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ORLANDO, Fla. – An Orlando car wash was badly damaged early Thursday in a fire, officials said.
The fire broke out around 1:20 a.m. at Squeeky’s Car Wash on Colonial Drive at John Young Parkway.
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According to fire officials, a caller reported that the car wash was on fire.
When crews arrived, fire officials said 50% of the attic of one of the buildings was ablaze, as well as car wash machinery.
No injuries were reported.
News 6 asked if the fire was suspicious after seeing an arson and bomb investigators at the scene, but officials said the cause of the fire has not been determined.
Orlando fire officials said 11 units responded to the scene.
Investigators se working to find out what caused a fire at the Saueeky’s Car Wash on Colonial Dr this morning.
— Ezzy Castro (@EzzyCastro) May 18, 2023
What we know so far coming up in my live report at 6 @news6wkmg pic.twitter.com/MhFWvjIY0C | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2023/05/18/fire-damages-squeekys-car-wash-in-orlando/ | 2023-05-18T10:39:59 | 0 | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2023/05/18/fire-damages-squeekys-car-wash-in-orlando/ |
Touch-a-Truck event returns in June
MUNCIE, Ind. – The Muncie Public Works Department is again partnering with Muncie Sanitary District and Police and Fire Departments to host the second annual Touch-A-Truck event June 9.
Last July dozens of trucks, tactical vehicles and other heavy machinery were lined up for the general public to see the equipment up close. More than 300 people met with department representatives and explored machinery.
According to the city, the event was especially popular with families, as elementary- and middle-school children had an opportunity to interact with city officials and view paving equipment, fire engines, dump trucks and other specialized equipment.
This year’s Touch-A-Truck event will be hosted from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Friday, June 9, at High Street Square, across from City Hall. City Engineer Adam Leach will be providing food for the event, including Unc’s Barbecue and Barking Cow Ice Cream.
If the weather is poor, the event will be rescheduled for June 16. | https://www.thestarpress.com/story/news/local/2023/05/18/touch-a-truck-event-returns-in-june/70228116007/ | 2023-05-18T10:40:51 | 1 | https://www.thestarpress.com/story/news/local/2023/05/18/touch-a-truck-event-returns-in-june/70228116007/ |
YOC expanding programs as it mission to help children in need grows
MUNCIE, Ind. – Jeff Helm, new chief executive officer at the Youth Opportunity Center, runs an institution that has always been conditioned to meet the needs of people crisis.
Children who are distraught. plagued by anxiety and suffering from social dysfunction has been a focus, caring for the bullied as well as bullies. But it's different now.
Since the pandemic, the emotional problems faced by children are deeper, resolutions harder to come by and finding people willing to take on the task of working with troubled kids is more difficult. The YOC is changing to meet the tougher landscape of juvenile development after COVID-19 and the unique challenges in the culture.
"We're recovering from all the things made worse by the pandemic," said Helm, who is the new CEO, moving into the post that had long been held by Rick Rowray, who remains the senior administrator at YOC.
Rowray will seek new funding sources to provide increases in salaries for staff members who work directly with children while Helm oversees the day-to-day operations.
There has been an increase in suicidal ideation, Helm said, where young individuals think about and possibly consider suicide. Those thoughts can come with self-harming behaviors. Children are lashing out, he said.
"There is so much going on inside of them," Helm said. And many don't have to tools to express themselves.
There are 50 children in the residential program at the YOC. The children are placed there by a court through the Indiana Department of Child Services. The YOC also operates a juvenile detention center on behalf of Delaware County and surrounding counties.
Organizations that work to help children are all having to deal with the repercussions of COVID-19 and its impact on children who never suffered from the virus but encountered the reaction to the virus. Much was lost when education at school was interrupted for students during the pandemic.
"Schools have to work closer with students and find strategies to work and fix problems" when students don't have the social interaction usually experienced at school, said Helm.
Two new alternative programs are starting
Among the new programs at YOC will be two that rise from continued partnerships with Muncie Community Schools.
Starting in the coming academic year will be an Alternative School for middle school students. The collaboration with MCS will provide an alternate environment for students at YOC who have been unsuccessful in their regular classrooms. Students are referred to the program due to behavior difficulties, severe academic deficiencies, excessive absences or due to being placed on probation by the court.
“The Alternative School is a new program to provide an additional option for those whose traditional education is not working. It’s for students who have had multiple suspensions and need additional support beyond a regular classroom in order to have success. At the YOC, these students will be able to receive help from not only a dedicated teacher and very small class size, but they will also get assistance from an instructional aide and a behavioral support specialist," said LeeAnn Kwiatkowski, director of public education and CEO at MCS.
Also launching in the coming academic year is Day Therapeutic School. MCS and YOC provide a day treatment option for students before high school. The effort is aimed at students of average intelligence but who suffer from "extreme behavioral challenges," according to a description of the program provided by the YOC.
The program makes its students available for an array of services geared at education, behavior, family and community involvement with the aim of getting students ready for success in high school.
"The Day Therapeutic School is for students in grades 3 through 6," Kwiatkowski said. "It’s a two- to three-year program, so some students may stay in it through eighth grade. Each student must have an IEP (Individualized Education Plan) in order to be accepted into this program where they will receive significant mental health services. Housing this program at the YOC will be much more convenient for students from MCS and around the area who require these services. We anticipate no more than seven or eight students enrolled in this program each year.”
Unique path for social work — information technology
Helm praised MCS and the professionalism at the local public schools, as well as the benefits provided the community through the increase in resources available since the partnership between the city schools and Ball State University.
The new CEO comes to his new position following a unique path for social work, information technology. He has been with YOC since 2002, starting as the director of information technology and serving as chief information officer and director of facilities beginning in 2017 until his promotion to CEO.
Helm, who graduated from Wapahani High School in Selma and from Ball State University, was passionate about connecting data to people.
During Helm's tenure with YOC, the organization established Tru Harbor, in New Castle. The program provides residential treatment for commercially and sexually exploited children, housed in a converted former juvenile facility near Henry County Memorial Park.
Program helps youths to control emotional responses
YOC provides Family Preservation services in homes, helping entire families as adapt to overcome the risks that led to the need for the services. It offers the GEMS program, a secure private residential treatment program for girls exhibiting criminal and behavioral issues.
The YOC also provides the PROMISE Program, which helps boys and girls who have difficulty controlling their emotion responses and suffer difficulty relating to others. Those in the program have experienced trauma or abuse and are taught new skills in dealing with the world.
Other programs include residential programs for males displaying criminal and other behavior issues.
"Kids come to us from all different backgrounds," Helm said. And each has their own story.
Most of the children using the YOC services come from Delaware and surrounding counties. Helm said that YOC has been asked to develop a program to provide diagnostic and evaluation services to assess mental health needs for children.
According to the 2022 Kids Count Data Book, the recommended student to school psychologist ratio is 700 to 1. Indiana schools average 2,699 to 1 while schools in Delaware County average 7,847 to 1.
A 2022 report from the Indiana Behavioral Health Commission found more than half of 12- to 17-year-olds dealing with depression in Indiana do not receive care. It also determined that 70 percent of youth involved with the juvenile justice system have mental health conditions.
YOC has been asked to create a program for outpatient and home-based mental health testing and to provide a 30-day program for youth who are unsafe in their current surroundings.
No diagnostic, evaluation programs in Delaware County area
Right now, there are diagnostic and evaluation programs for children in only six of Indiana's 92 counties and none in Delaware or its six neighboring counties.
According to Helm, YOC plans to create a diagnostics and evaluation division led by a full-time psychologist with tools available to appropriately place and treat children.
The state is placing more emphasis on confronting mental health issues, including problems faced by children. The YOC, under Helm's direction, will play a large part in the treatment of local children needing help.
And the organization will be recruiting more people to help it accomplish the growing job. | https://www.thestarpress.com/story/news/local/2023/05/18/yoc-expanding-programs-as-it-mission-to-help-children-in-need-grows/70218459007/ | 2023-05-18T10:40:57 | 0 | https://www.thestarpress.com/story/news/local/2023/05/18/yoc-expanding-programs-as-it-mission-to-help-children-in-need-grows/70218459007/ |
1,400-unit Providence self storage complex on Branch Ave. gets preliminary approval
Final approval was delegated to Providence planning staff
- More windows were the one big change between the initial plan in February and the one approved in May
PROVIDENCE − A 1,400-unit self storage complex slated for the former elections bureau building at 50 Branch Ave. is poised to move forward after receiving preliminary approval from the Providence City Plan Commission.
The Plan Commission, on Tuesday night, delegated the last stage of the approval process, the final plan, to city staff. The only major changes to the master plan, approved in February, were more windows on the sides of the new building. Those changes were made in response to comments by Commissioner Noel Sanchez that the self-storage complex Store Space Self Storage across Interstate 95 at 145 Corliss St. "is a wall" when viewed from the highway.
The new plans presented added "glazing," or glass windows, to the upper stories. Updated renderings show an additional row of windows on Dryden Lane.
The project previously received variances to increase the height of the building. The developer, Trunk Space LLC of Quincy, Massachusetts, asked for the height allowance in exchange for keeping the front brick facade of the former elections bureau.
Under the first set of plans, where the elections building would have been demolished, the building probably would not have topped 50 feet, the area limit. The land behind the façade loses elevation and the actual proposed height would vary between 58 and 73 feet.
Providence's zoning allows a maximum of four stories or 50 feet only in its general commercial and heavy commercial districts.
Self storage a booming industry
While Providence and Rhode Island are in a housing crises (the median home price is up to $400,000 from $250,000 pre-pandemic), self storage complexes continue to be proposed and built across the state, like the conversion of the 22-acre former Anne and Hope shopping complex in Warwick into a 1,600-unit U-Haul self-storage complex.
Reporter Tom Mooney explored the building boom in a story for subscribers published last week. In Providence, there are 17 operating or pending self storage facilities.
At the heart of the business appears to be a population that is in transition. Baby boomers looking to downsize, younger people moving, anyone getting divorced, a place to store big-ticket items like kayaks and bedroom sets and those sentimental value, family photos and a children's school projects.
Read Mooney's story here. If you don't have a subscription, consider our latest subscription offer.
The looming battle over self storage
The proposed self-storage complex on Branch Avenue looks a lot like a boxy, modern apartment complex and it is in an area zoned for mixed-use developments, "heavy commercial," which could include housing. The biggest neighbors for the site are the North Burial Ground, the Dryden Mill strip mall.
The prevalence and creep of self storage complexes has gotten the attention of Providence City Councilors, and have some talking about an outright ban on the construction of new facilities in city limits, as reporter Amy Russo wrote about in April.
Self storage is a by-right use in two city zones, the "heavy commercial" and the "light industrial" district. The "heavy commercial" or C-3 zone is for "more intense commercial use" like those dealing with vehicles and requiring outdoor storage and "light industrial" or M-1 is intended for "light industrial and office park uses."
Rowhouses, three-family, two-family and "multi-family dwellings" are allowed in the "heavy commercial" zone but no housing is allowed in the light industrial zone.
Read Russo's story about the push to ban new self storage in the city.
Thanks to our subscribers, who help make this coverage possible. If you are not a subscriber, please consider supporting quality local journalism with a Providence Journal subscription. Here's our latest offer.
Reach reporter Wheeler Cowperthwaite at wcowperthwaite@providencejournal.com or follow him on Twitter @WheelerReporter. | https://www.providencejournal.com/story/news/local/2023/05/18/1400-unit-self-storage-complex-in-providence-preliminarily-approved-50-branch-ave-trunk-space-llc/70227223007/ | 2023-05-18T10:44:37 | 0 | https://www.providencejournal.com/story/news/local/2023/05/18/1400-unit-self-storage-complex-in-providence-preliminarily-approved-50-branch-ave-trunk-space-llc/70227223007/ |
AUBURN, Calif — The Placer County Sheriff's Office unveiled a Fallen Deputy Memorial Wednesday at the Auburn Justice Center.
The memorial statue honors nine deputies who have been killed in the line of duty since 1851. Their names and end-of-watch will be engraved into the memorial. The statue will be placed inside the rotunda of the Auburn Justice Center and will be open to the public.
The eight-foot-tall bronze statue took artist Douglas Van Howd two years to build. Sheriff Wayne Woo first introduced the idea to honor the sheriff's office's nine fallen deputies before he was elected sheriff.
“These men gave the ultimate sacrifice to protect the citizens of Placer County. They embodied what it truly means to protect and serve their community. Although we are heartbroken by the tragic events that ended their lives much too soon, we would be remiss not to keep their legacies and stories alive,” Woo said.
Signs were put up around the rotunda during the unveiling event for each deputy that included the story of how they made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty.
The memorial honors the following deputies: George Martin, Frank H. Dependener, William Elam, Richard A. Sheppard, Charles Carter, Arden Webster, Timothy A. Ruggles, James E. Machado and Michael Davis Jr.
Watch more on ABC10: 2 men missing in Placer County after possibly swept away in rivers | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/auburn-grass-valley/placer-sheriff-auburn-fallen-deputy-memorial/103-dde4ce31-989b-480e-bbbf-6bbdb89a0944 | 2023-05-18T10:50:12 | 0 | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/auburn-grass-valley/placer-sheriff-auburn-fallen-deputy-memorial/103-dde4ce31-989b-480e-bbbf-6bbdb89a0944 |
FAIRFIELD, Calif. — After bringing food from Brazil to Vacaville, the Carvalho family is expanding their steakhouse to Fairfield and Sacramento.
Both spots are expected to open in about two months. Sacramento's location is a few blocks from the capitol at 1111 J St. and Fairfield's is in the Solano Town Center at 1350 Travis Blvd.
Pampas Brazilian Steakhouse came to Vacaville in 2019 after owner Rodrigo Carvalho, his wife Daniela and son Luiz frequented steakhouses and missed the taste of home.
"We missed Brazilian food here because here's very different," said Daniela. "One day, I played with him and said, 'we should open a steak house for us...' And here we are."
With over 17 cuts of meat, a loaded salad bar, soups and other sides, Rodrigo assures there's food for everyone to eat.
"We have everything there. Fish that they don't usually have in a steakhouse, like tilapia and real ceviche," said Rodrigo. "We have a bunch of things... A bunch of options."
Prices may vary, but Vacaville's location currently charges $68.95 for lunch and dinner with access to all options. For just the salad bar, the price is $40.95. Kids under 3 eat for free, under 6 for $6 and under 11 for $34.95.
Luiz and Rodrigo say they chose the name Pampas because of its cultural significance and the beginning of their restaurant experiences in Argentina which has a location known as "The Pampas."
The family says they're looking to expand further, potentially scouting out a location in West Palm Beach, Florida, and San Diego, California.
For those who can't wait to try the food, the Vacaville location is open now at 909 Merchant St.
WATCH MORE: Raising Cane's opens 1st Sacramento location | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/brazilian-steakhouse-opening-fairfield-sacramento/103-786805cf-3241-4232-b9fd-a79b441f2459 | 2023-05-18T10:50:18 | 1 | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/brazilian-steakhouse-opening-fairfield-sacramento/103-786805cf-3241-4232-b9fd-a79b441f2459 |
PORTOLA, Calif. — The lockdown at C-Roy Carmichael Middle School has been lifted after officials determined a threatening text message was a "false alarm."
The Plumas County Sheriff's Office says a minor was identified as the sender of the text and there is "no further threat to public safety." It is not clear if this minor was a student at the middle school or if they have any connection to the school.
The lockdown began after officials say they received a call from the Veteran’s Crisis Center about a threat made against the school Wednesday morning.
The Plumas County Sheriff's Office says the center got a text from a man named "Paul" just before 8 a.m. The message allegedly said he was homicidal and had plans to "kill several people" at the school.
The principal locked down the campus at the sheriff's office's request while units investigated.
School and law enforcement officials are working together to find a "resolution of this matter," according to a press release.
No further information is available at this time.
WATCH MORE: Sacramento Sheriff's Homeless Outreach Team connects with unhoused, but not everyone is open | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/c-roy-carmichael-middle-school-lockdown/103-01371e42-6d1d-46a3-8004-29b7d08607ef | 2023-05-18T10:50:24 | 1 | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/c-roy-carmichael-middle-school-lockdown/103-01371e42-6d1d-46a3-8004-29b7d08607ef |
CALIFORNIA, USA — This story was originally published by CalMatters.
The high cost of insulin has been a niggling thorn in the side of regulators and patients for decades: Prices for the 100-year-old drug have increased more than 600% in the past 20 years, and stories of patients rationing doses abound. Even the most conservative economists point to it as an example of a market gone sour.
Despite repeated efforts at the federal and state level to rein in the cost of pharmaceuticals, prices go up each year, growing quicker than any other health care service and routinely outpacing the rate of inflation.
This year, California is poised to do something different to cut the cost of insulin, attacking the problem on three fronts. And if it works for insulin prices, it could work for other drugs:
- Lawmakers have introduced a bevy of bills targeting out-of-pocket insulin costs. They have also advanced legislation ensuring cost savings for all drugs get passed down to patients;
- Attorney General Rob Bonta is suing the nation’s largest insulin manufacturers and pharmaceutical benefit managers for driving up the cost of the life-saving drug, alleging unfair business practices;
- And Gov. Gavin Newsom recently announced a $50 million state contract with generic drug company Civica Rx to manufacture three types of cheap biosimilar — or generic — insulin for diabetic Californians.
This three-pronged approach isn’t perfect — measures like the ones suggested by lawmakers this year have failed several times — but legislators are hopeful the resources of usual opponents will be divided among the state’s other efforts. Health economists and patient advocates believe the state’s lawsuit will lift the veil on opaque pricing tactics for the first time nationwide, potentially shifting how industry players behave.
“It’s good the state of California is using its power as a purchaser, a regulator (and) a litigator to try to address this issue,” said Anthony Wright, executive director of Health Access California, a consumer advocacy group that routinely sponsors health care affordability measures. “This is such a multi-faceted problem that it requires a lot of different solutions.”
Insulin: The poster child for a broken market
So who’s to blame for the skyrocketing cost of pharmaceutical drugs? Ask any number of industry players and you’ll get stuck in an endless loop of finger pointing. Manufacturers blame insurers and intermediaries known as pharmaceutical benefit managers for exploiting profit models. Those groups in turn blame manufacturers for setting high prices to begin with. In the end, the patient pays.
“There are no heroes in health care,” said Kevin Schulman, a professor of medicine and operations, information and technology at Stanford University. Schulman sits on the scientific advisory board for Civica Rx.
In California, between 2017 and 2021, state-regulated health plans increased spending on prescription drugs by more than 22%, or $2.1 billion, according to a recent price transparency report. By comparison, medical expenses increased 18.4% during the same time period. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, medical expenses had increased just 8.2% while drug spending increased 14.4%.
For many people with health insurance, increasing pharmaceutical prices are obscured because insurance picks up a majority of the tab. However, people who are uninsured or who have not hit their annual deductible pay the full drug price out-of-pocket.
The cost of insulin has become the consistent linchpin of these drug price discussions. Some people with diabetes — approximately 37 million in the United States and about 3 million in California — need insulin to regulate their blood sugar. Without it they will die.
Until very recently, the average list price of insulin increased about 11% annually, with some common brands exceeding $400 per vial. Actions by the federal government to impose out-of-pocket price caps and penalize manufacturers that raise prices faster than the rate of inflation spurred the three largest insulin manufacturers to drop prices to $35 earlier this year. However, during a U.S. Senate committee hearing last week, executives from Novo Nordisk and Sanofi would not commit to keeping prices that low.
“We’ve seen a little bit of a collapse these last few weeks…this will provide some relief, but at the end of the day the thing we don’t know is how (pharmaceutical benefit managers) are going to respond to these cuts,” Schulman, who researches the pharmaceutical market, said. “In theory, they have no interest in supporting these low-cost products.”
Why wouldn’t these intermediaries support low cost drugs? The answer lies in a complex and convoluted system of rebates that drug companies pay pharmaceutical benefit managers. Pharmaceutical benefit managers control the list of drugs that health insurance plans cover, also known as a formulary. Consolidation has resulted in three companies — CVS Caremark, Express Scripts and OptumRx — representing more than 80% of the market. To incentivize benefit managers and insurers to cover their products, manufacturers offer them a cut of the sale price, or a rebate.
The trade group representing pharmaceutical benefit managers claims more than 90% of these rebates, also known as discounts, are passed on to insurers to help lower the cost of health insurance premiums. But researchers say without regulation mandating transparency, it’s impossible to know who exactly keeps the rebates and how they’re used.
Erin Trish, an associate professor of pharmaceutical and health economics at the University of Southern California, said what results is a competitive market where prices for many drugs are driven higher rather than lower.
“It creates incentive for these (pharmaceutical benefit managers), who are making money as a share of the list price of the drug, to negotiate for drugs that have higher list prices with bigger discounts rather than lower prices,” Trish said.
It also results in a system where the sickest patients — those who use the most prescription drugs — subsidize the cost of insurance for everyone else, which is the opposite of how insurance typically works.
In a study analyzing financial reports from 13 of the largest drug manufacturers, Schulman found that from 2011 to 2019, manufacturers went from sharing nearly 30% of their annual revenue with pharmaceutical benefit managers to more than 67% in the form of rebates and other discounts. In fact, with insulin, as prices have gone up, manufacturers’ profits have decreased.
Pharmaceutical benefit managers disagree that they are the bad actors in this equation. In a statement reacting to California’s insulin manufacturing deal, the Pharmaceutical Care Management Association said assertions that pharmaceutical benefit managers are responsible for increased prices are “just not true.”
“We applaud any move to lower high drug prices, recognizing that these are the root cause of gaps in prescription drug affordability, including for insulins,” the statement said. “The savings pharmacy benefit companies negotiate with drug companies are used to either lower health insurance premiums or prices at the pharmacy counter, usually a combination of both.”
Bill Head, assistant vice president of state affairs for the Pharmaceutical Care Management Association, said his members’ job is to lower costs for health insurers. Manufacturers, not pharmaceutical benefit managers, control the prices, he said.
“We will always go with whatever the lowest net cost to the payor is, so if (manufacturers) want to just lower the cost and make it more attractive, great,” Head said. “If that’s what’s going to save the payor, the health plan…or the employer money…that’s where we’ll go.”
Can California get around the middlemen?
Tackling the market distortions will take action at the federal level, but in many ways California’s new deal to manufacture its own insulin and other generic drugs circumvents the problem and may influence how industry players behave.
“We have already done something to disrupt the market,” Dr. Mark Ghaly, state secretary of health and human services, told CalMatters. “What we’re doing is starting to take some of the price games away that are traditionally played.”
Civica Rx will produce for the state three of the most commonly used insulins, interchangeable with the brand name drugs Lantus, Humalog and Novolog. Patients will be able to purchase them out-of-pocket for $30 per vial, far less than brand name equivalents, at pharmacies throughout the state, according to the Department of Health Care Access and Information, the regulatory body overseeing the initiative. The state has set an aggressive target of making the first vials available by 2024, although Allan Coukell, Civica senior vice president of public policy, told CalMatters it can’t control how quickly the FDA will approve the drug.
Wright, with Health Access California, said this strategy applies unusual pressure to the pharmaceutical market. As both a purchaser representing nearly 3.2 million diabetic adults and a manufacturer, the state has different motivations than shareholders do.
“A typical investor is not going to put up the money to develop a new generic for fear of being undercut,” Wright said. “The state of California has a different incentive. If we don’t sell a vial we get the savings as a purchaser. We also have the public policy goal to try and bring down the costs for everybody.”
But it doesn’t entirely dampen the influence of middlemen in the distribution supply chain. The same manufacturers that make brand name insulin have also sold lower-priced generic insulins for years, but by and large patients have not switched to them.
In 2021, the state’s prescription drug cost transparency report showed generic insulins were not among the top 25 most commonly prescribed generic drugs. In contrast, excluding COVID-19 vaccines, Humulin, a fast-acting insulin, was the most commonly prescribed brand name drug that year. Other brand name insulins ranked fourth, fifth and eighteenth on the list of top 25 most commonly prescribed brand name drugs.
Brand name drugs accounted for only 10.2% of all prescriptions that year but made up 20.8% of spending, according to the report. Health plans spent the second-most amount of money on Humalog, another fast-acting insulin, among the top 25 most costly brand name drugs in 2021. Other brand name insulins ranked fourth, seventh and nineteenth.
The reason lower-cost generic insulins aren’t more commonly prescribed: Manufacturers don’t offer rebates for them, which means intermediaries and health plans can’t profit, said Neeraj Sood, a health economist and professor at the USC Price School of Public Policy.
The state will have to find a way to entice middlemen and health plans to cover its cheaper insulin or else patients with insurance won’t necessarily benefit, Sood said. Of the more than 3 million adult diabetics in California, only about 95,500 are uninsured and use insulin, according to the state Department of Health Care Access and Information.
The department refused to make anyone available for an interview and asked for emailed questions. According to an unattributed statement from the department, Civica will be responsible for distributing the state’s insulin and will “engage with major wholesalers, retail pharmacies and health plans.”
Medi-Cal, the state insurance program for low-income Californians, will conduct a “fiscal analysis” to determine whether the drug will be covered for enrollees, said Anthony Cava, spokesperson for the Department of Health Care Services.
It’s unclear whether California can mandate that private insurers cover state-produced insulins, but Civica Vice President Coukell said the company is confident most health plans will cover its insulin.
“Health insurance is not monolithic,” Coukell said. “There may be some that continue to pursue rebates, but there are other plans that are going to go for the lowest net cost, and our strategy is a lowest net cost strategy.”
According to Head, with the Pharmaceutical Care Management Association, that strategy aligns with his industry’s goals.
“Any time there’s more competition, any time there’s somebody who’s driving down the cost in the brands, from our members’ standpoint, that’s always a good thing,” Head said.
Mary Ellen Grant, a spokesperson for the California Association of Health Plans, said the plans “strongly support” the use of lower-cost alternatives and “look forward to the opportunity to provide a lower cost version to their members when it becomes available.”
Other state strategies
In the meantime, other state leaders are trying to lower costs through litigation and direct regulation.
The lawsuit filed by Attorney General Bonta alleges the nation’s three largest insulin manufacturers and pharmaceutical benefits managers have engaged in unfair and illegal business practices to artificially increase prices. Five other states have filed similar lawsuits. Researchers and policymakers hope that legal action will shed light on how backroom price deals are made and help drive down consumer costs.
And a bill brought forward by Sen. Steven Bradford, a Democrat from Gardena, proposes requiring health plans to use at least 90% of rebates passed down from pharmaceutical benefit managers to cut what consumers pay at the pharmacy.
The bill, which is sponsored by a coalition of patient advocacy groups and drug manufacturers, has been quietly killed in committee three times in the past three years, with health insurers and pharmaceutical benefit managers opposed. The controversy stems from the proposal’s potential to increase insurance premiums for all enrollees by $200 million annually, according to a fiscal analysis from the non-partisan California Health Benefits Review Program. Attempts to do the same thing at the federal level have also failed out of fear of increasing insurance costs, although several states have implemented similar mandates.
Le Ondra Clark Harvey, executive director of the California Access Coalition, which is sponsoring the bill, said claims of increased health care costs are misleading. The $200 million represents just a 0.3% premium increase, Clark Harvey said, and the same report estimates patients with brand name prescriptions would save upwards of $70 million collectively.
“There will be an increase but not a significant one,” Clark Harvey said. “We’re not trying to beat up on health insurers and pharmaceutical benefit managers — we think that everyone has a role. But in this particular scenario, there has been what can be described as a loophole or cushion for them to collect this extra money after they’ve negotiated.”
In opposition, health plans and their intermediaries argue that “cushion” is exactly what helps them keep premiums down.
“(Point-of-sale) rebates won’t help the majority of patients who use generics or lower-cost brands and instead will lead to an increase in everyone’s premiums,” Head said during a recent Senate health committee hearing. | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/california/calmatters/california-has-tried-to-cut-the-cost-of-insulin-for-years/103-b1b7cced-625e-4fd6-9dbd-bab913405d19 | 2023-05-18T10:50:30 | 0 | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/california/calmatters/california-has-tried-to-cut-the-cost-of-insulin-for-years/103-b1b7cced-625e-4fd6-9dbd-bab913405d19 |
TEHACHAPI, Calif. — This story was originally published by CalMatters.
Three men in dark suits knocked on Pam Holland’s door one night last June. They told her that her son was dead, shot to death in a neighboring county by a sheriff’s deputy. The shooting, they said, was being investigated under a new California law that requires the state Justice Department step in when a police officer kills an unarmed person.
Pam Holland hoped the investigation would be quick and fair. Her father had been a Kern County Sheriff’s reserve deputy. She grew up around cops. She thought she could trust them — but she also believed that police agencies protect their own.
“I was like, wow, that’s awesome, this is great, they’re going to take it out of the hands of the local cops, who would instantly feel anger toward my son without even knowing anything,” she said.
But an investigation that the Justice Department officers told Holland would take eight months is quickly approaching 12. Now, she is among several Californians whose family members were killed by the police in the past two years and just want the state investigations to end.
The Justice Department opened the program in 2021 to carry out a law enforcement accountability law that gained traction after a Minneapolis police officer murdered George Floyd. Attorney General Rob Bonta, who co-authored the law when he was in the Legislature, pledged that the investigations under the law created by Assembly Bill 1506 would be completed within a year. But some police shooting reviews have already stretched 18 months or more.
The oldest unresolved police shooting case is from August 2021, more than 21 months ago.
While the investigations proceed, the families and their legal teams have as much or as little information as the rest of the public and they cannot push forward with lawsuits against the policing agencies.
“I am at the point where I believe families have to pay a visit to Bonta in Sacramento,” said Jonathan Hernandez, a Santa Ana city council member whose cousin was shot to death in September 2021. “All of us, every family who’s waiting for 1506 investigations, if he doesn’t give us a response, we will give him a response.”
Bonta, the elected head of the Justice Department, refused to answer questions about delays in the investigations. His office responded to questions with an unsigned email.
The length of the Justice Department investigations leads to other impacts: District attorneys cannot develop police shooting cases to decide whether criminal charges against the officer or officers are merited until the Justice Department’s review is over.
In Holland’s case in San Bernardino County, the sheriff’s office said it could not issue a final verdict on its officer’s conduct while the state review is underway – an interpretation of the law that the Justice Department denied in a written statement to CalMatters.
The department “has no policy prohibiting a local law enforcement agency from completing its administrative investigation while our investigation is proceeding,” unnamed representatives for the Justice Department wrote.
In the meantime, the deputy who shot Holland is back on patrol duty.
Bonta’s predecessor, fellow Democrat Xavier Becerra, initially opposed the bill that led to the state’s role in police shooting reviews. Becerra argued at the time it would be too costly for the Justice Department, which is under the attorney general, to take on a responsibility that normally fell to local district attorneys.
One issue is money. The Justice Department asked for $26 million to pay for the new shooting investigation teams. The Legislature allotted half of that, about $13 million.
Becerra complained about that discrepancy to the bill’s author, Democratic Assemblymember Kevin McCarty of Sacramento.
The $13 million budget allocation “is significantly lower than our estimates and not enough resources to stand up professional teams to perform these new investigative and prosecutorial duties,” Becerra wrote to McCarty in January 2021. “As a result, the (Justice Department) will have limited capacity to implement this bill, short of redirecting resources from other essential, mandated work, which could compromise those operations.”
Now, the length of the state investigations is “longer than average” for police shooting cases, said California District Attorneys Association CEO Greg Totten, a former Ventura County prosecutor. He added that every case is different.
Prosecutors “try to move the cases as quickly as we can, but they’re not always straightforward,” Totten said.
Bonta’s office in the unsigned statement acknowledged the slower-than-expected pace of the investigations.
“As you know, the California Department of Justice requested more funding than we ultimately received to carry out our AB 1506 work, and we’ve had to adapt and make it work,” the statement read.
“This does sometimes mean that investigations may take longer to complete than they would with additional funding and resources, but we owe it to the families involved as well as our communities to ensure that each case is done right, and supported by a thorough, fair, and comprehensive investigation.”
McCarty said in a statement last week that the slow pace of investigations is a result of thorough work.
“It’s been slow to roll out and implement, but I still have confidence in the program — as it’s better to be right than to be fast,” McCarty said in a statement emailed to CalMatters.
“I feel for the families having to patiently wait, but rest assured, independent investigations for civilian deaths by law enforcement is vital in demanding more transparency and accountability.”
Pam Holland’s son, Shane, was an intravenous drug user with a litany of arrests and jail sentences. He had outstanding warrants and he ran from the police. She knows how all this looks. But she hoped the state, with its $13 million annual budget for police shooting investigations, would at least provide a dispassionate, thorough resolution.
Now?
“I wish they would have never gotten involved.”
A shooting on a desert highway
On a dark street in a San Bernardino County exurb, Shane Earl Holland gave a fake name to a sheriff’s deputy and ran.
Holland, 35, was a passenger in a car pulled over by San Bernardino County Sheriff’s deputy Justin Lopez about 2:30 a.m. one day last June. Holland had outstanding warrants. Lopez yelled at him to stop running and get on the ground. Holland replied several times, “I’ll shoot you.”
Lopez, according to audio from his tape recorder obtained by CalMatters, chased Holland on foot for one minute and 17 seconds, then fired six shots, killing him. Moments later, Lopez’s sergeant arrived at the scene.
“You good?,” asked the sergeant, whose name has not been released by the sheriff’s department.
“I’m good,” Lopez said, still breathing hard from the chase.
“Where’s his gun,” the sergeant replied. “Did he have a gun?”
“I don’t know,” Lopez said. “He said he was going to shoot.”
Pam Holland first heard that recording in January – a recording her daughter obtained from the Justice Department with a public records request.
“Honestly, like if there was no audio recordings, if I didn’t hear the audio recording, I would not believe the story,” she said. “If I didn’t hear it for my own self and they told me, well, you know, he said he was going to shoot, I wouldn’t believe it.”
On the recording, Lopez and his sergeant briefly discuss the injuries to Shane Holland’s body, mentioning that they can see his skull. She wants to know if he suffered.
Holland’s family has been assigned an advocate, who works for the Justice Department. Holland and two of her daughters sometimes do an imitation of the advocate’s frustrating responses to their questions: “‘I’m sorry, we can’t tell you that,’ ” they mimicked in chorus during an interview at Holland’s Tehapachi apartment.
Holland has questions about the night of the shooting. Why did the deputy chase the car’s passenger, leaving the driver to his own devices? Were her son’s pants falling off like they usually were? Did he have his hand at his waistband to hold them up as he ran? Did it look like he was reaching for a gun?
“I waver between thinking the cop needs to suffer, go to prison himself, to feeling bad for him,” she said. “And that makes me wonder what the hell’s wrong with me. He killed my kid. But he’s running in the dark, chasing someone who says, I’m going to shoot you. That’s not okay.”
When should police chase on foot?
Ed Obayashi, a former Plumas County Sheriff’s deputy who is now a nationally recognized expert in police use-of-force cases, also has questions about the shooting. CalMatters shared the tape recording of the shooting with him.
He broke the deputy’s decision-making into two parts: Why chase Holland, and why fire shots?
“Officers, it’s embedded in their DNA to chase,” Obayashi said. “That’s why we’re cops.”
But state and federal courts have held that simple fleeing is not a reason for a police officer to detain a person, said Obayashi, who also has a law degree.
Lopez, the deputy, told the driver that he had a reflective coating on his license plate, making it hard to read. Obayashi said he doesn’t understand what threat Holland posed to the officer when he fled.
“A physical threat, that hardly exists here because he’s running away,” Obayashi said. “And it’s inherently dangerous to be chasing anyone during the day, much less at night.”
The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department has a policy for vehicle pursuits, but not pursuits on foot. In emailed responses to CalMatters’ questions, department spokesperson Mara Rodriguez said the department relies on guidance from the California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training, or POST.
The POST guidelines – which are merely suggestions and not mandatory – call foot pursuits “one of the most dangerous and unpredictable situations for officers.” They say an officer should have observed criminal activity before starting a chase.
“I just don’t see the legal justification for this shooting,” Obayashi said. “Fleeing alone is not a good reason to chase. Matter of fact, that’s no reason at all.”
But when Holland threatened Lopez, Obayashi said, his fate was sealed.
“I’m not taking that chance, if he’s saying he’s going to shoot,” Obayashi said. “It’s very easy for someone to pull out a gun and spray bullets behind them. The individual made a distinct threat and the deputy’s thinking, oh shit, this guy is going for a gun.”
For the deputy, the ramifications of using deadly force will be compounded by investigations by the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, the local district attorney’s office and the Justice Department, said Brian Marvel, president of the Peace Officers Research Association of California.
“That adds up to a lot,” Marvel said. “Having to wait long periods of time and going through that is, it’s pretty rough. I think anybody under any circumstances having to wait those types of time frames, (it) takes a toll on your psyche, it takes a toll on your health and it’s difficult to get through.”
Marvel said it’s not surprising that the Justice Department investigations are taking a long time – the people doing the investigations are still learning to conduct them at this level.
“I think what you’re dealing with now is, you have an Attorney General’s office that has never done this before,” Marvel said. “So, in essence, you’re having to train up special agents to do officer-involved shootings. There is a skill associated with investigating not only officer-involved shootings, but just shootings in general, that the Attorney General’s office doesn’t have.”
Councilmember watched his cousin’s death
Another family who lost faith waiting for the Justice Department’s investigation has long roots in Orange County. Hernandez, the Santa Ana city councilmember, watched from behind a police barricade as officers shot his cousin, Brandon Lopez, 22 times after a police chase in Anaheim on Sept. 28, 2021.
Lopez, 33, had three outstanding warrants and was driving a stolen car that crashed at a construction site. During an hours-long standoff, police shouted commands to him, telling him to surrender. In a video presentation of dispatcher audio and body camera footage prepared by the Anaheim Police Department, police said Lopez was “smoking narcotics” inside the car and refused to leave.
Santa Ana police handed over the standoff to the Anaheim Police Department. Soon after, Anaheim Police officers fired a flashbang grenade and tear gas canister into the car. Lopez emerged from the car’s backseat moments later.
The officers called out that Lopez had a gun. Police fired multiple rounds, and Lopez is shown in the video falling to the ground. He died at the scene. He was unarmed.
“What they called a standoff was a public execution of an unarmed man,” Hernandez said. “The days of lynching have gone away and have evolved into the modern day police shooting.”
Hernandez ran in 2020 against an incumbent former Orange County Sheriff’s deputy on a police reform platform. He won by 9 percentage points.
At the scene before the shooting, body camera footage shows the councilmember in a T-shirt and shorts, asking to speak with his cousin and telling an officer he’s worried because “cops kill people every day.”
The officer responds: “People kill people every day.”
“Absolutely,” Hernandez said, “but you’ll get away with it.”
CalMatters requested raw footage, interviews and relevant documents associated with the Lopez shooting from the Anaheim Police Department in September. The department denied the request, citing the ongoing investigation.
When the Justice Department took control of the investigation, Hernandez said he was hopeful it would avoid the local politics of Santa Ana and Orange County. Unlike Holland’s family, Hernandez said his relatives do not think well of the police. He and Lopez’s mother, Johanna, told CalMatters they refused to speak with the local cops after the shooting.
“You cannot trust the people who just murdered your loved one to properly investigate each other,” Hernandez said.
Now, because of the delay, he wonders whether he and his family can trust the Justice Department. | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/california/calmatters/families-of-men-shot-by-california-cops-lose-faith-in-new-accountability-law/103-1e7755eb-b5eb-468e-90c0-4a122bfce4d7 | 2023-05-18T10:50:36 | 0 | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/california/calmatters/families-of-men-shot-by-california-cops-lose-faith-in-new-accountability-law/103-1e7755eb-b5eb-468e-90c0-4a122bfce4d7 |
REDWOOD CITY, Calif. — The wife of a California radiologist accused of trying to kill his family when he drove his Tesla off a cliff along the Northern California coast told rescuers her husband was depressed and needed a psychological evaluation, according to a newly unsealed search warrant affidavit.
The San Francisco Chronicle reported Wednesday that Neha Patel repeatedly told rescuers that Dharmesh Patel intentionally drove off a San Mateo County cliff on Jan. 2 in a bid to kill her and their two children, ages 4 and 7. All four survived in what one official called an "absolute miracle."
Dharmesh Patel, a Pasadena radiologist, said he pulled off the road to check on a possibly flat tire, according to the warrant. Witness testimony does not appear to back up his account.
"He drove off. He's depressed," Neha Patel told a California Highway Patrol officer as she was flown away from the crash site, according to the Chronicle. "He said he was going to drive off the cliff. He purposely drove off."
Dharmesh Patel, 41, has pleaded not guilty to three counts of attempted murder. He is in custody without bail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for June 12, at which time a judge will decide if there's enough evidence to move ahead with a trial.
Patel was driving his white 2021 Tesla Model Y along the Pacific Coast Highway south of San Francisco when the car plunged several hundred feet off the cliff at Devil's Slide. Firefighters had to cut the family out of the wreckage.
The warrant affidavit includes an interview with Patel while he was recovering from major lower body injuries. In the interview, he said his wife was irritated shortly before the plunge off the cliff because she didn't want to stop at his brother's house in San Mateo County before making their drive home to the Los Angeles area, the Chronicle reported.
He said he was not really depressed but that he felt down because times were bad in the world, according to the affidavit.
"Asked if he felt suicidal, he said, 'You know, not like a plan, not usually,'" the affidavit said.
WATCH ALSO: | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/california/wife-says-california-doctor-purposely-drove-family-off-cliff/103-6439fc54-625c-45ee-9e81-d942b5ca36da | 2023-05-18T10:50:42 | 0 | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/california/wife-says-california-doctor-purposely-drove-family-off-cliff/103-6439fc54-625c-45ee-9e81-d942b5ca36da |
CITRUS HEIGHTS, Calif. — A person was injured after a two-vehicle crash in Citrus Heights Wednesday morning.
The crash happened around 7:30 a.m. along Copperwood Drive in Citrus Heights, according to the Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District.
A person was trapped in a car. Crews extricated the person and they went to a hospital with moderate injuries.
It is not clear how the crash happened or how many people were in either car. The Citrus Heights Police Department is investigating the crash.
Watch more on ABC10 | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/citrus-heights/citrus-heights-crash-cooperwood/103-7ebf4988-1eb8-4604-a965-d8c046184132 | 2023-05-18T10:50:48 | 1 | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/citrus-heights/citrus-heights-crash-cooperwood/103-7ebf4988-1eb8-4604-a965-d8c046184132 |
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Sacramento native Dawn Silva has contributed to some legendary 1970s music pioneers: Sly and The Family Stone and George Clinton’s Parliament Funkadelic.
Silva sat down with ABC10 to talk about her book, her musical career, her brief stint in the Black Panthers, and some Sacramento history.
Portions of the below interview have been condensed for length and clarity. The video contains the complete interview.
Q: How did your musical journey begin?
A: How did my musical journey begin? Well, it started with Sly and The Family Stone. It was just for fun. As a hobby, I started with a group called Windsong, which was my sister, a cousin and we sang all over Sacramento [at] a lot of local talent shows. Well, there was one talent show that happened once a year of all the high schools in Sacramento and we won like three or four years in a row. And then I guess the entertainment bug bit me. So, at 15 years old, my dad who loves Sly and the Family Stone took me to the Memorial Auditorium on J Street. I believe at that time Santana was opening up. After the show was over, I made a pledge to myself that one day I was going to be in a famous group. Needless to say, I didn't know that some years down the line, I would actually get that opportunity to meet Sly Stone when he was recording a new album and he needed some background singers and a friend of mine who was a drummer also from Sacramento [Michael Samuels] took me to the Record Plant in Sausalito, California, and I did a recording session. After the session was over, Sly said, 'Welcome to Sly and The Family Stone.' So officially, that's how it started.
Q: What was the music scene like in Sacramento when you were starting out?
A: When I was a kid here, there weren't that many outlets for us. You know, Sacramento was different then. You know, we went to the parks. William Land Park used to have the stage where everybody would go over there and give our little summer barbecues and we'd pretend like we were entertainers and we performed on that little stage — a lot of church and school. I was in the All-City Madrigals here in Sacramento where all of the high schools came together, they pick two kids from each concert choir in each high school and I was chosen, that was classical music. So I was the first Black female artist to actually sing lead for the All-City Madrigals ... I think in the late 60s, early 70s. We'd sing all over for all the political functions and at the courthouses and at the Capitol building, and we did that for a while. So I actually started singing classical music first in high school before I got to the Sly Stone stuff, so that's how it was here early. There weren't a lot of outlets and stuff for music here in Sacramento.
Q: How did you discover funk? Was it when you first saw Sly Stone? Or had you heard of it before then?
A: Sly and The Family Stone was my all-time favorite group in the whole world and see what they did? They didn't just change Black music or R&B music. They actually were the pioneers that changed the face, the look, and the sound of modern music. So I didn't realize it at the time, I was just a kid, but I had no idea. Basically, the word on the street in Sacramento was that Sly was the legendary street general. He was the innovator. He's the pioneer and all began with him. And not just as far as Sly, he didn't do just funk, he did all genres of music with gospel and R&B and classical and even a funky violinist.
But with the funk then, of course, James Brown, who was the godfather of it, I had a chance to actually meet him as well. The nucleus of it all came together with Parliament Funkadelic when George Clinton and his P-Funk clones, he incorporated all those elements... the funk bottoms of James Brown, the radical rock and roll heavy metal of Jimi Hendrix, and then of course the gospel/R&B flavors of Sly Stone. [He] incorporated that all in together under one genre, basically one musical equation, what I call funk rock. That's where I kind of got my credentials from Sly and George, in bringing it all together to a female group called the Brides of Funkenstein.
Q: Tell us about your autobiography. Has it been in the works for a while? And what message did you kind of want to give to the fans?
A: I started writing this autobiography in the third grade. That was a long time ago. I had a third-grade teacher who told me I had a flair for words right, so, of course, I got an A in English, and to me, it was just a hobby. But when I started going out into the music industry, I realized that it was more of a challenge than I realized. A lot of the pitfalls and things that you don't talk about when you're going in the music industry. When you're young, you just think about — you want to be a celebrity, or you want to be a part of a great group, or it seems like it's just so much fun being in that lifestyle. There are no books to prepare you for the obstacles and the barriers that you're going to come across in that.
So, when I told my mother at age 15 that I wanted to be a part of a famous group, she basically told me, 'You need to get that foolishness out of your head... You're too nice or too soft. There's too many sharks out there, they're gonna eat you up alive.'"
As I started writing my book, I realized I had written a book that does have a semblance that can prepare women or anyone who thinks they want to go into that industry. Now there is a blueprint, there is a book that you can read to prepare you for that lifestyle. I didn't realize it until I finished writing that book and read it all from cover to cover.
Like I said, I've been writing it since the third grade and it basically kept me grounded. It was my life source that whenever I was faced with some really traumatic things in the music industry, I would hurry and go write it down. I would calm myself down because I couldn't explain it just like how we're talking one-on-one. It was just best said on paper and then one day I started putting it all together. I was being selfish because I kept it to myself for years and I saw a lot of people struggling and not understanding the pitfalls of being in that industry. That's why I released it, so that maybe I may inspire or encourage or help someone to better prepare themselves to make better choices in the industry if they decide to go into that field.
Q: You were also part of the Black Panthers?
A: Yeah. I had a fiancé who — God bless his soul, he passed away — was a very prominent figure in this town. His name was Judge James Long, a Superior Court judge down in Sacramento. I met him years ago, gosh, maybe 73... I think it was 73 or 74. He was Huey Newton's and the Black Panthers' lawyer, so he actually took me down there to meet them.
I dibbled and dabbled in the Black Panthers. It gave me a sense of identity back then. We didn't have that when we were growing up. Our way of kind of fighting back against any kind of injustice is that we felt like... I really didn't understand the theory of the Black Panthers until I got into the organization.
I was there for a short time and got a chance to meet Huey Newton and went to some of the Panther meetings back in the day. I met him through Judge Long, who actually exonerated some Panthers here in Sacramento. There was a case that goes way back with the Oak Park Force and I met him during that timeframe through my mother who also was doing a lot of political and legal things back in those days, as well with the breakfast programs and the food banks were raising money for homeless children. That's what my mom did. So I met the judge through my mom and then the judge introduced me to the Black Panthers.
Q: How can people buy a copy of your book?
A: You go through www.dawnsilva.com and you can get the "Funk Queen." It's that simple. Pretty soon it probably will be on other outlets and things like that. It's a 544-page coffee table book, it weighs seven pounds. I mean, you can do weights with it and it's really heavy.
But even if you don't want to read it, it's got some great pictures, and that's a whole 'nother story of how I got these pictures too. From some of the reviews I've got, they say the pictures leap out at you. I tried to put pictures that match the stories that I'm writing about.
Coffee table books are very, very expensive. I had publishing companies, a bunch of them telling me that they don't do [them] anymore, but for me, if someone tells me I can't do anything, then I was like, I tried to prove them wrong. And I did it and I'm doing it once again.
[The order] comes directly to me, I have a staff of about four or five. It's a brand new company I self-published. It's selling way beyond my expectations. It is doing extremely well.
The first run of the book is limited to 1,500 copies. You can also buy it here: https://newrisingpublishing.com/product/the-funk-queen-an-autobiography/
WATCH MORE ON ABC10: Boyz II Men, Kool & the Gang headline 2023 California State Fair | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/dawn-silva-conversation-sacramento-native-funk-vocalist/103-f83bc15c-6b1d-4986-8c7c-ff20fbcdeac2 | 2023-05-18T10:50:54 | 1 | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/dawn-silva-conversation-sacramento-native-funk-vocalist/103-f83bc15c-6b1d-4986-8c7c-ff20fbcdeac2 |
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —
For the first time since 2019, ocean waters in the equatorial Pacific have reached 0.5 C above average, signaling the return of a potentially strong El Niño.
The pattern shifts back and forth irregularly every two to seven years, bringing predictable shifts in ocean surface temperature and disrupting the wind and rainfall patterns across the tropics, according to NOAA.
One-half a degree above normal represents the threshold needed to satisfy the presence of El Niño. Even though the reading has met the threshold, El Niño is not yet official as temperatures need to be 0.5 C above average in the east central equatorial pacific for at least three months.
ENSO typically does not play much of a role in summer weather here in California, but winter is another story. The phase of the oscillation typically helps shift the odds in favor of a drier (La Niña) or wetter (El Niño) year.
The latest update from NOAA placed the odds of El Niño materializing and persisting into the winter months at 90%.
“In summary, a transition from ENSO-neutral is expected in the next couple of months, with a greater than 90% chance of El Niño persisting into the Northern Hemisphere winter,” said the May 11 update.
El nino update
Not only is El Niño expected, but a strong El Niño is increasingly likely, according to model projections. NOAA indicates there is an 80% chance of moderate El Niño and a 55% chance of strong El Niño (at least 1.5 degree Celsius above average).
During strong El Niño years, there is a strong signal California is wetter than average. During a weak to moderate El Niño, California is typically wetter than average, although the signal is much weaker, especially north of Sacramento. During strong years, most areas of the state are much above-average in terms of precipitation.
This doesn’t mean California is guaranteed to have a wet winter, though. A strong El Niño was present in 2015-16 which was a drier year for the state and La Niña was present for this past, record-setting winter.
The developing El Niño is certainly worth keeping an eye on in the upcoming months. | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/el-nino-update-strong-el-nino-becoming-increasingly-likely/103-daf7e192-0c5a-4d3b-8914-f5c2fa46af7d | 2023-05-18T10:51:00 | 1 | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/el-nino-update-strong-el-nino-becoming-increasingly-likely/103-daf7e192-0c5a-4d3b-8914-f5c2fa46af7d |
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — No matter if it's a dry year or wet year, there are continued pleas for more water storage. Now, an American River Basin study is showing how a strategically placed high Sierra reservoir might be part of the water solution.
The concern to capture Sierra runoff is seeing increased interest as California experiences even bigger climate whiplash years - going from droughts to floods.
The big snowpack in the Sierra this year stands out as an anomaly with climate models forecasting more rain than snow falling in the lower mountains by the end of the century. The other concern is the earlier runoff and having to store and manage reservoir water over a longer period of time through the dry summer months.
To help ease that tension, a new reservoir is being considered near Alder Creek in the Sierra. This is just above Pollock Pines in El Dorado County just off Highway 50.
Rebecca Guo with the El Dorado Water Agency says this strategically placed reservoir would be able to capture water during large rain events and also Sierra snowmelt, increasing Folsom's total water supply by about 18%. Since the water would be held upstream from Folsom Lake, it would relieve some of the operational pressure managers face to release water due to flood concerns or meeting environmental regulations.
The location for Alder Reservoir is also intriguing from an engineering perspective.
Kenneth Payne with the El Dorado Water Agency said it is at the convergence of two granite formations with a very deep canyon. This would allow cold water to be stored in a deep and narrow space with limited evaporation losses. The cold water could also be released to meet environmental concerns for certain fish species downstream.
This cold water component is especially appealing since Folsom is often the first responder to the Delta. Water managers sometimes need to release water from Folsom to help meet environmental water temperature regulations in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. An upstream reservoir like the one at Alder Creek could help offset those cold water needs.
The proposed reservoir water would also be used for the agricultural community of El Dorado County. If needed, the water could also help cities like Folsom, Roseville and the San Juan Water District that currently rely on water from Folsom Lake.
When released, the water would move through creeks, streams, rivers and even the old gold mining flume system. In fact, this reservoir has been on the books since 1916.
Payne said it was during that time the county was seeing tremendous agricultural growth. There was a need to figure out water supply, so people started to look at ways to store rainfall and snowmelt. A total of 16 sites were proposed, but the only one still being considered is near Alder Creek.
The next steps for moving this forward are starting the feasibility study and economic analysis. Funding would come from local, state and federal agencies at a cost of about $1.4 billion and take about 10 to 15 years to complete.
WATCH ALSO: | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/folsom-orangevale/reservoir-folsom-lake-water-storage/103-21dc9011-d8ab-48fc-b395-34cef190099c | 2023-05-18T10:51:06 | 1 | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/folsom-orangevale/reservoir-folsom-lake-water-storage/103-21dc9011-d8ab-48fc-b395-34cef190099c |
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — It was a scary night for a Sacramento family when gunshots were fired right in front of a liquor store on Del Paso Boulevard last Saturday.
In the middle of the gunshots were a family: a mom, a dad and their two kids.
Now, the family is sharing their story of what happened that night. The family has decided to stay anonymous out of fear it could happen again.
Sacramento police said four people were hurt in a shooting near Del Paso Boulevard and Fairfield Street, Saturday night. Two of those people were kids — a one-year-old and a 10-year-old.
"My daughter was complaining that she was thirsty and we had nothing to drink in the house," said the mom.
It was her one-year-old daughter's complaints that led the family to walk to the liquor store to buy something for her to drink.
"Next thing you know, I just heard gunshots just start firing," said the mom.
She and her kids then started to run for safety. Once she felt like they were safe, she realized her children were hurt by the gunfire.
"I realized that my son got grazed because he's like, 'Mom, I got grazed,'" she said.
The mom adds her daughter was also grazed after the bullet went through her stroller. As for her son, he remembers it clearly.
"I was like, 'I'm bleeding, I'm bleeding,'" he said.
He still feels scared and nervous days later. The mom says the hardest part was doing everything she could to make sure they didn't get killed.
"[I] had to tell my son, my 10-year-old, to run," she said. "Like, that really did hurt."
The love she has for her children became a top priority that night, even if it meant putting her own life on the line. She wishes it was her who got hurt and not her kids.
"I wish that was me than my kids. I didn't want to have that, to see my son or my daughter to have it on their own body," she said of their injuries.
As the family slowly tries to regain some sense of normalcy in their lives, the mom has a stern warning for the people responsible.
"You almost killed my kids, especially my one-year-old daughter. Now I want you to pay for that. You're not getting away with that," she said.
The family says they are actively trying to move out of the neighborhood as soon as possible. | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/sacramento-family-recounts-shooting-del-paso-boulevard/103-a79f5991-c12c-44e8-ad29-c3a562473c37 | 2023-05-18T10:51:12 | 1 | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/sacramento-family-recounts-shooting-del-paso-boulevard/103-a79f5991-c12c-44e8-ad29-c3a562473c37 |
SACRAMENTO COUNTY, Calif. — The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office Homeless Outreach Team is going out to communities to bring the unhoused off the street. It comes as newly sworn-in Sheriff Jim Cooper says homelessness is his one of his top priorities.
Deputies visit encampments and give the unhoused pamphlets with a list of free resources offered in the county they might not know about. They are then given a week’s notice to vacate the area.
“We don't want them to fear us,” said Deputy Marcelina Martinez. “We want them to think of us as their friends, someone that they can reach out to, 'Hey, Deputy Martinez, I'm having a hard time. Is there any way that you can provide me with contact information for getting a job?'”
The team says those experiencing homelessness do not accept the help more often than not.
“It's frustrating because we really want to help these individuals,” Martinez said. “There are so many resources in Sacramento County, but a lot of the individuals just don't want to take advantage of it. A lot of the times when we come back, when we are at the camps when we do clean up and we go to another campsite, we encounter the same individuals over and over again.”
There are 3,400 shelter beds available in Sacramento County, with space available, according to county officials. However, privacy concerns and pet restrictions mean some unhoused residents prefer the outdoor option.
“It's very stressful,” said Amy Parker, who is currently homeless. “Because we have, we go to one spot, and then the cops tell us that we have to move again, that we’re trespassing.”
Parker says she's been without a home for almost a year and is waiting for permanent housing.
“I don't really want to be homeless,” she said. “Homeless is not fun. It's not. It's not what I want.”
The outreach team also offers to bring those who are homeless directly to an available shelter or rehab facility if they struggle with addiction.
Most people ABC10 spoke with at encampments say they are forgoing the services and planning to set up a new camp elsewhere.
“I don't even know somewhere close to move my stuff,” said Christopher Jenkies.
Jenkies says he has already been told to move several times in the year he has been homeless and does not know where he will go next.
“Not everybody out here is the bum,” he said. “I worked my whole life as an electrician and circumstances led one thing to another and here I am.”
Homeless advocates maintain permanent housing is the long-term solution for the nearly 9,300 people who are homeless in Sacramento County.
Find information and resources in Sacramento County HERE.
Watch more on ABC10: Sacramento council meeting gets heated with proposed $228 million police budget up for discussion | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/sacramento-sheriff-homeless-off-the-street/103-156ddfad-b61e-43ca-92ff-06f90d0948f9 | 2023-05-18T10:51:18 | 1 | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/sacramento-sheriff-homeless-off-the-street/103-156ddfad-b61e-43ca-92ff-06f90d0948f9 |
STOCKTON, Calif. — Homeowners John and Peggy Trede don't mince words at the thought of having three of their front yard trees in Stockton cut down.
For 35 years, they have enjoyed the trees at their Midtown Stockton North Orange Street home.
"The trees are very old and supply a lot of shade and - reduce the carbons and put out oxygen," said Peggy & John Trede.
A spray painted, white triangle with a dot marks the trees on the city's chopping block. There are 435 trees in all.
"We thought it was frankly gang code," said Katya Evanhoe, who heads-up "Tree Stockton."
"Dead trees, and there are many, need to go. Live trees, flourishing trees like these guys, they need to be honored and respected and taken care of," added Evanhoe.
However, the city says taking out the trees is necessary in order to replace curbs, gutters and sidewalks. It's a $267,817.50 contract with a tree removal service from Bakersfield.
In a statement, the city says, in part, "Removal of trees is needed to address pedestrian hazards, as the sidewalks, curbs and gutters are damaged or lifting due to tree roots and tree varieties that are dead, dying, or beyond their life expectancy."
Taking out four stumps is also part of the plan.
The city says it will then "conduct a much-needed tree inventory that will allow the City to determine the best locations and types of trees to replant, with an organized and planned approach to planting trees that will thrive and survive for decades into the future."
Still, homeowners like John and Peggy Trede say the city needs to take a closer look at the trees slated for removal.
"Stockton is the city of trees. This is the oldest part of town," said Peggy Trede. "Why would you want to cut down some of the trees that were here before the houses were here?"
According to the city's council minutes from March 31, "Construction is anticipated to begin in spring 2023 and be completed by late fall 2023, weather permitting."
However, "Tree Stockton" says it plans on finding a lawyer to file an injunction to stop the city's tree cutting plan.
WATCH ALSO: | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/stockton/stockton-trees-repairs/103-1a4b12e5-6059-4ef1-8529-18c6b77dd414 | 2023-05-18T10:51:24 | 1 | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/stockton/stockton-trees-repairs/103-1a4b12e5-6059-4ef1-8529-18c6b77dd414 |
CALIFORNIA, USA — Today's Why Guy question comes from Roberto: "Why do all ads for watches have the time set to 10:10?"
It's quite the quandary. Have you noticed it too? Clocks and watches are all set to 10:10. Is this some sort of secret brainwashing code?
Why Guy did a search for all makes and models of wristwatches, and just about all of them were set to 10:10. The entire time-telling industry is in cahoots on this 10:10 thing. So, what's the reason?
A massive study released by “Frontiers in Psychology” (2017) surveyed watch-buying stimuli of almost 100 subjects. Was the time set a motivation to buy a watch, or not?
The study found participants "consistently perceive a high resemblance between watches set at 10:10 and a smiling face."
"Watches set for 10:10 induced in women significantly stronger ratings of pleasure than in men, this is in line with previous studies showing that women
are superior to men at recognizing facial expressions of emotion and empathizing with them," according to the study.
Watches set for 10:10 provide a subliminal positive for women and men. The product smiles back at you, it's your friend, buy me.
A watch set for 8:20 is frowning at you. It's not your friend. Nobody vibes with a pouting watch.
So, the next time you see a 10:10 watch, you'll feel good and hopefully remember you heard it from the Why Guy.
Watch more on ABC10 | El Niño Update: What does it mean for California? | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/watches-1010-advertisements-why-guy/103-1da8d59f-0f00-4656-9616-ca6c8253e5b7 | 2023-05-18T10:51:30 | 1 | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/watches-1010-advertisements-why-guy/103-1da8d59f-0f00-4656-9616-ca6c8253e5b7 |
WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif — Questions surfaced about whether the West Sacramento mayor’s upcoming State of the City address is illegal and violates the Brown Act.
The Chamber of Commerce is selling tickets to the event for $150, which means not everyone will be available to attend.
On Thursday, West Sacramento Mayor Martha Guerrero will deliver her third State of the City address. It will be held at City Hall. Cocktails and dinner will be served as the Mayor touts the city’s achievements and talks about the future.
However for anyone wanting to attend, it will cost them $150 dollars for a seat or $1,750 for a table. If the price is out of reach, then the would-be buyer is out of luck.
David Loy with First Amendment Coalition says everyone has the right to attend.
“Any time you have a majority of the City Council gathering at one time and place to hear, discuss deliberate or vote on city business that is a meeting governed by the Brown Act. Under the Brown Act all meetings of the city council must be open to the public and the public has the right to attend and participate,” said Loy.
In a statement from the City of West Sacramento regarding the address and a Sacramento Bee story, which reported on the issue, the city said the State of the City is fully compliant with the Brown Act.
In party, the City said, "The event falls squarely under the exception found in Section 54952.2(c)(5), which excludes from the Brown Act 'The attendance of a majority of members of the legislative body at a purely social or ceremonial occasion, provided that a majority of the members do not discuss among themselves business of a specific nature that is within the subject matter jurisdiction of the legislative body of the local agency.'"
Loy strongly disagrees and says the exemption is for things like a fundraising dinner for the Red Cross or a groundbreaking ceremony.
“The State of the City address, that is clearly city business that the public has the right to hear in person and should not be forced to pay for it,” said Loy.
The event is put on by the Chamber of Commerce, and this isn’t the first year they’ve charged. In fact, according to the city, it’s the 20th year – however, this is the most expensive ticket to date.
Last year, tickets were $125, and the year before they were $75.
“A pillar of democracy in California, it is baked not only in the statues but state constitution,” said Loy.
ABC10 found that other cities in California do sell tickets to the State of the City address, including cities like Pleasanton, Encinitas and Ontario.
The cost for those events are $65.
For the full statement from the City of West Sacramento, view below.
For more than 20 years, the West Sacramento Chamber of Commerce has collaborated with the City of West Sacramento to present the annual Mayor’s State of the City Address. This event brings together community members, business leaders, City staff and guests to celebrate West Sacramento’s successes, and hear the Mayor’s vision for the future. Other jurisdictions throughout the region host similar events.
The Mayor’s State of the City Address is fully compliant with the Brown Act (Government Code Section 54950-54963.) The event falls squarely under the exception found in Section 54952.2(c)(5), which excludes from the Brown Act “The attendance of a majority of members of the legislative body at a purely social or ceremonial occasion, provided that a majority of the members do not discuss among themselves business of a specific nature that is within the subject matter jurisdiction of the legislative body of the local agency.”
The City Manager’s Office made multiple attempts to reach the reporter to provide clarifying information before publication, but our calls were not returned.
“We are disappointed that the Sacramento Bee chose to publish a poorly researched article that incorrectly asserts that the City is acting illegally by participating in this time-honored community event,” said City Manager Aaron Laurel.
WATCH ALSO: | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/west-sacramento/west-sacramento-state-of-city/103-24379712-1a23-424d-957f-7ba300b28571 | 2023-05-18T10:51:36 | 0 | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/west-sacramento/west-sacramento-state-of-city/103-24379712-1a23-424d-957f-7ba300b28571 |
The Ohio Ballot Board will meet today to decide the official ballot language Ohioans will see when they vote on whether to make it harder to amend the state constitution this August.
The meeting follows last week’s final passage of Senate Joint Resolution 2 — a Republican-backed resolution that, if approved by a simple majority of voters this August, would raise the voter threshold required to amend the Ohio Constitution to 60% and require citizen-initiated amendments to get signatures from 5% of voters in all 88 Ohio counties instead of just 44, among other things.
Deciding neutral and clear ballot language is an integral piece of any statewide initiative and is usually a quick and straightforward process. But the contentious and high-profile nature of this resolution — manifesting in overwhelming opposition testimony, public protests at the Statehouse, unanimous dissent from Democratic legislators and splintered support from Republicans — might extend today’s process.
Rob Nichols, spokesperson for Ballot Board Chair and Secretary of State Frank LaRose, said what is usually a 30-minute meeting has been allotted 90 minutes.
LaRose, a Republican former state senator, will be joined by four state legislators, one from each party’s chamber. The five-person board will hear public testimony, debate amongst themselves, and decide the official ballot language by a simple majority vote.
The meeting begins at 9:30 a.m. at the Statehouse and is open to the public. A livestream of the meeting can be accessed at The Ohio Channel’s website.
About the Author | https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/local/ohio-ballot-board-meeting-today-to-decide-language-for-august-constitutional-amendment-vote/KHGW5NNHPBGLBEHXDNU7LBM3KY/ | 2023-05-18T10:55:18 | 0 | https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/local/ohio-ballot-board-meeting-today-to-decide-language-for-august-constitutional-amendment-vote/KHGW5NNHPBGLBEHXDNU7LBM3KY/ |
Caribbean king crabs arrive at Mote Aquaculture Park; seen as key to restoring coral reefs
Plan to restore Florida's iconic reefs starts to move to a more holistic phase
The first baby Caribbean king crabs born at Mote Aquaculture Research Park arrived Tuesday morning – less than a week after their mom and 31 other crabs moved north from the Elizabeth Moore International Center for Coral Reef Research and Restoration on Summerland Key in South Florida.
The thousands of siblings are resting comfortably in their nursery while their mother has already been moved back into a tank with other adults.
The baby crabs will play an integral part in the $100 million effort to restore coral along the Florida Reef Tract – even if they never make the trip back to Summerland Key to dine on algae at one of seven iconic reef sites targeted for restoration – because they will be test pilots for the buildout of the Mission Iconic Reefs regional grazer hatchery.
Related:Mote receives nearly $7 million from NOAA to enhance Keys coral reef restoration effort
Once fully operational, the hatchery will produce upwards from 250,000 Caribbean king crabs a year. Those crabs will be placed back on the reef with the hope that they will eat enough algae to make the environment more hospitable to the genetically resilient coral planted on the reefs.
“They’re definitely a big part of the restoration strategy for Florida’s coral reef,” Mote Coral Reef Restoration Research Program Manager Jason Spadaro said. “The crabs and Diadema – the long-spined sea urchin – together, as complementary grazers that actually facilitate the success of more direct restoration initiatives, like planting corals on the reef.”
Mission Iconic Reefs, unveiled in December 2019 by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, is an ambitious plan to restore as much as 3 million square feet of coral on seven important reefs.
Initially the plan has been focused on a goal of improving coral coverage on the seven reefs from 2% to 25%. In April Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium received a $7 million grant that signaled the next phase – the planned introduction of Caribbean king crabs as part of a holistic approach toward reef restoration.
Over the next four years, scientists will plant 242,000 coral fragments and add 34,000 Caribbean king crabs on 10 reef sites – the seven targeted by NOAA and three others by Mote.
Moving day
The May 10 arrival of about a dozen adult females, a half dozen adult males and another dozen or so juvenile crabs marks the ramping up of the facility at the 200-acre Mote Aquaculture Park off of Fruitville Road east of Interstate 75, as well as a shift in purpose for the labs on Summerland Key.
Earlier:Crabs that may help save Florida's iconic reefs will be born and bred on land
“Down there we’re going to focus on the research and the ecology side of it,” Spadaro said. “This is the aquaculture side of it.”
For now, adult crabs are kept in long, rectangular fiberglass tanks, or raceways, as workers put the finishing touches on two large 20,000 gallon tanks repurposed from when the building housed a sturgeon production facility. The tanks will be used as ecosystems for the crab hatchery.
The broodstock tank will contain between 300 and 400 adult crabs, including 15 and 20 males, though as they get large, they also become territorial and tend to fight.
Scooter is the largest crab to make the trip from Summerland Key to Mote.
Mote Content Development Manager Hayley Rutger named the crab Scooter as a nod to Spadaro’s current mode of transportation, a four-wheel knee scooter he has been using while recovering from a fractured heel bone spur.
Time will tell if Scooter will become as endearing an icon around Mote Aquaculture Park as Big Red, the one-clawed Caribbean king crab, became around Summerland Key.
Big Red died in February. Spadaro said a cause could be determined and it may have been old age, since much of the life cycle of the species is being documented as part of the project.
“We don’t have Big Red anymore but we have probably hundreds of thousands of his babies,” Spadaro said.
Since starting the king crab project, scientists have documented that it can take 10 to 18 months for a crab to become an adult, Spadaro said, but they need to see others die in captivity to establish a lifespan.
A place to grow
The second 20,000-gallon tank will house juvenile crabs until they get to the size of a quarter – after which they would be shipped off to the Keys to populate the reef.
Both tanks will contain rocky features for the crabs to climb and explore.
A third 20,000 gallon tank will contain clean water as part of the overall circulatory system.
An outdoor aquaponic system will eventually contain algae. Water, rich with nutrients produced by the crabs, will feed the algae.
The algae will clean the water, which will circulate back to the indoor tanks.
Algae from the aquaponic tanks also double as a major food source for the crabs.
The goal, Spadaro said, is to have the larger tanks ready for crabs to move in by June 1.
Tom Waldrop, senior biologist and production manager for the grazers at Mote Aquaculture Research Park, and staff biologist Cierra Bair will dive in the tanks to make sure they're running smoothly, as well as check the adult females to see if they need to be transferred to the maternity ward tanks.
Eggs of a pregnant female crab at first appear bright red.
“It’s the first stage of development,” Bair said as she showed off a clutch of eggs from a pregnant female. “It’s bright red and then a dark red or a wine color and then a tan … it takes a couple of weeks and at the very end it turns translucent and then see-through and you know they’re coming.”
The whole process could take as little as a month.
Once hatched, they remain in that tank while they are free floating.
Then they’re moved to another tank or raceway until they grow to the size of a dime then eventually on to the larger tank.
Once the permitting process has been completed, those juveniles will be placed out on the reef.
Once the larvae hatch, Spadaro said they will be at several thousand animals very quickly.
Each female can have between 2,000 to 200,000 eggs in one clutch, depending on it size, with the average clutch near 60,000 eggs, Spadaro said
The crabs in captivity have no exposure to predators. Scientists are figuring out a protocol to ensure they’re not easy prey when placed out on the reef. Exposure to puppets and actual predators are part of that plan – likely at the Summerland Key facility until a protocol is established.
Meanwhile Waldrop and Bair will run little risk while diving in the big tanks among the herbivores.
King crab claws don’t pose too much of a risk said Spadaro, who studied the species while earning his doctorate.
“It’s not the claws that get you, it's these wicked dactyls on the legs,” Spadaro said, while pointing to one of Scooter's back legs. “They’re channel clinging crabs … you can put him on top of one of these rocks and he’ll grab it and you can lift him up and the rock will come with him.
“But when you’re holding him and they get those legs around, they start grabbing onto your arm, you’ll end up with these scratches all around your arm.” | https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/local/sarasota/2023/05/18/caribbean-king-crabs-move-to-mote-aquaculture-park/70209996007/ | 2023-05-18T11:01:12 | 0 | https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/local/sarasota/2023/05/18/caribbean-king-crabs-move-to-mote-aquaculture-park/70209996007/ |
Michael Saunders & Co. consolidates downtown Sarasota operations into Main Street building
Michael Saunders & Co. has consolidated its downtown Sarasota operations — consisting of about 75 employees — last week into the fourth and fifth floors at the Wells Fargo Advisors Building at 1605 Main St.
The real estate company's downtown offices had been located at 1801 Main St., 40 N. Osprey St. and 100 S. Washington Blvd., with the company owning the Osprey and Main street buildings. Both those buildings are now under contract.
Previous real estate coverage:Four in Sarasota-Naples area rated among nation's most powerful in residential real estate
For subscribers:Redevelopment of Sarasota mall could result addition of 1,200 multifamily units
The additional employees will join a branch office that's been on the first floor of the 13-story building at the corner of Orange and Main streets.
A news release about the move noted the "company's commitment to providing efficient services to its agents and customers from one central location."
“This has always been a long-term goal for us,” Founder and CEO Michael Saunders said. “By consolidating all our agent services teams – marketing, technology, accounting, relocation and call center, as well as our commercial division, developer services division, MSC Title and the executive team – we will be able to provide greater efficiencies in the delivery of services to our agents and customers.”
Michael Saunders & Co. is the largest independent real estate firm in the region with 19 sales offices across Sarasota, Manatee and Charlotte counties. Last year, the company sold more than $3.8 billion in real estate.
More:Sarasota Realtor profession reaches new heights in transformed market, but challenges remain
The company was founded in 1976 in a small office on St. Armands Circle.
Saunders has grown her company into the "top independent real estate company in the region" that now includes 150 support team members with more than 600 real estate agents under the Michael Saunders & Co. banner, according to a news release about the consolidation. | https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/local/sarasota/2023/05/18/two-michael-saunders-co-buildings-under-contract-as-sarasota-firm-consolodates/70228635007/ | 2023-05-18T11:01:18 | 0 | https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/local/sarasota/2023/05/18/two-michael-saunders-co-buildings-under-contract-as-sarasota-firm-consolodates/70228635007/ |
A man was ambushed by gunman and killed in front of his wife as he backed his pickup truck into the driveway of a Northeast Philadelphia home early Thursday.
"It appears to be an ambush," Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small said.
Philadelphia police rushed to a home on Whitaker Avenue, near Bleigh Avenue, in the Rhawnhurst section of the city around 1:30 a.m. to find a man in his 30s unresponsive in the front seat of his pickup truck, Small said.
"He was suffering from multiple gunshot wounds to his chest and torso," Small said.
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The man died a short time later at the hospital.
His wife told investigators that her husband had just backed his truck into the driveway of their home when two men approached and started firing, Small said.
Investigators found evidence that more than 30 shots were fired, with at least 15 of the shots striking the driver's side of the truck -- several hitting the man in the driver's seat, Small said.
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"His wife -- who was in the front passenger seat -- very, very lucky that she was not struck by gunfire because multiple bullets went in the driver's side and exited the passenger's side of the vehicle they were in," Small said.
A witness told police that shooters were in a parked sedan and "it appeared that they were waiting for this individual to return home," Small said.
Police hope that surveillance video from nearby properties could help them track down the killers.
No exact motive was given for the shooting.
Entering Thursday, at least 154 people had been killed in Philadelphia so far in 2023, according to police data. The homicide count is down about 14% from the same time last year, but still much higher than many other years on record.
There are additional resources for people or communities that have endured gun violence in Philadelphia. Further information can be found here. | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/ambush-shooting-northeast-philly/3568984/ | 2023-05-18T11:02:13 | 0 | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/ambush-shooting-northeast-philly/3568984/ |
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Contact Us | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/driver-ambushed-shot-killed-while-parking-pickup-truck/3568989/ | 2023-05-18T11:02:19 | 1 | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/driver-ambushed-shot-killed-while-parking-pickup-truck/3568989/ |
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Contact Us | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/firefighters-battle-flames-smoke-at-burning-nj-warehouse/3568974/ | 2023-05-18T11:02:28 | 1 | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/firefighters-battle-flames-smoke-at-burning-nj-warehouse/3568974/ |
Flames and thick smoke could be seen coming from a burning warehouse just off U.S. Route 1 in Mercer County, New Jersey, before daybreak Thursday.
The fire at the industrial building along Whitehead Road, near the Assunpink Creek, in Hamilton Township burned for hours after starting around midnight. Firefighters could be seen targeting flames as what appeared to be pallets of text books caught fire. Charred book pages blew onto nearby properties.
Neighbors near the scene were evacuated and power was cut to the area, firefighters on the scene told NBC10's Brenna Weick.
"It kind of surprised me as I was coming in to see all the smoke," said a neighbor who rushed home after his wife said she was being evacuated. "It look orangish at night."
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The massive size of the fire caused firefighters to bring in tankers filled with water from a nearby pond. They also worried of a water tower collapsing.
No injuries were reported.
This story is developing and will be updated.
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25 years ago: Normal ranks 14th in Illinois for DUI arrests
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How Time Flies is a daily feature looking back at Pantagraph archives to revisit what was happening in our community and region.
100 years ago
May 18, 1923: Employment is now at its peak in Bloomington, according to Less Jones, superintendent of the state free employment office. With factories running 90% of normal, a new high mark for this year, and with more men needed than are available for the farms and hard roads, prosperity need no longer be pointed to but is now out in full view of everybody.
75 years ago
May 18, 1948: Miss Jeannine Brent, 1311 W. Elm St., and Miss Darby Day Smith, 1407 N. Clinton Blvd., have won voice scholarships to the Illinois Wesleyan University School of Music, it was revealed when competition winners were named by Dean Spencer Green.
50 years ago
May 18, 1973: The final recommendation is out to form a new junior college district in the McLean County area. The recommendation is from the executive committee of the McLean County Area Junior College Feasibility Study Committee. James Gardner is chairman of the committee.
25 years ago
May 18, 1998: The Normal Police Department's 333 drunken driving arrests ranked 14th among Illinois cities in 1997, continuing a string of five top 20 rankings for the town. The Alliance Against Intoxicated Motorists' annual survey of DUI enforcement reflected Normal's 14% increase in arrests, up from 292 the previous year.
101 years ago: See vintage Pantagraph ads from 1922 | https://pantagraph.com/news/local/history/25-years-ago-normal-ranks-14th-in-illinois-for-dui-arrests/article_4f287578-f2d1-11ed-aa2b-6befde551be3.html | 2023-05-18T11:04:06 | 0 | https://pantagraph.com/news/local/history/25-years-ago-normal-ranks-14th-in-illinois-for-dui-arrests/article_4f287578-f2d1-11ed-aa2b-6befde551be3.html |
Cannonball Day is a month away, but the Rotary Cannonball steam locomotive built as Minneapolis & St. Louis Railway number 457 in 1912 is open for business in East Park.
Cannonball Day -- June 24 this year -- is an annual event sponsored by the volunteer group Friends of the 457 and area businesses designed to highlight the train engine. But Friends of the 457 members are on hand all summer for tours, education and fun. Opening day was May 13, and hours are 1-4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays through October.
Kids and adults alike enjoy climbing up to ring the bell and hear the steam sounds as volunteers "start up" the realistic engine effects. With a fog machine to imitate steam, a visit to the Cannonball is a trip back in time.
The train engine ran the rails for 47 years before retiring to the Crystal Sugar plant to switch carloads of coal or beets. In 1959, Crystal Sugar donated the 457 to the city of Mason City, and it was set in its home at East Park.
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Time and Iowa weather took a toll on the engine, and in 2003 Gene Green realized that without some attention the 457 could be lost. He began efforts to build a volunteer group to paint and cosmetically restore the historic locomotive.
Those efforts paid off. Green has since moved on to Texas, but others stepped up to maintain and preserve one of Mason City's most memorable landmarks.
"Well, Gene moved back to El Paso, Texas, and he needed to hand it on to someone else. I guess that's where I come in," says Dennis Wilson, chairman.
In the intervening years, much restoration has been completed through the time and talent of various artisans and jacks-of-all-trades. The focus of preservation is to include as many original and historic pieces as possible, but occasionally fabrication work is necessary.
That was the case with the boiler jacket, crafted from steel donated by Assa Abloy Curries Mfg. and shaped by Sukup Manufacturing Co. The story behind the nameplate? Well, that's a different case.
An original if slightly damaged plate was on sale at a Mason City estate sale. The purchaser was at first baffled how the item ended up for sale. The owner had moved into a nursing home, but a quick visit shed light on the subject.
It seems during a wild night around 1960 or so a local construction crew had a few drinks and made off with the nameplate. In their haste they removed only three of the screws securing it and damaged one corner. After the nameplate resurfaced and with it's provenance established, it was used as a template for replicas.
Stories about the 457 abound in childhood tales from across the city. For years the engine was left unfenced, and children could climb aboard and imagine they were conductors, travelers and pioneers of the wild west.
Starting in 2014 and concluding three years later, Wilson and volunteers created a beautiful garden with a retaining wall to prevent further damage. For ease of maintenance, Wilson has the site plotted out in "zones." Volunteers care for an assigned zone, leaving the Cannonball 457 park one of Mason City's crown jewels.
"By the time we got the engine restored, we started to worry about erosion on the north side, so we came up with a plan for that, too." Wilson says.
Those plans are what make the Friends of the 457 so successful in its restoration and creation of a home for the Cannonball. Each year, residents look forward to Cannonball Day and the River City Kiwanis and Hy-Vee chicken barbecue fundraiser. This year, in addition to the Kids Fun Run, Bill Riley Talent Search and Kids Pedal Tractor Pull, there will be a Kids' Business Fair.
The fair is open to children 5 to 12 years old and encourages them to be creative in making a product or service. They'll register with a short business plan, and receive a 10'x10' booth. Entries will be judged and cash prizes will be awarded.
For more information visit the Friend of 457 website at friendsofthe457.org or their Facebook Page Friends of the 457. | https://globegazette.com/news/local/457-cannonball-steams-into-summer/article_42ed8fa5-5e63-5e35-b985-01c70007efeb.html | 2023-05-18T11:08:06 | 0 | https://globegazette.com/news/local/457-cannonball-steams-into-summer/article_42ed8fa5-5e63-5e35-b985-01c70007efeb.html |
The Dallas Symphony Orchestra is once again taking their talents on the road this summer.
The Concert Truck series is on the move presenting collaborative community concerts across the area, featuring musicians of the DSO and other arts organizations.
The family-friendly performances are up to 60 minutes long, with a pop-up style flare and all for free.
Find the complete schedule here. | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/dallas-symphony-orchestra-brings-back-free-mobile-concert-series/3260389/ | 2023-05-18T11:22:10 | 1 | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/dallas-symphony-orchestra-brings-back-free-mobile-concert-series/3260389/ |
The unveiling of the #WeAreDallas brand is considered a major milestone as the countdown to the world’s biggest sporting event continues.
“The #WeAreDallas brand launch is a milestone moment for the City of Dallas as the excitement and anticipation continues to grow for FIFA World Cup 2026,” Dallas Sports Commission Executive Director Monica Paul said. “Every #WeAreDallas benchmark that follows will allow our region to shine in the global spotlight as we continue the march to 2026.”
#WeAreDallas is one of 16 custom Host City brands developed by FIFA to unite fans across North Texas as anticipation for the World Cup continues to build. They say the campaign will have portraits of North Texas places, faces and special FIFA World Cup stories that make Dallas unique as a Host City.
The official unveiling event will happen at the AT&T headquarters in downtown Dallas with FC Dallas President Dan Hunt, Dallas Cowboys Executive Vice President and Chief Brand Officer Charlotte Jones and Paul will all be on hand as they officially launch the brand. They will do the launch with 15 area youth soccer players wearing newly branded World Cup apparel. Fan activities will also follow.
“We are three years away from the return of the FIFA World Cup to North Texas,” Dan Hunt said. “The #WeAreDallas brand launch continues the legacy of Dallas’ involvement with the greatest sporting event in the world. We are Dallas. We are excited. We are ready to show the world how we will flourish on the international stage.”
Hunt has been instrumental in getting the FIFA World Cup back to Dallas with a full court press campaign as to why North Texas is the perfect place to host such an event.
Local
The latest news from around North Texas.
The World Cup is the biggest single-sport event of all time. The new tournament format will see 48 teams in 104 matches in 16 host cities across three countries.
Before the events in Dallas, FIFA announced the overall brand campaign in Los Angeles for the U.S., North America and the world called #WeAre26.
Other Host Cities that unveiled their Official Brand today include Atlanta, Boston, Guadalajara, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Mexico City, Miami, Monterrey, New York/New Jersey, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Seattle, Toronto and Vancouver. | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/wearedallas-fifa-world-cup-2026-brand-unveiled/3260383/ | 2023-05-18T11:22:16 | 1 | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/wearedallas-fifa-world-cup-2026-brand-unveiled/3260383/ |
NORMAL — Heartland Community College's chapter of the Phi Theta Kappa honor society was named one of the top chapters of the international organization.
Heartland's Alpha Omega Xi Chapter was recognized in the top 10% of all members of Phi Theta Kappa during the organization's national conference.
The Alpha Omega Xi chapter of PTK comprises Heartland Honors Program students, and is led by faculty members Christina Prestinbeard and Jennifer Pauken.
The chapter was also recognized with the Distinguished Honors in Action Project Award.
Both awards were presented based on the chapter's level of community service and research projects completed over the last year, which were judged by a panel at PTK's headquarters.
Students are offered membership if they complete at least 12 credit hours with a 3.5 GPA or higher. | https://pantagraph.com/news/local/education/heartland-community-college-honor-society-named-top-chapter/article_3e04c292-f407-11ed-830f-8b4ee9fc4a1d.html | 2023-05-18T11:31:05 | 0 | https://pantagraph.com/news/local/education/heartland-community-college-honor-society-named-top-chapter/article_3e04c292-f407-11ed-830f-8b4ee9fc4a1d.html |
The tale of lightship Overfalls and an umbrella-eating shark
Mako, hammerhead and other sharks regularly swim in the waters off Cape Henlopen, but most of these large creatures remain a good distance from the beach. Few Delaware beachgoers encounter sharks, but fishermen and others who work deeper waters sometimes come face-to-face with fearsome sharks
In the early 20th century, the lightship Overfalls sat in the middle of the shark habitat as it maintained its station off Cape Henlopen to warn mariners off the shoals near the mouth of the Delaware Bay. The crew of the lightship rarely gave sharks a second thought.
In August 1911, one of the crewmen was fishing from the lightship when he snagged something big, really big. On Aug. 26, 1911, the Middletown Transcript reported, “A shark of the man-eating species, 17 feet in length, caught today at the mouth of the Delaware Bay after a hard fight by James Keyes, a member of the Lightship No. 69… Keyes brought the big fish to the surface only after a hard battle. He was forced to use a steam winch to land it on the deck of the lightship.”
At the time, the production of umbrellas and parasols in the United States was big business. According to the Smyrna Times, “No one firm makes an entire umbrella. The ribs and braces are made in one factory, the sticks in another, and the little catches that slide along the stick in still another, while the silk is imported.”
Using this highly organized supply chain, American manufactures were able to produce 2.5 million umbrellas and parasols every year, more than any country in the world.
A century ago, an umbrella was an important fashion accessory whose style reflected the character of its owner. Although a run-of-the-mill umbrella with a simple cloth covering could be had for as little as a dollar, Wannamaker’s department store in Philadelphia offered top-of-the line umbrellas that sold for as much as $45.
The department store claimed, “It is not showy. The handle is simple — a post of light-colored wood, highly polished with a cap of gold and a neat leather strap. But the covering is of the finest quality of silk made for umbrellas any where in the world, and the frame is of a famous English make that we have never heard of as breaking.”
Every year, umbrella makers produced new handle designs to give the fashion conscious buyer a distinctive look. Handles, which came in a variety of shapes and colors, were made of wood or ivory and often bore the owner’s monogram.
In 1911, Laura Dorsey, of Sangatuck, Connecticut, bought a fashionable umbrella with a distinctive monogram on the handle. The umbrella promised to giver Dorsey long years of use, but unfortunately, while on a steamer in New York’s East River, she dropped the umbrella overboard.
Several months later, in August 1911, James Keyes wrestled a large shark aboard the Overfalls lightship. The size of the shark was stunning, and when it was cut open, the animal’s stomach contained a quantity of junk, several large pieces of oil cloth, and the handle, ribs and covering of an umbrella.
The story of an umbrella-eating shark was carried in newspapers across the country and read by Laura Dorsey, who had dropped her monogramed umbrella overboard near New York City.
Dorsey wrote to the captain of the Overfalls and described the umbrella and its peculiar monogram on the handle. Based on her description, it was confirmed that the umbrella was hers, and it was sent to Dorsey.
The incident proved not only the great range of sharks and their indiscriminate appetites, but it also demonstrated the value of a high quality umbrella.
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Principal sources
Evening Journal, Aug. 18, 1911.
Middletown Transcript, Aug. 26, 1911.
Smyrna Times, July 18, 1888.
Every Evening, Wilmington Daily Commercial, July 16, 1921. 7-16-1921
Keowee Courtier, Walhalla, South Carolina, Sept. 13, 1911.
Donaldsonville Chief, Donalsonville, La. Nov. 18, 1911.
Greene County Herald, (Leakesville, Mississippi), Nov. 10, 1911.
Monmouth Inquirer, (Freehold, New Jersey), Oct. 26, 1911. | https://www.delmarvanow.com/story/news/local/delaware/2023/05/18/the-tale-of-lightship-overfalls-and-an-umbrella-eating-shark/70219285007/ | 2023-05-18T11:33:01 | 0 | https://www.delmarvanow.com/story/news/local/delaware/2023/05/18/the-tale-of-lightship-overfalls-and-an-umbrella-eating-shark/70219285007/ |
Chicken beer? Perdue Farms to release new flavor in time for grilling season
Have you ever cracked open an ice-cold can of chicken flavored beer? Well, now's your chance.
Just in time for summer grilling season, Salisbury-based Perdue Farms, a top producer of fresh chicken in the U.S., is making chicken the star of the grill with the launch of PERDUE Beer Can Chicken Beer. Here's everything you need to know about the exclusive new flavor.
Chicken flavored beer?
The limited-edition PERDUE Beer Can Chicken Beer is a honey double-citrus summer ale brewed with classic grilled chicken seasonings like rosemary, thyme, and pink peppercorn to help backyard grillers make the perfect beer can chicken, the company said in a May 17 news release.
Created in partnership with Torch & Crown Brewing Company, Perdue's custom beer is tangy, juicy, and has just a hint of sweetness. According to the release, perfectly crafted for both summer grilling and sipping, consumers will have to make sure they save enough for cooking the chicken.
PERDUE:Perdue Farms CEO Randy Day announces retirement plans after 40-plus years with company
Beer can chicken recipe
“Beer can chicken has long been one of the most popular methods of grilling poultry, but we noticed a lack of consensus on what type of beer is best,” said Julie Lehman, Perdue vice president of marketing. “As the fresh chicken experts, we worked with our friends at Torch & Crown Brewing Company to settle the debate for once and all and make a beer that is expertly crafted to help backyard cooking enthusiasts prepare the ultimate beer can chicken – always with a fresh, whole Perdue chicken – with maximum flavor each and every time.”
The recipe starts with Perdue chicken, and the beer itself plays a crucial role in beer can chicken — amethod of indirect grilling that involves pouring a directed amount of the beer into a food-grade roasting stand and then standing a chicken upright and cooking it using a grill or smoker.
CHICKEN FEST:Delmarva Chicken Festival to return after nine-year absence — what to know about all the fun
Not only does the brew infuse the bird with flavor, marinating it from the inside out, but it keeps the chicken moist and tender during the cooking process. The recipe encourages consumers 21 plus to set some of the beer aside to drink and enjoy with their meal.
Google searches for beer can chicken recipes typically crescendo around Memorial Day each year, and evidencesuggests the grilling method is on the rise more generally. Over the last 12 months, online conversation around beer can chicken grew by nearly 20% (source: Netbase).
To meet this need, Perdue partnered with Torch & Crown "to create a unique summer ale brewed with barley, American ale yeast, citra hops, lemon and orange puree, honey, rosemary, thyme, sea salt, and pink peppercorn."
“As a company passionate about unique craft beers, we were so excited when Perdue approached us to collaborate on the perfect beer can chicken beer because of all the endless flavor opportunities,” said Joe Correia, co-founder and head brewer of Torch & Crown Brewing Company of New York.
“We’re very happy with how the beer turned out as it perfectly balances both seasonal summer flavors and ingredients commonly found in chicken seasonings to help maximize the flavor of any Perdue grilled or smoked chicken.”
Where & when to purchase
Starting May 22 at 9 a.m. ET, six packs of PERDUE® Beer Can Chicken Beer will be available for purchaseat Beercanchicken.beer – while supplies last. The six packs will be available for $14.99 plus shipping andhandling.
BREWERIES:New craft breweries in Delmarva? Resurgence will bring 9 beer hot spots to Eastern Shore
To complete the perfect beer can chicken cooking experience, Perdue is selling fresh whole chickens in limited-time packaging that features the beer can chicken grilling occasion online or in retail store nationwide this summer.
For more program details and beer can chicken recipe inspiration, visit Perdue.com/beercanchicken. Follow @PerdueChicken on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, and @PerdueFarms on Instagram, Twitter,and Facebook for product and brand updates, recipes, cooking tips, and online shopping deals.
Olivia Minzola covers communities on the Lower Shore. Contact her with tips and story ideas at ominzola@delmarvanow.com. | https://www.delmarvanow.com/story/news/local/maryland/2023/05/18/what-does-chicken-flavored-beer-taste-like-find-out-with-perdue-farms/70204155007/ | 2023-05-18T11:33:04 | 0 | https://www.delmarvanow.com/story/news/local/maryland/2023/05/18/what-does-chicken-flavored-beer-taste-like-find-out-with-perdue-farms/70204155007/ |
It’s hard to imagine a replacement for Nordstrom, which is preparing to move out of downtown’s Westfield San Francisco Centre. With five floors of retail and its signature curved escalators, the store has been an anchor of downtown since 1988, only to now join the long list of retailers leaving the city.
But it wouldn’t be fair to say giant, vacant retail spaces are a problem exclusive to San Francisco; they’re increasingly a blight and an issue all over the country, leading some building owners to take a risk on, shall we say, less traditional tenants.
Most controversial among said tenants? Pickleballers. Pickleball is America’s fastest growing sport, and cities including San Francisco have struggled to keep up with the demand for courts. In Stamford, Connecticut, Pickleball America will soon occupy a former Saks Off 5th, while another pickleball club is taking over an abandoned Bed, Bath and Beyond at The Meadows mall in Lake Saint Louis, Missouri. Just this month, three free (at least for now) pickleball courts opened on the rooftop of the Westfield UTC in San Diego, offering first-come, first-served play.
Pickleball is exploding in popularity in the Bay Area, too, and San Francisco has struggled to keep up with demand for pickleball courts.
In theory, building pickleball into a mall or an empty retail space could be mutually beneficial for pickleball and tennis players — as well as building owners without tenants. But transforming a retail space for an alternative use can be difficult. The biggest limitation for a pickleball court is ceiling height. USA Pickleball recommends at least 18 feet, but 21 feet or higher is preferred. Each court needs an area of around 30 feet by 60 feet.
Another important consideration is whether pickleball players — who are pining for more courts — would actually be willing to travel downtown to use those courts.
San Francisco Pickleball Community member Ward Naughton is skeptical. A large subset of San Francisco residents who play pickleball are older, he said, and he thinks they’ll be worried about safety and parking. “If people want to be positive and think we have to do something to reinvigorate downtown, recreational activities are as good as anything if you can address parking and safety,” he said. “I don’t think just pickleball alone will do it — it would have to be part of some larger sports complex.”
Naughton said for younger people seeking socializing opportunities aside from eating and drinking, a recreational facility could be a draw. Other malls across the country have embraced activity-based concepts, like adding escape rooms or mini golf courses.
Seth Socolow, executive director of San Franciscans for Sports and Recreation, said he likes “the idea of revisiting some of these spaces and re-envisioning them for recreation… We need things to draw people downtown,” he noted. He pointed to all that the city has lost in the past 25 years: There used to be a lighted driving range in Mission Bay, a bowling alley in Japantown, a shooting range at Lake Merced and the city’s largest tennis club in SoMa. The city certainly has lots of parks, but other forms of recreation are lacking space.
Dedicated recreation spaces can be a tough sell for developers, Socolow acknowledged, but perhaps a mixed-use building could work, especially as an amenity to a downtown residential or office building?
It’s a plausible idea, though it comes with its own significant caveats. The physical characteristics of a building are crucial — unmovable columns can often be an impediment to certain uses — but more than that, finances need to pencil out.
“Landlords might struggle on the long-term basis for the recreational uses of retail spaces, because there may be a disconnect on rent due to the amount of space needed,” Santino DeRose, managing broker of commercial real estate firm Maven Commercial, said. “If you think about a Walgreens, a shelf full of cosmetics that takes up much less space than one pickleball court probably will generate a lot more revenue than one pickleball court.”
DeRose said it doesn’t help that San Francisco is lacking in examples of these building transformations. The closest model is arguably Life Time, a fitness company that builds luxury athletic facilities across the U.S. and Canada. It’s about to open its first Bay Area club in nearby Walnut Creek, replacing a Macy’s. The major difference? Life Time tore the Macy’s down. Most of the properties it operates were new construction, or gut renovations of existing buildings. There were a few exceptions, though, like a location in Tampa, Florida, that opened in 2014 and was once a Lord & Taylor department store, as well as a second location in a suburb of Philadelphia that was previously a Macy’s.
If not recreation spaces, other replacements for retailers include food halls and, perhaps for shorter-term stints, animal shelters.
Eataly, the famed Italian marketplace, has 40 locations around the world and opened in the Westfield Valley Fair mall in San Jose in 2022. That Eataly takes up 45,000 square feet of space across three floors; for comparison’s sake, the Nordstrom in the San Francisco Centre spans 312,000 square feet across five floors. A food hall would have to figure out how to attract consistent foot traffic, but as proven by the sometimes out-the-door lines at downtown San Francisco’s Chipotle, there is a customer base of hungry lunch perusers to be had.
On the animal shelter front, the Westfield Annapolis mall got an unconventional tenant in 2020 when the local Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals opened up a shelter in its space. While San Francisco Animal Care & Control has created satellite outposts of its shelters in the past at places like Pet Food Express, executive director Virginia Donohue told SFGATE they don’t have the resources to maintain and staff such a space. “It could be a terrific idea for adoption partners doing pop-up events,” she wrote in an email.
If it all sounds a bit pie-in-the-sky still, that’s because it is. Nothing about what will replace downtown retailers is set in stone yet. What’s clear is more retailers will soon depart the area, and eventually, someone will have to take the leap of faith and jump in. Don’t be surprised if the new tenants are nothing like the old ones. DeRose, the managing broker, was understandably cagey about who, specifically, has reached out to him of late, but he did reveal a notable tidbit: His firm has garnered plenty of interest in recent months from possible tenants who don’t intend to employ unconventional uses of traditional retail spaces. | https://www.sfgate.com/local/article/future-of-downtown-sf-westfield-mall-18104736.php | 2023-05-18T11:45:56 | 1 | https://www.sfgate.com/local/article/future-of-downtown-sf-westfield-mall-18104736.php |
CEDAR FALLS — The free Gallagher Bluedorn Block Party series was a “COVID creation” in 2021 to get people out of the house gathering at safe distances, according to Jennifer Onuigbo, community relations manager at GBPAC.
Well, it had much success and has lived on in the post-COVID world.
While not as many concerts are hosted, this is the third summer in a row the arts center will partner with neighborhoods and organizations to host the outdoor concerts in eight local neighborhoods this spring and summer – the first being May 26.
“We love creating that sort of old fashion neighborhood scene,” said Jennifer Onuigbo, community relations manager at the Gallagher Bluedorn Performing Arts Center.
Onuigbo said organizers saw value in events that are free and easy to access, as well as ones that encourage neighbors to come out and get to know one another, play some games and enjoy each other’s company.
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As few as 100 people, or as many as a few hundred, have attended them in the past, including what Onuigbo described as the usual “contingent” of as many as 20 who are the hard-core fans of live music and try not to miss a single party.
Sidewalk chalk, bubbles and other goodies will be among the free giveaways. People are also encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets to sit on as well as their own snacks and refreshments.
Signage will be there to direct people as well as identified parking areas and food trucks on occasion (depending on the event).
Some music artists are new to the series, but perhaps familar to locals. Others have appeared before at the community events. Genres range from classic pop to blues rock, doo-wop, R&B and country.
Every neighborhood and organization gets to to decide which musical act they feel would work best for their area from a list of vetted artists provided ahead of time.
“Block Parties are one of my favorite things we do during the year,” said Onuigbo in a statement. “It’s so much fun to bring music into different neighborhoods, listen to diverse local musicians and spend time really talking with our neighbors. Block Parties represent community at its very best. There is no cost or transportation barrier for these events. Everyone can attend and enjoy live music.”
To view the block party dates and times, sponsor an event, or learn more about being a featured local band, go online to GBPAC.com/BlockParty. Follow the Gallagher Bluedorn on social media for additional information and weather updates.
The block party schedule is as follows:
- Milk and Honey – 6-8 p.m. May 26 at Cedar Falls River Place Plaza, 100 E. Second St., Cedar Falls.
- Wonderful Smiths – 7-9 p.m. June 3 in the Alabar Hills Neighborhood at Fred Becker Elementary School, 1239 Sheldon St., Waterloo.
- Doo Wops – 6-8 p.m. June 23 at The Ledges Neighborhood at Union and Autumn Ridge roads, Cedar Falls.
- North End Arts and Music Festival – noon to 6 p.m. July 8 at Ferguson Fields Park, Waterloo.
- Kevin Burt – 6-8 p.m. July 15 in the New Aldaya Neighborhood at 7511 University Ave., Cedar Falls.
- HartSmith – 6-8 p.m. Aug. 1 (National Night Out) in the Walnut Neighborhood, East Fourth and Lime streets, Waterloo.
- Throwback Jack – 6-8 p.m. Aug. 12 at Staker Athletic Complex, Fredericksburg (Chickasaw County).
- Fusion – 6-8 p.m. Aug. 26 in the Audubon Neighborhood at Partridge Lane and Carras Road, Waterloo. | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/education/uni-s-free-gallagher-bluedorn-block-party-series-returns-for-third-year/article_998b1f57-7bed-56b9-871e-d01d57809fea.html | 2023-05-18T12:05:15 | 0 | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/education/uni-s-free-gallagher-bluedorn-block-party-series-returns-for-third-year/article_998b1f57-7bed-56b9-871e-d01d57809fea.html |
WATERLOO — Iowa Heartland Habitat for Humanity gifted another new homeowner the keys to her place on Tuesday through its homeownership program after revitalizing an older, dilapidated house in the 300 block of Allen Street.
Raquel Harmon and her son Steven Meeks, 9, plan to move in Thursday. As an avid cooker, she’s most looking forward to that first meal – lasagna. Home ownership had been the last goal on her list after having graduated from college, paid off her car loan and gotten other debt under control.
“It’s been a journey,” the 2004 East High School graduate told a crowd that gathered inside the home to celebrate the accomplishment. “I never thought I’d make it this far ever. I’ve always been on the outside looking in on everybody else’s success. And I told God that I need to accomplish everything on that list now, and this was the last thing on that list.”
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“I couldn’t have done it without all my family, the prayers, the push, the encouragement, and the matriarch (her grandmother Lucy Scullark).”
The two-story, 1,476-square-foot home was built in 1901 at the corner of West Second and Allen streets. Habitat for Humanity took over the abandoned residence from the city that had been owned by a hoarder and was in less-than-ideal shape. The city had gotten it through the 657A property policy process for housing eligible to be rehabilitated.
“This project is a metaphor for how we want to approach our neighborhood revitalization work,” said Andy Conger, Iowa Heartland’s construction director. “It’s changed the way we look at a home. We assess it for what it has going for it and we lift up the good.
“We’ve really given it a second chance at life even though it had been forgotten and abandoned. We’re restoring hope where hope might have been lost.”
Work on the house started in the fall. That goal – of finding its inner beauty and not modernizing it too much by instead preserving the history and character of the home – was reflected throughout the home with a kitchen, three bedrooms, and 1-1/2 bathrooms with hardwood floors and baby powder blue walls.
Since 1990, close to 200 families have been given the gift of homeownership through Iowa Heartland Habitat for Humanity. The rehabilitated homes are bought for an affordable price with a no interest mortgage to a person who becomes eligible.
That person becomes eligible by initially putting in 100 hours of “sweat equity” and, eventually, 300 hours total. Most of that time is spent working on the house of their dreams. Remaining hours are spent on other housing projects, taking homeownership classes or volunteering at Iowa Heartland Habitat for Humanity ReStore.
That process typically takes about 18-24 months. For Harmon, that started in the fall of 2021.
Fifteen to 20 other people are working through the program in hopes of purchasing their first home with the help of many volunteers and funding – a lot of what comes with the help of big organizations like John Deere.
Harmon’s 84-year-old grandmother was in attendance along with other family, partners, and volunteers who presented gifts and mementos to the new homeowner. Others came, as well, who had joined in the process of helping make Harmon’s dream a reality.
“I’m most excited to see my room,” said Meeks with a bunch of gifts in his hands he’d received as part of the ceremony.
Iowa Heartland Habitat for Humanity has taken on other projects in the Church Row and Walnut neighborhoods as well as in Cedar Falls, Waverly, and throughout Black Hawk, Bremer, Butler, and Buchanan counties. | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/habitat-for-humanity-celebrates-new-owner-of-rehabilitated-waterloo-home/article_a03a9009-3a2b-5bd2-98ad-a018a32044f9.html | 2023-05-18T12:05:21 | 1 | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/habitat-for-humanity-celebrates-new-owner-of-rehabilitated-waterloo-home/article_a03a9009-3a2b-5bd2-98ad-a018a32044f9.html |
NAPLES, Fla. — Two people were flown to the hospital after a motorcycle crash overnight in Naples.
The crash happened on Radio Road near Radio Lane in Naples around 2:15 a.m.
The two motorcyclists were taken by Medflight to Gulf Coast Medical Center as a trauma alert.
The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating. | https://nbc-2.com/news/local/collier-county/2023/05/18/two-flown-to-hospital-after-motorcycle-crash-in-north-naples/amp/ | 2023-05-18T12:13:57 | 0 | https://nbc-2.com/news/local/collier-county/2023/05/18/two-flown-to-hospital-after-motorcycle-crash-in-north-naples/amp/ |
MITCHELL – The $500 million soybean processing plant coming to Davison County is set to be among the highest costing projects in South Dakota history.
The facility is almost certain to be built, according to Jeff Bathke, Davison County Planning and Zoning Administrator. The next step in the process for its construction will be at an upcoming Davison County Commission meeting, where officials will green-light a tax break for assistance in infrastructure costs.
Tom Kersting, the CEO at South Dakota Soybean Processors, told the Mitchell Republic on Wednesday that the company is still "quite a ways down the road from securing funding," and that "there are a lot of moving parts, but we are excited to hopefully bring this project to the area."
South Dakota Soybean Processors is the company that will own and operate the Mitchell facility. It also has soybean processing sites in Volga and St. Lawrence.
If the plant gets built, it will become one of the most expensive projects in South Dakota history. But even at $500 million, it could be bumped down the list rather quickly.
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The Mitchell plant is part of a wave of mega-projects that have taken shape across the state in the last couple of years, none of which have been built yet.
“Just the size of this plant is unprecedented,” Bathke said.
A jet biofuel facility that is expected to cost $1 billion is set to be built in Lake Preston, located 80 miles northeast of Mitchell. Another $1.1 billion proposal for a meatpacking plant is being discussed in Rapid City. There are also plans in the works for a $500 million Pork processing plant in Sioux Falls.
Another significant project in South Dakota was the Dakota Access Pipeline, which cost $820 million but it is currently inactive.
But there are many wondering — why does the plant cost so much money? What is going into that $500 million price tag?
One reason for the high cost is inflation.
Trends as of 2021 suggest that recent surges in construction prices can be attributed to increased inflation of the cost of building materials, and construction labor shortages.
Evidence of this can be seen in the way building costs have risen in recent years, and how the cost of the soybean plant itself has ballooned since being rolled out in 2022.
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An ethanol plant in Onida created by Ringneck Energy in 2018 had $150 million in construction costs. In 2019, Agropur built expansions to its cheese processing plant in Lake Norden costing $250 million.
Since then, building costs have significantly increased.
“When the project was announced in February of 2022, SDSP had it pegged at $400 million and we have been combating inflation and supply chain issues to keep costs manageable,” says Kyle Peters of A1 Development Solutions, the development group South Dakota Soybean Processors hired to handle permitting and public and government relations.
Those numbers have since then increased to their current figure of $503 million. With an increase of approximately $100 million in the past year, it is clear that inflation has greatly bloated the price, and could potentially cause it to rise further.
As to what the money will be used for, a cost estimation was released on Feb. 10 showing a breakdown of how that $503 million will be used.
Conducted by KFI Engineers, the group chosen by South Dakota Soybean to engineer the project, the numbers reveal that the majority of the money, $367 million, is going toward construction costs, including $82 million in equipment; $52 million in a line item titled "grains;" $51 million for mechanical contractors; $50 million for electrical / controls construction; $28 million for structural steel; $21 million for site work and underground utilities; $15 million for concrete and masonry; $12 million for rail construction; and other costs including specialty contractors.
There are $36.8 million set aside for project contingency funds.
The date for the Davison County Commission's hearing to approve the tax increment financing for the plant has not been set. It was originally to be held on April 18, but was postponed due to a scheduled absence. | https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/500-million-davison-county-soybean-facility-set-to-become-the-most-expensive-building-in-south-dakota | 2023-05-18T12:14:23 | 1 | https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/500-million-davison-county-soybean-facility-set-to-become-the-most-expensive-building-in-south-dakota |
MITCHELL — The spectacular light show of the Northern Lights could be seen dancing through the South Dakota sky Sunday evening.
While the Northern Lights are more commonly associated with destinations such as Norway, Finland and Canada, Mitchell was a perfect spot for aurora enthusiasts.
The Northern Lights, also known as the Aurora Borealis, are a natural light display that occurs in the polar regions. The phenomenon is caused by charged particles from the sun colliding with particles in the Earth's atmosphere, creating a beautiful display of light in the sky.
The Northern Lights seen just north of Mitchell may have not been the colorful spectacle of green, pink and purple to the naked eye, but when equipped with a camera and tripod and a long exposure the colors reveal themselves. Even with an iPhone camera the colors are able to be captured.
The Northern Lights may be a rare occurrence in Mitchell, those lucky enough to witness Sunday night's display left in awe of nature's beauty.
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1/11: The Aurora Borealis dances across the evening sky on Sunday, April 23, 2023, Northeast of Mitchell.
2/11: The Aurora Borealis dances across the evening sky on Sunday, April 23, 2023, Northeast of Mitchell.
3/11: The Aurora Borealis dances across the evening sky on Sunday, April 23, 2023, Northeast of Mitchell.
4/11: The Aurora Borealis dances across the evening sky on Sunday, April 23, 2023, Northeast of Mitchell.
5/11: The Aurora Borealis dances across the evening sky on Sunday, April 23, 2023, Northeast of Mitchell.
6/11: The Aurora Borealis dances across the evening sky on Sunday, April 23, 2023, Northeast of Mitchell.
7/11: The Aurora Borealis dances across the evening sky on Sunday, April 23, 2023, Northeast of Mitchell.
8/11: The Aurora Borealis dances across the evening sky on Sunday, April 23, 2023, Northeast of Mitchell.
9/11: The Aurora Borealis dances across the evening sky on Sunday, April 23, 2023, Northeast of Mitchell.
10/11: The Aurora Borealis dances across the evening sky on Sunday, April 23, 2023, Northeast of Mitchell.
11/11: The Aurora Borealis dances across the evening sky on Sunday, April 23, 2023, Northeast of Mitchell.
Adam Thury joined the Mitchell Republic in March of 2022. He was born and raised in Mitchell, S.D., and graduated from Mitchell High School in 2015. He always had an eye for photography but started honing his skills mid-2014. He has worked on growing his knowledge of photography by shooting for local events. He can be reached at athury@mitchellrepublic.com and found on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/adamthury. | https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/a-severe-geomagnetic-storm-brings-the-northern-lights-to-mitchell | 2023-05-18T12:14:34 | 1 | https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/a-severe-geomagnetic-storm-brings-the-northern-lights-to-mitchell |
MITCHELL — From the moment Dan Pollreisz responded to his first fire at the age of 19, he was hooked.
The Ethan native was working as a volunteer firefighter for the small town in 1999 when he got his first taste of containing a structure fire. Since then, he joined Mitchell’s Fire Division and climbed the ranks to captain.
On Monday, Pollreisz climbed his way to the highest leadership role in the division and the highest rank in his public safety career when he was sworn in as Mitchell’s fire chief.
“When I went on my first fire, it flipped a switch. It was awesome, and I knew I wanted to be a firefighter. I remember the old yellow tanker truck I rode in,” Pollreisz said.
The 41-year-old firefighter now-turned chief has been acclimating to the new role this week. What used to be 24-hour shifts next door are now eight-hour shifts with more administrative tasks and other duties. While some of the tasks are new, the faces he works alongside are not. His starting salary is $102,732.
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Prior to being tabbed as the chief of the fire division and Emergency Management Services (EMS), Pollreisz spent the past two decades as a Mitchell firefighter. Many of the fellow firefighters he’s worked with over the years are still integral members of the team. And that team is what Pollreisz calls family.
“We are a big family here. That helps ease transitions,” he said.
The position became vacant in early March after former Mitchell Fire Chief Marius Laursen stepped down from the role after three years on the job. In his parting words, Laursen said he was confident he left the division in “good hands.”
One of those hands he helped develop is now leading the fire division. It’s evident how much respect Pollreisz has for Laursen and his leadership style. After all, it’s Pollreisz’s goal to keep that type of quality leadership intact as the new chief.
“I’ve worked under great leadership in my career. Our biggest goal is to continue where Chief Laursen left off, and continue to move forward in the right direction,” he said. “Thankfully, I’ve worked under good leadership in my career. I want to provide that type of leadership for years to come.”
Looking toward the future, Pollreisz said he’s focused on recruiting firefighters and EMTs to keep the division adequately staffed to provide timely emergency responses. And that's not been easy in recent years amid the increase in emergency responses and fires that Mitchell crews have been grappling with.
Before Laursen departed, the city council approved adding two full-time firefighters and EMTs to meet the growing demand.
Pollreisz said staffing has become more challenging over the years, as fewer people are applying for emergency service roles. To meet the staffing challenges, he plans to actively recruit firefighters and EMTs and continue community outreach efforts at local schools.
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“When we show young kids and high school students what we do, it can spark a fire in them to want to become a career firefighter and EMT,” Pollreisz said.
With the dwindling number of volunteer firefighters in surrounding area towns, Pollreisz said it’s one example of many as to why it’s crucial for Mitchell’s Fire Division to remain strong.
“It is not just volunteer firefighters that are in short supply, it’s career firefighters as well. Nationwide, people just are not seeking out these jobs, we have to look for them,” Pollreisz said of the staffing challenges.
For roughly a decade, Pollreisz was the chief of Ethan’s volunteer fire department — a role he held while being a Mitchell firefighter. His extensive experience leading the small town fire department provided him with a clear understanding of how the surrounding area first responders work in tandem with Mitchell’s Fire Division.
“It gives me an advantage when we go and help a volunteer fire department or they help us on a mutual aid scenario. My plan is to reach out to all the surrounding volunteer fire departments and discuss issues we have,” he said. “If we are able to share ideas and see the equipment and personnel we both have, it will just help everybody in the long run.” | https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/after-28-years-as-a-firefighter-dan-pollreisz-committed-to-quality-leadership-as-mitchell-fire-chief | 2023-05-18T12:14:44 | 1 | https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/after-28-years-as-a-firefighter-dan-pollreisz-committed-to-quality-leadership-as-mitchell-fire-chief |
LOCAL
14th annual Garage Sales Across The Breezeway set for May 26-27
Petoskey News-Review
EAST JORDAN — During Memorial Day weekend, shoppers will find plenty of deals along "The Breezeway" corridor.
The scenic 26-mile route will have a number of residential sales and commercial business sales available from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, May 26-27.
Many of the sales are located directly on The Breezeway, but drivers can also check for sale signs along the route, grab a map or check out the ridethebreezeway.com or ejchamber.org for all of the listed sales. | https://www.petoskeynews.com/story/news/local/2023/05/18/14th-annual-garage-sales-across-the-breezeway-set-for-may-26-27/70226932007/ | 2023-05-18T12:14:52 | 0 | https://www.petoskeynews.com/story/news/local/2023/05/18/14th-annual-garage-sales-across-the-breezeway-set-for-may-26-27/70226932007/ |
CHAMBERLAIN — The Chamberlain Municipal Airport is getting a better "front door" this year, starting this week.
The airport, located on the south edge of the community, broke ground on a new terminal on Thursday, April 20, which city officials hope will be an asset that helps bring visitors through the Missouri River city.
Most notably, leaders look at its importance during pheasant hunting season, who believe they're leaving potential tourism revenue on the table with an airport that is too small to handle large private aircrafts.
The terminal, which is planned to be finished this fall, will be the first building people walk into when they fly in to the airport.
"It's the front door to all visitors,” said Chamberlain Mayor Chad Mutziger.
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In addition to serving people who fly into the airport, it will also include a rest spot where pilots can stay in between flights. Currently, the pilot rest area is housed in an addition to the residence of the airport manager.
"Right now, hunters can't even fit on the runway sometimes in their private jets," explained Mike Lauritsen, the community's former city administrator who helped get the project approved locally and pursue state and federal funding for the project.
An SEH Engineering analysis from 2017-2018 looked at aircraft operations counts for airports in Mitchell and Winner along with Chamberlain for a 12-month period. Each of the airports saw about 100 flights or less for most of the year, but during hunting season in the fall, Mitchell and Winner's airports have large jumps in operations — between 350 and 450 flights in a month — and Chamberlain's peak remained under 150 flights per month in the fall.
Lauritsen says that the airstrip is going to be repaved, which will make it a more attractive airport for hunters who might have flown in to Mitchell or other regional airports.
"The more hunters who land here, the better it will be for our town, because of all the tourism revenue it will generate," he said. "Tourism is the number two industry in the state … This is huge for our community."
That same analysis showed 2016 information that indicated a non-resident economic impact of nearly $21 million annually from pheasant hunting between Brule and Lyman counties, with nearby Tripp County accounting for nearly another $11 million.
Mutziger said the upgrades will also help the local hospital and emergency services in the Chamberlain area, because of the airport's proximity to Interstate 90. He said there's about 15 events a month that require medical personnel to use the airport.
"We live near a highway, and the reality is, there are accidents there," Mutziger said. "The thing is, our hospital doesn't have all the emergency room features some other hospitals do. So instead of having to drive a couple hours to another facility, they can leave from our airport in a helicopter and be there in 15 minutes."
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The project will have a special designation when it's complete. The new terminal will be named after longtime Chamberlain city engineer Greg Powell, who retired in 2021. The name was kept as a surprise by Lauritsen until Thursday.
"This is huge, for us to have a place for pilots to actually have a lounge, and a place to relax and unwind,” Powell said.
Most of the money for the project comes from state and federal grants. The largest source of funding for the project comes from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) through its 2022 Airport Terminals Program, which funded $613,000 of the estimated $950,000 project with $969 million total given in grants to 85 airports across the country. The money for the program came from funding by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which was signed by President Joe Biden in November 2021. The other major grant source was from the South Dakota Department of Transportation (SDDOT). Combined, grant sources funded $855,000 of the estimated $950,000 project.
The terminal is part of the multi-stage plan, with plans to repave the runway this summer. Another runway is scheduled to be built in a few years. Currently, the Chamberlain airport has only one concrete runway and a second grass-only runway. | https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/chamberlain-breaks-ground-on-airport-terminal-named-after-longtime-city-engineer-greg-powell | 2023-05-18T12:14:55 | 0 | https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/chamberlain-breaks-ground-on-airport-terminal-named-after-longtime-city-engineer-greg-powell |
MITCHELL — The Mitchell City Council will consider approving a permit on Monday that would allow another set of corroding downtown buildings to be demolished.
The buildings, located at 116 and 118 E. First Ave., sit next to a property that was struck by an impaired driver a little over two years ago, which caused major structural damage to the front of the neighboring buildings. While the 116 and 118 E. First Ave. buildings weren’t damaged by the nearby vehicle collision, the property owner is seeking to tear the buildings down in part due to the high costs of repair work needed to rehabilitate them and the structural stability.
The council will vote on the demolition permit during the 6 p.m. meeting at City Hall.
According to City Planner Mark Jenniges’ memo to the council, the Mitchell Historic Preservation Committee agreed in early April that demolishing the historic buildings was a feasible option due to the “high costs” of repair work needed to renovate the old buildings.
However, the State’s Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) made a determination on Jan. 4 that the proposed demolition plan would “encroach upon, damage, or destroy a historic property,” according to the city’s documents.
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Despite SHPO’s stance on the demolition project, the council has the authority to override any recommendations made by the state agency. In the past, SHPO has made similar conclusions with other corroding Mitchell buildings that were approved to be demolished, including Prather Hall on DWU’s college campus.
A case report of the building included in the council's agenda packet indicates the “stability of the building has been compromised” due to the demolition of the former neighboring property that sat on the east side of the 116 and 118 E. First Ave. buildings.
The report also states concerns of the buildings’ stability when the neighboring property on the west side is torn down, which is scheduled to take place in the near future.
Over the past three years, the corner of First Avenue and Lawler Street has undergone a transformation. A nuisance property that sat to the east of the 116 and 118 E. First Ave. buildings came down roughly two years ago and left a vacant lot.
In March, the council approved a demolition permit for the 112 and 114 E. First Ave. buildings to come down, which are situated directly to the east of the 116 and 118 E. First Ave. buildings. The damage sustained from the vehicle collision was another key factor that led the neighboring property owners to seek the demolition route.
When the neighboring buildings along the east side are razed soon, the 116 and 118 E. First Ave. building would be the lone property still standing in the downtown corner of First Avenue and Lawler Street.
According to city documents about the property owner’s future plans for the lot post-demolition, there are plans to redevelop the downtown lot that sits in a high-traffic area. | https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/council-to-consider-approving-demolition-of-another-pair-of-aging-downtown-mitchell-buildings | 2023-05-18T12:15:05 | 0 | https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/council-to-consider-approving-demolition-of-another-pair-of-aging-downtown-mitchell-buildings |
MITCHELL — The following cases were among those heard Tuesday during a circuit court session at the Davison County Public Safety Center, with Judge Chris Giles presiding:
- Kyle Milekovich, 39, of Mitchell, pleaded not guilty to possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine), a Class 5 felony that carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $10,000 fine, and use or possession of drug paraphernalia. According to an arrest affidavit, police uncovered items in Milekovich’s vehicle that tested positive for meth. He allegedly told officers he lived with known drug users, the affidavit says. Milekovich denied using drugs and refused to provide a urine sample due to concerns he “did not know what” the people he lived with “might have planted in his food,” according to an affidavit. He is scheduled to face a jury trial in August unless he changes his plea prior to trial.
- Allen Downey, 35, of Mitchell, was sentenced to 10 years in prison with four years suspended for possession, manufacturing and distributing child pornography, a Class 4 felony that carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine. According to an arrest affidavit, Downey allegedly sent videos of himself to a minor showing him masturbating and requested nude images of the minor. Downey received credit for serving 144 days in jail.
- Allen Thomson, 30, of Mitchell, was sentenced to serve two years in prison for distribution and possession with intent to distribute 1 ounce or less of marijuana, a Class 6 felony that carries a maximum sentence of two years in prison and a $4,000 fine. In a separate charge, Thomson was sentenced to 112 days in jail, while receiving credit for serving 112 days in jail for simple assault (domestic abuse), a Class 1 misdemeanor. According to an arrest affidavit, Thomson’s simple assault charge stemmed from him allegedly striking his girlfriend 10 times in the face and causing a laceration to her face that required eight stitches. The victim was treated at a local hospital.
- Darrell Bennett Jr., 48, of Mitchell, pleaded not guilty to manufacturing, distribution and possession of schedule I or II drugs, a Class 4 felony that carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine, drug free zone violation, a Class 4 felony, conspiracy to manufacture, distribute and possess drugs, a Class 4 felony, conspiracy to distribute, possession with intent to distribute marijuana in the amount of 1 ounce or less, a Class 6 felony, possession of a controlled substance, a Class 5 felony, and possession of marijuana in the amount between 2 ounces and a ½ pound, a Class 6 felony. According to an arrest affidavit, officers executed a search warrant at Bennett Jr.’s residence in Mitchell and allegedly uncovered “27 marijuana plants” growing in the basement. Officers also found, marijuana edibles, marijuana-infused butter and six jars of THC concentrate – the psychoactive compound in marijuana that produces a high – in the home, the affidavit alleges. In addition, the search uncovered bulk packaging with sticker labels that read, “Thank you for your business,” according to the affidavit. The home where Bennett Jr. was allegedly growing the marijuana plants and storing other items is located within 1,000 feet from Patton Young Park along the west side of Mitchell. Bennett Jr. is scheduled to face a jury trial in June unless he changes his plea prior to the trial date.
- Nikole McCarty, 34, of Mitchell, pleaded not guilty to three counts of identity theft, each Class 6 felonies that carry a maximum sentence of two years in prison and a $4,000 fine. According to an arrest affidavit, McCarty allegedly found a debit card belonging to another individual on the ground near an area in Mitchell that had recently been burglarized. McCarty allegedly admitted to authorities that she used the debit card to place money into her boyfriend’s jail phone account and her Facebook account. The affidavit says McCarty charged $97.32 on the debit card.
- Robert Hemmah, 39, of Mitchell, was sentenced to five years in prison with five years suspended for unauthorized ingestion of a controlled substance, a Class 5 felony that carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $10,000 fine. In a separate charge, Hemmah was sentenced to two years in prison with two years suspended for sexual exploitation of a minor, a Class 6 felony that carries a maximum sentence of two years in prison and a $4,000 fine. He was ordered to remain under the supervision of the Department of Corrections. Hemmah received credit for serving 100 days in jail.
- Derek Banks, 36, of Mitchell, admitted to violating probation and was sentenced to remain on probation. Banks is serving an eight-year probation stint for alteration and removal of serial numbers with intent to commit grand theft, which stemmed from Banks thieving roughly $105,000 from customers while he was an auto mechanic at his business called Simply RB. He was charged after some of his customers alleged he resold their parts, never completed work and stopped answering their calls. As part of his sentencing, Banks was ordered to pay $116,714 in restitution fees and was given a two-year suspended prison sentence during his sentencing hearing in March 2022.
- Tylynn Loudner, 32, of Mitchell, pleaded not guilty to grand theft in the amount between $5,000 and less than $100,000, a Class 4 felony that carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine, and five counts of identity theft, each Class 6 felonies. Loudner is one of the three suspects who was charged for allegedly accessing a victim’s debit card and using it without authorization.
- Larry Abdo Jr., 44, of Mitchell, had a status hearing scheduled for July 18 in connection to identity theft, a Class 6 felony, second-degree petty theft and criminal entry into a motor vehicle, each misdemeanor offenses. Abdo Jr. is facing a probation violation charge. He was serving probation for possession of a controlled substance (meth), a Class 5 felony that carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
- Nellie Cribben, 40, of Mitchell, was sentenced to six years in prison with four years suspended for manufacturing, distribution and possessing a schedule I or II drug (meth), a Class 4 felony that carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine. Cribben received credit for serving nine days in jail. According to Davison County State’s Attorney Jim Miskimins, Cribben was charged after she sold a bag of meth to a confidential informant.
- Richard Espinoza, 21, of Mitchell, was sentenced to 73 days in jail with 60 days suspended for simple assault (domestic abuse) with intent to cause bodily injury, a Class 1 misdemeanor. He received credit for serving 13 days in jail.
- Raymon Laird, 50, of Sioux Falls, pleaded not guilty to two counts of forgery, each Class 5 felonies that carry a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $10,000 fine, grand theft in the amount between $5,000 and $10,000, a Class 4 felony. An indictment alleges Laird passed multiple forged checks to a Mitchell bank, with one check that had an amount of $4,777 and the other $3,777. Laird is scheduled to face a jury trial in early August unless he changes his plea prior to the trial date.
- Candace Byington, 41, of Lower Brule, had a status hearing set for May 23 for an alleged probation violation. Byington is serving probation for possession of a controlled substance (meth), a Class 5 felony.
- Heaven Miller, 33, of Mitchell, was granted a two-week continuance for an alleged probation violation. She denied violating probation at a recent hearing. Miller is serving probation for possession of a controlled substance (meth), a Class 5 felony. Her attorney, Doug Pappendick, has indicated Miller has another pending case in Sanborn County.
- Heaven Bruguier, 34, of Mitchell, was granted a two-week continuance in connection to five counts of identity theft, each Class 6 felonies that carry a maximum sentence of two years in prison and a $4,000 fine, and one count of grand theft in the amount between more than $5,000 and less than $100,000, a Class 5 felony. An indictment says Bruguier was one of three suspects who allegedly accessed a debit card from a victim and used it without the victim’s authorization.
- Tod Hansen, 58, of Mitchell, pleaded not guilty to possession of a controlled substance (meth), a Class 5 felony that carries a maximum sentence of up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine, and use or possession of drug paraphernalia, a misdemeanor offense. Hansen is scheduled to face a jury trial in early August unless he changes his plea prior to the trial date.
- Garan Crader, 39, of Mitchell, denied violating probation on Tuesday. Crader is serving probation for aggravated eluding and simple assault against a law officer, each Class 6 felonies. Crader’s probation sentence began in January 2022 after he pleaded guilty to two assault charges that stemmed from an Oct. 6, 2021 incident in which Crader barricaded entrances into his residence with a female who was heard crying when officers arrived, according to an arrest affidavit. The victim managed to escape the barricade, which allowed officers to gain entry. According to an affidavit, Crader was pacing with a knife in his hand when he defied officers’ commands to drop the weapon. Officers then tased him multiple times to take the knife from his possession and detain, the affidavit says. In September, Crader admitted to violating probation and pleaded guilty to aggravated eluding a Class 6 felony.
- Bryon Fischer, 49, of Mitchell, had a status hearing scheduled for May 9 in connection to grand theft in the amount between $2,500 and $5,000, a Class 5 felony that carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $10,000 fine, aggravated assault with intent to cause bodily injury, a Class 3 felony that carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison and a $30,000 fine, aggravated eluding, a Class 6 felony, unauthorized ingestion of a controlled substance, reckless driving and failure to make a proper stop, each misdemeanor offenses. According to an arrest affidavit, Fischer allegedly led officers on a vehicle pursuit on Mar. 5 after taking an “unknown amount” of pills. During the pursuit that stretched from high-traffic Mitchell streets to Highway 38 on the east side of Mitchell, Fischer allegedly attempted to strike a Highway Patrol trooper’s vehicle, which caused the trooper to swerve toward a nearby ditch, the affidavit says. The pursuit came to an end when Fischer’s truck began experiencing mechanical problems along Highway 25. When Fischer brought the truck to a stop, officers managed to arrest him. According to the affidavit, Fischer began experiencing medical problems when officers took him into custody, prompting emergency transportation to Avera Queen of Peace hospital in Mitchell. He is scheduled to face a jury trial in early June unless he changes his plea prior to the trial date.
- Kyle Ashes, 32, of Chamberlain, pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled substance (meth), a Class 5 felony. He was sentenced to serve two years of probation. Ashes received credit for serving 21 days in jail.
- Colt Tibbs, 30, of Dupree, pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled substance, a Class 5 felony. Tibbs was sentenced to five years in prison with five years suspended. He received credit for serving 29 days in jail.
- Gene Riggs, 46, of Ethan, pleaded not guilty to a third-offense Driving Under the Influence (DUI) charge, a Class 6 felony that carries a maximum sentence of two years in prison and a $4,000 fine, and open alcoholic container in a vehicle, a misdemeanor offense. Riggs is scheduled to face a jury trial in August unless he changes his plea prior to the trial date.
- James Johnson, 44, of Mitchell, pleaded guilty to two counts of possession of a controlled substance, each Class 5 felonies. He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 20.
- Aaron Cooper, 40, of Mitchell, pleaded not guilty to manufacturing, distribution and possession of schedule I or II drugs, a Class 4 felony that carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine, drug free zone violation, a Class 4 felony, conspiracy to manufacture, distribute and possess drugs, a Class 4 felony, conspiracy to distribute, possession with intent to distribute marijuana in the amount of 1 ounce or less, a Class 6 felony, possession of a controlled substance, a Class 5 felony, and possession of marijuana in the amount between 2 ounces and a ½ pound, a Class 6 felony. Cooper is scheduled to face a jury trial in early June unless he changes his plea prior to the trial date. | https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/davison-county-felony-court-cases-for-april-25 | 2023-05-18T12:15:16 | 1 | https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/davison-county-felony-court-cases-for-april-25 |
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Scenes from the autocross performance driving by the Sports Car Club of Siouxland on Saturday, April 29, 2023, at Iverson Auto in Mitchell.
Adam Thury / Mitchell Republic
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Scenes from the autocross performance driving by the Sports Car Club of Siouxland on Saturday, April 29, 2023, at Iverson Auto in Mitchell.
Adam Thury / Mitchell Republic
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Scenes from the autocross performance driving by the Sports Car Club of Siouxland on Saturday, April 29, 2023, at Iverson Auto in Mitchell.
Adam Thury / Mitchell Republic
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Scenes from the autocross performance driving by the Sports Car Club of Siouxland on Saturday, April 29, 2023, at Iverson Auto in Mitchell.
Adam Thury / Mitchell Republic
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Scenes from the autocross performance driving by the Sports Car Club of Siouxland on Saturday, April 29, 2023, at Iverson Auto in Mitchell.
Adam Thury / Mitchell Republic
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Grant Reimnitz drives his 2001 Volkswagen Beetle through the autocross course on Saturday, April 29, 2023, at Iverson Auto in Mitchell.
Adam Thury / Mitchell Republic
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Scenes from the autocross performance driving by the Sports Car Club of Siouxland on Saturday, April 29, 2023, at Iverson Auto in Mitchell.
Adam Thury / Mitchell Republic
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Scenes from the autocross performance driving by the Sports Car Club of Siouxland on Saturday, April 29, 2023, at Iverson Auto in Mitchell.
Adam Thury / Mitchell Republic
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Scenes from the autocross performance driving by the Sports Car Club of Siouxland on Saturday, April 29, 2023, at Iverson Auto in Mitchell.
Adam Thury / Mitchell Republic
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Scenes from the autocross performance driving by the Sports Car Club of Siouxland on Saturday, April 29, 2023, at Iverson Auto in Mitchell.
Adam Thury / Mitchell Republic
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Scenes from the autocross performance driving by the Sports Car Club of Siouxland on Saturday, April 29, 2023, at Iverson Auto in Mitchell.
Adam Thury / Mitchell Republic
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Kurt Chenoweth drives his 1970 Dodge Challenger through the track during an autocross race on Saturday, April 29, 2023, at Iverson Auto in Mitchell.
Adam Thury / Mitchell Republic
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Scenes from the autocross performance driving by the Sports Car Club of Siouxland on Saturday, April 29, 2023, at Iverson Auto in Mitchell.
Adam Thury / Mitchell Republic
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Scenes from the autocross performance driving by the Sports Car Club of Siouxland on Saturday, April 29, 2023, at Iverson Auto in Mitchell.
Adam Thury / Mitchell Republic
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Scenes from the autocross performance driving by the Sports Car Club of Siouxland on Saturday, April 29, 2023, at Iverson Auto in Mitchell.
Adam Thury / Mitchell Republic
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Scenes from the autocross performance driving by the Sports Car Club of Siouxland on Saturday, April 29, 2023, at Iverson Auto in Mitchell.
Adam Thury / Mitchell Republic
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Scenes from the autocross performance driving by the Sports Car Club of Siouxland on Saturday, April 29, 2023, at Iverson Auto in Mitchell.
Adam Thury / Mitchell Republic
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Scenes from the autocross performance driving by the Sports Car Club of Siouxland on Saturday, April 29, 2023, at Iverson Auto in Mitchell.
Adam Thury / Mitchell Republic
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Scenes from the autocross performance driving by the Sports Car Club of Siouxland on Saturday, April 29, 2023, at Iverson Auto in Mitchell.
Adam Thury / Mitchell Republic
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Scenes from the autocross performance driving by the Sports Car Club of Siouxland on Saturday, April 29, 2023, at Iverson Auto in Mitchell.
Adam Thury / Mitchell Republic
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Scenes from the autocross performance driving by the Sports Car Club of Siouxland on Saturday, April 29, 2023, at Iverson Auto in Mitchell.
Adam Thury / Mitchell Republic
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Jeff Corey drives his 2005 Lotus Elise through the track during an autocross race on Saturday, April 29, 2023, at Iverson Auto in Mitchell.
Adam Thury / Mitchell Republic
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Scenes from the autocross performance driving by the Sports Car Club of Siouxland on Saturday, April 29, 2023, at Iverson Auto in Mitchell.
Adam Thury / Mitchell Republic
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Scenes from the autocross performance driving by the Sports Car Club of Siouxland on Saturday, April 29, 2023, at Iverson Auto in Mitchell.
Adam Thury / Mitchell Republic
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Scenes from the autocross performance driving by the Sports Car Club of Siouxland on Saturday, April 29, 2023, at Iverson Auto in Mitchell.
Adam Thury / Mitchell Republic
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Scenes from the autocross performance driving by the Sports Car Club of Siouxland on Saturday, April 29, 2023, at Iverson Auto in Mitchell.
Adam Thury / Mitchell Republic
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Scenes from the autocross performance driving by the Sports Car Club of Siouxland on Saturday, April 29, 2023, at Iverson Auto in Mitchell.
Adam Thury / Mitchell Republic
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Scenes from the autocross performance driving by the Sports Car Club of Siouxland on Saturday, April 29, 2023, at Iverson Auto in Mitchell.
Adam Thury / Mitchell Republic
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Scenes from the autocross performance driving by the Sports Car Club of Siouxland on Saturday, April 29, 2023, at Iverson Auto in Mitchell.
Adam Thury / Mitchell Republic
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Scenes from the autocross performance driving by the Sports Car Club of Siouxland on Saturday, April 29, 2023, at Iverson Auto in Mitchell.
Adam Thury / Mitchell Republic
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Scenes from the autocross performance driving by the Sports Car Club of Siouxland on Saturday, April 29, 2023, at Iverson Auto in Mitchell.
Adam Thury / Mitchell Republic
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Scenes from the autocross performance driving by the Sports Car Club of Siouxland on Saturday, April 29, 2023, at Iverson Auto in Mitchell.
Adam Thury / Mitchell Republic
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Scenes from the autocross performance driving by the Sports Car Club of Siouxland on Saturday, April 29, 2023, at Iverson Auto in Mitchell.
Adam Thury / Mitchell Republic
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Scenes from the autocross performance driving by the Sports Car Club of Siouxland on Saturday, April 29, 2023, at Iverson Auto in Mitchell.
Adam Thury / Mitchell Republic
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Scenes from the autocross performance driving by the Sports Car Club of Siouxland on Saturday, April 29, 2023, at Iverson Auto in Mitchell.
Adam Thury / Mitchell Republic
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Scenes from the autocross performance driving by the Sports Car Club of Siouxland on Saturday, April 29, 2023, at Iverson Auto in Mitchell.
Adam Thury / Mitchell Republic
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Scenes from the autocross performance driving by the Sports Car Club of Siouxland on Saturday, April 29, 2023, at Iverson Auto in Mitchell.
Adam Thury / Mitchell Republic
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Scenes from the autocross performance driving by the Sports Car Club of Siouxland on Saturday, April 29, 2023, at Iverson Auto in Mitchell.
Adam Thury / Mitchell Republic
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Scenes from the autocross performance driving by the Sports Car Club of Siouxland on Saturday, April 29, 2023, at Iverson Auto in Mitchell.
Adam Thury / Mitchell Republic
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Scenes from the autocross performance driving by the Sports Car Club of Siouxland on Saturday, April 29, 2023, at Iverson Auto in Mitchell.
Adam Thury / Mitchell Republic
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MEMBERS-ONLY | https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/gallery-auto-cross-4-29-23 | 2023-05-18T12:15:26 | 0 | https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/gallery-auto-cross-4-29-23 |
MITCHELL — Mitchell’s aquatic facilities are ready, but a significant lack of lifeguards is putting a damper on summer swimming schedules.
The city’s outdoor and indoor pools are desperately seeking to add lifeguards to allow youth swimming lessons and open swim sessions to be held on schedule throughout the summer. With just 15 lifeguards on staff now, Recreation Center Director Kevin DeVries said it’s forced changes of operation.
“We’re very short. We’re not the only ones dealing with this problem. Every town is dealing with it,” DeVries said of the staffing woes. “We’ve got 10 who are currently trying to take the lifeguard training course and pass that.”
A fully staffed team to handle the outdoor and indoor pools requires a minimum of 35 lifeguards between the facilities. Having at least 35 lifeguards on staff allows the Parks and Recreation Department to hold regularly scheduled swimming lessons and open swims throughout the week and weekends.
Jamie Henkel, the city’s aquatics coordinator who oversees both pool facilities, has yet to see the type of lifeguard shortage that the pools are grappling with in her years of managing the pools. She, too, said Mitchell’s pool staffing woes aren’t unique, as other like-sized cities are struggling to find lifeguards.
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“This is the first time Mitchell has seen a shortage like this. I talked to Sioux Falls and Yankton departments a little bit ago, and they are short on lifeguards as well,” Henkel said.
Lifeguards are seasonal jobs that the city’s Parks and Recreation Department hires each summer to help oversee the indoor and outdoor pools. A brief certification process that takes roughly three days is required for lifeguards to complete prior to beginning the job.
Attempts to attract lifeguards have included increasing the starting wage to $12.80 per hour. Starting wages for water safety instructors — a position that entails providing swimming instructions — increased to $13.30 per hour.
“If we’re able to get more lifeguards and instructors, we’ll add those. We’re trying to make sure we have enough lifeguards for the weekends on Saturdays and Sundays from 1 to 5 p.m.,” DeVries said during the early April Parks and Recreation Board meeting.
DeVries acknowledges that gaining 20 lifeguards over the next few weeks is a tall task. If the pools can get 20 lifeguards on staff, DeVries said the plan is to nix open swim times at the indoor pool and solely hold them at the outdoor aquatic facility next to Hitchcock Park.
“It’s a combination of things. Wages from other places are getting higher. You can still come in and swim at the indoor pool with a parent or you are 18 or older, and the play features won’t be on,” he said.
Henkel said the outdoor pool will operate from 1 to 6 p.m. Monday through Sunday this summer due to the lack of staff. Typically, the outdoor pool’s hours of operation are from 1 to 8 p.m. A few swimming lessons that are less popular have also been eliminated, DeVries said.
“It takes 13 to be fully staffed and another four for swimming lessons,” DeVries said.
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To receive updates on schedules for open swim and swimming lessons, the Parks and Recreation Department encourages residents to inquire with Henkel who can be reached by phone at 605-995-8450 or email jhenkel@cityofmitchell.org. | https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/help-wanted-severe-shortage-of-lifeguards-forces-mitchell-pools-to-reduce-hours-alter-swim-lessons | 2023-05-18T12:15:37 | 0 | https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/help-wanted-severe-shortage-of-lifeguards-forces-mitchell-pools-to-reduce-hours-alter-swim-lessons |
MITCHELL — Influential founders. Notable students and alumni. The impact of the school’s programs over the years.
There was much reflection Thursday on the history of Dakota Wesleyan University. Community leaders, school officials and students who gathered in the Sherman Center on the campus of DWU heard more than a few stories.
But it was also a chance to focus on the future.
“We’re honoring our past and our legacy as an institute that turns 138 years old. We honor the pioneering spirit of those responsible for establishing this university on this day, April 27 in the year 1885. So it is appropriate that we look back with gratitude and admiration,” Daniel Kittle, president of Dakota Wesleyan University, told the assembled crowd at the Sherman Center on the school campus. “It is also the day we look forward, as our founders did, with a sense of possibility and optimism.”
The gathering was part of the school’s first Founders Day event, where it took time to look back on the history and accomplishments of the school, its alumni and its faculty and staff while also rededicating itself to continuing that legacy through the Wesleyan: On Purpose strategic initiative.
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“As I look back at our history, I see the DNA that gives me optimism for the future. From the very beginning, we have done things differently. In fact, you could say that we exist because we did it differently,” Kittle said.
Kittle, who offered opening and closing remarks for the event, recounted a story of when the Dakota Conference of the United Methodist Church was contemplating where to build the school that would later become Dakota Wesleyan University. There were three choices on where to build at the time: Mitchell, Huron or Ordway. Each town had a group of people boosting for it to come to their community.
Church leadership was poised to meet again to make a final decision, but the community leaders in Mitchell decided not to wait. To show dedication to the cause, they decided to begin construction on the first campus building before a decision on location was even made.
It worked. Mitchell was selected as the site for the school.
“I love that spirit. I love that story because it implanted in those of us now who carry the responsibility of maintaining this university that can-do spirit, one that takes strategic risks and one that does so because we are motivated by meaning and purpose,” Kittle said.
The initiative encompasses four themes on which to focus into the future: cultivating a culture of learning and growth; strengthening learner success; responsibly optimizing and diversifying the student body; and reinforcing university foundations.
Four speakers, each a student or faculty member at the school, offered remarks on each of those themes, beginning with Ashley Digmann, a class of 2006 DWU graduate and a professor in the school’s department of education.
“We work hard to provide our students with skills like adaptability, creative and critical thinking, artistic expression, innovation, collaboration and cultivation of a deeper understanding of our global community,” Digmann said.
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She recounted the impact of educators who attended or worked with or through Dakota Wesleyan throughout the years, including local influencers and leaders like Gertie Belle Rogers, for whom the local elementary school is named. She noted that the class of 1888 included six women who earned their normal certificates and used their education to become teachers.
Those early leaders represent that first theme well, she said, and today’s leaders and educators at the school are the direct descendants of those early trailblazers.
“What is important about these stories is the commitment that countless men and women displayed their calling — that of teaching. (The first theme) states that DWU will cultivate a culture of learning and growth, and history shows that teaching and learning are the fundamental supports of the university,” Digmann said. “This theme ensures that our work and the work of those who follow us will continue long into the future.”
Adam DeJong, a senior nursing student who also serves as captain of the Dakota Wesleyan Tigers football team, spoke of how the school can continue to strengthen learner success, the second theme of the initiative.
“Dakota Wesleyan has already valued the student as far back as the founding by our Methodist forefathers. Countless grades have gone on to influential careers, taking the message of Dakota Wesleyan success out into the world,” DeJong said.
DeJong highlighted several alumni who made an impact in leadership and the political realm. Among them were Francis Case, who served South Dakota in the United States Senate and for whom Lake Francis Case is named and George McGovern, perhaps the school’s most famous alum, who was the 1972 Democratic nominee for President of the United States.
Many graduates went on to serve as pastors or missionaries or in other fields, he said.
“Each of these stories is fascinating in its own right, but one thing they all had in common is that they are clear examples of students taking their education out into the real world and affecting, influencing and impacting countless lives,” DeJong said. “Our charge as students it o never take this education for granted, to take the best of what we’ve learned and pass it on to others. To show care, compassion and concern to all we teach, heal, minister to, advise, entertain or lead, even as we experience our own personal lives.”
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Corbin Kramer, a theater and music major at Dakota Wesleyan University who is expected to begin working for the school after graduation, expounded on the theme of responsibility optimizing and diversifying the student body.
“What does it mean to responsibly optimize? How do we seek to diversify? Who are the next generation of students who will live and study (at DWU)?” Kramer asked. “Since 1885, students have sought out Dakota Wesleyan for their higher education because it was a place they felt they fit. A place that welcomed them, made an effort to make them feel at home and included them on sports teams, Bible study and campus clubs. Even at our dinner tables when we’d go home for our weekends and holidays.”
Students at the school come in a wide variety, he said. That can be traced at least as far back as Japanese Americans who were interned during World War II because of the heritage. Some of those individuals made their way to Dakota Wesleyan in the late 1940s, increasing the diversity of the South Dakota college.
He noted Nancy Quon, who graduated from the school in 1972 and is a Dakota Wesleyan trustee.
“She came from Hong Kong and found a place where her individuality as a Chinese woman was recognized, and her ability as a woman in science were appreciated,” Kramer said.
As a future instructor at Dakota Wesleyan, Kramer will focus on finding new student talent, no matter the background or heritage of that student.
“My personal charge is to help recruit the finest talent in vocal and instrumental music and leaders to grow this program. Dakota Wesleyan has a long history of providing art education. The charge for everyone who works here is to help bring in students of all ages, of all socio-economic backgrounds, of all races and of all geographic regions. To help them find a place to play, study and to perhaps find respite from war or political strife,” Kramer said.
Adaya Plastow, a member of the class of 2024 and a legacy student at Dakota Wesleyan, spoke on reinforcing university foundations, the fourth theme of the initiative.
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She circled back to those Mitchell community members who jumped the gun and began building the college ahead of official approval.
But the university survived into the modern day, and went on to host students from around the country, including several members of Plastow’s family, Among the alumni in her family are a pair of great-grandparents, a pair of grandparents and her parents. An uncle even works for Fresh Ideas Food Service, the food service provider at DWU.
“Now it’s my turn. What brought me here to follow in some pretty large and impressive footsteps? It was not pressure or the assumption of guilt that I would attend DWU. It was the family feeling I got when I toured campus. It was the sense of accomplishment while completing my degree. It’s the friends I made playing basketball and being a member of the cross country and track and field teams,” Plastow said.
But the gift she cherishes most is the chance to continue to build upon the foundation laid down by students before her, including members of her own family.
“The gift that I’ve been given is that I’m a legacy student. (I’m part of) the generation who have built their lives on a foundation of learning. That gift is one of finding a home here and finding a place where I can make each and every experience my own,” Plastow said. “I’m grateful for these opportunities, and I hope to one day pass that legacy on to my own family.”
Kittle hopes that will be the case well into the future, as Dakota Wesleyan continues to look to the future. And thanks to its leadership, its faculty, its students and its supportive community, he expects the school to guide the next generation of learners and leaders into another new era.
“We know our vision and we will pursue it on purpose, as our plan’s title suggests,” Kittle said. “We will make progress, you will see progress, and I will expect nothing less of ourselves.” | https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/honoring-past-looking-forward-as-dakota-wesleyan-celebrates-history-with-new-four-pronged-initiative | 2023-05-18T12:15:47 | 0 | https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/honoring-past-looking-forward-as-dakota-wesleyan-celebrates-history-with-new-four-pronged-initiative |
MITCHELL — Tucked in the basement of Krall Eye Clinic, a well-known South Dakota neurologist has been providing patients suffering from migraines and headaches with breakthrough treatments over the past eight months.
After spending over two decades as a practicing neurologist based out of Sioux Falls, Dr. Carol Nelson found a new spot for her clinic in the basement of a Mitchell building where her longtime research partner and Mitchell eye doctor, Jeff Krall, works.
Although she had plans to retire over a year ago following her departure from Avera Health in Sioux Falls, Nelson’s passion for neurology guided her back to the field in September. Only this time, the neurologist opened her own practice in Mitchell rather than working under a health care system.
“I was going to retire, but I just love neurology. There is a big shortage of neurologists. I really love what I do, and I really love doing headache management,” Nelson said of her passion for the field. “I wanted to go back to the way medicine used to be practiced where there’s not so many people between the patient and the doctor.”
Nelson specializes in headache and migraine management and utilizes a variety of treatment methods she’s spent years researching.
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In her 28 years as a practicing neurologist and researcher, Nelson said botox treatment stands out as one of the key breakthroughs in migraine and headache research. And she’s been using it to successfully treat migraine headaches for some of her patients.
“They started injecting botox for wrinkles on the forehead for cosmetic reasons, people reported their headaches were starting to get better. Then we started researching it and found the best places to put it,” Nelson said of the botox research that led to breakthrough treatments of migraines and headaches. “When I do it, it’s 31 injections with tiny little needles. What we’ve found is that it’s not just relaxing the muscle, it actually changes the chemical in your brain so you don’t get headaches.”
When Nelson began her residency in the early 1990s, the science behind treating headaches and migraines was nowhere near the level it is today, she said. Nelson still recalls her early years of practicing when over the counter medications like Tylenol and Benadryl were used as treatments for headache problems.
It wasn’t until 1998 that she began using botox as a form of treatment, which took off a decade later when the Food and Drug Administration approved it for migraine treatment. Another treatment that she considers a breakthrough medication for migraines are triptans, which help tamper down overactive nerves in the brain.
“In 2010, insurance could cover botox. It was a huge leap. This is why money is needed for research. This is also why we need more people to go to medical school,” Nelson said. “It’s a fascinating field, and we need people who can revolutionize things and make them better. There’s still advancements to be made.”
While it’s unknown what exactly causes migraines, Nelson said blue light exposure from electronic screens like mobile phones and computers can intensify migraines and headaches.
According to Nelson, the criteria to diagnose a migraine includes throbbing of the head, one-sided headaches, nausea, light sensitivity, sound sensitivity, headaches that gradually intensify with activity and severe headaches.
“Experiencing just three of those is considered a migraine. Most of them do get severe, but if they are not they can still be a migraine that needs to be treated,” Nelson said.
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Research brings Nelson, Krall together
When Nelson began diving into the research side of brain neurology over two decades ago, she crossed paths with Krall.
At that time, Krall was focusing his research on neurolenses, which are innovative glasses designed to relieve headaches, neck pain and eye fatigue. After spending many years researching neurology together, Nelson and Krall developed a strong working relationship with a mission to advance brain science.
“He and I – because we both do a lot of headache things – started working and researching together in 2011,” she said of Krall.
Although Nelson resides in Sioux Falls, she was bound by a restrictive covenant that prohibited her from opening a private practice within 50 miles of the Sioux Falls clinic she previously worked at. The restrictive covenant wasn’t the only reason she decided to choose Mitchell, however. Her strong working relationship with Krall and the layout of the lower floor of the Krall Eye Clinic building were key factors behind her decision to open a practice in Mitchell.
“The important part for Mitchell is that I’m not just going to stay here for two years. I’m staying here until I’m done,” she said of her future plans to practice in Mitchell. | https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/longtime-neurologist-opens-mitchell-clinic-after-brief-hiatus-providing-research-backed-migraine-treatments | 2023-05-18T12:15:58 | 0 | https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/longtime-neurologist-opens-mitchell-clinic-after-brief-hiatus-providing-research-backed-migraine-treatments |
MITCHELL — A 270-page comprehensive plan with an array of recommendations to spur growth, provide housing and develop land in and around Mitchell is at the fingertips of city leaders.
Over the past five years, a leader of South Dakota’s District III Planning and Development entity has worked with city leaders, Davison County officials and Ethan and Mount Vernon leadership to put together a comprehensive plan that can serve as a roadmap for the future.
Eric Ambroson, a community development specialist with District III who played a big role in drafting the document, dubbed the plan as a “landmark moment” for the city and small surrounding communities.
“A lot of times these plans sit on a shelf, but hopefully this will be used and pulled off the shelf frequently,” Ambroson said during the April 17 city council meeting. “Hopefully, all of the entities will work together. You can amend it and update it.”
What made the new Davison County comprehensive plan unique from others, Ambroson said, was that every local government entity in the county played an active role in its development. The most recent comprehensive plan the city had done dates back to 1990, which City Planner Mark Jenniges said underscored the need for an updated plan.
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Considering Mitchell’s population grew at the slowest rate from 2010 to 2020 compared to the state’s top 10 populated cities, the comprehensive plan outlined suggestions for city leaders to use to spur more growth.
Among the key suggestions that were provided for future population growth include recognizing the “importance of recreation amenities in retaining and attracting young professionals” and encouraging development that builds upon and complements healthcare and education.
As of the latest 2020 census, Mitchell had a population of 15,660. The population of Davison County, which includes Ethan and Mount Vernon, was sitting at a little over 19,000 as of 2020. Mitchell accounts for 78% of the population in Davison County, while Mount Vernon and Ethan constitute 2.54% and 1.85%, respectively.
The plan speculated that small surrounding towns will experience growth due to the close proximity of Mitchell, which are referred to as “bedroom communities.”
Housing needs
On the housing front, the comprehensive plan dove into the conditions of Mitchell homes in four residential areas. According to a 2012 housing survey that examined a total of 1,005 homes in four neighborhoods, 252 of those homes – 25% – were deemed in need of “major repair.” The survey identified 41 homes as “dilapidated.”
There were 337 homes that the survey dubbed as in “sound condition,” making up 33.5% of the 1,005 homes examined.
“To some degree or another, those neighborhoods can be revitalized,” he said.
In recent years, a new nonprofit organization called Mitchell Area Housing Incorporated formed with a mission to demolish dilapidated houses and make way for new homes. While the organization’s work is one move that could help revitalize blighted residential lots, the city is taking its own step in proposing a discretionary tax benefit for property owners who have a corroding home or building in a defined area in need of revitalization.
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Data in the plan showed Mitchell had a total of 7,855 units as of 2020, up about 800 compared to the amount in 2010. The median value of owner occupied homes in Mitchell in 2020 was $147,400, according to the data.
Assuming Davison County experiences sustained population growth, the plan says 1,263 housing units will be needed over the next 20 years to meet demand. The document estimates roughly 675 acres of land or more would be needed to bring the recommended number of homes over the next two decades.
A handful of housing developments that are in the early stages will provide the Mitchell area with a variety of new units, which was mentioned in the documents as progress.
The plan provided key recommendations for city and county leaders to consider when housing future developments emerge, including avoiding areas where “environmental limitations such as steep slopes, poor drainage, and flood hazard potential” exist and steering away from “water-oriented” development due to potential conflicts with recreational or agricultural land uses.
Housing isn’t the only industry that will require a hefty amount of future land in the county. According to the comprehensive plan, roughly 125 acres of land will be needed to accommodate future economic development and industries.
“I could see this document setting the course for future discussions about land uses, not just in Mitchell, but around Mitchell,” he said.
After giving the council a brief summary, Ambroson highlighted comprehensive city plans are advantageous in securing grant funding for future city projects. Mitchell has relied heavily on grant funding for major infrastructure projects over the past few years.
“The document itself isn’t going to be a golden ticket to any grant funding, however, a lot of grant agencies may ask if a certain project you’re seeking grant funding is consistent with your comprehensive plan,” Ambroson said. | https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/mitchell-leaders-dive-into-comprehensive-plan-providing-key-roadmap-for-future-growth-housing-needs | 2023-05-18T12:16:09 | 0 | https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/mitchell-leaders-dive-into-comprehensive-plan-providing-key-roadmap-for-future-growth-housing-needs |
MITCHELL — The Mitchell School District is increasing its public presence to community groups in the city to inform potential voters ahead of a vote in June on a bond to fund athletic facility upgrades to pair with a new high school.
Speaking to civic groups, including the Mitchell Lions Club on Tuesday, school officials are trying to get accurate information to members of the community about what is being voted upon on June 6 at the Davison County Fairgrounds. Mitchell acting superintendent Joe Childs and activities director Cory Aadland spoke to the Lions and answered questions about what will be and what’s not part of the proposed facility plan.
“For me, it’s just important that people exercise their civic duty and they vote,” Childs said. “And that when they do, they have as much information as possible about what’s at stake. I’m not trying to necessarily impact a yes or no vote campaign but informing the public is important on this issue.”
Childs said he feels it’s important to dispel the misinformation about the project. Among those chief points is that the new high school is being voted on. That project is already underway after the Mitchell Board of Education approved $45 million for a new school in January, with construction starting this month. This vote in June is only about adding athletic facilities to the project simultaneously.
“We have so many ways to communicate but communicating to the general public can be hard at times.” Aadland said. “We just want to get that accurate information to voters so they can make an informed decision.”
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Here are some additional questions school officials say they’re answering about the project:
When and who can vote on this?
Voters in the Mitchell School District can vote on the bond issue on Election Day, which is June 6. That’s more than just the city of Mitchell but also voters in rural Davison County and western and northwest Hanson County. Absentee voting can begin on May 22.
The passage of the bond issue requires a 60% vote of approval from the public. If the bond vote is successful, the project has a 24-month timeline and could get in line with the current MHS project underway. That would put the opening date for the MHS complex in spring or fall 2025, Childs said.
What about my taxes?
The bond would increase taxes by 44 cents per $1,000 in taxable value. The example the school district has used is $3.67 per month or $44 per year on a home that has a taxable value of $100,000.
“The burden will never be bigger than it is right now,” Childs said, noting that the school would benefit from additional new properties and construction to lessen the tax base and additional properties returning to the tax rolls after being part of TIF projects. He also said that while valuations of property continue to rise, the percentage of taxable value and levy figures have risen at a much smaller percentage.
The bond would not authorize more than $17 million in spending, providing a hard cap to what the project can entail. The bond would be paid off over a period of up to 30 years.
“These aren’t things we just dreamt up,” Childs said of the plans. “They are realistic to our (district’s) current and future needs.”
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How would the new space be used?
The plans call for three new gymnasiums of varying sizes, a new wrestling/competitive dance room, new locker rooms and a weight room facility. In all, there would be nearly 55,000 square feet of additional space for MHS activities, nearly doubling what MHS has available now across 29,500 square feet.
That comes as Childs pointed out Mitchell had only four varsity sports in 1962 — it now has 20 — when the current high school was built and has had five times increases in participation, coaches/staff and spectator interest in that time.
The largest gym, which would be able to seat up to 2,300 people, would replace the current MHS gym’s functions as a home site for volleyball, wrestling and gymnastics. A second auxiliary gym could hold additional practices and games and seat up to 1,200 spectators.
The numbers of locker rooms available can flex depending on the type of event being hosted, Aadland said, ranging from six to eight, depending on the event. The current high school has four locker rooms, which have numerous plumbing issues.
A third gym space would serve as the multi-purpose gym, likely to accommodate various sports depending on the season. For example, in the fall, it could give competitive cheer a place to practice, in the winter, serve as the home site for gymnastics practices and competitions and in the spring, allow for indoor practice space for sports like golf or softball.
Smaller gymnastics competitions could take place in the multipurpose gym, Aadland said, because it will have a set of bleachers and the equipment will already be in the facility. The gym would be available for youth-level basketball and volleyball practices along with games during a tournament setting but would not have a full-length court for basketball.
What about the Corn Palace?
MHS will continue to host its varsity-level basketball games at the Corn Palace in nearly all instances, Aadland said. But in cases where there’s a conflict, Mitchell would have another adequate gymnasium to host high school games. Aadland said he doesn’t feel comfortable hosting games in the high school now with the current flooring.
Having additional gym and practice space at the new high school would alleviate scheduling conflicts with the Corn Palace involved with Dakota Wesleyan University games and practices and other area schools renting out the building. If constructed, the new primary gym also could be a host site for potential SDHSAA SoDak 16 and state meet events in the future.
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What about outdoor sports?
Three practice fields will be rebuilt as part of the athletic facility upgrades proposed in the bond, and along with Joe Quintal Field, it would give MHS four outdoor fields. Those fields would be north of the current high school and between North Winsor and Mentzer streets, south of East 11th Avenue, where MHS has one outdoor practice field now.
Aadland said the project will allow nearly all of the MHS sports to remain on campus for practices, with softball and golf serving as exceptions.
What will the new facilities cost to non-school entities to use?
Childs said there is not yet a cost structure in place for the facilities but one would be created closer to the building’s potential opening. He said the general structure is that if programs are being used to help MHS student-athletes, a fair use agreement is put in place to use the facility. “We’re not trying to put a charge on the backs of people who are trying to help our students,” he said.
Childs said that might look differently if an outside school district or organization wants to rent the facility and is using the district’s utilities and janitorial personnel.
“Even with the facilities we have now, they’re busy constantly now, with volleyball tournaments and wrestling, basketball, indoor soccer, using them for practices and not just with high school kids but kids of all ages,” Childs said.
The question was framed around the usage of the MHS Performing Arts Center, which was constructed in 2017, and whether that facility is being used adequately by the community. Aadland said the facility is frequently used by the school district’s own practices, rehearsals and performances, which can limit how much it’s rented out. | https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/mitchell-school-district-leaders-increasing-civic-engagement-ahead-of-june-athletic-facilities-bond-vote | 2023-05-18T12:16:19 | 0 | https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/mitchell-school-district-leaders-increasing-civic-engagement-ahead-of-june-athletic-facilities-bond-vote |
MITCHELL — “I love being able to show people their bodies can feel better, and the pain they have is not their story.”
That’s the approach Kelsey Dobesh has lived by as a chiropractor who has been providing Mitchell area residents with unique and effective treatment methods for over a decade.
Her success in helping patients improve their body movement and health was recognized on the biggest stage she’s ever been a part of in late April when Dobesh was honored with this year’s South Dakota Chiropractors Association Rising Star award.
With a little over 500 chiropractors practicing in the state, Dobesh said being nominated by fellow chiropractors was humbling in itself. Being chosen as the 2023 Rising Star was what Dobesh described as the “most humbling, emotional moment” she’s ever experienced in her budding career as a chiropractor.
“They said my name, and it was an immediate standing ovation. It was very emotional for me. I normally have a lot to say, but when I got up there I didn’t have much to say because of the emotions I felt,” she recalled of her reaction to receiving the prestigious award during the Sioux Falls award convention.
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The award came at a pivotal time for Dobesh, as she is in the process of completing an expansion at a new clinic location in Mitchell. She was practicing out of a one-room clinic she rented on the west side of Mitchell.
As her clientele has steadily grown, Dobesh said it was time to move into a larger space where she can offer more services like an infrared sauna room and laser therapy. Dobesh has been practicing out of her new clinic, located at 1204 S. Burr St., for two months.
“It’s so nice having more space with more rooms to offer our patients. This has been a goal of mine, and it’s finally here,” she said of the new clinic.
‘You are a patient, not a robot’
From middle-aged runners to young athletes seeking to improve their body movements and reduce pain, Dobesh handles a wide variety of patients with different needs and goals.
Her passion for chiropractic care remains the same as it was when she began her career.
“When I have someone keep coming who can’t move their arm, and in two visits they are picking up grandkids and high-fiving people, that is just so incredible to witness and be a part of,” Dobesh said of the rewarding moments she experiences in her career. “Those little miracles that happen everyday make me say, ‘This is as good as it was the first time it ever happened.’”
There are many techniques chiropractors utilize to restore body movement and relieve pain in patients, but Dobesh said she’s always stuck to matching what her patients can handle — a technique she says is considered a unique approach in the field.
As Dobesh put it, when people walk into her clinic they are a “patient, not a robot.”
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“There are a lot of chiropractic techniques, and I use four to five on any given patient. My technique needs to match what they can handle, not they (patients) match my technique. I don’t like that mindset,” she said of her chiropractic techniques.
Lisa Larson can attest to the type of care Dobesh provides. As an avid long distance runner who competes in marathons across the nation, Larson said Dobesh has helped her improve her marathon finish times by about seven minutes since she began receiving care from Dobesh eight years ago.
Larson is also an employee at Dobesh's new office.
“I run 10 to 15 miles at a crack, and I thought, ‘How the heck can my glutes be weak?’ She had me start working on boosting up my glutes, and sure enough it helped shave a lot of time off my marathons,” Larson said of the type of care Dobesh has provided her over the years. “She can give you all the tools but it takes commitment.”
With a deep background in sports medicine and athletic training — which she studied during her undergraduate college education at University of Nebraska-Lincoln — Dobesh utilizes her knowledge in sports medicine and biomechanics to create what she explains as “efficiency and pain-relief within your musculoskeletal system” as the team chiropractor for Dakota Wesleyan University’s athletic programs.
When she’s not practicing at her clinic on Burr Street, Dobesh finds time to pass her knowledge on to aspiring chiropractors as an adjunct professor for Dakota Wesleyan University’s athletic training program at the graduate level.
“I hope to be a leader for other chiropractors and females in the field to help pave a path for them and show them it can be done,” Dobesh said. | https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/most-humbling-moment-in-my-career-says-mitchell-chiropractor-on-rising-star-award | 2023-05-18T12:16:30 | 0 | https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/most-humbling-moment-in-my-career-says-mitchell-chiropractor-on-rising-star-award |
MITCHELL — One person was injured and charged when the vehicle she was driving Friday went off the roadway near Lake Mitchell and rolled.
Savanna Redday, 38, of Mitchell, was arrested for driving under the influence and grand theft, according to Mitchell police.
Officers say Redday was driving south on Indian Village Road, near the Lake Mitchell amphitheater, when the vehicle left the roadway, rolled one time, and ended up in the east side of the road after it hit trees.
One male passenger was uninjured in the crash, which was called into authorities at 11:27 a.m. Friday.
Redday was driving over the posted speed limit, according to officials. The vehicle she was driving was her grandmother's vehicle, which she did not have permission to use, officers said Sunday.
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She was taken to the Mitchell hospital for minor injuries. | https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/one-person-injured-charged-in-rollover-crash-on-indian-village-road | 2023-05-18T12:16:40 | 1 | https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/one-person-injured-charged-in-rollover-crash-on-indian-village-road |
MITCHELL — The Dakota Riptide swim club has reached a deal with the city of Mitchell to continue using the Mitchell Indoor Aquatic Center for its practices and meets.
The agreement is a short-term one, only covering the team through the end of the 2023 summer competition season. Representatives of the Riptide will come back to the Mitchell Park and Recreation Board in August and negotiate a contract for the indoor pool for the remainder of 2023 and will look to finalize a contract for 2024 at the end of the calendar year.
Under the new agreement, the Riptide will now pay $50 per day for three hours of pool use for three days a week during March, April and May. For June and July, the Riptide will pay $100 per day for three hours of use for five days a week to use the indoor aquatic center. The agreements allow the Riptide to use three lanes for practice at the pool. Like the previous contract, the outdoor competition pool will be available to the club at a rental rate of $10 per hour during the months it is open.
The agreement was approved by the Mitchell Park and Recreation Board in March but because the indoor pool was not available to use at the Riptide wouldn’t have to make any agreement-specific payment until the pool reopened. Previously, the indoor contract was on a per-lane basis of $10 per hour, part of the roughly $40,000 in annual rental fees the Riptide traditionally has paid to the city.
“Once that (summer) season ends, we will come back in August and will re-negotiate for the remainder of 2023,” Recreation Supervisor Kevin DeVries told the park board in March when the agreement was approved. “We don’t know what that looks like right now for a number of reasons. We will sit down with them and figure out how many kids they’ll have for the upcoming season and for 2024.”
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In September 2022, leaders from the Dakota Riptide came to the Park and Recreation Board and asked for a reduction or suspension of the practice fees to use the pool or to have its $200,000 annual pledge for the construction of the building halted because the organization was low on funds.
The Riptide was not able to use the pool for the entirety of the 2022-23 winter swim season due to repairs being done on the pool’s plaster surface, which stretched on for nine months. Not having the pool available hurt the Riptide’s roster, with swimmers leaving the club or joining other teams to practice or compete. The remaining Riptide members’ only option for practice in the winter was a small 25-yard indoor pool in Huron.
To this point, the park board hasn’t altered the $200,000 building commitment for 2023, which would be the last of five payments as part of a $1 million pledge from the Mitchell Aquatic Club that was made when the $8 million facility was initially constructed. | https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/riptide-city-reach-agreement-on-indoor-pool-use | 2023-05-18T12:16:51 | 1 | https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/riptide-city-reach-agreement-on-indoor-pool-use |
Daytona commissioners make decision on new 1,660-home development; here's what happened
DAYTONA BEACH — Two months after rejecting a new $400 million housing project, city commissioners reversed course and approved the 1,660-home venture at their meeting Wednesday night.
It wasn't the quality of the development between Interstate 95 and Tomoka Farms Road that led commissioners to a no vote in March. It was their worry that adding thousands of people to the vacant 415-acre site just south of Interstate 4 was going to cause severe traffic tie-ups in the already congested area where International Speedway Boulevard, Tomoka Farms Road, and Bellevue Avenue intersect.
So the developer worked with a traffic engineer and city and county officials to come up with a plan to reconfigure and improve traffic at that busy nexus near I-95 onramps and offramps. Commissioners liked the suggestions, and they liked the developer's pledge to pay for the $1.7 million worth of improvements.
More Daytona Beach development news:Proposed $400 million Daytona development back on the table after developer makes pledge
Daytona Beach housing project rejected:Proposed 1,660-home Daytona Beach development initially shot down, but may be reconsidered
Florida housing news:Florida's new affordable housing law strips power from local government officials
They approved a vital rezoning for the project that will transform the land that's been used to grow crops and produce cattle over the past century
Now Daytona Beach is on track to add another housing development to its growing west side that will include 340,000 square feet of commercial, institutional, and light industrial uses.
It will be an upscale community with a network of walking and bicycling trails. There will be a dog park, multi-use field, clubhouses, fitness centers, and resort pools. Berms and 50-foot natural buffers will line the neighborhood's borders.
The developer will also spend up to $10 million extending city utility lines across I-95, and another $7 million will be paid for impact fees.
When fully built out in about six years, the new subdivision will start producing an estimated $7.25 million in tax revenue annually. The land currently yields just $5,000 per year in taxes.
Untangling the Tomoka Farms Road logjam
"By every standard of development and smart growth, this is a good project and one that I think we should be able to sleep well about," said Mayor Derrick Henry.
Katherine Kirton Wingard and her family are selling the land being used for the new development. She said her parents, who both died in 2012, would approve of the project.
"I know my mom and dad would be so happy because there's so much green space and water, and not just jammed-in houses," Wingard said.
The new community will front Tomoka Farms Road and is about one mile south of the intersection of Tomoka Farms Road, Bellevue Avenue, and International Speedway Boulevard.
Officials agreed on three traffic improvements for the area near the Daytona Flea & Farmers Market. One involves adding a traffic signal at Bellevue and Tomoka Farms Road.
The plan also calls for extending the existing northbound right turn lane at Tomoka Farms Road and International Speedway Boulevard so more cars can stack up without blocking motorists who aren't turning right.
The third change will re-establish the direct right turn lane from International Speedway Boulevard onto Bellevue Avenue. That right turn currently takes motorists onto Tomoka Farms Road before they can access Bellevue.
Henry said he hopes the city has learned from the traffic congestion that mushroomed alongside rapid home growth around LPGA Boulevard.
"We have to be more deliberate to protect people who will live in these neighborhoods," the mayor said. "Moving forward, let's always make this our standard."
You can reach Eileen at Eileen.Zaffiro@news-jrnl.com | https://www.news-journalonline.com/story/news/local/volusia/2023/05/18/council-approves-major-new-housing-development-in-west-daytona-beach/70221495007/ | 2023-05-18T12:22:38 | 1 | https://www.news-journalonline.com/story/news/local/volusia/2023/05/18/council-approves-major-new-housing-development-in-west-daytona-beach/70221495007/ |
A 14-year-old girl was badly hurt after falling out of a moving party bus on a Queens highway Wednesday night, officials say.
She had been leaning on the emergency door when it opened, and she fell out of the vehicle as it moved north on the Cross Island Parkway near Hempstead Avenue around 9 p.m., according to police.
The NYPD says the bus driver initially didn't realize she had fallen out and kept moving. Eventually, the driver stopped and returned to the scene, which was flooded with emergency personnel for much of the night.
It wasn't immediately clear how many people were on the bus at the time, nor what the group was celebrating or where they were headed. The girl was last said to be hospitalized in critical condition with significant injuries.
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No criminality is suspected. | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/14-year-old-girl-falls-out-moving-party-bus-on-nyc-highway/4344867/ | 2023-05-18T12:27:20 | 1 | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/14-year-old-girl-falls-out-moving-party-bus-on-nyc-highway/4344867/ |
A Stebbins High School senior athlete who suffered a sudden cardiac arrest and underwent a heart transplant was released from a hospital Wednesday, a day before graduation.
Ebonie Sherwood was discharged from the University of Cincinnati Medical Center several weeks after her March 20 surgery, the center announced.
The 18-year-old’s release comes on the eve of Stebbins’ senior class commencement, which is 7 p.m. Thursday at Wright State University’s Nutter Center.
Her “journey has been nothing short of miraculous, and she has fought every step of the way with unwavering strength and determination,” the medical center said in the announcement.
She suffered the cardiac arrest at her high school track practice on March 7.
Two Kettering Health trainers at Stebbins that day were credited saving her life. Emily Martz and Alex Brummett performed CPR on Sherwood before she was rushed to Dayton Children’s Hospital, according to the school district.
Sherwood’s mother — Beverly, who works for Miami Twp. — said Brummett began chest compressions and Martz used an Automated External Defibrillator on the teen.
She was taken by CareFlight to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital.
On a ventilator and an ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation) machine that allows the heart and lungs to rest, she soon was transferred to the UC Medical Center.
During her first 10 days in Cincinnati, the teen’s heart didn’t respond to treatment and March 18, it was decided she needed a heart transplant to have hope of surviving.
She underwent a 12-hour transplant surgery performed by Dr. Louis B. Louis, director of cardiac surgery at the medical center.
A GoFundMe account was established to help cover her medical bills. As of Wednesday, it had raised $21,125, according to the site. An April 24 fundraiser at Carroll High School raised $1,500, according to that school’s Facebook page.
The teen — who was captain of the track squad, was on the football team and played girls varsity basketball — spent 10 weeks in the cardiovascular intensive care unit and went through physical therapy, according to the medical center.
A wide receiver and defensive end on the football team, she played on the junior varsity through her junior year and then saw varsity action, mostly on special teams, this past season.
A member of the Stebbins Student Senate, she’s the student body vice president. She’s a member of the Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps, is on the lighting crew for stage productions at the school and is a peer mentor. | https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/local/high-school-athlete-released-on-eve-of-graduation-after-cardiac-arrest-heart-transplant/HZPTM6CDJZFJJHOMJK7ACLBCQU/ | 2023-05-18T12:28:36 | 1 | https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/local/high-school-athlete-released-on-eve-of-graduation-after-cardiac-arrest-heart-transplant/HZPTM6CDJZFJJHOMJK7ACLBCQU/ |
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base will soon get a new space-focused ISR mission and 90 new personnel in the process, the Air Force said Wednesday.
Wright-Patterson is expected to host the 76th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Squadron after an environmental impact analysis this summer, gaining about 90 new personnel, the Air Force said.
The squadron will improve and integrate intelligence capabilities with a focus on a “military advantage in space,” the Air Force said.
The squadron will be expected to execute intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance data across orbital regimes and terrestrial environments, fusing data from fielded sensors in a current and future space surveillance network to identify adversary capability, the Air Force said in a release.
The squadron will bring almost 90 additional personnel to Wright-Patterson and is expected to reach full operational capability in 2025.
The Air Force said its decision to host the 76th ISR Squadron at Wright-Patterson came after conducting a site survey.
Questions about the mission and the Air Force plans were sent to service representatives.
The move represents another space-focused mission at Wright-Patterson. In 2021, the U.S. Space Force said it was standing up the National Space Intelligence Center, or NSIC, to be co-located with the National Air and Space Intelligence Center, or NASIC, at Wright-Patterson. The NSIC, also called “Space Delta 18,” was officially activated in June 2022.
About the Author | https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/local/new-mission-for-wright-patterson-air-force-says-wright-patt-to-get-new-isr-mission/ZYBLVBNHBBFQ7B63EZFXOCGWQM/ | 2023-05-18T12:28:38 | 0 | https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/local/new-mission-for-wright-patterson-air-force-says-wright-patt-to-get-new-isr-mission/ZYBLVBNHBBFQ7B63EZFXOCGWQM/ |
There’s far more to the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force than the four big hangars visible to motorists on Harshman Avenue.
In fact, visitors never see most of what is in the museum’s vast collection.
Krista Overman, a curator for the museum’s Collections Division, said the institution has about 136,000 artifacts in its possession.
About 88,000 of those are at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Overman said in a recent interview. “The remaining ones are on loan to either civilian museums or other Air Force base museums.”
The museum also oversees what it calls “static display” programs. If you see a “plane on a stick” at a local Veterans of Foreign Wars hall — similar to the F-104 posted as a familiar sentinel on the museum’s front lawn — the institution is responsible for those, too.
In fact, only about 7,000 of the museum’s artifacts are on exhibit in a manner accessible to the public.
Credit: JIM NOELKER
Credit: JIM NOELKER
“That’s only about 6% or 7% of our collection,” Overman said. “The rest is in this building (building 5 on Wright-Patterson’s Area B) or on loan.”
A good chunk of Air Force and American history rests in a non-descript series of buildings on Wright-Patterson’s Area B.
Space pancakes and tiger skulls
Overman and her colleagues recently offered the Dayton Daily News a peek at what it takes for the museum’s nearly 100 civil servant employees to store, restore and prepare pieces of Air Force history for exhibit.
Items kept at building 5 and nearby at World War II-era restoration hangars are dizzying in their variety. They span the era from the very birth of powered, piloted flight to an F-15 flown to the museum a few weeks ago.
Credit: JIM NOELKER
Credit: JIM NOELKER
Found in a chilled vault in building 5, for example, is an autographed swath of cloth from the original 1903 Wright Flyer, carefully preserved. Here as well are space suit prototypes and an array of early flight helmets, including a leather helmet used by aviation pioneer Charles Lindbergh, with an accompanying letter from Lindbergh about the helmet.
“This where we keep things that are either historically important, or just by virtue of the materials that they’re made out of, they need to be in this environment in cold storage,” Overman said. “This is temperature- and humidity-controlled.”
A short drive away, at the restoration hangars, specialists and managers oversee work on the F-15 recently delivered to the museum, as well as the only B-17D still in existence, a plane pressed into service in the Pacific in the perilous early days of America’s involvement in World War II.
Also here are former space vehicles, missiles, experimental aircraft, helicopters without rotors, craft from before the First World War until today
Chad VanHook, project lead for the museum, oversees work on the B-17D.
While the still flyable F-15 may require relatively little prep work, the B-17 is another matter, VanHook said.
“It’s a whole different story,” he said. “It’s been disassembled since the late ‘40s, so this is way, way more in-depth.”
The Boeing B-17D “Swoose” has stories to tell. Originally named “Ole Betsy,” it participated in bombing missions after the attack on Pearl Harbor. It was renamed “The Swoose” as it served as a transport for the commander of Allied air forces in the Southwest Pacific, Lt. Gen. George Brett. It toured much of the globe and has the scars and emblems to prove it. Flags of visited countries and even scratched-in signatures adorn the worn fuselage.
The Army Air Corps accepted the plane and assigned it to the 19th Bombardment Group at March Field, Calif., in April 1941.
Wings and engines are arrayed on the ground or on pallets roughly where they would go if they were still attached. A glance at the ensemble confirms that years of painstaking work lie ahead to bring the plane to a point where it may one day be exhibited.
Credit: JIM NOELKER
Credit: JIM NOELKER
“It’s essentially untouched since it left the military,” VanHook said. “Nothing has been done to it at the Smithsonian. So the goal is to restore only what is absolutely necessary, fix some corrosion issues ... with a huge emphasis on preserving as much of the originality (of the craft) as we possibly can.”
“In seven-plus years, it will be on display,” he added.
An amazing array of history and Americana are found here. Among the artifacts currently unavailable to the public:
Space pancakes: According to museum research, in April 1962, an Eagle River, Wisc. resident claimed to have seen a flying saucer land. When the witness approached the vehicle, he said he saw a five-foot-tall “spaceman,” with others inside the saucer, one of whom was “cooking over a flameless grill.”
The witness said he offered the visitors a jug of war, who gave him four warm pancakes in return.
Project Blue Book investigated this claim, Overman said. To this day, the museum keeps chunks of the “space pancakes” in a climate-controlled textiles storage area.
Blue book’s verdict on the “pancakes:” “They’re just buckwheat pancakes of an earthly origin,” Overman said.
Tiger skull ashtray: A striking object visually, adorned with metal fabrications, the metal containes a real skull of a tiger presented by the Thailand military to Gen. Thomas White, the fourth Air Force chief of staff. While Overman wasn’t certain when the skull was given to White — he served as chief from 1957 until his 1961 retirement — the museum has had it since 1967.
Prisoner of war mandolin: The museum has a vintage mandolin that an American prisoner of war obtained in a German POW camp through an exchange of some kind with a guard.
When you do see a piece of history on display, plenty of work has gone into that moment, designer Bob Memering.
“The ideas are brought to us,” he said. “We kind of take those ideas and bring them into reality with visuals and ideas. The designers sit down and get on the computer with CAD (computer-assisted design) programs and Photoshop and all that kind of stuff to actually produce visuals that we take back to the team.”
Graphics designers, carpenters, CNC (computer numeric control) machine operators, welders and others work their magic, cutting, shaping and fabricating wood and metal, creating displays that are not only visually compelling but educational.
A team installs a new display in the main museum, working with restoration teams and others to add finishing touches.
He estimated that some 50 to 60 people work behind the scene to get an exhibit ready.
Every object is even scanned for radiation to make sure they’re safe to display, Overman said.
“We do so many things for the object,” she said. “There’s a lot that goes into it.”
About the Author | https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/local/tiger-skull-and-space-pancakes-a-behind-the-scenes-look-at-usaf-museum-rarities-not-on-display/QKSBUSCUONF3RFKDPPKGQDNRA4/ | 2023-05-18T12:28:39 | 0 | https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/local/tiger-skull-and-space-pancakes-a-behind-the-scenes-look-at-usaf-museum-rarities-not-on-display/QKSBUSCUONF3RFKDPPKGQDNRA4/ |
In the racing capital of the world, kids get a taste of speed through soap box derby
Staring down the longest soap box derby hill in the world can be intimidating for a seven-year-old, but it’s something veterans of the Indianapolis racing community have grown to love.
“It’s scary and it's fun,” Micah Adkins, 7, said. “I hadn’t gone down the hill before and it’s so big and fast.”
Named after the second three-time winner of the Indianapolis 500, the Wilber Shaw Memorial Soap Box Derby Hill is 1,000 feet from start to finish. Although races have been run continuously in Indianapolis since soap box racing's inception in 1934, the construction of Indy’s iconic hill in 1953 has given the city another landmark in the world of racing.
“The whole month of May is all about racing,” said Bob Getts, the director of the Indianapolis Soap Box Derby. “That’s just part of the pedigree of Indianapolis, that’s just what happens here. Having the ability for kids to do that, and be part of that and experience that, it takes it to a whole new level.”
Soap box derby gives kids between the ages of seven and 20 the opportunity to learn about mechanics, physics and teamwork while becoming immersed in the racing culture in Indianapolis.
“Soap box makes learning fun,” Getts said. “We are all about making memories with kids and that allows that to happen. There’s just something special about racing that I can’t explain.”
Getting started is simple.
“Come to any of the race day events and get information on soap box derby,” said Curtis Adkins, the director of City Life Wheels. “Or connect through the Indianapolis Soap Box Derby website and reach out to get started from there.”
With the Derby Downs Track in Akron, Ohio serving as the pinnacle of soap box racing, many kids race with the goal of qualifying for Akron.
One of those kids is 16-year-old William Bivens who has been racing since he was eight.
“He’s one of our local race celebrities. He’s been to Akron multiple times. Last year he got fifth in Akron, so fifth in the world,” Getts said about racer William Bivens. “He’s a great success story for us. I think it speaks to his heart as a STEM kid in a way that is unique and can show him an amazing future.”
For Bivens, beyond tangible success in derby racing, soap box has given him structure and advancement in his life. Being able to apply the concepts he is learning in school to the car he is racing is rewarding.
“Going 20, 30 miles per hour down the hill on the racetrack at the hill, the adrenaline is rushing,” Bivens said. “I love the competitiveness and I love the complexity of soap box.”
Bivens says giving it a try and having fun is the most important first step. Soap box is an extra-curricular activity and a sport for those looking for something more competitive and strategic.
“I’m going to race until I can’t race no more,” Bivens said. “Racing is something I don’t see myself giving up for a while.” | https://www.indystar.com/story/news/local/2023/05/18/kids-dive-into-racing-soap-box-derby-indianapolis/70221764007/ | 2023-05-18T12:32:53 | 0 | https://www.indystar.com/story/news/local/2023/05/18/kids-dive-into-racing-soap-box-derby-indianapolis/70221764007/ |
HOWARD, S.D. — An addiction and substance abuse treatment center is now operating in Howard’s former Main Street hotel and conference center as of this week, while the legal maneuvering regarding the building continues in the court system.
iRecover.US has opened in Howard, according to a company statement. The company offers a wide range of treatment services for both addiction and substance abuse, including medical detox, a four-week, 12-step based residential program, and also an extended cognitive behavioral therapy-based program for an additional four weeks. The final four weeks can be done inpatient or through extensive outpatient treatment, virtually or inpatient, iRecover said.
iRecover CEO Jim Gray said in 2022 that treatment is voluntary and iRecover is a for-profit business. Patients pay between $2,500 and $4,500 per week for in-person treatment, according to publications on the company’s website.
The facility will also offer outpatient services in Howard exclusively through remote participation.
“This service is a cognitive behavioral therapy-based program that can be completed in the comfort of your own home, and includes virtual lectures and virtual one to one counseling,” the company said of the outpatient services. Gray called it “treatment in a box,” making the materials available to patients at home.
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iRecover bought the building at auction in December 2022 for $500,000. But that is not the final twist in this decade-long story involving the building that originally cost $6 million to build in 2011 and was funded through federal loans promising economic development that never arrived in the town of about 900 residents.
The building’s former owner, the Judy Shaw Foundation of Sioux Falls, brought a suit against the city of Howard on March 16 alleging that the city violated the federal Civil Rights and Fair Housing acts, and is asking for unspecified financial damages from the city of Howard. The base of the allegation is that the city of Howard's handling of the zoning ordinance changes cost the JSF money.
In June 2022, when public discussion in the community over the addiction center was at its peak, the Howard City Council approved an ordinance that added group homes to the list of facilities not allowed in the central commercial district in the city. Some of the angst from community residents was centered on having a rehab center in the center of the community and that the facility is next door to a bar.
By November, the city began the process to remove the group home definition to the city’s zoning rules, essentially freeing up iRecover to operate in Howard. The JSF said the city of Howard reversed course because of the threat of litigation.
“Upon learning of the plans for the property to be sold and used as a residential chemical dependency treatment center in early June 2022, the city began its efforts to thwart JSF’s sale of the property through adopting changes to its zoning ordinances,” the lawsuit alleges.
The JSF had its share of issues, including not paying back taxes on the facility, which led Miner County to initiate an auction for December 2022. Miner County, which had a share of ownership in the facility now because of JSF’s back taxes owed on the property, utilities, insurance premiums and county costs, was the party that authorized finally auctioning the building in October 2022, and the county started again pursuing litigation against JSF. The amount owed to Miner County was in the area of $300,000 prior to the auction, and the county initiated action to shut power to the building in 2022, plus spent additional money to fix the fire alarm system.
Miner County approved an auction contract with Sutton Auctions, of Flandreau, to sell the building, which eventually sold to Gray and his iRecover business. (Ironically, Sutton is the same auction company that attempted to sell the building in 2014. The sale goal at that time? $500,000.)
In the lawsuit, JSF argued that the purchase price would have been more prior to the ordinances and the buyer reneged on purchasing it. For its part, the city of Howard responded in court that JSF doesn’t have legal standing to bring the lawsuit.
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In 2014, the building was sold to Shaw, a Sioux Falls minister who purchased it through her Judy Shaw Foundation. Miner County officials said in June 2022 that Shaw has been trying to sell the property for most of the time since she purchased it.
A 2018 internet listing was asking $2.6 million for the 30,000-square foot property but noted the annual occupancy rate of the hotel was 34.4% and with an average daily rate for the hotel of $88 per night. The listing noted the property’s real estate taxes were $55,000 in 2017. At that time, the property’s assessed value was just over $1 million.
When it first opened, the Maroney Commons was billed as a gathering place for rural development, plus with a 24-room hotel, restaurant, fitness center and classrooms intended to be used for community uses and workforce development training programs. It closed for financial reasons about a year later. | https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/addiction-rehab-facility-opens-in-howard-hotel-but-building-remains-subject-of-federal-lawsuit | 2023-05-18T12:45:56 | 1 | https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/addiction-rehab-facility-opens-in-howard-hotel-but-building-remains-subject-of-federal-lawsuit |
MITCHELL — How is the city going to fund dredging Lake Mitchell? Are there ways lake residents can pitch in more to help fund a future dredging project vs. non-lake residents? What’s the drawdown structure going to look like?
Those were some of the questions city officials fielded Tuesday night during a Lake Mitchell information meeting held at the Corn Palace. A new task force led by Jeff Logan, a longtime Mitchell resident and local business owner, organized the informational meeting to allow city leaders to answer questions from residents and delve into an engineering firm's $25 million recommendation to mechanically dredge the city-owned body of water that’s been grappling with algae woes for decades.
Scott Houwman, a Mitchell resident who lives near the lake, voiced his concerns about whether the city can fund an estimated $25 million dredging project by borrowing a majority of the money amid a volatile economy without passing it on to future generations.
“I mean I live close to the lake, so this is important to me. But at what point do you sit there and make the same mistakes that the rest of the country is doing. We’re overextending ourselves at a time when I think the economy may very well not be in very good shape right now,” Houwman said. “I see what’s coming for the community. It’s a big bill. Everybody seems to think that big bills are going to be paid by someone else. There’s not enough rich people in this town.”
Although Houwman said he supports dredging the lake and investing in improving the body of water, he questioned whether it’s fair for Mitchell residents who don’t own property along the lake or rarely utilize it to help fund a dredging project in the same manner as lake residents and avid users. Among the suggestions Houwman pitched to come up with an equitable funding structure for future lake improvements was a boat dock fee.
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“There are a lot of people who live in Mitchell who never really do much at the lake. Why should they be asked to pay more fees for people that benefit from living on the lake or close to the lake? Why should they subsidize houses that are the nicest houses in town?” Houwman asked during the meeting.
Mitchell Mayor Bob Everson emphasized the city’s approach to funding a future $25 million dredging project is doing so “without any tax increases” on residents by solely using the city’s revenue sources to foot the bill.
Everson explained the city has explored the possibility of a Tax Increment Financing District around the lake and some form of a tax fee to help fund a future dredging project. However, Everson said “it can’t happen” in part due to regulations and state laws restricting the city.
If the Mitchell City Council approves moving forward with the $25 million dredging project, the city will look to use the State Revolving Loan Fund, more commonly referred to as an SRF loan.
Everson said the SRF loan the city is eyeing would allow a 30-year financing window, which the city would have to pay off within that time. The loan would also come with a fixed interest rate.
Another funding mechanism that city leaders are eyeing to help foot the bill for dredging and major lake restoration projects is selling city-owned lots along the shore. The city owns roughly 77% of the land along the lake, which is designated park land.
For the city to sell any land along the lake, an initiated ballot measure must be approved by voters on June 6. If approved, it would allow the city to sell eight pieces of land at the lake. Everson estimates the land sales could equate to $1 million, which he said would be earmarked for lake improvement projects.
“One of the benefits of these areas is they have infrastructure near them. They will be listed with a realtor, and that realtor will have to put them on the market as a multiple listing, so any realtor in Mitchell can sell them and take offers on them,” Everson said of the eight lake lots.
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A look at the proposed drawdown structure
For crews to mechanically dredge the phosphorus-rich soft sediment along the lake bottom with heavy equipment, it would require a drawdown of the water.
Public Works Director Joe Schroeder broke down what the drawdown structure would look like and how it could benefit the lake post-dredging. Schroeder said the drawdown structure would be located near the spillway dam on the southeast edge of the lake where water funnels out of the lake and into the creek.
“Our drawdown project includes a valve that we can open and close to control the water levels. It would be built in the structure of the sidewall next to the spillway. We can get the lake level lower if we go further down into the sidewalls because the spillway drains down toward the east,” Schroeder said.
The drawdown structure itself is estimated to cost $3.5 million, which is included in the $25 million dredging proposed dredging plan. As the city is inching closer to building its first wetland in the Firsteel watershed to combat the biggest contributor of the algae problems Lake Mitchell experiences each year, Schroeder said the drawdown structure will be beneficial for future maintenance work on the wetland.
“With our lake drawdown structure, we'll be able to draw the lake down to perform maintenance on those wetlands as well as our sediment traps that we’re planning on doing,” Schroeder said.
After learning more about the drawdown structure, Tate Crago, a Mitchell resident, gave the city a nod of support for the project.
“I think this is a worthwhile endeavor. It would be nice to have a lake where you can take your family and fish,” Crago said. | https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/city-officials-field-questions-concerns-about-funding-a-25m-lake-mitchell-dredging-project | 2023-05-18T12:46:06 | 1 | https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/city-officials-field-questions-concerns-about-funding-a-25m-lake-mitchell-dredging-project |
MITCHELL — Property owners with corroding homes and buildings in certain areas around Mitchell now have more incentive to spruce them up.
In an effort to clean up key areas of Mitchell dealing with a myriad of homes and buildings that are in rough shape, the city is rolling out a discretionary tax formula that will reduce property taxes for owners who make improvements to their existing structures.
“The idea is to encourage people to make investments into these areas that need more maintenance and upkeep. In turn, their property taxes will be phased in over a period of years,” City Administrator Stephanie Ellwein said of the goal behind the new discretionary tax formula. “It will really deal with our historic districts within the city of Mitchell.”
The Mitchell City Council established the boundaries for the first pair of districts that have numerous corroding buildings and homes that qualify to tap into the discretionary tax formula.
One of the boundaries called the urban renewal area stretches along the downtown corridor from East Seventh Avenue to Railroad Avenue. The historic residential district encompasses residential homes in a six-block radius near downtown Mitchell that stretches from East Seventh Avenue to West Second Avenue, a mixture of homes and multi-family units along Rowley and Duff streets and Sanborn Boulevard.
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“As you are well aware, we’ve had some buildings that have been deteriorating over time,” Ellwein said of the downtown urban renewal area, which is primarily made up of commercial businesses and larger buildings.
The formula requires property owners to make a minimum value of improvements to their homes or buildings to qualify for the seven-year property tax payment reduction. The city's ordinance outlining requirements for the tax formula explains that all renovations and reconstruction of properties in both district boundaries must “increase the true and full value” of the structures.
For example, a property owner in the historic residential district who makes home renovations that add at least $5,000 to its true value will only pay 25% of the home’s increased value in the first and second year following renovation work. The homeowner will pay 50% of the pre-adjusted value in the third and fourth years. In the fifth and sixth years, the homeowner will pay 75% of the property’s value.
Commercial and industrial properties like those in the urban renewal area must also undergo renovations, new construction or improvements that add $30,000 or more to the structure’s full and true value to receive the same tax reduction. For properties in the historic residential district, any renovations or additions to homes must add at least $5,000 to the home’s true value.
With the aging buildings in downtown Mitchell, it came as no surprise to the council that the downtown corridor was among the first districts to be created for the tax formula. In recent years, some Main Street buildings have been demolished due to reaching a point beyond repairable. Council member Dan Allen asked whether a new building that’s put up on vacant Main Street lots would qualify for the commercial tax formula.
“If it was an improvement and caused the valuation of that property to increase and meet that minimum the state provides, yes, I think it would still qualify,” City Attorney Justin Johnson said in response to Allen’s inquiry.
How does this new formula impact Main Street buildings like the former Crafty Fox property and Woolworth building that have a Tax Increment Financing (TIF) district established? According to Johnson, all buildings within a TIF district automatically are waived from receiving the tax reduction.
Potential for new districts
The city’s newly updated comprehensive plan dove into the conditions of Mitchell homes in four residential areas, which included the historic residential district. According to a 2012 housing survey that examined a total of 1,005 homes in four neighborhoods, 252 of those homes – 25% – were deemed in need of “major repair.” The survey identified 41 homes as “dilapidated.”
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Of the 1,005 homes examined in the housing survey, there were 337 homes that the survey dubbed as in “sound condition,” making up one-third of the total homes examined.
As the leader of a nonprofit housing organization that formed a little over a year ago with a mission to “clean up the core” of Mitchell and replace dilapidated homes with new affordable units, Terry Sabers was among those who pitched the new tax formula model to city leaders.
“As you saw in the housing study last week, something like 60% of core district homes need moderate to major improvements. As a community, we need to take a hard look at what we’re willing to do to improve the residential part of the city,” Sabers said during the citizens’ input portion of Monday’s city council meeting. "This whole thing has gone so long, it's going to be a team effort to bring this back.”
Considering there are other areas in the city not included in the first two districts that are grappling with corroding and dilapidated homes, Ellwein said the ordinance was created to address other areas in the future. Ellwein pointed to residential areas just west of Main Street as future areas that could potentially qualify for a new discretionary tax formula district.
“The ordinance was drafted in a way that, if we identify other areas that we want to focus on, we can also adopt those districts,” Ellwein said.
To create a new district for the tax formula, state law requires the area must have a percentage of homes or buildings that are considered dilapidated. That means some areas of the city with homes in sound condition won’t qualify for the discretionary tax formula. | https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/city-rolls-out-tax-reduction-plan-looking-to-improve-mitchells-corroding-homes-buildings | 2023-05-18T12:46:17 | 0 | https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/city-rolls-out-tax-reduction-plan-looking-to-improve-mitchells-corroding-homes-buildings |
MITCHELL — To avoid shortening the length and width of a runway at Mitchell’s Municipal Airport, the Mitchell City Council approved an agreement on Monday with an aviation data collection company that will better track airplane traffic along the runways to comply with federal regulations.
The agreement to tab VirTower, an airport operations tracking system, to collect data on airplane traffic is an approved tracking system recognized by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Public Works Director Joe Schroeder said the city’s existing air tracking system is not an approved FAA method, which led the FAA to recommending the airport’s secondary runway be sized down.
While the airport currently tracks incoming and outbound flights, Schroeder said the system does not track the runway that each aircraft uses at the airport, located on the north edge of Mitchell. The new VirTower system will track each runway’s use, along with additional operational data.
“During the FAA’s review, they stated they are interested in decoupling the runway and reducing the length of the runway. Their justification for shortening the length and width is that our airport is not meeting the requirement of 500 operations per year on that runway,” Schroeder said. “There is some other data we collect, but the FAA does not recognize that as accurate.”
The FAA recommended the length of the runway be shortened from 5,500 feet to 3,600 feet and the width be reduced from 100 feet to 75 feet.
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The potential of shortening the runway – which runs north to south – was concerning to Schroeder and airport officials because it could limit larger airplanes to one runway. Schroeder pointed to the influx in air traffic at the airport during hunting season as one example that could have a negative impact on the city.
“City staff is concerned with the shortening because it will limit larger aircrafts to one runway. The airport has a significant increase in larger aircrafts during pheasant season and other times throughout the year,” Schroeder said.
Mitchell Airport Director Mike Scherschligt had high praises for the VirTower system and said it boosted air traffic numbers up at the Brookings airport, which is another like-sized South Dakota city that utilizes it.
“The FAA has moved the goalpost on us a few times in this project, and this is really the only tool we have. The FAA is saying you don’t have enough operations on that runway, and if somebody were to ask me, ‘How many do we have?’ I couldn’t tell you that. We don’t have a way of capturing each runway,” Scherschligt said.
As one of Mitchell’s runways is potentially at risk of being sized down, Scherschligt said rolling out the VirTower tracking system now is more critical than ever.
Among the additional data that the new tracking system will allow the city’s airport to track are take-off and landing times, along with aircraft types flying into the airport, according to Scherschligt. The city entered into a $6,000 one-year agreement with VirTower to begin using the company’s aircraft tracking methods.
The city was recently awarded $59,000 in grant funds for the airport, which Schroeder said will pay for the tracking system fee. | https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/city-to-roll-out-new-airplane-tracking-system-in-an-effort-to-ward-off-runway-size-reduction | 2023-05-18T12:46:27 | 1 | https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/city-to-roll-out-new-airplane-tracking-system-in-an-effort-to-ward-off-runway-size-reduction |
MITCHELL — The Mitchell City Council will consider approving a Tax Increment Financing District on Monday that would help fund a local contractor’s 13-lot housing development near Lakeview Golf Course.
Caleb Koerner, a Mitchell developer and owner of Pro Contracting, is seeking to utilize the TIF for his plan to build 13 town homes on a piece of land along the corner of North Ohlman Street and Sharpstone Drive.
According to City Attorney Justin Johnson’s memo to the council, the TIF will be used to fund infrastructure work needed for the small-scale housing development to materialize. The TIF is eligible to fund a little over $1 million in project costs, which Johnson explained would allow the price of the homes to be more affordable.
The increase in property taxes from new construction of homes within the TIF boundaries is referred to as the “tax increment,” which the city would pass on to the developer as it generates over a 20-year window.
The small-scale development would bring 13 homes to a plot of land along the corner of North Ohlman Street and Sharpstone Drive, next to a row of town homes near the Lakeview Golf Course.
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“Our goal is to build 13 single-family homes. We think they would be good homes for someone who is maybe looking to downsize and be easier to take care of,” Koerner said at a recent council meeting.
According to Koerner, the majority of the homes within the proposed subdivision would be roughly 1,000 square feet. Designs of the proposed subdivision show the lots will range in size from 7,000 square feet to roughly 10,000 square feet.
Plans also call for building a street in the center of the subdivision that would connect to North Ohlman Street and Sharpstone Drive, which Koerner said he would be funding on his own at no cost to nearby residents. That means the project will not have any special assessments that nearby homeowners would be asked to pay for future improvements unlike some other Mitchell housing developments in the past.
According to City Planner Mark Jenniges, the new street proposed for the center of the development would be privately owned and maintained by the Homeowners Association (HOA). That means the future residents who reside in the subdivision would be responsible for maintaining the street.
“It’s going to be a little narrower street than normal. Sidewalks would be abutting the street,” Jenniges said during an August meeting when the project plans were first presented. “It will not be a city street.”
While the project is inching closer to launching, the development has been met with some mixed support among nearby residents.
Larry Sexton, a local contractor who supports the development, wrote in his letter submitted to the city that it’s an “excellent project” and is “much needed.”
On the other side of the spectrum, Penny Virchow, a resident residing near the proposed development, has voiced her concerns at recent council meetings about the impact the project could have on drainage for existing residents in the area.
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City officials have emphasized that Koerner is required to submit drainage plans to the city, which are reviewed by city officials.
The land has already been rezoned into a Planned Unit Development (PUD) district to make way for the development.
If the council approves the tif, the developer will have a 20-year window to pay it off. | https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/council-to-consider-approving-tif-for-13-lot-town-home-development-near-lake-mitchell | 2023-05-18T12:46:38 | 0 | https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/council-to-consider-approving-tif-for-13-lot-town-home-development-near-lake-mitchell |
MITCHELL — The following cases were among those heard Tuesday, May 9, during a circuit court session at the Davison County Public Safety Center, with Judge Chris Giles presiding:
- Kip Gearey, 40, of Tea, South Dakota, waived his right to a 180-day speedy trial. Gearey is facing two counts of first-degree rape, each Class C felonies that carry a maximum sentence of up to life in prison and a $50,000 fine, two counts of sexual contact with a child under the age of 16, each Class 3 felonies that carry a maximum sentence of up to 15 years in prison and a $30,000 fine. He’s also charged with one count of abuse of or cruelty to a minor, a Class 4 felony that carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. The indictment alleges Gearey committed first-degree rape between Jan. 1, 2012, and Jan. 27, 2015. The victim who was allegedly raped and abused by Gearey was between the ages of 6 and 9 years old at the time of the alleged incidents, according to the indictment. Gearey is facing up to life in prison for the alleged rape charges. He posted a $25,000 cash bond in February, which allowed his release from Davison County jail.
- Dustin Feistner, 43, of Mitchell, was granted a suppression hearing. In March, Feistner pleaded not guilty to possession of a controlled substance (meth), a Class 5 felony that carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $10,000 fine, and use or possession of drug paraphernalia, a misdemeanor. The drug arrest prompted the Mitchell City Council to revoke Feistner’s taxi license in early March. Feistner was operating his taxi business, Speedy Taxi, at the time of his arrest. The upcoming suppression hearing will allow Feistner’s attorneys to argue that the evidence used to charge him be tossed out.
- Skiler Seidel, 31, of Sturgis, pleaded not guilty to abuse, cruelty to a minor under the age of 7, a Class 3 felony that carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison and a $30,000 fine. Seidel allegedly picked his child up and “threw him to the ground,” which caused the child to fall limp, according to an arrest affidavit. Seidel then pushed the 5-year-old child through a door and left the scene, the affidavit says. The incident was caught on camera, according to court documents. Seidel was later apprehended by authorities in Sturgis.
- Laura Baus, 51, of Mitchell, pleaded guilty to grand theft in the amount between $5,000 and $100,000, a Class 4 felony that carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine. According to Davison County Deputy State’s Attorney Robert O’Keefe, Baus spent money belonging to her disabled son without permission over a period of several years. O’Keefe said Baus spent roughly $6,000 of her son’s money. She is scheduled to be sentenced on June 20.
- Cassidy Jones, 23, of Mitchell, pleaded guilty to grand theft in the amount between $5,000 and $100,000, a Class 4 felony that carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine. According to Davison County Deputy State’s Attorney O’Keefe, Jones received roughly $11,000 in paychecks from Pizza Ranch while she was no longer working for the establishment. He said the paychecks were delivered to her by mistake. She used some of the money to install funds into an inmate’s commissary account, O’Keefe said. Jones is scheduled to be sentenced on June 6.
- Randy Johnson, 36, of Sioux Falls, was appointed an attorney Tuesday to represent him for an alleged probation violation. He was serving probation for an accessory to a felony charge, a Class 5 felony that carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $10,000 fine. Johnson remains in custody on a no-bond warrant. He is scheduled to appear in court in two weeks.
- Trenton Redwater, 24, of Mitchell, pleaded not guilty to possession of a controlled substance (meth), a Class 5 felony that carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $10,000 fine, and use or possession of drug paraphernalia, a Class 2 misdemeanor. He is scheduled to face a jury trial in early August unless he changes his plea prior to the trial date.
- Donald Fasthorse, 50, address unknown, pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled substance (meth) with intent to distribute in a drug free zone, a Class 4 felony that carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine. The charge has a mandatory minimum prison sentence of five years attached to it. According to State’s Attorney Jim Miskimins, Fasthorse was arrested after authorities found him in possession of meth within 1,000 feet from Mitchell Middle School. Judge Giles ordered a pre-sentence investigation report be conducted prior to Fasthorse’s June 20 sentencing hearing.
- Heaven Bruguier, 34, of Mitchell, pleaded not guilty to five counts of identity theft, each Class 6 felonies that carry a maximum sentence of two years in prison and a $4,000 fine, and one count of grand theft in the amount between more than $5,000 and less than $100,000, a Class 5 felony. An indictment says Bruguier was one of three suspects who allegedly accessed a debit card from a victim and used it without the victim’s authorization. She is scheduled to face a jury trial in early August unless she changes her plea prior to the trial date.
- Lindsey Hatwan, 43, of Mitchell, was granted a personal recognizance (PR) bond on Tuesday to allow her release from jail. Hatwan is facing a probation violation charge. She was serving probation for possession of a controlled substance (meth), a Class 5 felony. Hatwan previously denied violating probation. She is seeking to enter a drug treatment program while out on bond.
- Cameron Johnson, 29, of Mitchell, had a jury trial date scheduled for early August in connection to child pornography charges. In March, Johnson pleaded not guilty to two counts of possession, manufacturing and distributing child pornography, each Class 4 felonies that carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine apiece. According to an arrest affidavit, Johnson became the subject of investigation through a cyber tip. Police reports allege Johnson sent a nude image to a cyber tipster of what appeared to be a 4- or 5-year-old child. Authorities tracked the account that allegedly sent the child pornography images online, which traced to Johnson’s IP address and a mobile device, according to an arrest affidavit. The phone number and email address associated with the account that sent the nude image of a child also traced back to Johnson’s email and mobile phone.
- Carla Bigeagle, 53, of Mitchell, failed to appear in court for possession of prescription or non-prescription drugs while in jail, a Class 4 felony, possession of a controlled substance (meth), a Class 5 felony, knowing a child is present while in possession of methamphetamine and use or possession of drug paraphernalia, each misdemeanor offenses. A bench warrant was issued for her arrest. According to an affidavit, Bigeagle was pulled over for illegally tinted windows. Officers searched her vehicle and uncovered meth residue and a pipe. A juvenile was in the vehicle at the time of her arrest, police reports say.
- Adam Kowall, 39, waived his right to a 180-day speedy trial. He’s facing aggravated assault and a protection order violation. Kowall pleaded not guilty to the charges in February.
- Joshua Weber, 28, of Huron, pleaded guilty to a third-offense Driving Under the Influence (DUI) charge, a Class 6 felony. Weber was sentenced to serve two years in prison. He received credit for serving 102 days in jail. Weber was on parole with the Department of Corrections at the time of his DUI arrest. His blood alcohol level was .204 at the time of his arrest.
- Samantha Schwartzbauer, 36, of Mitchell, was denied her request for a bond modification. She is in custody for an alleged probation violation. Schwartzbauer was serving probation for possession of a controlled substance (meth), a Class 5 felony.
- Tyler Brockway, 27, of Osceola, Indiana, pleaded not guilty to three counts of possession of a controlled substance, including fentanyl and cocaine, each a Class 5 felony, and use or possession of drug paraphernalia, a misdemeanor offense. According to court documents, Brockway was a passenger of a vehicle that was pulled over along Interstate 90 for speeding. After detecting the smell of marijuana, officers executed a search and found fentanyl, cocaine and marijuana.
- Austin Jennings, 22, of Mitchell, pleaded guilty to first-degree petty theft with a value over $400, a Class 1 misdemeanor. According to an arrest affidavit, Jennings allegedly changed tip amounts on numerous receipts and increased the dollar amounts. He was sentenced to 94 days in jail with 90 days suspended.
- Clifton Red Feather, 51, of Mitchell, had a jury trial scheduled for early June in connection to possession of a controlled substance (meth), a Class 5 felony.
- Michelle Star Ironshell, 40, of Mitchell, pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled substance (meth), a Class 5 felony, and impersonation to deceive a law enforcement officer, a Class 1 misdemeanor. For the possession of a controlled substance charge, she was sentenced to five years in prison with five years suspended. Star Ironshell was sentenced to 80 days in jail with 80 days suspended for the impersonation to deceive an officer charge. She remains under the supervision of the Department of Corrections.
- Loren Mead, 32, of Mitchell, had his next hearing scheduled for May 23. He is facing aggravated assault (domestic abuse) by way of strangulation, a Class 3 felony that carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison and a $30,000 fine. He previously pleaded not guilty to the assault charge. According to an arrest affidavit, Mead allegedly choked his girlfriend for not having a vehicle to provide him a ride. Court documents say the victim was unable to breath for 30 seconds while Mead allegedly choked her. Mead proceeded to choke the victim once again after she attempted to run to safety, the affidavit alleges. The assault resulted in the victim receiving two staples in her head.
- Elizabeth Long Crow, 41, of Sioux Falls, was granted a PR bond on Tuesday. Long Crow is facing possession of a controlled substance (meth), a Class 5 felony. She is seeking entry into the James Valley Drug Court program.
- Marcus Eaglestar, 20, of Mitchell, pleaded not guilty to possession of a controlled substance (meth), a Class 5 felony, possession of marijuana in the amount of 2 ounces or less and use or possession of drug paraphernalia, each misdemeanor offenses. His bond was reduced to $2,000 cash. An arrest warrant has been issued for Eaglestar since March 2022 after he failed to appear in court for his alleged charges.
- Paris Rodgers, 36, of South Bend, Indiana, pleaded not guilty to three counts of possession of a controlled substance, including fentanyl and cocaine, each a Class 5 felony, and use or possession of drug paraphernalia, a misdemeanor offense. Rodgers was operating her vehicle that was pulled over along Interstate 90 for allegedly speeding. After detecting the smell of marijuana, officers executed a search and found fentanyl, cocaine and marijuana. Davison County State’s Attorney Miskimins said baking soda was also found in the vehicle, which he explained could indicate Rodgers was using it to “cut the substances” for the purpose of selling them. Her cash bond was reduced to $1,500. Rodgers is scheduled to face a jury trial in early August. She is facing up to 15 years in prison.
- Megan Sweets, 42, of Mitchell, pleaded guilty to grand theft in the amount between $5,000 and $100,000, a Class 4 felony that carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $20,00 fine. Sweets stole a vehicle that was parked in front of M and H gas station, prosecuting attorneys said. Judge Giles asked whether the vehicle was returned to its original owner to which Sweets’ attorney, Zach Flood, said the vehicle was stolen from Sweets by another individual who damaged it. As a result, Flood said the vehicle was not returned to its original owner. She is scheduled to appear in court on June 27.
- Desteny Brotherton, 21, of Mitchell, pleaded guilty to first-degree petty theft, a misdemeanor offense. Brotherton allegedly used a stolen credit card to purchase items online, according to an arrest affidavit. She was sentenced to 60 days in jail with 60 days suspended. Brotherton was ordered to remain on good behavior for one year.
- Aria Uthe, 25, of Sioux Falls, pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled substance (meth), a Class 5 felony that carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $10,000 fine. She is scheduled to be sentenced on June 6.
- Emily Koch, 30, of Sioux Falls, pleaded guilty to unauthorized ingestion of a controlled substance, a Class 5 felony. Koch was sentenced to five years in prison with five years suspended. She was ordered to serve two years of probation.
- Jesus Garcia, 33, of Mitchell, pleaded guilty to aggravated eluding, a Class 6 felony, and a DUI, a misdemeanor offense. He was sentenced to two years in prison with two years suspended for the aggravated eluding charge. For the DUI, he was sentenced to 32 days in jail and received credit for serving 30 days. According to an arrest affidavit, Garcia got into a domestic altercation on March 13 and struck a victim in the head and threw a can of food at another victim before fleeing the scene in his van. When officers arrived, Garcia began driving away at high speeds along Sanborn Boulevard. Witnesses reported to authorities that an intoxicated Garcia drove into oncoming traffic before striking a curb and crossed a five-lane road on the Highway 37 bypass until he collided with a street sign, which disabled his vehicle, according to the affidavit.
- Michael Rooks, 19, of Mitchell, pleaded guilty to third-degree burglary, a Class 5 felony. Rooks was granted a suspended imposition with the condition of successfully completing two years of probation. According to an arrest affidavit, officers responded to a report of Rooks entering into a dwelling, located at 814 N. Winsor Ave., and allegedly strangling a victim. The victim told officers that they were sleeping in their residence when they woke up to see someone standing over them wearing a black hooded sweatshirt, who was later identified as Rooks. When the victim awoke to Rooks standing alongside the victim’s bed, Rooks proceeded to strangle the victim, the affidavit alleged. Police reports say that the victim managed to fight back while being strangled and “knocked Rooks to the floor.” Mitchell police officers located an intoxicated Rooks shortly after the incident near Mitchell High School and arrested him. During Tuesday’s hearing, prosecuting attorney O’Keefe said the owner of the residence Rooks broke into recommended against any sentencing that could “ruin his life.” Rooks’ attorney, Zach Flood, highlighted Rooks is succeeding in college and pointed to alcohol consumption as a key factor that led to the incident. Rooks received credit for serving 11 days in jail.
- Cheyenne Alvarez, of Mitchell, failed to appear in court Tuesday. A bench warrant was issued for her arrest. She is facing two counts of simple assault against a law officer, each Class 6 felonies, three counts of simple assault with intent to cause bodily injury and resisting arrest, each misdemeanor offenses. Alvarez pleaded not guilty to the charges in February. According to an arrest affidavit, officers responded to a report of a female, later identified as Alvarez, allegedly “trying to start fights” at the 800 block of East Fifth Avenue. When officers arrived, She allegedly tried to get past them and enter a residence to fight some of the occupants. As officers began escorting her to the patrol vehicle, Alvarez allegedly struck an officer in the face. Alvarez’s breathalyzer test came back with a .16 alcohol level, roughly twice above the .08 legal limit.
- Kolton Colombe, 21, of Mitchell, pleaded guilty to simple assault against a law officer, a Class 6 felony, and admitted to violating probation. Colombe was sentenced to two years in prison for the assault against a law officer charge. He received credit for serving 95 days in jail. For the probation violation, Colombe was sentenced to five years in prison with three years suspended. He received credit for serving 94 days in jail.
- Sonny Antelope, 40, of Mitchell, pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled substance (meth), a Class 5 felony, and admitted to violating probation. He was sentenced to two years in prison for the probation violation charge. Antelope received credit for serving 132 days in jail. For the drug possession charge, Antelope was sentenced to five years in prison with five years suspended.
- Warren Rowley, 28, of Mitchell, was sentenced to five years in prison with five years suspended for possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine), a Class 5 felony. He received credit for serving 153 days in jail. Rowley was ordered to remain under DOC supervision.
- Robert Shields, 29, of Mitchell, pleaded guilty to unauthorized ingestion of a controlled substance, a Class 5 felony. Shields was sentenced to five years in prison with five years suspended. He received credit for serving 116 days in jail.
- Brianna Charging Hawk, 23, of Mitchell, had the following charges dismissed: simple assault (domestic abuse), a Class 1 misdemeanor, and violating a protection order, a Class 6 felony.
- Ariana Herman-Waln, 22, of Mitchell, admitted to violating probation. She was sentenced to five years in prison with five years suspended. Herman-Waln had her suspended imposition revoked. She was ordered to serve two years of probation, as part of her sentencing. Herman-Waln was serving probation for possession of a controlled substance.
- Jeromy Ulmer, 38, of Herrick, had a jury trial scheduled for early August in connection to a possession of a controlled substance (meth) charge, a Class 5 felony. Ulmer previously pleaded not guilty to the drug possession charge. According to an affidavit, Herrick was found in possession of a bag of meth while at Stepping Stones, a local drug and alcohol rehabilitation center.
- Brian Hislaw, 23, of Fort Thompson, failed to appear in court Tuesday for possession of a controlled substance (meth), a Class 5 felony, use or possession of drug paraphernalia and open alcoholic beverage accessible in a vehicle, each misdemeanor offenses. A bench warrant was issued for his arrest. | https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/davison-county-felony-court-cases-for-may-9 | 2023-05-18T12:46:48 | 0 | https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/davison-county-felony-court-cases-for-may-9 |
MITCHELL — As a high schooler growing up near Sargent, Minnesota, Lila Gronseth had a vision to attend college for agriculture business. But she faced a question high school seniors everywhere face when it comes to making a college decision.
Where would she attend?
She never heard of Dakota Wesleyan University. And then, a recruiter for the school’s track and field team reached out.
“I said, 'Well, I wanted something focused on agriculture and I don’t think your college has that,'” Gronseth told the Mitchell Republic in a recent interview. “And he was new at the time, but he said DWU had a program with Mitchell Technical College, but he needed to get more information on it.”
The recruiter called her back on that program partnership, and the next thing she knew, she was headed down Interstate 90 to make a visit to the Mitchell community.
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And she liked what she saw.
“I grew up in a small town, so I love the small-town feel. I love that I can talk to teachers and they’ll remember me the next day. That’s pretty much what drew me (to Dakota Wesleyan). Plus the faith-based aspect of it,” Gronseth said.
Gronseth has gone on to spend the last three years running track for Dakota Wesleyan and obtaining her bachelors degree in business administration with a concentration on agriculture and finance. She now has her sights set on returning to her home neighborhood to take the first steps in her new career.
She’s also begun work on her masters degree.
Her somewhat unlikely arrival at Dakota Wesleyan was spurred in part by the cooperative effort between Dakota Wesleyan and Mitchell Tech, where students have a chance to take advantage of programs at both schools. Gronseth set herself on an accelerated path with the goal of getting her bachelors degree in three years, but for traditional four-year students the process is fairly straightforward.
“Traditionally, you start going to Mitchell Tech in your second semester as a freshman, and you take a class each semester until you graduate. The rest of your coursework is done (at Dakota Wesleyan),” Gronseth.
It’s an arrangement that has served Gronseth, who grew up on a turkey farm raising birds with her family, well during her time in Mitchell. The bulk of her classwork and social life and all of her athletics participation is done at Dakota Wesleyan, but the chance to work with instructors at Mitchell Tech gave her added depth to her studies, she said.
“One of the (Mitchell Tech) professors invited me over to a career fair, and that was very nice. I got to do some networking and be part of the student population there, but most of my social life would be on (the DWU) campus,” Gronseth said.
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Her academic adviser at Dakota Wesleyan, Christine Mauszycki, said Gronseth was a great example of how students can benefit from the working relationship.
“The partnership between DWU and Mitchell Tech is widely popular with our students. Students studying agriculture or construction at Mitchell Tech remain full-time students at DWU while taking one or two classes each semester at Mitchell Tech,” Mauszycki said. “This allows the students to remain athletically eligible at DWU. Students no longer have to decide between going to Mitchell Tech or DWU, now they can study at both schools.”
Gronseth distinguished herself at both schools with her dedication and vision, she said.
“Lila is a self-motivated student who has always been certain of her career path. She brought in a good amount of dual credit courses and was excited to earn her bachelors in business administration with finance at DWU while studying agriculture at Mitchell Tech,” Mauszycki said.
In addition to being a presence on both campuses, Gronseth has also worked hands-on with summer internships. She has worked with a crop consultant in Rose Creek, Minnesota, among others, and is also expecting to go to work with Farm Bureau Financial Services, where she will deal in the world of farm insurance.
Helping farmers with insurance needs is something she would like to pursue further, but there are many opportunities to working with Farm Bureau.
“Ag underwriting has been an interest of mine. I’d be going out to farms and evaluating their farms and their worth. Then you can communicate with farmers and agents as well,” Gronseth said.
Gronseth still has some work to do on campus this year. She has been a standout shot put, discus, hammer and weight thrower for the Tigers. She is a four-time national qualifier, both indoor and outdoor, in the shot put, and she just qualified nationally for shot put and discus. She’s also close to hitting the standard for hammer throw, and she has a couple more chances to qualify for that, as well.
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She’s loved her time on the track and field team, and made some great friends along the way, as well.
“I didn’t know for sure if (track and field) was something I wanted to continue after college or if I just wanted to put my athletic career to rest. But I’m so glad I didn’t. I just love the environment of the team, and some of the throwers and other teammates have become very close friends of mine. I’m going to be the maid of honor for one of my teammates,” Gronseth said.
Lila Gronseth throws 42.81m in the Discus to hit the National B standard.#RollTige pic.twitter.com/AaGJ8f1eWC
— Dakota Wesleyan XC/TF (@DWUXCTF) April 15, 2023
She has an affinity for rodeo competition, as well, and she plans to revisit that interest from her younger days when she returns to Minnesota to live and work. And she’ll continue working on her masters online through Dakota Wesleyan to advance her academic achievements even further.
She has accomplished a lot in just three years in Mitchell. For someone who had never even heard of Dakota Wesleyan University before that fateful recruiting call, Gronseth said it's difficult to sum up her experience as a Tiger.
But it couldn’t have worked out much better than it has, and she’s sure other students could find the same fulfillment at the school she did if they would give it a look.
“There’s just so much. The professors and people who have invested in my life have been a huge blessing. Even those outside Dakota Wesleyan that want to know me and want to make sure I succeed — that blows my mind,” Gronseth said. “I never would have expected to get this out of being somewhere for three years. I don’t know what I expected from college, but it wasn’t this. I’ve just been very happy with my experience, whether it be in the classroom, on the track, in the dorms. It’s nothing fancy, but it’s nothing I would trade.”
The 2023 Dakota Wesleyan University commencement ceremony will take place at 1:30 p.m. Sunday, May 7 at the Corn Palace. This year’s graduation includes four international graduates as well as 57 graduates from states other than South Dakota. South Dakota will be represented by 131 graduates from 60 communities in the state. Of those communities, Mitchell is the most-represented with 23.
The ceremony will also be streamed live at www.dwu.edu/live.
ADVERTISEMENT | https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/dwus-gronseth-on-track-to-enter-ag-business-world-following-graduation | 2023-05-18T12:46:58 | 1 | https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/dwus-gronseth-on-track-to-enter-ag-business-world-following-graduation |
MITCHELL — A leader of the engineering firm that’s been analyzing Lake Mitchell’s phosphorus-rich sediment over the past two years made a recommendation on Monday to dredge the body of water at a cost of $25 million.
Eric Lund, an engineer with Barr Engineering, broke down the lake improvement recommendations during Monday’s Mitchell City Council meeting at City Hall. With the scattered areas of high concentrations of phosphorus-packed sediment along the 693-acre lake bottom and nutrients flowing into the lake via Firesteel Creek, Lund urged city leaders to take an “adaptive approach” to restoration plans.
“The dredging, you’re going to pay for how much sediment you take out of the lake. The volume and thickness, as well as where you are in the lake, is really important,” Lund said of the mechanical dredging process.
According to Lund, the $25 million mechanical dredging would remove roughly 70% of the surface area sediment playing a role in the algae woes that have hampered the lake’s water quality for decades.
The distance from the disposal site and areas being dredged in the lake is a key factor that impacts the cost of the mechanical dredging project, Lund explained.
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Firesteel Park, located on the west side of the lake, has been identified as the disposal site where crews would dump the dredged sediment. Based on the sediment sample evaluations Barr Engineering conducted over the past year, the northern portions of the lake near the disposal site is dealing with higher concentrations of phosphorus.
“We’re looking at maybe $10 to $25 a yard with dredging … Areas closer to that (disposal site) are going to be cheaper to dredge,” he said.
Among the costly portions of the recommended mechanical dredging project is the $3.5 million drawdown structure that would be used to control the water levels for dredging the sediment and potentially infusing parts with alum treatments.
Lund also provided city leaders with a different lake improvement plan that solely entailed alum treatments to the lake bed over the course of several years. The alum treatment plan, which would be an alternate method to lake restoration rather than dredging, had a price tag of roughly $16.6 million. It's a near $9 million cost reduction compared to mechanical dredging.
“With alum, you’re not taking it out, you’re immobilizing the phosphorus and sediment so it can’t release into the water column. You’re treating the lake bed,” he said of the alum treatment process.
According to Lund, a barge would be used to apply the alum along the lake bed. A drawdown of the water would also not be necessary if the council opted to pursue an alum treatment method.
Considering the proposed location of the disposal site being near the north side of the lake where higher levels of phosphorus exist, Lund pointed to mechanical dredging as a “cost effective” method to address the sediment on the northern side of the lake compared to alum treatment.
However, he said turning to alum for portions of the lake that are further south could be another option for city leaders to consider.
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“These areas as you get farther away from the disposal site in the historical channel with thick areas of deposited sediment, you start to get the inverse and it becomes really costly to dredge those areas, whereas you can treat them with alum for a significantly lower price,” Lund said.
While city leaders have clearer options to ponder moving forward, one major issue remains: Firesteel Creek unloading phosphorus into the lake.
Lund urged city leaders to develop a long term plan for lake restoration work that entails approaches to improving the impaired 350,000-acre Firesteel watershed. Regardless of the in-lake solutions that are implemented, Lund said the nutrient loads funneling into the lake from Firesteel Creek will be a problem.
“Until the Firesteel Creek input is significantly reduced, we’re going to have a problem whether we 100% dredge it or 100% alum treat it,” he said. “The Firesteel Creek itself – historical channel – has 1- to 4-plus feet of problematic soft sediment in it.”
The city has been focused on cleaning up the Firesteel watershed. The first of what city officials hope to be more wetlands is inching closer to construction along 35 acres of land next to the creek.
The recommendations presented on Monday worked for council member Susan Tjarks, who dubbed the dredging plan as the “most cost effective” path forward to restore the lake.
“Listening to this approach, I feel like this is exactly the way we need to do it to maximize our dollars on the dredging part by focusing on areas where it’s most needed,” she said. “To me, this is the most cost effective use of a lot of money.”
Public Works Director Joe Schroeder said the city is planning to bring an SRF loan application in front of the council in early June, which is when the council would make its big decision on whether to move forward with a dredging project. The SRF loan application would be used to fund the project. | https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/engineering-firm-makes-recommendation-to-dredge-lake-mitchell-sediment-for-25-million | 2023-05-18T12:47:09 | 1 | https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/engineering-firm-makes-recommendation-to-dredge-lake-mitchell-sediment-for-25-million |
MITCHELL — A new season of First Fridays on Main in Mitchell kicks off this weekend, setting the table for summer 2023.
The opening event — themed the “Great Outdoors” — will be held from 5 to 9 p.m. on Friday, May 5 and is free and open to the public. Tyndall-based band Startz and Endz will kick off the music schedule and will play from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Corn Palace Plaza stage, and the event will include a car show from Crusin’ for a Cause. Modern Woodmen financial services will also present its Hometown Hero award at 7 p.m.
Each month’s event includes live music, food trucks, local vendors, beer sales from local businesses, inflatables and kids games and adult activities, each of which will vary monthly.
In addition to May 5, the additional First Friday dates for 2023 include:
- June 2 — theme: "Garden Party" / music: Starfire Band
- July 7 — theme: "You're A Firework" / music: The 1270s
- Thursday, Aug. 3 (to coincide with the annual Pre-Sturgis Party)
- Sept. 1. — theme: "Paw-ty Time" / music: Donwinkle Productions
Mitchell Main Street and Beyond has hosted a monthly downtown event series since 2015 and moved the event from Thursdays to Fridays in 2018. That is also when the event moved to the Corn Palace Plaza at the corner of Sixth Avenue and Main Street.
With each occurrence of First Friday, Main Street is closed to vehicle traffic from Fifth and Seventh avenues. | https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/first-fridays-on-main-lineup-kicks-off-on-may-5-for-2023 | 2023-05-18T12:47:19 | 1 | https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/first-fridays-on-main-lineup-kicks-off-on-may-5-for-2023 |
CORSICA, S.D. — In front of a blue single-story home, on the edge of freshly trimmed grass, Luke Bamberg’s John Deere riding lawn mower sits on a neatly kept light-gray stone driveway.
A driveway that's been his since 2019. Bamberg waited years to be able to say that.
For others who share the same dream of owning a home in the small town, waiting won't be necessary.
Bamberg is a resident of Van’t Haaff Drive, a neighborhood situated in Corsica’s newest housing development that has been rapidly growing over the last few years on the southern outskirts of town. The development that began decades ago is the culmination of its developers' attempt to solve the small town’s housing bottleneck, which they believe has significantly contributed to its larger issues of long-term population stagnation and decline.
By building an array of homes, developers Jamie Rexwinkel and Jeremy Jensen hope the community will bring in new citizens, business, and property taxes – a ripple effect of changes that could lead to a new future for Corsica.
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The effect has been immediate. With duplexes and triplexes included, the development's 29 residential units are already housing 26 families, according to housing plans provided by Jensen, a Mitchell-based contractor, who is an integral part of the project. Three more houses are currently being negotiated on. And those 26 families? They have 25 kids in all.
Those are significant numbers for a town of 583 people with a school district that had a graduating class of 23 students last year.
Bamberg is one of those people. He's a banker by trade, but a local at heart. After playing basketball at Dakota Wesleyan University in 2015, his dream was to own a home in the town he grew up in. It's been a dream of his since graduating from Corsica High School in 2011.
But upon moving back to Corsica in 2015, it took him years to find the home due to no houses being available that he was interested in. That has since changed, thanks to the ongoing development.
“I had wanted to move back ever since I left and went to school at Dakota Wesleyan," Bamberg said. "It’s been a dream of mine to come back here, to my parents, and live in the two. It’s the kind of thing where you have a good experience, good associations with a place, a good community, and you want your family to experience that. But when we wanted to come back, we found that there just weren’t any houses available.”
Corsica has long dealt with a shortage of homes.
The problem stemmed from houses rarely getting built. As a local construction developer and a longtime citizen of Corsica, Rexwinkel knows how slow things were on the housing front. In the 15 years before Bamberg moved in, between 2005 and 2019, there were only 17 houses built in Corsica, according to records provided by the Douglas County Planning and Zoning office. That equates to about one home going up per year. Before that, Rexwinkel estimates construction was even slower — one new house was built every two years.
“I know there was a time where nobody built [in town] for five years. I received many calls over the years, asking if we had any lots available for development,” said Rexwinkel, whose number was on the housing development sign that prospective buyers would call.
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The housing shortage stifled the growth of the town and prevented people from moving in. Rewinkel said that for many years he had to turn people away as a result of the lack of building projects.
“I had to tell many people no, we’re not building anything,” he said.
Many of those people were like Bamberg — people who wanted to move back to Corsica after growing up there but couldn't due to the housing shortage.
“Many times people [had been] moving out of town for college…and the problem they face[d] is that they [couldn’t] get back into town,” Rexwinkel said. “There [was] nowhere to buy a house. There just [haven’t been] enough houses available.”
That's why Bamberg rented out a place in town with his wife for three years. Although it wasn’t optimal he said, he decided to stick it out because he was determined to own a home in Corsica one day. It's something that many like him have done.
But in terms of staying power for keeping people in town long-term, having a town comprised of renters is not a solution, Rexwinkel said.
“When you don't own the property, you don't have that permanent foundation that makes you really have roots in the area. When people buy a home, that's what makes them set up shop in town, that's what makes them stay. When they're part of a community," Rexwinkel said. "When people rent, a lot of times they're here for a bit, then they're gone just as quick as you can bat an eye."
The housing shortage has had consequences. Between 1990 and 2022, the population of Corsica has declined from 689 citizens to 563, according to data by the US Census Bureau. The housing shortage has been a big cause of that, Rewxinkel said.
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In 2005, Rexwinkel tried to change things by buying and developing the land that is now the new Corsica Housing District. Jamie and others had laid the groundwork under many of the properties — installing plumbing, sewage, and electricity as well.
But progress would stall. By the time Luke moved back in 2015, only eight of the planned 40 houses had been built.
In 2016, the properties were sold to a private developer.
“At that time, we got a new mayor, and he wanted to shake things up,” Rexwinkel said. “Some people who ended up on the board didn't have as much enthusiasm or know-how about construction and housing development. After key people who were driving the project got rotated off the board, we lost momentum. So we decided to sell [the development] to a private developer since there wasn’t much happening."
After the land was sold, the properties would be developed over time. Four would be built over the next four years. It was during that time that Bamberg bought his house.
“In 2019, I heard through Facebook that a former Corsica school teacher was changing school districts and selling her house," Bamberg said. “We jumped at the chance.”
Just the style of the home with a bedroom bathroom was the kind that you can comfortably raise a family in.
He and his wife were living in the home in June.
A revival of the project
In 2022, things took a turn when Jensen stepped in with worn cowboy boots and a determination to build homes. After the Corsica development corporation bought back the properties in 2021, they doled them out to developers. Jensen bought four lots in April 2022.
Over the next six months, he built four homes in the new housing development. To date, ten houses have been built in the last two years by Jensen and other individuals, which is more than the entire town saw in the last decade.
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Jensen is a regional developer who has been working on a wave of housing developments in towns across South Dakota. Besides Corsica, he has projects in Chamberlain, Gregory, Burke, Huron and Aberdeen.
But he isn't just building houses. For Bamberg and Rexwinkel, and many others who live in the neighborhood, it goes beyond the physical houses – they’re building a community. It’s a place for people to grow the sense of “roots” that drew them back to the town in the first place.
“A place like this is really all about growing roots, ” Rexwinkel said. “When you have kids playing outside, when you have an old shed where everyone marks their heights every year, everyone comes back and says ‘Oh hey look! You’ve grown … this much,’ — that’s the kind of stuff that holds a community in place. That‘s what makes people want to stick around and say ‘Hey, this is a good place to raise my kids.’"
"There’s one guy here, the meanest, grouchiest farmer in the tri-state area, but you know what? He could’ve moved anywhere else by now, like Gregory, or anywhere else,” Rexwinkel said, gesturing to a man getting out of a rusted blue pickup truck. “But if you ask him, the reason why he’s stayed is because of all this, the community. Here, he can see his kids, his grand-kids, maybe even his great grand-kids grow up.”
As the sun sets low over the horizon, bathing the placid, freshly paved streets in warm shades of orange and gold, the future looks bright for Corsica. Neighbors chat, a cool breeze blows and wind chimes echo. A man and his wife talk to their son in their driveway. Asphalt crunches, as a little girl rides her pink plastic tricycle up the street.
Rexwinkel hopes the development work he's been steering can attract those same kids back to Corsica in the future. Jensen and Rexwinkel's mission to continue building homes has the future of the community looking bright. | https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/housing-corsicas-new-future | 2023-05-18T12:47:30 | 1 | https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/housing-corsicas-new-future |
MITCHELL — As the clock is ticking for the Mitchell City Council to vote on a multimillion-dollar Lake Mitchell dredging project, advocates are making their case to move forward with dredging.
During Tuesday’s Lake Mitchell information meeting, city officials and leaders of a local nonprofit organization who are collectively pushing for a proposed $25 million dredging project that aims to remove a little over half of the phosphorus-rich sediment on the lake bottom said the time to dredge is now.
“If you want to wait, it’s never going to happen,” Mitchell Mayor Bob Everson said to a group of about 130 people who attended the lake meeting.
With no signs of inflation slowing down in the near future, construction costs for seemingly every city project are likely to increase with each passing day. And that could raise the estimated $25 million dredging price tag if the project is halted from moving forward in June when the Mitchell City Council is slated to vote on a 30-year loan application to help fund the project.
Rising construction costs aren’t the only potential negative implications to shelving a dredging project, according to Everson.
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The city is eyeing a 30-year fixed rate loan through the State Revolving Loan Fund (SRF) to fund the majority of the proposed project. But due to rising interest rates – which are likely to continue climbing as the Federal Reserve looks to curb inflation – Everson said the city has lost out on a little over $300,000 in buying power due to the SRF loan rates going up.
For the project to advance, the council must approve the SRF loan application with a majority vote. That means five of the eight council members would have to approve the SRF loan application in mid-June.
Judging by recent dredging discussions between the council, it revealed there is mixed support for the proposed lake project.
Among the opponents is Council Vice President Dan Allen, who issued his stance against dredging in early September. For Allen, removing phosphorus-packed soft sediment from the lake bottom while over half of the phosphorus and nutrients causing the algae woes is still coming in from Firesteel Creek would render a dredging project at this time as “useless.”
“Until we know we’re getting better quality of water coming in through Firesteel Creek, I think this would be useless. When we do vote on it, I will be voting no,” Allen said of the proposed dredging project at a September city budget work session.
Council member Dan Sabers shared similar concerns to Allen, as he said it was a timing issue that centered around the city’s wetland project along Firesteel Creek not being started. Council President Kevin McCardle has also voiced concerns of pursuing any in-lake solution plans before progress is made on the wetland in the Firesteel watershed.
On the other side of the spectrum, council members Jeff Smith, Marty Barington and Susan Tjarks have been the most vocal dredging supporters and see it as a clear, cost effective path forward to drastically improve the lake.
“Joe Schroeder (Public Works Director) made a comment that this lake is at the end of its life cycle. Not too far in the future, you’re looking at a dead lake,” Smith said during the early May council meeting following the engineer’s presentation of the lake dredging design.
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Prioritizing in-lake solutions vs. upstream work
The debate on whether it makes sense for the city to begin removing sediment from the lake bottom before making progress on reducing the high amount of phosphorus and nutrients funneling into the lake through Firesteel Creek took center stage at Tuesday’s lake meeting.
Joe Kippes, president of Friends of Firesteel, a nonprofit that has pledged to raise money for future lake dredging, sought to poke holes in the argument that in-lake solutions cannot be done before more work is done upstream in the 350,000-acre Firesteel watershed that dumps roughly 53% of the phosphorus into Lake Mitchell.
“There’s some discussion that would maybe make you believe if we just take care of the (Firesteel) watershed, that will be enough. The fact is phosphorus is our problem, and 53% of our phosphorus load in the lake comes from the watershed and 47% comes from the soft sediment in the lake,” Kippes said. “If the idea is to wait to do the watershed before we dredge, most of our grandkids will have to tell us about that because we’ll be gone.”
Friends of Firesteel Vice President Mike Vehle underscored the challenges city officials are up against in working on watershed projects by explaining that it would require a lot of farmers who own ground in the watershed to agree to change farming practices. He pointed to the city’s wetland location, which is about 2 miles west of the lake along Firesteel Creek, as an ideal spot to minimize phosphorus loads flowing into the northwest side of the lake.
“The west end of the lake is where the most sediment is at. That’s why when they do the Kelley property (wetland) here, that sediment will drop into the sediment ponds. And those wetlands will soak up the phosphorus,” Vehle said.
As the leader of an engineering firm who spent the past two years investigating the lake’s sediment and other elements, Eric Lund and his team concluded that doing both, mechanically dredging the lake and making improvements to Firesteel watershed, will provide the best results for water quality targets to be “consistently achieved.”
While Lund recommended the dredging project that the city is pursuing, he pointed to the Firesteel watershed as “a problem,” regardless of dredging.
“Until the Firesteel Creek input is significantly reduced, we’re going to have a problem whether we 100% dredge it or 100% alum treat it. The Firesteel Creek itself – historical channel – has 1- to 4-plus feet of problematic soft sediment in it,” Lund said.
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The issues in the watershed were on the city’s radar before talks of dredging reignited over the past few years. In 2019, the city secured roughly 370 acres of land along Firesteel Creek to build a 35-acre cattail-filled wetland with the goal of drastically filtering out phosphorus heading toward the lake. The wetland that will mark the first of what city officials hope to be more is inching closer to construction. Public Works Director Joe Schroeder said bids for the wetland will open this summer.
Everson is well aware of the lake’s issues caused by the watershed, which has areas surrounded by agriculture production that city officials have been attempting to reduce near the creek through a $1.1 million North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) grant.
Improving the massive watershed that stretches north of Mitchell all the way to the Wessington Springs area will be a long-term project for city leaders to tackle.
As Everson put it, “We will continue to work on the watershed forever.” | https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/if-you-wait-its-never-going-to-happen-mayor-says-of-25m-lake-mitchell-dredging-project-as-vote-looms | 2023-05-18T12:47:40 | 1 | https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/if-you-wait-its-never-going-to-happen-mayor-says-of-25m-lake-mitchell-dredging-project-as-vote-looms |
MITCHELL — Another pair of corroding buildings in downtown Mitchell will be coming down.
The century-old buildings, located at 116 and 118 E. First Ave., are dealing with a hole in the roof that’s led to water damage and other issues, according to City Planner Mark Jenniges. Due to the rough condition of the structure that was built in 1910, the Mitchell City Council approved the property owner’s permit to have the buildings torn down.
“There’s a hole in the roof. There’s some structural damage in there. There’s mold in there,” Jenniges said of the buildings’ issues. “There’s not a lot to salvage in this building.”
Considering the state of the aging buildings, Mitchell City Council President Kevin McCardle said “It’s time for them to come down.”
The buildings sit next to a property that was struck by a drunk driver in 2021, which caused major structural damage to the front of the neighboring building.
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In 2020, the former apartment building along the east side of the 116 and 118 E. First Ave. building was torn down due to the property’s dilapidated condition. The demolition of that property caused the stability of the 116 and 118 E. First Ave. buildings to be compromised, a case report indicated. The report also states concerns of the buildings' stability when the neighboring property on the west side is torn down, which is scheduled to take place in the near future.
What was once a city block filled with a handful of buildings that housed businesses and apartment units will soon become a large vacant lot. The buildings are owned by Eternal Hope LLC, which is operated by Paul Claggett. Documents submitted to the city indicate there are plans to redevelop the downtown lots.
Because the buildings are deemed historic, the demolition plans are required to be reviewed by the South Dakota State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) and Mitchell Historic Preservation Committee.
According to Jenniges, the Mitchell Historic Preservation Committee agreed in early April that demolishing the historic buildings was a feasible option due to the "high costs" of repair work needed to renovate the old buildings.
While Mitchell’s Historic Preservation Committee supported the demolition plan, SHPO initially did not. However, Jenniges said SHPO later determined there were “no feasible” alternatives to preserve the buildings other than tearing down the properties.
Before the city can issue the property owner’s demolition permit, Jenniges said SHPO has a 10-day window to provide any more comments on the plan. | https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/its-time-for-them-to-come-down-another-aging-downtown-mitchell-building-approved-for-demolition | 2023-05-18T12:47:51 | 1 | https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/its-time-for-them-to-come-down-another-aging-downtown-mitchell-building-approved-for-demolition |
MITCHELL — The annual Corn Palace Stampede Rodeo that’s been one of Mitchell’s most popular sporting events for decades is on the ropes this summer.
During Monday’s Mitchell City Council meeting, Jim Miskimins, president of the Corn Palace Stampede Rodeo Committee, provided an update on the status of the July rodeo in the aftermath of a recent court case and said the event is at risk.
“I’m here tonight to tell you that the future of this community’s rodeo is at risk because of the selfish and thoughtless attitude of Horseman’s Sports Incorporated,” Miskimins said of the organization that owns the rodeo arena and serves as a landlord for the Corn Palace Stampede group.
Miskimins’ update on the rodeo came roughly two weeks after a jury trial over disputes between the Corn Palace Stampede Committee and its landlord, Horseman’s Sports. Tensions between the two organizations flared in 2020 when the Corn Palace Stampede group — the organization that puts on the annual rodeo — filed a lawsuit against Horseman’s Sports after its members took down an arena fence and altered other parts of the arena.
On April 14, a Davison County jury ultimately ruled that the Corn Palace Stampede group has the right to remove property it purchased and move those structures to a new rodeo site. In addition, the jury awarded $100,000 in damages to the Corn Palace Stampede group but did not award any financial damages to Horseman’s Sports.
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“The Davison County jury unanimously found that Horseman’s Sports materially breached its lease with the rodeo awarded the major improvements made by CPS back to it,” Miskimins said, noting the three sets of bleachers that the city of Mitchell helped fund were included.
Although the courtroom battle between the organizations appeared to be settled, it was unclear how the outcome of the trial would impact the July rodeo.
Miskimins didn’t definitively say whether the Corn Palace Stampede Rodeo will go on in July as originally planned. He indicated that the committee will likely have a firm decision made on the rodeo within the next seven days.
Since 1971, Horseman’s Sports Arena, located along Highway 37 near Lake Mitchell, has been the site of Mitchell’s annual rodeos.
“The rodeo committee has worked tirelessly for the last 50 or so years to produce an event for the benefit of this community. Because the community has supported the event so well, we’ve been able to make significant contributions back to children's interests and other important causes to give back to our community,” Miskimins said.
Mitchell City Council President Kevin McCardle on Tuesday said he doesn’t see the parties coming to a compromise to ensure a rodeo in town this summer. McCardle said it seemed Miskimins attended the Monday meeting to place blame on Horseman’s Sports Incorporated in the event there is no annual rodeo this year.
“I think the bad blood between the two of them will get in the way of having a rodeo, which is unfortunate for the whole town,” McCardle said.
When reached by phone Tuesday, Attorney Tim Whalen, who represented Horseman’s Sports in the jury trial, said he hadn’t heard Miskimins’ comments but was quick to point out it was the Corn Palace Stampede that was the plaintiff in the lawsuit.
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“The pleadings in the case speak for itself,” said Whalen, who acknowledged Horseman’s Sports Incorporated is still considering taking the case to the South Dakota Supreme Court. “They started the lawsuit, served my people. We merely responded in the court with what we were doing.”
The two rodeo organizations have worked together to host the popular sporting event for decades, but leaders of the Corn Palace Stampede Committee created a new nonprofit when the lawsuit began and secured a new piece of land in north Mitchell to build its own arena with the goal of parting ways with Horseman’s.
In 2021, the Mitchell City Council approved a 20-year lease agreement with the new organization called Mitchell Rodeo Foundation to allow the group to build an arena on 20 acres of land next to the airport for future rodeos. Since the lease agreement was approved, there has yet to be any signs of construction at the city-owned land.
The Corn Palace Stampede Rodeo is a PRCA-sanctioned event that brings top bull riders, bareback riders, team ropers and steer wrestlers to Mitchell each summer in mid-July. The four-day event also features a chili cook-off, a downtown parade and other social events, which is scheduled for July 13-16. | https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/leader-of-corn-palace-stampede-committee-says-annual-rodeo-at-risk-of-not-being-held-this-summer | 2023-05-18T12:48:01 | 1 | https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/leader-of-corn-palace-stampede-committee-says-annual-rodeo-at-risk-of-not-being-held-this-summer |
BROOKINGS — Letcher native Myah Selland will be one of six South Dakota State University graduates to speak during the university's commencement ceremonies on Saturday, May 6, at the Swiftel Center.
Selland graduated with an exercise science degree in 2022 and is now completing a degree in community and public health. She will leave South Dakota State with minors in health science, psychology, sociology, and youth and community work.
Selland was a member of the SDSU women’s basketball program for six years, where she helped the Jackrabbits to a number of successes on the court, including Summit League titles and a WNIT championship.
Her passion for inspiring and enabling youth populations led Selland to co-found a nonprofit organization, Her Turn, which provides opportunities in sports to young girls within the Brookings community. After graduation, Selland plans to continue her nonprofit work while pursuing professional basketball opportunities.
“I think SDSU did a great job of preparing me for my future, especially as a student-athlete,” Selland said. “I had the opportunity to be a part of so many great things. The faculty and administration here really supported me, and so did my coaches. I’ll miss the people the most. SDSU and Brookings are full of such great people.”
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SDSU will have three ceremonies as more than 1,600 students plan to walk across the stage for their degrees. The ceremonies will also celebrate SDSU reaching the milestone of 100,000 alumni, according to the university. Graduation is taking place at the Swiftel Center rather than Frost Arena as SDSU renovates its indoor athletic venue over the summer ahead of its completion in fall 2024.
Additional commencement speakers include bachelor's degree graduates Bridget Henne, of Fargo, N.D.; Lezlie Hauck, of Roscoe; and Madison Fitch, of Rapid City; graduate student Dominic Meyers, of Aberdeen; and postdoctoral scholar Ruchika Kashyap, of India. | https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/letcher-native-myah-selland-to-be-among-south-dakota-states-commencement-speakers-on | 2023-05-18T12:48:12 | 0 | https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/letcher-native-myah-selland-to-be-among-south-dakota-states-commencement-speakers-on |
STICKNEY, S.D. — For the first time in the 92-year history of the Stickney school campus, the facility is scheduled to get new classrooms, helping turn a new leaf for improvements in the Corsica-Stickney School District.
The district is building $10.5 million in new classrooms and other facilities at the elementary school in Stickney as well as the high school in Corsica, slated for completion in May and to be ready for use in the fall. A second phase of construction will happen this summer as well, when the district's old elementary school will be demolished and a new building will be built on the same site.
Each school building was budgeted to receive just over $5 million of improvements, according to Scott Muckey, the superintendent of the Corsica-Stickney school district.
"We, the school board, the principal, and other administration, knew we wanted to do something because of the age of the buildings as they stand," Muckey told the Mitchell Republic.
The Stickney school was built in 1931 and the classrooms in Corsica high school have been in use since 1981.
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All told, there will be nine new classrooms, three at the Corsica high school, six at the Stickney elementary. In addition to the classrooms, Corsica is also getting an auxiliary gym, its first strength-training center, and a new concession area.
Stickney will receive a new commons area and restrooms, in addition to its new classrooms.
An auction is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 23 in Stickney to sell surplus property from the old school building, along with selling lots owned in Harrison, the small unincorporated Douglas County community which previously housed the town's school building. Among the items being sold from the Stickney school include radiator-style heat units, old-style classroom clocks, wooden lockers, old Stickney football coats and band uniforms, window air conditioners, a popcorn popper, stage curtains, old wooden and metal typing chairs and science lab tables.
"There are a lot of moving parts," Muckey said. "You need to work with the bid contractors, draft and redraft, work with your community. This has been a long time coming."
The plan was chosen for improvements to both towns after taking into consideration a majority opinion held by citizens during a public hearing in 2018, said Muckey. A feasibility study conducted by the school district in 2018 returned three different options, with two of them seeing additions to the Corsica school alone, which would call for the closing of the Stickney school. But a clear majority of the public input favored keeping a school in both towns, leading to the construction plan. The projects were funded through existing capital outlay tax collections, meaning the district did not use an opt-out or raise taxes for the new facilities.
The towns are 10 miles apart and have maintained schools in both communities since the previous districts consolidated in 2016. For its fall 2022 enrollment, Corsica-Stickney had 140 students in grades K-6 in Stickney and 106 in grades 7-12 in Corsica, according to the South Dakota Department of Education.
"When you deal with two communities, it's natural that they each want a piece of the new improvements," Muckey said. “You work your way through that.”
To see pictures of the improvements, and for a detailed list of auction items, visit the Corsica-Stickney school website at https://corsica-stickney.k12.sd.us/default.htm | https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/long-awaited-corsica-stickney-school-additions-to-be-unveiled-this-fall | 2023-05-18T12:48:22 | 1 | https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/long-awaited-corsica-stickney-school-additions-to-be-unveiled-this-fall |
MITCHELL — A Mitchell housing organization was approved to receive $28,317 in funds on Monday to help put up its next affordable home on a lot.
A sizable amount of those funds will cover the landfill dumping fees that Mitchell Area Housing Incorporated (MAHI) faces when the organization hauls the material from a home demolition project.
As a local contractor who performs similar work by razing dilapidated homes to clear the way for building anew, Mike Bathke recommended the Mitchell City Council consider waiving dumping fees for all developers taking on projects like MAHI does.
“I personally did this myself last year at almost double the money on what they spent. Now I’m going to build a $400,000 structure. I think a small solution to what I feel is a problem, which would help them (MAHI) and other people, is if you would start waiving dump fees,” Bathke said.
At the lot Bathke purchased to redevelop into a housing unit, he said the costs of clearing the property combined with the landfill dumping fees amounted to roughly $53,000. (Bathke is also a candidate for a Mitchell City Council seat in Ward 3 on the June 6 ballot.)
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“It would simply help with the cost of tearing down these homes,” Bathke said of waiving landfill fees.
As part of MAHI’s mission, the organization seeks out corroding vacated houses in Mitchell and tears them down to build new affordable homes. The material left from home demolitions are then hauled to the landfill where a dumping fee is charged.
Terry Sabers, president of MAHI, explained the city funds are vital for the organization to keep costs of the homes that are put up at a low price for the target income earners it hopes to attract.
“In order to sell the houses in those neighborhoods, we have to reduce that price as low as we can. Every dollar in reimbursement we get will reduce the cost of those homes,” Sabers said. “This whole thing has gone so long, it’s going to be a team effort to bring this back. We’re going to call on organizations to get involved, so that we can clean up the (city's) core and provide more lower-income housing.”
During the citizens’ input portion of the council meeting, Sabers explained how his role with the organization has provided him with an understanding of the challenges developers face. He urged the council to not put “any undue regulations” on developers.
“They are shouldering many risks right now, including initial cost of infrastructure and the carrying costs,” Sabers said.
Since MAHI began its work over the past year, the organization has sold one home it had built on a Mitchell lot. Sabers said there is another home that’s listed for sale. | https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/mitchell-contractor-proposes-builders-receive-landfill-fee-waivers-for-housing-redevelopment-projects | 2023-05-18T12:48:33 | 1 | https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/mitchell-contractor-proposes-builders-receive-landfill-fee-waivers-for-housing-redevelopment-projects |
DEVILS LAKE, N.D. — The Mitchell Republic was judged to have the best print edition and best website among all daily newspapers in South Dakota, in addition to winning the most awards in its circulation division.
The Mitchell Republic won 10 first-place awards and 28 awards overall during the 2022 South Dakota Newspaper Association Better Newspaper Contest, presented Friday during a joint convention with North Dakota Newspaper Association in Devils Lake, North Dakota. The newspaper competes in the highest division against all other daily newspapers. All of the work that was judged was compiled in the 2022 calendar year.
SDNA’s General Excellence Award recognizes the newspaper’s overall quality and commitment to journalism, with the Mitchell Republic winning the award among all daily papers in South Dakota.
“Strong state, local opinion page content, sports, local columns, features and national content,” the judge wrote. “Well-organized paper. Has good advertising. The Mitchell Republic is a strong local newspaper.”
The Mitchell Republic also claimed the daily newspaper’s Sweepstakes Award, which goes to the newspaper that accumulates the most points by placing in individual categories.
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“So many of our talented staff members were honored with awards this weekend,” said Mitchell Republic Editor Luke Hagen. “It’s exciting to see our hard work get recognized by our peers who judged this contest. We work hard every day to bring great work to our readers, and these awards are a nice reassurance that we're making good decisions for the people who support us.”
Here is a full list of the awards:
- Laura Fosness, first place, best digital campaign; third place, best series ad idea; second place, best use of color; third place, best use of local photography.
- Tom Stevens, third place, best two column ad; first place, best series ad idea; third place, best single ad idea; first place, best use of color.
- Luke Hagen, first place, best feature photo; second place, best local column.
- Erik Kaufman, first place, best feature series.
- Hunter Dunteman, third place, best lede; first place, best news series.
- Matt Gade, first place, best portrait photo.
- Mitchell Republic staff, first place, General Excellence.
- Marcus Traxler, first place, best sports column.
- Adam Thury, second place, best portrait photo; second place, best sports photo, first place, best news photo.
- Mitchell Republic staff, third place, best typography and design.
- Jeremy Fugleberg, second place, best feature series.
- Zech Lambert, Marcus Traxler, second place, best sports series.
- Patrick Lalley, third place, best feature story: profile.
- Jason Harward, third place, best local government story.
- Sam Fosness, Jason Harward, Marcus Traxler, third place, best news series.
- Sam Fosness, third place, best sports reporting.
- Mitchell Republic staff, first place, best website.
- Mitchell Republic staff, Sweepstakes. | https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/mitchell-republic-wins-general-excellence-sweepstakes-at-annual-sdna-contest | 2023-05-18T12:48:43 | 0 | https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/mitchell-republic-wins-general-excellence-sweepstakes-at-annual-sdna-contest |
MITCHELL — After a brutal winter, the city of Mitchell’s street crews have plenty of roads to tend to this summer.
On Monday, crews began filling cracks and potholes along streets on the west edge of Mitchell, including Thomsen Place, Loma Linda Drive and a portion of West Norway Avenue stretching from Ohlman Street to Miller Avenue.
The crack filling work is just a small portion of what city crews will tackle during this summer’s road construction season.
Looking ahead, Mitchell residents can expect to see a bit more chip sealing along streets this summer, thanks to a lower bid amount for material compared to last year's bids.
“Regardless of how rough the winter was on our roads, we follow a regular schedule to chip seal every year. We regularly chip seal because it prolongs the life of the street,” Mitchell Public Works Director Joe Schroeder said of the chip sealing process.
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According to Schroeder, crews will be chip sealing roughly 180 city blocks, an increase from last year’s amount. There are about 120 miles of streets within the city limits, and the 180 blocks of roads that will be chip sealed equates to 12.5 miles of city streets.
The low bid for the raw materials needed to chip seal streets provided an opportunity for the city to cover more ground this year, Schroeder said.
One bid for the emulsion — the material used to apply chip seal — came in roughly $100 less than last year’s cost. The per ton cost for the primary emulsion the city uses for chip sealing was $705.73, down from last year’s $776.62 per ton rate.
Schroeder said it's becoming rare to see bids for city projects to come in lower than previous year’s bid amounts.
“Costs for these types of products typically follow oil prices,” Schroeder said.
In early May, crude oil prices dipped to as low as $75.33 per barrel, marking a decrease of $38 per barrel compared to last year’s prices at the same time in 2022.
Another key road improvement project that will be completed soon is the East 10th Avenue reconstruction, which was halted by weather conditions last year.
“Sidewalks and approaches are currently being completed on that. They are about halfway done on those. When they are done, we will come back in and grade the gravel and pave it,” Schroeder said of the East 10th Avenue project.
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A three-block stretch of East 10th Avenue extending from North Lawler Street to Joe Quintal Field is the lone street in the area that’s still gravel. When finished, East 10th Avenue will have new asphalt and water pipes underneath. | https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/mitchell-streets-to-see-increase-in-chip-sealing-completion-of-east-10th-avenue-project-this-summer | 2023-05-18T12:48:54 | 1 | https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/mitchell-streets-to-see-increase-in-chip-sealing-completion-of-east-10th-avenue-project-this-summer |
RAPID CITY — Six top musicians and nearly a dozen more standout vocalists from Mitchell are headed west this weekend to perform in the South Dakota High School Activities Association's all-state jazz band and show choir.
The SDHSAA all-state jazz band and show choir concert will be held at 8 p.m. Central on Saturday, May 6 at Rapid City Central High School.
In the all-state jazz bands, Mitchell High School sophomore Joshua Machado was selected as a tenor saxophone and Mitchell Christian’s Rebekah Strong was a selection as a trumpet/cornet performer as a sophomore. They will play in Big Band 1. In Big Band 2, MHS junior Mason Buenzow will play first chair tenor saxophone, while freshman Emma Plamp will play second chair tenor saxophone. Senior Kobi Lutjens was a selection in the trumpet/cornet section.
MHS senior Drex Martinek will play tenor trombone in the combo band, which consists of rhythm section instruments and horns. In all, 44 musicians were selected to the all-state jazz bands, with Strong, Martinek and Buenzow as repeat all-state performers.
Mitchell High School will be heard as a large part of the all-state show choir selections. Of the 49 overall selections, MHS had 11 all-state show choir selections, tied for the most of any school alongside O’Gorman.
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Five of the 12 bass members selected are from Mitchell, including juniors Connor Singrey, Will Prunty, Dawson Schroeder, Elijah Schroeder and sophomore Braylon Kirchhevel. The tenor section includes juniors Dontaevian Aldridge and Max Bruguier, along with sophomores Brady Trefz and Keean Mimmack. MHS’ alto selections included seniors Logan Culhane and Lilly Honermann. Prunty, Dawson Schroeder, Singrey and Honermann are repeat selections to the all-state show choir.
All-state performers for both jazz band and show choir will gather on Thursday, May 4 in Rapid City to begin practice and clinician sessions prior to Saturday’s concert. It is the second consecutive year that the SDHSAA has sponsored a combined all-state concert for jazz band and show choir. | https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/mitchell-well-represented-in-all-state-jazz-band-show-choir-rosters | 2023-05-18T12:49:04 | 1 | https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/mitchell-well-represented-in-all-state-jazz-band-show-choir-rosters |
MITCHELL — The iconic Starlite Drive-in theater that has provided Mitchell area residents with a unique way to take in a movie from the confines of their vehicles is shutting down once again due to “not meeting expenses.”
Three years ago, the Starlite Drive-in was brought back to life during the pandemic. Reopening the retro outdoor theater in 2020 was a move that Jeff Logan, owner of the Starlite Drive-in and Logan Luxury 5 Cinemas, said was made to give moviegoers a safer option to take in a film on the big screen amid the highly contagious coronavirus spreading through the area.
“It seemed like the right answer to provide extra social distancing, but let people watch movies, get together and get out. (Previously), everyone loved the idea of the drive-in, but they weren’t going to it. We think now, there’s a demand, people feel safer and they can maintain social isolation in the car,” Logan told the Mitchell Republic in 2020 when he decided to reopen the theater.
The closure of the outdoor theater was announced Thursday on the Starlite Drive-in’s social media page, which explained that attendance numbers were good in the first year it reopened but fell in 2021 and 2022. The social media post stated the Drive-in “didn’t meet expenses” for each of the past two years, “despite our best efforts.”
Prior to the 2020 reopening of the Drive-in, the summer seasonal theater, located along Highway 37 in north Mitchell, had been closed for seven years. It first opened in 1949 at the location it remains today under the name of Lake Vue Drive-in Theater. Logan bought the theater in 1976.
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While drive-in theaters were popular attractions several decades ago, they are becoming a thing of the past. In its heyday, there were roughly 4,000 drive-in theaters in the US. That number has now been depleted to 321, according to the latest statistics from the United Drive-in Movie theater Owners Association. A drive-in theater map shows South Dakota has six theaters still doing business. | https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/mitchells-iconic-starlite-drive-in-theater-shutting-down-once-again-due-to-dwindling-attendance | 2023-05-18T12:49:15 | 0 | https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/mitchells-iconic-starlite-drive-in-theater-shutting-down-once-again-due-to-dwindling-attendance |
MITCHELL — A Mount Vernon man who is facing murder charges in the death of a 3-year-old child pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity on Tuesday.
Shawn Delancey, 35, of Mount Vernon, was charged on April 11 for allegedly killing the child while babysitting him at his residence. Delancey, who is facing life in prison without parole, pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to second-degree murder, a Class B felony that carries a maximum sentence of mandatory life in prison; first-degree manslaughter, a Class C felony that carries a maximum sentence of life in prison; and abuse and cruelty to a minor, a Class 3 felony that carries maximum punishment of 15 years in prison and a $30,000 fine.
Judge Chris Giles is presiding over the case and tentatively scheduled an Aug. 7 jury trial for Delancey.
According to an arrest affidavit, the child died on March 14 after Delancey allegedly shook the child violently in an attempt to calm the 3-year-old down.
After authorities conducted an investigation into the child’s death, Delancey was charged with second-degree murder, first-degree manslaughter and abuse, cruelty to a minor.
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During questioning, Delancey told authorities that the child was “upset and acting out” when he attempted to calm him down, the affidavit explains.
Delancey explained to authorities that he gave the child a bath when he began acting out. He said the child started acting out again and “flailing around in the bathtub,” which resulted in Delancey's shaking of the child, the affidavit alleges.
Delancey allegedly admitted to authorities of “grabbing the child by his upper chest” and shaking him while yelling at the 3-year-old to calm down during the incident.
The affidavit explains the child was unresponsive a short time after Delancey allegedly shook the child in a violent manner, which authorities stated resulted in the child’s death.
Delancey is being held in custody on a $500,000 cash bond.
Attorney Chris Nipe is representing Delancey. Nipe was granted a request on Tuesday to add an attorney to join him in the case. Zach Flood will serve as co-counsel with Nipe in the murder case. | https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/mount-vernon-man-pleads-not-guilty-by-reason-of-insanity-to-charges-in-3-year-olds-murder | 2023-05-18T12:49:26 | 0 | https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/mount-vernon-man-pleads-not-guilty-by-reason-of-insanity-to-charges-in-3-year-olds-murder |
MITCHELL — The Corn Palace Stampede Rodeo will not take place in 2023, the organizing committee said on Monday, citing its ongoing legal battle with its landlord.
In a statement, Corn Palace Stampede said Horsemen's Sports, Inc., — the organization that owns the rodeo grounds and whom CPS sued for damages related to the grounds — intends to appeal the verdict issued last month by a Davison County jury that allowed CPS to take a number of key pieces of the property to a new rodeo grounds near the Mitchell Regional Airport.
"Because of the nature of the legal proceedings, the rodeo will not be held in 2023," a statement from the Corn Palace Stampede Rodeo Committee said. "The rodeo committee proposed to hold one final rodeo at the current site. However, HSI and CPS could not reach an agreement on terms for a one-year agreement."
While the rodeo will not be taking place, a few of the traditional happenings related to the event remain as part of the plans. A rodeo-themed parade will still take place on Saturday, July 15 and the Corn Palace Stampede will still hold its annual Family Fun Day and chili cook off at the new rodeo location located north of the Pepsi-Cola Soccer Complex near the Mitchell Regional Airport. More details on those events is expected at a later date.
"On a positive note, the CPS committee is determined to bring people together to celebrate 50-plus years of the rodeo," the statement said.
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On April 14, a Davison County jury ruled that the Corn Palace Stampede group has the right to remove property it purchased and move those structures to a new rodeo site. In addition, the jury awarded $100,000 in damages to the Corn Palace Stampede organization after a four-day trial.
Since 1971, Horseman’s Sports Arena, located along Highway 37 near Lake Mitchell, has been the site of Mitchell’s annual rodeos. A week ago, CPS Committee President Jim Miskimins told the Mitchell City Council that the future of the rodeo in the community was at risk because of the "selfish and thoughtless attitude of Horsemen's Sports Incorporated."
The lawsuit in the case originated in 2020, when CPS didn't have a rodeo due to COVID-19. The rodeo organizing committee held its events in 2021 and 2022 after a court order in the case allowed the annual event to take place despite the pending legal issue.
The legal moves continued this week. On Saturday, May 6, HSI attorney Timothy Whalen, of Lake Andes, filed a “renewed judgment as a matter of law” motion, which seeks to have the jury’s verdict altered regarding how the “material breach” definition was handled by the jury.
“No aspect of the rodeo was cancelled or postponed due to the actions of HSI regarding the fence, boardwalk or bucking chutes. The purpose of the lease was to allow (CPS) to hold its rodeo each year. (CPS) held its rodeos and the two rodeos (in 2021 and 2022) were a great success. If the rodeos were held, were a great success and no events were cancelled or otherwise postponed, then the very object of the lease was attained by (CPS) and the purpose of the lease was not defeated,” Whalen wrote. “Since HSI’s breach could not have been material under the law and the evidence, rescission of the lease was inappropriate under the law. And since the breach was not material, the jury could not have awarded (CPS) $100,000 in damages under the law.”
Sam Nelson, one of the attorneys for CPS, asked for a temporary injunction against HSI on Monday regarding the property that was awarded to the CPS by the jury for a period 150 days to allow CPS to remove it from the property and be granted “unfettered access to HSI’s premises during that period for the purpose of preparing to move and move items of property.”
In a supporting brief, Nelson wrote that HSI told CPS it has 30 days from the entry of judgment on May 2 to move its property, something CPS believes is a bad faith requirement from HSI.
“HSI also knows that CPS was planning to try to hold the rodeo this summer and it would be unfeasible to conduct preparations to hold the rodeo while trying to move items,” Nelson wrote.
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The next proceedings in the case have not yet been scheduled.
The structures and items at the grounds were split between CPS and HSI by the jury in April. Among the items available to be moved with CPS include the three large sections of metal bleachers, a pair of rodeo office buildings, a pair of walk-in coolers, a VIP canopy, the deck structure near the VIP section, a restroom and shower building.
Via the jury, HSI keeps, among other things, both sections of the crows nest, the concession stand, the main entrance area, the concrete block restroom and the handicap entrance to the facility, plus the parking lot and arena lights. | https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/no-corn-palace-stampede-rodeo-in-2023-organizers-say | 2023-05-18T12:49:36 | 0 | https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/no-corn-palace-stampede-rodeo-in-2023-organizers-say |
MITCHELL — The former Lake House restaurant property has a new owner who is seeking to construct a telecommunications tower next to the building that overlooks Lake Mitchell.
After purchasing the property, Cully Evers is in the process of securing all the permits needed to build a 174-foot telecommunications tower next to the former restaurant. The tower would allow cell phone carriers and wireless network companies to install equipment on it, which would expand services in the north side of Mitchell.
“It’s just a communication tower. It’s a pure speculation tower. I don’t have any vendors or carriers going on it at the moment,” Evers said of the tower during the April Planning and Zoning Commission meeting. “I just purchased this property, so I thought it would be a nice addition to it.”
The proposed height and location of the tower sparked opposition from a neighboring property owner, Paul Koch, who echoed his concerns that the tower could destroy future nearby buildings he plans to construct if it were to fall.
Still, after discussing the project details and Koch’s concerns of the location of the tower, the Mitchell Planning Commission unanimously approved the conditional use permit and height variance for the telecommunications tower. The Mitchell City Council will ultimately decide whether to approve the variance and conditional use permit at its upcoming meeting.
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Plans show the tower is proposed to be constructed on the southeast corner of the property, which is adjacent to the land Koch says he is planning to develop in the near future.
“We build to that side, and I’ve got a tower that can be able to fall onto buildings. I don’t want anything at all in that corner,” said Koch, who owns a four-plex housing unit situated to the east of the property and has plans to build more housing. “We plan on improving those properties and starting to move north toward the city’s land.”
Koch indicated he would be “all in” for the project if Evers switched the location of the tower in such a way that’s not within the “range of buildings.”
Evers works in the telecommunications construction field and spoke to the design of the proposed tower. He’s also helped build similar towers in Mitchell.
“It’s a freestanding tower that will have three legs. It stays within its footprint,” he said.
Commission Chairman Jay Larson emphasized that the variance and conditional use permit approvals aren’t associated with the location of the tower. The Planning Commission will decide whether to approve the location of the tower at a future meeting when Evers submits his project plan application.
A question from the Planning Commission surfaced during discussions of Evers’ height variance application, asking Evers why he’s eyeing to extend the height of the tower to more than 170 feet? In response, Evers said it would allow him to add another carrier.
Evers said the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approved the construction of the tower when it was proposed to have a height of 159 feet.
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Since Evers is seeking to extend the height of the telecommunications tower to 174 feet, the FAA will have to approve the proposed height extension for the tower to be built.
The three-legged tower would resemble the telecommunications tower near Mitchell Technical College, which Evers built. However, the tower at the local college on the south side of Mitchell stands 100 feet tall, Mitchell City Planner Mark Jenniges said.
The city’s zoning codes require a variance for structures in the highway business district that will have a height over 100 feet. That’s why Evers is required to secure a variance for his proposed tower near Lake Mitchell.
Evers did not detail the future development plans he has for the rest of the property, which includes a vacant restaurant building. However, he said there are plans to further develop the property in the future. | https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/owner-of-former-lake-house-eyes-building-174-foot-telecommunications-tower-sparking-dispute-over-location | 2023-05-18T12:49:47 | 1 | https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/owner-of-former-lake-house-eyes-building-174-foot-telecommunications-tower-sparking-dispute-over-location |
MITCHELL — A pair of rural bridges undergoing major improvements in rural Davison County received some funding assistance from the James River Water Development District board on Thursday.
The board approved dispersing roughly $26,000 to the bridge projects, which will be used to help fund installing riprap along the base of the structures.
One of the bridges is situated along 404th Avenue, roughly 6 miles west of Mitchell. The second bridge stretches along 394th Avenue, located about 7 miles north of Mount Vernon. Both bridges extend over Firesteel Creek and serve as key structures for agricultural producers in the areas.
Chris Brozik, an engineer overseeing the projects, explained the riprap will combat future erosion and sediment transport that he said could occur due to the creek channel flowing underneath the bridges.
“We’re replacing the bridge, and we are asking to get some assistance on the drainage fabric riprap installation to protect the bridge,” Brozik said of the 404th Avenue bridge.
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The 404th Avenue bridge project has yet to begin. Brozik said the structure will undergo a total replacement this summer and wrap up by November.
Brozik said the improvement work at the 394th Avenue bridge was completed last year. The riprap installation will bring finishing touches to the structure. Each project cost roughly $1.4 million.
The bridge was part of the South Dakota Department of Transportation’s Bridge Improvement Grant program, which covered 63% of the project costs. Davison County covered about 33% of the remaining costs. | https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/pair-of-davison-county-bridges-get-26-000-funding-boost-to-place-riprap-on-both-structures | 2023-05-18T12:49:57 | 1 | https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/pair-of-davison-county-bridges-get-26-000-funding-boost-to-place-riprap-on-both-structures |
MITCHELL — Standing behind a glass case filled with an assortment of medicinal marijuana packages, a big smile grew across Jordon Raftis’ face as he explained the products inside his dispensary.
Since Raftis jumped into the marijuana industry nearly a decade ago, it’s been the Seattle native's dream to open his own dispensary. This spring, Raftis opened a medical cannabis dispensary on the south edge of Mitchell, making it the city’s first legal marijuana business to open its doors.
“I got a job as a budtender in 2015 at a Seattle dispensary the day after I turned 21. My goal, I said in my interview back then, was to open my own store. And here it is,” said Raftis, a budding 28-year-old cannabis entrepreneur. “It’s been eight years in the making for me.”
Tucked in a corner suite of a strip mall near Walmart, Superior Buds dispensary blends in like the rest of the retail stores that fill the building. However, it’s unlike any business inside the strip mall.
For Raftis to open, he had to comply with a wide set of regulations that the city of Mitchell adopted after South Dakota voters approved legalizing medical marijuana during the 2020 election.
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With a logo depicting an aerial view of Lake Superior plastered on the exterior of the building, it’s the only signage that indicates a new business is occupying a once vacant suite.
The discreet signage and business name was chosen by design and by law. As part of the city’s regulations for medical cannabis dispensaries to operate in Mitchell, marijuana establishments cannot display the words "cannabis" or "marijuana.” The signage rule is just one example of the many regulations that Raftis has to comply with to do business.
“We can’t go on traditional advertising platforms and advertise, so we have to rely on word-of-mouth. We can put our business on Leafly and Weed Maps, which are cannabis specific websites, but that’s really it," Raftis said of the strict advertising rules.
Upon entering the dispensary, patrons are greeted at a check-in lobby next to two secured doors that separate the retail floor where marijuana products are on display. This allows staff to check a patron’s medical marijuana card, which must be presented to enter the store.
“We check their driver’s license and medical card every time and put it into the state’s URL link to validate it. We can’t have more than 10 customers on the sale’s floor at once, which hasn’t been a problem so far,” Raftis said.
While abiding by the regulations has come with a new set of challenges for Raftis, who ventured into the industry in a state that was one of the country’s first to legalize recreational marijuana, he said business has been good in the first couple months. He’s welcomed and assisted a wide variety of customers inside his Mitchell storefront who have found cannabis as a remedy for health issues.
“For a lot of people who are dealing with a lot of pain and may be looking to get off some prescription medications like opiates, this is a very great alternative. We get people who come in here who are older and have been fighting to legally purchase this for a long time, and they’ll say it’s crazy they can finally purchase it legally,” Raftis said of some of the interactions he’s had with customers.
The Seattle native got his start in the cannabis industry shortly after Washington state legalized recreational marijuana use. He started out as a salesman working the retail floor of a dispensary in Seattle and quickly climbed his way to upper managerial positions. Raftis also owns a consulting firm that helps aspiring marijuana entrepreneurs develop business plans, aid them in navigating state and federal regulations and prepare budgets.
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When South Dakota legalized medical cannabis, Raftis saw Mitchell as an emerging marijuana market with “a lot of growth potential.” He was the first applicant to secure a Mitchell dispensary license in 2021, and he’s proud to say he’s the first to open.
“I love Mitchell. It’s a beautiful city and state. It’s kind of a hidden gem, and I see a lot of potential for the industry here,” he said.
Being part of a budding industry
As South Dakota’s cannabis industry is in its early stages, Raftis has had to quickly connect himself with marijuana growers in the state. Due to federal laws prohibiting any marijuana products being transported across state lines, Raftis is required to purchase his inventory he sells from approved South Dakota growers.
Raftis said there have been a steady number of growers sprouting up across the state, and some of those new products can be seen at his dispensary with a brief description of the company behind the production of the plants.
“The growers couldn’t plant their seeds until March last year. There just wasn’t a lot of product out there, but as the industry grows there will be more manufactures and products available, which will help stabilize the pricing and give more variety,” Raftis said. “We like to have a little variety.”
As the industry expands, so too will the competition. And Raftis could soon see some competition in Mitchell.
There are five dispensary license holders in the city, including a group from Missouri that’s planning to open a production facility and dispensary inside the former Runnings building along Burr Street and a South Dakota-based cannabis company that’s in the process of transforming a vacant building into a dispensary. The Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe and a local businessman also have dispensary licenses.
Will demand be great enough in Mitchell for potentially five dispensaries operating at once? Raftis is skeptical. By opening his store ahead of the other dispensaries, he’s confident that the clientele he’s built will remain strong regardless of new stores opening.
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According to the state’s Department of Health, there were 9,836 medical marijuana card holders in the state as of Monday.
While more states have legalized medical and recreational marijuana for adults over the past few years, the plant remains criminalized at the federal level.
Regardless of what the legal future holds for marijuana, Raftis is committed to continue advocating for the industry that’s provided him a viable career.
“Until it’s federally legal, we’re still going to be fighting that fight,” he said. | https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/seattle-native-fulfills-dream-by-opening-mitchells-first-medical-marijuana-dispensary | 2023-05-18T12:50:08 | 1 | https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/seattle-native-fulfills-dream-by-opening-mitchells-first-medical-marijuana-dispensary |
MITCHELL — The city of Mitchell recently held a public meeting to discuss Lake Mitchell as city leaders in June will be considering voting to fund a $25 million dredging project.
Mitchell Mayor Bob Everson joined Mitchell Republic Editor Luke Hagen to sort through all of the happenings going on with the lake. | https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/special-report-mayor-everson-talks-all-things-lake-mitchell | 2023-05-18T12:50:18 | 1 | https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/special-report-mayor-everson-talks-all-things-lake-mitchell |
MITCHELL — Over the past three years, the lawsuit between the Corn Palace Stampede Rodeo and its landlord, Horsemen’s Sports has been a long, complicated story.
In April, Corn Palace Stampede won a jury decision in the case that allowed it to take key improvements it made to the rodeo grounds with it to a new location near the Mitchell Regional Airport, plus received $100,000 in damages. Horsemen’s Sports, which is a longtime nonprofit club of area team ropers and rodeo event enthusiasts from the Mitchell area, has appealed the decision. After court action mandated the two sides get along to hold the rodeo in 2021 and 2022, the appeal and the frosty relationship between the sides will preclude this year’s Mitchell rodeo from taking place in mid-July.
Here’s a review of the recent rodeo grounds timeline to this point:
July 2019: The Corn Palace Stampede Rodeo is held for the 49th consecutive year at the Horsemen’s Sports Arena with a purse of $71,327 over four days, drawing 7,683 attendees. The rodeo dates back to 1971, with each edition being held at the location along State Highway 37 near Lake Mitchell.
March 2020: The onset of COVID-19 begins in South Dakota.
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April 24, 2020: Corn Palace Stampede cancels the 2020 rodeo due to the COVID-19 pandemic . “The pandemic is going to be so hard on individuals and businesses in our community that we rely on to support us,” Corn Palace Stampede President Jim Miskimins said at the time. “And we didn’t feel like it was fair to lean on them to support our event during these difficult financial times.”
May 11, 2020: The rodeo arena fence at Horsemen’s Sports Arena is taken down, causing conflict between CPS and HSI. In court, HSI representatives said they took the fence down because they knew they had more than a year to widen the arena and rebuild the fence, making the arena larger and better and believed they could make the improvements because they owned the facility. In the days after this, CPS and HSI representatives met in person at the arena and later disagreed about what was agreed to for improvements. While the organizations got along for decades on “handshake deals,” 2020 marked a stark change in the relationship.
Aug. 26, 2020: HSI members later altered the alignment of the bucking chutes and removed the deck platform in CPS’ VIP area, as well. According to court testimony, when HSI President Brandon Neugebauer alerted Miskimins about moving chutes, Miskimins responded via text: “Proceed at your own risk.”
Sept. 10, 2020: Corn Palace Stampede files a lawsuit against Horsemen’s Sports regarding damages to its property . HSI later files a counterclaim against CPS. HSI members testified in court they were going to put the fence and deck planks back but then received the lawsuit.
April 2021: With the next edition of the CPS Rodeo drawing near, First Circuit Court Judge David Knoff issues an injunction that allows CPS to hold its 2021 rodeo on the land.
July 2021: Coming off the pandemic in 2021, CPS Rodeo draws more than 13,000 fans over four nights for the 50th edition of the event, including nearly 4,000 fans on Friday, July 16.
September 2021: With the lawsuit with HSI underway, CPS reaches a lease agreement with the city of Mitchell to move its rodeo to a new location at 5971 Airport Road. The new property is about 20 acres, with CPS set to rent the land for a cost of $7,500 per year. As part of the moves, CPS created a new nonprofit organization called the Mitchell Rodeo Foundation.
July 2022: The 51st Corn Palace Stampede Rodeo takes place, with the court-ordered injunction still in place between the two parties. The event had a purse of $81,289 and a total payout of $83,888.
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January 2023: Judge David Knoff rules to strip out the individual liability against members of Horsemen’s Sports in the case, setting it up to be only a lawsuit between the two nonprofit organizations.
April 11, 2023: The jury trial begins between the two parties. CPS argues it should be able to take its improvements to the facility because it deemed all of its structures “personal property” in an earlier lease, valued at as much as $600,000 in one early estimate in the lawsuit. HSI argued that the construction done on the rodeo grounds became property of HSI, as a 1999 lease stipulated, unless the improvements “could be readily removed without causing damage” to the facility, which was one of the primary topics argued over in court.
April 14, 2023: A jury rules that CPS can take major elements of the rodeo grounds with them to a new facility, plus award $100,000 to CPS in damages after ruling HSI breached the contract with CPS. No decision is announced at the time regarding the 2023 rodeo plans.
May 8, 2023: CPS announces it is canceling the 2023 rodeo due to the legal appeal from HSI in the case. CPS said it could not reach a one-year agreement to hold the rodeo at the arena for 2023. The parade, chili cook-off and family fun day remain planned for the weekend of July 15. After 49 rodeos in a row, it's the second time in four years the summer rodeo won't take place in Mitchell.
What's next: HSI has the ability to appeal the jury's ruling to the state Supreme Court. HSI Attorney Tim Whalen, in an interview with the Mitchell Republic, said the organization was considering appealing. Corn Palace Stampede President Jim Miskimins, in a letter to rodeo supporters, said CPS "turned over every stone to attempt to hold a rodeo this year" but that "we have a spot secured for 2024 and beyond." | https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/timeline-a-look-at-the-corn-palace-stampede-horsemens-sports-rodeo-grounds-dispute | 2023-05-18T12:50:28 | 0 | https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/timeline-a-look-at-the-corn-palace-stampede-horsemens-sports-rodeo-grounds-dispute |
PLANKINTON — Two people died when the vehicle they were in Saturday night was traveling the wrong way on Interstate 90.
Officials say a 17-year-old male driver and a 29-year-old male passenger were pronounced dead at the scene of the crash, which occurred at about 9:46 p.m. at mile marker 311 on I-90.
Names of the people involved in the crash have not yet been released, pending notification of family.
The preliminary crash report shows a 1999 Ford Crown Victoria was going eastbound in the westbound lanes when it collided with a westbound 2024 Kenworth semi-tractor trailer. The 63-year-old male driver of the semi was wearing a seat belt and was uninjured.
South Dakota Highway Patrol is investigating the crash. | https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/two-dead-following-head-on-collision-near-plankinton | 2023-05-18T12:50:39 | 0 | https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/two-dead-following-head-on-collision-near-plankinton |
Kristi Hine, publisher of the True Dakotan at Wessington Springs, was elected the 137th president of the South Dakota Newspaper Association during the organization’s annual meeting May 12.
The membership meeting was held at Devils Lake, N.D., where SDNA members and members of the North Dakota Newspaper Association convened for a two-states convention.
Also elected to the 2023-24 SDNA Board of Directors were: first vice president Molly McRoberts of the Potter County News at Gettysburg; second vice president Jason Ferguson of the Custer County Chronicle; director LeeAnne Dufek of Hamlin County Publishing at Castlewood; and immediate past president Garrick Moritz of the Garretson Gazette.
“I am honored to serve as president of SDNA and continue with the essential work and advocacy of the association to help local journalism across South Dakota persevere, evolve and thrive," Hine said.
Hine purchased the True Dakotan from the Wenzel family in 2015. Prior to that time, she spent 15 years in marketing and public relations in San Diego, Las Vegas and Phoenix.
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“The Wenzels created a 40-year legacy of solid community journalism here in Wessington Springs,” Hine said. “I am privileged to carry it forward as the publisher and editor of the True Dakotan.”
The newspaper is the official newspaper of record for Jerauld County, Wessington Springs, Alpena, Lane and the Wessington Springs School District.
Since purchasing the True Dakotan, she has updated and modernized the look and design of the publication while broadening the newspaper’s digital product offerings.
After a fire broke out at the True Dakotan in 2020, she took on a full renovation of the 108-year-old newspaper building, making an investment on Main Street and signaling to the community that her dedication to serving the area through local journalism runs deep.
Consistent, in-depth coverage of public board meetings and high school sports combined with detailed feature stories about people, businesses and organizations within local communities are just a few of the reasons why newspapers are a trusted and vital part of their communities, Hine said.
“From news about homicides to bowling leagues and everything in between, good community newspapers have every corner on the South Dakota prairie covered,” she said. “Strong local news — whether in print or digital form — is a key contributor to the vitality of successful communities and foundational to our democracy.”
Hine added that while national news media in general faces mistrust and scrutiny, savvy readers across South Dakota realize that no one can report or reflect their communities the way local, community journalists can. She said trust in local community newspapers remains strong because of their work delivering news comprehensively and accurately while also delivering results for local advertisers.
Hine points to the SDNA survey conducted among South Dakota adults in the fall of 2021. In South Dakota, 83% of adults read newspapers in print or online every month; 86% cite local newspapers and newspaper websites as their most trusted source for public notices; and 81% of South Dakotans who read newspapers feel they have a responsibility to shape the future of their community.
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“Those are just a few takeaways from the survey but for a newspaper publisher, the data are encouraging. Most of all, it motivates me to continue shining a light on the public’s right to know and telling the shared stories of our communities,” Hine said, adding that she looks forward to supporting those efforts across the state in her new role.
SDNA, based in Brookings, represents the state’s 105 weekly and daily newspapers. | https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/wessington-springs-publisher-elected-to-lead-states-newspaper-association | 2023-05-18T12:50:49 | 0 | https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/wessington-springs-publisher-elected-to-lead-states-newspaper-association |
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — The 21st annual Ride of Silence took place Wednesday night in many cities across the country, including Birmingham. The ride honors bicyclists who have been killed while riding on the road while also raising awareness of how to safely share the road.
Many people are familiar with bike lanes around the city but what are the rules on sharing the road with cyclists even when bike lanes aren’t available?
“The laws in Alabama are pretty simple,” says Lloyd Maisonville, president of the Birmingham Bike Club. “A motorist must give a cyclist three feet of clearance when passing and it’s up to the cyclist to stay to the right-hand side of the road.”
The Birmingham Bike Club says 70 bicyclists have been killed in the city in the last 16 years, nine alone last year. This doesn’t even begin to count the close encounters cyclists often experience or being run off the road.
“Your heart just goes into your throat, right? And you’re just like oh my gosh, why did that happen? There’s been several times while we’re riding that we’ll have drivers who will what we call ‘buzz’ us, so that means they come extremely close to us,” says Maisonville.
Many cyclists know someone who has been killed or seriously injured while riding.
“Whenever she gets around it, she still has PTSD from it but like I said, she still gets out, thankfully, she overcame that but her story — it was so terrible,” says Tory Moody about a fellow cyclist friend. “Her husband, both, laid up broken. Terrible.”
Even though there are dangers that come with riding on the roads, for many they say it’s still worth it.
“Even if you had a long day at work, I work at US Steel so grueling days sometimes, I get on a bike and all that wind just blows all that off,” says Moody. “That’s the great thing about riding, just get on a bike, takes all that stress away.”
Cyclists have simple messages for those they share the road with.
“We’re not your enemy,” says Moody. “You have three and up thousand-pound vehicles, you have motors, we are not your enemy. We’re trying to get out of your way but there’s some situations where we’re trying to figure it out just as much as you are.”
“Try to be patient. Try to follow the three-foot law,” says Maisonville.
The Birmingham Bike Club says while there have been great improvements around the city for riders, there are still areas that could be better. | https://www.cbs42.com/news/local/ride-of-silence-takes-place-in-birmingham-as-bicycle-deaths-continue-to-increase/ | 2023-05-18T12:54:47 | 0 | https://www.cbs42.com/news/local/ride-of-silence-takes-place-in-birmingham-as-bicycle-deaths-continue-to-increase/ |
MIDLAND, Texas — Madeline Pantoja, a 20-year old girl from Midland, has been missing since May 10th. Her keys, phone, purse and dog were left in her apartment, and the search continues.
A prayer service was held for Madeline on Wednesday night at Our Lady of Guadalupe Shrine and Parish in Midland, and it was an emotional night as family and friends gathered for the third straight night to pray for her. They recited the rosary during the service, and the plan is to continue to pray for her every evening at 7 P.M. at the same location until she is found.
As the rosary was recited Wednesday evening by loved ones of Madeline, a powerful call to God was made in the hope of finding her.
“We’re just very desperate, we’re just begging God to help us get her back home," said Karen Ramos, a best friend of Madeline. "We’re just doing whatever we can to just get the most help we can from anywhere.”
As the days go by, they are looking for help.
“At this point we need God," said Jasmine Hernandez, a best friend of Madeline. "We need Him to guide us through this, to guide the police through this, we need help, because it’s been six days, seven days, like we can’t keep waiting.”
Ramos and Hernandez say hope is the only thing left to hold onto. The last week has felt constant for them as they try and find their best friend.
“The days have just been all mushed together honestly because we’ve just been doing the same thing, we’ve just been reaching out to whoever we can reach out to, looking in the lands, fields and everywhere we can look for her," said Ramos and Hernandez. "The best word right now is just heartbroken, because we feel hopeless. There’s nothing that we can do, like it’s out of our hands and we’ve searched everywhere. We’ve passed out fliers everywhere.”
With prayers set to continue, their efforts will remain as well.
“If you’re watching this Maddy, just be strong," said Ramos and Hernandez. "We’re coming to get you and we’re trying our hardest to find you. Just stay strong and we will stay strong too. We just hope that you’re safe and you’re alive, and that at the end of this you’re at the end of this. You’re the light at the end of the tunnel after all of this, and we won’t stop searching ever.”
If you have any information about Madeline’s whereabouts call the Midland Police Department at 432-685-7108. She is approximately 5' 4", 130 pounds with long dark hair. She also has two butterfly tattoos behind her right ear and a tattoo of a snake on her right arm. There is also a 'GoFundMe' for Madeline that people can contribute to. | https://www.newswest9.com/article/news/local/family-and-friends-of-madeline-pantoja-hold-prayer-service/513-1a1fa9b2-3a93-47cd-8213-38c3aa97bae3 | 2023-05-18T12:56:12 | 1 | https://www.newswest9.com/article/news/local/family-and-friends-of-madeline-pantoja-hold-prayer-service/513-1a1fa9b2-3a93-47cd-8213-38c3aa97bae3 |
TEXAS, USA — Bicyclists from around the Permian Basin participated in the 'Ride of Silence' event to raise awareness for fallen cyclists.
The group set out to pedal for 12 miles on Hwy 191 and Hwy 158. The rally was free and asked riders to go no faster than 12 miles per hour, while remaining silent.
"Just follow the rules, wear your helmet, you know everything you've heard again wear your helmet, flashing lights, bright colored clothing, be seen, see and be seen," said Permian Basin Ride of Silence organizer John Floyd. "Remember we say we have the same privileges, but we have the same rights, yes we do we have the same responsibilities. Keep ourselves safe, take care of our bikes, take care of our bodies, ride in a predictable fashion." | https://www.newswest9.com/article/news/local/ride-of-silence-aims-to-raise-awareness-for-fallen-cyclists/513-df0b8ceb-ba9e-453d-8eed-13bec951334c | 2023-05-18T12:56:14 | 1 | https://www.newswest9.com/article/news/local/ride-of-silence-aims-to-raise-awareness-for-fallen-cyclists/513-df0b8ceb-ba9e-453d-8eed-13bec951334c |
Four things to know about the County's new $200M budget for fiscal year 2024
Eddy County’s Board of County Commissioners approved a $200 million budget for fiscal year 2024 Tuesday, a $42 million increase from the current fiscal year.
The budget determines how Eddy County will spend the money over the next fiscal year, which starts July 1, 2023 and ends June 31, 2024.
County staff started the budget process in late December and early January. Commissioners reviewed and discussed the proposed budget in March and a preliminary budget was approved in April.
The budget is due June 1 to the New Mexico Department of Finance and Administration (NMDFA).
Here are four things to know about the County’s budget.
Pay increases for Eddy County employees
Eddy County Manager Roberta Gonzales said the interim budget includes a 5% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for all county employees.
Seventy-three employees would receive a pay raise based on step increases and 24 new positions would be created in county government.
2023 tax collections shatter early goals
Eddy County government is funded through multiple tax sources. Gonzales said oil and gas taxes and property taxes are the main drivers for county government revenue.
At the start of the 2023 fiscal year, Eddy County anticipated $35.5 million in oil and gas production tax collection revenues, per data from the Finance Department.
Through March of this year, the County collected $92 million in oil and gas tax collections and continued collections were forecast to remain steady for the final three months of the current fiscal year.
More:NMSU study shows Eddy County top contributor to state government
2024 tax collections forecast to increase
Eddy County forecasted oil and gas production tax collections at $47.5 million for 2024. The proposed collections are well ahead of what the County predicted for fiscal year 2023.
Eddy County also forecasted higher property tax collections for 2024. The County anticipated $20 million property tax collections for the current fiscal year and forecast $23 million for 2024.
“The County continues to focus on public safety and roads as top priorities among many other governmental services,” Gonzales said.
Conservative budget amid oil, gas economy
“The County has and will continue to budget conservatively,” Gonzales said.
Eddy County’s oil and gas tax collections for the oil and gas industry are based on the West Texas Intermediate (WTI) price for a barrel of oil. The county’s oil and tax reporting tax collections are usually based on business conducted five months earlier in the oilfields.
The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) noted WTI prices in 2023 ranged from $81.31 to $68.56 a barrel.
More:All Eddy County employees will get a pay raise in 2024. Here's what we know
EIA noted the WTI price was $70.86 as of May 17.
With the start of a new fiscal year, oil and gas production could lean in Eddy County’s favor, according to the EIA.
U.S. crude oil refinery outputs averaged 16 million barrels per day during the week of May 12, which was 245,000 thousand barrels per day more than the week of May 5, stated an EIA website.
More:Eddy County oil and gas tax collections exceed budgeted expectations in 2023
“Refineries operated at 92 percent of their operable capacity (the week). Gasoline production decreased averaging 9.5 million barrels per day,” cited the website.
The EIA forecasts petroleum production to grow by 1.9 million barrels a day. The United States was driving increased production, which is expected to grow to 21.1 barrels a day in 2023.
The EIA predicts slow production growth in 2024, with U.S. production to increase by 380,000 barrels a day.
Mike Smith can be reached at 575-628-5546 or by email at MSmith@currentargus.com or @ArgusMichae on Twitter. | https://www.currentargus.com/story/news/local/2023/05/18/four-things-to-know-about-eddy-countys-200m-2024-budget-pay-increases-county-employees/70213545007/ | 2023-05-18T13:02:06 | 0 | https://www.currentargus.com/story/news/local/2023/05/18/four-things-to-know-about-eddy-countys-200m-2024-budget-pay-increases-county-employees/70213545007/ |
SAN ANTONIO — Fire officials rush to put out the flames of an RV that caught fire at a Home Depot parking lot on the northwest side Thursday morning, according to San Antonio Police.
The incident occurred on the 12800 block of De Zavala Road around 6:30 a.m. Thursday.
Police says two people were inside at the time of the fire with one man taken to the hospital with burns to his foot.
Police believe the fire was electrical as the RV was parked in the Home Depot parking lot overnight and when the people inside tried to start it caught fire. | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/rv-burst-into-flames-outside-home-depot-parking-lot-sapd-says/273-ae7fe0bd-9b10-4cb7-91f1-950535c939b2 | 2023-05-18T13:07:55 | 0 | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/rv-burst-into-flames-outside-home-depot-parking-lot-sapd-says/273-ae7fe0bd-9b10-4cb7-91f1-950535c939b2 |
SAN ANTONIO — Four people were shot at a San Antonio club killing one person on the northwest side early Thursday morning, according to San Antonio Police.
The incident occurred at the Privat Social Club located on the 5000 block of UTSA Boulevard around 1:30 a.m. Thursday.
Police say in two groups with a total of 20 people were involved in an altercation in the Privat Social Club's parking lot.
During the altercation several shots rang out striking four people, leaving one of those people dead, according to officials. Three other men were shot in the legs suffering non-life threatening injuries.
Detectives say they are reviewing security cameras.
No arrests have yet been made.
This is a developing story. | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/san-antonio-club-shooting/273-e23687d3-3bae-4308-baa2-13ddd58b5feb | 2023-05-18T13:08:01 | 1 | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/san-antonio-club-shooting/273-e23687d3-3bae-4308-baa2-13ddd58b5feb |
SAN ANTONIO — Two people have died after an altercation turns deadly east of downtown early Thursday morning, according to San Antonio officials.
The incident occurred at the 700 block of Austin Street around 12:45 a.m. Thursday.
San Antonio Police say when they arrived at the scene they found two men with gunshot wounds that occurred after an altercation at a residence.
One person was pronounced dead at the scene and the other was taken to a local hospital in critical condition, SAPD says.
According to the medical examiner the other man later died. | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/two-people-are-dead-after-a-fight-east-of-downtown-officials-say/273-3e71888f-6e19-4c49-a5cf-74f13a1e0d96 | 2023-05-18T13:08:07 | 1 | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/two-people-are-dead-after-a-fight-east-of-downtown-officials-say/273-3e71888f-6e19-4c49-a5cf-74f13a1e0d96 |
ATLANTA — The last day of school is only days away for kids across the metro, but as summer starts, doctors are raising the alarm about a concerning trend of kids getting hurt on ATVs.
"We definitely see ATV injuries increase when the weather gets warm and especially during summer when children have a lot of free time," Dr. Maneesha Agarwal, who works in the emergency room at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, said. "It's just heartbreaking, as you can imagine."
11-year-old James Lambright is currently recovering at Children's after an ATV accident in late April.
"He loves outdoors," his dad Josh told 11Alive. "We live in the country so he loves riding."
James and his friend Dustin were riding near the family's home in Carrollton, Georgia, when James flipped his four-wheeler, his dad explained.
"His eyes were open, but he wasn't there," Josh said. "And that's when I knew it was bad. I had no idea it was as bad as it turned out to be."
James was airlifted to Children's, spending seven hours in surgery. The waiting was excruciating for his parents, Josh shared.
"Me and his mom came up [to Children's] and didn't know if he was going to make it," Josh said. "That's not something that anybody ever wants to have to experience."
While still in the hospital, James is now recovering. Yet, U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission data from 1982-2015 shows that ATV crashes have killed more than 3,000 children younger than 16 years of age and required emergency department visits for nearly a million more. It's estimated around four kids are seen in an emergency department every hour for an ATV-related injury in the United States.
"Some of the dangerous things that we see children do on these machines include riding with passengers, riding unhelmeted, riding without supervision, riding without protective gear," Dr. Agarwal said.
James ultimately suffered 22 broken bones, a punctured lung, and a punctured liver, his dad said. His parents are now hoping to spare other families the pain, emphasizing the importance of supervision and protective gear.
"Put your helmets on. Put your chest plates on," Josh said. "He's got the boots, the pants...he didn't have a bit of it on."
To help the Lambright family with expenses, visit the GoFundMe here.
The AAP urges the following safety rules for ATV riding:
Wear a helmet. Riders should always wear motorcycle-style helmets that are approved by the Department of Transportation. Wearing a helmet may greatly prevent or reduce the severity of a head injury in a crash.
Don't ride with or as a passenger. Most ATVs are designed to carry only one person: the driver. Passengers can make ATVs less stable and difficult to control.
Stay off public roads. ATVs are not designed for roadway use like cars and trucks. They don't have the common safety equipment that all cars and trucks do. ATVs have knobby treaded, low pressure tires that can unpredictably grab public roadway surfaces and lead to loss of control and rollover.
Don't cross public roads. The exception is if it's permitted by law and supervised by someone who is at least 18 years old.
Only use an ATV that is the right size for the driver. Adult-sized ATVs can weigh over 800 lbs. and reach speeds over 70 mph. Their size and speed make them too dangerous for kids to drive. More than 90% of deaths and injuries among ATV riders younger than 16 have occurred when they were on adult-size vehicles.
Never allow riding at night. This means no riding after dusk and until dawn. Flags, reflectors and lights should always be used to make vehicles more visible.
Do not drive ATVs while under the influence. Alcohol, drugs and even some prescription or over-the-counter medicines can physically or mentally impair your driving skills and abilities. This sets a good example for your children too. | https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/atv-risks-family-doctors-warn-11-year-old-accident-injures/85-4bb7b911-ab34-48bf-a66d-c0aa6fc18b9c | 2023-05-18T13:11:41 | 0 | https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/atv-risks-family-doctors-warn-11-year-old-accident-injures/85-4bb7b911-ab34-48bf-a66d-c0aa6fc18b9c |
HARLINGEN, Texas — An 8-year-old child died while in custody of U.S. Customs and Border Protection on Wednesday in Harlingen, according to a statement from the federal law enforcement agency.
Details about where the child was from and the cause of her death were not released as of Wednesday evening.
“The child and her family were in custody at the Harlingen Station where she experienced a medical emergency. Emergency Medical Services were called to the station and transported her to the local hospital where she was pronounced dead,” read a statement from CBP released on Wednesday.
Her death comes less than a week after the emergency public health order known as Title 42 expired, which allowed migrants to be turned away during the COVID-19 pandemic without allowing them to request asylum. Some predicted the change would lead to a significant increase in the number of migrants crossing the southern border, but that hasn’t happened, according to Biden administration officials.
Ahead of Title 42’s expiration, Gov. Greg Abbott sent hundreds of Texas National Guard soldiers to the southern border to prepare for the large groups of migrants expected to enter the United States, and border cities declared a state of emergency.
Abbott did not immediately return a request for comment Wednesday evening.
In the statement, CBP said the agency’s Office of Professional Responsibility would conduct an investigation of the girl’s death and that the Department of Homeland Security and the Harlingen Police Department were notified.
The last time a minor died in federal custody at the border was four years ago. In May 2019, a 16-year-old from Guatemala died while in custody of the Office of Refugee Resettlement in a shelter in Brownsville. The previous year, two young children, who were also from Guatemala, died after law enforcement apprehended them.
This story comes from The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan media organization that informs Texans - and engages with them - about public policy, politics, government, and statewide issues. | https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/texas-border-minor-dies-in-federal-custody/285-987731f1-4a73-45cd-8039-bdafbe63f7bc | 2023-05-18T13:11:47 | 1 | https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/texas-border-minor-dies-in-federal-custody/285-987731f1-4a73-45cd-8039-bdafbe63f7bc |
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — Sedgwick County Commissioner David Dennis says he’s part of a new task force to figure out the infrastructure needed to support electric vehicles and keep firefighters safe.
Dennis says the current technology used to fight electric vehicle fires is expensive and requires a much larger amount of resources.
“On a gas fire, from the studies that I’ve seen, takes about 1,000 gallons of water to put that fire out. On an electric vehicle, in order to cool that battery down enough, it takes about 30,000 gallons of water,” Dennis said.
Commissioner Dennis says a process known as “thermal runaway” makes fighting lithium-ion battery fires much more difficult.
“So, if one cell out of all the hundreds of cells that are in this battery starts to overheat, then it transfers that heat to the next cell, and it’s just kind of a ripple effect,” Dennis said.
Wichita Fire Department Battalion Chief Jose Ocadiz says an extinguishing agent known as Lith-X is a good alternative for fires caused by small lithium-ion batteries, but it has its limitations. Lith-X is a graphite-based dry powder blended for use on lithium fire. It is effective on fire involving high melting points.
“Those larger types of vehicles, or buses, transportation types of vehicles on being able to contain that temperature, water’s going to be our first and best option,” Ocadiz said.
Ocadiz says the WFD only has one five-gallon bucket of Lith-X currently in use. He says the department would prefer owning at least 50 buckets, but the average cost per bucket is $440.
“We would love to have this type of extinguishing agent on all of our vehicles, but right now, because of the technology, it’s still new, and the research continues on what’s the best options,” Ocadiz said.
Another challenge: fire and building codes have been unable to keep up with technology.
“With the new technology of these electrical transportation vehicles, there’s nothing in the current fire code or building code that has any language or relates to this type of fire,” Ocadiz said.
Ocadiz says the City of Wichita follows the latest International Code Council regulations on fire and building code which was released in 2018. He says an updated version will be released in 2024. Meanwhile, Commissioner Dennis says the next EV task force meeting will take place in June. | https://www.ksn.com/news/local/sedgwick-county-exploring-infrastructure-options-following-transit-bus-fire/ | 2023-05-18T13:11:56 | 1 | https://www.ksn.com/news/local/sedgwick-county-exploring-infrastructure-options-following-transit-bus-fire/ |
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — A local landscaping business and its owner entered a consent judgment with the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office after an investigation found it violated the Kansas Consumer Protection Act (KCPA).
The DA’s office says it received a consumer complaint about a concrete retaining wall project.
AJ Landscaping and Irrigation, LLC, and its owner Anthony Davis allegedly failed to disclose the business was not properly licensed to perform the contracted work and did not provide the customer with “a material benefit” after they were forced to hire a second contractor to correct and finish the project.
Davis and AJ Landscaping denied intentionally violating the KCPA but accepted a consent judgment to settle the matter. The agreement states they will have to pay $5,900 in restitution to the customer, and a $20,000 civil penalty, along with other court costs.
Additionally, AJ Landscaping agreed not to contract work for which the business does not have a requisite license. | https://www.ksn.com/news/local/wichita-landscaping-company-fined-25k-for-violating-kcpa/ | 2023-05-18T13:12:02 | 1 | https://www.ksn.com/news/local/wichita-landscaping-company-fined-25k-for-violating-kcpa/ |
This story has been updated to reflect McCormick’s correct age.
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — A Wichita man on Wednesday was indicted by a federal grand jury for threatening the President of the United States.
Cody McCormick, 27, was indicted on three counts of making a threat against the President of the United States. Court filings say he is accused of publishing messages on Facebook, saying in part, “It’s my job to kill and finish (President Biden).”
The affidavit says McCormick sent the messages to the Lane County Sheriff’s Office and KSN News. He also told staff at St. Joseph’s Hospital that he planned to kill President Biden.
Two Secret Service agents interviewed McCormick and asked him if the Secret Service needed to be concerned about him if Biden visited Wichita, to which he responded, “Yeah.”
He said if given the opportunity, he would “force (Biden) to step down from office” and would kidnap him.
A later court date will be scheduled. | https://www.ksn.com/news/local/wichita-man-indicted-for-making-threats-to-kill-president-biden/ | 2023-05-18T13:12:08 | 1 | https://www.ksn.com/news/local/wichita-man-indicted-for-making-threats-to-kill-president-biden/ |
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