate in extracurricular programs and athletics.
ATLANTIC CITY — In the fight against cancer, a little rain wasn’t going to stop them.
Proctor and his identical twin brother, James, said they were held back a grade because of chronic absenteeism when their family briefly moved away. They moved back to Camden their sophomore year.
The brothers improved academically and were able to maintain their grades in order to play on the school's varsity basketball team. The team won the state championship in March, its first title since 1985. James Proctor scored the go-ahead basket that sealed the victory.
"I'm still in awe about that," he said. "We made history."
Proctor, who is considering attending trade school or college to become a physical education teacher, said he was determined to get a high school diploma after he was kept back in the ninth grade after missing about 80 days. He had difficulty coping after a friend was killed.
"A lot of my friends dropped out. Just for me to graduate is going to be a great feeling knowing that I made it," he said.
Butler said the SOAR students must meet the same state graduation requirements as other students by completing at least 120 credits in 10 subjects that include language arts, math, science, social studies, and health and physical education.
First grader Khamoni Davis-Victor kept her mask tucked under her chin as she munched on lunc…
About half of the SOAR students plan to attend college, according to Butler. The remainder are considering attending a trade school or seeking jobs, she said.
Butler watched with pride as her students joined their other Wilson High classmates at graduation practice Wednesday morning. She clapped and cheered as each name was called.
"This is the moment they waited for," she said. | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/education/this-camden-program-offers-students-a-chance-to-catch-up-and-graduate-after-falling-behind/article_564e48c8-f318-11ec-b28b-1b4031e9a1fa.html | 2022-06-24T21:05:56 | 1 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/education/this-camden-program-offers-students-a-chance-to-catch-up-and-graduate-after-falling-behind/article_564e48c8-f318-11ec-b28b-1b4031e9a1fa.html |
The following is a local and regional reaction to the Supreme Court decision announced Friday that, according to Bloomberg, overturned the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision and wiped out the constitutional right to abortion.
"From the moment of conception, a human being has the right to life. Therefore, I give thanks to God for the decision by the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn Roe V. Wade. This is an answer to many prayers. I am also grateful that in 2021 the Texas Legislature and Governor Greg Abbott already passed the Human Life Protection Act, a law prohibiting elective abortion, which will become effective 30 days after the final ruling is issued.
I encourage everyone to offer ongoing, practical support to our local pregnancy resource centers, and to pray for their staff and volunteers. Pregnant mothers in our communities in West Texas need support to help them obtain the necessities of life for themselves and their children. This is a time for all of us to step up our support for mothers and fathers in welcoming and caring for God’s precious gift of life.
In the Bible, Psalm 139:13-14 says, “You formed my inmost being; you knit me in my mother’s womb. I praise you, because I am wonderfully made; wonderful are your works!” Every child growing in the womb is loved by God. I hope and pray that more and more people in our world will come to affirm this fundamental truth.
Bishop Michael J. Sis
"As the proud former CEO of the local Planned Parenthood Health Centers: I am heartbroken, and angered by the actions of the Supreme Court this morning. I am deeply concerned what abortion care will look like for individuals of color, lower income, and families in need. I remind everyone that your vote and voice counts, let it be heard."
Carla Holeva, Former CEO Planned Parenthood of West Texas.
“While the repeal of Roe v Wade is an historical step forward in saving the lives of the unborn we must continue the same vigilance towards a more perfect Union made possible through a return to a morality that values life from conception to end of life and all phases and facets in between. We must be thankful in this victorious moment, humble and peaceful towards those who disagree, and filled with grace and truth in the relentless pursuit of life, liberty, and happiness for all.”
Midland Mayor Patrick Payton
Today fractured America in two groups - those who believe in forced birth and those who don’t. At it’s most basic form, the beliefs of a small group of people in elected offices in each State will regulate the lives of families and how many children they will have. In many states including Texas, a women will no longer be able to terminate an unplanned pregnancy. As an older West Texas women, I have observed a life-time of judgmental people who believe their opinions are more valid than mine. Now that set of judgmental evangelicals believe their prayers have been answered with new laws to stop “sinful” behavior of others. Midlanders Kevin Sparks and Tom Craddick will now get to make this decision for you. They get to make laws legislating health decisions for the women in the State of Texas along with their fellow State Senators and House Members. Voters need to make their voices heard. We must elect different state leaders who believe women are entitled to equal rights and are not subservient to lawmakers who want to legislate morals. We must speak out. We must get rid of the Kevins and Toms in leadership positions. The Court has taken us back to the original Constitution that did not give rights to women. We don’t have to stay there."
Cathy Broadrick, Midland County Democratic Party chair
Today is a great day in the United States with the formal pronouncement from the Supreme Court that overturns Roe v. Wade, the most unjust law of any law that has existed since the founding of this country, which sanctioned those living outside the womb to take the life of an innocent person living inside the womb. Justices Alito, Thomas, Gorsuch, Kavanaugh, Barrett and Roberts have rightly employed the Natural Law and made amends for the cowardly statements made by Chief Justice Blackmun in his 1973 opinion of the Court that “We need not resolve the difficult question of when life begins. There has always been strong support for the view that life does not begin until live birth”, which paved the way for the Court’s disastrous decision.
While it is a joyous event, it is tinged with sadness; just as a man who spent 50 years in prison for a crime he did not commit, and on the day of his release is happy, his release does not give him back 50 years of freedom, and this decision does not restore the lives of at least 62 million children lost to abortion in the last 50 years.
It is notable that this decision was announced on the same day that the Church celebrates the birth of St. John the Baptist, who, himself in the womb of Elizabeth, recognized Christ in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary. In 2022, this announcement also falls on the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, a Heart that is willing to take back to Himself all those who have strayed, and a Heart that has compassion on all who are suffering; those who celebrate on this day should, in imitation of Our Lord’s compassion, continue to work to provide alternatives to abortion for women with unplanned pregnancies.
Michael Banschbach, ProLife Midland | https://www.mrt.com/news/local/article/Midlanders-Bishop-Sis-comment-on-overturning-Roe-17264070.php | 2022-06-24T21:08:53 | 1 | https://www.mrt.com/news/local/article/Midlanders-Bishop-Sis-comment-on-overturning-Roe-17264070.php |
“This is a major victory for unborn children and their mothers. Lives are now being protected in Mississippi and in other states around the country as a result of the Supreme Court’s decision. In North Carolina, our work is only beginning. Our laws should recognize that life is a human right."
— Tami Fitzgerald, executive director of North Carolina Values Coalition
“For 50 years, women have relied on their constitutional right to make their own medical decisions, but today that right has been tragically ripped away. That means it’s now up to the states to determine whether women get reproductive health care, and in North Carolina they still can. I will continue to trust women to make their own medical decisions as we fight to keep politicians out of the doctor’s exam room."
— Roy Cooper, North Carolina governor
"Today’s Supreme Court ruling means the lives of countless unborn children will be saved from abortion, and for that we are profoundly thankful. The Catholic Church has always professed that every human life is a gift from God and holds inestimable value, and even with this step forward, our work to protect the dignity of all human life, from conception to natural death, continues. Today’s ruling also impels us to redouble our efforts to help women and couples facing unexpected or difficult pregnancies, and during their early years of parenthood."
People are also reading…
— Bishop Peter Jugis, whose Charlotte Catholic Diocese includes Guilford County
"Today the United States Supreme Court voted to eliminate the constitutional right to an abortion, overruling the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision, leaving the question of abortion’s legality to the states. The North Carolina Medical Society position remains that an abortion is a personal health and medical decision to be made by a qualified doctor and patient."
— Chip Baggett, North Carolina Medical Society CEO
“For now, abortion is still legal in North Carolina. But this dangerous and chilling decision will have devastating consequences across the South, forcing people to travel hundreds, sometimes thousands, of miles for abortion care or potentially be forced to remain pregnant against their will. Our highest priority is making sure our patients can get the care they need. Our health center doors remain open, and we aren’t going anywhere.”
— Jenny Black, Planned Parenthood South Atlantic president and CEO
“The Supreme Court has given politicians broad authority to control what we do with our bodies, sending the message that we can no longer be trusted to determine the course of our own lives. While abortion remains legal in North Carolina, our access here is hanging by a thread, and it all depends on the outcome of the November elections. Reproductive freedom is on the ballot for North Carolinians, and who we elect to the General Assembly will determine the future of abortion access for generations.”
— Jillian Riley, Planned Parenthood South Atlantic in North Carolina director of public affairs | https://greensboro.com/news/local/what-theyre-saying-people-respond-to-roe-v-wade-decision/article_753c1860-f3d0-11ec-8449-6b87a40d87ff.html | 2022-06-24T21:10:00 | 0 | https://greensboro.com/news/local/what-theyre-saying-people-respond-to-roe-v-wade-decision/article_753c1860-f3d0-11ec-8449-6b87a40d87ff.html |
Fort Wayne architectural firm Elevatus was hired Friday to design a new Allen County jail by a unanimous vote of the three county commissioners.
Elevatus was one of three firms, all from Indiana, that responded to a formal request for proposals, Commissioner Rich Beck said after the meeting. Elevatus was a known quantity, having also completed a study on options for a new jail before a public hearing in February.
The firm agreed to be paid 3.145% of construction costs for the new work, a typical amount, said Chris Cloud, the commissioners' chief of staff. The facility's cost has been estimated at between $25 million to expand vertically on the current site in downtown Fort Wayne to $300 million or more for a new facility. The architect's fee would be more than $9.43 million if the second option is chosen.
Engaging an architect and finding a site were requirements of federal Judge Damon Leichty, who ordered the county to correct unconstitutional conditions at the jail, including chronic overcrowding and staffing and program deficiencies. He ruled in a class-action suit filed by inmate Vincent Morris in 2020 and joined by the American Civil Liberties Union.
Leichty in April issued a permanent injunction in which he agreed with the plaintiffs and ordered county officials to respond with solutions within 45 days. The next progress report ordered by Leichty is due July 15.
The decision to hire Elevatus came without discussion during a meeting attended by about a dozen members of the Help Not Handcuffs group and others asking for alternatives to a new and bigger jail. About a half-dozen people spoke during the meeting's public comment period.
Group member Tony Borton presented a letter signed by about 40 people seeking a meeting with the full board of commissioners and a six-month delay for further consultation with the community and university experts.
"I think Judge Leichty would approve," Borton said.
Republican Commissioner Nelson Peters disagreed, however, saying the judge has given deadlines the county must follow.
"I think the judge said in no uncertain terms that his order was very clear (about the time frame)," Peters said.
"Folks, we're on your side," he added. "We get it. But we are under the gun to get this done."
No progress has been made on finding a site suitable for a new jail, Beck said.
The commissioners looked at a site Friday morning but haven't yet found a suitable one, he said. Commissioners have said the county needs about 70 acres and wants the land located near public transportation.
The commissioners also traveled to Marion County recently to tour a jail and correctional system that has been praised, Beck said, but "we haven't found one (place) yet that's gotten it right."
Beck added he is concerned about the mental health situation as it relates to the jail. County officials have been communicating with state agencies that are considering placing regional mental health treatment facilities around the state. Allen County, he said, could be chosen as one of the sites, or it could become a pilot program for the initiative.
Commissioner Therese Brown said the jail's population has dipped to 669. That's under the capacity of 732 inmates, which has frequently been exceeded.
She urged community groups to work on changing Medicaid regulations that strip people held at the jail of medical coverage that could be used to pay for mental health treatment.
Cloud said the commissioners don't expect a full architects' plan for several months or perhaps a year. It's still unclear what form a new jail will take, and if it will include mental health services.
Peters said under state law, all three commissioners can't meet with an individual or group without it being a duly advertised public meeting, and Borton countered that the present system for taking public comment isn't helpful. The two groups tend to talk at each other after decisions are made instead of having a discussion, so nothing gets solved, he said.
"Fair," Peters said. "Understood. We appreciate that." | https://www.journalgazette.net/local/local-politics/allen-county-commissioners-hire-jail-architect/article_bb665acc-f3d4-11ec-bc67-836c5c86898f.html | 2022-06-24T21:11:48 | 0 | https://www.journalgazette.net/local/local-politics/allen-county-commissioners-hire-jail-architect/article_bb665acc-f3d4-11ec-bc67-836c5c86898f.html |
A 28-year-old man has been charged with starting a fire that authorities say forced the evacuation of a 24-unit apartment building in Bismarck and caused hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage.
John Fithngan, of Bismarck, is charged with endangering by fire or explosion. It’s a felony that carries a possible 10-year prison sentence if he’s convicted.
Emergency workers responded to 427 West Century Ave. about 12:30 a.m. Monday. Fire was showing from a second-floor apartment and smoke was coming from a detached garage, according to the Bismarck Fire Department. Firefighters and police had to notify residents and assist them in exiting the building, according to a police affidavit.
Fithngan allegedly admitted to police that he used a lighter to start blankets on fire at two locations in his apartment. He told police he didn’t start the garage fire “or didn’t remember doing it,” the affidavit states. The document doesn't outline a possible motive.
Seventeen units in the building were occupied at the time of the fire and all of the occupants were displaced. Firefighters stopped the fire in the unit where it started and put out the garage fire. The apartment fire caused smoke damage throughout the second and third floors of the three-story building, the fire department said.
People are also reading…
The property manager estimated the damage amount to be more than $200,000, the police affidavit states.
An attorney isn’t listed for Fithngan in court documents. He made his initial court appearance Friday.
Reach Travis Svihovec at 701-250-8260 or Travis.Svihovec@bismarcktribune.com | https://bismarcktribune.com/news/local/bismarck/bismarck-man-charged-with-felony-in-apartment-fire/article_a269db24-f3f3-11ec-9c37-4bb45820a43c.html | 2022-06-24T21:15:19 | 0 | https://bismarcktribune.com/news/local/bismarck/bismarck-man-charged-with-felony-in-apartment-fire/article_a269db24-f3f3-11ec-9c37-4bb45820a43c.html |
Pediatric COVID-19 vaccine is slowly becoming available around North Dakota for children ages 6 months to 5 years, including in Bismarck.
Federal officials a week ago signed off on the shot for the age group and ordered millions of doses for distribution around the country. North Dakota's initial order was 5,700 doses. An estimated 50,000 North Dakota children are in the newly approved age group, according to the state Health Department.
"As facilities start vaccination of children down to 6 months of age, they will add their availability to vaccines.gov," state Immunization Program Director Molly Howell told the Tribune on Friday. "Many North Dakota facilities just received vaccine on Wednesday and are educating their staff and setting up protocols. I am aware that Thrifty White Pharmacies have opened up appointments."
Both Pfizer and Moderna have pediatric vaccines for the new age group. Federal officials say the shots offer young children protection from hospitalization, death and possible long-term complications that are still not clearly understood.
People are also reading…
Sanford Health Bismarck began offering the Pfizer vaccine on Friday.
“We have been waiting for this moment for more than two years. We can now offer a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine to everyone over 6 months of age," Dr. Danielle Thurtle, a Sanford pediatrician, said in a statement. "This will not only prevent illness in younger children, but decrease spread in communities and protect vulnerable populations as well.”
Appointments can be made through My Sanford Chart or by calling a Sanford Health primary care clinic.
CHI St. Alexius Health will begin offering the vaccine for the new age group in coming weeks, spokesman Jeremy Fettig said. For more information, go to chistalexiushealth.org/COVID19vaccine.
Weekly data
There were 1,222 newly confirmed COVID-19 cases in North Dakota over the past week, a drop from the previous week's total of 1,329, according to the Health Department's pandemic dashboard. This week's total for Burleigh-Morton counties also was down slightly, to 212.
The state has seen a rise in COVID-19 cases since late April due to highly contagious mutations of the omicron variant of the coronavirus.
"We continue to watch the three emerging omicron sublineages -- BA.2.12.1, BA.4, BA.5," state Medical Services Section Chief Kirby Kruger said, adding, "The main concern is that these sublineages continue to (have) the increased ability to escape antibodies. The concern is that this could lead to more reinfections and more illness among those vaccinated. The good news is that hospitalizations are tending to be relatively stable."
New COVID-19 hospital admissions statewide totaled 50, down from 84 the previous week. Coronavirus patients made up about 2.5% of occupied inpatient beds and 1.5% of intensive care unit beds statewide. Both percentages declined slightly from the previous week.
Federal data showed seven virus-related deaths over the week, raising North Dakota's pandemic total to 2,294. County-level death data is not available. There have been 248,961 confirmed COVID-19 cases in North Dakota during the pandemic that began in March 2020.
More information
Federal data shows that North Dakota continues to have some of the lowest COVID-19 vaccination rates in the country: 66.6% of adults in the state are fully vaccinated, with the rate for all vaccine-eligible people -- age 5 and older -- at 60.2%. The national averages are 76.8% and 71.1%, respectively.
COVID-19 booster shots are recommended for people 12 and older. North Dakota's first booster rate is 45%, compared to 49% nationally. Second booster doses are available for three main groups of people:
- All adults 50 years and older.
- All people 12 years or older who are moderately to severely immunocompromised.
- Adults 18 to 49 years who received two doses of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine.
County-level COVID-19 risks determined by the CDC can be found at https://bit.ly/3Clifrq. Thirteen North Dakota counties including Burleigh and Morton are now in the medium risk category; four counties are at high risk. The rest are are low risk.
State Health Department guidance and resources for businesses is at https://bit.ly/3w0DpKj.
Go to https://www.ndvax.org or https://bit.ly/3N3IMxb or call 866-207-2880 to see where COVID-19 vaccine is available. Information on free public testing and free test kits is at health.nd.gov/covidtesting. More detailed pandemic information is at www.health.nd.gov/coronavirus and https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html.
Reach News Editor Blake Nicholson at 701-250-8266 or blake.nicholson@bismarcktribune.com. | https://bismarcktribune.com/news/local/health/pediatric-covid-19-vaccine-shots-beginning-around-north-dakota/article_93b46faa-f3ed-11ec-8713-3762097fd544.html | 2022-06-24T21:15:25 | 1 | https://bismarcktribune.com/news/local/health/pediatric-covid-19-vaccine-shots-beginning-around-north-dakota/article_93b46faa-f3ed-11ec-8713-3762097fd544.html |
DE SOTO, Iowa — AHeinz57 Pet Rescue and Transport, the no-kill animal shelter in De Soto, is at capacity.
CEO Amy Heinz said the shelter has been noticing the increase for months. Recently, they've had more calls about dogs and cats being abandoned.
"We got a call about two dogs dumped in Winterset not too long ago," Heinz said.
However, Heinz said the increase also is due to people returning dogs they previously adopted.
"During COVID, a lot of people adopted animals. A lot of people," Heinz said. "Now, they're going back to work, and...don't have time for these animals and we see a lot of requests to take dogs and cats."
In May, the shelter received 115 animals. So far this month, they have received 132.
To avoid having to take a pet to a shelter, Heinz recommends potential pet owners research the dog they they want and consider if it will fit your lifestyle.
Heinz also created a Facebook page to stop animals from ending up in shelters.
"It's called AHeinz 57 SOS, solutions for owner surrender," Heinz said. "It's designed where people can post their pets instead of putting them in the shelter environment, post them and try and find a spot for them on that page."
Local 5 reached out to the Animal Rescue League of Iowa to see what animals levels were at their shelter. Administrative assistant Angie Fouch said they would work on getting us an answer. | https://www.weareiowa.com/article/news/local/de-soto-no-kill-animal-shelter-aheinz-pet-rescue-at-capacity/524-79bea2bd-326a-407d-9028-afcf1c29c18b | 2022-06-24T21:16:16 | 1 | https://www.weareiowa.com/article/news/local/de-soto-no-kill-animal-shelter-aheinz-pet-rescue-at-capacity/524-79bea2bd-326a-407d-9028-afcf1c29c18b |
TEXAS, USA — This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune.
Abortions in Texas have ceased following a Supreme Court ruling that eliminated the constitutional protection for an abortion and ensuing legal uncertainty, Whole Woman's Health and Planned Parenthood Texas said.
The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday ruled to overturn Roe v. Wade, allowing states to set their own laws regulating abortion procedures. Texas has a “trigger” law in place that will ban all abortions from the moment of fertilization starting 30 days after the Supreme Court’s judgement, which is typically issued about a month after the initial opinion.
But some clinics and abortion funds are ceasing services now because the attorney general of Texas and some anti-abortion activists are arguing that state laws that banned abortion before Roe v. Wade — that were never repealed — could now be in effect in Texas.
“We must pause abortion services at our separate organizations while our legal teams continue to review today’s devastating ruling and how it impacts and triggers existing Texas laws, including total abortion bans,” said Jeffrey Hons, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood South Texas.
He said abortion services at Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast, Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas and Planned Parenthood South Texas have all ceased.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton issued an advisory Friday warning that some prosecutors could immediately pursue criminal prosecutions based on violations of Texas abortion prohibitions predating Roe v. Wade that the Legislature never repealed.
“Although these statutes were unenforceable while Roe was on the books, they are still Texas law,” Paxton wrote. “Under these pre-Roe statutes, abortion providers could be criminally liable for providing abortions starting today.”
As a result of the state’s pre-Roe status, providers and abortion funds have ceased operations in the legal confusion.
Whole Woman’s Health, the nation’s largest independent abortion provider, said it has temporarily halted abortion services in its four Texas clinics located in Austin, Fort Worth, McAllen and McKinney.
“We don’t agree with Paxton about the interpretation of the ban, but to protect our staff and patients from hostile officials in Texas, we have ceased providing abortion care today,” said Amy Hagstrom Miller, president and CEO of Whole Woman’s Health, in a press conference Friday.
Alamo Women’s Reproductive Health, which provides abortion services in San Antonio, has also stopped providing abortions Friday, said Andrea Gallegos, the clinic’s executive director.
Abortion funds, too, have paused operations amid the threat of legal action in Texas. The Lilith Fund for Reproductive Equity, an abortion fund that provides financial assistance to people seeking abortions, and the Texas Equal Access Fund both said they have stopped funding abortions in Texas due to the state’s pre-Roe status.
“Due to the uncertainty and risk of what the decision could bring, we are pausing funding today until we have had a chance to understand the decision,” the Texas Equal Access Fund wrote on Twitter.
Texas first enacted a criminal ban on abortion in 1854. That ban was never repealed, but a 2004 case in the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals found that by passing laws that govern abortions — such as the availability of abortions for minors and the practices of abortion clinics — the Texas Legislature repealed its old bans by regulations that implied the ban was no longer in effect.
Still, Jonathan Mitchell, a former solicitor general for Texas and the architect of Senate Bill 8, which banned abortions in Texas as early as six weeks, argued that the pre-Roe statute is immediately enforceable in Texas except procedures necessary to save the life of the patient.
Previously, prosecutors did not pursue charges against patients or providers under Texas’ laws because courts would not uphold convictions under Roe, he said. Now, “no such obstacle exists anymore because Roe has been overruled,” he said in a statement.
The Lilith Fund said that because anti-abortion activists are arguing that the laws predating Roe v. Wade could go back into effect, they ceased operations to protect abortion fund staff and volunteers from the risk of arrest even while legal analysis “is still in the early stages.”
“Lilith Fund has been forced to pause direct funding of abortion care while we evaluate the impact of the recent decision by the U.S. Supreme court,” a statement from the Lilith Fund said. “We are evaluating how we may be able to otherwise assist pregnant Texans, but do not yet have answers.”
Emily Berman, an associate professor at the University of Houston Law Center, said it's unclear whether the old bans would be upheld in court.
"We are in a gray area with respect to what are sometimes called zombie laws, the pre-Roe holdovers," Berman said. "In some ways, it’s sort of going to be up to local prosecutors to decide if they want to bring cases."
She said that while prosecutors could decide to wade into such a legal battle, if they simply wait for Texas' "trigger" law to take effect, their cases will be on more solid footing.
Texas’ “trigger” law won’t go into effect until 30 days after the Supreme Court’s judgment, which could take about a month to be published. Texas’ law will have narrow exceptions to perform abortions only to save the life of a pregnant patient or prevent “substantial impairment of major bodily function.” It will criminalize the person who performs the abortion, not the person who undergoes the procedure.
More than half of all states are expected to essentially ban abortion in the coming months.
Some clinics in neighboring states have also said they have paused abortion services Friday. Planned Parenthood Great Plains said Friday that it has stopped providing abortions in Arkansas. Planned Parenthood in Texas said their “doors are open and they will remain open to serve Texans” but has not said whether the organization is providing abortion procedures in Texas Friday.
In Texas and other states where abortion procedures will no longer be legally protected, Whole Woman’s Health said it will continue to operate a program that provides financial assistance to patients who need to travel for out-of-state care.
“We will do everything we can to help obtain safe, timely, affordable care for those whose rights and access to safe and legal abortion services have been cruelly and unjustly revoked,” Miller said in a statement.
The provider, which largely serves the South and Midwest, said it will continue to operate clinics in Baltimore; Minneapolis; Alexandria, Virginia; and Charlottesville, Virginia. It will also offer abortion pills by mail to patients in Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, New Mexico and Virginia.
“Whole Woman’s Health will continue its long and proud tradition of providing high-quality, compassionate, personal abortion care in the remaining states where pregnant people’s needs and rights are still respected and protected under law,” said Amy Hagstrom Miller, president and CEO of Whole Woman’s Health in a statement.
The abortion provider said it is “exploring plans” to expand in-clinic and mail services in additional states where abortion is legally protected.
James Barragán contributed reporting. | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/texas/some-texas-clinics-cease-abortion-services/503-e8e34d5d-81c0-4dd2-b202-82077a098700 | 2022-06-24T21:25:50 | 0 | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/texas/some-texas-clinics-cease-abortion-services/503-e8e34d5d-81c0-4dd2-b202-82077a098700 |
Ryan Hartman, the former San Marcos Police Department cop who caused an off-duty car crash in June 2020 that resulted in a woman’s death, will not get his job back despite appealing his termination earlier this year, an arbiter ruled this week.
Hartman was indefinitely suspended — the equivalent of termination — in January 2022 by San Marcos police Chief Stan Standridge. City officials said the reason was Hartman’s failure to complete administrative paperwork, employee evaluations and other supervisory tasks since as far back as 2019.
Hartman appealed his termination and sought reinstatement and back pay under Chapter 143 of the Texas Local Government Code, which grants all Texas firefighters and police officers the right to appeal terminations.
During a two-day hearing in late April, an attorney for Hartman squared off against an attorney for the city of San Marcos before arbiter Bill Detwiler in a trial-like process that examined the reasons for Hartman’s termination and called witnesses, Standridge, Hartman and other members of the police department.
During the hearing, Hartman’s attorney said he had been made a “pariah” following the June 2020 car wreck that left a woman dead, and the bad press he and the department received over it was the true reason for his firing. The city’s attorney countered that he had failed in his role as a supervisor and not upheld department standards and policies in completing basic administrative tasks, like employee reviews or investigation reports.
Detwiler handed down his ruling Thursday afternoon, siding with the city and upholding Hartman’s termination.
Detwiler wrote that Hartman’s case is “unfortunate” because “his tragic accident has scarred his life and placed him in the care of mental health providers while undergoing public animus.”
But, nonetheless, Hartman’s “indefinite suspension is sustained,” he ruled.
The city of San Marcos said they were notified of the arbiter’s ruling Thursday afternoon.
“The result of this decision is that Mr. Hartman’s employment is permanently terminated,” said city spokeswoman Nadine Bonewitz in an email to the Express-News.
Hartman could appeal
Hartman has been the subject of two controversial incidents during his 14-year tenure at the San Marcos Police Department.
On June 10, 2020, Hartman was off-duty and driving his personal Ford pickup truck when he ran a pair of stop signs at the intersection of Maple Street and State Highway 130 in Lockhart. According to police reports, he slammed into the passenger side of a Honda Accord driven by 64-year-old Pam Watts.
Watts’ partner of eight months, 56-year-old Jennifer Miller, was in the passenger seat. She was gravely injured and died before a medevac helicopter could arrive. Watts survived but suffered long-term injuries.
A half-full beer can was found in Hartman’s truck, but a blood test several hours after the accident found no evidence of alcohol in his system. Hartman was uninjured in the wreck. He was placed on paid administrative leave and reinstated to the police force after a grand jury declined in November 2020 to charge him with any crime in connection with the wreck.
Shortly after returning to duty in January 2021, Hartman was the supervisor on the scene of a high-speed car chase when he used his stun gun on a suspect who had his hands in the air and was complying with police commands. Standridge testified at the April hearing that this was against department policy.
The man who was stunned, Albian Levya, filed a civil lawsuit against Hartman and the city of San Marcos last week alleging that his constitutional rights were violated.
Hartman has a narrow opportunity to appeal the arbiter’s decision in a district court under very limited circumstances. He has 10 days to file an appeal if he chooses to do so.
Annie Blanks writes for the Express-News through Report for America, a national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms. ReportforAmerica.org. annie.blanks@express-news.net. | https://www.expressnews.com/news/local/article/San-Marcos-cop-who-killed-woman-in-off-duty-17264223.php | 2022-06-24T21:25:57 | 0 | https://www.expressnews.com/news/local/article/San-Marcos-cop-who-killed-woman-in-off-duty-17264223.php |
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate
Zhi’Ria Cook moved into the Seven Oaks Apartments complex near Leon Valley almost a year ago and has faced problems since Day One.
The 23-year-old single mother said the first time she saw her unit it was littered with dead roaches. The problem was just the tip of the iceberg — Cook said she has lodged complaints about a roach-infested refrigerator and major water leaks that have gone unaddressed.
“The management doesn’t care as long they’re getting money in their pocket,” Cook said. “We’re all dollar signs to them.”
Cook, a housekeeper, was one of dozens of tenants and leaders from Texas Organizing Project that teamed up Thursday afternoon to deliver a list of demands to the complex’s leasing office, which included a request that all maintenance problems be fixed within 72 hours. Some residents in attendance said they have received notices to vacate with little time to leave, so the list of demands also states that no tenant should be forced to move out before Dec. 23. Tenants are also calling for relocation assistance of $6,000 per unit.
The letter to management also states that tenants are facing “unfair eviction notices,” arbitrary fees, broken air conditioning units, black mold, rats and roaches.
Though the group of organizers and frustrated tenants wanted to speak to management, the office was closed upon their arrival close to 5 p.m. A sign on the door stated that the office would be closed Thursday starting at 1 p.m. and would be reopened Friday morning at 9, though the office hours on the building state that the offices are normally open until 6 p.m. on weekdays.
But the crowd gathered in front of the building shouting some of their demands and concerns, and chanting “no justice, no peace,” while some in the group waved at the video camera that faces the front door. The group held up photographs of problems in some of the apartments.
“Management, here are the demands of your tenants,” Texas Organizing Project’s Lloyd Kuykendoll said into a blowhorn, calling on management to come to the door. “These are your tenants and they refuse to live in substandard conditions.”
Peair Richardson, 29, taped the tenant demands to the door of the building. A few crowd members cheered when Richardson said that the group would leave reminders until they get a response.
Richardson, a server at a Chinese restaurant, has lived in the complex for about nine months. He hasn’t had hot water in months despite putting in a work order and talking to an employee at the leasing office. After feeling like his concerns were dismissed Richardson told the office that he would not pay them until his water was fixed. Since then, he has received two notices to vacate that had three-day deadlines to move out.
Other tenants, including Willie Rector, 52, and David Riojas, 53, have faced problems with their bills. The two receive rental assistance from the city but said they have received eviction notices from the complex that claim they have not paid their full bill. The two said that management told them they were switched to more expensive month-to-month leases, but Rector and Riojas said they were not informed of the shift ahead of time and extra cost that came with it.
But the billing is one of many problems Rector said she wants fixed. She said problems with plumbing, air conditioning and a shut-down laundry facility are also on her radar.
“I’m tired of settling,” Rector said. She has lived in the complex for two years.
Tenants said that many of the problems started sprouting up under new management that took over either at the end of last year or early this year.
Richardson said he has seen many tenants move after getting notices to vacate, leaving many units in the complex empty.
Cook’s fears of the complex go beyond what she sees inside her unit — she said safety is a major problem. She knows people whose belongings were stolen from in front of their doors and has personally been confronted by people while she is walking around the complex. Cook said she has relatives caring for her 3-year-old because she is scared to bring him to the apartment.
Attendees were unsurprised by the office’s closure, noting that on Wednesday the leasing office staff called the police when a group of tenants and TOP officials tried to meet at the apartment complex to discuss a game plan for how to make their concerns known.
Police were called out on Thursday as well — two officers drove up at 5:40 p.m. as the gathering was winding down, saying that the complex called police at 5:30 p.m. indicating that they were unable to get back into the office due to a crowd gathered in front of the door.
But the calls didn’t deter TOP or tenants; the group plans to meet up on Saturday, potentially at the complex, to start organizing a tenants union. Housing Justice Organizer Ashton Condel, 28, said TOP will bring attorneys to help in that effort.
“It’s going to give these people legal protection,” Condel said of forming the union.
The leasing office did not return a 2 p.m. request for comment from the Express-News. Achieve Investment Group, which Texas Organizing Project’s Marco Acuña said owns the complex, also did not immediately respond to an email request for comment on Thursday.
Seven Oaks Apartment complex shows up as “permanently closed” on Google Maps. The same address and phone number posted on the complex’s leasing office show up on the Achieve Investment Group’s property website, but under a different complex name — Colinas At Medical.
Editor’s note: A quote in this story has been updated to correct inaccurate information regarding the tenants union.
megan.rodriguez@express-news.net | https://www.expressnews.com/news/local/article/Seven-Oaks-Apartments-living-conditions-17262429.php | 2022-06-24T21:26:03 | 1 | https://www.expressnews.com/news/local/article/Seven-Oaks-Apartments-living-conditions-17262429.php |
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WJHL) — Job and labor force growth since 2019 has been much stronger in the Johnson City metro area than the adjacent Kingsport-Bristol metro, but one local leader said the combined totals are much more important than local comparisons.
The Johnson City metro area’s workforce has 451 more people than it did exactly three years ago — a stark contrast to the Kingsport-Bristol metro just to the north, where 6,260 fewer people are in the workforce than there were three years ago. There are 584 more people employed in the Johnson City metro than there were three years ago, but 6,063 fewer employed in the Kingsport metro.
Those figures represent a 4.4% decline in the Kingsport-Bristol metro’s workforce from May 2019 to May 2022. Johnson City’s workforce grew, barely, by 0.5% over the same period according to numbers from the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development (TDOL).
Will Barrett is the CEO of Bank of Tennessee and a board member of both the Northeast Tennessee Regional Economic Partnership and the new regional economic development hub. NETREP covers the Johnson City metropolitan statistical area (MSA) counties of Washington, Carter and Unicoi and the new hub covers Sullivan, Hawkins, Johnson, Greene and Hancock as well.
Barrett said workforce availability and training is a key to communities’ growth and that the numbers concern him.
“Obviously that number on a combined basis (both MSAs) even over a three-year period is going the opposite direction we want it to go,” Barrett said. “I’d say there’s a pretty big correlation between workforce and regional prosperity.”
The contrast has also held over the past year as pandemic recovery has continued, with Johnson City’s metro posting 3.6% growth in its labor force compared to a 0.4% rise in Kingsport-Bristol. The Kingsport-Bristol MSA includes Sullivan and Hawkins counties in Tennessee as well as Washington and Scott counties in Virginia and the city of Bristol, Va.
Both metropolitan statistical areas (MSA) have unemployment rates almost identical to what they were in May 2019, with Kingsport-Bristol exactly the same at 3.4% and Johnson City down a tad from 3.5% to 3.3%.
The contrast correlates to some degree with population changes, as Washington County posted the strongest growth in the 2020 census.
Washington is the only county among the five with more in the workforce than three years ago. It also has a younger population than any of the other counties.
Because the unemployment rates are very similar over time, the changes in number of people employed have tracked closely with the labor force. The Johnson City MSA has 4,118 more people working than it did a year ago, equating to job growth of 4.7%. The total employed in May 2022 was 91,274.
The Kingsport-Bristol metro’s one-year change shows job growth of 1.6%, about a third the rate of Johnson City’s MSA, with a total of 2,022 more jobs.
Barrett said it’s most effective to look at the overall combined area — one of the reasons, he said, that the economic development hub was formed earlier this year after several years of discussions. He said the raw job numbers are based on where people live, not where they work, and that Northeast Tennesseans and Southwest Virginians often travel across county and state lines for work.
“There’s a lot of workforce development I think could take place both to get people back into the workforce, and if there’s a functional mismatch or sector mismatch in the workforce, you’re getting them trained up to move to a different sector in the economy,” Barrett said.
In other words, the fact that Sullivan County’s labor force of 70,134 is down almost 3,000 from three years ago, while Washington County’s total of 62,617 is up by 727 is less important than the combined numbers of those two large counties and the rest of both metros.
Added all together, those numbers show a labor force decline of almost 6,000 compared to three years ago, from 236,010 to 230,201. That’s a drop of 2.5% and has been matched by the drop in total number of people employed, which has declined 2.4%, from 227,940 in May 2019 to 222,461 last month.
“I think what this does is it raises the warning bell, the red flag that we have our work cut out for us,” Barrett said. “We’re not going in the right direction even through the pandemic.”
How about the rest of the state?
Moving outside the metro and combined areas, the data show that Northeast Tennessee is faring worse than both the state as a whole and the country.
Compared to the 2.5% labor force decline in the combined Northeast Tennessee MSAs, the statewide labor force has grown slightly from its May 2019 total of 3,363,300 to 3,409,034 last month. That’s a 1.3% increase. The total number employed is up 1.0% to 3,293,464.
Those numbers are a good bit better than the regional ones, but just as interestingly, they completely evaporate if labor force and job growth in the Nashville MSA.
Without the labor force increase of 60,000 and the job growth of 55,000 there, the rest of Tennessee would have about 14,000 fewer people in the labor force and about 22,000 fewer jobs than it did three years ago.
Nationally, the labor force was 0.9% larger last month than it was in May 2019, and the number of people working was also 0.9% higher.
Barrett said recent data and other evidence that a lot of people have begun moving into the region — at least compared to the stagnant growth of 2010-2020 — shouldn’t lull people into a fall sense of security that “everything is ok.”
“People might think the growth we are seeing has shown that we’re kind of the undiscovered part of the state and the country and that everyone is moving here,” Barrett said. “In fact, with these workforce numbers it shows you that while recently we’ve picked up a little bit more steam, we still have an issue that we need to solve long term.” | https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/growth-region-has-5000-fewer-employed-than-three-years-ago/ | 2022-06-24T21:34:57 | 0 | https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/growth-region-has-5000-fewer-employed-than-three-years-ago/ |
SULLIVAN COUNTY, Tenn. (WJHL) – The Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR) voted to not increase the current tuition rate at Northeast State Community College for the 2022-2023 academic year.
Throughout the summer, Northeast State is hosting open registration events. The college offers over 135 academic programs with six academic divisions in a variety of fields.
Tennessee Promise, Tennessee Reconnect and other state and federal financial aid programs are in place for eligible students to attend Northeast State free of tuition and mandatory fees.
“Northeast State is grateful to the Tennessee Board of Regents for their decision to keep college accessible and affordable to all students,” said Interim President of Northeast State Dr. Connie Marshall, “We celebrate this news with our students who are striving to make the best use of their financial resources.”
The TBR also approved a new Carter County Higher Education Center for joint use between Carter County Schools, Northeast State and Tennessee College of Applied Technology (TCAT) Elizabethton. | https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/no-tuition-increase-for-2022-2023-at-northeast-state-community-college/ | 2022-06-24T21:35:03 | 1 | https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/no-tuition-increase-for-2022-2023-at-northeast-state-community-college/ |
Shirley Lang has been praying for the past 50 years that she would live long enough to see this day.
There was never a doubt in her heart that Roe v. Wade — the landmark Supreme Court case that enshrined a woman's constitutional right to an abortion in 1973 — would eventually be overturned, as happened on Friday.
The question was when?
"I didn't think it would take this long," the 88-year-old Lincoln woman said. "There have been people praying all over America to undo this because it is wrong."
Friday felt like a day for commemoration, longtime anti-abortion activists in Lincoln say: For the nearly 50 years of prayer and hard work, but also for those affected by abortion in the years since.
Lang remembers being at the first Walk for Life outside the state Capitol in 1974, the beginning of a lifelong passion to end abortion. She remembers distinctly the words one state senator left the demonstrators with on the Capitol steps.
People are also reading…
"He said 'You are on the right side, but you're going to have to work at this for years,'" she said.
Lang took the words to heart and eventually co-founded Lincoln Right to Life.
"I felt like I had to do something about it," she said.
Sandy Danek became involved in the fight in 1989, volunteering with Nebraska Right to Life. As a mother who'd experienced the pain of miscarriage, the battle was a personal one.
"That experience caused me to want to work for the benefit of the child in the womb," she said.
Like Lang, she believed this day would come because Roe "isn't good law," and the fact that prenatal technology — like ultrasounds — has improved in the years since.
Danek eventually served as president of the Nebraska Right to Life board and now serves as executive director, a position she assumed when longtime leader Julie Schmidt-Albin died of cancer in 2020.
There's a certain poignancy that Schmidt-Albin is not here to see this day, those who knew her say, considering the profound influence she had on the anti-abortion movement across the state.
"It strikes an emotional chord with me," Danek said. "When she died, many said — and I believe it — that the pro-life structure in the state is due to in part what Julie did in the 32 years she was director. She was brilliant, but steady and strong."
Lisa McInerney leads Lincoln's chapter of Sidewalk Advocates for Life, a group of volunteers who gather outside Planned Parenthood near 48th and Old Cheney Road.
There are anywhere from two to four people on the sidewalk during Planned Parenthood's operating hours on Tuesdays — the day on which abortions are typically performed, McInerney says.
People often come to pray but there are also trained volunteers who approach people driving up to the building to offer resources or to point them to one of Lincoln's three pregnancy care centers — including one right across the street — that offer free ultrasounds and supplies.
Volunteers who support abortion rights are also present, escorting women into the building.
Friday's decision doesn't immediately impact the availability of abortion in Nebraska, but Gov. Pete Ricketts is expected to convene the Legislature for a special session to restrict it.
If that happens, McInerney said the focus of the sidewalk advocates will center on informing women who have been referred by Planned Parenthood to other states where it is legal.
Lincoln's Sidewalk Advocates chapter has only been around for a few years, but anti-abortion activists have gathered and prayed outside Planned Parenthood for much longer.
For years, activists met outside its former location at 37th and South streets, and the Lincoln Right to Life operated a location in a house just to the south of it.
When Planned Parenthood moved further south near 48th and Old Cheney, Lincoln Right to Life followed, moving into a location near where the Women's Care Center, which offers ultrasounds and pregnancy counseling, is now.
Friday's decision feels like an answer to the prayers of those people who have stood outside Planned Parenthood for years, McInerney said.
"We've prayed and hoped for it for a long time," she said.
Julia Lostroh went to her first Walk for Life in 1981 and has been active in the anti-abortion fight ever since.
Friday's decision doesn't mean the fight is over, she said, since many states will still have legal abortion — as they did before Roe made it federally legal. While it's a day of joy, for Lostroh and others, there is a sense of remembrance attached to the news.
"It's not a celebration type of a thing because this is so sad that we've lived with it for 50 years," said Lostroh, a former lobbyist and now PAC chairman for Nebraska Right to Life. "I think it will be a commemoration and a new start for us as far as being able to (implement) some meaningful protections for life."
Marion Miner, the director of pro-life and family policy for the Nebraska Catholic Conference, called the Supreme Court's 6-3 decision in a Mississippi abortion case that led to the overturning of Roe "surreal" and "a real victory for human rights and the fulfillment of many hopes and prayers."
He understands, however, that emotions are going to be high on either side of the abortion divide.
"I think it's incumbent on us to recall that in the midst of our rejoicing and our resolve to act ... those people who are likely to be in shock or unsure of the future," he said. "The church is with those who are suffering, with those who are confused, with those who are alone, and people should know that."
Bishop James Conley of the Diocese of Lincoln said on Twitter shortly after Friday's news he thought he would never see Roe overturned during his lifetime, but always believed the day would come.
"Our Lord has given us a great gift from the love of his most sacred heart," Conley wrote. "We now have to reach out to women and families who find themselves in difficult situations and love them with the heart of Jesus."
In the weeks preceding the decision, which came months after a leaked draft of the court's majority opinion, Catholic churches in Lincoln warned parishioners to be vigilant for possible attacks when the ruling was handed down.
Danek voiced similar concerns, but also said there will be people who will want to "celebrate in the public square."
"They see this as 50 years of very difficult work and finally the victory has been realized," she said.
A victory Lang waited five decades to see.
"When I stand in front of God on Judgment Day, he'll say what did you do in this country, where you were free to stop this?" she said. "And I want to be able to say I tried my best."
Reaction from Nebraska politicians and stakeholders to the Supreme Court's abortion decision
Gov. Pete Ricketts
The Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe is an answer to millions of prayers on behalf of the unborn and a victory for human life.
— Gov. Pete Ricketts (@GovRicketts) June 24, 2022
I will be working with our legislative leaders to determine what more we can do to protect our preborn babies.
Sen. Jen Day
We will never stop defending our right to decide if, when, and under what circumstances to have a family. Abortion care is still safe and legal in Nebraska and the Nebraska Legislature must reject medically unnecessary restrictions on abortion. https://t.co/jljpfabp21
— Senator Jen Day (@JenDayforNE) June 24, 2022
Archdiocese of Omaha
Many in our country will not agree with the reasoning and the decision of the Supreme Court. And some women will still wonder how they can meet the challenge of an unplanned or unwanted pregnancy. This is a moment for each of us to commit to not let any woman face her challenge. pic.twitter.com/yNmLVKFKSs
— Archdiocese of Omaha (@ArchOmaha) June 24, 2022
ACLU of Nebraska
Abortion remains legal in Nebraska — but with today’s decision overturning Roe, our right to access that care is under threat like never before. Now is the time to act.
— ACLU of Nebraska (@ACLUofNE) June 24, 2022
FIND A RALLY NEAR YOU AND STAY TUNED: https://t.co/XIGsMaXwFk pic.twitter.com/aKI1BMzKOo
Jim Pillen, Republican candidate for governor
From the #PillenPressTeam: A statement from Jim Pillen pic.twitter.com/kDbF38nUGn
— Jim Pillen (@jim_pillen) June 24, 2022
Sen. Carol Blood, Democratic candidate for governor
Be clear about what Nebraska’s trigger bill does and how it violates a woman’s bodily autonomy. Nebraska’s trigger bill creates a police state where doctors must live in fear of being arrested and charged as felons for providing needed healthcare to their patients.
— Senator Carol Blood (@senatorblood) June 24, 2022
Sen. Adam Morfeld
I will not turn every miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, IVF procedure, and split-second life-saving decision by a doctor into a criminal investigation. These are private decisions that should be left to a woman and her doctor not politicians and lawyers.
— State Senator Adam Morfeld (@Adam_Morfeld) June 24, 2022
Sen. Julie Slama
50 years. 64 million lives lost.
— Senator Julie Slama (@SenatorSlama) June 24, 2022
One of the darkest chapters in our history ends today.
Roe v. Wade has been overturned by the Supreme Court.
It's a beautiful day for life! 💗 pic.twitter.com/U400RG0EyC
Nebraska Democratic Party
Nebraska Democrats are assailing the wrong-headed U.S. Supreme Court decision today to overturn #RoeVWade.@janekleeb: “The majority of Nebraskans believe abortion must remain legal and that women must have the right to make their own health decisions."https://t.co/CryZjT0179 pic.twitter.com/qjuqRYT135
— Nebraska Democratic Party (@NebraskaDems) June 24, 2022
Nebraska Family Alliance
The moment we have been praying for and working towards for nearly 50 years is finally here: Roe v. Wade has been fully overturned in a 6-3 vote! Your decades of faithful prayers, support, and advocacy have brought us to this historic moment.https://t.co/fg4YSISanv
— NE Family Alliance (@nebfamily) June 24, 2022
Sen. Megan Hunt
We have already defeated an abortion ban in Nebraska, and WE WILL DO IT AGAIN. We will defeat any other attempt to ban abortion in this state because the majority of Nebraskans understand that banning abortion is as extreme as it is unnecessary.
— Senator Megan Hunt (@NebraskaMegan) June 24, 2022
Mike Flood, Republican candidate for U.S. House
This is a great day for all those committed to the protection of unborn life.
— Mike Flood (@Flood4Nebraska) June 24, 2022
Read my statement on the Supreme Court's Dobbs decision here: https://t.co/UKjv7CXZzd pic.twitter.com/UqaWVL5ELB
Sen. Patty Pansing Brooks, Democratic candidate for U.S. House
Statement from Patty Pansing Brooks on the overturning of Roe v. Wade: pic.twitter.com/4w8aFd2XUR
— 🌈 Patty Pansing Brooks (Vote June 28th, NE-01) (@Patty4Nebraska) June 24, 2022
Sen. Deb Fischer
— Senator Deb Fischer (@SenatorFischer) June 24, 2022
Planned Parenthood for North Central States
Now is the time for every person who supports abortion rights to stand up and act.
— Planned Parenthood (@ppnorthcentral) June 24, 2022
Sen. Ben Sasse
Sen. Tony Vargas
Politicians don't belong in doctor's offices making medical decisions. Women should make the decisions that are the best for them with their doctors. Today's ruling by the Supreme Court takes away an established right that protected Americans’ health & safety for nearly 50 years.
— Senator Tony Vargas (@TonyVargas) June 24, 2022
Rep. Don Bacon
James Michael Bowers
Abortion is still legal in Nebraska.
— James Michael Bowers (@Bowers4Nebraska) June 24, 2022
Republicans in our state are ready to ban abortion - even in the case of rape or incest.
I stand with everyone ready to fight.
Rally tonight 5 PM
Lincoln - City/County building 555 S 10th St.
Omaha - Memorial Park, 6005 Underwood Ave.
Lancaster County Republican Party
Contact the writer at zhammack@journalstar.com or 402-473-7225. On Twitter @HammackLJS
In this Series
Complete coverage: Supreme Court ends Roe v. Wade. What's next for Nebraska?
-
Updated
What the Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade means for Nebraska
-
'The victory has been realized': Longtime anti-abortion activists in Lincoln celebrate end of Roe
-
Updated
'Devastating impact': Abortion rights backers say they'll work to defeat any legislation banning procedure
- 15 updates | https://journalstar.com/news/local/the-victory-has-been-realized-longtime-anti-abortion-activists-in-lincoln-celebrate-end-of-roe/article_c9fd7e23-b9eb-5053-a25e-e3c26af772f3.html | 2022-06-24T21:44:14 | 1 | https://journalstar.com/news/local/the-victory-has-been-realized-longtime-anti-abortion-activists-in-lincoln-celebrate-end-of-roe/article_c9fd7e23-b9eb-5053-a25e-e3c26af772f3.html |
CLINTON — Opening a bakery is a popular dream for kids in The Vault’s culinary career exploration class held this past week.
Connie Unruh, treasurer and a volunteer with the organization, said she knew at least a few of the kids hoped to have their own bakery someday. The class gave them a chance to learn how culinary businesses work, from what it takes to run an operation to some of the kitchen skills they'd need to get into the industry.
The Vault is a community space for students in sixth through 12th grades, located on the square in Clinton. It provides events, adult mentorship and services like tutoring, as well as giving kids space where they can meet up with friends and make new ones.
Owen Rexshell, 14, is already known in the community for his pies, Unruh said.
Rexshell, who will begin his freshman year this fall, has been going to The Vault since he was in sixth grade. He also volunteers at the café on site, which is open for the kids who are visiting.
“It’s really nice,” he said. “Yeah, we don’t get paid, but it teaches us a lot about work ethic, and how to treat customers.”
Cadence Wyatt, 12, also volunteers at the café. She said it is fun, but can get stressful during the school year when there are more customers. Like Rexshell, she said she would like to open a bakery someday, inspired in part by a friend of her mother’s who runs a bakery business out of her home.
Campers were working Friday morning to put together an appreciation luncheon for The Vault’s supporters, helped by pastor and chef Paul Stroup, who preaches at Clinton Presbyterian Church.
Earlier in the week, the kids visited Cinco de Mayo, a Mexican restaurant in town, and made breakfast quesadillas. They also visited Dairy Queen to learn what it's like to own a fast-food franchise and to try their hands at making their own soft-serve cones.
“They didn’t realize how hard it is to get that little twist and the cure at the top,” Unruh said.
Layne Miller, 13, said students learned a lot of safety skills, throughout the week, as well as soft skills for how to run a business.
“We learned how to be a good boss and everything, how to stay calm in sticky situations,” he said.
A Taco Bowl Tuesday event during the culinary week brought in around $700 for the organization, Unruh said.
Founder, and now community connections coordinator, Michelle Witske said The Vault offers its programming for free, adding it could not exist without support from the community. The Vault opened in 2018 and, along with the summer career camps, offers services like tutoring, as well as times when kids can come just to hang out.
“It’s just fun and I get to hang out with friends,” Layne said.
The goal is to support students and give them opportunities so they don't just spend all their time on their phones or playing video games, Witske said. She hopes it helps students going through mental health troubles, something she said has been on the rise visibly in the Clinton community.
The adult mentors at The Vault are all trained in mental health first aid, she said. If they notice something wrong, they can then refer the student and their family to mental health professionals.
At the same time, she wants The Vault to be a place where kids can learn more about themselves and what they want to do with their lives. The “Envision U Career Camp Weeks” are a part of that, she said.
“We give them as many opportunities as we can for them to discover who they are,” she said.
The camps let students be more intentional about what they plan to do after high school, Unruh said. Other camps this summer include construction and trades, theater arts and law enforcement.
“Sometimes we stumble into a career, and sometimes we choose a career,” she said.
She hopes The Vault helps equip kids with the knowledge and skills they need to choose the career that will be best for them.
The Vault is open to students in sixth through 12th grades, with more information and the form to sign up at thevaultclinton.org.
Contact Connor Wood at (309)820-3240. Follow Connor on Twitter:@connorkwood | https://pantagraph.com/news/local/education/watch-now-the-vault-in-clinton-helps-kids-explore-culinary-careers/article_ccab4b1c-f3ed-11ec-a4aa-7f9fa34f5a3c.html | 2022-06-24T21:46:11 | 1 | https://pantagraph.com/news/local/education/watch-now-the-vault-in-clinton-helps-kids-explore-culinary-careers/article_ccab4b1c-f3ed-11ec-a4aa-7f9fa34f5a3c.html |
Overturned: Polk residents react with thanks, dismay to Roe v. Wade decision
LAKELAND — Some in Polk County gave thanks for what they considered an answer to prayers.
Others cried while expressing anger and disbelief.
Reflecting the national divide over abortion, Polk County residents shared strikingly disparate reactions to Friday’s Supreme Court ruling nullifying the Roe v. Wade ruling from 1973.
“My phone is blowing up constantly and getting a hundred million emails, and all of it is those in the pro-life, movement rejoicing,” said Rebecca Klein, executive director of A Woman’s Choice, a pregnancy care center in Lakeland. “There is an element of just joy and thanksgiving for this decision that in the end protects life. And as those who believe in the value and sanctity of every human life, there's such great joy in that. So I thank God for it.”
By the way:People in Florida are protesting the Supreme Court's overruling of Roe v. Wade
'Outraged' or 'hopeful':Supreme Court abortion draft provokes strong feelings in Polk
By the way:How young moms benefit from Polk Schools' Teen Parent Program
Bonnie Patterson-James, an advocate for abortion rights, alternately cried and raised her voice in anger as she discussed the Supreme Court’s decision.
“I think, even as hard as I've prepared, I just didn't really believe a constitutional right could be taken away,” the Lakeland resident said. “I mean, it's been challenged and reaffirmed and I just feel like the United States Supreme Court just told women we’re second class and we don't have the right over our personhood, our liberty or future pursuit of happiness. … I said it was disgusting and horrific, but the reality is I feel like I've been punched in my American gut.”
The ruling didn’t come as a particular surprise to advocates on either side of the issue. A draft version of the decision was anonymously leaked in early May, leading most observers to expect that the court would act to overturn the Roe precedent while ruling on a challenge to a Mississippi law severely restricting abortions.
As advocates on both sides noted, the ruling will have no immediate effect in Florida. The state does not have a “trigger law,” as some other states do, that would prohibit abortions either immediately or on a specified date.
A privacy clause in the state constitution has been interpreted to inhibit an abortion ban, though there is speculation that the increasingly conservative Florida Supreme Court might reconsider that precedent.
The Florida Legislature passed a law this year blocking abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy. That law takes effect July 1.
Jon Friedt, pastor at Believers’ Fellowship Church in North Lakeland, reacted to the court’s decision with muted celebration.
“Well, I'm excited to hear it,” Friedt said Friday morning. “Yet, on the other side, this is not really a legal issue as much as it is a moral issue. So, you know, in my view the pro-life work has really just begun.”
Opinion:If a woman's right to privacy is denied, what else follows?
He added: “Until abortion is unthinkable to society, the pro-life work is not done.”
Friedt has urged the Lakeland City Commission to adopt an ordinance barring abortion clinics.
Claudia Slate of Lakeland is a longtime advocate for the right to an abortion and has worked as a volunteer escort for patients at the clinic. She called it “a dark day for the will of the people,” citing a recent Gallup poll showing that 55% of Americans considered themselves “pro-choice,” the highest figure since 1995.
“In the past, the court has expanded citizen rights,” said Slate, a retired college professor. “This is a time when the decision revokes rights. So that's, I think, a huge deal. And I'm afraid is just the first step. That's what’s worrisome, too, that the government could now impede access to contraception and marriage equality and places we've really made great strides.”
Justice Clarence Thomas, in his concurring opinion, suggested that the court could indeed overturn rulings on contraception and same-sex marriage using the arguments put forth in the main opinion written by Justice Samuel Alito.
Slate, 73, recalled living in Memphis, Tennessee, before the 1973 ruling, a period when girls and women sought illegal and often unsafe abortions.
“Because I was alive before Roe vs. Wade, I know abortions will still continue,” she said. “I know women died from botched abortions. Safe abortions will be much more difficult to obtain, particularly for those who don't have the means to travel or to pay for it. So it's going to disproportionately affect people of color.”
More reaction:Polk County advocates on both sides of abortion debate react to passage of 15-week bill
The fight:Advocates in Polk County renew battle over abortion
'Sufficiently mature'?:Judge Stargel's dissent in teen's abortion petition draws attention
A Woman’s Choice, founded in 1987, is one of several centers in Polk County that offer some free medical services, including pregnancy tests and ultrasounds, but does not perform abortions or refer for them. The center, part of a faith-based network, also provides counseling and “after abortion help.”
Klein said she expects a surge in demand for the services offered by her center and others like it following the Supreme Court ruling. She said Florida could see an influx of pregnant girls and women from nearby states where abortion becomes illegal, and she speculated that some in Florida might misinterpret the decision as outlawing abortion nationwide.
“So it just speaks to me that agencies and organizations like A Woman's Choice, our work is just going to be needed now more than ever,” Klein said. “It’s time to gear up, to be ready, to continue being available for the women who need us in these situations because that's what we're here for. … I guess it (the decision) validates the need for our work more than anything else, and that we're going to still be here doing that work.”
Friedt made a similar point.
“I think it's a very poor mistake for the church or of any pro-life, advocacy group or individual to beat their chest in pride and victory and say, ‘Yay, we've won,’” he said. “No, we haven't. If you related it to like a football game, we've simply moved the ball down the field and we have a first down. The game's not over. So we can celebrate the accomplishment, but it's not complete. And so, we still have to keep moving.”
Patterson-James, 54, has organized and taken part in demonstrations for abortion rights in Lakeland. She was checking her phone soon after the ruling for details about a gathering scheduled for Friday afternoon near Southgate shopping center in Lakeland organized by the national group Bans Off Our Bodies.
Patterson-James, who had an abortion 30 years ago, insisted that the procedure is a personal matter of health care that pregnant people should be free to make without government involvement. Noting that the Supreme Court had affirmed Roe v. Wade in previous rulings, she suggested that the six Supreme Court justices voting in the majority had been motivated by politics rather than a reading of the Constitution.
“The court has changed,” she said. “Nothing else has changed — not the patients, not pregnancy, not conception, not medicine. Nothing changed but the court, and they took away my rights as a woman.”
Patterson-James cried as she said that a woman living in one of the states with immediate trigger laws — including Louisiana and Kentucky — could have had an abortion scheduled for the late morning only to see it canceled by the court’s announcement.
Dr. Katherine Sutherland, a retired specialist in obstetrics and gynecology, issued a statement through the Committee to Protect Health Care, a nonprofit advocacy group.
“We know from places like Texas what extremist abortion bans do — they force women to travel to access abortion if they can afford to, and they force women to carry unexpected pregnancies to term if they cannot,” Sutherland said. “Nobody should have to travel across the country, scramble to take time off work, and pay huge costs just to get the care they need. Forcing pregnancy is dangerous and can be detrimental to a person’s mental health and overall safety. That’s why, as physicians, we’re speaking out against this ruling and calling on Florida’s lawmakers to act to protect our patients.”
Two Polk County legislators, Sen. Kelli Stargel, R-Lakeland, and Rep. Colleen Burton, R-Lakeland, have sponsored multiple bills seeking to restrict abortions or add requirements for clinics. Stargel, who is running for the U.S. House, sponsored a version of the 15-week limit that passed this year and was signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis.
“Protecting the innocent children whose lives are ended through abortion was a defining issue for me as I made the decision to run for elected office,” Stargel said in a news release. “Today is a wonderful affirmation of the pro-life efforts of so many over the last 50 years, and I am incredibly grateful to the justices for their courage in speaking the truth in the face of tremendous adversity.”
Stargel referred to abortion as “barbaric” and “the taking of an innocent life.”
“The damage Roe has caused this country is profound,” Stargel said. “Unfortunately, laws and legal opinions cannot change hearts and minds influenced by decades of an anti-life culture. While we recognize the loss of 63 million innocent and irreplaceable children, we must also accept that the permissible killing of unborn children over three generations has caused serious damage to the social fabric of this country.”
Burton, who is running for the Florida Senate, also released a statement.
“For years we have fought hard in the Florida House to protect and honor life – before and after birth – and empower Florida families and children to thrive,” Burton said. “We celebrate the High Court’s ruling today and the rightful return of power to protect preborn life to the states.”
Both Friedt and Klein said they worried about the possibility of violence committed against pregnancy centers by some abortion-rights activists. A recently formed group, Jane’s Revenge, had vowed to hold a “night of rage” in Washington, D.C., if the court negated the Roe v. Wade decision.
Klein said she didn’t expect any violence in the area but said local pregnancy centers had bolstered security as a precaution.
Patterson-James dismissed such speculation and said anti-abortion advocates are the ones who have engaged in violence over the years since the 1973 court ruling. She criticized pregnancy care centers for giving out what she called false information about abortion.
“We're all about choice, but don't lie to the women that come in there,” she said. “I've heard nothing like that. I would like them to stop lying to patients; that would be a good start. But I don't think violence solves anything.”
Gary White can be reached at gary.white@theledger.com or 863-802-7518. Follow on Twitter @garywhite13. | https://www.theledger.com/story/news/local/2022/06/24/polk-residents-respond-abortion-ruling-thanks-dismay/7725989001/ | 2022-06-24T21:46:40 | 0 | https://www.theledger.com/story/news/local/2022/06/24/polk-residents-respond-abortion-ruling-thanks-dismay/7725989001/ |
PORTLAND, Maine — Sen. Susan Collins was blasted Friday for the overturning of Roe v. Wade, as opponents targeted her votes to confirm two justices to the Supreme Court who were in the majority opinion allowing states to ban abortion.
Critics of the Maine senator haven’t forgotten the key role she played in confirming Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh, and she was ripped anew on social media.
Some opponents took to name-calling and attacked Collins for being naive or complicit. Others called for her resignation. University of Maine professor Amy Fried said Collins “helped make this happen,” and the Maine Democratic Party said part of the blame lies at Collins’ feet.
Collins was considered a crucial vote on Kavanaugh. She waited months before announcing her decision in a 45-minute floor speech. Shortly after her speech ended, Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin announced he, too, was voting for Kavanaugh.
The Senate vote was 50-48.
Mainers For Accountable Leadership, a liberal advocacy group, said Collins “must immediately apologize to these organizations who she dismissed and demeaned in her floor speech announcing her support of Kavanaugh.”
Rachel Irwin, who works for Building Back Together, which promotes President Joe Biden’s policy agenda, called Friday’s abortion news Collins’ “legacy.”
Collins, a Republican, has been a supporter of a woman’s right to an abortion. She has also crossed the aisle on key issues — including splitting with Republicans on former President Donald Trump’s ban on travel from several Muslim countries, the repeal of the Affordable Care Act, and on whether to convict Trump after his impeachment following the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021.
The senator said in a statement Friday that she had received assurances from Kavanaugh and Gorsuch that Roe v. Wade was an established legal precedent.
“Throwing out a precedent overnight that the country has relied upon for half a century is not conservative,” she said. “It is a sudden and radical jolt to the country that will lead to political chaos, anger, and a further loss of confidence in our government.”
Collins’ statement came moments before Biden called the ruling “a tragic error.” She did not respond to a request for an interview Friday from The Associated Press.
The senator in her statement took aim at Gorsuch and Kavanaugh for their about-face from what they told her privately and said in their confirmation hearings.
“This decision is inconsistent with what Justices Gorsuch and Kavanaugh said in their testimony and their meetings with me, where they both were insistent on the importance of supporting long-standing precedents that the country has relied upon,” she said.
The vote to confirm Gorsuch wasn't as narrow as for Kavanaugh, whose nomination was nearly derailed by accusations of sexual assault that he denied. Senators approved Gorsuch's nomination with a 54-45 vote.
Collins voted against the nomination of Amy Coney Barrett, saying that it was too late in Trump’s presidency and that his successor should’ve made a nomination to fill the vacancy.
Despite the vitriol against Collins and coat hangers mailed to her office, she easily won a fifth term in 2020.
She said she supports a bipartisan bill to codify the right to an abortion. “Our goal with this legislation is to do what the court should have done — provide the consistency in our abortion laws that Americans have relied upon for 50 years,” she said. | https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/local/after-abortion-ruling-critics-renew-blasts-at-sen-collins-maine-national-politics-supreme-court/97-70c32003-f782-42c7-9365-69fb1d59bd56 | 2022-06-24T21:47:35 | 0 | https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/local/after-abortion-ruling-critics-renew-blasts-at-sen-collins-maine-national-politics-supreme-court/97-70c32003-f782-42c7-9365-69fb1d59bd56 |
MAINE, USA — This story is developing and will be updated throughout the day as more information becomes available.
Many Maine leaders have spoken out against the Supreme Court's decision Friday on Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, which resulted in effectively overturning the 1973 Roe v. Wade case that allowed for legalized abortion in the U.S.
Political leaders and Maine women's health organizations have expressed that the decision to overturn women's abortion rights is "tragic," "chilling," and "devastating."
Planned Parenthood Maine issued a news release, stating their view on the "devastating decision."
Vice President of Public Affairs at Planned Parenthood Maine Action Fund Nicole Clegg stated the following in the release:
“By overturning Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court has now officially given politicians permission to control what we do with our bodies, deciding that we can no longer be trusted to determine the course for our own lives. This dangerous and chilling decision will have devastating consequences across the country, forcing people to travel hundreds, sometimes thousands, of miles for care or remain pregnant.
“To be clear, abortion is still legal in Maine. But laws can be changed. Paul LePage is hostile to abortion rights as are a number of Maine politicians. If a majority of anti-abortion politicians take control of the legislature or the Blaine House, they could pass laws restricting or even banning abortion here in Maine. Maine people overwhelmingly want abortion to remain legal. We must hold our candidates and elected officials accountable and ensure they will not only keep abortion legal in Maine, but work to make abortion more accessible for all.”
Planned Parenthood Maine added in their release that regardless of the Supreme Court's decision today, women can still book an appointment at their location in Portland.
The Mabel Wadsworth Center in Bangor, a women's health center that offers abortion services, also echoed their continued support for women's abortion rights in Maine.
The women's health center posted on Facebook that they are "outraged," stating the following in their post:
"We are outraged! Today’s decision by the Supreme Court is a shattering blow to the right to access abortion in the U.S., leaving even more people struggling to access the essential health care they need. Abortion remains legal in Maine and available at our clinic in Bangor; no one should have to travel for care, but we are here when and if you need us. Our fight to maintain and expand access to abortion continues and we will keep fighting until every person, no matter where we live, how much money we make, or what we look like, has the freedom to make our own decisions about our lives and futures. Abortion is our right."
The Maine Nurse Practitioner Association is equally as much of an advocate for women's abortion rights as Planned Parenthood Maine and the Mabel Wadsworth Center.
The association issued a news release stating the following regarding Friday's court ruling:
"The United States Supreme Court voted today, in its decision in Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health Organization, to take a woman’s right to safe and autonomous reproductive health care back into the 18th century. Roe v Wade has been settled law since 1973, preserving the absolutely essential and foundational right to self-determination and reproductive freedom.
"The mission of the Maine Nurse Practitioner Association is to advocate for the health of all the people of Maine. In so doing, MNPA recognizes abortion as essential healthcare and supports the current law, the Maine Reproductive Privacy Act.
"As we have seen today, established law can be dismantled in the blink of an eye and at the behest of ideologues. The best protection of the Reproductive Privacy Act, as well as advocacy for the health of all Maine citizens, rests in the vote of each and every one of us,” Constance Jordan, MSN, ANP, PMHNP and Board President of the Maine Nurse Practitioner Association, said. “The Maine Nurse Practitioner Association affirms and commits to protection of the right to reproductive health care rights for all individuals in the state of Maine, stands with our colleagues at Maine Family Planning, the Mabel Wadsworth Center and Planned Parenthood of Northern New England and urges the citizens of Maine to uphold these essential rights with their vote in November."
Maine political leaders have also expressed their opinions against the Supreme Court decision.
Portland Mayor Kate Snyder called the decision "unnecessary" in a news release issued by city of Portland spokesperson Jessica Grondin. Snyder made the following statement in the release:
"While many of us feared the Supreme Court was moving toward overturning the long-standing constitutional protections for abortions and reproductive freedom, I am still in shock and disbelief they would abandon this precedent. This is a reprehensible decision, one that is an unnecessary assault on women and those who have a uterus. We have real problems in this country, major issues that our leaders should be working to address. And yet here we are, in 2022, still buying into the notion that abortion is a problem we need to solve.
"Reproductive freedoms should not be a state by state decision. While I am thankful that abortion will still be legal in Maine, and thankful for Governor Mills’ commitment to uphold that right, I am saddened that this decision will harm those who aren’t as privileged to have safe and timely access to the healthcare they deserve. And I’m afraid of what this decision means for the other landmark cases that currently hold precedent in our country."
Former Maine Sen. Olympia Snowe took to Twitter opposing the decision. She tweeted the following:
"This devastating decision rolling back a half-century of precedent on a woman’s constitutional right to make her own decision is a travesty of justice. It is inconceivable that, in 21st century America, we have arrived at this tragic and undeniable retrenchment of women’s rights."
Maine Senate Democrats have expressed through a news release that they "will fight back against efforts to undermine abortion rights and stand united for reproductive freedom."
The Maine Legislature Office of the Senate President issued a news release including statements in response to the court ruling from Senate President Troy Jackson, D-Allagash, Senate Majority Leader Eloise Vitelli, D-Arrowsic, and Assistant Senate Majority Leader Mattie Daughtry, D-Brunswick.
Senate President Jackson's statement in the release is as follows:
"Unfortunately, today’s devastating decision made by a conservative majority on the U.S. Supreme Court to restrict the right to an abortion and erode almost 50 years of precedent does not come as a shock. However, that doesn’t make this reality any easier to swallow nor does it do much to alleviate the fear that millions of Mainers and Americans are experiencing.
“The right to decide if and when to start a family is fundamental to who we are as Americans and our freedom. It’s a deeply personal decision that should not be made by politicians or justices. In the wake of this decision, please know that Maine Senate Democrats will fight back against efforts to undermine abortion rights and stand united for reproductive freedom.”
Senate Majority Leader Vitelli stated the following in the release:
“There are those of us who remember a time before Roe v. Wade — when people were forced to go underground and put their lives on the line to access an abortion. Far too many of us know far too well that banning abortion doesn’t stop people from getting abortions, it just stops people from getting safe abortions. This ruling from the Supreme Court is unconscionable.
"Rather than protecting the sanctity of life, it will only endanger the lives of everyday people. I vowed in my youth to fight for the right to access abortion care, and it’s clear this fight is far from over. I join with countless people across our state when I say, despite this decision handed down to us from Washington, Maine will not go back.”
Assistant Senate Majority Leader Daughtry's statement in the release is as follows:
“Abortion is health care, and health care is a human right. No health care decision is made easier or better by having a politician or judge get in the way. What the Supreme Court has done today will hurt people across our country, but especially those who are already marginalized — people of color, people from low-income households, and people trying to survive domestic abuse.
"I’m proud that our Legislature has done so much in the past few years to ensure Mainers have access to quality reproductive health care, regardless of how much money they make or where they live. Maine lawmakers will continue to do all we can to protect this right, even as those who sit on the highest court of the land fail us.”
RELATED: Mills, King, Pingree call Supreme Court decision 'dangerous,' 'infuriating,' 'catastrophic'
Just outside of Maine, political leaders in Maine's neighboring state are also expressing shared reactions, including New Hampshire Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-New Hampshire.
Sen. Shaheen took to Facebook to share her thoughts on the matter, posting the following:
"The highest court in the land failed half of the country today. Like millions of Americans across the country, I am gutted and horrified. Make no mistake: Overturning Roe jeopardizes women’s lives. It won’t stop abortions from happening – it will just make them dangerous. Decisions around when and how to start families belong to us - not politicians and jurists. We cannot accept this dangerous new status quo. We must demand new laws in Congress and across state legislatures to protect women's fundamental freedoms. Today, we grieve. Tomorrow, we fight. - J.S."
Even organizations aside from women's health centers are speaking up regarding the court decision.
Karin Leuthy of the Maine Center for Economic Policy, a nonpartisan policy research organization, says this will not only affect women's health rights, but the economic security of Americans as a whole in a news release.
MECEP issued the following statement in the release:
"The US Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v Wade strikes a calamitous blow against decades of legal precedent, dangerously impacting health, privacy, and self-determination for millions of Americans. In doing so, it also strikes a blow to Americans’ ability to manage their economic futures.
"Reproductive rights cannot be separated from economic and workplace rights. Restricting access to comprehensive reproductive care, including abortion, threatens the autonomy, health, and economic stability of working people.
"Abortion bans disproportionately harm Black, Latino, Indigenous, and other people of color, because of this country's legacy of racism and discrimination. Abortion bans strip us of our freedom to control our own body and are a product of the historic and systemic barriers to care that too many communities face every day.
"Maine responded to previous threats to comprehensive reproductive health services by solidifying reproductive protections in Maine law. While there is currently a state law protecting legal abortion in Maine, this decision could put Maine laws at risk.
"Maine’s congressional delegation must stand up for the millions of impacted Americans and their financial stability by pledging now to codify Roe through federal legislation."
Another organization, the American Civil Liberties Union of Maine, spoke against the Supreme Court ruling in a news release calling it "shameful."
The organization stated the following in the release:
"The Supreme Court issued a shameful ruling today overturning Roe v. Wade — the landmark decision recognizing the constitutional right to abortion nearly 50 years ago. Today’s ruling will allow anti-abortion politicians to ban abortion in states across the country which will force countless people to remain pregnant and have children against their will. The ruling in this case, Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, will set off a chain reaction with states banning abortion and criminalizing essential care throughout entire regions of the country.
"Forcing someone to carry a pregnancy against their will has life-altering consequences, including forcing them to endure serious health risks from continued pregnancy and childbirth, making it harder to escape poverty, derailing their education and career plans, and making it more difficult to leave an abusive partner.
"Abortion access in Maine is protected under state law. The Maine Reproductive Privacy Act makes it the public policy of Maine not to restrict a pregnant person’s exercise of their private decision to terminate a pregnancy. Because of advocacy the ACLU of Maine has done in partnership with abortion providers and other advocates, in 2019 Maine expanded abortion care to people experiencing poverty and people in rural areas. Under state law, MaineCare covers abortion care, so low-income people can access abortions. Maine law also allows advanced practice clinicians, not just doctors, to provide abortions – expanding access and care for people in rural parts of the state."
Now, women's health centers and locals are planning a protest to take place at Portland's City Hall at 5:15 p.m. Friday evening.
Planned Parenthood Maine tweeted their decision to participate in the march, asking people to join them.
In addition to Planned Parenthood Maine, the Mabel Wadsworth Center also spread the word about the rally, posting on Facebook that they are supporting Planned Parenthood Maine, as well as Maine Family Planning, in Friday evening's protest.
More NEWS CENTER Maine stories | https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/local/local-leaders-express-anger-shock-at-supreme-court-abortion-ruling-maine-politics/97-2e41c88a-b18d-494d-93eb-08daa5fddede | 2022-06-24T21:47:41 | 0 | https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/local/local-leaders-express-anger-shock-at-supreme-court-abortion-ruling-maine-politics/97-2e41c88a-b18d-494d-93eb-08daa5fddede |
PORTLAND, Ore. — The Oregon Department of Human Services is clarifying a proposed rule change around child abuse investigations after the agency received blowback.
Despite prior statements to the contrary, state agency officials said they are not trying to narrow the type of abuse records that can be accessed by the public, Oregon Public Broadcasting reported.
“Unfortunately, our previous statements and communication about this proposed rule change were inaccurate,” ODHS Director Fariborz Pakseresht said. “We apologize for the confusion."
The agency said instead of trying to narrow the type of abuse records for children who are harmed outside the home, they are merely codifying current practice, which is to not release child abuse investigations while they are in progress.
Its intent is to clarify the rule to ensure there is no loss of federal funding since officials feel the current rule lacks clarity, the agency said.
State Sen. Sara Gelser Blouin, who has become a DHS watchdog and helped reveal systemic child abuse, said she appreciates the clarification.
“I look forward to seeing a corrected version of the rule that affirms that once completed, appropriately redacted … abuse investigation reports related to children in care are public records that will be released upon request,” Gelser Blouin said.
The initial understanding was the rule change would allow agency leaders to largely deny most public records requests even if an investigation was completed.
In 2018, public records helped uncover widespread abuse in facilities where Oregon was sending foster youth to live. | https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/dhs-clarifies-child-abuse-probe-change/283-ef3307d8-20f7-47e3-91bd-b8d11de05683 | 2022-06-24T21:47:54 | 0 | https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/dhs-clarifies-child-abuse-probe-change/283-ef3307d8-20f7-47e3-91bd-b8d11de05683 |
CLINTON COUNTY, Pa. — If you're driving on Interstate 80 in Clinton County, you may notice something odd. Many of the trees don't have leaves.
The cause is Lymantria dispar, more commonly known as the Spongy Moth. The bug eats everything in its path during its caterpillar phase. It was previously known as the Gypsy Moth.
"Spongy moth goes through these outbreaks where it builds up, especially in the front side of an outbreak. The first couple of years are really bad because the egg masses are really big," said Donald Eggen, a Pennsylvania DCNR forest health manager.
In 2021, the bug was responsible for 321,000 acres of defoliation across the state. Spongy Moth outbreaks in central Pennsylvania last anywhere from one to three years.
"The outbreak expanded and built up in a lot of other areas of the state, so we are anticipating the damage will be larger than last year," added Eggen.
It only takes about 250 egg masses per acre to get complete defoliation. Egg masses the size of a quarter contain about 250 to 500 eggs each.
"We were dealing with populations this year that had tens of thousands of egg masses per acre," he said.
The Pennsylvania DCNR sprayed insecticide across 210,000 acres of state-owned forest this year. However, insecticide isn't the only thing that can stop the bug.
"Generally, what happens in the areas that it has been bad in 2021 and 2022, the virus and fungus disease kick up and help control population," stated Eggen.
Folks who own or live on private land must buy their own insecticide or hire a company to do the spraying in the fall or winter months. You can find more information about private land spraying here.
Check the areas being sprayed on the DCNR website here.
See news happening? Text our Newstip Hotline. | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/clinton-county/spongy-moth-outbreak-worse-than-last-year-gypsy-moth-dcnr-egg-masses/523-be9b54fa-382b-475f-9497-576bae4f2c22 | 2022-06-24T21:48:21 | 0 | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/clinton-county/spongy-moth-outbreak-worse-than-last-year-gypsy-moth-dcnr-egg-masses/523-be9b54fa-382b-475f-9497-576bae4f2c22 |
SCRANTON, Pa. — Reactions to the Supreme Court's ruling continue to pour in, and as expected, it's drawing mixed feelings.
Bishop Joseph Bambera of the Diocese of Scranton weighed in on the Supreme Court's vote to overturn Roe V Wade in a statement saying, in part, "I am thankful that the majority of justices on the U. S. Supreme Court have recognized and upheld the sanctity of human life ... For Catholics, respecting life, especially the unborn, is intrinsic to our identity as people of faith."
Parishioners attending mass at St. Peter's Cathedral in Scranton echoed the bishop's message.
"God is the author of life, and therefore we respect that gift, and we are grateful that our country from its founding had the right to life as an important part of who we are," said Sister Michael Hartman.
"Overjoyed," said Patricia Nestor. "Yesterday, the gospel was about how Elizabeth was pregnant with John the Baptist, and the angel came to Zachariah and said he would be filled with the Holy Ghost in the womb. Life begins at conception. It was right there in the gospel."
The decision now means laws will be left up to individual states. So far, Pennsylvania will continue to allow abortion rights.
RELATED: Abortion law in Pennsylvania
Other community members spoke out against the Supreme Court's ruling.
"Oh, my word, it is a sad day," Helen Gaus said. "I would want my own rights in what I can do with myself."
"I am pro-choice. I think a woman should have a choice on her own body," said Tom McDonell. "I think this decision is going to explode and go a lot further than they realize." | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/lackawanna-county/reaction-to-roe-v-wade-ruling-in-scranton-diocese-bambera-st-peters-cathedral-mass-pro-choice-abortion/523-a566618e-8912-4f79-989f-101cc3c1ea1b | 2022-06-24T21:48:27 | 1 | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/lackawanna-county/reaction-to-roe-v-wade-ruling-in-scranton-diocese-bambera-st-peters-cathedral-mass-pro-choice-abortion/523-a566618e-8912-4f79-989f-101cc3c1ea1b |
PENNSYLVANIA, USA — The Dioceses of Scranton, Harrisburg, and Allentown issued their respective statements following the U.S. Supreme Court ruling on Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization Friday afternoon.
Diocese of Scranton Bishop Joseph C. Bambera released the following statement:
“One of the fundamental teachings of the Catholic Church is that all human life is sacred – from the moment of conception until natural death – and it must be respected and protected. In its opinion for Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, issued on Friday, June 24, 2022, I am thankful that the majority of Justices on the U.S. Supreme Court have recognized and upheld the sanctity of human life.
“For Catholics, respecting life, especially the unborn, is intrinsic to our identity as people of faith. While political and ideological divisions often drive us apart, we must remember that the Sacred Scriptures call us to be one, reverencing every life that comes into our world. It is critical to note, however, that valuing human life is not simply confined to life in the womb. We must never dismiss or ignore our responsibility to care for, protect and defend our brothers and sisters from other serious threats to human life, including poverty, racism and oppression.
“While already the largest private provider of social services in the United States, the Catholic Church must redouble its efforts and always stand ready to assist young women and couples who are facing unexpected or difficult pregnancies. Everyone in our Diocese and parishes should be familiar with ways to help mothers in difficult circumstances. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops recently launched its “Walking with Moms in Need” initiative to continue building relationships with community resources and make sure people in all parish communities know where to refer a pregnant woman in need.
“Our diocese is blessed to have many parishes filled with faithful people who regularly donate diapers, clothing, money and other resources to help expectant mothers each year. On the diocesan level, Catholic Social Services of the Diocese of Scranton provides educational, emotional and material support to expectant parents and operates Shepherd’s Maternity House in East Stroudsburg which provides housing, care and assistance for pregnant women and their newborn babies. Along with so many other community agencies and programs, including, but not limited to, Saint Joseph’s Center, Friends of the Poor, Rachel’s Vineyard and the Pennsylvanians for Human Life, any mother needing assistance can receive life-affirming support.
“As we strive to build a true culture of life in our nation, the Gospel of Matthew reminds us that our welcome into God’s eternity will be determined by our willingness to reverence, respect and serve the most vulnerable among us in whom Christ is present: ‘Whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me’” (Matthew 18:5).
Diocese of Harrisburg Bishop Ronald W. Gainer released the following statement:
“The Catholic Church has long taught that all life is a precious gift from God. This life is to be protected and respected from the moment of conception to that of natural death. Today’s ruling from the Supreme Court in the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization is an important step in furthering the protection of the most vulnerable, infants in the womb. As a pro-life Church, not only do we support parents facing an unplanned or difficult pregnancy, we also continue our efforts to support the needs of the elderly, the poor, the sick, the imprisoned, the refugee and immigrant, and those who have been marginalized.
"It is my prayer that as we face the uncertainties ahead, we can do so peacefully, working together to respect the concerns of our brothers and sisters, while also striving to build a society where all life is protected.”
Diocese of Allentown Bishop Alfred A. Schlert released the following statement:
“In light of the Supreme Court decision on Dobbs, we are reminded that since God is the author of all life, all human life must be protected and respected at every stage, especially the most defenseless.
“The past half century has consisted of dark days of human and judicial error that manipulated the Constitution to allow humans to play the role of the Creator and the arbiter of who deserves to live. I commend the justices for their courageous willingness to reexamine the right to terminate a life.
“We see how the abortion issue has coarsened our society and civil discourse. This will continue as the issue returns to the states. Now is a time of renewed prayer and engagement with the legislative process to continue the work reinforced by today’s decision.
“To those who have procured an abortion in the past or are contemplating one, our opposition to abortion is not an opposition to you, but rather a call to embrace you. The Diocese of Allentown stands ready to assist you in a spirit of love, mercy, charity, and compassion, through our prayers and the services of Catholic Charities and its partner agencies.”
See news happening? Text our Newstip Hotline. | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/luzerne-county/pa-dioceses-statements-support-scotus-abortion-ruling-scranton-harrisburg-allentown-bishops/523-aaa15ee6-584a-4dbe-a144-1c090d7b8f32 | 2022-06-24T21:48:33 | 1 | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/luzerne-county/pa-dioceses-statements-support-scotus-abortion-ruling-scranton-harrisburg-allentown-bishops/523-aaa15ee6-584a-4dbe-a144-1c090d7b8f32 |
DELAWARE WATER GAP, Pa. — Women's Resources of Monroe County in Delaware Water Gap has been helping domestic and sexual violence victims and survivors for over 40 years.
Now that the United States Supreme Court has overturned Roe v. Wade, those at the center expect the ruling will impact the women they serve.
"The right to access health care, the right to access reproductive health care, the right to abortions needs to be sacrosanct. It's the right also to privacy, making those decisions," said Lauren Peterson, the executive director for Women's Resources.
Peterson says the ruling will have repercussions for quite some time.
"Certain laws that have come out and said, 'Well, OK, we're going to ban abortions, but in cases of incest or rape.' Well, that's just putting another form of coercion and control onto the victim, forcing them to disclose something terrible that has happened to them."
Peterson says overturning Roe v. Wade doesn't only impact the people she works with.
"The BIPOC community, the black community, those who are low-income, they're going to also disproportionately be affected because they're not going to have as many resources, availability finances possible that others would have the recourse to do so."
Peterson is hopeful that Pennsylvania will enact laws to protect access to reproductive choices.
Newswatch 16 coverage of the abortion decision is also on YouTube. | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/monroe-county/womens-resources-in-monroe-county-concerned-about-abortion-ruling-roe-v-wade-delaware-water-gap/523-93004fa9-f059-4510-abf9-49c9336ded0e | 2022-06-24T21:48:39 | 0 | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/monroe-county/womens-resources-in-monroe-county-concerned-about-abortion-ruling-roe-v-wade-delaware-water-gap/523-93004fa9-f059-4510-abf9-49c9336ded0e |
LEWISBURG, Pa. — There were a lot of smiles in Lewisburg as a group of kids were some of the first to swing, slide, and climb. After more than a year of construction, Hufnagle Park Kidsburg is now open.
"We've been waiting a long time, very patiently, for this playground to open. Obviously, we've been visiting some of the other playgrounds but have been keeping our eyes open to this one," Geralee Zeigler said.
Lewisburg celebrated the opening of the latest phase of its Bull Run Greenway Improvement Project. The goal of the project is to improve Hufnagle Park. The project extended the Buffalo Valley Rail Trail to the edge of Bucknell University's campus. It also restored the stream, allowing the water to flood in its natural environment.
"We have a tremendous amount of wildflowers, shade trees, native plants, and so forth. We're really also trying to introduce nature back into town," Steve Beattie said.
The highlights of this project are two different playgrounds — a first-responder-themed area and a nature play.
"What's really cool is they're both here together, so kids can experience both types of play, and it's just a whole different experience, especially the nature play, which is new to our area," Beattie said.
All the playground equipment was provided for free by Playworld Systems as a thank you to the first responders in this area for saving its facility from a fire last year.
Parents we spoke with were excited to bring their children.
"It's so nice. It's important, obviously. We have a very active 3 year old, so playing outside is very important to us," Zeigler said.
"We were hoping to come into it last night, but then we ran into the I think he was city council president. He said about today, so we came to the ribbon-cutting ceremony so they could be some of the first ones on the playground," Aaron Ernest said.
Children now have all summer to enjoy the new park.
Check out WNEP’s YouTube channel. | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/union-county/hufnagle-park-kidsburg-is-now-open-in-lewisburg-bull-run-greenway-buffalo-valley-rail-trail-bucknell/523-294db70f-06b5-4c12-a6e9-6312d2f907d5 | 2022-06-24T21:48:45 | 0 | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/union-county/hufnagle-park-kidsburg-is-now-open-in-lewisburg-bull-run-greenway-buffalo-valley-rail-trail-bucknell/523-294db70f-06b5-4c12-a6e9-6312d2f907d5 |
WYOMING COUNTY, Pa. — High school students gathered around as they learned how to bottle feed a baby goat at the Brown Hill Farm in Wyoming County. The activity is part of a program put on by the Northern Tier Industry and Education Consortium (NTIEC).
"We decided to bring it to Wyoming County to see if we could cover a larger footprint to educate students about the careers and jobs that are available to them locally and in the agricultural industry," said Debra Tierney, education coordinator for NTIEC/
The program is for students from Lackawanna, Wyoming, Susquehanna, and Bradford Counties who are part of or who have family in the farming industry and want to take their learning to the next level.
"I'd look up colleges to attend, and they'd just be like something generic, and I didn't understand what other careers there were, so I found this camp, and they said they'd be showing us a bunch of different farming careers, so I said, 'You know what? Let's try it,'" said student Charlotte Quick.
"I've always been in the ag business, and I've always enjoyed it, and I want to learn more about the industry and what it can offer me in the future," Josh Keeney said.
The Brown Hill Farm near Tunkhannock was the students' last stop for the program.
Over the past week, they've seen how new technologies are changing the way farmers plant and fertilize their crops.
They've also seen the growing impact of agritourism and how activities such as a petting zoo and games for kids can help bring in more money.
"One thing I told the kids was that we try things at least three times. If it fails the first time and the second time, but it might take that third try. Whether it's the public visiting the farm or it's the crop itself, don't give up on the first try," said Michele Brown, co-owner of Brown Hill Farm.
Programs like this are being offered all summer long. Get more information here.
Check out WNEP’s YouTube channel. | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/wyoming-county/agriculture-and-leadership-program-inspires-students-farming-agritourism/523-38f45721-0817-4e4e-8c0b-fcd5221fb974 | 2022-06-24T21:48:51 | 0 | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/wyoming-county/agriculture-and-leadership-program-inspires-students-farming-agritourism/523-38f45721-0817-4e4e-8c0b-fcd5221fb974 |
Tara Morand knows that if her mother had the option to get an abortion upon finding out she pregnant she would have. But Morand, 51, was born in December 1970, roughly two years before abortion was legal in the United States.
“If my mother could have gotten an abortion, she probably would have gotten an abortion. And that's OK,” Morand said in an interview. “We had a very difficult life because she had to have me.”
Morand said that as the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade materialized Friday morning, Morand and her co-workers went outside and screamed. Upon returning inside the real estate office where she works, Morand took a personal day. Having attended abortion rights protests since the 1980s, she found herself at Bell Tower in Capitol Square Friday afternoon, ready to act.
People are also reading…
Less than two months ago, participants in the the annual March for Life rally convened at the Bell Tower, urging the court to uphold the Mississippi law challenged in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, to effectively overturn Roe v. Wade.
The Supreme Court’s Friday decision to overturn Roe v. Wade now sends the issue of abortion back to state legislatures. Gov. Glenn Youngkin said Friday that he will seek to ban most abortions after 15 weeks.
Representatives of groups that oppose abortion issued statements hailing the decision.
Virginia Gans Turner, president of the Virginia Society for Human Life, said in a statement: “Virginians should be elated that the Supreme Court has overturned the dreadful Roe v. Wade decision and opened the door for the states to pass reasonable, protective laws for mothers and their unborn children at all stages of pregnancy."
Victoria Cobb, president of the Family Foundation of Virginia said in a statement: “Today, we pause to celebrate the right to life of babies around the nation being protected, but tomorrow the work begins in Virginia to protect life throughout the Commonwealth.”
Barry C. Knestout, bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Richmond, said in a statement: “Every life – both mother and children – is sacred and immeasurably loved and valued by God. I pray that throughout our nation – including here in Virginia – lawmakers will open their hearts to the opportunities before them to protect unborn children, support women in crisis pregnancies and promote life-affirming alternatives to abortion.”
In Richmond, frustration and anger over the Youngkin announcement was evident in Capitol Square where Mayor Levar Stoney, state Sen. Jennifer McClellan, D-Richmond, and other community leaders and activists addressed a news conference.
“Although the governor wants to have a 15-week ban which is out of step with what a majority of Virginians want, we are gonna say ‘no,’ ” McClellan said. “We are going to say to the party that professed to care about parental rights ‘you will not insert yourself in the decision about whether to become a parent in the first place.’”
The call to action was unanimous across all speakers: “vote.”
Kenda Sutton-El, executive director of the group Birth in Color, petitioned everyone in the crowd, especially the white women, to know who they are voting for.
My statement on Supreme Court’s Dobbs Ruling Announcement: pic.twitter.com/JA6N2UGDxi
— Governor Glenn Youngkin (@GovernorVA) June 24, 2022
“... For the white women that I see standing out here, you guys are always out here with us. But when we looked at those data [points] from when the election [November 2021] was, you decided to play on your white privilege that you didn't want to lose,” Sutton-El said, referring to the gubernatorial race in 2021.
Jamie Lockhart, executive director of Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia, said: “The future of abortion rights here in Virginia depends on our elected officials serving in Virginia. We are only one state Senate seat away from a Texas style abortion law.”
Sutton-El said that reduced access to abortions disproportionately affects Black women.
“This news is definitely devastating especially when Black women are three times more likely to die during childbirth than white women,” Sutton-El said. “To take away the right to have an abortion or not, when to have children, is appalling.”
Behind the leaders a crowd of supporters held up signs saying “Abortion is Health Care,” “Bans off our bodies” and “Stand with Black women.”
The news conference ended abruptly because the gathered groups had just a 30-minute permit. Afterward, a march began on the sidewalks surrounding the Capitol. A group of abortion-rights supporters gathered at the Capitol’s gates chanting “Overturn Roe, Hell No.”
Alexandra Walker, 17, and Sonia Krishna, 16, two students from St. Catherine’s School, came to the protest with homemade signs they said they made when a draft of Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito’s opinion was leaked to Politico in early May.
“It’s really important, especially young women who this is going to affect a lot, especially POC women, to get out and share ‘we really don’t want this,’” Walker said, referring to an acronym for people of color. “The majority of women in the United States don’t want this and don’t agree with this.”
Krishna said: “I’m here because I think it is fundamentally and human right to have safe abortions and it’s just unfair." She added: “My grandma, my mom, they lived in a time where it was safe to do this.
"Now girls our age who could get pregnant, who can’t afford to have a baby, who were raped or any sort of horrible incident to happen where they do become pregnant they now can’t have an abortion or they can’t have a safe abortion. That puts them at risk.”
Stephanie Nash, the Virginia advocacy director for Whole Women’s Health Alliance, a nonprofit part of Whole Women’s Health, an independent abortion provider that has clinics across the country, was at the Capitol Friday afternoon.
While Nash, 39, anticipated the result of Friday’s decision, she said that when it became a reality, her heart sank, as someone who had an abortion in Milwaukee and she said it sank for her Texas colleagues.
Nash said patients at the Whole Women’s Texas clinics Friday morning were turned away as soon as the news hit. “We had patients in the clinic at that time … and we have about 150 patients who were on the books between today and Sunday [in Texas],” Nash said.
Despite the court ruling, Nash said she will continue to do her work and advocate. Nash will continue coordinated efforts to help Texas patients come to Virginia or Baltimore to receive their procedure.
“For myself as a Black woman my rights have always been stripped so this is another day for me, like another day in the neighborhood. But for the people that this will affect and that’s all of us, whether you are pregnant or not, whether you are gonna become pregnant or not, whether you are a man, whether you are Black, whether you are Latina, whether you are a Native American, this is going to affect all of us and it has affected all of us,” Nash said.
Two abortion-rights rallies are planned for Friday night in Richmond, one beginning at 6 p.m. at the federal courthouse and the other at 8 p.m. at the former site of the Robert E. Lee monument, which racial justice protestors informally renamed to Marcus-David Peters Circle in June 2020.
Staff reporter Eric Kolenich and Editor Andrew Cain contributed to this report. | https://richmond.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/watch-now-virginians-speak-out-after-supreme-court-overturns-roe/article_09129e53-5c83-518f-aa56-b394fd3b9194.html | 2022-06-24T21:51:15 | 1 | https://richmond.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/watch-now-virginians-speak-out-after-supreme-court-overturns-roe/article_09129e53-5c83-518f-aa56-b394fd3b9194.html |
Body found next to Nampa canal By KTVB.COM STAFF Jun 24, 2022 8 hrs ago Comments Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Support Local Journalism If you value these stories, please consider subscribing. Subscribe Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Originally published June 23 on KTVB.COM.The Canyon County Coroner removed a body found next to a canal in Nampa on Thursday.Officials said the body was at the location for a long period of time, so its gender and identity is unknown.The body was found next to a canal located on private property at 11761 Moss Lane. The scene is now clear.The body is the second one discovered in Canyon County this week. An unidentified body was recovered from Indian Creek in Caldwell on Wednesday. This is a developing story.More from KTVB.COM:Plane crashes near Snake River in Idaho CountyKuna couple found guilty in child starvation case Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Tags Canal Nampa Economics Couple Official Snake River Coroner Starvation Hydrography Caldwell Recommended for you Load comments Enter our Current Contests! Newsletter Signup Sign up today for one of our great newsletters and get headlines right in your inbox every morning. Sign up now! Trending Now Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade Veteran amputee offers words of encouragement at law enforcement appreciation event 21st gun found this year at Boise Airport Thursday morning The Boise school board may look different next year. Meet the teenager who announced their candidacy Eagle Police expand patrolling to greenbelt, parks, and trails Latest e-Edition Idaho Press-Tribune Idaho Press Manage subscription E-Edition E-Editions Homepage Report Trouble Print Edition Subscribe Archive Search the complete digital archives for all papers in the Pioneer News Group. Visit the Archives
Sign up today for one of our great newsletters and get headlines right in your inbox every morning. Sign up now!
Idaho Press-Tribune Idaho Press Manage subscription E-Edition E-Editions Homepage Report Trouble Print Edition Subscribe | https://www.idahopress.com/news/local/body-found-next-to-nampa-canal/article_cc42aae1-a148-5e13-a8d2-a1490bf57c85.html | 2022-06-24T21:52:29 | 0 | https://www.idahopress.com/news/local/body-found-next-to-nampa-canal/article_cc42aae1-a148-5e13-a8d2-a1490bf57c85.html |
Lee Read Diamonds is partnering with the Make-A-Wish Foundation to help make dreams come true for a local girl and her family.
Sierra Modawell was just 3 years old when she was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis, a chronic disease that affects the body’s mucus production and can cause severe damage to the lungs, digestive system and other organs in the body.
The diagnosis came shortly after her little sister Maddie was diagnosed with the same condition when she was 18 months old.
For the next several years, cystic fibrosis consumed much of Sierra Modawell’s life.
“Through middle school was the hardest years of it. Just because that's when CFers really start to struggle,” Sierra, now 15, said. “When I was in middle school, I had to go to the hospital once a year just for checkups. And then … if I got sick, I got sick. And so I missed a lot of school. And a lot of my friends never really understood how bad my CF got.”
Sierra also had to take pills every time she ate and had to be careful with exercise because it could cause her to suffocate.
But because you can’t really see cystic fibrosis, not many people outside of her family gave it much thought. With that said, she had to think about it “every second of (her) life.” To Sierra Modawell, it seemed like all she knew was the medical world.
In the eighth grade, the Make-A-Wish foundation told Sierra Modawell they would grant her dream vacation — a trip to Australia with her family.
Then COVID hit. Travel, especially international travel, was out of the question.
“They just told me to wait really,” she said.
The wait was disappointing. The family had recently returned from Maddie’s wish trip to Walt Disney World in Florida and Sierra was so excited to go on her own. But in the midst of that time, a “miracle” happened, according to Sierra’s dad, Colt Modawell.
Sierra and Maddie got put on a new medication called Trikafta. The medication helped clear up the mucus in their bodies. Sierra Modawell gained weight. She took up sports. She began to have a life outside of cystic fibrosis. The medication, while it did cause drawbacks to the girls' mental health, was “life changing.”
“For most of the CFers life growing up, they're being told their life expectancy is 20 to 30 years old, maybe 40 if you're lucky,” Colt Modawell said. “So it's kind of hard to get excited about life aspirations like getting married, having children, they have such a low chance of having kids.”
Now with Trikafta, life expectancy for people with cystic fibrosis has shot up to their 50s and 60s.
“It was a really big realization. And now I want a little baby girl when I'm older and all that stuff,” Sierra Modawell said.
She also has the goal of going to school to be a cosmetologist.
And, with COVID-related travel restrictions and precautions loosening up this year, Make-A-Wish was ready to grant Sierra Modawell’s wish. But there was a catch — international travel through the foundation was no longer something they could accommodate.
So Sierra chose what she imagined was the next best thing: a trip to Hawaii.
On July 13, Make-A-Wish will send the Modawell family to Oahu. The trip is funded by Jewelers for Children in partnership with Gabriel & Co.’s Love Foundation.
For Colt Modawell, Make-A-Wish’s impact on his family has been “everything.”
“Just the fact that Make-A-Wish has been able to graciously take donations and do this — it's just given the kids that opportunity to experience something that we never would have been able to give them,” he said.
On Saturday, Lee Read Diamonds, who is serving as the guest ambassador for Gabriel & Co., will host a send off party for the Modawell family.
“Make-a-Wish is something that we have been wanting to become a part of, especially because we are really outreaching into our community, to become involved and to learn more about our community,” Vice President of Marketing Marisa Stewart said. “That is something that we really wanted to take on and turn into something beautiful.”
The tropical-themed party will feature cake, free tacos from a local food truck and a Polaroid scavenger hunt for Sierra. The party starts at 1 p.m.
Lee Read Diamonds is located at 650 E Sonata Lane in Meridian. | https://www.idahopress.com/news/local/lee-read-diamonds-giving-make-a-wish-recipient-her-dream-vacation/article_7d4fafa9-29b6-57b3-9d7f-64c1331470a3.html | 2022-06-24T21:52:35 | 1 | https://www.idahopress.com/news/local/lee-read-diamonds-giving-make-a-wish-recipient-her-dream-vacation/article_7d4fafa9-29b6-57b3-9d7f-64c1331470a3.html |
A man has died after being physically assaulted in an argument on Tucson’s east side Wednesday evening, police said.
On June 22 just after 4 p.m., officers working off duty at the Eastpointe Market Place, in the 6900 block of East 22nd Street, were advised of an assault that took place in the parking lot.
Officers found Christopher Hart, 37, with obvious signs of blunt force trauma, Tucson police said.
Hart was taken to St. Joseph’s Hospital and died June 23 due to his injuries.
Detectives learned there was an argument between Hart and a group of men. Later, additional men arrived and reportedly physically assaulted Hart and his friend, police said. The assailants fled the area prior to police arrival.
Anyone with information on the incident is asked to call 911 or 88-CRIME. | https://tucson.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/man-dies-after-being-assaulted-in-parking-lot-tucson-police-say/article_59f91c24-f3f3-11ec-b5ae-a7f2017a59b8.html | 2022-06-24T21:53:27 | 1 | https://tucson.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/man-dies-after-being-assaulted-in-parking-lot-tucson-police-say/article_59f91c24-f3f3-11ec-b5ae-a7f2017a59b8.html |
The Texas Supreme Court on Friday issued a major decision in favor of developers planning to build a high-speed train between Dallas and Houston.
In a 5-3 vote, justices ruled that Texas Central Railroad & Infrastructure Inc. does have the power of eminent domain. That gives the company the legal right to force landowners to sell their property to them.
The case centered on an argument from Texas landowner James Fredrick Miles who challenged the company's eminent domain authority by seeking a clear definition that Texas Central is a "railroad company."
The Supreme Court ruling backed that Texas Central and Integrated Texas Logistics Inc. qualify as interurban electric railway companies under the Texas Transportation Code and can use eminent domain to acquire private properties.
"We are appreciative to the Texas Supreme Court for their time and consideration of this important issue as we continue work on this innovative high-speed passenger train rail," Texas Central said in a statement following the ruling.
But questions remain about the future of the multi-billion dollar project after Texas Central CEO Carlos Aguilar resigned earlier this month and lingering concerns over unpaid property taxes for the land the company already owns.
"Tax-paying Texans are at risk of having their land condemned by a company that can’t even afford to pay property taxes on the land already under its control," Texans Against High Speed Rail said in a statement posted on Facebook.
The group is vowing to fight any effort to keep the high-speed rail project from moving forward. | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/dallas-houston-bullet-train-developer-can-use-eminent-domain-texas-supreme-court-rules/3000119/ | 2022-06-24T21:57:58 | 0 | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/dallas-houston-bullet-train-developer-can-use-eminent-domain-texas-supreme-court-rules/3000119/ |
The Supreme Court's conservative majority ended constitutional protections for women Friday that had been in place for nearly 50 years by overturning Roe v. Wade.
Friday's outcome is expected to lead to abortion bans in roughly half the states, including Texas.
The decision was the culmination of decades of efforts by abortion opponents, made possible by an emboldened right side of the court that has been fortified by three appointees of former President Donald Trump.
The ruling came more than a month after the stunning leak of a draft opinion by Justice Samuel Alito indicating the court was prepared to take this landmark step of removing a constitutional protection from American women.
Reaction to the high court's opinion has been swift. A sampling from Texas notables is below.
FORMER PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA
Today, the Supreme Court not only reversed nearly 50 years of precedent, it relegated the most intensely personal decision someone can make to the whims of politicians and ideologues—attacking the essential freedoms of millions of Americans. For more than a month, we’ve known this day was coming—but that doesn’t make it any less devastating. Here are my thoughts from when we first saw the draft ruling.
FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP
Today’s decision, which is the biggest WIN for LIFE in a generation, along with other decisions that have been announced recently, were only made possible because I delivered everything as promised, including nominating and getting three highly respected and strong Constitutionalists confirmed to the United States Supreme Court. It was my great honor to do so! I did not cave to the Radical Left Democrats, their partners in the Fake News Media, or the RINOs who are likewise the true, but silent, enemy of the people. These major Victories prove that even though the Radical Left is doing everything in their power to destroy our Country, your Rights are being protected, the Country is being defended, and there is still hope and time to Save America! I will never stop fighting for the Great People of our Nation!
FORMER PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON
Today’s opinion by the Supreme Court on Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization is wrong on the merits, wrong for women and their ability to make their own healthcare decisions, and wrong for what it means for the future of our country. This decision puts partisanship ahead of precedent, ideology ahead of evidence, and the power of a small minority ahead of the clear will of the people. This jarring removal of rights that had long been guaranteed, along with decisions gutting the Voting Rights Act and abolishing any judicial remedy for admittedly unconstitutional gerrymandering by state legislatures and abuses of power by federal authorities, has put our democracy at risk in the hands of a radical, activist Court. We all must urge lawmakers at both the state and federal level to pass legislation that will guarantee a woman’s right to choice in her reproductive care. And we must vote in every election for leaders who will defend, not deny, our cherished rights and liberties, and confirm judges who will put their duty to uphold the Constitution ahead of their ideology, partisanship, and obsession to control.
HILLARY CLINTON
Most Americans believe the decision to have a child is one of the most sacred decisions there is, and that such decisions should remain between patients and their doctors. Today’s Supreme Court opinion will live in infamy as a step backward for women's rights and human rights.
BISHOP EDWARD BURNS, CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF DALLAS
Recognizing both the laws of nature and God’s divine plan, we acknowledge that life begins at the moment of conception. At that moment of conception, the child has the right to be born, the child has the right to life. Since 1973, we have prayed and marched for the right to life. We are grateful that this day has come and give thanks to God for the gift of life. Let us continue to pray that all will come to acknowledge this sacred right to life. The Catholic Diocese of Dallas will continue offering support for women in need through the efforts of the Catholic Pro-Life Community, Catholic Charities Dallas, crisis pregnancy resource centers, maternity homes, and other pro-life organizations within our Diocese. We will also continue offering support through our three crisis phone lines (1-800-BABY-DUE, 214-557-5286, or 972-BABY-DUE) and we look forward to the opportunity to grow together in our goal to continue to offer as much additional support as possible to mothers in need and encourage them to make use of these resources. Let us now all join together in prayer asking God our Heavenly Father to bless our country with peace and help us seek understanding for one another and respect for life during this time.
REV. DR. NEIL G. THOMAS, SR. PASTOR, CATHEDRAL OF HOPE
This is a catastrophic day for America. The U.S. Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, eliminating the constitutional right to abortion, sets civil rights in our nation back at least three generations. With this ruling, it is clear that the Supreme Court of the United States intends to limit human rights that Americans have counted on and puts at great risk rights of privacy for contraception, same-sex relationships, and gay marriage. The right of women to choose what they can do with their bodies has been a fundamental human right for almost fifty years. This majority opinion from the Supreme Court rips away that right, and the United States stands poised to join the company of a few countries where democracy has been faltering, like Poland and El Salvador, in enacting new restrictions on abortion. This opinion is part of a rising tide of increasingly authoritarian actions around the world and signals a disturbing disregard of established legal precedents on which people in this country have relied to protect all our human rights. The opinion is a very dangerous direction for everyone in the United States and a frightening signal to authoritarians around the world that they can strip long-established rights from their citizens. And in a separate opinion on the case, Justice Clarence Thomas has voiced his strong opinion that the Court should consider abrogating other rights based on the 14th Amendment's rubric of privacy that Americans count on--from the right to contraception to marriage equality. All of us should be very, very afraid for the dark days ahead. That said, we must fight through the courts and through our legislatures. We must work together to register every person of legal voting age. We must not rest until we have leaders and judges elected or appointed who will uphold civil rights for all. Our faith tells us that pessimism and hopelessness is the tool of the oppressor. As such, we must fight against all forms of prejudice, hatred, and indifference. Today, we grieve and pray. Tomorrow, we get to work. We must--and we will.
JEFFREY HONS, PRESIDENT & CEO PLANNED PARENTHOOD
Today, the U.S. Supreme Court erased nearly 50 years of history and its responsibility to uphold legal precedent. This deplorable ruling by the Court’s conservative majority strips Americans of their constitutional rights and further erodes abortion access in Texas. This dangerous outcome opens the floodgates for more states across the country to ban abortion. “Texans know all too well the reality of living in a post-Roe world. For more than nine months under S.B 8, Texans have been denied access to abortion in their own state and have been forced to continue a pregnancy, seek abortion outside the health care system, or travel hundreds or even thousands of miles if they can secure the funds, time off from work, child care, and transportation needed to access abortion out of state. Providers have been forced to turn away patients. It’s heartbreaking and completely preventable. “Forcing someone to continue a pregnancy against their will is a grave violation of human rights and dignity. All Americans deserve to live under a rule of law that respects their bodily autonomy and reproductive decisions. Let’s be clear: today’s ruling and its unraveling of Roe v. Wade will not end the need for abortion. This decision will have damaging effects for generations. And we know the impacts of this decision will fall hardest on the communities who already face discriminatory obstacles to health care—particularly Black, Latinx, and Indigenous communities, people with disabilities, people in rural areas, young people, LGBTQ+ people, undocumented people, and those having difficulty making ends meet.“ The fate of Roe is not the fate of Planned Parenthood. Today our doors are open and they will remain open to serve Texans who need access to essential reproductive health care. Our priority will remain restoring and expanding access to that care, including abortion, for all Texans.”
ABORTION LAW
CATHOLIC PRO-LIFE COMMUNITY
The Catholic Pro-Life Community, the Respect Life Ministry of the Catholic Diocese of Dallas, applauds today’s decision by the U.S. Supreme Court in Mississippi’s Dobbs vs. Jackson Women’s Health that upheld the constitutionality of a pre-viability abortion ban. Today’s decision overturns the 1973 ruling on Roe vs. Wade, which made abortion legal throughout the nation. Since then, states have passed laws anticipating the day when Roe would be reversed. Today is that day!In the majority opinion, the Supreme Court states, ”There is nothing in the Constitution about abortion, and the Constitution does not implicitly protect the right.” The justices also assert that “It is time to heed the Constitution and return the issue of abortion to the people's elected representatives." “This is a momentous day for life,” said Geralyn Kaminsky, executive director of the Catholic Pro-Life Community. “This decision corrects an egregious wrong and returns authority over abortion laws back to individual states. We are so proud of our lawmakers who have led the way in making Texas a pro-life state, But our work is not done yet, far from it. We have a responsibility to walk with moms who believed that abortion was their only option, and we will walk with them until they can walk on their own! ”For almost 30 years, the CPLC has supported moms in crisis and assisted them financially, spiritually, and emotionally through its Project Gabriel Ministry. “There are countless resources available to moms and families throughout our community and our country,” said Kaminsky. “We meet moms where they are in their situation and provide the assistance they need to choose life and save their child. The CPLC partners with pregnancy resource centers, food banks, maternity homes, medical doctors, and private donors, as well as a host of other resources that enable us to provide necessary assistance that will put a pregnant or parenting mom in better circumstances to love and care for her child.”
WENDY CHUN-HOOD, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR WOMEN'S BUREAU DIRECTOR
“The right to reproductive freedom – which includes the right to access legal abortion services – is fundamental to women’s autonomy, health outcomes and economic security. The U.S. Department of Labor’s Women’s Bureau is the only federal agency authorized by Congress to represent the needs and interests of working women. As such, the Women’s Bureau is uniquely positioned to safeguard the needs of working women and advocate for their equality, which includes access to safe reproductive health options such as abortion, contraception and comprehensive maternity care. “Today’s Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade will allow states to ban or significantly restrict access to abortion immediately, often without any exceptions. This means women will lose access to safe, reliable and accessible reproductive medical care. It is an outcome that will have a catastrophic impact on women’s employment and economic security. “Research has shown – repeatedly and consistently – that reproductive autonomy is linked directly to a woman’s ability to get an education, participate in the labor force and increase their earning potential. It has also helped to narrow the gender wage gap. “For more than 100 years, the Women’s Bureau has been committed to advancing the status of working women. Today that means an explicit acknowledgment that access to abortion and all other personal reproductive choices is an issue of health and personal liberty as well as an economic issue that determines the welfare of working women.”
MARTY WALSH, U.S. SECRETARY OF LABOR
“The U.S. Supreme Court today overturned decades of constitutional precedent, now allowing states to ban or significantly restrict access to abortion. This decision means that women across the country will lose access to necessary reproductive medical care. “Reproductive autonomy directly supports women’s ability to get an education, participate in the labor force, and increase their earning potential and it has helped to narrow the gender wage gap. Losing the right to reproductive freedom will have a catastrophic impact on women’s employment and economic security.“ Access to abortion and all other personal reproductive choices is not only an issue of health and personal liberty, but also squarely an economic issue that determines the welfare of working women and their families. The Department of Labor will work to advance our mission by empowering women using every tool we have.”
DR. VIVEK MURTHY, U.S. SURGEON GENERAL
“Today's decision is a major step backward for public health. Reproductive health decisions – like all health decisions – should be made by patients and their health care providers. “Restricting these decisions compromises the essential principle of maintaining an individual’s autonomy and control over their health decisions and creates dangerous health risks. When reproductive health decisions are restricted, the number of unplanned pregnancies and unsafe abortions rises. Ultimately, the health of women and pregnant people is put at risk – an effect that will be felt disproportionately in historically marginalized populations, including communities of color, low-income Americans, and rural residents. Health care providers, who are already under extraordinary strains due to the pandemic, will be forced into an impossible choice between doing what's right for their patients and complying with laws that are at odds with their patient's health interests.“ While some states have already taken action to preserve reproductive health rights, in many others, today’s decision means that the reproductive health protections many Americans have relied on have now already disappeared or will soon be gone. “As Surgeon General and as a doctor, I know that equitable access to reproductive health services is a cornerstone for health, and I will do everything I can to speak up for and support women’s right to make their own decisions about their health.”
GARY FLOYD, MD, PRESIDENT, TEXAS MEDICAL ASSOCIATION
"TMA remains committed to protecting the privacy and sanctity of the patient-physician relationship. TMA is unwavering in its stance against intrusions by government or other third parties that impede the patient-physician relationship, and any criminalization of acceptable and appropriate medical practices that may jeopardize that relationship or patients' safety. Especially in high-risk situations, patients need to know their physicians will be there to care for them, and TMA will continue to work with state lawmakers to ensure a safe practice environment for physicians and their patients." | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/texas-news/reactions-to-supreme-court-overturning-roe-v-wade/2999770/ | 2022-06-24T21:58:04 | 1 | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/texas-news/reactions-to-supreme-court-overturning-roe-v-wade/2999770/ |
ODESSA, Texas —
The Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade Friday, taking away federal constitutional protection for a woman’s access to an abortion.
The news was followed by leaders on the federal, state and local levels speaking their opinions on the matter.
In a press release following the decision, Odessa Mayor Javier Joven commended the Supreme Court and announced his intention to declare the day “Our Children’s Right to Life Day.”
The full statement from Joven can be read below:
The justices got it right; abortion is an issue for the states to decide, and I am proud to say in Texas our strong pro-life laws will soon go into effect, effectively outlawing the evil practice of abortion, a practice that has taken so many innocent lives over many decades.
Today, I intend to issue a proclamation declaring “Our Children’s Right to Life Day” and dedicate this day in remembrance of the over 64 million lives lost in abortion, and I call our fellow cities and elected officials to join us in standing for life and recognizing this landmark ruling. | https://www.newswest9.com/article/news/local/odessa-mayor-releases-statement-applauding-overturning-of-roe-v-wade/513-99dc8d0f-9f7f-4a93-b05d-96cac1b1bc0a | 2022-06-24T21:59:30 | 0 | https://www.newswest9.com/article/news/local/odessa-mayor-releases-statement-applauding-overturning-of-roe-v-wade/513-99dc8d0f-9f7f-4a93-b05d-96cac1b1bc0a |
DALLAS — Maegan Gross, 30, got pregnant at 20 years old and wasn't ready to be a mother.
Gross got an abortion in Texas in 2012. At 28, however, Gross became pregnant again and chose to have a child. She's now the mother of a 22-month-old little boy.
"I became a mother when I was ready," she told WFAA's Teresa Woodard.
On Friday, the Supreme Court overruled Roe v. Wade, ending constitutional protections for abortion that had been in place nearly 50 years. In Texas, the state has already passed a “trigger law,” making most abortions illegal.
Gross told WFAA the landmark ruling gave her a mixture of emotions.
"I'm angry. I'm emotional. I'm sad. I'm worried for the future of America," Gross said. "This is just insane."
"I had an abortion when I was 20 ... I had the right to choose," Gross added. "The fact that now women aren't going to be able to have that choice is just heartbreaking to me."
The decision by the court's conservative majority overturned the landmark Roe v. Wade ruling and is expected to lead to abortion bans in roughly half the U.S. states.
The ruling, unlikely just a few years ago, was the culmination of decades of efforts by abortion opponents, made possible by an emboldened right side of the court fortified by three appointees of former President Donald Trump.
Gross told WFAA the ruling made her feel devalued and degraded.
"I wasn’t put on this Earth to be an incubator. I wasn’t put on this Earth solely to bear children and I feel reduced to that. I feel reduced to nothing," Gross said. "It's frustrating and it's humiliating."
Abortion foes cheered the ruling, but abortion-rights supporters, including President Joe Biden, expressed dismay and pledged to fight to restore the rights. Many Texas leaders, politicians, organizations and local religious leaders have issued split opinions.
"No woman should be forced to become a mother when she’s not ready," Gross saod. "And I just really hope that one day for our daughters’ futures that this won’t be the case."
More Roe v. Wade coverage: | https://www.thv11.com/article/news/local/roe-v-wade-texas-woman-abortion/287-0a88d119-e757-4d98-8f52-16e762a6464b | 2022-06-24T22:07:43 | 0 | https://www.thv11.com/article/news/local/roe-v-wade-texas-woman-abortion/287-0a88d119-e757-4d98-8f52-16e762a6464b |
Scattered thunderstorms will linger through the weekend, especially near Flagstaff
A day after storms swept across parts of metro Phoenix, a chance of wind and blowing dust lingered Friday, but weather forecasters say rain could develop by Sunday as more moisture moves in.
Meanwhile, in northern Arizona, scattered rain showers will persist through the weekend and well into next week, with the possibility of locally heavy rain, wind and perhaps hail, according to the National Weather Service.
Thursday's storm mainly delivered wind and localized showers around Phoenix. Just a trace of rain was recorded at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, along with wind gusts of nearly 40 miles per hour at the peak.
Unsettled weather could develop in some areas of the low desert into Saturday, the weather service said, but rain is more likely Sunday, when there is a 40% chance of precipitation in Phoenix.
The possibility of stormy weather will continue through the week, with chances of rain hovering between 20% and 30%.
High temperatures will range from about 103 degrees to 107 degrees over the coming seven days, with overnight lows sitting in the mid-80s most days, the weather service said.
In Flagstaff, the weather service said thunderstorm activity in the coming week could produce local areas of flash flooding.
Brian Klimowski, a weather service meteorologist in Flagstaff, said the storms will be scattered and some local areas could see up to an inch of rain.
The main concerns during the storms are flash floods, gusty winds and heavy rain, along with the chance of lightning, small hail and strong outflow winds. Some areas near Sedona and Mormon Lake saw as much as half an inch of rain earlier in the week, Kilmowski said.
The weather service advises residents to check the forecast before they leave home and have a way to receive any warnings about the weather.
Temperatures in Flagstaff will reach the low 80s during the day and drop to around 50 degrees at night. | https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona-weather/2022/06/24/thunderstorms-linger-phoenix-and-flagstaff-weekend/7726739001/ | 2022-06-24T22:08:23 | 1 | https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona-weather/2022/06/24/thunderstorms-linger-phoenix-and-flagstaff-weekend/7726739001/ |
Abortion reaction updates: Women's March protests planned for Phoenix, Tucson
The U.S. Supreme Court's Friday ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization overturned Roe v. Wade and allows states to set their own course on abortion laws.
How this will impact Arizonans is yet to be determined.
The state has two laws on the books banning abortion, one that's from 158 years ago and another brand new one. It is unclear which ban will prevail. Experts told The Arizona Republic that we can expect an immediate challenge to the state's anti-abortion laws, as well as a direct or implied threat of prosecution for abortion providers.
Uncertainty over the future of abortion rights in the state is pushing many to organize across the U.S. As of Friday morning, demonstrators have already gathered outside the Supreme Court building in Washington, either in support or in protest of the court’s decision.
In Arizona, several protests are planned for Friday, with the largest occurring in Phoenix, Flagstaff and Tucson.
Follow coverage of the reaction to the Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade by Republic reporters here.
1 p.m. Friday: Protests planned for Phoenix, Tucson
Women's March chapters in Phoenix and Tucson have planned protests in their respective cities on Friday night, and they are expected to be the largest in the State.
Following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the Roe v. Wade decision Friday morning, ending a constitutional right to an abortion, protests are expected to occur across the U.S.
As of Friday morning, demonstrators have already gathered outside the Supreme Court building in Washington,
In Phoenix, a Women's March protest is planned for 7 p.m. in front of the Arizona State Capitol. The Party for Socialism and Liberation and the Phoenix branch of Radical Women will also be protesting at the same place and time.
In Tucson, the Women's March chapter of the city will host a protest at 7 p.m. in front of the U.S. District Court in downtown Tucson.
— Sam Burdette and Sarah Lapidus | https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona/2022/06/24/abortion-reaction-arizona-protests-planned-phoenix-tucson/7726687001/ | 2022-06-24T22:08:29 | 0 | https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona/2022/06/24/abortion-reaction-arizona-protests-planned-phoenix-tucson/7726687001/ |
LOGAN COUNTY, WV (WOWK) – Route 17 in Logan County is now reopened after a tragic helicopter crash that killed 6 people.
The helicopter, a locally-owned Bell UH-1B helicopter, crashed onto Route 17, also known as Blair Mountain Road, on Wednesday just before 5 p.m. about 3.7 miles northeast of the Logan County Airport.
A team of National Transportation Safety Board aviation safety investigators is in Logan County to investigate the crash.
The NTSB is also looking for anyone who witnessed the accident or has information that could help them in their investigation to email them at witness@ntsb.gov or call 202-314-6100.
According to the NTSB, while the victims have not been identified, those on board consisted of a pilot, three passengers and two pilot-rated passengers. The NTSB says they will not be releasing the identities and have deferred to the West Virginia State Police to decide when the victims will be publicly identified. At this time, the WVSP says they are waiting for positive identification of the victims from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.
The NTSB confirmed the flight was associated with the annual Huey Reunion event, which offers helicopter rides from organizer MARPAT Aviation. Investigators say the flight that crashed was the last flight planned for that day and had a different route from the tour paths that had been flown previously on Wednesday.
Investigators say much of the wreckage was consumed by a fire that broke out after the crash.
The NTSB says investigators will be spending the next several days documenting the accident site, the helicopter and “any perishable evidence” that could be relevant to the investigation. The NTSB also says the helicopter was not equipped with, and was not required to be equipped with, a cockpit voice recorder or a flight data recorder.
According to the NTSB, the helicopter was recovered from the site today and taken to a secure location in Atlanta to be further examined. They say they expect the work on the scene will be complete within five to seven days. | https://www.wowktv.com/news/local/route-17-reopens-at-logan-county-helicopter-crash-site/ | 2022-06-24T22:09:33 | 0 | https://www.wowktv.com/news/local/route-17-reopens-at-logan-county-helicopter-crash-site/ |
BLOOMINGTON — McLean County has moved from a high to a medium community level for COVID-19 even as weekly case numbers have increased.
On Friday, the McLean County Health Department reported 491 new cases since June 17, brining the county's total confirmed and probable cases since the pandemic began to 55,651.
Last week, the health department reported 447 new cases of the virus. No new COVID-related deaths were reported this week, leaving that total at 380.
The majority of new cases are people in their 20s, 30s and 40s, according to health officials.
The county is considered to be at a medium COVID-19 community level based on the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's rating, which measures the number of new cases per 100,000 people, admissions per 100,000 and the percentage of hospital beds used for COVID-19 patients.
Other nearby counties considered to be at a medium community level spread include Christian, DeWitt, Logan, Livingston, Mason, Menard and Sangamon, the Illinois Department of Public Health reported.
Health officials recommend individuals at higher risk or who have high-risk persons in their household should consider wearing masks in indoor public places.
The CDC also reported that McLean County had about seven new hospital admissions for COVID per 100,000 people in the week ending June 21, as well as about 296 new positive cases per 100,000 people in the week ending June 22.
IDPH and MCHD continue to encourage people to keep up with their COVID-19 vaccinations. Primary vaccinations, along with first and second boosters for those who qualify, are offered through MCHD. Adults can schedule a vaccination with MCHD by calling 309-888-5435; children's appointments can be made by calling 309-888-5455. Other vaccine locations can be found at vaccines.gov.
Approximately 62.84% of McLean County's population is fully vaccinated against COVID, with around 290,130 doses administered.
Testing clinics are scheduled for 9 a.m. to noon June 28 and June 29 at the McLean County Customer Service Center in the parking lot across East Street from the Government Center in downtown Bloomington. An entrance to the parking lot is at 201 E. Washington St.
Residents can register on site, or online in advance at health.mcleancountyil.gov/735/COVID-19-Local-Testing-Options.
Statewide, 27,094 new COVID cases were reported Friday over the past week, according to IDPH. That included 82 deaths from COVID since June 17 in Illinois.
Illinois health officials have reported 34,076 deaths from COVID in the state since the start of the pandemic. | https://pantagraph.com/news/local/mclean-county-adds-491-covid-cases-moves-to-medium-community-level/article_b1cc41c0-f3f7-11ec-827e-d762f47e30bc.html | 2022-06-24T22:12:10 | 0 | https://pantagraph.com/news/local/mclean-county-adds-491-covid-cases-moves-to-medium-community-level/article_b1cc41c0-f3f7-11ec-827e-d762f47e30bc.html |
DAUPHIN COUNTY, Pa. — A Dauphin County resident is suing Lower Paxton Township after a police dog was unleashed in his home and bit him during an arrest last year.
Justin Ashely, 31, is accusing several Lower Paxton police officers of using excessive force. A police dog allegedly bit his arm and chewed on his leg during the arrest, the lawsuit states.
Ashley was left disfigured and sustained painful injuries, according to reports.
Ashely's lawsuit named Public Safety Director Adam R. Kosheba Jr., member of Lower Paxton's K-0 Unit Chad Miller, Detective Daniel Smeck, and Patrolman Andrew Brady, as defendants.
On May 29, 2021, Ashley and a neighbor of Ashley's girlfriend were involved in an altercation. Ashley was charged with felony aggravated assault after trying to run the neighbor over with a car, which injured the neighbors arm, according to the lawsuit.
The lawsuit alleges that law enforcement vehicles surrounded Ashley's home one week after the the assault warrant had been filed in court.
Officials were allegedly armed with handguns and rifles when they surrounded Ashley's home on June 24. Kosheba and Smeck pounded on Ashley's door and threatened to break it down, according to reports.
Ashely lawsuit alleges that when he did not immediately open the door, they threatened to send in a "loudly barking" German Shepherd.
Ashley, who allegedly suffered from mental illness and said police were aware, claimed his first instinct was to hide, as he was scared of the dog.
Officers allegedly found Ashley in the storage closest, crouched behind a wooden desk.
Officer Brady drew his gun, according to the lawsuit, and ordered Ashley to show his hands. Ashley's lawsuit claims he followed orders.
However, as soon as Officers Miller and Smeck entered the area with the police dog, Ashley alleges he "froze" and in response, Officer Miller deployed the K9 off the leash and issued the bite command.
The lawsuit claims that officers watched as Miller lifted the dog over the desk to bite Ashley. Ashley's lawsuit alleges that he was curled in the fetal position when Miller ordered the dog to bite Ashley's leg until he was "subdued" enough to be handcuffed.
Photos of the bites and bruises Ashley sustained are present in the lawsuit.
Ashley is requesting compensatory and punitive damages, an admission of the lawsuit's allegations in writing, a verbal and written apology from the defendants in person, and a declaratory judgement. | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/lawsuit-dog-bit-daupin-county-lower-paxton/521-1a6ac5b2-1cf8-48e7-bab1-2a6cdb58b6af | 2022-06-24T22:12:59 | 1 | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/lawsuit-dog-bit-daupin-county-lower-paxton/521-1a6ac5b2-1cf8-48e7-bab1-2a6cdb58b6af |
New Mexico governor says Supreme Court overturning Roe part of a 'war on women'
GOP challenger Ronchetti would seek 'middle ground with our legislature' on abortion rights if elected
- The U.S. Supreme Court overturned the constitutional right to abortion in a ruling announced Friday.
- New Mexico repealed statutory ban on most abortions in 2021.
- Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said ruling is part of a "war on women."
"The moment we have long dreaded has arrived, and our nation will be the worse for it," New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said in responding to news of the Supreme Court's decision negating a constitutional right to abortion.
For opponents of abortion, on the other hand, it was a day to celebrate and look ahead to state-level debates about termination of pregnancies including further restrictions.
"Here in New Mexico, unfortunately, we have our work cut out for us," New Mexico Alliance for Life director Elisa Martinez said Friday morning.
Last year, the New Mexico Legislature, where Democrats hold majorities in both chambers, repealed a 1969 statutory ban on abortion under most circumstances. It had been unenforceable since the Supreme Court's 1973 ruling in Roe v. Wade, which established a woman's right to choose to terminate her pregnancy without excessive restrictions by government.
On Friday, that precedent was overturned by the high court's present conservative majority. Ruling in the case of Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, a 6-3 majority of Justices upheld a Mississippi law banning most abortion after 15 weeks of gestation. Associate Justice Samuel Alito, author of the majority's opinion, specifically wrote that the Roe decision "was egregiously wrong from the start."
From USA Today: Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade, eliminating constitutional right to abortion
Lujan Grisham summed up the decades-long fight to roll back abortion rights as a "war on women" in a written statement Friday.
"Today, a new generation of women will be forced to face a future where they cannot seek safe, legal abortions," she wrote, "a future where they must navigate an increasingly draconian patchwork of restrictions to get care; a future where they live in perpetual fear that they may be required to carry a pregnancy against their will — conceived under horrific circumstances like rape or incest, or that may risk their very life; a future where they fear that their neighbor might report them or their doctors to the police if they attempt to seek care in another state."
Martinez alleged that clinics providing abortion services were incentivized to promote the procedure and that some women are pressured to undergo the procedure by partners or family members, and that this condition would intensify in New Mexico without further action.
"If we take those pressures off the table, if we work with them … abortion no longer becomes an option they feel they have to take against their own best interest," she said.
Lujan Grisham, a Democrat, is running for a second term in the Nov. 8 election. Her Republican challenger, Mark Ronchetti, issued a statement Friday morning saying that, if elected, he would "seek a middle ground with our legislature" and that he supported a right to abortion "up to 15 weeks and in cases involving rape, incest, and when a mother's life is at risk."
That cutoff, the state Democratic Party argued, endorses the Mississippi law upheld in the Dobbs ruling. Rather than a middle ground, Democrats portrayed Ronchetti's position as a "proposed abortion ban" that "seeks to punish women and criminalize their doctors for seeking abortion care."
Republican Party state chairman Steve Pearce welcomed the ruling Friday, arguing in a statement that "abortion is wrong on moral grounds."
"The decision is in the best interest of America, and the high court’s Justices have fulfilled their duty to protect the lives of the unborn and to abolish the horrors of abortion," Pearce wrote.
Is abortion legal in New Mexico?
Representatives from Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains and ACLU of New Mexico emphasized that abortion and other reproductive health services remain legal in the state after the Supreme Court ruling.
"Abortion is still safe and legal, and if you have an appointment in New Mexico, you're still able to access the care that you need," Kayla Herring of Planned Parenthood said.
Nadia Cabrera-Mazzeo, a staff attorney with ACLU-NM, said the organization was still reviewing the 213-page ruling, but said it was "frighteningly similar" to a draft opinion that was leaked to press in May.
At first glance, Cabrera-Mazzeo said the legal reasoning supporting the new ruling "opens the door to restrict other rights that we considered fundamental up until this point, and it's not going to stop at abortion."
Among the freedoms she said might come under scrutiny from justices were rights to contraceptives, marriage rights for LGTBQ couples and protections from discrimination for that community.
The Dobbs ruling sends the debate over abortion rights to state governments and standing antiabortion laws presumably take effect in New Mexico's neighboring states Arizona and Texas.
It is widely anticipated this will intensify demand for abortion care in New Mexico among residents of other states. Shannon Brewer, the director of the Jackson Women's Health Organization in Mississippi (which was at the center of the Dobbs case) told the Washington Post this spring she might relocate her clinic to New Mexico.
After the draft opinion was publicized this spring, Democratic lawmakers who spoke with the Las Cruces Sun-News said New Mexico's legal right to abortion was safe and emphasized the need to fund health services and assure access to women in the most vulnerable population groups and remote parts of the state.
"New Mexicans hold all sorts of important religious beliefs and political ideologies," state Rep. Micaela Lara Cadena, D-Mesilla, said at the time, "and they know that someone can hold their own moral beliefs without imposing them on someone else."
Algernon D'Ammassa can be reached at 575-541-5451, adammassa@lcsun-news.com or @AlgernonWrites on Twitter. | https://www.lcsun-news.com/story/news/local/new-mexico/2022/06/24/gov-michelle-lujan-grisham-new-mexico-says-overturning-roe-part-of-a-war-on-women-abortion-rights/65363284007/ | 2022-06-24T22:15:14 | 0 | https://www.lcsun-news.com/story/news/local/new-mexico/2022/06/24/gov-michelle-lujan-grisham-new-mexico-says-overturning-roe-part-of-a-war-on-women-abortion-rights/65363284007/ |
More than 60 artists and artisans will show their work at the Valparaiso Art Festival this weekend.
Valparaiso Events and Amdur Productions are staging the festival from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. It will take place at the intersection of Indiana Avenue and Lafayette Street just south of Central Park Plaza.
People can check out paintings, photos, stained glass, jewelry, fiber arts, metalworking and woodworking from more than 60 artists.
"Festival-goers will delight in live artist demos, a graffiti wall and live entertainment throughout the weekend," Valparaiso Events said in a press release. "The Kids’ Art Tent will feature face painting, spin art, sand art and Art Fest bingo. The Valparaiso Creative Council will be handing out kids’ art bags at their booth, and Birds of Paradise coloring books will be available at the Valparaiso Events booth. Birds of Paradise is a new downtown sculpture scavenger hunt from the City of Valparaiso that’s fun for the whole family and highlights local artists and birds indigenous to Northwest Indiana."
People can check out the work of local artists from Valparaiso and Northwest Indiana, including the nature and wildlife photographer Maria Overlay and the glass blowers Bryan Lee and Dave Lee, who own Hot Shop Valpo.
"Jason Gast specializes in oil paintings of animals and monochromatic portraits of actors and musicians," Valparaiso Events said in a press release. "Debbie Van Gorp, owner of All Tied Up Boutique, creates exquisite necktie scarves. And Jackie 'Jax' Kalin, a painter whose custom interior wall designs and paintings span the United States, was recently named the Art Comes Alive 'Wildlife Artist of the Year.'"
Cirrus Falcon and Michelet will play live music. Food will be available for purchase.
Joseph S. Pete is a Lisagor Award-winning business reporter who covers steel, industry, unions, the ports, retail, banking and more. The Indiana University grad has been with The Times since 2013 and blogs about craft beer, culture and the military.
"Centennial Park has become a regional, destination type of park. The fees were set at a price point to be attractive for visitors but to also capture funds to help offset their impact on the park."
The 12/20 landscape of Dunes Highway and the largely parallel U.S. 20 highway in Gary's Miller neighborhood have been undergoing a major transformation as many decrepit old buildings get demolished.
"It's gratifying to be able to help a military family, especially at a time when people in this country say 'thank you for your service' as lip service." | https://www.nwitimes.com/business/local/valparaiso-art-festival-to-take-place-this-weekend/article_1d6f7cda-f30c-5ba5-ba25-a6166faf4521.html | 2022-06-24T22:17:51 | 0 | https://www.nwitimes.com/business/local/valparaiso-art-festival-to-take-place-this-weekend/article_1d6f7cda-f30c-5ba5-ba25-a6166faf4521.html |
VALPARAISO — Voicing concern about the violent nature of the charges and potential flight risk, Porter Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Clymer set a significant bond Friday for a 19-year-old Schererville man accused of injuring police officers breaking up an alleged underage sex and drug party this week at a Portage hotel.
Bond was set at $15,000 cash and $20,000 surety for Brendan Richardson-Willis, who faces 14 criminal counts stemming from the Tuesday event in question.
Richardson-Willis told Clymer he has lived in Schererville for the past six months and had planned to move back to Arkansas before his arrest.
Porter County Deputy Prosecutor Christopher Hammer, who had requested a $25,000 bond, said Richardson-Willis also faces a misdemeanor charge in Lake County of contributing to the delinquency of a minor and had been involved, but apparently not charged, in a gun case from Lowell.
Pleas of not guilty were entered Friday on Richardson-Willis' behalf to three felony counts of battery with bodily injury to a public safety officer, two felony counts of disarming a law enforcement officer, felony resisting law enforcement resulting in bodily injury, two felony counts of possessing a legend drug, felony possession of a controlled substance and misdemeanor counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor, possession of marijuana, visiting a common nuisance, inhaling toxic vapors and possession of paraphernalia, charging documents show.
Portage police have said they encountered Richardson-Willis early Tuesday when responding to a report of a party involving underage girls at the local Travel Inn.
Richardson-Willis, who was found in the room with others wearing nothing but underwear and a face mask, attempted to flee and began fighting with three officers, according to police.
He is accused of ripping a police radio and spare pistol magazine from the vest of one officer and attempting to grab the officer's stun gun.
Officers twice used stun guns on Richardson-Willis with little to no obvious results, police said. After being forced to the ground, he attempted to reach under the hotel bed where officers later discovered a loaded pistol-grip 12-gauge shotgun and a loaded 9 mm semi-automatic pistol.
Richardson-Willis attempted to disarm each of the three officers until a third use of a stun gun allowed for him to be taken into custody, police said.
Also facing charges in the case are a 16-year-old female from Valparaiso, a 15-year-old female from Gary, a 17-year-old male from Crown Point and a 17-year-old male from Griffith.
Police also expect charges to be filed against a yet-unnamed adult woman, who reportedly rented the hotel room and delivered three 15-year-old girls in order for them to "party" with several males, possibly including adults.
Gallery: Recent arrests booked into 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.
"These two females reported they had lied to their parents about their whereabouts and were given a ride to the local motel by an adult female, who rented the room for them in order to 'party' with several males." | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/judge-sets-stiff-bond-for-man-accused-of-injuring-portage-officers-busting-alleged-sex-drug/article_ce9cdd04-0c2e-5d14-a30d-3e24cbb7dbec.html | 2022-06-24T22:17:57 | 1 | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/judge-sets-stiff-bond-for-man-accused-of-injuring-portage-officers-busting-alleged-sex-drug/article_ce9cdd04-0c2e-5d14-a30d-3e24cbb7dbec.html |
GARY — A 29-year-old man was found shot to death Thursday by officers responding to a report of a suspicious vehicle, police said.
Shelton T. Curtis, of Gary, was found unresponsive in the driver's seat of a still-idling Kia Forte parked in the 2200 block of Maryland Street, according to the Lake County coroner's office and Gary police.
Gary police were dispatched to the area about 7 p.m., Cmdr. Jack Hamady said.
Curtis appeared to have suffered multiple gunshots to the chest, he said. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
During a sentencing hearing for Curtis in December, an attorney said Curtis recently became a father to a child born prematurely at 24 weeks.
Curtis was ordered to serve a year on probation for a police chase May 2, 2021, that ended when the green Dodge Charges he was driving hit a parked car, rolled over and hit several homes.
A jury in 2016 acquitted Curtis of murder in a case linked to the Aug. 6, 2015, shooting deaths Raymond Washington-Whitehead, 17, of Merrillville, and James Powell, 18, of Gary, at a residence in the 1100 block of Lane Street in Gary. The jury convicted him of misdemeanor attempted dealing in marijuana.
Co-worker nabs man with marijuana at Portage business, police say
Man killed in shooting outside gas station, authorities say
UPDATE: 2 killed, mother and children among 5 wounded in shootings, officials say
UPDATE: Brothers get into shootout with each other in East Chicago homicide, chief says
Group robs armored truck at Calumet City bank, FBI says
Valpo cops release photos seeking theft suspects
Crown Point man dies in Merrillville crash, coroner says
Drunken driver was topping 105 mph, Porter County police say
Indiana gasoline taxes in July will be highest in state history
WATCH NOW: Pay to play: Munster's Centennial Park the latest Region park to impose parking fees
Man found fatally shot in street, police say
Porter County police release photos of wanted man
UPDATE: 1 airlifted, I-94 reopened after lawnmower struck by westbound van, state says
Illicit drug courier caught in NWI sentenced to prison
Defendant shot man 5 times in head during marijuana deal, court records allege
Anyone with information about Curtis' homicide is asked to call Detective Sgt. Antwan Jakes, of the Lake County/Gary Metro Homicide Unit, at 219-755-3855. To remain anonymous, call 866-CRIME-GP.
Gallery: Recent arrests booked into Lake County Jail
Salvador Casares
Age : 43
Residence: Chicago, IL
Booking Number(s): 2205089
Arrest Date: June 13, 2022
Offense Description: INTIMIDATION; THEFT - PROPERTY - SHOPLIFTING - $750 TO $50,000
Highest Offense Class: Felonies
Jonathan Colon
Age : 35
Residence: Montgomery, TX
Booking Number(s): 2205105
Arrest Date: June 14, 2022
Offense Description: OWI
Highest Offense Class: Misdemeanor
Daniel Swets
Age : 44
Residence: St. John, IN
Booking Number(s): 2205044
Arrest Date: June 11, 2022
Offense Description: BURGLARY
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Karen Sweet
Age : 63
Residence: Valparaiso, IN
Booking Number(s): 2205025
Arrest Date: June 11, 2022
Offense Description: OPERATING A VEHICLE AFTER DRIVING PRIVILEGES ARE SUSPENDED
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Amaan Smith
Age : 28
Residence: Chicago Heights, IL
Booking Number(s): 2205033
Arrest Date: June 11, 2022
Offense Description: OWI
Highest Offense Class: Misdemeanor
Anthony Smith
Age : 35
Residence: Hammond, IN
Booking Number(s): 2205039
Arrest Date: June 11, 2022
Offense Description: THEFT - PROPERTY - SIMPLE - < $750
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Diandre Smith
Age : 25
Residence: Glenwood, IL
Booking Number(s): 2205029
Arrest Date: June 11, 2022
Offense Description: BATTERY - AGGRAVATED - W/PERMANENT INJURY OR DISFIGUREMENT
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Jeremy Soria
Age : 28
Residence: Chicago, IL
Booking Number(s): 2205045
Arrest Date: June 12, 2022
Offense Description: RESISTING
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Michael Rogers
Age : 28
Residence: Crown Point, IN
Booking Number(s): 2205049
Arrest Date: June 12, 2022
Offense Description: OWI
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Lynn Lessard
Age : 56
Residence: Hammond, IN
Booking Number(s): 2205038
Arrest Date: June 11, 2022
Offense Description: OWI
Highest Offense Class: Misdemeanor
Leondre Lewis
Age : 29
Residence: Gary, IN
Booking Number(s): 2205028
Arrest Date: June 11, 2022
Offense Description: RESISTING
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Richard Moss
Age : 35
Residence: Gary, IN
Booking Number(s): 2205042
Arrest Date: June 11, 2022
Offense Description: POSSESSION - METHAMPHETAMINE
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Anthony Person Jr.
Age : 38
Residence: Steger, IL
Booking Number(s): 2205023
Arrest Date: June 11, 2022
Offense Description: OWI
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Consuela Folger
Age : 51
Residence: Hammond, IN
Booking Number(s): 2205040
Arrest Date: June 11, 2022
Offense Description: THEFT - PROPERTY - SHOPLIFTING - < $750
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Michael Jones Jr.
Age : 31
Residence: Gary, IN
Booking Number(s): 2205050
Arrest Date: June 12, 2022
Offense Description: OWI
Highest Offense Class: Misdemeanor
Ramiro Escamilla
Age : 24
Residence: Griffith, IN
Booking Number(s): 2205022
Arrest Date: June 11, 2022
Offense Description: BURGLARY - PROPERTY - RESIDENTIAL ENTRY - BREAKING AND ENTERING - W/NO INTENT OF FELONY THEFT; BATTERY - SIMPLE - TOUCH W/NO INJURY
Highest Offense Class: Felony; Misdemeanor
Matthew Evans
Age : 28
Residence: South Holland, IL
Booking Number(s): 2205047
Arrest Date: June 12, 2022
Offense Description: OWI
Highest Offense Class: Misdemeanor
Evan Alexander
Age : 25
Residence: Cedar Lake, IN
Booking Number(s): 2205037
Arrest Date: June 11, 2022
Offense Description: OWI
Highest Offense Class: Misdemeanor
Edward Anaszewski
Age : 52
Residence: Merrillville, IN
Booking Number(s): 2205048
Arrest Date: June 12, 2022
Offense Description: OWI
Highest Offense Class: Misdemeanor
Andre Bullock
Age : 31
Residence: Chicago, IL
Booking Number(s): 2205046
Arrest Date: June 12, 2022
Offense Description: RESISTING
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Amanda Wilk
Age : 26
Residence: Gary, IN
Booking Number(s): 2205065
Arrest Date: June 12, 2022
Offense Description: POSSESSION - METHAMPHETAMINE
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Travis Spoolstra
Age : 21
Residence: Crown Point, IN
Booking Number(s): 2205064
Arrest Date: June 12, 2022
Offense Description: OWI
Highest Offense Class: Misdemeanor
David Stibgen
Age : 30
Residence: Valparaiso, IN
Booking Number(s): 2205056
Arrest Date: June 12, 2022
Offense Description: OWI
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Jason Miller
Age : 21
Residence: N/A
Booking Number(s): 2205055
Arrest Date: June 12, 2022
Offense Description: DOMESTIC BATTERY - SIMPLE; THEFT - PROPERTY - SIMPLE - $750 TO $50,000
Highest Offense Class: Felonies
Tracey Spencer
Age : 47
Residence: Merrillville, IN
Booking Number(s): 2205070
Arrest Date: June 13, 2022
Offense Description: OWI
Highest Offense Class: Misdemeanor
Haley Kniola
Age : 22
Residence: Hammond, IN
Booking Number(s): 2205067
Arrest Date: June 12, 2022
Offense Description: THEFT - PROPERTY - SIMPLE - < $750
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Tyler McKenzie
Age : 23
Residence: Perry, FL
Booking Number(s): 2205072
Arrest Date: June 13, 2022
Offense Description: OWI
Highest Offense Class: Misdemeanor
Noel Garabito Jr.
Age : 34
Residence: Lansing, IL
Booking Number(s): 2205063
Arrest Date: June 12, 2022
Offense Description: OWI
Highest Offense Class: Misdemeanor
Ebonie Byers
Age : 30
Residence: Gary, IN
Booking Number(s): 2205060
Arrest Date: June 12, 2022
Offense Description: FRAUD - INSTITUTION - BANK/FINANCIAL
Highest Offense Class: Felony
William Ellis
Age : 30
Residence: Hobart, IN
Booking Number(s): 2205061
Arrest Date: June 12, 2022
Offense Description: OWI
Highest Offense Class: Misdemeanor
Devante White
Age : 28
Residence: Gary, IN
Booking Number(s): 2204992
Arrest Date: June 10, 2022
Offense Description: THEFT - PROPERTY - FROM MACHINE OR DEVICE - $750 TO $50,000; BATTERY - SIMPLE - TOUCH W/NO INJURY
Highest Offense Class: Felony; Misdemeanor
David Wszolek
Age : 52
Residence: LaPorte, IN
Booking Number(s): 2205010
Arrest Date: June 10, 2022
Offense Description: OPERATING A VEHICLE AFTER DRIVING PRIVILEGES ARE SUSPENDED
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Sterling Walton IV
Age : 22
Residence: Gary, IN
Booking Number(s): 2204999
Arrest Date: June 10, 2022
Offense Description: DOMESTIC BATTERY - SIMPLE
Highest Offense Class: Misdemeanor
Tavares McKinstry
Age : 37
Residence: Indianapolis, IN
Booking Number(s): 2204997
Arrest Date: June 10, 2022
Offense Description: DOMESTIC BATTERY - SIMPLE
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Kenneth Mezydlo
Age : 54
Residence: Lake Station, IN
Booking Number(s): 2204993
Arrest Date: June 10, 2022
Offense Description: POSSESSION HYPODERMIC SYRINGE OR NEEDLE
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Kaleb Wall
Age : 33
Residence: Valparaiso, IN
Booking Number(s): 2205002
Arrest Date: June 10, 2022
Offense Description: OWI
Highest Offense Class: Misdemeanor
Jenifer Joy
Age : 35
Residence: Hobart, IN
Booking Number(s): 2205008
Arrest Date: June 10, 2022
Offense Description: OWI
Highest Offense Class: Misdemeanor
Jacob Kelley
Age : 19
Residence: Cedar Lake, IN
Booking Number(s): 2205007
Arrest Date: June 10, 2022
Offense Description: DOMESTIC BATTERY - AGGRAVATED - AGAINST A PREGNANT PERSON
Highest Offense Class: Felony
John Madden
Age : 58
Residence: Highland, IN
Booking Number(s): 2204994
Arrest Date: June 10, 2022
Offense Description: WEAPON - POSSESSION - DESTRUCTIVE DEVICE (EXPLOSIVES) - W/KNOWLEDGE IT WILL BE USED
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Kori Arguelles
Age : 26
Residence: Crown Point, IN
Booking Number(s): 2205003
Arrest Date: June 10, 2022
Offense Description: POSSESSION HYPODERMIC SYRINGE OR NEEDLE
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Rondell Christmas
Age : 23
Residence: Lynwood, IL
Booking Number(s): 2205011
Arrest Date: June 10, 2022
Offense Description: INVASION OF PRIVACY; BURGLARY - PROPERTY - RESIDENTIAL ENTRY - BREAKING AND ENTERING
Highest Offense Class: Felonies
Michael Tsouchlos
Age : 54
Residence: Marathon, FL
Booking Number(s): 2205206
Arrest Date: June 17, 2022
Offense Description: OWI
Highest Offense Class: Misdemeanor
Vernon Walters
Age : 61
Residence: Gary, IN
Booking Number(s): 2205200
Arrest Date: June 16, 2022
Offense Description: DOMESTIC BATTERY - AGGRAVATED - AGAINST A PREGNANT PERSON
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Megan Phillips
Age : 35
Residence: East Chicago, IN
Booking Number(s): 2205202
Arrest Date: June 16, 2022
Offense Description: RESISTING; OWI
Highest Offense Class: Felony; Misdemeanor
Antonio Steward
Age : 38
Residence: Hammond, IN
Booking Number(s): 2205190
Arrest Date: June 16, 2022
Offense Description: DOMESTIC BATTERY - SIMPLE
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Javante Toran
Age : 30
Residence: Lake Station, IN
Booking Number(s): 2205192
Arrest Date: June 16, 2022
Offense Description: DOMESTIC BATTERY - AGGRAVATED - AGAINST A PREGNANT PERSON
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Kerri Olson
Age : 43
Residence: Cedar Lake, IN
Booking Number(s): 2205188
Arrest Date: June 16, 2022
Offense Description: 2205188
Highest Offense Class: Felony
John Bowling
Age : 50
Residence: Dyer, IN
Booking Number(s): 2205195
Arrest Date: June 16, 2022
Offense Description: MOTOR VEHICLE THEFT
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Amy Hunt
Age : 26
Residence: Hobart, IN
Booking Number(s): 2205208
Arrest Date: June 17, 2022
Offense Description: OWI
Highest Offense Class: Misdemeanor
Kevin McGrath
Age : 31
Residence: Cedar Lake, IN
Booking Number(s): 2205204
Arrest Date: June 16, 2022
Offense Description: OWI
Highest Offense Class: Misdemeanor
Nicholas Naumoff
Age : 54
Residence: Munster, IN
Booking Number(s): 2205184
Arrest Date: June 16, 2022
Offense Description: INTIMIDATION
Highest Offense Class: Felony
William Nunez III
Age : 28
Residence: Lake Station, IN
Booking Number(s): 2205207
Arrest Date: June 17, 2022
Offense Description: OWI
Highest Offense Class: Misdemeanor
Francisco Tequimila
Age : 22
Residence: Hammond, IN
Booking Number(s): 2205163
Arrest Date: June 15, 2022
Offense Description: POSSESSION - FIREARM - BY A SERIOUS VIOLENT FELON
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Cheri Terranova
Age : 32
Residence: Merrillville, IN
Booking Number(s): 2205162
Arrest Date: June 15, 2022
Offense Description: NEGLECT OF DEPENDANT/CHILD VIOLATIONS
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Clevon Riley
Age : 28
Residence: Michigan City, IN
Booking Number(s): 2205155
Arrest Date: June 15, 2022
Offense Description: OWI
Highest Offense Class: Misdemeanor
Stephanie Sons
Age : 34
Residence: Lowell, IN
Booking Number(s): 2205170
Arrest Date: June 15, 2022
Offense Description: OWI
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Anthony Mauer
Age : 27
Residence: Crown Point, IN
Booking Number(s): 2205165
Arrest Date: June 15, 2022
Offense Description: OWI
Highest Offense Class: Misdemeanor
Kirk McGuire
Age : 32
Residence: Highland, IN
Booking Number(s): 2205178
Arrest Date: June 15, 2022
Offense Description: BATTERY - SIMPLE - TOUCH W/NO INJURY
Highest Offense Class: Misdemeanor
Tyrone McKee
Age : 59
Residence: Merrillville, IN
Booking Number(s): 2205158
Arrest Date: June 15, 2022
Offense Description: HOMICIDE - MURDER
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Nicole Peterson
Age : 50
Residence: East Chicago, IN
Booking Number(s): 2205152
Arrest Date: June 15, 2022
Offense Description: POSSESSION - COCAINE OR NARCOTIC DRUG
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Jeremy Jones
Age : 25
Residence: South Holland, IL
Booking Number(s): 2205161
Arrest Date: June 15, 2022
Offense Description: THEFT - PROPERTY - SIMPLE - < $750
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Artesta Lewis
Age : 69
Residence: Harvey, IL
Booking Number(s): 2205153
Arrest Date: June 15, 2022
Offense Description: BATTERY - AGAINST LAW ENFORCEMENT OR PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICIAL
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Joyce Edwards
Age : 52
Residence: South Bend, IN
Booking Number(s): 2205169
Arrest Date: June 15, 2022
Offense Description: BATTERY - AGGRAVATED - W/PERMANENT INJURY OR DISFIGUREMENT
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Sarah Fox
Age : 34
Residence: Gary, IN
Booking Number(s): 2205179
Arrest Date: June 15, 2022
Offense Description: OWI
Highest Offense Class: Misdemeanor
Brandon Johnson
Age : 32
Residence: Dolton, IL
Booking Number(s): 2205182
Arrest Date: June 16, 2022
Offense Description: OWI
Highest Offense Class: Misdemeanor
Denzel Shaw
Age : 29
Residence: Gary, IN
Booking Number(s): 2205124
Arrest Date: June 14, 2022
Offense Description: INTIMIDATION
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Sade Vigilant
Age : 26
Residence: Lansing, IL
Booking Number(s): 2205112
Arrest Date: June 14, 2022
Offense Description: RESISTING
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Amanda Nippers
Age : 25
Residence: Lowell, IN
Booking Number(s): 2205118
Arrest Date: June 14, 2022
Offense Description: POSSESSION - METHAMPHETAMINE
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Michelle Mendez
Age : 43
Residence: Hobart, IN
Booking Number(s): 2205121
Arrest Date: June 14, 2022
Offense Description: POSSESSION HYPODERMIC SYRINGE OR NEEDLE
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Daniel Lumsdon
Age : 54
Residence: Crete, IL
Booking Number(s): 2205134
Arrest Date: June 14, 2022
Offense Description: PUBLIC INDECENCY - INDECENT EXPOSURE
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Saivion Covington
Age : 27
Residence: Hammond, IN
Booking Number(s): 2205115
Arrest Date: June 14, 2022
Offense Description: DOMESTIC BATTERY - SIMPLE
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Robert Currie
Age : 28
Residence: East Chicago, IN
Booking Number(s): 2205113
Arrest Date: June 14, 2022
Offense Description: HOMICIDE - INVOLUNTARY MANSLAUGHTER
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Joseph Gutierrez
Age : 22
Residence: Chicago, IL
Booking Number(s): 2205123
Arrest Date: June 14, 2022
Offense Description: THEFT - PROPERTY - FIREARM
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Landrum Coleman Sr.
Age : 45
Residence: Gary, IN
Booking Number(s): 2205114
Arrest Date: June 14, 2022
Offense Description: WARRANT - DEFENDANT IN CUSTODY; ORDER TO APPEAR; DEFENDANT AT LIBERTY; NOTICE TO APPEAR; ARREST UPON FAILURE TO APPEAR
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Charles Carter Jr.
Age : 36
Residence: Gary, IN
Booking Number(s): 2205131
Arrest Date: June 14, 2022
Offense Description: FAILURE TO REGISTER; RESISTING - ESCAPE
Highest Offense Class: Felonies
Joseph Boatman
Age : 31
Residence: Griffith, IN
Booking Number(s): 2205117
Arrest Date: June 14, 2022
Offense Description: DOMESTIC BATTERY - AGGRAVATED - AGAINST A PREGNANT PERSON; POSSESSION - FIREARM - BY A FELON
Highest Offense Class: Felonies
James Burnett III
Age : 32
Residence: Chicago, IL
Booking Number(s): 2205116
Arrest Date: June 14, 2022
Offense Description: THEFT - PROPERTY - SIMPLE - < $750
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Joel Acosta
Age : 31
Residence: Chicago, IL
Booking Number(s): 2205109
Arrest Date: June 14, 2022
Offense Description: THEFT - PROPERTY - SIMPLE - MORE THAN $50,000; THEFT - PROPERTY - SIMPLE - < $750
Highest Offense Class: Felonies
Tyree Baines
Age : 25
Residence: Hammond, IN
Booking Number(s): 2205140
Arrest Date: June 14, 2022
Offense Description: RESISTING LAW ENFORCEMENT DEFENDANT USES A VEHICLE
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Marcus White
Age : 37
Residence: Merrillville, IN
Booking Number(s): 2205107
Arrest Date: June 14, 2022
Offense Description: OWI
Highest Offense Class: Misdemeanor
Daiquan McClinton
Age : 20
Residence: Gary, IN
Booking Number(s): 2205093
Arrest Date: June 13, 2022
Offense Description: FRAUD - DECEPTION - IDENTITY
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Douglas Mills
Age : 37
Residence: Griffith, IN
Booking Number(s): 2205085
Arrest Date: June 13, 2022
Offense Description: CONFINEMENT
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Latanya Snelling
Age : 54
Residence: East Chicago, IN
Booking Number(s): 2205099
Arrest Date: June 13, 2022
Offense Description: THEFT - PROPERTY - POCKET-PICKING - $750 TO $50,000
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Malik Ward
Age : 25
Residence: Chicago, IL
Booking Number(s): 2205086
Arrest Date: June 13, 2022
Offense Description: DOMESTIC BATTERY - AGGRAVATED - AGAINST A PREGNANT PERSON
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Matthew Manous
Age : 23
Residence: Munster, IN
Booking Number(s): 2205081
Arrest Date: June 13, 2022
Offense Description: CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE - POSSESSION - SCHEDULE V; OWI
Highest Offense Class: Felony; Misdemeanor
Steven Heintz
Age : 52
Residence: Hobart, IN
Booking Number(s): 2205096
Arrest Date: June 13, 2022
Offense Description: OWI
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Benjamin Hynek
Age : 23
Residence: Crown Point, IN
Booking Number(s): 2205098
Arrest Date: June 13, 2022
Offense Description: BATTERY - SIMPLE - TOUCH W/NO INJURY
Highest Offense Class: Misdemeanor
Joshua Hynek
Age : 33
Residence: Crown Point, IN
Booking Number(s): 2205097
Arrest Date: June 13, 2022
Offense Description: BATTERY - SIMPLE - TOUCH W/NO INJURY
Highest Offense Class: Misdemeanor
Krystal Johnston
Age : 45
Residence: Portage, IN
Booking Number(s): 2205101
Arrest Date: June 14, 2022
Offense Description: OWI
Highest Offense Class: Misdemeanor
Demarco Dillon
Age : 21
Residence: Calumet City, IL
Booking Number(s): 2205087
Arrest Date: June 13, 2022
Offense Description: ROBBERY
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Michael Creedon
Age : 59
Residence: Crystal Lake, IL
Booking Number(s): 2205083
Arrest Date: June 13, 2022
Offense Description: BATTERY - SIMPLE - TOUCH W/NO INJURY
Highest Offense Class: Misdemeanor
Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter
Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/man-found-shot-to-death-in-idling-car-police-say/article_b8e85c68-2805-5c97-8cb2-0affcdb21df4.html | 2022-06-24T22:18:03 | 1 | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/man-found-shot-to-death-in-idling-car-police-say/article_b8e85c68-2805-5c97-8cb2-0affcdb21df4.html |
Son of accused Milwaukee police detective gets 5½ years for domestic violence, witness intimidation
The son of a Milwaukee police detective pleaded guilty Friday to charges of domestic violence, intimidation and bail jumping.
Zhahir Mustafa on Friday faced criminal complaints related to separate incidents in January and August 2021 involving the mother of his child.
Mustafa pleaded guilty to misdemeanor battery, property damage, intimidation of the victim and bail jumping. He was sentenced to 5½ years in prison.
His mother, suspended Milwaukee police detective Freedom Mustafa, was charged with misconduct in public office for pressuring the victim to not press charges and for helping her son contact the victim. Freedom Mustafa has a plea hearing Aug. 4.
The victim was pregnant in both incidents and was hospitalized with severe injuries each time. Her injuries included a fractured spine, visible bruising and a lacerated liver.
Zhahir Mustafa, 23, was arrested on Aug. 24 and ordered not to contact the victim for three days. He contacted his mother while he was in the Milwaukee County Jail, received the victim's phone number and called the victim 14 times during that period. He tried to persuade her to drop the charges.
Prosecutor Nicholas Heitman requested Mustafa go to prison for 9 years and undergo supervision for another 7½ years upon his release.
He highlighted Mustafa's many attempts to contact his victim from jail, and noted the victim had to undergo an emergency C-section after the August incident.
More:Rally at Wisconsin Capitol calls for end to 'epidemic' of violence against Indigenous women, girls
Robert E. Webb, Jr., Mustafa's lawyer, argued his client had taken responsibility, and that he had support from his family members. Mustafa said he wanted a second chance to be a "great dad" and to pursue alternate paths. The victim had also expressed support for Mustafa in her impact statement.
Mustafa will be supervised for 4½ years after he serves his prison term.
Judge Frederick C. Rosa said Mustafa carried out a "continuous barrage of abuse" and demonstrated a track record of not following court recordsorders. Mustafa had picked up several additional counts against him during his previous period of release after his family had posted a significant bail. The contact with his victim was an "attack on the court system", the judge added.
Freedom Mustafa also attempted to persuade the victim not to press charges.
MPD said in an email to the Journal Sentinel Freedom Mustafa is on "full suspension pending internal review." She had been promoted in September 2021, while an internal investigation into her conduct was ongoing.
She faces a felony with a maximum 3½ years in prison, as well as numerous misdemeanor charges. | https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/milwaukee/2022/06/24/son-milwaukee-police-detective-gets-prison-witness-intimidation/7704310001/ | 2022-06-24T22:18:33 | 0 | https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/milwaukee/2022/06/24/son-milwaukee-police-detective-gets-prison-witness-intimidation/7704310001/ |
TEXAS, USA — In a statement that first came on Twitter, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced he would make June 24 an annual holiday for his agency as a way to honor babies that "have been killed in the womb."
Paxton closed all of his offices across the state at noon Thursday after the Supreme Court announced the overturning of Roe v. Wade. The decision does away with the constitutional right to abortion that has existed for 50 years.
“Roe v. Wade and its successor case Planned Parenthood v. Casey have absolutely no basis in the U.S. Constitution,” Paxton said in a statement. “Nevertheless, for half a century, Americans have had to live under these illegitimate, illegal, and unconstitutional dictates of a partisan, willful Supreme Court. No more. Today, the question of abortion returns to the states. And in Texas, that question has already been answered: abortion is illegal here. I look forward to defending the pro-life laws of Texas and the lives of all unborn children moving forward.”
These pro-life laws include a "trigger law" that would go into effect in Texas 30 days after the Supreme Court delivers an official judgment.
“Further, we cannot forget the extraordinary violence that Roe and Casey unleashed on our nation," Paxton said. "Because of those decisions, almost 70 million babies have been killed in the womb. And so, today at noon, I am closing all my offices as a memorial to these babies. Our hearts and prayers go out to all of them. Never again should something like this happen in America.”
PEOPLE ARE ALSO READING: | https://www.kvue.com/article/news/local/texas/ken-paxton-agency-holiday-roe-v-wade-decision/269-1dcf6d75-9a14-4760-bf98-0e3136db27fb | 2022-06-24T22:20:24 | 1 | https://www.kvue.com/article/news/local/texas/ken-paxton-agency-holiday-roe-v-wade-decision/269-1dcf6d75-9a14-4760-bf98-0e3136db27fb |
Skip to content
Breaking
Supreme Court Overturns Roe v. Wade, Allowing States to Ban Abortion
Main Navigation
Search
Search for:
Weather
Local
Sports
Entertainment
Investigators
Videos
Newsletters
Live TV
Share
Close
Trending
Wawa Welcome America
Decision 2022
Talking to Kids About Violence
Phillies
Helping Our Heroes
Expand
Local
Breaking news and the stories that matter to your neighborhood. | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/philly-region-reacts-to-end-of-roe-v-wade/3281231/ | 2022-06-24T22:23:17 | 0 | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/philly-region-reacts-to-end-of-roe-v-wade/3281231/ |
Phoenix road closures: What to know about construction in I-10 and I-17 this weekend
Drivers around Arizona will experience road closures on some major freeways this weekend, including the eastbound Interstate 10 between State Route 51 and U.S. 60 due to bridge work.
Those areas will be closed from June 24-27.
The Arizona Department of Transportation advises drivers to plan ahead, allow extra travel time, and check on alternate routes around the Interstate 10 closure, as well as other freeway restrictions.
Restrictions on Eastbound I-10
The Arizona Department of Transportation said eastbound I-10 will be closed between S.R. 51 and U.S. 60 from 10 p.m. Friday until 4 a.m. Monday.
This closure is due to bridge construction and additional work on the I-10 Broadway Curve Improvement Project. Officials suggest a detour of eastbound Loop 202 starting near I-10 and S.R. 51, continuing east to southbound Loop 101 and using westbound U.S. 60 or westbound Loop 202 to return to eastbound Interstate 10.
According to ADOT, these ramps will be closed:
- Southbound S.R. 51 and westbound Loop 202 to eastbound I-10.
- Southbound S.R. 143 to eastbound I-10.
- Southbound Interstate 17 on-ramps at Seventh Avenue and Seventh Street.
ADOT recommends that airport travelers use airport exits along Loop 202 and allow extra travel time.
Restrictions for State Route 24
ADOT says eastbound S.R. 24 will be closed between Loop 202 and Ellsworth Road from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday.
The closure is due to pavement maintenance. Officials advise a detour for drivers to exit Loop 202 to eastbound Elliot Road and use southbound Ellsworth Road to travel beyond the eastbound S.R. 24 closure.
The eastbound and westbound ramps from Loop 202 to eastbound S.R. 24 will be closed.
Restrictions for westbound I-10
The westbound I-10 off-ramp and eastbound on-ramp at Watson Road in Buckeye will be closed from 9 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday.
The ramps will be closed due to utility work. Officials advise drivers to use Verrado Way and Yuma Road. Restrictions are expected on Watson Road at I-10.
Restrictions for eastbound I-17
Eastbound Greenway Road will be closed near I-17 between 29th Avenue and 25th Drive. The road will be closed from 9 p.m. Friday until July 8.
The closure is due to work on a regional drainage system project. ADOT officials advise drivers to take alternate east-west routes in the area, including Cactus or Bell roads.
There will also be closures at the I-17 on and off-ramps at Greenway Road.
ADOT recommends checking real-time highway conditions before heading out on the road. Traffic conditions are available on ADOT’s Arizona Traveler Information site at az511.gov and by calling 511.
Information about highway conditions can also be found on the department's Twitter account @ArizonaDOT.
Reach breaking news reporter Jodicee Arianna at jodicee.harris@gannett.com. | https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/phoenix-traffic/2022/06/24/what-know-highway-construction-phoenix/7727402001/ | 2022-06-24T22:25:42 | 1 | https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/phoenix-traffic/2022/06/24/what-know-highway-construction-phoenix/7727402001/ |
ATLANTA — The Atlanta City Council said it will instruct the city's police department to treat any violations to Georgia's abortion law as the lowest priority after it unanimously passed a resolution on Tuesday.
The announcement by Councilmember Liliana Bakhtiari came on the same day that the United States Supreme Court moved to reverse nearly 50 years of precedent and overturn Roe v. Wade, the landmark case that legalized the right to abortions in the nation.
The high court's decision now allows states to decide how to handle abortions; many, like Georgia, have passed laws that will now take effect with Friday's ruling.
Gov. Brian Kemp's signed Georgia's restrictive "heartbeat" law back in 2019. The law bans all abortions after a cardiac activity in the womb, also called a fetal heartbeat, is detected -- which can sometimes happen as early as six weeks and sometimes before someone knows they're even pregnant. The law does provide exceptions for rape and incest.
Atlanta's resolution now stipulates that "no City funds shall be used to record and/or investigate reports of abortion care and the Atlanta Police Department is requested to place reports of abortion-related care at the lowest possible priority."
It further adds that "the investigation or support for the prosecution of any allegation, charge, or information relating to the outcome of a given pregnancy, including abortion and abortion-related care" would be the lowest priority for law enforcement and the use of resources and personnel.
It provides exceptions for when the pregnant person is the victim of a crime and the crime being investigated is not abortion or other reproductive health services.
The resolution also seeks to ban city funds from being used to "store or catalog" abortion reports, "provide information to any other governmental body or agency about any abortion" that could be used in a prosecution, and conduct surveillance to determine if an individual abortion has occurred or collect data on abortions except for "purposes unrelated to criminal investigation, enforcement or prosecution."
In addition, Bakhtiari said the council is exploring funding to help certain organizations that provide resources to those that sought to have safe abortions elsewhere. The councilmember also encouraged other cities to do the same.
Bakhtiari said she hopes to raise at least $300,000 for one particular group, though it's unclear at this time where those funds would come from.
Bakhtiari closed with strong words to those who might say she's overstepping her boundaries as a council person: "Survival is not a partisan issue."
"This is me doing my job," Bakhtiari said. "As public servants, we do everything we can to protect people's lives, and that's exactly what this is." | https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/atlanta-city-council-abortion-resolution-roe-v-wade/85-07c6e3b0-fa81-4afb-80bc-3b9cba317aed | 2022-06-24T22:25:48 | 1 | https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/atlanta-city-council-abortion-resolution-roe-v-wade/85-07c6e3b0-fa81-4afb-80bc-3b9cba317aed |
DALLAS — Maegan Gross, 30, got pregnant at 20 years old and wasn't ready to be a mother.
Gross got an abortion in Texas in 2012. At 28, however, Gross became pregnant again and chose to have a child. She's now the mother of a 22-month-old little boy.
"I became a mother when I was ready," she told WFAA's Teresa Woodard.
On Friday, the Supreme Court overruled Roe v. Wade, ending constitutional protections for abortion that had been in place nearly 50 years. In Texas, the state has already passed a “trigger law,” making most abortions illegal.
Gross told WFAA the landmark ruling gave her a mixture of emotions.
"I'm angry. I'm emotional. I'm sad. I'm worried for the future of America," Gross said. "This is just insane."
"I had an abortion when I was 20 ... I had the right to choose," Gross added. "The fact that now women aren't going to be able to have that choice is just heartbreaking to me."
The decision by the court's conservative majority overturned the landmark Roe v. Wade ruling and is expected to lead to abortion bans in roughly half the U.S. states.
The ruling, unlikely just a few years ago, was the culmination of decades of efforts by abortion opponents, made possible by an emboldened right side of the court fortified by three appointees of former President Donald Trump.
Gross told WFAA the ruling made her feel devalued and degraded.
"I wasn’t put on this Earth to be an incubator. I wasn’t put on this Earth solely to bear children and I feel reduced to that. I feel reduced to nothing," Gross said. "It's frustrating and it's humiliating."
Abortion foes cheered the ruling, but abortion-rights supporters, including President Joe Biden, expressed dismay and pledged to fight to restore the rights. Many Texas leaders, politicians, organizations and local religious leaders have issued split opinions.
"No woman should be forced to become a mother when she’s not ready," Gross saod. "And I just really hope that one day for our daughters’ futures that this won’t be the case."
More Roe v. Wade coverage: | https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/roe-v-wade-texas-woman-abortion/287-0a88d119-e757-4d98-8f52-16e762a6464b | 2022-06-24T22:25:54 | 0 | https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/roe-v-wade-texas-woman-abortion/287-0a88d119-e757-4d98-8f52-16e762a6464b |
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The Supreme Court has ended constitutional protections for abortion that had been in place for nearly 50 years in a decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. Overturning the landmark case will now make abortion a state issue rather than a federal one.
Local and state leaders are reacting to the ruling.
Gov. Gavin Newsom
"The Supreme Court has stripped women of their liberty and let red states replace it with mandated birth. This is an attack on American freedom. CA, OR and WA are creating the West Coast offensive. A road map for other states to stand up for women. Time to fight like hell," Newsom tweeted.
GOP Leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy
"The people have won a victory. The right to life has been vindicated. The voiceless will finally have a voice," McCarthy tweeted.
Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg
"Another dark day for our country. Courts historically stand tall when they protect and expand individual rights, not strip them away. Not this Supreme Court. In one day, this court has taken away 50 years of a woman's right to choose her own reproductive freedom, including abortion. We must fight like never before to win back the fundamental freedoms that all women deserve," Steinberg tweeted.
Sacramento Vice Mayor Angelique Ashby
"Devastating. Absolutely devastating. My heart is breaking knowing what this will mean for so many people. Crushing," Ashby tweeted.
Rep. Doug LaMalfa, R-Richvale
"Today, life wins! Roe was created by a partisan, unelected Court nearly 50 years ago and does not represent the values of our nation. It is past time that the radical Democrat one party rule stop imposing their immoral and dangerous agenda on the American people," LaMalfa tweeted.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta
"This is a dark moment in our country. But CA refuses to go back. As AG, I will use the full force of the law to protect reproductive healthcare for everyone who seeks it in our state. Abortion remains legally protected in CA and we’ll keep fighting to expand access," Bonta tweeted.
Assemblymember Jim Cooper, D-Elk Grove
"I will never forget my mom telling me about my grandma dying from a back alley abortion before the Roe v Wade decision. I promise to always keep fighting to protect a woman’s right to choose; because no woman should ever lose her life, trying doing what is best for her," Cooper wrote in a statement.
ABC10: Watch, Download, Read
Watch more on ABC10: Roe v. Wade | What happens to abortion in California? | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/california/sacramento-calfornia-leaders-react-roe-v-wade/103-b86329ed-b375-4204-844e-f8661bee4f9b | 2022-06-24T22:26:36 | 1 | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/california/sacramento-calfornia-leaders-react-roe-v-wade/103-b86329ed-b375-4204-844e-f8661bee4f9b |
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — For 87 years, one kitchen on Jefferson Boulevard in West Sacramento has served up mouth-watering old-style Italian home cooking to the tables of multiple generations of loyal customers.
While the past for West Sacramento's iconic Club Pheasant restaurant is clear, with humble roots starting in the middle of agricultural land, the future of the beloved business is now uncertain after the owners decided to sell the land.
For four generations of customers, the restaurant has been a go-to for family gatherings, holidays, events, business get-togethers and memorable dishes such as the garlic steak sandwich, ravioli, or fried ravioli.
Mama Luisa ruled the menu back in the day, as far back as 1935.
What's made the place so popular for so long is that the Palamidessi family, who has owned Club Pheasant for over eight decades, makes guests feel at home.
One of the great things about Club Pheasant is that it never changed since it opened.
Until the early 2000s, when the west side of the Sacramento River exploded with growth, the restaurant was the only thing in West Sacramento, about the only reason people crossed the bridge to come to West Sacramento changing everything around it.
In spite of business still being very good and fourth-generation customers still coming through the door, the Palamidessi family has sold Club Pheasant and sometime next year, the building will come down. It's being bought for the land.
The new owners will likely pave paradise and put up a parking lot, demolishing the West Sacramento staple.
In a statement, the Palamidessi family described the decision as tough to make and said that customers were in mind every step of the way.
"The last few years have been tough for many people and businesses. Through it all, Club Pheasant has been supported day after day by an outpouring of community love, support and understanding," the statement said in part. "Life is short, and although being able to serve you and your families has been one of life's biggest blessings, it's time to retire and give time to our own families as well."
The Palamidessi family says that the restaurant will remain open throughout the end of the year and that they will release information soon on their final hours.
Watch More from ABC10: 'Last the Night', filmed in Sacramento set to debut at Sacramento International Film Festival | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/west-sacramento/iconic-club-pheasant-sold/103-e5b7b6a1-2d88-4683-ad94-6f41bde54fc9 | 2022-06-24T22:26:42 | 1 | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/west-sacramento/iconic-club-pheasant-sold/103-e5b7b6a1-2d88-4683-ad94-6f41bde54fc9 |
New South Providence healthy food hub aims to tackle local food insecurity
PROVIDENCE — A new healthy food hub in South Providence will bring fresh produce to a community with limited options.
On Friday, elected officials joined local leaders to unveil the 12,000-square-foot facility run by the Southside Community Land Trust, a nonprofit organization founded more than 40 years ago to establish the first community garden in the area.
The expansive building at 404 Broad St. will house two restaurants, a small grocer offering produce and African foods and a farm-to-market center where farmers from Providence, Pawtucket, Central Falls and Cranston can bring their crops.
Margaret DeVos, the land trust's executive director, explained that some farmers come to the organization "with incredible knowledge about agriculture but without connections, without capital, maybe without literacy, maybe without English language skills." Now, they will have one more place to sell their fruits and vegetables, not only to individual consumers but to stores.
Fighting back against 'food giants'
Rochelle Lee, president of the land trust's board, said the initiative is about fighting back against "food giants determined to pick and choose who can and cannot access food that is truly capable of nourishing our bodies."
According to the Rhode Island Public Health Institute, one in seven Rhode Islanders faces food insecurity, or does not have dependable access to affordable, healthy food. The institute notes that poverty is the source of such insecurity, which can lead to heart disease, diabetes and other issues.
Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza himself described challenges finding nutritious options when he decided to start eating healthy about 15 years ago.
"I remember when I first started intentionally seeking out healthy food, I realized how hard it was," he said. "You can’t walk into many local convenience stores or marts associated with gasoline stations or the places that are easily accessible to the community. It’s just hard to find healthy food. And then when you do find healthy food, it’s expensive."
Businesses you can expect to see
Businesses moving into the $5.8-million South Providence hub are expected to set up shop later this summer. They include a to-be-determined eatery that will be operated by restaurateur Darell Douglas — who owns Pawtucket chicken joint D's Spot — and Black Beans PVD, a soul food spot owned by Adena Marcelino.
Her specialty is chicken and waffles, with various syrups and hot sauces made from scratch.
For Marcelino, who grew up in the area, the story comes full circle. "To be a kid from this community that went to Classical [High School], who walked to KFC as a child in the summer with my friends to get a bag of french fries just because we could, just to be a kid in the '80s that grew up here now [and] say I have a business here, and didn't have to leave the state to do it." | https://www.providencejournal.com/story/news/local/2022/06/24/south-providence-healthy-food-hub-aims-tackle-local-food-insecurity/7723852001/ | 2022-06-24T22:30:34 | 0 | https://www.providencejournal.com/story/news/local/2022/06/24/south-providence-healthy-food-hub-aims-tackle-local-food-insecurity/7723852001/ |
ORLANDO, Fla. – The Federal Bureau of Investigation raided the Orlando Museum of Art early Friday, according to reports.
The museum told News 6 that the Heroes and Monsters exhibit, featuring the works of famed Neo-expressionist artist Jean-Michel Basquiat, was now under the possession of the FBI.
[TRENDING: Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade. What happens now? | Shipley Do-Nuts plans 1st Central Florida location. Here’s when, where you can find it | Become a News 6 Insider (it’s free!)]
Museum officials said that they complied with the FBI’s requests, though the museum has no reason to believe it is the subject of any investigation, instead acting as a fact witness for law enforcement.
While the exhibit was set to close June 30, museum officials said they will continue to cooperate with the FBI should there be any further requests.
According to a search warrant, federal art crimes investigators have been looking into the 25 paintings since shortly after their discovery in 2012. The controversy gained more attention shortly after the Orlando exhibit opened in February.
The Orlando Museum of Art was the first institution to display pieces said to have been found in an old storage locker years after Basquiat’s 1988 death from a drug overdose at age 27.
Questions about the artworks’ authenticity arose almost immediately after their discovery. The artwork was purportedly made in 1982, but experts have pointed out that the cardboard used in at least one of the pieces included FedEx typeface that wasn’t used until 1994, about six years after Basquiat died, according to the warrant. Also, television writer Thad Mumford, the owner of the storage locker where the art was eventually found, told investigators that he had never owned any Basquiat art and that the pieces were not in the unit the last time he had visited. Mumford died in 2018.
Orlando Museum of Art director Aaron De Groft has repeatedly insisted that the art is legitimate.
The museum closed to the public Friday. That is all the information released by the center at this time.
Check back with News 6 for further updates.
Information from the Associated Press was used in this report. | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2022/06/24/fbi-raids-orlando-museum-of-art-seizes-basquiat-art-exhibit-museum-says/ | 2022-06-24T22:34:19 | 1 | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2022/06/24/fbi-raids-orlando-museum-of-art-seizes-basquiat-art-exhibit-museum-says/ |
Julie Meier and her husband Mike never imagined the sale of their boat canvas and flooring business to a company in Georgia would create an unemployment benefits delay that would last two years.
The Meiers were hired to run the company in Georgia but when COVID-19 hit, the work orders stopped and they were furloughed.
[TRENDING: Become a News 6 Insider (it’s free!)]
Meier told News 6 she filed for benefits with the state of Georgia to cover 12 weeks of unemployment between April and July 2020.
She was told she would be receiving benefits, but she never did.
A year later, she received a recorded message from Georgia’s unemployment office which said, “All your wages were earned in the state of Florida. You’ll need to file in that time period in the state of Florida.”
She immediately filed with the Department of Economic Opportunity, but as of May of 2022, she was still waiting for benefits and about to give up.
“Somehow by the grace of God and luck, I was able to find you online,” Meier said. “I’m so thrilled. I told my family and several friends about you guys.”
She was thrilled once News 6 and Make Ends Meet alerted the DEO of the mistake between the Florida-Georgia line.
The DEO reviewed Meier’s case and issued a total of $13,560 dollars into her bank account within a period of three weeks.
The last payment was issued on June 13.
“I’m still in shock like right now,” she told News 6. “I can’t believe I actually received the payment after all this long. It’s taken a huge weight off my shoulders.”
If you are still waiting for unemployment compensation and have the records to demonstrate you are eligible, send an email to makeendsmeet@wkmg.com or simply text the words “Make Ends Meet” along with your issue to 407-676-7428.
If you are eligible for benefits, News 6 and the DEO will work together to make it right. | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2022/06/24/florida-woman-receives-13k-after-2-year-wait-for-unemployment-benefits/ | 2022-06-24T22:34:25 | 0 | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2022/06/24/florida-woman-receives-13k-after-2-year-wait-for-unemployment-benefits/ |
OCALA, Fla. – Downtown parking meters in Ocala will be temporarily suspended for system-upgrade maintenance starting Friday, according to the city.
Parking meter rates of 50 cents per hour will not be in effect during the suspension, though reports show the time limit of three hours per parking space — for most spaces — will still be enforced.
[TRENDING: Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade. What happens now? | Shipley Do-Nuts plans 1st Central Florida location. Here’s when, where you can find it | Become a News 6 Insider (it’s free!)]
During this period, the city said, visitors are allowed to use complimentary parking throughout the downtown area, which consists of approximately 160 metered parking spots and designated on-street parking. However, restricted parking spots will still be enforced.
For more information, contact the City of Ocala’s parking division at (352) 843-2184. | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2022/06/24/ocala-downtown-parking-meters-temporarily-suspended-city-says/ | 2022-06-24T22:34:31 | 1 | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2022/06/24/ocala-downtown-parking-meters-temporarily-suspended-city-says/ |
ORLANDO, Fla. – You can’t miss 17-year-old Will Larkins.
For his News 6 interview, Larkins arrived wearing sparkly green makeup around his eyes, specks of glitter on his face and in his hair flickering as he spoke. He lives out and proud. It’s an attribute that sometimes rubs his classmates at Winter Park High School the wrong way.
[TRENDING: Marion County woman wins $1M from Florida Lottery scratch-off ticket | Beauty shop targeted, building vandalized with racial slurs | Become a News 6 Insider (it’s free!)]
“There was a situation that happened where a group of boys from my school at a Halloween party that I attended sort of surrounded me and my friends and called us all slurs and said some really horrible stuff to us and threatened to beat us up,” Larkins said.
That incident led the then 16-year-old to create the Queer Student Union at Winter Park High School. But it was what happened next that garnered him national attention.
In late March, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the Parental Rights in Education bill into law, which goes into effect on July 1.
“They are validating the beliefs of very hateful people. They are doing this under the umbrella of parents’ rights,” Larkins said of the new law.
Critics called it the “Don’t Say Gay” bill because it prohibits classroom discussion about sexual orientation or gender identity for students in kindergarten through third grade.
A lawsuit pending in federal court alleges the “effort to control young minds through state censorship - and to demean LGBTQ lives by denying their reality - is a grave abuse of power.”
“It tells us that our identities and our existence is something that we shouldn’t speak about. The really scary thing about this is that it equates queerness to perversion,” Larkins said.
High school students across Florida walked out of their classrooms in protest.
Larkins organized and led the walk out at Winter Park High School. His articulate and sharp opposition to the legislation caught the attention of the New York Times. The publication invited Larkins to write an op-ed that published days before the legislation was signed.
In it, he tries to humanize LGBTQ teens to a wider audience, explaining how they feel targeted by what they see as anti-gay legislation in states across the country.
“Queer kids in general, just seeing the way people debate our identities online... it’s pretty heartbreaking,” Larkins said.
The op-ed quotes a startling statistic from the Trevor Project, a suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization for youth identifying as LGBTQ, which shows LGBTQ teens are four times as likely to attempt suicide as their straight counterparts.
In life, Larkins also sometimes quotes late civil rights legend John Lewis by advocating for others to “Get in good trouble,” just like he did on a week night in May at an Orange County School Board meeting. He and others got in “good trouble” by getting kicked out for a chant about LGBTQ rights.
“We had a lovely school board meeting where we were dragged out by the police,” Larkins said on a microphone outside the Orange County Public Schools building after he and his fellow activists were thrown out.
Larkins mother said she’s learned to follow his lead.
She offered advice to other parents raising an LGBTQ child.
“I would say that you need to educate yourself on what children of your age group really need. What they need as a kindergartner is different from what they’ll need in fifth grad to what they’ll need as a 17-year-old. So it’s really up to a parent who may be wondering that to really find out,” Beth Nelson said. “There’s a lot of information out there about how you could really help your child through that process so that they feel comfortable, that they know that they are safe, and that they can at least feel safe at home even if they don’t totally feel safe at school.”
Will Larkins starts his senior year at Winter Park High School in the fall.
Support for LGBTQ teens and their families is available at Trevor Project, Zebra Coalition, and The Center Orlando. | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2022/06/24/winter-park-teen-lbgtq-activist-voices-opposition-in-new-york-times-op-ed-piece/ | 2022-06-24T22:34:37 | 1 | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2022/06/24/winter-park-teen-lbgtq-activist-voices-opposition-in-new-york-times-op-ed-piece/ |
VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. – A 30-year-old woman was killed in a Port Orange crash on Interstate 95 Friday afternoon, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
Troopers said they responded to the scene on southbound I-95 near mile marker 256 shortly before 3 p.m.
[TRENDING: Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade. What happens now? | Shipley Do-Nuts plans 1st Central Florida location. Here’s when, where you can find it | Become a News 6 Insider (it’s free!)]
According to FHP, the woman’s car collided with another vehicle driven by a 25-year-old woman.
The 30-year-old was pronounced dead at the scene, while the other woman, along with her two passengers, was not injured and remained at the scene, troopers said.
There is currently a roadblock up in the southbound inside lane of I-95 as troopers investigate.
FHP said they will provide further updates as more information comes in. Check back with News 6 for updates. | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2022/06/24/woman-killed-in-port-orange-crash-on-i-95-troopers-say/ | 2022-06-24T22:34:43 | 0 | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2022/06/24/woman-killed-in-port-orange-crash-on-i-95-troopers-say/ |
Pro-choice activists feared this day for decades, and pro-life activists feared it would never come.
On Friday, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion nationwide, returning all oversight of the procedure to the states.
"I have been praying for Roe v. Wade to get overturned. This is the most amazing day I've had in a very long time," said 13-year pro-life activist Ethel Hermenau, of Galloway Township, the project director for LIFENET's South Jersey Outreach chapter.
Hermenau said her organization and others will now turn to lobbying for restrictions on abortion in New Jersey, particularly to end late-term abortion.
Abortion remains legal in New Jersey with no explicit time limits because the Legislature passed A6260/S49 in January after an emotional debate. Gov. Phil Murphy signed it later that month.
Women in New Jersey are guaranteed the right to decide when and whether to bear children, and to access contraception, abortion and other reproductive health care for completing a pregnancy, without interference by the state.
People are also reading…
TRENTON — A bill guaranteeing women self determination on reproductive issues passed both ho…
Hermenau said she and other activists will work to pass the "Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act" bill (A305) that would stop abortion after 20 weeks' gestation.
Sponsored by Assemblyman Ronald Dancer, R-Burlington, Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean, it was introduced in January and sent to the Assembly Women and Children Committee.
"Sixteen or 17 states have already passed it," Hermenau said.
U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew, R-2nd, who was elected as a Democrat but switched parties in 2019 after voting against impeaching President Donald Trump, said Friday the Supreme Court did its job.
"The United States Supreme Court has the sacred responsibility of interpreting the Constitution and upholding our nation’s founding principles free from political interference, which is exactly what it did today,” Van Drew said.
He has recently said he considers himself pro-life, after being a pro-choice legislator for decades.
TRENTON — Lawmakers are expected to quickly pass more than 100 bills on Monday, the last day…
"The integrity of the Court and its decision to overturn Roe v. Wade must be respected, and we must come together to reject the latest attempts by those who disagree with today’s decision to abolish or pack the Supreme Court," Van Drew said.
Van Drew also called for President Joe Biden and House Democrats to condemn calls from angry pro-choice activists for a "Night of Rage" and to protect pro-life clinics from continued violence.
Planned Parenthood Action Fund of New Jersey Vice President Kaitlyn Wojtowicz said Friday her organization will lobby for legislation (A4350/S2918) to create a $20 Reproductive Health Access Fund to help women obtain abortions. It also would force government programs and insurers to cover abortion, among other provisions.
“This decision goes against the will of the people: 80% of Americans believe that abortion should be legal," Wojtowicz said. "This decision won’t stop us. We will rebuild and reclaim the freedom that is ours."
Those on the pro-choice side celebrated New Jersey law.
"Thank God we live in the State of New Jersey where Governor Murphy and legislative leaders codified Roe before this disastrous decision was released," said Atlantic County Democratic Chairman Michael Suleiman. "In anti-choice states, however, this decision will cost some women their lives, as they'll be forced to undergo dangerous, non-medically supervised procedures to end a pregnancy."
ATLANTIC CITY — State Senate candidates Vince Mazzeo and Vince Polistina were feisty but civ…
“I knew it was a possibility, but I didn’t think it’d come to this,” said Ameena Walker, of Pleasantville, as she shopped Friday at Tanger Outlets The Walk in Atlantic City. She said she was extremely disappointed by the ruling. “It’s kind of scary to think about what else could be implemented going forward.”
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, Walker said the government has tried to control citizens’ rights.
“Since the pandemic started, I feel like I’m in a video game simulation and I can’t get out of the level," Walker said.
Many Democrats and organizations expressed anger and sadness at the decision.
"It is a sad day in America. This decision by an extremist faction of justices is unconscionable," said Democratic congressional candidate Tim Alexander, of Galloway Township. "The outright rejection of precedent and disregard for the Fourth and Ninth Amendments' protection of unenumerated rights is appalling."
Alexander called on Congress to take action immediately to protect women's reproductive rights nationwide "and to stave off future attacks on our other rights that are now vulnerable."
Women’s reproductive rights — particularly the right to a medically provided abortion — have…
The New Jersey Education Association, the state's largest teachers union, also weighed in opposing the ruling, as did many other social and health groups.
“Today’s regressive decision disregards a half century of precedent and moves our nation further away from our founding ideals of personal liberty," said a joint statement from New Jersey Education Association President Sean M. Spiller, Vice President Steve Beatty and Secretary-Treasurer Petal Robertson.
“Reproductive justice is racial justice. ... Already, Black people and other people of color lack equal access to health care, including abortion, prenatal and preventive care. Black women also experience higher rates of infant mortality and pregnancy-related deaths," according to a statement from the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice. "Today’s callous decision will only widen these racial disparities."
Suleiman said Democrats didn't fight hard enough for President Barack Obama's right to replace U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia with Obama's nominee, Merrick Garland. Scalia died Feb. 13, 2016, during Obama's last year in office.
That allowed President Donald Trump to fill three seats on the court, pushing it to a conservative majority.
"We've sat idly by while the far-right completely transformed the federal bench into an ultra-reactionary body," Suleiman said. "As a national party, we need to start fighting back."
Assembly Majority Leader Louis Greenwald, D-Camden, Burlington, said the court is showing a dangerous lack of respect for precedent.
“In the past two days, the Court has denied women throughout the country the individual right to choose and struck down New York’s concealed carry law, a common-sense policy to protect the public from senseless gun violence," Greenwald said. "These radical decisions undermine our American freedoms."
Paul Monseliu, another visitor to Tanger Outlets The Walk on Friday, said the decisions on abortion and New York’s gun laws are only making the country more divided.
“We need to bring the country together,” said Monseliu, who said the abortion ruling would impact the less fortunate the most. “The right to change your future is very important and shouldn’t be decided by a bunch of conservative men and Catholic churches.”
Monseliu said the decision to overturn Roe v. Wade would affect how he voted in November’s election.
Hermenau and other pro-life activists plan to rally at the Statehouse Annex from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday.
Staff Writer Selena Vazquez contributed to this report. | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/pro-life-activists-vow-to-set-limits-on-abortion-in-new-jersey-now-that-roe/article_990bc168-f3d6-11ec-afcd-a76c148cbfee.html | 2022-06-24T22:37:31 | 1 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/pro-life-activists-vow-to-set-limits-on-abortion-in-new-jersey-now-that-roe/article_990bc168-f3d6-11ec-afcd-a76c148cbfee.html |
Michael Stankiewicz hit a walk-off double to lead the Ocean City/ Upper Township 12-and-under baseball team to a 1-0 victory over Northfield in a Little League District 16 baseball game Thursday.
Stankiewicz and Andrew Pashley each had two hits. Corey Clemens struck out 11 in five innings and allowed just one hit. Andrew Pashley pitched a scoreless sixth to earn the win. Ocean City/ Upper Township improved to 2-0 in pool play.
Cameron Colucci pitched 3 2/3 shutout innings for Northfield.
District 16 11U
Stafford 15, Mainland 13: Stafford trailed 12-1 in the bottom of the fourth inning but scored 11 runs to tie the game. Shea Mahoney allowed three runs and struck out five for the win. He also scored three runs, drew two walks and doubled. Matt Goshorn hit an RBI double in the fifth. Jared Files hit a game-winning, two-run double.
Softball
District 16 11U
People are also reading…
Hammonton 15, Northfield 0: Maddy Ryan pitched four innings with six strikeouts to earn the win. Brooklyn DelGozzo had four hits. | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/sports/local/michael-stankiewiczs-walk-off-double-leads-ocean-city-upper-township-youth-baseball-softball-roundup/article_80d99dca-f3c4-11ec-85b5-c36ac858c0e6.html | 2022-06-24T22:37:38 | 1 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/sports/local/michael-stankiewiczs-walk-off-double-leads-ocean-city-upper-township-youth-baseball-softball-roundup/article_80d99dca-f3c4-11ec-85b5-c36ac858c0e6.html |
DALLAS — Following the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, the Dallas County district attorney has released a statement saying he won't prosecute women who are seeking abortions.
The Supreme Court overturned the landmark ruling on Friday, paving the way for states to make their own decisions on how to handle abortions.
The impact in Texas could already be seen after it was one of 13 states that already passed a "trigger law," which would enforce all abortion-related legislation that has been passed since Roe v. Wade's decision in 1973. The "trigger law" is expected to go into effect 30 days after the Supreme Court issues a judgment on the case. The Court issued its opinion on Roe v. Wade on Friday.
Immediately after that landmark overturning on Friday, however, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said prosecutors could immediately pursue criminal prosecutions based on violations of Texas abortion prohibitions predating Roe v. Wade, which the Legislature never repealed.
On Friday afternoon, Dallas County District Attorney John Creuzot released a statement in response to the SCOTUS decision about how his office will handle abortion cases.
"I want women across Texas, and especially here in Dallas County, to rest assured that my office will not stand in the way of them seeking the health care they need," Creuzot said.
"Bans on abortion disproportionately impact the poor, women of color and other vulnerable populations and endanger public safety," he added.
Texas currently bans abortions after six weeks with no exceptions for rape or incest. This was part of Senate Bill 8, which was passed in 2021. The law also allows a person to sue anyone who aids or abets an abortion for up to $10,000.
Under the current law, a prosecutor could file charges against an abortion provider, but it's considered a misdemeanor.
When the "trigger law" goes into effect, providers can be criminally prosecuted with a first-degree felony, with at least a $100,000 fine and risk of losing licenses. | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/dallas-county-da-says-wont-prosecute-women-seeking-abortions/287-7d2c22fd-7ce9-4871-a213-0454f458bd16 | 2022-06-24T22:38:04 | 1 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/dallas-county-da-says-wont-prosecute-women-seeking-abortions/287-7d2c22fd-7ce9-4871-a213-0454f458bd16 |
DALLAS — Dallas ISD teachers are about to see higher pay after the district's Board of Trustees approved on Thursday night a new budget for the next school year that includes higher salaries.
Following the new budget's approval, the average teacher compensation at DISD will be nine to 10 percent higher starting next school year. The budget also includes higher starting salaries for new teachers, who will now begin at $60,000-per-year salaries.
Also included in the budget is a higher minimum wage across other DISD jobs, raising that payrate to $15 an hour. Teacher's assistants, community liaisons, nurses, counselors, food services, maintenance and transportation will all see raises, according to the budget.
In all, the increases amount to about an additional $51.2 million in salary increases for the district, along with $52 million in retention incentives.
Those hiring incentives include $2,000 payments that will be made available for new and experienced teachers alike. The incentives can be stackable too, and could be added to other incentives such as a $3,000 bonus for secondary math and science teachers, or $5,000 for elementary bilingual education teachers.
Newly hired teachers would also be reimbursed up to $4,000 for certification program fees, a press release announcing the new budget detailed.
Hiring incentive costs and reimbursements would be absorbed by the district's existing Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief funds, the release added.
The board's hope is that these raises will make Dallas ISD more competitive with other districts when hiring.
The district's next fiscal year will begin July 1. | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/dallas-isd-passes-budget-next-school-year-approving-higher-starting-salaries-teachers/287-0ab0fd0c-c62f-4ed8-bf0b-66d169777d82 | 2022-06-24T22:38:10 | 0 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/dallas-isd-passes-budget-next-school-year-approving-higher-starting-salaries-teachers/287-0ab0fd0c-c62f-4ed8-bf0b-66d169777d82 |
BELLMEAD, Texas — A 50-acre brush fire that's burning in Waco is now 45% contained, which has stopped evacuations in the area, according to the Waco Fire Department.
Fire crews were called out to the 3700 block of Kendall Lane regarding a fire that started around 1:52 p.m. It quickly spread through the area and grew to 50 acres because of windy conditions, crews told 6 News.
Some buildings and vehicles were damaged, but there were no injuries, Waco Fire said.
Regarding the cause, Waco Fire said flames started because of construction crew iron work.
Though the fire is contained, crews ask the public to stay out of the area.
Other departments, including state and county departments, are helping put out the fire. A total of 32 trained firefighters and three aircrafts responded to the fire, crews said.
Stay with 6 News as this story develops. | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/large-bush-fire-causes-waco-fire-to-evacuate-residents/500-ec08433a-bc7a-4fd0-af4a-1d0d301c1a3f | 2022-06-24T22:38:16 | 0 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/large-bush-fire-causes-waco-fire-to-evacuate-residents/500-ec08433a-bc7a-4fd0-af4a-1d0d301c1a3f |
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.