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DALLAS(KDAF)— This morning, we’re in the 70s and expected to increase in the afternoon. Tuesday, there is a chance of severe thunderstorms coming in the afternoon, which will bring hail, strong winds, and heavy rain. While driving, you may see flooding in certain areas.
NWS Fort Worth said, “Another complex of thunderstorms will approach from the northwest Tuesday night bringing another round of rain/storm chances to North and Central Texas through Wednesday morning. A few of the storms west of the I-35 corridor may be strong with primarily a damaging wind threat. Small hail and localized flooding due to heavy rainfall are also possible”.
On Tuesday, the severe thunderstorm chances are low, so make sure to watch your local weather channel for more updates.
NWS Fort Worth said, “A weakening thunderstorm complex may approach the area from the northwest tonight and spread into North Texas early Tuesday morning. The severe weather potential is low, but gusty winds are possible with this decaying activity”. | https://cw33.com/news/local/be-careful-strong-thunderstorms-coming-to-north-texas-this-tuesday-hail-and-flooding/ | 2023-05-22T16:28:23 | 1 | https://cw33.com/news/local/be-careful-strong-thunderstorms-coming-to-north-texas-this-tuesday-hail-and-flooding/ |
DALLAS (KDAF) — Are you a big true crime fan?
Today may be your lucky day or maybe your last day? No, we are kidding of course, but Texas Horror Cult‘s True Crime Festival is definitely an event to be caught red-handed at.
Set on Sherlock Holmes Day, which as stated by National Today is, “an annual celebration, marked on the birthday of its creator, May 22. It was on this day that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle came kicking into this world.” How coincidental is it that the True Crime Festival lands on the day that celebrates the creator of one of the best non-fictional detectives around? Hmm…
In terms of the festival, there will be 15 different short films each five to eight minutes long. Texas Horror Cult describes it as, “an evening of Texas filmmaking as Texas Horror Cult presents their ‘True Crime’ Film Festival at the historic Texas Theatre! The film teams have been built and they’re hard at work creating their very own True Crime short films.”
Each film was created by a filmmaker over the course of six weeks, Texas Horror Cult Classic said. The show starts at 7 pm at the Texas Theater, find out more information here.
You know our methods, Watson. | https://cw33.com/news/local/sleuths-truths-dallas-hosts-true-crime-film-festival/ | 2023-05-22T16:28:26 | 0 | https://cw33.com/news/local/sleuths-truths-dallas-hosts-true-crime-film-festival/ |
DALLAS (KDAF) — With Memorial Day around the corner, Wallet Hub released data on the best and worst states for military retirees.
Texas has to step up their A-game. The state was ranked #32 out of #51 making it one of the worse states for military retirees, WalletHub states.
“Many retirees face major struggles including Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, disability and homelessness, which are especially difficult to deal with during this period of economic difficulty,” WalletHub said.
Texas is known for its love and generosity, so how can we as Texans support our veterans? Here are some ways to help support veterans in Texas:
Become a Student Ambassador
Encourage your child’s school to register or their teacher’s classroom to help raise awareness for the Wounded Warrior Project. WWP provides life-saving services to veterans injured mentally or physically in the war. Honor Their Courage was launched in 2020 as a Student Ambassador Program.
Donate
There are so many different charities that specialize in helping veterans from The Travis Manion Foundation to DFW Canines for Veterans. There are so many causes locally that you can volunteer and donate to. You can also donate via VA North Texas.
Give to the local Homeless Vets
Homeless Veterans Service of Dallas in partnership with the VA North Texas has helped service the homeless veteran population in Dallas. They accept donations on Tuesdays and Thursdays, for more information click here.
Carry The Load – Dallas Memorial March
The Dallas Memorial March is a two-day event from May 28 through May 29. March with families and friends to remember those that we have lost or protected our country as the city pays homage to soldiers on Memorial Day.
We hope that you have a wonderful Memorial Day as you remember the true reason for celebrating the holiday. Make sure to love and show appreciation to the vets in your family and community! | https://cw33.com/news/local/texas-rated-worst-state-for-military-retirees-heres-how-you-can-show-them-love/ | 2023-05-22T16:28:29 | 1 | https://cw33.com/news/local/texas-rated-worst-state-for-military-retirees-heres-how-you-can-show-them-love/ |
(Nexstar) — Like it or not, there’s (sometimes) a friendly rivalry between Texas and California. Our most populous states are often compared on cost of living, quality of life, conomic supremacy and politics, to name a few. But these giants of American culture have a few things in common, including independent-minded residents with a reputation for driving like they own the road.
So which drivers are actually worse?
A study released this month by Forbes Advisor leaves little doubt, ranking Texans as the worst drivers in the nation. Their research team used six metrics, including per-person drunken-driving deaths, distracted- and drowsy-driving deaths, wrong-way fatal accidents, and fatal crashes while failing to obey traffic signals. The final factor was phone use per mile behind the wheel.
“Texas ranks second worst in the nation for two of the metrics we considered: fatal car accidents involving a drowsy driver (1.35 accidents per 100,000 licensed drivers) and fatal car accidents involving a driver who was driving the wrong way on a one-way street or on the wrong side of the road (1.53 accidents per 100,000 licensed drivers),” the study’s authors wrote.
Texas drivers also scored poorly on deadly drunken-driving crashes per person and distracted driving deaths. Louisiana, Kansas, Oklahoma and Kentucky were also ranked among the nation’s least safe drivers.
California, on the other hand, ranked 42nd most dangerous, with fewer than half of the deadly DUI and distracted-driver deaths per 100,000 licensed drivers.
Before Californians get too smug about these results, there are plenty of other methodologies for determining the best drivers, and many are not as kind to Golden State commuters.
For instance, a study late last year from QuoteWizard ranked Californians as the second worst drivers, behind Utah. That survey weighed California as among the nation’s worst for DUI arrests and accident rates. Texas was squarely in the middle of the pack on that ranking.
A SmartAsset study from last summer ranked California drivers among the most irresponsible, again citing the high DUI rate as well as the percentage of uninsured drivers on California roads. Texas didn’t crack the top 10.
The Forbes study’s focus on fatalities must be concerning for Texans, but the numbers aren’t all good news for Californians either. Residents of California and Texas are notoriously proud of where they come from, but they can’t feel good seeing their states ranked high for crashes and DUIs. | https://cw33.com/news/local/texas-vs-california-which-drivers-are-worse/ | 2023-05-22T16:28:29 | 0 | https://cw33.com/news/local/texas-vs-california-which-drivers-are-worse/ |
(NEXSTAR) — It may be graduation season for millions of Texas students, but for others, the high school journey is just beginning.
Texas, meanwhile, is home to some of the country’s best high schools, according to a new ranking from U.S. News & World Report. One Dallas school even ranks in the outlet’s top 10 for the entire country.
U.S. News also broke down its national list into state-wide rankings, to give a more detailed look at the best schools in any given state. In Texas, schools in larger cities dominated the list — but two smaller southern cities, Edinburg and Brownsville, edge close to the state’s top 10, earning spots at 11 and 12, respectively.
Many of the very top high schools share 99-100% graduation rates, one of several factors used to calculate the list. Among other factors are college readiness of students (30%), state test scores (20%), and underserved student performance (10%).
Here’s a look at the top 20 from U.S. News’ list. A full ranking of the outlet’s Best Texas High Schools is available at the official site of U.S. News & World Report.
Dallas’ The School for the Talented and Gifted makes U.S. News’ national list at number 8 and is also ranked eighth on the outlet’s list of Best STEM High Schools.
Last September, Niche, a site that combines ratings from students, parents and alumni with quantitative data, ranked its own Top Texas Highs Schools for 2023. Among those listed above, TAG was also ranked first.
Nexstar’s Jeremy Tanner contributed to this report. | https://cw33.com/news/local/these-are-the-top-20-high-schools-in-texas/ | 2023-05-22T16:28:30 | 1 | https://cw33.com/news/local/these-are-the-top-20-high-schools-in-texas/ |
AUSTIN (KXAN) – In recent years, hunting for an apartment in Austin has probably had many wondering if a California zip code was accidentally input into the real estate search engine rather than an Austin one.
While the Austin area has become well known for its soaring rent prices, some Texas metropolitan centers remain more affordable. KXAN looked at five cities in the Lone Star State to see what living accommodations would be available for $2,000 using Zillow and the average fair market rate – the 40th percentile of gross rents in each housing market– in each city.
Austin
It is no secret that people have flooded into the “Live Music Capital” in the past decade. And the rent prices match that population growth – the city consistently ranks towards the top of cities with the fastest-rising rent prices in the country.
Rent evaluation: The fair market rent prices for the Austin-Round Rock region are “very high” and more expensive than 99% of the state, per RentData.org. In the region, fair market rent for a studio is $1,253; a one-bedroom is $1,386, a two-bedroom is $1,626 and a three-bedroom is $2,088.
What can you find for $2,000?
If you want to live in the heart of east Austin, you could choose the Residences at Saltillo, where $1,983 would get you a 600-square-foot, one-bedroom apartment. The building also comes with a swimming pool, in-unit laundry, a pool and downtown views.
A few miles north, in the North Loop neighborhood, someone paying $1,900 a month can get a nearly 800-square-foot, two-bedroom home at 914 E. 53rd St.
Houston
Rent evaluation: A slightly different story in Houston – fair market rent prices are “very low” compared to the national average. RentData.org reports that fair market rent for a studio in the county is $623; for a one-bedroom, $635; a two-bedroom at $826 and a three-bedroom at just over $1000 a month.
What can you find for $2,000? If you’re keen on the bustle of downtown, $2,000 can get you a two-bedroom,1,200-square-foot apartment in the Circuit at 2424 Capitol St. If you want a slower pace in the suburbs, $1,980 can get you a three-bedroom, two bathroom house at 806 E 33rd St. in Independence Heights.
Dallas
Rent evaluation: Similar to Austin, Dallas has seen spikes in rent prices in recent years. The fair market rent prices for Dallas are “very high,” and more expensive than 99% of the state, per RentData.org. In the region, fair market rent for a studio is $1,259; a one-bedroom will cost around $1,326, a two-bedroom $1,565 and a three-bedroom $1,972.
What can you find for $2,000? If you want to live in downtown Dallas, $2,000 can get you a two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment with just under 1,000 square feet at the MAA Uptown Village, located at 2121 Routh St.
San Antonio
Rent evaluation: Fair market rent prices in San Antonio are also ranked “very high” compared to the national average, according to RentData.org. In the San Antonio-New Braunfels region, fair market rent for a studio is $918; a one-bedroom will cost around $1,057, a two-bedroom $1,282 and a three-bedroom $1,631.
What can you find for $2,000? For $1,986, you can get a two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment with over 1,000 square feet a few blocks away from the iconic River Walk in the River House at 122 Roy Smith St. A couple of miles south of the River Walk at 1013 S Pine St, $1,900 a month will get you a three-bed, one-bathroom house with a front and backyard.
El Paso
Rent evaluation: Fair market rent prices in El Paso are ranked a little higher than the national average, according to RentData.org. In the El Paso metropolitan region, fair market rent for a studio is $672; a one-bedroom will cost around $824, a two-bedroom $977 and a three-bedroom at $1,361.
What can you find for $2,000? $2,000 can get you pretty far in El Paso.
At 11001 Duster Dr, somebody with $2,000 a month can get a four-bedroom, three-bathroom house with nearly 2,500 square feet and a backyard. | https://cw33.com/news/local/this-is-what-2000-in-rent-will-get-you-in-these-texas-cities/ | 2023-05-22T16:28:43 | 1 | https://cw33.com/news/local/this-is-what-2000-in-rent-will-get-you-in-these-texas-cities/ |
LUBBOCK, Texas — When a person thinks of Tex-Mex food, fajitas, enchiladas and nachos might come to mind. Tex-Mex cuisine is the ultimate comfort food, and that’s how History.com described the category.
Historically, the term Tex-Mex was used as a way to describe people who were of Mexican descent living in Texas. The name was later used as a way to describe Mexican-style food in the region. Tex-Mex cuisine was first introduced in the late 1800’s in San Antonio, Texas. According to the Smithsonian Institute, the rapid growth of the El Chico restaurant chain helped the cuisine spread through the 1900s.
Now, Tex-Mex is enjoyed far beyond the borders of Texas, even making its way into popular culture. The YouTube collective Try Guys traveled to Austin and learned the history of the breakfast taco. Popular television show 9-1-1 Lone Star also recently shouted out the popular Mexican dish, Barbacoa.
Mexican cuisine and Tex-Mex cuisine are often used interchangeably, however, one of the most notable differences between the two is the difference of cheeses. Spoon University reported Tex-Mex commonly uses yellow cheeses such as cheddar cheese while traditional Mexican food uses primarily white cheeses.
Leal’s Tamale Factory owner, Alma Leal, told EverythingLubbock.com she considered the restaurant to fall in the category of Tex-Mex. Alma said Leal’s uses a mild cheddar as well as an aged Wisconsin cheddar.
Tex-Mex dishes and traditional Mexican dishes have another subtle but important difference. For example, fajitas differ from tacos. With fajitas, the meat and vegetables are grilled and cut into strips and then served on a tortilla. As for tacos, the vegetables are chopped and sliced and served raw.
Some traditional Mexican dishes, such as Mole, were created in the region Oaxaca. Oaxaca has more than 200 Mole variations and Mole typically takes at least three days to prepare. Mole is typically served with rice and some type of meat.
Jonthan Flores, bar manager for the Lubbock location of Chuy’s, said he believed another big difference was Tex-Mex being “a lot brighter.”
Flores helped open Chuy’s locations in Texas and Colorado. He said he has noticed the flavor profile becomes more creative and spicier as you travel closer to the U.S.-Mexico border.
Flores also claimed Tex-Mex cuisine provides a more palatable flavor profile for those who are not used to the spiciness of traditional Mexican food. He also stated Tex-Mex-style cocktails are more adventurous than traditional cocktails.
According to Flores, the cocktails are very bright and colorful such as “Tito’s Cherry Limeade” made with Tito’s tequila. He also mentioned “Smashin’ Peachy” which is made with Don Julio Blanco Tequila and Ginger Beer.
A bartender with Lubbock bar Miguel’s claimed its drinks were more traditionally Mexican due to the use of tequila and spices such as jalapenos and Tajin.
A host of common ingredients may make traditional Mexican food and Tex-Mex indistinguishable for the average diner, but if you find yourself eating grilled vegetables smothered in cheddar cheese, you’re probably eating Tex-Mex. | https://cw33.com/news/local/whats-the-difference-between-tex-mex-and-mexican-food/ | 2023-05-22T16:28:49 | 0 | https://cw33.com/news/local/whats-the-difference-between-tex-mex-and-mexican-food/ |
AUSTIN (KXAN) — Travelers at the San Antonio International Airport are among the angriest in the nation, a May study released by Forbes Advisor found. The Central Texas airport ranked fifth in the country, as evaluated in the report.
The report compiled and analyzed more than 37,000 tweets aimed at the 60 busiest airports in the country between March 2022 and March 2023. Forbes Advisor then calculated the total number of angry tweets out of all tweets aimed at them.
Top 10 angriest airports were ranked as follows:
1. John Wayne Airport: Orange County, California
- 65% of tweets were angry
- Top complaint was about noise levels
2. Jacksonville International Airport: Jacksonville, Florida
- 60% of tweets were angry
- Top complaint was about lines
3. Eppley Airfield: Omaha, Nebraska
- 59% of tweets were angry
- Top complaint was about delays
4. Tampa International Airport: Tampa, Florida
- 57% of tweets were angry
- Top complaint was about bags issues
5. San Antonio International Airport: San Antonio, Texas
- 57% of tweets were angry
- Top complain was about Transportation Security Administration (TSA) issues
6. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport: Atlanta, Georgia
- 56% of tweets were angry
- Top complaint was about delays
7. San Diego International Airport: San Diego, California
- 56% of tweets were angry
- Top complaint was about waiting
8. Nashville International Airport: Nashville, Tennessee
- 56% of tweets were angry
- Top complaint was about traffic
9. Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport: Phoenix, Arizona
- 56% of tweets were angry
- Top complaint was about rental service issues
10. Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport: San Jose, California
- 56% of tweets were angry
- Top complaint was about help services
Elsewhere in Texas, Dallas Love Field was ranked 25th for angriest travelers, with 52% of tweets expressing frustrations with the airport. Among those complaints, delays topped the list.
In Houston, the George Bush Intercontinental Airport ranked 27th, with 52% of tweets aimed at the airport expressing anger and traffic issues as the root of most frustrations. Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport ranked 41st, with an even split of 50% of travelers sharing their frustrations and flight issues rising to the top of complaints.
The Austin-Bergstrom International Airport ranked 44th out of the Top 60 busiest airports, with 49% of tweets aimed at the airport negative and the main culprit behind those complaints pointing to wait times.
Houston’s William P. Hobby Airport came in at No. 49, with 44% of passengers sharing their frustrations and delays the most common complaint.
The full report is available online. | https://cw33.com/news/local/which-texas-airport-ranks-among-the-angriest-in-the-u-s/ | 2023-05-22T16:28:55 | 1 | https://cw33.com/news/local/which-texas-airport-ranks-among-the-angriest-in-the-u-s/ |
What's North Providence's 'Good Burger 2' set look like? Take a peek inside
The set has all the trimmings of a real-life restaurant — cash registers, friers, a soda machine and a menu offering patrons "good meal deals" of varying sizes.
Fans are flipping for a "Good Burger" sequel that's cooking up excitement in North Providence.
The city has become the unlikely filming location for the resurgence of the 1997 comedy starring Kel Mitchell and Kenan Thompson of "Saturday Night Live" as fast-food employees hawking patties in competition with a burger joint across the street.
Coincidentally, the set is housed in another spot that once served up all-American grub — Friendly's. The restaurant was the last Friendly's in Rhode Island before it closed in 2019. Now, "Good Burger 2" has given it new life with a splashy paint job and a revived interior that mimics the set in the original film, featuring blue and red patterns.
Behind a countertop, the eatery has all the trimmings of a real-life restaurant — cash registers, fryers, a soda machine and a menu offering patrons "good meal deals" of varying sizes, complete with burgers, fries and drinks.
More:'Hocus Pocus 2' is streaming on Disney+. A sneak peek offered a look at RI's role.
Julie Bannon, who grew up watching the movie, was excited to see the set pop up only a street away from her home. She stopped by on Sunday afternoon and was disappointed she missed the cast, which appeared to have taken a day off from filming. A few days before, some lucky fans got a chance to meet Mitchell and Thompson, who have been making the rounds in little Rhody.
On Saturday night, Thompson attended a boxing show at Cranston's Park Theatre and followed it up with a trip to Olneyville's famous New York System.
On Tuesday, Thompson and Mitchell are expected to visit Providence's East Side. Their plans for Monday remain unclear.
Leah Washburn, who was visiting the set with daughter, Shannon, and her friend, Joey Proulx, hopes "Good Burger" — or something like it — is here to stay. "They need to keep this and turn it into a burger place after." | https://www.providencejournal.com/story/news/local/2023/05/22/good-burger-is-filming-in-ri-take-a-peek-at-the-set/70241472007/ | 2023-05-22T16:29:24 | 0 | https://www.providencejournal.com/story/news/local/2023/05/22/good-burger-is-filming-in-ri-take-a-peek-at-the-set/70241472007/ |
RI home prices near all-time high in April but sales are down. Here's how the numbers compare.
One in four single-family houses in January through March sold to buyers coming from out-of-state
Home prices in Rhode Island rose slightly in April, while the number of listings, number of homes sold and number of days homes stayed on the market were nearly steady compared to March.
The median selling price for a single-family home in April went up to $425,000, just $5,000 shy of the high-price mark set in June 2022.
Other indicators of the single-family housing market remained relatively flat. The average number of days a house sat on the market went from 40 days in March to 38 days in April, and the number of houses listed for sale increased slightly, from 905 in March to 957 in April.
'Granny flat' bill:'Granny flat' bill passes the House as GOP ramps up attacks on housing agenda
The number of houses sold decreased slightly. In March, 557 homes sold while in April, 524 homes sold. However, pending sales were up slightly, 1,050 in April compared to 927 in March.
"Inventory is tight and there aren't a lot of houses for sale," Real estate agent Ed Duffy, with Alltown Real Estate, said. "And the ones that are for sale — the ones that are reasonably priced at $450,000 and under — they seem to be going under contract quite quickly."
Many houses are going back on the market, with purchases falling through when buyers can't qualify for a mortgage at the new, higher rates or there are inspection issues.
Getting houses on the market is increasingly hard, as many people who would otherwise sell have interest rates at historically low prices, of 3% and below, and convincing them to buy a larger house, with a higher interest rate and higher prices, is a hard sell, Duffy said.
What happened to the spring market?
While normally spring is marked by pollen, allergies and open houses, the seasonality of the housing market appears to be fading away, Duffy said.
"Weather doesn't seem to hold them back," he said. "It's a 12-month business now."
Where are Rhode Island home buyers coming from?
In the first quarter of 2023, one in four single-family home buyers came from out of state, according to statistics compiled by the Rhode Island Realtors Association.
A total of 3,125 homes were sold in the first quarter, with 2,426 buyers coming from within Rhode Island. The other top states were:
- Massachusetts: 398
- Connecticut: 53
- New York: 51
- Florida: 37
- California: 28
- New Jersey: 15
- New Hampshire: 15
The remaining out-of-state purchases totaled eight or less for each state.
Multi-family homes selling quicker, for the same price
The median price of the few multi-family homes that sold in the state stayed steady at $450,000, the same price for February, March and April, which marks the high-water mark originally reached in July 2022.
The number of multi-family homes decreased, down to 116 in April, while the number of listings increased slightly to 166.
'Affordable housing:'New 2-bedroom condos with amenities go on the market in Pawtucket
Compared to before the onset of the pandemic, the number of multi-family listings is much lower. In November 2019, 689 multi-family houses were for sale, while 192 sold for a median price of $272,000.
Condo prices creeping back up
Like single-family homes, the median selling price of condos crept back up to just shy of the highest median price. In April, the median price for a condo was $340,000, just below the highest median price seen, in September 2022, of $344,450.
The number of condo listings increased slightly, to 251 over March's 229. The number of condos sold increased, from 94 to 129.
Like single-family and multi-family houses, the number of condos on the market has not recovered since it began to dwindle during the pandemic. In November 2019, 689 condos were listed for sale, while 192 sold.
April's prices nearly reached the June 2022 record − how do they compare?
In June 2022, single-family homes reached their peak median price, $430,000, compared to April's median price of $425,000. Here's the other ways that the two months compared:
- In April, houses stayed on the market for 38 days and in June 2022, 25 days.
- In April 524 houses sold and 957 were listed for sale. In June 2022, 949 houses sold and 1,599 were listed for sale.
Interested in reading more about the housing market?
If you're interested in how much house you can buy, consider reading our series that looks at the top, and bottom, of the market. At the top end, we have what $1 million buys. In the middle, there's the $700,000 bracket. There are houses at $400,000, the post-pandemic median selling price and $250,000, the pre-pandemic median price.
If you're not already subscriber, consider our latest offer to read these premium stories.
If you fall into the right income bracket, you might be able to buy one of five new condos in Pawtucket, selling for $299,000 and limited to people making up to 120% of the area median income.
If you're interested in the politics of the housing market, consider Reporter Antonia Noori Farzan's premium story on who rents and who owns in the legislature. (Spoiler: 90% of legislators are owners.)
A $1 million report came out at the end of April on what needs to change to facilitate more housing. But will it make a difference?
As Reporter Patrick Anderson writes, the state just awarded $101 million to 23 housing projects, part of the $250 million from federal stimulus funds allocated to housing.
If you're a renter of a small property or homeowner in Providence, Reporter Amy Russo has the latest on Mayor Brett Smiley's plan to increase the residential property tax rate rate by 4.8%, while slashing taxes for commercial properties by 3.8%.
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/2023/05/22/rhode-island-few-homes-for-sale-single-family-home-price-up-real-estate-market/70231579007/ | 2023-05-22T16:29:30 | 0 | https://www.providencejournal.com/story/news/local/2023/05/22/rhode-island-few-homes-for-sale-single-family-home-price-up-real-estate-market/70231579007/ |
Hope for America's future: Highlighting RI's ROTC stars during graduation season
I have recently enjoyed meeting several of the “best and the brightest” – young men and women who give me hope for the future.
It’s graduation season, and wearing my Military Order of Foreign Wars cap, I’ve been involved in the presentation of awards to ROTC (college) and JROTC (high school) cadets for academic, leadership and military proficiency.
Older veterans often express worry for the future of our military and its role in American society. If these young people are part of this country’s leadership a couple of decades from now, I think we will be in good hands.
As part of a deep dive on ROTC programs this summer, I will introduce some of those future leaders, and provide context for challenges they'll face. I will also address the challenges of the schools hosting these programs.
Six Rhode Island high schools participate in JROTC today. Hope, in Providence; Rogers, in Newport; and Cranston East sponsor Army programs, while Tolman, in Pawtucket, hosts a Marine Corps unit. Coventry is building up a Navy program, and North Providence launched an Air Force detachment this year.
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The Patriot Battalion at Providence College trains about 100 cadets from seven participating schools: Bryant, Brown, and Johnson & Wales universities, Rhode Island College, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, and the Community College of Rhode Island.
Cramer's Saber Battalion at URI also serves students from Roger Williams and Salve Regina universities.
But I’m starting on College Hill, because Brown University is the ROTC elephant in the room.
Since Vietnam, a rocky relationship between ROTC and colleges
Brown had a distinguished military and ROTC tradition until the Vietnam era, when the antiwar movement caused the eviction of the program from campus. To be fair, many other colleges, especially in the Ivy League, also dropped ROTC.
However, steps taken in the last several years suggest that Brown is reassessing that action.
Students are now allowed to participate in ROTC – although they have to go to other campuses for military science courses and training. Army cadets go to Providence College, while Navy midshipmen travel to College of the Holy Cross and Air Force cadets go to Worcester Polytechnic Institute.
But proponents view getting ROTC back on the Brown campus in any form as a major step forward. Does this toe in the water mean that Brown may be moving toward reestablishing an on-campus program? What else would have to happen before such a decision might be made?
I am in a dialog with Brown administration to try to answer those questions.
Evidence of success makes the case for expansion
In the meantime, the quality of cadets produced by this limited program may be the best argument for expanding it – and reinstituting academic credit for ROTC courses.
According to Brown’s Office of Military-Affiliated Students, this year’s participation numbers stand at 22 for Army ROTC, 15 for Air Force, and three for Navy/Marine Corps.
Multiple college advisory services agree that ROTC scholarships offer more money than most National Merit Scholarships and can be used at more institutions.
Rachel Huynh, of California, is one of those students. She would not have attended Brown had she not earned a ROTC scholarship. She will graduate at the end of May.
Her career choice is medicine. “I am driven by the idea of helping people through their most trying times,” Huynh explained.
Her scholarship covers her tuition and related fees. However, she is responsible for her own room and board (about $17,000 annually). To earn that money, Rachel works multiple part-time jobs.
Brown employs her as an independent study concentration coordinator, and also as a residential assistant in her dormitory. She is also an emergency medical technician/CPR instructor for Brown University Health Services.
Despite her full-time academic schedule, ROTC participation and part-time employment, Rachel has maintained a GPA above 3.80 in her rigorous pre-med program.
She will join the health professional school program at the University of California/San Francisco. “I have received an Educational Delay from the Army so I can attend medical school, after which I will be a physician serving in the greatest Army in the world,” she said.
This is a step beyond just being a doctor. “I will get to embrace the same ‘suck' as my fellow soldiers while helping people in hostile environments,” Rachel said.
Family dynamic: Lessons in hard work, perseverance
In 1985, Rachel’s father, his seven siblings and their parents fled Communist Vietnam. Rachel’s mother is from Taiwan. “My parents met at a restaurant in Santa Clara," she said. "Mom was a waitress and Dad was a dishwasher/cook.”
Thanks to hard work and perseverance, they ended up owning the restaurant.
Rachel graduated from Leigh High School in San Jose, where she was salutatorian and co-captain of the varsity women’s swim team.
Her sister Jennifer graduated in 2019 from the Air Force Academy, which gave Rachel an early glimpse at military life and added to her motivation.
Her parents were supportive of her goals, “but many Californians only think of the military as a path for people who ‘can’t get into college.’ One doctor, a volunteer advisor at my high school, told me that joining ROTC was not a sensible idea.”
More:The game’s not over for these disabled veterans
After receiving a similar offer from Duke, Rachel chose Brown because of its more open curriculum.
Within the ROTC program, she is most proud of her successful completion of the Air Assault School at Fort Campbell in Kentucky. About 20 ROTC cadets nationwide joined a class of 120 soldiers. She was one of only eight women.
Christian “Mac” Manning is a Marine Corps veteran who directs the Office of Military-Affiliated Students at Brown. According to Manning, “She is an incredibly impressive woman. Rachel also was selected for the prestigious Joslin Awards for 2023.”
The Joslin Awards recognize a small group of seniors who have contributed in a very significant way to the quality of student life at Brown.
Upcoming activities
2023 Button Hole Veterans Golf Clinics: 2023 Schedule (Thursdays, 5-7 p.m.): May 25, June 8, June 22, July 13, July 27, Aug. 10, Aug. 24, Sept. 14 and Sept. 28
All veterans, active military and National Guard members are welcome, as well as their immediate family members. There is no charge for the golf clinics, golf equipment or the food that follows. A “ParaMobile” golf cart is also available, courtesy of Full Swing Golf RI and the Stand Up and Play Foundation.
If you plan to attend a clinic, email Dwright@buttonhole.org. If transportation is an issue, call Don Wright at (401) 421-1664 and Button Hole can find you a ride.
Also: Veterans can use the range or play nine holes at no charge on any Wednesday from noon to 3 p.m.
The Providence Vet Center will hold a Shore/Open Water Diving Group on Saturday, June 10. It will be a boat dive out of Gloucester, Massachusetts. Additional dives will take place on the following Saturdays, with times and locations TBD: July 15, Aug. 12, Sept. 2 and Oct. 7. To participate in this group, you must be Vet Center eligible and have a dive certification.
Graduates of Operation Blue Pride (OBP) can use OBP equipment at no cost. Members who are scuba certified but not through OBP will need to provide their own equipment or register with OBP. For members who are not scuba certified, there is training and certification available at operationbluepride.org.
If interested, contact Paul Santilli via email at Paul.Santilli@va.gov or by phone at (401) 739-0167.
Calendar
On Monday, May 29 (Memorial Day): Texas Roadhouse (1200 Quaker Lane, East Greenwich) will be offering a $20 food voucher for veterans from noon to 4 p.m. There are only 50 spots available, and it is first come, first served. Contact Missy Beaudoin at 278marketing@texasroadhouse.com.
Thursday, June 8, 6 a.m- 4 p.m: Charter Fishing out of Hampton, New Hampshire. This trip is limited to 45 veterans/active duty/Guard and Reserve. If more than 45 sign up, a lottery will determine participants.
All you need is a cooler for your catch/beverages, weather-appropriate clothing and Dramamine if you need it. Please do not sign up if you are not 100% sure of going. This is an early-morning departure from New Hampshire!
To sign up, you need to join The Fallen Outdoors East Coast Community Page on Facebook. Once accepted, comment on the post for this trip with “Tight Lines.” This enters you into the drawing for the trip. Questions? Call Justyn Charon at the RI Vets Center, (401) 739-0167 or Justyn.Charon@va.gov
To report the outcome of a previous activity, or to add a future event to our calendar, please email the details (including a contact name and phone number or email address) to veteranscolumn@providencejournal.com. | https://www.providencejournal.com/story/news/local/2023/05/22/rotc-in-ri-colleges-future-leaders-leave-country-in-good-hands/70235576007/ | 2023-05-22T16:29:36 | 0 | https://www.providencejournal.com/story/news/local/2023/05/22/rotc-in-ri-colleges-future-leaders-leave-country-in-good-hands/70235576007/ |
WATERLOO — Two people are dead and two others injured in a two-vehicle crash north of Waterloo Monday morning.
The names of the deceased and other details weren’t immediately available.
The crash between a GMC sport utility vehicle and a Ford pickup truck happened shortly before 8 a.m. in the 4200 block of Logan Avenue/U.S. Highway 63 just north of the Big Rock Road intersection.
One person from each vehicle died at the scene, and two others from one of the vehicles were taken to UnityPoint Health-Allen Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
This morning's top headlines: Monday, May 22
The European Union has slapped Meta with a record $1.3 billion privacy fine and ordered it to stop transferring users' personal information to the United States by October. Meta, which had previously warned that services for its users in Europe could be cut off, vowed to appeal and ask courts to immediately put the decision on hold. The company said Monday that “there is no immediate disruption to Facebook in Europe.” The decision applies to user data like names, email addresses, messages, viewing history and other information that Meta — and other tech giants — use for targeted ads. The legal battle followed former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden’s revelations of electronic surveillance by U.S. security agencies.
President Joe Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy have a pivotal meeting coming up on the impasse over the debt ceiling. Washington is racing to strike a budget compromise and raise the nation’s borrowing limit in time to avert a potentially devastating federal default as soon as next week. The White House negotiating team arrived Monday at the Capitol for another round of talks ahead of the afternoon Biden-McCarthy meeting at the White House. After a weekend of start-stop talks, both Biden and McCarthy appeared upbeat as they face a deadline, as soon as June 1, when the government could run out of cash to pay its bills. McCarthy took a sharper tone critical of Biden on Monday.
Just 33% of American adults say they approve of President Joe Biden’s handling of the economy and only 24% say national economic conditions are in good shape. That's according to a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. Public approval of Biden’s handling of the economy remains low in a time of high inflation, a difficult housing market and concerns about a potential U.S. government debt default. American opinion is also gloomy about Biden’s efforts on gun policy and immigration, with only 31% saying they approve of the president’s performance on those hot button issues. Overall, 40% say they approve of the way Biden is doing his job.
Russia claims it has won control of Ukraine’s eastern city of Bakhmut after a grinding nine-month conflict in which tens of thousands of fighters have died. But top Ukrainian military leaders say the battle is not over. Ukrainian officials acknowledge they now control only a small part of Bakhmut but say their fighters’ presence has played a key role in their strategy of exhausting the Russian military. And they say their current positions in surrounding areas will let them strike back inside Bakhmut while Ukrainian forces are making significant advances just outside the 400-year-old city, chipping away at Russia’s northern and southern flanks with the aim of encircling Russian fighters inside.
Palestinian officials say three Palestinian militants were killed in an Israeli army raid in a West Bank refugee camp. The Palestinian Health Ministry says the raid took place early on Monday in Balata, near the city of Nablus. The ministry said six people were wounded, including one who was in critical condition. The army later confirmed soldiers had raided Balata; it said troops came under fire and killed three Palestinians. Israel has stepped up raids over the past year in response to a spate of Palestinian attacks. Meanwhile, the Biden administration issued a sharply worded statement on Sunday criticizing Israel for moving to reestablish settlers at the previously evacuated outpost of Homesh in northern West Bank.
South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott has launched his presidential campaign. At an event in his hometown of North Charleston on Monday, Scott offered an optimistic message he hopes can contrast the two figures who have used political combativeness to dominate the early GOP primary field: former President Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. Scott is the Senate's only Black Republican. His team acknowledges the challenge but notes that the political environment can change, that Scott won reelection by a commanding 20 points in November and that Scott has more money to start his campaign than any presidential candidate in history.
The 10th installment of the “Fast and Furious” franchise was off to the races this weekend, knocking “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” out of first place and easily claiming the No. 1 spot at the box office. “Fast X” earned $67.5 million in ticket sales from 4,046 North American theaters, according to estimates from Universal Pictures on Sunday. Including international showings, it had a $319 million global debut. In its third weekend, Disney and Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” made an estimated $32 million. Third place went to “The Super Mario Bros. Movie,” now in its seventh weekend.
Gabe Vincent scored a career-high 29 points, Duncan Robinson added 22 and the eighth-seeded Miami Heat are now just one win from the NBA Finals after rolling past the Boston Celtics 128-102 on Sunday night in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference title series. Caleb Martin scored 18, Jimmy Butler finished with 16, Bam Adebayo had 13 and Max Strus added 10 for Miami, which leads the series 3-0. Jayson Tatum scored 14 and Jaylen Brown added 12 for the Celtics, who won three times on Miami’s floor on the way to winning last season’s Eastern Conference finals.
Chandler Stephenson jumped on a rebound 1:12 into overtime and hit the back of the net to complete a rally and give the Vegas Golden Knights a 3-2 victory over the Dallas Stars and a 2-0 lead in the Western Conference Final. Jonathan Marchessault forced overtime with a shot from the slot with just 2:22 left in the third period. Stephenson, Marchessault and Mark Stone each had a goal and an assist for Vegas, and Adin Hill saved 26 shots. Miro Heiskanen and Jason Robertson each scored for the Stars, and Ryan Suter had two assists. Jake Oettinger made 21 saves.
Brooks Koepka is a major champion again. Gone are those injuries that led to doubt whether he was still part of golf's elite. Koepka won the PGA Championship at Oak Hill by closing with a 67 and winning by two shots over Scottie Scheffler and Viktor Hovland. He now has won the PGA Championship three times. And it was his fifth major title. Only 14 players have won more. It was the first major by a LIV Golf player since the Saudi-funded league began nearly a year ago. California club pro Michael Block made an ace and tied for 15th. | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/accident-and-incident/update-two-dead-in-crash-north-of-waterloo/article_04e45492-f8a7-11ed-b924-33bd409b5626.html | 2023-05-22T16:29:38 | 0 | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/accident-and-incident/update-two-dead-in-crash-north-of-waterloo/article_04e45492-f8a7-11ed-b924-33bd409b5626.html |
During this time of year, more bears are on the move. They are coming out of their winter dens hungry and in search of an easy meal. That is why it is important for homeowners to secure all potential food to reduce bear encounters on their property.
Natural foods can be scarce during the early spring, so bears often look for easy places to get food. That can be in trash cans or pet food that is left out.
That is why the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources wants to remind everyone to secure their garbage. You should keep it locked or inside a shed until collected. The Wildlife Department also recommends making your trash can bear-resistant.
Carl Tugend, a statewide bear project leader, says, “We have a way that you can modify your can if your waste hauler is okay with it, that you put those on certain points of your lid and attach them to the base of the can and then you fasten them with a carabiner clip or something.”
He also recommends taking down bird feeders this time of year because they are an easy way for bears to end up on your property.
According to the Department of Wildlife Resources, one area that most people forget about is their grill. You should clean your grill after every use and remove any potential food or grease that can be left on them.
Lastly, remember that a screened-in porch is not a secure storage area. From a bear’s point of view, if they are hungry, they will find a way to get in.
If you ever do come across a bear, The Virginia Department of Wildlife says the most important thing to remember is to not run. Bears are predators, and if they see something run, they might have the natural instinct to chase it.
Tugend says it is important to not panic and to speak sternly.
“What you should do, is make yourself look big. Slowly back out of the area. Don’t get frantic and start screaming. If you are being chaotic, it may create a situation that becomes chaotic. So stay calm,” says Tugend.
This is also the time of year when females with cubs begin to explore. During this time, cubs can be separated from their moms. If you see a cub, you should leave it alone and just watch from a safe distance.
The Department of Wildlife also says if you see a bear on your property, never attempt to handle or capture it. You can always contact the Wildlife helpline at 855-571-9003. | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2023/05/22/virginia-department-of-wildlife-warns-of-increased-bear-activity-this-spring/ | 2023-05-22T16:37:15 | 0 | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2023/05/22/virginia-department-of-wildlife-warns-of-increased-bear-activity-this-spring/ |
A 67-year-old Lincoln woman was defrauded out of more than $50,000 by scammers who claimed to be employees of the woman's bank, according to police.
The woman told police she was alerted in March to supposed fraudulent charges on her bank account and was contacted by a man that she believed worked at her bank, Lincoln Police Capt. Todd Kocian said.
Over the course of the next two months, the woman made $52,000 in withdrawals from her bank account and 401(k) savings to purchase bitcoin at the man's request, Kocian said.
The scammer told the woman she would receive checks in the mail for the amount she had poured into the cryptocurrency.
But the checks never came, Kocian said.
The woman reported the scam to police Friday morning. An investigation is ongoing.
A Kansas City, Missouri, native, Andrew Wegley joined the Journal Star as breaking news reporter after graduating from Northwest Missouri State University in May 2021. | https://journalstar.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/lincoln-woman-scammed-out-of-52-000-police-say/article_2289648c-f8b2-11ed-a45c-fb24f5b6a9b3.html | 2023-05-22T16:38:20 | 1 | https://journalstar.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/lincoln-woman-scammed-out-of-52-000-police-say/article_2289648c-f8b2-11ed-a45c-fb24f5b6a9b3.html |
Two Lincoln men are in jail and facing felony robbery charges after they allegedly assaulted a 21-year-old man in central Lincoln before taking the man's watch and chain Saturday evening, according to police.
Police found 60-year-old Alonzo Green and 28-year-old Troy Williams walking away from the alleged robbery scene at 12th and F streets after witnesses reported the assault at around 8:30 p.m. Saturday, Lincoln Police Capt. Todd Kocian said.
The 21-year-old man told police that Green and Williams had assaulted him and taken his watch and gold chain, worth a combined $125, Kocian said.
Police found the alleged robbers to be in possession of the items, Kocian said. And Green, a convicted felon barred from carrying deadly weapons, had a 6-inch knife on him, police alleged.
Officers arrested the 60-year-old on suspicion of robbery, possession of a deadly weapon while committing a felony, possession of a deadly weapon by a prohibited person and carrying a concealed weapon.
A Kansas City, Missouri, native, Andrew Wegley joined the Journal Star as breaking news reporter after graduating from Northwest Missouri State University in May 2021. | https://journalstar.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/two-lincoln-men-robbed-21-year-old-of-watch-chain-police-allege/article_85acbe72-f8af-11ed-b0d3-a3e11feddac1.html | 2023-05-22T16:38:26 | 0 | https://journalstar.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/two-lincoln-men-robbed-21-year-old-of-watch-chain-police-allege/article_85acbe72-f8af-11ed-b0d3-a3e11feddac1.html |
Rodney D. Bennett was named as the priority candidate to become the 21st chancellor of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, the university announced Monday morning.
NU President Ted Carter named Bennett, a 30-year veteran of higher education and former president of the University of Southern Mississippi, to the position following a six-month search.
"Put simply, Dr. Bennett is exactly the right leader at exactly the right time for our flagship university," Carter said in an email to UNL faculty, students, and staff on Monday. "He has a deep appreciation for the role and mission of public land-grant universities, and he understands well the challenges that all of us in higher education are facing — and the opportunities for universities like ours to lead the way forward."
Bennett served as the leader of Southern Miss for nearly 10 years and was the first African-American president of a predominantly white university campus in Mississippi's history.
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He'll also be the first African-American leader within the NU system.
A native of Knoxville, Tennessee, Bennett attended Middle Tennesee State University and Tennessee State University. He later served as the vice president for student affairs at the University of Georgia before joining Southern Miss in 2013.
At the public research university based in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, Bennett oversaw 14,000 students.
The selection of a leader comes after Chancellor Ronnie Green announced his plans to retire at the end of the 2022-23 school year.
Green, who was previously the vice chancellor and vice president of the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, was selected over three external candidates by former NU president Hank Bounds in 2016.
His tenure at the top of UNL will last a little more than seven years before he steps down.
Following Green's announcement, Carter convened a search committee and hired AGB Search, an arm of the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges, to conduct "a rigorous national search" to find Green's replacement.
According to the copy of NU's contract with the firm based in Washington, D.C., the university agreed to pay the firm $95,000 to conduct the search, as well as a $5,000 "client service and support fee" as well as reimburse roughly $15,000 in out-of-pocket expenses.
That money came from state appropriations and tuition revenue.
The team leading the search for UNL's next leader included: Roderick McDavis, a former president of Ohio University; Sally Mason, president emerita of the University of Iowa; Garry Owens, founding dean of the College of Visual and Performing Arts at Texas Tech University; and Kimberly Templeton, a principal at AGB Search.
Like searches for other top university leaders in recent years, the hunt for UNL's next chancellor was largely conducted outside of the public view.
While a 16-member Chancellor Search Advisory Committee led by Tiffany Heng-Moss, dean of UNL's College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, solicited input from university stakeholders, no finalists for the job have been announced.
As the "priority candidate" under Nebraska statute, Bennett will be subject to a 30-day vetting period before his hiring can be finalized.
UNL's next chancellor will find a range of challenges meeting him when he takes over on July 1.
The state's largest university campus has seen enrollment declines in each of the past three years, resulting in the lowest number of students at UNL since 2008.
That has put financial pressure on UNL and required campus leaders to look for ways to trim the campus budget by closing open positions and moving certain programs from state-aided funding to other sources.
Bennett will also be responsible for managing several ongoing facility projects across UNL's campus, including a planned renovation of Memorial Stadium, and will oversee a growing research portfolio. | https://journalstar.com/news/local/education/former-southern-miss-president-named-unls-21st-chancellor/article_04d63278-f8a6-11ed-b7db-0bb199ae8d45.html | 2023-05-22T16:38:32 | 0 | https://journalstar.com/news/local/education/former-southern-miss-president-named-unls-21st-chancellor/article_04d63278-f8a6-11ed-b7db-0bb199ae8d45.html |
A Richmond woman found shot dead in Yorktown in early May was the highest ranking female member of a Norfolk-affiliated gang, detectives say.
Jayquan Jones, Jamica Langley, Hezekiah Carney, and Acacia Jackson were all arrested on second-degree murder and conspiracy charges in the death of Tyosha Mitchell, who was taken from her home in Whitcomb Court early in the morning of May 6. Mitchell's body was found later that morning by a jogger on Old Williamsburg Road in Yorktown, having been shot eight times.
Court documents reviewed by Hampton station WVEC-TV reveal that through text messages between Mitchell and the four suspects, detectives determined that the five were part of the "Vietnam Baby Gorilla" gang, a group with ties to the Norfolk arm of the Mad Stone Bloods.
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Detectives said that Mitchell was the "highest ranking female gang member" and had "significant gang ties," but that a man identified as Mitchell's boyfriend told investigators that three women and a man arrived at her apartment that morning to "beat her out" of the gang.
The boyfriend told police that he thought the group at Mitchell's apartment were going to assault him too, so he ran upstairs, locked the door, and exited through a window, returning a few minutes later to call 911.
He told dispatchers that the group took Mitchell away in a black Hyundai Sonata. Detectives tracked that vehicle to York County via surveillance footage and eyewitness testimony, spotting two people who would later be identified as Jones and Langley entering a 7-Eleven in Newport News.
Court records show that Langley is also facing sentencing in Richmond Circuit Court after pleading guilty in February to charges connected to a Richmond homicide from May 2022.
Preliminary hearings for Jones, Langley, Carney and Jackson are scheduled for September 12 in York County Court, and Sheriff Ron Montgomery has said that more charges could still be filed, including for the owner of the vehicle. | https://richmond.com/news/local/crime-courts/tyosha-mitchell-court-documents-highest-ranking-female-gang-member/article_59b86496-f8b5-11ed-9004-fbe8004a2a90.html | 2023-05-22T16:39:05 | 1 | https://richmond.com/news/local/crime-courts/tyosha-mitchell-court-documents-highest-ranking-female-gang-member/article_59b86496-f8b5-11ed-9004-fbe8004a2a90.html |
LEA COUNTY, N.M. — The Lea County Drug Task Force and Hobbs Police Department arrested a Hobbs man after selling "Magic Mushrooms" to a 13-year-old.
42-year-old Jerry Wayne Chadwell has been charged with Child Abuse and Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor. During the investigation, it was revealed that the two had been in communication and were planning to schedule a meeting location for a narcotic transaction. On March 13, 2023, the teenager was in need of medical attention after consuming "Magic Mushrooms" that were provided by Chadwell.
The Psilocybin "Magic Mushrooms" are a Scheduled 1 Drug according to the Controlled Substance Act. On May 17, 2023, HPD and the Lea County Drug Task Force partnered up for an undercover "Buy Bust".
The bust led to the confiscation of around 2.5 pounds of "Magic Mushrooms" ($6,000 worth), 8 pounds of marijuana ($25,000 worth), and over 1000 other THC related products like vapes and gummies.
There was also a loaded firearm at the location. The investigation is still ongoing at this time and we will continue to update this story as we receive more information. | https://www.newswest9.com/article/news/local/hobbs-man-arrested-after-selling-magic-mushrooms-to-teenager/513-38e33fe8-ff0c-4fcd-9d3d-c3b015a5da2a | 2023-05-22T16:41:29 | 0 | https://www.newswest9.com/article/news/local/hobbs-man-arrested-after-selling-magic-mushrooms-to-teenager/513-38e33fe8-ff0c-4fcd-9d3d-c3b015a5da2a |
The Wisconsin DOT might demolish a portion of Interstate 794. Here's what we know.
Interstate 794 could be demolished to address aging infrastructure and replaced with new businesses and public space, according to Milwaukee's downtown comprehensive plan.
Tearing down the interstate between the Milwaukee River and Hoan Bridge could connect downtown and the Third Ward with the lakeshore, and activate space previously used by roadways for business development and greenspace. Boulevard conversion could generate $15 million in annual property tax revenue for the City of Milwaukee, and add needed housing in a high demand area, says a Madison-based advocacy group, 1,000 Friends of Wisconsin, which has endorsed the project.
However, some suburban Milwaukee leaders are concerned about how the plan would increase traffic and cut access for the Milwaukee County Transit System freeway flyers.
The Wisconsin Department of Transportation continues to advance their study on the corridor in downtown Milwaukee this spring, and will share their work at a future meeting summer 2023, according to the department.
Here's what you need to know about the proposal.
What's the proposal to deconstruct I-794 in Milwaukee?
The DOT is proposing spending $300 million to replace sections of I-794 that were originally built in 1974.
Milwaukee's downtown area plan, called "Connec+ing MKE - Downtown Plan 2040," focusses on removing portions of I-794.
Transportation officials are currently weighing different construction options; here's a few that they're considering:
- Bridges and ramps would not be replaced and would continue to deteriorate
- Bridges would be replaced to match the existing structure as much as possible
- Design features of bridges would be improved to meet current standards and include improvements, such as right-hand exits and entrances
- All design features of the infrastructure would be improved, including speed limits, vertical and horizontal design of roadways and right-hand exits and entrances
- Freeway is removed and replaced with a street-level design
When will construction start?
Construction is estimated to run from 2025 to 2028, pending funding ability, according to the DOT.
Has Milwaukee ever demolished an interstate before?
Yes. Milwaukee's Park East Freeway was replaced with surface streets about 20 years ago. The lots were developed into apartments, and other developments, including the creation of the new Deer District.
Here's how you can share ideas with the Department of Transportation
Wisconsin Department of Transportation has a comment form on their website, which can be accessed at www.wisconsindot.gov. For more information, contact the Wisconsin Department of Transportation at 262-548-5902.
Contact Alex Groth at agroth@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter at @grothalexandria. | https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/2023/05/22/wisdot-could-demolish-or-portion-of-interstate-794-near-lakefront/70242719007/ | 2023-05-22T16:48:11 | 1 | https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/2023/05/22/wisdot-could-demolish-or-portion-of-interstate-794-near-lakefront/70242719007/ |
Green Bay and Madison are among best places to live in 2023-24 U.S. News Report; Milwaukee has some catching up to do
Wisconsin, we did well for ourselves.
The Badger state was prominently featured in the recently released U.S. News & World Report's Best States rankings with not only the best city to live in — take a bow Green Bay — but another in the top 15.
When you have the Water Capitol of the World, Lambeau Field, Door County, thousands of lakes, and all four seasons, who wouldn't want to live here?
Wisconsin was No. 8 overall in the annual rankings with education (sixth), fiscal stability (seventh) and opportunity (eighth) in the top 10 for the categories the survey scores. Utah took the crown in the state rankings.
Here's a closer look at Wisconsin's top cities.
Green Bay is No. 1 with a perfect mix of 'big-city, small-town feel'
The home of the Packers brings home this title as best place to live but there's a lot more than just the green and gold.
"Home to one of the most storied football franchises in the NFL, the Green Bay Packers, Green Bay has the perfect mix of big-city amenities complemented with a Midwestern, small-town feel," the survey website said. "This city boasts a thriving entertainment and arts scene, revitalized downtown, and two college campuses, creating an energy that may appeal to young families as well as retirees."
The website also says summertime on the Fox River is "alive with waterskiing, riverfront dining and sunset cruises" and highlights Green Bay's boutique shopping and museums in and around the city.
Green Bay is a "thriving craft beer industry" and with having the destination of Door County so close the city is a "good place to settle down and stay," the site notes.
Green Bay was the seventh best place to live for quality of life, eighth cheapest place to live, 18th safest place and the 27th best place to retire.
More:13 must-visit Door County restaurants, from Chives to White Gull Inn
Wisconsin bucket list:20 things you have to do, from Devil's Lake State Park to visiting Lambeau Field and the Apostle Islands to Holy Hill
Madison is again one of the best places to live in the U.S.
The state's capital city ranked No. 11 overall for best places to live. It also ranked third in best places to live for quality of life and No. 54 for best places to retire.
"Against a backdrop of high-tech businesses and acclaimed academic institutions, Madison, Wisconsin, exudes the casual, down-to-earth feel you'd expect in the capital of America's Dairyland," the site said. "On a given night, Madisonians can dine on food prepared by award-winning chefs and take in performances by national and international musicians and actors.
"A hotbed of the health care, information technology and manufacturing industries, Madison has steadily welcomed new residents over the past decade and is growing to accommodate and entertain these transplants."
The website also mentions that Madison is becoming a hotspot for mixed-use luxury housing with "trendy restaurants and coffee shops." It also likes the city's dining, brewery and craft cocktail scene.
Madison bucket list:15 things you have to do in Wisconsin's state capital
Milwaukee is ranked lower but still in the top half of the rankings
Milwaukee is never far from a "best" rankings list as well.
Just last year, National Geographic named the city one of the 25 best places to travel to in 2023 on its annual Best of the World list.
While Milwaukee has work to do to catch up to Green Bay and Madison on U.S. News' rankings, it still ranked as the 65th best place to live and 63rd best place to retire out of the 150 metro cities included in the list. And Milwaukee has bragging rights over our friends to the south as Chicago ranked 123rd.
Milwaukee, however, ranked as 19th in most dangerous places. The city set a homicide record for the third straight year in 2022 with 215. Overall, violent crime and other forms of serious offenses such as burglary and car theft in Milwaukee did drop by 7% in 2022.
The website highlights Milwaukee's historical architecture as well as the changing skyline of the metro as reasons for its ranking. However, increased development doesn't always equate to a financially prosperous city.
Milwaukee's nightlife, award-winning restaurants, lakefront museums and its music and arts scene, and the city's festivals are also noted by the website as attributes.
More:Milwaukee residents are concerned about safety. Here are personal stories behind the stats. | https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/wisconsin/2023/05/22/green-bay-madison-milwaukee-wisconsin-rank-in-us-news-world-report-best-places-list/70242729007/ | 2023-05-22T16:48:17 | 1 | https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/wisconsin/2023/05/22/green-bay-madison-milwaukee-wisconsin-rank-in-us-news-world-report-best-places-list/70242729007/ |
LINCOLN, Ark. — A man is dead after officers shot at him in rural Washington County on Friday, May 19, according to acting U.S. Marshal for the Western District of Arkansas, Dewaine Allen.
Officials say they were conducting an arrest warrant on 31-year-old, Zachry Seward for possession of firearms at around 3-4 p.m. on May 19. Officers were at Seward's home in Washington County when he shot at them, according to U.S. Marshal Allen.
Officials say U.S. Marshals, state and local agents shot back at Seward, killing him.
U.S. Marshal Allen says the Washington County Sheriff's Office was also on the scene but was not involved in the shooting.
In August 2022, Seward pleaded not guilty to an attempted murder charge where he was accused of trying to kill his probation officer.
According to a report from the Fayetteville Police Department, the officer was attacked and stabbed by Seward while she was in her office.
The officer was taken to the hospital and survived her injuries, but police say based on the evidence at the scene, Seward had tried to kill her because drug court "ruined" his life.
There are no further details on this deadly shooting but police say this is still being investigated.
Stay with 5NEWS for updates on this developing story.
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To report a typo or grammatical error, please email KFSMDigitalTeam@tegna.com. | https://www.thv11.com/article/news/local/man-dies-officer-involved-shooting-lincoln-faced-murder-charge/527-a8bf32cc-2d2d-4ce6-aa0f-d3a02bd44cad | 2023-05-22T16:53:22 | 1 | https://www.thv11.com/article/news/local/man-dies-officer-involved-shooting-lincoln-faced-murder-charge/527-a8bf32cc-2d2d-4ce6-aa0f-d3a02bd44cad |
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — On the evening of Saturday, May 19, dozens of protestors gathered outside of the Walton Arts Center to call for the CEO of the Walton Arts Center to resign.
Caitlin with the group Arkansans for Social Justice says she is supportive of the board members who resigned due to the Walton Arts Center's decision.
"Resigning demonstrates integrity and we are absolutely in support of those folks. We'd also like to add that Peter Lane and the rest of the exec. leadership team would follow suit."
They say the purpose of Saturday's event is to stand up for the LGBTQ+ community.
"Leave the queer community alone," Caitlin said in response to all of the anti-trans and LBGTQ+ movements and legislation. "There are bigger problems."
The Walton Arts Center gave two statements explaining why it chose not to host the event. In its first statement, it cited "the divisive political rhetoric at this time."
Earlier this year, Arkansas lawmakers tried to pass a bill banning drag performances in front of minors.
"Bigoted and homophobic policies are not tolerated in this community," Caitlin said. "We also want new leadership that is more in touch with the needs of our community."
"I'm so happy to live in a city that will support a community to protest," said protestor Ashton Williams.
In a statement about the protest and resignations, NWA Pride's Director Richard Gathright wrote "Our team is working hard on providing a great 2023 Northwest Arkansas pride celebration. Pride is also a protest, and we stand in solidarity with everyone fighting the ongoing struggle for diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging."
"Parents, you have the right to say 'I don't want my child there,' but you don't have the right to ban everyone else," Caitlin said.
5NEWS reached out to the Walton Arts Center for a response to the protest and the call for its CEO to be removed. The center referred us to its previous statement which says in part, "We understand that NWA Equality and the community it serves are well aware of safety concerns, as that is something they regrettably have to deal with on a daily basis," adding that it regrets its decision.
NWA Pride's Youth Zone event is still going on this year. It's just happening at the Fayetteville Town Center. | https://www.thv11.com/article/news/local/protestors-call-resignation-walton-arts-centers-ceo/527-1795b675-14de-4878-a73d-f530ef58c130 | 2023-05-22T16:53:36 | 1 | https://www.thv11.com/article/news/local/protestors-call-resignation-walton-arts-centers-ceo/527-1795b675-14de-4878-a73d-f530ef58c130 |
Harper Woods boy, 10, in critical condition after being shot in head
Charles E. Ramirez
The Detroit News
A 10-year-old boy is in critical condition after he was shot in the head Saturday in Harper Woods, police said.
Officials said police were called at about 3 p.m. Saturday to a home in the 19000 block of Washtenaw Street near Moross and Kelly roads for a report of a shooting.
They arrived and found a 10-year-old who had been shot once in the head, according to authorities. Medics took him to a hospital.
Police said their initial investigation showed the gunshot was self-inflicted.
The investigation into the shooting is ongoing.
cramirez@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @CharlesERamirez | https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/wayne-county/2023/05/22/harper-woods-boy-10-in-critical-condition-after-being-shot-in-head/70243481007/ | 2023-05-22T16:55:31 | 1 | https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/wayne-county/2023/05/22/harper-woods-boy-10-in-critical-condition-after-being-shot-in-head/70243481007/ |
ARKANSAS, USA — Citizens for Arkansas Public Education and Students (CAPES) announced that they have submitted a third voter referendum for the LEARNS Act to Attorney General Tim Griffin's office on Friday, May 19.
This comes after the second voter referendum was denied On Monday, April 24 by AG Griffin due to it being "misleading" and "insufficient."
On Thursday, May 11, Griffin said the second ballot title was rejected for four reasons: Missing summaries, insufficient summaries, continuing problems and illegible fonts.
CAPES is against the LEARNS Act saying it will be detrimental to public education in the state. CAPES wants to put the Act on the November 2024 ballot to allow people to vote on it.
"The LEARNS Act carries significant implications for the future of education and communities in Arkansas, and it is vital the citizens of Arkansas have the opportunity to voice their opinions on this matter," said CAPES.
CAPES says they have ensured that this third voter referendum meets the expectations that the first and second ones did not. They met with Attorney General Tim Griffin, Deputy Attorney General, Ryan Owsley, and Attorney Walt Paulson on May 16 to make sure the expectations were followed.
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To report a typo or grammatical error, please email KFSMDigitalTeam@tegna.com. | https://www.5newsonline.com/article/news/local/capes-third-voter-referendum-learns-ags-office-act-griffin/527-174eece4-136f-47ab-8b6e-e6dd9d1eb606 | 2023-05-22T16:56:15 | 0 | https://www.5newsonline.com/article/news/local/capes-third-voter-referendum-learns-ags-office-act-griffin/527-174eece4-136f-47ab-8b6e-e6dd9d1eb606 |
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Teaching can sometimes be a thankless job, but after 61 years in the classroom, Fayetteville teacher Thelma Thomason is finally getting her flowers.
"She's amazing," said Andrea Sego, principal of Vandergriff Elementary.
Several former and current students along with co-workers lined outside of the door to reunite with Ms. Thomason once again.
"I thought that was the sweetest thing," said Ms. Thomason. She began working at Fayetteville Public Schools as a school counselor in 1961, seven years after the district started integrating.
"She has taught generation after generation - I would say about probably three or four generations," Sego said. She's worked with Ms. Thomason for 21 years.
"She's very nice because she taught for a long time," said former student Nathan Skinner who is now in the second grade.
"It's been so long, she's been teaching forever," said Charli Skinner who attends Vandergriff Elementary.
Thomason taught through several social, technological changes and health emergences, including the COVID-19 pandemic.
"God is just good for me because I didn't even get a cold whenever they had that stuff going around. I didn't even get sick," said Thomason.
Although the pandemic did not stop her, after 61 years of teaching, Thomason plans on retiring.
"I want to work in the yard and then I'm going to go antiquing, that's my favorite thing," Thomason said.
She tells us the one lesson she hopes her students understand is this: "You only get one life once, make the best out of every day. If you fail at something today, talk to yourself and say you'll do better tomorrow. Never, never give up," Thomason said.
Sen. Denise Garner was at Ms. Thomason's celebration. Sen. Garner gave Thomason a citation on behalf of the Arkansas House recognizing her for her many accomplishments.
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To report a typo or grammatical error, please email KFSMDigitalTeam@tegna.com. | https://www.5newsonline.com/article/news/local/fayetteville-teacher-retires-after-61-years-of-service/527-57bbd108-da46-4e55-bec1-dbcfead8a3dc | 2023-05-22T16:56:21 | 0 | https://www.5newsonline.com/article/news/local/fayetteville-teacher-retires-after-61-years-of-service/527-57bbd108-da46-4e55-bec1-dbcfead8a3dc |
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — On the evening of Saturday, May 19, dozens of protestors gathered outside of the Walton Arts Center to call for the CEO of the Walton Arts Center to resign.
Caitlin with the group Arkansans for Social Justice says she is supportive of the board members who resigned due to the Walton Arts Center's decision.
"Resigning demonstrates integrity and we are absolutely in support of those folks. We'd also like to add that Peter Lane and the rest of the exec. leadership team would follow suit."
They say the purpose of Saturday's event is to stand up for the LGBTQ+ community.
"Leave the queer community alone," Caitlin said in response to all of the anti-trans and LBGTQ+ movements and legislation. "There are bigger problems."
The Walton Arts Center gave two statements explaining why it chose not to host the event. In its first statement, it cited "the divisive political rhetoric at this time."
Earlier this year, Arkansas lawmakers tried to pass a bill banning drag performances in front of minors.
"Bigoted and homophobic policies are not tolerated in this community," Caitlin said. "We also want new leadership that is more in touch with the needs of our community."
"I'm so happy to live in a city that will support a community to protest," said protestor Ashton Williams.
In a statement about the protest and resignations, NWA Pride's Director Richard Gathright wrote "Our team is working hard on providing a great 2023 Northwest Arkansas pride celebration. Pride is also a protest, and we stand in solidarity with everyone fighting the ongoing struggle for diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging."
"Parents, you have the right to say 'I don't want my child there,' but you don't have the right to ban everyone else," Caitlin said.
5NEWS reached out to the Walton Arts Center for a response to the protest and the call for its CEO to be removed. The center referred us to its previous statement which says in part, "We understand that NWA Equality and the community it serves are well aware of safety concerns, as that is something they regrettably have to deal with on a daily basis," adding that it regrets its decision.
NWA Pride's Youth Zone event is still going on this year. It's just happening at the Fayetteville Town Center. | https://www.5newsonline.com/article/news/local/protestors-call-resignation-walton-arts-centers-ceo/527-1795b675-14de-4878-a73d-f530ef58c130 | 2023-05-22T16:56:27 | 0 | https://www.5newsonline.com/article/news/local/protestors-call-resignation-walton-arts-centers-ceo/527-1795b675-14de-4878-a73d-f530ef58c130 |
ROGERS, Ark. — A first-of-its-kind event took place at the Rogers Convention Center on Saturday, May 20.
True Crime Fest NWA is an event that helps shed light on cold cases of those who are still missing by telling their stories. It also recognizes the hard work of those that are working to solve their cases.
True Crime Fest NWA is hosted by All the Lost Girls, a nonprofit organization founded in memory of Melissa Witt. Melissa Witt was a Fort Smith native whose body was found in 1995. Her murder has yet to be solved and her case was the focus of this year's event.
Speakers included:
- Melissa Witt Investigative Team
- Nic Edwards (present virtually)
- Karen Steward
- United States of Murder
- Lance Reenstierna and Jennifer Amell from Crawlspace Media
- Charlotte Hopper
- Cherry with the Crimepedia Podcast
- George Jared
- Deep Dark Secrets Podcast
- James Renner
- Catherine Townsend
The event was held from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. All of the money raised in this event will be going to All the Lost Girls.
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To report a typo or grammatical error, please email KFSMDigitalTeam@tegna.com. | https://www.5newsonline.com/article/news/local/true-crime-fest-northwest-arkansas-melissa-witt/527-2934bf70-7e67-4f31-8cf6-21c2c42201ce | 2023-05-22T16:56:34 | 1 | https://www.5newsonline.com/article/news/local/true-crime-fest-northwest-arkansas-melissa-witt/527-2934bf70-7e67-4f31-8cf6-21c2c42201ce |
FORT SMITH, Ark. — Two people in Fort Smith have been arrested following a shooting that took place at the 3400 block of Duke Avenue on the morning of Friday, May 19.
The Fort Smith Police Department (FSPD) said officers responded to the shooting at around 8:50 a.m. where 18-year-old Caleb France was found injured. France was taken to a local hospital but fled the same night, according to police. Police later found and arrested France along with the 17-year-old.
After investigating, police said France was injured after he and a 17-year-old had allegedly committed an aggravated robbery.
FSPD says this is still an ongoing investigation and more information will be revealed when it is available and appropriate.
Stay with 5NEWS for updates on this developing story.
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To report a typo or grammatical error, please email KFSMDigitalTeam@tegna.com. | https://www.5newsonline.com/article/news/local/two-arrested-connection-fort-smith-shooting-duke-ave/527-0febcf01-4815-48ba-9d77-19c5afa3267e | 2023-05-22T16:56:40 | 1 | https://www.5newsonline.com/article/news/local/two-arrested-connection-fort-smith-shooting-duke-ave/527-0febcf01-4815-48ba-9d77-19c5afa3267e |
CABOT, Ark. — Two people are now dead after they were hit by a train on Saturday evening.
According to reports, it happened near the Allman/Bevis Sports Complex.
The details of what exactly happened remain extremely limited at this time but we will update with more information as soon as it becomes available.
The investigation into this incident remains ongoing. | https://www.5newsonline.com/article/news/local/two-dead-train-cabot/91-51fe6184-21a7-4403-aa38-72e4a1690494 | 2023-05-22T16:56:46 | 1 | https://www.5newsonline.com/article/news/local/two-dead-train-cabot/91-51fe6184-21a7-4403-aa38-72e4a1690494 |
CAPE CORAL, Fla. — One person died after a double rollover crash happened Friday morning in a Cape Coral intersection.
Cape Coral Police Department responded to the crash around 6:12 a.m. at Skyline Boulevard and SW 8th Terrace. Investigators arrived at the scene and closed the road for nearly six-hour to find more information on what led to the crash.
According to the Cape Coral Police news release, the 38-year-old driver of the 2013 Chrysler 300 entered the intersection of Skyline Blvd after stopping at a stop sign and pulled out in front of the Nissan. The Nissan driver did not have a stop sign and was approaching the intersection of SW 8th Terrance.
The front of the Nissan hit the left front quarter panel of the Crysler, causing both cars to rotate clockwise.
The Nissan overturned on its left side and struck a concrete street light pole in the center median. Paramedics transported the driver and passenger from the Nissan via helicopter with life-threatening injuries. The 37-year-old woman driving died at the hospital from the injuries sustained in the crash. The passenger’s injuries were downgraded to non-life-threatening.
The driver of the grey car sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was transported to Cape Coral Hospital for treatment. Its passenger did not sustain any injuries.
Investigators determined that speed was not a factor in this crash. However, they want any witnesses to contact the Cape Coral Police Department by calling 239-574-3223. | https://nbc-2.com/news/local/2023/05/22/one-dead-in-cape-coral-double-rollover-crash/ | 2023-05-22T17:00:10 | 0 | https://nbc-2.com/news/local/2023/05/22/one-dead-in-cape-coral-double-rollover-crash/ |
SOUTH FORT MYERS, Fla. — ‘Eight Days of Hope’ volunteers are helping clean and rebuild Harlem Heights eight months after Hurricane Ian.
“Some living in tents in their backyard because their homes were devastated, flooding and roof damage,” President and CEO of the Heights Foundation, Kathryn Kelly, said.
That is still the reality for many Harlem Heights neighbors since Hurricane Ian.
“They’re over 150 homes that were damaged, close to 200, and so it’s a big, huge project,” she said.
It is much too big of a project to be done alone.
“But to have 1,000 people there for eight days is just amazing,” she said, referring to the volunteers with ‘Eight Days of Hope.’
Anything you can think of, these volunteers are lending a helping hand.
“Tuesday alone, we will be serving 70 families with free home repairs, like roofing, windows, carpentry, and painting,” the President and Founder of the ‘Eight Days of Hope’ organization Steve Tybur said.
All help is for no cost!
“Nine of the families came back for dinner; four of them just broke down in tears,” said Tybur. “They couldn’t believe that strangers would show up eight months after the hurricane to help them for free.”
And helping neighbors is something Tybur is familiar with in Harlem Heights.
“It’s a very close-knit community; they were painting one house because we finished another house,” he said. “That neighbor came and helped us to paint the next-door neighbor’s house.”
The goal is to bring new beginnings for these families, with an even stronger foundation to live in once again.
Crews will be out here through Saturday. | https://nbc-2.com/news/local/lee-county/2023/05/22/eight-days-of-hope-volunteers-help-rebuild-harlem-heights-after-hurricane-ian/ | 2023-05-22T17:00:16 | 0 | https://nbc-2.com/news/local/lee-county/2023/05/22/eight-days-of-hope-volunteers-help-rebuild-harlem-heights-after-hurricane-ian/ |
Powerball, Mega Millions, Lotto: Here are Florida's top ten biggest lottery winners, so far
For many Floridians, lottery odds are easy to figure out. Obviously, it's 50/50, either you win or you don't. The fact that "don't" comes up so much, much more often is simply a temporary inconvenience that adds to the anticipation.
OK, yes, "math" and "statistics" vehemently disagree, but we know how we feel. And stop telling us we're more likely to get hit by lightning than win the lottery. We're the lightning capital of the United States, Mr. Mathematician, that's a pretty low bar in these parts.
But odds aside — and the odds against winning are indeed astronomical, but we're good at space stuff, too — several Florida residents have won big in the Florida Lotto, Powerball and the Mega Millions game. Here are the top ten Sunshine State winners so far, according to data from the Florida Lottery.
Do I have to give my name?Can Florida Lottery winners remain anonymous? What you need to know about winning the lottery
Fire and Dice!Florida Lottery has 4 new scratch-offs with $145 million in prizes available
$1.59 billion, Powerball
Three winners in three states, Florida, California and Tennessee, claimed the biggest lottery jackpot at the time on January 13, 2016. The Nickel 5 Trust in Melbourne Beach received a payout of nearly $328 million (all payout figures listed here are pre-tax). According to the Florida Lottery, this one drawing created 18 new Florida millionaires.
What we know about winners:Lotto jackpots have surpassed $1 billion six times. What we know about winners
Record-breaking winnings:Here's why the jackpots have grown so large
$590.5 million, Powerball
On May 18, 2013, Gloria C. MacKenzie became the largest sole lottery winner in U.S. history at the time when the 84-year-old Zephryhills resident won off a Powerball ticket she bought at Publix. Her payout was just under $371 million. She later sued her son for mismanagement but died in February 2021 before the case was concluded.
Top 10 winners in U.S.:Biggest lottery jackpots for Powerball, Mega Millions: Who won and where winning tickets were bought
$494 million, Mega Millions
Two winning tickets were sold for the $494 Mega Millions jackpot on Oct. 14, 2022, and one of them was sold in Fort Myers while it was still reeling from the devastating Hurricane Ian less than three weeks earlier. (The other was in California.) The prize, $126 million and change, was claimed by Pamela Baker, 44, of Bonita Springs, managing member of Pineapple Trust.
$450 million, Mega Millions
Shane Missler, 20, of Port Richey became Florida's second Mega Millions winner — on the Florida Lottery's 30th birthday, no less — and the 4th largest jackpot winner to date in Mega Millions history when he nabbed the winning ticket for the $451 million Mega Millions lottery Jan. 5, 2018, and took home $281 million. "I'm only 20, but I hope to use it to pursue a variety of passions, help my family and do some good for humanity," Missler said in a Florida Lottery news release.
$414 million, Mega Millions
Two years after Robyn Collier of Merritt Island filed for bankruptcy and two months after her boyfriend, Raymond Moyer, was laid off from his job, they became the first Mega Millions winners in Florida and split a $414 million jackpot with another winner in Maryland in the Mar. 18, 2014, drawing. They netted $115 million, deposited in a trust named after their dogs, Cobie and Seamus.
'We didn't know we had won':Brevard's Mega Millions winners were nearly penniless
$394 million, Powerball
Sheryll Goedert, a partner in the Ocala law firm Collier, Jernigan & Goedert. P.A. turned in the ticket from a Bonita Springs 7-Eleven that won the $394 million Powerball Jan. 29, 2020. That worked out to just under $277 million in take-home pay.
New Ocala millionaire:Ocala CPA wins $396.9 million Powerball drawing
$292 million, Powerball
Best vacation ever? James Stocklas of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania was enjoying the Keys when he bought a quick pick in Marathon and won the Mar. 2, 2016 Powerball jackpot of $292 million, which translates to $191 million in walking-around money.
$286 billion, Powerball
Clay Tousey, 69, of Ponte Vedra Beach, claimed a $286 million jackpot as trustee of The Love You More Trust for the June 5, 2021 Powerball drawing. Loving it even more: the payout was just under $197 million.
How do you play Powerball?A beginner's guide to Powerball rules and potential prizes.
$238 billion, Powerball
A Powerball ticket from a Publix in Lutz in the Tampa Bay area on Mar. 7, 2021, won the $238 million grand prize. Thomas Ye of Land O'Lakes claimed it, according to the Florida Lottery, and cashed out for $160 million.
$169 million, Powerball
William Kruger of Lantana scored what was believed at the time to be the highest lottery game payout in Palm Beach County with a quick pick from Publix that won the Aug. 12 Powerball drawing in 2020 and the $169 million jackpot. He opted for the lump-sum payment and walked away with $140 million.
What's the largest Florida Lotto jackpot?
Powerball and Mega Millions dominate this list since they're nationwide and have the largest sales, but we wouldn't turn our noses up at a paltry few million. Or even $106.5 million, the largest Florida Lotto jackpot since it began, split by six winners from the Sept. 15, 1991 drawing.
Who won the first Powerball jackpot in Florida?
W. Steemers Trust of Orlando claimed the winning ticket after becoming the first Florida player to win the Powerball on Oct. 3, 2009. for a $189 million jackpot.
What's the largest unclaimed Florida Lotto jackpot?
Someone bought a ticket in Miami in May of 1999 and won $66 million in the Florida Lotto but, for whatever reason, never claimed it before it expired after the 180-day deadline, which is why you should always check your pockets before laundry day.
Second-highest was the unclaimed winning $53.7 million ticket someone purchased in North Bay Village in Dade County in Mar. 2003.
How much Florida Lotto money has been left unclaimed?
Since the Florida Lotto began in 1988, nearly $447 million dollars has gone unclaimed, according to data from the Florida Lottery.
C. A. Bridges is a Digital Producer for the USA TODAY Network, working with multiple newsrooms across Florida. Local journalists work hard to keep you informed about the things you care about, and you can support them by subscribing to your local news organization. Read more articles by Chris here and follow him on Twitter at @cabridges | https://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/local/2023/05/22/florida-lottery-winners-biggest-powerball-mega-millions-lotto-jackpots/70237303007/ | 2023-05-22T17:01:16 | 1 | https://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/local/2023/05/22/florida-lottery-winners-biggest-powerball-mega-millions-lotto-jackpots/70237303007/ |
One of the Mill Casino’s most popular events is returning May 27 and 28 showcasing some of the best barbeque, blues and brews around. A $5 entry fee gets guests into the event each day.
The Mill Casino’s Brand & Advertising Manager Kevin Lee told The World news all the juicy details about their upcoming BBQ, Blues & Brews on the Bay.
Q: The event started more than a decade ago. Why do you think it’s become so popular over the years?
A: The event has grown so much since 2012, when we started with 15 competitors. Since then, there have been years when we had as many as 30 competitors. This is a KCBS [Kansas City Barbeque Society] sanctioned event, so you’re looking at some of the best the Pacific Northwest has to offer. These are the teams looking to move on in the series of competition – the Grand Champion is invited to the American Royal in Kansas City, MO.
Q: What are the different kinds of BBQ items that will be available at the event? Are smaller samples available so guests can try different items?
A: There will be an assortment of items at BBQ, Blues & Brews, and all items are entirely up to the competitors’ discretion. The categories are chicken, pork, pork ribs and beef brisket. Various competitors are offering $2 samples for the public to try.
Q: Where do some of the BBQ chefs (pitmasters) come from and what are some of their different styles?
A: We have competitors from all over the Pacific Northwest and several states over. With over 25 competitors, you’re definitely going to see things done you’ve never seen before, and find new things you’ve never had. One of my favorite parts about BBQ, Blues & Brews is our Mac n’ Cheese category. Created to honor the late Jim Monihan who was an influential part of organizing our event in the beginning. You’d be surprised how many forms mac n’ cheese can come in!
Q: What is the Kansas City Barbecue Society? How do they judge the competition?
A: There are two judges from the KCBS who are present to ensure the cooks follow all rules, regulations and to oversee the judging process. Judging itself is made up of several certified judges looking at each category for taste, appearance and texture. There are strict rules and requirements, including competitors turning in competition-ready food at specific times.
Q: The beer portion of the event is being described new and improved. How so?
A: Prior years we had one beer tent, where all patrons would have to go to sample from vendors. This year we have three stations where patrons can visit for larger samples of their choice. The highlight is being able to roam the event at your leisure with your beverage, and the public gets to vote on the best brew!
Q: What kind of music will be playing?
A: To keep with the BBQ, Blues and Brews theme we have two different blues artists, Lisa Mann and the Ben Rice Band. Both are well-known acts in the Pacific Northwest.
Q: What do you hope people who come get out of the event?
A: This event was created to bring the public together and to give this beautiful community another reason to put us on the map. This area is like no other, and to help create a reason for travelers to visit is one of our favorite parts about hosting the event.
A $5 entry fee gets you into the BBQ, Blues & Brews on the Bay. It’s being held from noon to 6 p.m. on Saturday, May 27 and noon to 4 p.m. on Sunday, May 28 at The Mill Casino in Coos Bay. For more information visit, www.themillcasino.com and click on upcoming events. | https://theworldlink.com/news/local/bbq-blues-brews-on-the-bay/article_a24b6178-f5d0-11ed-9ebc-1fc5446a1f30.html | 2023-05-22T17:02:35 | 1 | https://theworldlink.com/news/local/bbq-blues-brews-on-the-bay/article_a24b6178-f5d0-11ed-9ebc-1fc5446a1f30.html |
Man found shot dead in encampment under I-17 freeway in Phoenix
On Sunday evening, a man was found dead at an encampment under the Interstate 17 Maricopa Freeway in Phoenix, according to Phoenix police.
Around 6 p.m. on Sunday, Phoenix police officers responded to the area of 3rd Street and the I-17 Freeway Access Road regarding a suspect with a gun. When they arrived, they did not locate the subject but did hear gunshots in the area, police said.
Officers say they were directed to an encampment under the freeway near 3rd Street where they located a man with gunshot wounds. The man did not survive his injuries and was pronounced dead on scene, according to police.
Anyone with information is asked to call Silent Witness at 480(WITNESS) or 480(TESTIGO) to provide an anonymous tip. Rewards will be paid for information leading to an arrest in this case. | https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/phoenix-breaking/2023/05/22/man-found-dead-under-interstate-17-freeway-phoenix/70243163007/ | 2023-05-22T17:02:38 | 0 | https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/phoenix-breaking/2023/05/22/man-found-dead-under-interstate-17-freeway-phoenix/70243163007/ |
Arizona, California and Nevada propose water cuts from Colorado River to avert forced cuts
The Interior Department on Monday announced it was reviewing a plan submitted by Arizona, California and Nevada to conserve 3 million acre-feet of Colorado River water over the next three years.
The plan is the states’ answer to a federal call for major reductions in use to keep water stored in Lake Mead and Lake Powell from declining to disastrous levels. The states are seeking federal compensation for users who cut back. On average, each year they would save a little more than a third of what Arizona takes from the river in a normal year.
The offering is substantially less than what the Interior and its Bureau of Reclamation had sought over the next three years. In April, federal officials released a draft study of ideas for securing twice as much per year. But on Monday, Interior said it would delay its May 30 deadline for comment on that study to review the states’ plan.
Advocacy group's warning:Colorado River in the Grand Canyon is the most 'endangered river'
“Today’s announcement is a testament to the Biden-Harris administration’s commitment to working with states, tribes and communities throughout the West to find consensus solutions in the face of climate change and sustained drought,” Interior Secretary Deb Haaland said in a statement.
Interior officials said the states’ plan includes 2.3 million acre-feet of saving that would be compensated through federal funds dedicated to the river under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act. Those laws collectively directed billions of dollars to water projects, including both compensated farm fallowing and long-term efficiency upgrades.
Although the federal dam managers say they need more savings over the long term, the states’ plan reflects the huge pulse of snowmelt now heading toward the big reservoirs, expected to bring them up to about one-third full this year. That could help the basin limp through to 2026, when Interior must decide on longer-term cutbacks to keep the river flowing.
"This proposal protects the system in the short term so we can dedicate our energy and resources to a longer-term solution, " Central Arizona Project General Manager Brenda Burman said in a statement. "New guidelines for operating the river system will be due by the end of 2026. There’s a lot to do and it’s time to focus."
Searching for answers:As the Colorado River is stretched thin by drought, can the 100-year-old rules that divide it still work?
Brandon Loomis covers environmental and climate issues for The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com. Reach him at brandon.loomis@arizonarepublic.com or follow on Twitter @brandonloomis.
Environmental coverage on azcentral.com and in The Arizona Republic is supported by a grant from the Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust. Follow The Republic environmental reporting team at environment.azcentral.com and @azcenvironment on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Support local journalism. Subscribe to azcentral.com today. | https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona-environment/2023/05/22/colorado-river-deal-arizona-water-use/70243617007/ | 2023-05-22T17:02:38 | 1 | https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona-environment/2023/05/22/colorado-river-deal-arizona-water-use/70243617007/ |
WILKES-BARRE, Pa. — A Luzerne County man pleaded guilty Monday to murder charges after the death of a woman in 2021.
Charles Bierly of Wilkes-Barre pleaded guilty in Luzerne County court to third-degree murder, criminal conspiracy to commit homicide, and illegally possessing a firearm.
Bierly was accused of stabbing, then shooting and killing Judi Comisky, 52, in 2021, then dumping the weapons in the Susquehanna River. They were recovered by dive teams.
Bierly said another man, James Alberto, who used to live with Comisky, believed she was working with police against him and that Alberto threatened Bierly and his girlfriend, and that's why he shot Comisky.
Bierly is scheduled to be sentenced in August.
Alberto also faces homicide charges in Luzerne County.
See news happening? Text our Newstip Hotline. | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/luzerne-county/man-admits-to-wilkes-barre-murder-charles-bierly-judi-comisky/523-b92bb3b5-932e-4aab-8164-8ae36197d17a | 2023-05-22T17:04:18 | 0 | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/luzerne-county/man-admits-to-wilkes-barre-murder-charles-bierly-judi-comisky/523-b92bb3b5-932e-4aab-8164-8ae36197d17a |
STROUDSBURG, Pa. — A man from Monroe County has been convicted of torture in federal court.
Ross Roggio, 54, of Stroudsburg, was found guilty last week of numerous crimes, including the torture of an Estonian citizen in 2015 in the Kurdistan region of Iraq, in connection with the operation of an illegal weapons manufacturing plant in Kurdistan.
He was arrested last year.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Roggio arranged for Kurdish soldiers to abduct and detain the victim at a Kurdish military compound where Roggio suffocated the victim with a belt, threatened to cut off one of his fingers, and directed Kurdish soldiers to repeatedly beat, shock, choke, and otherwise physically and mentally abuse the victim over a 39-day period. The victim was employed at a weapons factory that Roggio was developing in the Kurdistan region of Iraq that was intended to manufacture M4 automatic rifles and Glock 9-mm pistols.
Roggio was convicted of torture, conspiracy to commit torture, conspiring to commit an offense against the United States, exporting weapons parts and services to Iraq without the approval of the Department of State, exporting weapons tools to Iraq without the approval of the Department of Commerce, smuggling goods, wire fraud, and money laundering. He is scheduled to be sentenced on August 23 and faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.
See news happening? Text our Newstip Hotline. | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/monroe-county/monroe-county-man-convicted-of-torture-kurdistan-iraq/523-048ba7c7-fa71-4e28-9f41-ffff8e56a443 | 2023-05-22T17:04:24 | 1 | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/monroe-county/monroe-county-man-convicted-of-torture-kurdistan-iraq/523-048ba7c7-fa71-4e28-9f41-ffff8e56a443 |
HAWLEY, Pa. — Tony Schwartz has been in the entertainment business for about 20 years, and that's how long a building at Tanglwood Resorts has sat empty.
"Until January. New Year's Eve was the first event in here in over two decades," Schwartz said.
Schwartz hosts trivia contests at bars in the area, and that's how he met Virginia Weniger. She's the director of resorts at Tanglwood.
"He came over to me, and he was talking about needing to store some stuff. And I said, 'Well, I have a big place if you need to.' And he just kind of looked at me; he goes, 'I like to do shows too.' I said, 'Well, I have a place for that too.'"
At that point, this room was filled with about 100 mattresses in storage. Tony saw past that.
"He could see the dream that he's always wanted, he and his wife, Roxanne. And he said, 'Let's do it,'" Weniger said.
Tony and Roxanne have since hosted several events this year, and there's a big one coming up to help kick off the summer—a Salute to the Veterans concert on the lawn.
"We'll have a classic rock band, a country band, places for everybody to gather on their blankets and chairs to watch the music, as well as vendors, food trucks, basket raffles, a lot of stuff going on this Saturday," Schwartz said.
It all includes a beautiful backdrop: A view of Lake Wallenpaupack.
Money raised from the event will go to Camp Freedom, a nonprofit in Carbondale that provides outdoor adventures to disabled or wounded veterans, first responders, and Gold Star families.
"This is what we can do because I was never in the service, but this is a way for us to give back," Roxanne Schwartz said.
That's why Amanda Macdougall and Timothy Enot wanted to get involved; Amanda as a vendor, Timothy as a raffle donor.
She owns Amanda's Crafty Creations. He does woodworking as a hobby and is raffling off wooden flags.
"I'm a veteran, and I've supported veterans for many years. My daughter's in the Air Force," Enot said.
"I have a lot of family members that are veterans. My son-in-law is a veteran as well. Anything to support our vets, we have to remember that they put their lives on the line every day for us," Macdougall said.
The concert is free for veterans on Saturday, otherwise, it's $5.
The event runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Lodge at Tanglwood.
Check out WNEP’s YouTube channel. | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/pike-county/support-veterans-enjoy-lakeside-live-music-at-memorial-day-weekend-event-tanglwood-lake-wallenpaupack/523-da189671-5e5f-4f4a-bfd9-1e90ee7044b7 | 2023-05-22T17:04:27 | 1 | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/pike-county/support-veterans-enjoy-lakeside-live-music-at-memorial-day-weekend-event-tanglwood-lake-wallenpaupack/523-da189671-5e5f-4f4a-bfd9-1e90ee7044b7 |
MCCALLA, Ala. (WIAT) — A woman is dead following a domestic dispute that ended with her being run over by a car Friday afternoon.
According to the Jefferson County Coroner’s Office, Ebony Denise Dawson was killed after reportedly jumping onto a moving vehicle in the 5800 block of Old Huntsville Road in McCalla. Dawson, 36, then fell off the vehicle onto the road, getting run over.
The JCCO reports that Dawson was involved in a possible domestic dispute leading up to her death.
The circumstances surrounding the death are being investigated by the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office. | https://www.cbs42.com/news/local/domestic-dispute-ends-with-woman-being-killed-by-car-in-mccalla/ | 2023-05-22T17:06:00 | 1 | https://www.cbs42.com/news/local/domestic-dispute-ends-with-woman-being-killed-by-car-in-mccalla/ |
The national Conference on Crimes Against Women is underway in Downtown Dallas.
More than 2,500 advocates, members of law enforcement, subject matter experts, and survivors have gathered for four days of discussion on an increasingly relevant topic.
Crimes like domestic and dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, and human trafficking are on the rise nationally, according to organizers of the conference. And the number of murders where the perpetrator is an intimate male partner of the victim is also on the rise in Texas.
“Women are being trafficked, raped, murdered, kidnapped, held against their will, and controlled,” said Shawn Guy, one of the organizers of the four-day conference. She added that so many of these women suffer needlessly, in part, because too many people in the general public do not understand their plight.
“A lot of people think that women could just get out of it, that they are in it because they want to be in it, because why else would they not leave?” Guy said. “They do not understand the backstory of how much [the women] are being controlled by their finances, by physical abuse, by mental abuse, by children, by pets’ there’s so much control that they are literally in this box that they cannot get out of.”
Dallas Police Chief Eddie Garcia was among the very first to address the crowd at the conference Monday morning.
Chief Garcia noted that his officers are often, themselves, put in danger when someone calls for help in a domestic dispute. But he stressed that his biggest concern with respect to domestic violence is the mindset of too many of the victims and survivors.
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“The fear, really. The fact that our survivors feel trapped in certain situations is something that hits me hard,” Chief Garcia said. | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/national-crimes-against-women-conference-underway-in-dallas/3262583/ | 2023-05-22T17:11:29 | 1 | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/national-crimes-against-women-conference-underway-in-dallas/3262583/ |
GLEN BURNIE, Md. — Anne Arundel County Police officers are investigating a reported road rage incident that happened Saturday afternoon in Glen Burnie.
Around 12:05 p.m., an officer was flagged down by a citizen to report a road rage incident.
The suspect, who was operating a green ATV, cut the victim off in traffic on Ritchie Highway at Norman Road, and an argument ensued.
Police say, during the argument, the suspect pointed a handgun at the victim. The suspect fled the area on the ATV.
The victim described the suspect as wearing a black helmet, armed with a black semi-automatic handgun.
Northern District detectives are investigating the incident and ask anyone with information to contact 410-222-6135 or the Tip Line at 410-222-4700. | https://www.wmar2news.com/local/armed-atv-rider-wanted-for-road-rage-incident-in-glen-burnie | 2023-05-22T17:15:46 | 1 | https://www.wmar2news.com/local/armed-atv-rider-wanted-for-road-rage-incident-in-glen-burnie |
BROOKLYN, Md. — A man was beaten to death outside his home in Brooklyn Friday night.
Anne Arundel County Police said there was some sort of earlier altercation that led a group of men to visit Christopher Wright's home on Arundel Road West.
This sparked a physical encounter that left Wright, 43, with traumatic injuries.
He died a day later at the hospital.
Police say a group of three to four men are responsible.
They'd already fled the scene by the time officers arrived.
Police have not confirmed what the previous problem was about or who else may have been involved.
Anyone with information should call detectives at 410-222-4731 or the Tip Line at 410-222-4700. | https://www.wmar2news.com/local/brooklyn-man-beaten-to-death-outside-his-home | 2023-05-22T17:15:52 | 0 | https://www.wmar2news.com/local/brooklyn-man-beaten-to-death-outside-his-home |
PASADENA, Md. — A drive-thru Chipotle restaurant is opening this week in Pasadena, announced the company.
Chipotle will officially open its doors May 23 at the Lakeshore Plaza shopping center on Mountain Road, starting at 10:45 a.m.
It will feature a "Chipotlane" drive-thru pickup lane, where drivers can pick up their digital orders. (The lane is only for picking up orders, not placing them.)
The location will also include Chipotle's new option of Chicken al Pastor.
Chipotle also has two restaurants in Glen Burnie and one in Severna Park. | https://www.wmar2news.com/local/chipotlane-coming-to-pasadena | 2023-05-22T17:15:58 | 1 | https://www.wmar2news.com/local/chipotlane-coming-to-pasadena |
FREDERICK COUNTY, Md. — Inmates and visitors at the Frederick County Adult Detention Center were evacuated safely with no issues after they noticed the smell of gas Sunday morning.
On Sunday, May 21, around 9 a.m., a responding correctional officer noticed a strong natural gas odor in the room.
Visitors and all inmates from several inmate housing units of the facility were immediately evacuated.
Officials say, officers activated the ventilation system in the impacted housing unit ceilings and opened two recreation yards to allow gas to escape.
Frederick County Division of Fire and Rescue Services (FCADC) arrived on the scene and found a gas leak in one of the fittings. They then shut off the main gas line.
After contact with FCADC maintenance workers, it was determined contractors were working on gas lines earlier that week.
Within two hours, the maintenance workers resolved the gas leak without further incident, according to the Frederick County's Sheriff's Office.
Once properly ventilated and checked, inmates returned to their housing units. | https://www.wmar2news.com/local/gas-leak-detected-at-frederick-county-detention-center-inmates-safely-evacuated | 2023-05-22T17:16:04 | 0 | https://www.wmar2news.com/local/gas-leak-detected-at-frederick-county-detention-center-inmates-safely-evacuated |
VALPARAISO — A Hebron couple was arrested on felony neglect charges for allowing three of their children to rack up a large number of absences and tardy days from elementary school, court records show.
Kevin Carrico, 36, and Crysta Carrico, 37, face charges of neglect of a dependent — educational neglect.
A case manager with the Porter County Juvenile Probation Department said a fourth grade student at Boone Grove Elementary School in the couple's care had 40 unexcused absences and five tardy days during the 2020-21 school year.
The same child had 59 absences and 16 tardy days during the 2021-22 school year, the charges say.
A first grade student at Porter Lakes Elementary School had 56 unexcused absences and 14 tardy days during the 2021-22 year, charging documents say. This was followed by 33 absences and 13 tardy days for the current school year.
The battery charge stems from the same alleged incident and says the accused forced the woman to act against her will and forced himself on her.
Lastly, a third child, who is a fourth grade student at Boone Grove Elementary School, had 48 unexcused absences and 11 tardy days during the 2021-22 school year, and 32 absences and eight tardy days during the current school year, records show.
The cases stem from a referral from Project ATTEND, which is an initiative by the Porter County Juvenile Probation Department and Porter County schools aimed at resolving truancy issues among elementary school students.
Kevin Carrico's case is pending before Porter Superior Court Judge Mike Fish and Crysta Carrico's case is before Porter Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Clymer.
Gallery: Recent arrests booked into the Porter County Jail
Porter/LaPorte County Courts and Social Justice Reporter
Bob is a 23-year veteran of The Times. He covers county government and courts in Porter County, federal courts, police news and regional issues. He also created the Vegan in the Region blog, is an Indiana University grad and lifelong region resident. | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/crime-courts/porter-county-parents-charged-as-felons-for-failing-to-send-their-children-to-school-records/article_8a329212-f8ac-11ed-afca-4733678e3cd7.html | 2023-05-22T17:16:14 | 0 | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/crime-courts/porter-county-parents-charged-as-felons-for-failing-to-send-their-children-to-school-records/article_8a329212-f8ac-11ed-afca-4733678e3cd7.html |
FaithWorks Media CEO Jennifer Walton and her father, Dennis, are looking to change perceptions of the city of Gary and inspire hope through a docuseries she is producing.
John J. Watkins, The Times
"Growing up, I never saw the prominence of Gary, but I saw the effects of its decline and wondered what happened," says FaithWorks CEO Jennifer Walton, photographed with her father, Dennis. "I wanted to help make a difference through the best way I knew how, which is through media."
John J. Watkins, The Times
Each episode of the docuseries helmed by FaithWorks Media CEO Jennifer Walton and her father, Dennis, will have a particular focus. All will feature interviews, footage of the Steel City and a little history.
John J. Watkins, The Times
FaithWorks Media CEO Jennifer Walton and her father, Dennis, are looking to change perceptions of the city of Gary and inspire hope through a docuseries she is producing.
John J. Watkins, The Times
FaithWorks Media CEO Jennifer Walton and her father, Dennis, are looking to change perceptions of the city of Gary and inspire hope through a docuseries she is producing.
John J. Watkins, The Times
FaithWorks Media CEO Jennifer Walton and her father, Dennis, are looking to change perceptions of the city of Gary and inspire hope through a docuseries she is producing.
Dangling vines and rampant shrubbery consume blighted, crumbling storefronts as Michael Pirtle intones that Gary has a stigma in the trailer for FaithWorks Media's upcoming documentary series "Relentless Faith: Rebuilding the City of Gary."
The director of Liberty House Recovery Cafe recounts in a voiceover how people are warned to not go to Gary and told it's a horrible place. The screen segues to shots of such landmarks as the Miller Lagoon, Broadway and City Hall. Pirtle and others then talk about how the Steel City had a rich history and once prospered but suffered when the steel industry started to struggle, causing jobs to vanish, stores to shutter and homes to be abandoned.
The economic woes lead to social ills, such as drugs and gang activity.
But as the music swells, the trailer starts to show hammering and other rebuilding activities. The interviewees begin to take a more hopeful tack.
"We're hopeful and expecting for Gary to turn around and be back on the map like never before," FaithWorks Network Chairman Dennis Walton says in the trailer.
FaithWorks Media will start livestreaming the show on its Facebook page at 5 p.m. Saturday. New episodes will come out roughly every month.
CEO Jennifer Walton and her father hope to change perceptions of the city and inspire hope.
"The docuseries is a journey of rebuilding," she said. "FaithWorks Network is a coalition of businesses and ministerial leaders devoted to enriching the lives of the people. Specifically, people need hope. Positive things are happening despite the negative stigma put on Gary."
"Relentless Faith" aims to shine a light on the positives and the change that's occurring in the lakefront city, whose population has declined from a peak of 180,000 to around 70,000 as the result of deindustrialization, disinvestment and white flight.
"It doesn't just show the positive things in the city and the rebuilding taking place now," she said. "It also seeks to inspire people to get involved in the rebuilding."
It's an outreach program by FaithWorks Network, which has churches and community centers in Gary and Merrillville.
"The vision is to see Gary rebuilt and restored," she said.
FaithWorks partners with similar organizations like the Tolleston Project. It is promoting farm-to-table programs and working to establish workforce and contractor incubators in Gary to prepare residents to work in the carpentry, electrical, plumbing, roofing and HVAC building trades.
The group hopes to create a culture of love to bring about a healthy community. It aims to restore the city by promoting goals like business growth, holistic healing, community safety, environmental justice and renewable energy.
The series chronicles Faith Works Network's rebuilding efforts "in the midst of insurmountable odds."
"The history of Gary has always interested me. My father and mother, Apostle Dennis and Minister Sheila Walton, were both born and raised in Gary," Walton said. "Together, they raised my sisters and me in Merrillville. Our house was located on the border of Gary.
"Growing up, I never saw the prominence of Gary, but I saw the effects of its decline and wondered what happened. I wanted to help make a difference through the best way I knew how, which is through media. This docuseries will paint the narrative of the good things taking place in Gary through FaithWorks Network and other city initiatives."
The first season will consist of seven 22- to 25-minute episodes. They address what's being done to combat food deserts and other issues while highlighting local restaurants and farmers markets. Other subjects include the work that Liberty House Recovery Cafe does to help people suffering from drug addiction and the FaithWorks initiative to teach young men building trades so they can go on to have fruitful careers.
"We ultimately want to assist in the revitalization of Gary," she said. "It's a journey through the lens of FaithWorks what it takes to restore and rebuild the city, what it takes to keep the city clean and promote safety. Change happens from the city out."
Each episode will have a particular focus. All will feature interviews, footage of the Steel City and a little history.
"It will talk about where we've come from and encourage people to do more research. It will share how people can get involved. Our goal is to help people how to visualize how to rebuild a city, to visually show how it's possible."
More than 10 people were interviewed for the first episode. The filmmakers talked to pastors, political leaders and grassroots volunteers who sat down for 20- to 30-minute interviews that were edited down and juxtaposed with B-roll footage.
It's still shooting interviews for future episodes, which will be released as they're finished.
"We show that when people do have hope, they do incredible things," she said. "FaithWorks Media is a production company that creates films out of the power of raw faith. We want to give people hope and show there is a brighter future for the city of Gary. But we have to work for it. We have to be active and do something. We need to take action."
The hope is that the docuseries will serve as a call to action, leading more people to get involved.
"Some people think Gary has nothing to offer and that the past is over. We want to dispel that perspective and what other people have said. Gary is a jewel with a lot of amazing things. It's important we determine how we see the true value of Gary. Gary has a lot of value. It's got the beaches, the Lake Michigan waters, some awesome historic sites and the house of Michael Jackson and his family.
"There are great things within our city. People need to see it. People look at the houses that have been condemned. We want to show the houses that have been fixed up so they look brand-new. There's hope for Gary."
NWI Business Ins and Outs: Biggby Coffee, Flora Plants, Funk My Life and McDonald's open; Aster & Gray and Elements Wine Bar close
Class UFC Gym in Winfield to celebrate grand opening with top contender Belal Muhammad
The Class UFC Gym in Winfield will have a grand opening Saturday with top welterweight UFC title contender Belal Muhammad.
Muhammad, a Chicago-based fighter with a 23-3 record in the mixed martial arts, will do a meet-and-greet and teach a class at the grand opening, which will take place from 12 to 4 p.m. Saturday at the gym at 10660 Randolph St. in Winfield.
The high-end gym focuses on classes, specializing in boutique boxing conditioning, kickboxing and HIIT, or High Intensity Interval Training. Manager Hannah Elliott said it's more akin to an Orange Theory than the boxing or mixed martial arts gym one might expect from the name.
"We use Myzone Fit Metrics, which track your workout and connect you to an app," she said. "It's like Orange Theory where they track you the same way and you burn the most calories and sweat the most when you're in the orange."
The owners also own the Class UFC Gym on Calumet Avenue in Munster. There also was an unaffiliated UFC Gym in Merrillville that closed.
"We are an affiliated class-based gym that's mostly focused on conditioning," she said. "There's also sparring. We hold classes for boxing, kickboxing and high interval cardio and strength classes. We have circuit training and one-on-one time with coaches."
Most classes run 60 minutes per session. People can get coached by active MMA fighters or trainers who help them reach their fitness goals, whether getting in shape, losing weight or recovering.
Classes run from 5:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. and from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on weekdays.
Class UFC Gym also has open gym times between 12 and 4 p.m. during the week. People can come in and work out outside of classes, such as by punching a heavy bag, rowing, cycling, lifting weights or practicing fundamentals. It has classes like Muay Thai, cycling and a coach's choice day on the weekend.
"You can get a day pass to come in and learn techniques and fundamentals," she said. "Our coaches will push you. There's no downtime. They push you hard and you feel accomplished. It's a good workout you feel for days. It will help you get in shape again. We focus on conditioning and fundamentals."
The grand opening event will have a taco truck, an ice cream vendor, a bounce house, a bakery, an artisan jewelry maker and fitness clothing for sale. It will feature a motorcycle club, balloon animals, Jersey Mike's and Muse Med Spa.
People will be able to buy sparring gloves and have Muhammad sign them. There will be discounted memberships and giveaways.
"It's an open house where people can come in to see how we operate," she said. "The facility itself is impressive and high-end. It will be an amazing experience."
Class UFC Gym offers monthly membership and multi-class passes. It gives discounts to teachers, first responders and veterans.
NWI Business Ins and Outs: Biggby Coffee, Flora Plants, Funk My Life and McDonald's open; Aster & Gray and Elements Wine Bar close
Class UFC Gym in Winfield to celebrate grand opening with top contender Belal Muhammad
The Class UFC Gym in Winfield will have a grand opening Saturday with top welterweight UFC title contender Belal Muhammad.
Muhammad, a Chicago-based fighter with a 23-3 record in the mixed martial arts, will do a meet-and-greet and teach a class at the grand opening, which will take place from 12 to 4 p.m. Saturday at the gym at 10660 Randolph St. in Winfield.
The high-end gym focuses on classes, specializing in boutique boxing conditioning, kickboxing and HIIT, or High Intensity Interval Training. Manager Hannah Elliott said it's more akin to an Orange Theory than the boxing or mixed martial arts gym one might expect from the name.
"We use Myzone Fit Metrics, which track your workout and connect you to an app," she said. "It's like Orange Theory where they track you the same way and you burn the most calories and sweat the most when you're in the orange."
The owners also own the Class UFC Gym on Calumet Avenue in Munster. There also was an unaffiliated UFC Gym in Merrillville that closed.
"We are an affiliated class-based gym that's mostly focused on conditioning," she said. "There's also sparring. We hold classes for boxing, kickboxing and high interval cardio and strength classes. We have circuit training and one-on-one time with coaches."
Most classes run 60 minutes per session. People can get coached by active MMA fighters or trainers who help them reach their fitness goals, whether getting in shape, losing weight or recovering.
Classes run from 5:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. and from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on weekdays.
Class UFC Gym also has open gym times between 12 and 4 p.m. during the week. People can come in and work out outside of classes, such as by punching a heavy bag, rowing, cycling, lifting weights or practicing fundamentals. It has classes like Muay Thai, cycling and a coach's choice day on the weekend.
"You can get a day pass to come in and learn techniques and fundamentals," she said. "Our coaches will push you. There's no downtime. They push you hard and you feel accomplished. It's a good workout you feel for days. It will help you get in shape again. We focus on conditioning and fundamentals."
The grand opening event will have a taco truck, an ice cream vendor, a bounce house, a bakery, an artisan jewelry maker and fitness clothing for sale. It will feature a motorcycle club, balloon animals, Jersey Mike's and Muse Med Spa.
People will be able to buy sparring gloves and have Muhammad sign them. There will be discounted memberships and giveaways.
"It's an open house where people can come in to see how we operate," she said. "The facility itself is impressive and high-end. It will be an amazing experience."
Class UFC Gym offers monthly membership and multi-class passes. It gives discounts to teachers, first responders and veterans.
NWI Business Ins and Outs: Biggby Coffee, Flora Plants, Funk My Life and McDonald's open; Aster & Gray and Elements Wine Bar close
Class UFC Gym in Winfield to celebrate grand opening with top contender Belal Muhammad
The Class UFC Gym in Winfield will have a grand opening Saturday with top welterweight UFC title contender Belal Muhammad.
Muhammad, a Chicago-based fighter with a 23-3 record in the mixed martial arts, will do a meet-and-greet and teach a class at the grand opening, which will take place from 12 to 4 p.m. Saturday at the gym at 10660 Randolph St. in Winfield.
The high-end gym focuses on classes, specializing in boutique boxing conditioning, kickboxing and HIIT, or High Intensity Interval Training. Manager Hannah Elliott said it's more akin to an Orange Theory than the boxing or mixed martial arts gym one might expect from the name.
"We use Myzone Fit Metrics, which track your workout and connect you to an app," she said. "It's like Orange Theory where they track you the same way and you burn the most calories and sweat the most when you're in the orange."
The owners also own the Class UFC Gym on Calumet Avenue in Munster. There also was an unaffiliated UFC Gym in Merrillville that closed.
"We are an affiliated class-based gym that's mostly focused on conditioning," she said. "There's also sparring. We hold classes for boxing, kickboxing and high interval cardio and strength classes. We have circuit training and one-on-one time with coaches."
Most classes run 60 minutes per session. People can get coached by active MMA fighters or trainers who help them reach their fitness goals, whether getting in shape, losing weight or recovering.
Classes run from 5:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. and from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on weekdays.
Class UFC Gym also has open gym times between 12 and 4 p.m. during the week. People can come in and work out outside of classes, such as by punching a heavy bag, rowing, cycling, lifting weights or practicing fundamentals. It has classes like Muay Thai, cycling and a coach's choice day on the weekend.
"You can get a day pass to come in and learn techniques and fundamentals," she said. "Our coaches will push you. There's no downtime. They push you hard and you feel accomplished. It's a good workout you feel for days. It will help you get in shape again. We focus on conditioning and fundamentals."
The grand opening event will have a taco truck, an ice cream vendor, a bounce house, a bakery, an artisan jewelry maker and fitness clothing for sale. It will feature a motorcycle club, balloon animals, Jersey Mike's and Muse Med Spa.
People will be able to buy sparring gloves and have Muhammad sign them. There will be discounted memberships and giveaways.
"It's an open house where people can come in to see how we operate," she said. "The facility itself is impressive and high-end. It will be an amazing experience."
Class UFC Gym offers monthly membership and multi-class passes. It gives discounts to teachers, first responders and veterans.
NWI Business Ins and Outs: Biggby Coffee, Flora Plants, Funk My Life and McDonald's open; Aster & Gray and Elements Wine Bar close
Class UFC Gym in Winfield to celebrate grand opening with top contender Belal Muhammad
The Class UFC Gym in Winfield will have a grand opening Saturday with top welterweight UFC title contender Belal Muhammad.
Muhammad, a Chicago-based fighter with a 23-3 record in the mixed martial arts, will do a meet-and-greet and teach a class at the grand opening, which will take place from 12 to 4 p.m. Saturday at the gym at 10660 Randolph St. in Winfield.
The high-end gym focuses on classes, specializing in boutique boxing conditioning, kickboxing and HIIT, or High Intensity Interval Training. Manager Hannah Elliott said it's more akin to an Orange Theory than the boxing or mixed martial arts gym one might expect from the name.
"We use Myzone Fit Metrics, which track your workout and connect you to an app," she said. "It's like Orange Theory where they track you the same way and you burn the most calories and sweat the most when you're in the orange."
The owners also own the Class UFC Gym on Calumet Avenue in Munster. There also was an unaffiliated UFC Gym in Merrillville that closed.
"We are an affiliated class-based gym that's mostly focused on conditioning," she said. "There's also sparring. We hold classes for boxing, kickboxing and high interval cardio and strength classes. We have circuit training and one-on-one time with coaches."
Most classes run 60 minutes per session. People can get coached by active MMA fighters or trainers who help them reach their fitness goals, whether getting in shape, losing weight or recovering.
Classes run from 5:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. and from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on weekdays.
Class UFC Gym also has open gym times between 12 and 4 p.m. during the week. People can come in and work out outside of classes, such as by punching a heavy bag, rowing, cycling, lifting weights or practicing fundamentals. It has classes like Muay Thai, cycling and a coach's choice day on the weekend.
"You can get a day pass to come in and learn techniques and fundamentals," she said. "Our coaches will push you. There's no downtime. They push you hard and you feel accomplished. It's a good workout you feel for days. It will help you get in shape again. We focus on conditioning and fundamentals."
The grand opening event will have a taco truck, an ice cream vendor, a bounce house, a bakery, an artisan jewelry maker and fitness clothing for sale. It will feature a motorcycle club, balloon animals, Jersey Mike's and Muse Med Spa.
People will be able to buy sparring gloves and have Muhammad sign them. There will be discounted memberships and giveaways.
"It's an open house where people can come in to see how we operate," she said. "The facility itself is impressive and high-end. It will be an amazing experience."
Class UFC Gym offers monthly membership and multi-class passes. It gives discounts to teachers, first responders and veterans.
NWI Business Ins and Outs: Biggby Coffee, Flora Plants, Funk My Life and McDonald's open; Aster & Gray and Elements Wine Bar close
Class UFC Gym in Winfield to celebrate grand opening with top contender Belal Muhammad
The Class UFC Gym in Winfield will have a grand opening Saturday with top welterweight UFC title contender Belal Muhammad.
Muhammad, a Chicago-based fighter with a 23-3 record in the mixed martial arts, will do a meet-and-greet and teach a class at the grand opening, which will take place from 12 to 4 p.m. Saturday at the gym at 10660 Randolph St. in Winfield.
The high-end gym focuses on classes, specializing in boutique boxing conditioning, kickboxing and HIIT, or High Intensity Interval Training. Manager Hannah Elliott said it's more akin to an Orange Theory than the boxing or mixed martial arts gym one might expect from the name.
"We use Myzone Fit Metrics, which track your workout and connect you to an app," she said. "It's like Orange Theory where they track you the same way and you burn the most calories and sweat the most when you're in the orange."
The owners also own the Class UFC Gym on Calumet Avenue in Munster. There also was an unaffiliated UFC Gym in Merrillville that closed.
"We are an affiliated class-based gym that's mostly focused on conditioning," she said. "There's also sparring. We hold classes for boxing, kickboxing and high interval cardio and strength classes. We have circuit training and one-on-one time with coaches."
Most classes run 60 minutes per session. People can get coached by active MMA fighters or trainers who help them reach their fitness goals, whether getting in shape, losing weight or recovering.
Classes run from 5:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. and from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on weekdays.
Class UFC Gym also has open gym times between 12 and 4 p.m. during the week. People can come in and work out outside of classes, such as by punching a heavy bag, rowing, cycling, lifting weights or practicing fundamentals. It has classes like Muay Thai, cycling and a coach's choice day on the weekend.
"You can get a day pass to come in and learn techniques and fundamentals," she said. "Our coaches will push you. There's no downtime. They push you hard and you feel accomplished. It's a good workout you feel for days. It will help you get in shape again. We focus on conditioning and fundamentals."
The grand opening event will have a taco truck, an ice cream vendor, a bounce house, a bakery, an artisan jewelry maker and fitness clothing for sale. It will feature a motorcycle club, balloon animals, Jersey Mike's and Muse Med Spa.
People will be able to buy sparring gloves and have Muhammad sign them. There will be discounted memberships and giveaways.
"It's an open house where people can come in to see how we operate," she said. "The facility itself is impressive and high-end. It will be an amazing experience."
Class UFC Gym offers monthly membership and multi-class passes. It gives discounts to teachers, first responders and veterans.
Region native Joseph S. Pete is a Lisagor Award-winning business reporter who covers steel, industry, unions, the ports, retail, banking and more. The Indiana University grad has been with The Times of Northwest Indiana since 2013.
FaithWorks Media CEO Jennifer Walton and her father, Dennis, are looking to change perceptions of the city of Gary and inspire hope through a docuseries she is producing.
"Growing up, I never saw the prominence of Gary, but I saw the effects of its decline and wondered what happened," says FaithWorks CEO Jennifer Walton, photographed with her father, Dennis. "I wanted to help make a difference through the best way I knew how, which is through media."
Each episode of the docuseries helmed by FaithWorks Media CEO Jennifer Walton and her father, Dennis, will have a particular focus. All will feature interviews, footage of the Steel City and a little history.
FaithWorks Media CEO Jennifer Walton and her father, Dennis, are looking to change perceptions of the city of Gary and inspire hope through a docuseries she is producing.
FaithWorks Media CEO Jennifer Walton and her father, Dennis, are looking to change perceptions of the city of Gary and inspire hope through a docuseries she is producing.
FaithWorks Media CEO Jennifer Walton and her father, Dennis, are looking to change perceptions of the city of Gary and inspire hope through a docuseries she is producing. | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/positive-things-are-happening-new-docuseries-chronicles-efforts-to-rebuild-gary/article_8a33ccbc-f65a-11ed-a01e-f7bd7699577f.html | 2023-05-22T17:16:16 | 1 | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/positive-things-are-happening-new-docuseries-chronicles-efforts-to-rebuild-gary/article_8a33ccbc-f65a-11ed-a01e-f7bd7699577f.html |
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — If you're the parent of a teenager, you probably spend half of your life driving them around. Between school, sports practices, events or trips to the mall, it's a never-ending cycle of go, go, go.
Parents in select cities will soon have another option. Uber is launching teen accounts in 14 cities nationwide that will allow them to ride on their own for the first time:
- Atlanta, Georgia
- Bloomington, Indiana
- Cincinnati, Ohio
- Columbus, Ohio
- Dallas, Texas
- Dayton, Ohio
- Houston, Texas
- Kansas City, Missouri
- Minneapolis, Minnesota
- Nashville, Tennessee
- New York City + suburbs, New York
- Phoenix, Arizona
- San Antonio, Texas
- Tucson, Arizona
We know parents have a lot of questions, so here is the breakdown:
- Once you set up a teen account, they'll be able to request their own rides. Don't worry. You'll be notified every time they do, and with Share My Trip automatically turned on, you'll get real-time updates from pickup to drop-off. This feature can't be turned off with teen accounts.
- Other rideshare safety features, like PIN verification and RideCheck™, will always be automatically turned on and cannot be turned off.
- Teen trips are destination-locked, so drivers can’t change the destination — only your teen can.
- The Audio Recording feature is available for teens who opt-in. It can be set up to automatically turn on for every trip. "This feature helps encourage safe, comfortable interactions on trips," according to Uber.
- Like all riders, teens will be able to call 911 with the emergency button.
- Teens will be able to take trips that start and end in their city.
- The company plans to roll out teen accounts for Uber Eats soon. Parents will be able to keep tabs on what their kids are ordering and spending on the app, according to Uber.
While all drivers undergo background checks, there have been several cases of sexual assaults and other crimes involving Uber drivers. The company said only the highest-rated and most experienced drivers will be used for teen rides.
The feature will be available starting Monday, May 22. Here's more info on how to set up an account. | https://www.wthr.com/article/news/local/teens-under-18-can-now-ride-ubers-on-own-slsect-cities/531-353a000a-0956-4ffa-a6cf-2bfff7bea8b1 | 2023-05-22T17:17:39 | 0 | https://www.wthr.com/article/news/local/teens-under-18-can-now-ride-ubers-on-own-slsect-cities/531-353a000a-0956-4ffa-a6cf-2bfff7bea8b1 |
AUSTIN, Texas — On Thursday, Charmaine Dickerson visited the Austin Aquarium with her boyfriend. They both decided to go to an interactive exhibit that allows guests to get up close to some of the animals and feed them.
According to Dickerson, a lemur jumped on her shoulder and left her face bleeding.
"I was in shock," Dickerson said. "It looks like I have a puncture wound, so that's why I think that might have been a bite and not a scratch."
KVUE reached out and showed up in person to the Austin Aquarium. An employee confirmed that a situation happened with a lemur on Thursday.
KVUE later received the following statement from the aquarium:
"At the Austin Aquarium, safety and animal care is our top priority. As an interactive facility, nationwide, we maintain some of the highest standards for the experiences we offer. With over a million annual visitors, minimal incidents have occurred.
Currently, an internal investigation is being conducted. In past cases, these incidents were often a result of guests not following the clear, strict rules provided by our trained staff at the beginning of each animal encounter.
Our exotic animals receive the utmost care and are subject to strict regulations and guidelines. We take pride in offering hands-on experiences to inspire future generations.
Overall, we strive to ensure a safe and enjoyable visit for all our guests while simultaneously fostering an understanding of the importance of preserving our precious ecosystems."
"As the rabies control authority for the City of Austin and Travis County, we have responded to five different bite incidents at the Austin Aquarium between 2018 and 2022," the Austin Animal Center's field services manager told KVUE when asked about the facility's past.
"It's frustrating because I don't think they should be operational. Things like that are happening. That's public safety," Dickerson said.
After Dickerson's encounter with the lemur, she visited an emergency room to get antibiotics. Her plan is to see a specialist when she returns home to Kansas to make sure she's not susceptible to any infections.
KVUE also accessed inspection reports and enforcement for the Austin Aquarium on the U.S. Department of Agriculture's website. Last year, two incidents involving biting occurred: one involving a lemur and another involving a kinkajou. | https://www.kvue.com/article/news/local/austin-aquarium-visitor-says-lemur-jumped-on-her-shoulder-leaving-her-bleeding/269-0221ed57-af77-44ab-8061-a17c06504624 | 2023-05-22T17:20:23 | 0 | https://www.kvue.com/article/news/local/austin-aquarium-visitor-says-lemur-jumped-on-her-shoulder-leaving-her-bleeding/269-0221ed57-af77-44ab-8061-a17c06504624 |
A longtime Casper liquor store is changing hands — and will soon become the ninth off-track betting location in the area.
Poplar Wine and Spirits, which also includes Vintage Fine Wine and Martini Bar, was recently acquired by Wyoming Employee Resource Capital and Services (also known as WERCS, or Wyoming Financial Group.)
Kyle Ridgeway, chief financial officer of WERCS, told Casper City Council last week that the company specializes in taking in small businesses when the owners are looking to exit. (That evening, the council officially transferred the Poplar Wine and Spirits’ retail liquor license to WERCS.)
“We think we’re the right partner in a lot of businesses, because of our management expertise and the people we have in our organization to help bring people up — employees that were involved in the operation that otherwise wouldn’t have the capital to take the business over,” Ridgeway said.
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While WERCS has many subsidiaries, including companies like Mountain West Technologies and Computer Professionals Unlimited, it also seems to have a penchant for bars and liquor stores. It bought the former C85 Pump Room in 2021, and the Keg and Cork last year, for example.
Both are now equipped with off-track betting machines operated by another business owned by WERCS: 307 Horse Racing.
Soon, Poplar Wine and Spirits will boast 50 to 75 machines of its own, according to an April 20 memo to City Manager Carter Napier from City Clerk and Assistant to the City Manager Fleur Tremel and Licensing Specialist Carla Mills-Laatsch.
The machines allow users to bet on replays of old horse races (known as “historic” betting.) It seems to be a lucrative business — a Wyoming Gaming Commission report published in September shows that in 2021, 307 Horse Racing reported a betting handle of $18 million just for historic races. Wyoming’s two bigger operators, Wyoming Horse Racing and Wyoming Downs, took handles of $597 million and $303 million, respectively.
Wyoming Horse Racing, Wyoming Downs and 307 Horse Racing currently run off-track betting machines at eight establishments in the Casper area, according to the Wyoming Gaming Commission’s website.
That’s making Natrona County a lot of money. The county received about $1.4 million in tax revenue from the 2021 races, a little over $839,000 of which went to Casper, the report says.
Ridgeway previously described WERCS as a “private equity group” in a 2021 paid post for Oil City News. Private equity is a controversial model; it’s often associated with big groups of investors that buy and manage companies only to slash their staffs and sell off assets for profit.
Former Poplar Wine and Spirits owner Mike Reid assured councilors on Tuesday that, other than adding the machines, WERCS plans to keep the establishment more or less the same while adding benefits for employees. Reid plans to continue working there to help the business transition.
“They’re going to keep the liquor store, they’re going to keep the lounge running the way it is, use the large warehouse area in the back for the gaming machines,” Reid said, “and offer our employees opportunities they don’t currently have — such as medical insurance, 401ks, those kind of things.”
The license transfer passed with councilors Amber Pollock and Kyle Gamroth — who represent wards 1 and 2, respectively — abstaining.
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Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. | https://trib.com/news/local/casper/off-track-betting-continues-to-grow-in-casper/article_56c90852-f6b8-11ed-839c-63d8cee0160a.html | 2023-05-22T17:24:27 | 1 | https://trib.com/news/local/casper/off-track-betting-continues-to-grow-in-casper/article_56c90852-f6b8-11ed-839c-63d8cee0160a.html |
ATLANTIC CITY — Police arrested four men Friday after residents and businesses complained about drug dealing in the area.
Khalil Watts, 25, and Kory Watts, 24, both city residents; Jamir Blunt, 20, of Mays Landing; and Julio Sanchez III, 21, of Galloway Township, were charged following an investigation into illegal drug sales in the 2400 block of Arctic Avenue, police said Monday in a news release.
Khalil Watts, who had a warrant, was carrying a loaded handgun in a satchel, police said.
Kory Watts ran from officers and dropped a bag containing more than 15 grams of cocaine, police said, adding he also had drug paraphernalia on him.
Later Friday evening, Blunt was arrested in the 500 block of Hobart Avenue after an alleged drug sale, with officers finding 70 bags of heroin and 2 grams of cocaine on him, police said.
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Sanchez was pulled over in a car at Indiana and Atlantic avenues. During the stop, a police dog led officers to 4 grams of cocaine, police said.
Khalil Watts was charged with unlawful possession of a weapon, possession of hollow-point ammunition, possession of a large capacity magazine, certain person not to possess a weapon, obstruction of justice and resisting arrest. He was sent to the Atlantic County jail.
Kory Watts was charged with possession of a controlled dangerous substance, possession with intent to distribute, possession with intent to distribute within 1,000 feet of a school zone and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Blunt was charged with two counts of possession of CDS, two counts of possession with intent to distribute and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Sanchez was charged with possession of CDS and possession with intent to distribute.
Watts, Blunt and Sanchez were each released on a summons pending court. | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/atlantic-city-police-arrest-4-men-following-drug-sale-probe/article_e95f6030-f8b6-11ed-9804-5b7555f64143.html | 2023-05-22T17:25:00 | 0 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/atlantic-city-police-arrest-4-men-following-drug-sale-probe/article_e95f6030-f8b6-11ed-9804-5b7555f64143.html |
BRIDGETON — A teenager was arrested Friday for having a loaded Glock 23 handgun during a traffic stop, police said.
The 15-year-old city resident was pulled over for a traffic violation while they were riding in a 2006 Cadillac CTS on Bank Street at 11:14 p.m., police said Monday in a news release.
After police discovered the gun, the teen was charged with possession of a handgun, possession of a high-capacity magazine, possession of hollow-point ammunition and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose.
The teen was taken to the Ocean County Juvenile Detention Center, police said. | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/bridgeton-teen-caught-with-gun-during-traffic-stop-police-say/article_d49e2f2c-f8a8-11ed-b84c-df23cf61c8a8.html | 2023-05-22T17:25:06 | 1 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/bridgeton-teen-caught-with-gun-during-traffic-stop-police-say/article_d49e2f2c-f8a8-11ed-b84c-df23cf61c8a8.html |
BRIDGETON — A Millville man was stabbed inside a city bar early Sunday morning, police said.
At 3:07 a.m., police were called to Inspira Health Center Bridgeton for a report of a stabbing victim. They spoke with a 30-year-old man who said he was stabbed at Lolita's Bar & Lounge on North Pearl Street, police said Monday in a news release.
According to police, the victim noticed he was bleeding as he was leaving the bar. The man couldn't recall when he was stabbed.
Medical staff described the wound as minor, police said.
A suspect hasn't been identified.
Anyone with additional information can call police at 856-451-0033 or submit an anonymous tip at bpdops.com/tip/new. | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/millville-man-stabbed-at-bridgeton-bar-police-say/article_b1121e4a-f8a0-11ed-b463-3b8d6a032f0b.html | 2023-05-22T17:25:13 | 0 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/millville-man-stabbed-at-bridgeton-bar-police-say/article_b1121e4a-f8a0-11ed-b463-3b8d6a032f0b.html |
EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP — A Lower Township woman was struck by a pickup truck that then drove away Friday night, police said.
Officers responded to a motor vehicle crash involving a pedestrian about 8:30 p.m. at English Creek and Ocean Heights avenues. They found Jacklyn Reinhart, 24, lying in the middle of the road, police said Saturday in a news release.
The vehicle that struck Reinhart fled on Ocean Heights Avenue toward Hamilton Township without stopping, police said. The truck was black or dark colored with an elevated suspension, oversized wheels and tires, and tinted windows.
Reinhart was transported by township Emergency Medical Services to AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center, City Campus, with significant injuries, police said.
Traffic was diverted for about two hours while police investigated.
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Anyone with additional information about the truck or its driver can call police at 609-926-4045. | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/lower-township-woman-24-struck-by-pickup-truck-in-egg-harbor-township/article_718bf0e0-f740-11ed-aa4a-d3a6ddcabe86.html | 2023-05-22T17:25:14 | 0 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/lower-township-woman-24-struck-by-pickup-truck-in-egg-harbor-township/article_718bf0e0-f740-11ed-aa4a-d3a6ddcabe86.html |
What to Know
- A Brooklyn man was convicted of murder in the cold case killing of a 31-year-old man found naked and bludgeoned in his Queens home in 2011, the local district attorney announced.
- Gerald Griffin, 46 and of Brooklyn, was convicted by a jury of murder, burglary, robbery, intimidating a witness, attempted tampering with physical evidence, criminal possession of stolen property and criminal possession of a weapon, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced Friday.
- Griffin faces 25 years to life in prison on the murder conviction when he is sentenced June 15.
A Brooklyn man was convicted of murder in the cold case killing of a 31-year-old man found naked and bludgeoned in his Queens home in 2011, the local district attorney announced.
Gerald Griffin, 46 and of Brooklyn, was convicted by a jury of murder in the second degree, burglary in the first degree, robbery in the first and second degrees, intimidating a witness in the third degree, attempted tampering with physical evidence, criminal possession of stolen property in the fifth degree and criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced Friday.
Griffin faces 25 years to life in prison on the murder conviction when he is sentenced June 15.
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The conviction stems from charges and trial testimony in a case that is more than a decade old.
According to the charges and trial testimony, on Sept.14, 2011, at around 5 p.m., Peter Polizzi was found by his brother inside his Ridgewood apartment, underneath a couch, naked and severely beaten. Responding officers recovered a used wine glass and a bloody baseball bat, according to trial testimony. Polizzi died three days later.
According to the trial, the apartment had been ransacked and various items were missing. Detectives investigating the incident obtained information from a friend of the family who saw two men leaving the location at around 11:15 a.m. on that day, with one wearing a T-shirt that read, “Irving Scrap Metal.”
News
As time passed, the NYPD’s Cold Case Squad eventually was handed over the case in 2015, according to the district attorney's office. Detectives who were working with Polizzi’s phone records found a woman who revealed she was inside the apartment at the time of the murder.
According to the testimony, the woman said she was taken to the address by her pimp at that time, whom she identified as Griffin, and another man. She said that Griffin attacked Polizzi with a baseball bat and the other man also beat him. After the attack, the men ransacked the apartment, stealing two cell phones, money, a watch with a diamond-encrusted face and a box containing a white powdery substance.
Eventually, the DNA taken from the wine glass found at the apartment matched that of the woman’s. In 2017, she identified Griffin as the man who used the bat. Additionally, Griffin’s social media included a photograph of him wearing the stolen watch and business records from Irving Scrap Metal identified him as a customer at the time of the killing.
“This cold-blooded killer thought he could get away with murder, but the NYPD tracked him down and we made sure he will go to jail for a long time," Katz said. | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/nyer-convicted-of-murder-in-cold-case-of-man-found-naked-bludgeoned/4355653/ | 2023-05-22T17:29:14 | 0 | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/nyer-convicted-of-murder-in-cold-case-of-man-found-naked-bludgeoned/4355653/ |
BLOOMINGTON — Police in Bloomington said they arrested a man after shots were fired Sunday morning on the city's east side.
A press release from the Bloomington Police Department said officers were called at 11:03 a.m. for a gunfire report in the 800 block of East Washington Street.
Investigators said they secured evidence at the scene confirming a firearm was discharged. During the investigation, the release said they contacted 25-year-old Ryan D. Murray, and arrested him without incident.
Murray, of Bloomington, is charged with reckless discharge of a firearm. BPD said no one was hurt.
The release asked anyone with additional information about this gunfire incident to contact BPD at 309-820-8888.
To remain anonymous, contact the Crime and Intelligence Analysis Unit at 309-434-2963, email CIAU@cityblm.org or text "BPDTIPS" to 847411.
Brendan Denison is our breaking news reporter. Denison was a digital content producer for WCIA-TV in Champaign and a reporter for The Commercial-News in Danville. He can be reached at (309) 820-3238 and bdenison@pantagraph.com. | https://pantagraph.com/news/local/accident-and-incident/man-arrested-after-shots-fired-sunday-in-bloomington/article_68d5bf66-f8b8-11ed-8660-930ead52dc94.html | 2023-05-22T17:29:15 | 0 | https://pantagraph.com/news/local/accident-and-incident/man-arrested-after-shots-fired-sunday-in-bloomington/article_68d5bf66-f8b8-11ed-8660-930ead52dc94.html |
Daniel Penny, the man charged in the chokehold death of Jordan Neely, broke his silence in an extended interview where he rejected any claims the killing of the 30-year-old homeless Black man was motivated by race.
Speaking exclusively to The New York Post, Penny did not go into detail about what exactly happened on the train to prompt him to force Neely into a chokehold, but he did say if presented with the same situation he would do it again.
Neely died nearly three weeks ago on a northbound F train in lower Manhattan. The popular Michael Jackson street performer was homeless and on a list of the 50 most at-risk people living on New York City streets.
Jarring video shows the 30-year-old forced into a chokehold for around 15 minutes by ex-Marine Penny. Witnesses had reported Neely, a homeless man with a lengthy criminal record and a history of mental illness, was aggressive toward other riders. He had been shouting at passengers, witnesses said, yelling that he was hungry and didn't care if he died.
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In the interview published last weekend, Penny says if he had the opportunity to speak with Neely's family he would say, "I'm deeply saddened by the loss of life. It's tragic what happened to him. Hopefully, we can change the system that's so desperately failed us."
The morning of May 1, Penny said was riding the train on his way to a Manhattan gym after class; he now attends school virtually. He refused to elaborate on the details that preceded the chokehold, but 'indicated it wasn’t like 'anything I’d experienced before.'”
“This had nothing to do with race,” he told the outlet.
“I mean, it’s, it’s a little bit comical. Everybody who’s ever met me can tell you, I love all people, I love all cultures. You can tell by my past and all my travels and adventures around the world. I was actually planning a road trip through Africa before this happened.”
The 24-year-old man was arrested May 12 on a single charge of second-degree manslaughter and was released on $100,000 bond. He was ordered to surrender any passports and must ask the court's permission if he wants to leave the state. Penny is due back in court in July.
Penny's lawyers say he acted in self-defense and acted to protect fellow subway riders from a supposed perceived threat. They say he could "not have foreseen" Neely would die in the chokehold, and have called his death "the unfortunate result" of good Samaritan intervention. They also say he'll be absolved of the charge.
The Post also spoke to Neely's uncle, whom said he believes Penny would act again if not held accountable by the law.
“He needs to be prosecuted or he will do it again,” Christopher Neely told The Post on Sunday. “It’s a smack in the face for Jordan’s family and the people of New York.”
“He thinks what he did was a good deed — that is monstrous,” Christopher said. “How can you say ‘everything I did was right’ when he killed an unarmed man that weighed 100 pounds, if that?”
Donte Mills, another lawyer for Neely’s family, has disputed Penny’s version of events, saying the veteran “acted with indifference. He didn’t care about Jordan, he cared about himself. And we can’t let that stand.”
“Mr. Neely did not attack anyone.” Mills said following Penny's arrest. “He did not touch anyone. He did not hit anyone. But he was choked to death.
“No one on that train asked Jordan: ‘What’s wrong, how can I help you?’” Mills continued, urging New Yorkers in a similar situation: “Don’t attack. Don’t choke. Don’t kill. Don’t take someone’s life. Don’t take someone’s loved one from them because they’re in a bad place.”
The Neely family wants the case to go to trial and wants the two men who assisted Penny charged as well. | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/daniel-penny-breaks-silence-says-jordan-neely-killing-had-nothing-to-do-with-race/4355570/ | 2023-05-22T17:29:20 | 1 | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/daniel-penny-breaks-silence-says-jordan-neely-killing-had-nothing-to-do-with-race/4355570/ |
Like your next train, an MTA fare hike is fast approaching.
The increases to subway fares come at a time of record ridership. in April, the transit agency saw its first 4 million rider day since the pandemic.
On Monday, top transit officials revealed new single ride fare proposals at an MTA finance committee meeting. The proposed price hike is jumping rates from $2.75 to $2.90. Monthly rates would go up from $127 to $132.
The price increase is a step toward $3 fares, which subway riders could see by 2025.
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The MTA calls the increase a "reasonable" hike. It's also the first increase in nearly four years and moves the MTA back toward a biennial fare hike timeline.
Commuter rails will also see a slight uptick by about 4%.
In terms of toll hikes this year, the agency is leaning towards a split option: 6% for E-ZPass and 10% for Mail at home credit card.
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Public feedback meetings will be held in June that customers can attend virtually and in person before the MTA Board will vote on the fares the following month. Dates for the public meetings will be announced in the coming days.
Once approved, the new fares will be implemented for straphangers by Labor Day, officials said at Monday's meeting. | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/mta-proposes-new-subway-fares-to-be-implemented-by-september/4355351/ | 2023-05-22T17:29:26 | 0 | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/mta-proposes-new-subway-fares-to-be-implemented-by-september/4355351/ |
Police are looking for a man who randomly shoved a 35-year-old woman into a train at a Manhattan subway station with no provocation at all, leaving her with severe spinal and other injuries, authorities say.
According to the NYPD, the woman was walking on the southbound platform at the Lexington Avenue/63rd Street station in Manhattan around 6 a.m. Sunday when a stranger approached from behind and pushed her head into a stationary E train, which had been was running on the F line due to planned weekend work.
It wasn't clear if any words were exchanged, or if the victim even saw her attacker. She was taken to a hospital in critical condition with lacerations to her head and a diagnosed spinal fracture, among other issues, officials say.
The woman didn't fall on the subway tracks but did fall backward onto the platform, where she endured some of the head injuries. The attacker ran from the scene, heading toward the Second Avenue exit, police say.
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They released a surveillance photo of him (above). Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS. | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/stranger-breaks-womans-spine-in-subway-shove-cops/4355636/ | 2023-05-22T17:29:32 | 0 | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/stranger-breaks-womans-spine-in-subway-shove-cops/4355636/ |
BIG STONE GAP, Va. (WJHL) – The United States Attorney’s Office has taken steps to take custody of two homes in Big Stone Gap connected to the November 2021 death of Officer Michael Chandler.
A release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Virginia states that a civil complaint to forfeit two properties has been unsealed in U.S. District Court. The civil action against both 2505 Orr Street and 2512 Orr Street asks the court to forfeit the homes to the United States.
The complaint was filed on the grounds that both properties were used to commit or facilitate acts of crime. The U.S. Attorney’s Office described both locations as “hubs for a narcotics conspiracy that funneled narcotics to Southwest Virginia.”
U.S. District Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh said in a statement that there had been about 78 calls to police to respond to those homes in the 15 months before Chandler’s alleged murder on Orr Street.
Kavanaugh’s full statement can be read below:
“On November 13, 2021, Officer Michael Chandler was responding to provide a welfare check on one of these homes at approximately 4:00 AM, where he was shot and killed. Our criminal investigation into Officer Chandler’s death resulted in federal charges against Michael White for the murder, as well as federal narcotics charges against White and 18 co-conspirators.
U.S. District Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh
Our investigation also revealed that these two homes were hubs for a narcotics conspiracy that funneled narcotics to Southwest Virginia, and the owners knew about it and allowed it to proceed. In just the 15-month period prior to White’s death, there were approximately 78 calls for service for local police to respond to these two homes, including 911 calls. The United States Attorney’s will continue to use all the federal laws and tools at our disposal to protect our communities and our citizens.”
The release states the investigation is being conducted with the help of several local and state agencies in both Virginia and Tennessee, as well as multiple federal agencies.
Michael Donivan White has been charged with the felony murder of Officer Chandler. In October 2022, Kavanaugh and Virginia law enforcement agencies announced White was also one of 19 people charged in what was described as an “extensive criminal conspiracy” to traffic narcotics into Southwest Virginia. Kavanaugh said the people charged in that investigation “flooded Southwest Virginia” with methamphetamine, heroin and fentanyl.
White’s murder trial is scheduled for June 12. | https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/u-s-attorneys-office-seeks-forfeiture-of-homes-connected-to-death-of-big-stone-gap-officer/ | 2023-05-22T17:32:06 | 1 | https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/u-s-attorneys-office-seeks-forfeiture-of-homes-connected-to-death-of-big-stone-gap-officer/ |
JONESBOROUGH, Tenn. (WJHL) — Washington County Commissioners will consider a resolution Monday night allowing sale of up to three e-cigarettes a week to county jail inmates in a deal that could bring nearly half a million dollars of revenue annually to the sheriff’s department.
Advertised as “shank resistant” and difficult to tamper with, the “eCig4 Inmate” product comes in five flavors. A similar product was used with great success at the Greene County Detention Center, Jail Administrator John Key told News Channel 11 Monday.
The county would enter a two-year service agreement with the company VendEngine, which provides the product in several Tennessee facilities including the Greene County Detention Center. The company touts the product as a way to not just generate revenue but also to improve inmate behavior and morale and reduce use of contraband tobacco.
The county’s Public Safety Committee recommended 4-0 to approve the proposal for the product known as “eCig 4 Inmate” at its May 4 meeting. The pro forma proposal estimates that about 70% of the jail’s 600 inmates are smokers.
If each smoker purchased three cigarettes a week (they contain 500-700 puffs) at $16.05 per e-cigarette, the county would net $7.24 for each cigarette, or $21.72 weekly per full participant. If an average of 420 inmates weekly bought three e-cigarettes, the net revenue would be $474,364.80 cents a year.
The maker, custom Technologies describes the product as helping reduce not just tobacco contraband but “nicotine withdrawal aggression while Increasing (sic) morale and behavior…”
The planned $16.05 cost to inmates covers the $11 base cost of each e-cigarette plus $4 in fees for maintenance related to security, and $1.05 in sales tax. The county’s cost is $3.65 per e-cigarette and about 11 cents shipping per cigarette.
Greene County’s Key said the jail there has allowed inmates to order up to two e-cigarettes a week for the past six years or so. Sales bring the county about $180,000 a year in revenue, but Key said there are other benefits as well.
“It helps with inmate behavior because it allows them to not have to quit cold turkey from tobacco products,” Key said, adding that he believes it really cuts down on violence inside the jail. He added that the program works as leverage for behavior.
“If they abuse the privilege we can restrict the sale of e-cigarettes to an individual or a housing unit.” | https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/washington-county-tn-to-consider-e-cig-sales-at-jail/ | 2023-05-22T17:32:12 | 1 | https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/washington-county-tn-to-consider-e-cig-sales-at-jail/ |
ELIZABETHTON, Tenn. (WJHL) — Lane closures are starting this week on Mary Patton Highway as Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) workers repair sinkholes.
Last month, TDOT geotechnical engineers drilled in sinkholes that had appeared between Big Springs Road and Jim Elliott Road to try to determine the best way to fix them.
A TDOT representative told News Channel 11 that after studying these samples, the department has decided that a compensation or pressure grouting treatment would help to stabilize the roadway.
When workers are present, there will be daily road closures near Big Springs Road.
TDOT asks that motorists use caution while driving on the highway.
Work is expected to be completed on or before June 30. | https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/weeks-of-road-closures-expected-as-tdot-works-on-mary-patton-sinkholes/ | 2023-05-22T17:32:18 | 0 | https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/weeks-of-road-closures-expected-as-tdot-works-on-mary-patton-sinkholes/ |
DALLAS — The city of Dallas says its municipal court system will remain closed throughout the entire week as it still grapples with the ransomware attack from earlier this month.
The attack happened on May 3 and has affected numerous network systems within the city and the police and fire departments.
A hacking group called "Royal" previously claimed responsibility for the attack.
The city said it would “take weeks to get back to full functionality.”
In an update on Monday, May 22, the city said the department that oversees the Dallas Municipal Court administrative and clerical functions, the Dallas Marshal’s Office, the City Detention Center and building security will be closed until May 29. The building will reopen on Tuesday, May 30.
The city says the municipal courts still cannot take payment in person, online or by phone. However, if you need to make a payment, a request or need to send in document to the court, you can do so by mail.
According to the court’s website, there will be no court hearings, trials or jury duty, and “all cases schedule during the outage will be reset.” The website also notes the updated court dates will be mailed to the address the court has on file in its system once it is restored.
Any citation payments or documents that are due while the municipal court system is down, will be accepted once the service is back up and running too, the website says.
Last week, the city said, “there was no indication that data from resident, vendors, or employees has been leaked.” | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/dallas-ransomeware-attack-updates-municipal-court-building-closed-until-may-30/287-a6004092-b5d5-4f86-b3e2-08734e276c01 | 2023-05-22T17:42:24 | 0 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/dallas-ransomeware-attack-updates-municipal-court-building-closed-until-may-30/287-a6004092-b5d5-4f86-b3e2-08734e276c01 |
NEWPORT -- A fire badly damaged a two story apartment building in newport and displaced two families.
The fire started around 11:00 a.m. on Monday, May 15, at an apartment building on the corner of Wentworth Ave.
"We were dispatched to a two and a half story wood framed multi-family dwelling with fire showing from the first floor throughout," said Newport Deputy Fire Chief Jared Lebarnes.
Corinna fire Department was first on the scene. Chief Lebarnes says they were lucky to have help from multiple departments.
"For it being a day-time response we got good resources out of mutual aid."
It took nearly three hours for crews to isolate the fire. The building was home to two families and although no occupants of the apartment building were injured, a neighbor said two dogs were lost to the fire.
"They all got out safely thankfully, but they did lose their dogs. One dog made it out but upstairs lost one and downstairs lost one. Everybody else is ok though and that's all that matters," said Matthew Graves.
The red cross has been alerted and according to Graves they have initiated plans to support those displaced.
"There's gonna be help for this family, there's no two ways about it. This is a good community and we treat one another the way that we want to be treated and that's what makes this community work."
The cause of the fire is currently being investigated by the fire marshal's office. | https://www.foxbangor.com/news/local/fire-damages-two-story-apartment-building-in-newport/article_2ed30974-f8bb-11ed-a29d-1f646db3b823.html | 2023-05-22T17:43:10 | 0 | https://www.foxbangor.com/news/local/fire-damages-two-story-apartment-building-in-newport/article_2ed30974-f8bb-11ed-a29d-1f646db3b823.html |
GLENBURN -- Glenburn middle school hosted a day of fun for some junior high-schoolers from around the area at their Field Day with Friends program.
They were joined by students from Center Drive School in Orrington and Dedham middle school as they participated in multiple events in their own backyard.
The students participated in sprinting, jumping and obstacle course events through out the day, giving them a chance to compete and bond with each other while stepping up to some healthy competition.
"We have a population of schools who don't typically have these kinds of opportunities and it's just a great day for those students to have opportunities to meet other folks with similar interest, similar skills and similar challenges to develop friendships," said Superintendent of Glenburn Richard Modery.
Superintendent Modery says this is the first time Glenburn has hosted this event and it has been quite some time since the last event due to the pandemic.
"It's just basically about the fun, it's about them being together and spending time with each other and recognizing that again we might all be a little different but we're all pretty much the same and enjoying each other's company." | https://www.foxbangor.com/news/local/glenburn-middle-school-invites-surrounding-schools-to-field-day-with-friends/article_603a3ebc-f8c3-11ed-b535-8b614226ac0b.html | 2023-05-22T17:43:16 | 0 | https://www.foxbangor.com/news/local/glenburn-middle-school-invites-surrounding-schools-to-field-day-with-friends/article_603a3ebc-f8c3-11ed-b535-8b614226ac0b.html |
WATERVILLE -- A fire in Waterville this morning left one person dead and three others injured.
Waterville Fire Chief Shawn Esler says the fire started just after 5:30 at an apartment building on Elm Street.
Three people were taken to the hospital with injuries.
There is no word on their condition.
Esler says crews found the victim on the fourth floor.
They attempted to resuscitate the victim but the person died at the scene.
According to the chief, the apartment building was being used as housing for the elderly. | https://www.foxbangor.com/news/local/one-dead-three-injured-in-waterville-fire/article_c1f75f2a-f8b6-11ed-befb-fb03f5ac3e77.html | 2023-05-22T17:43:22 | 0 | https://www.foxbangor.com/news/local/one-dead-three-injured-in-waterville-fire/article_c1f75f2a-f8b6-11ed-befb-fb03f5ac3e77.html |
A bulldozer began moving sand along a stretch of badly eroded beach Monday in a Jersey Shore town where the bitter fight over how to protect its rapidly shrinking shoreline has led to $33 million worth of litigation.
Before the summer tourism season kicks off this weekend, North Wildwood hopes to repair dunes in the most heavily eroded section of its beach and restore beach access points to usable condition. The state Department of Environmental Protection granted permission for emergency repairs last week.
The town and the state have been fighting for years over how best to protect North Wildwood's shoreline as it waits to become the last part of the state to receive a beach replenishment project that is still at least two years away.
The state has fined North Wildwood $12 million for past unauthorized work on its beaches that the state claims could actually worsen erosion.
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North Wildwood, in turn, is suing the state for $21 million, which it says is how much it has spent trucking sand to the shoreline over the past decade to try to keep up with erosion.
“We are happy to get this work completed soon,” said Mayor Patrick Rosenello. “But this certainly doesn't fix the much larger issue, which is the lack of a beach nourishment project in North Wildwood.”
North Wildwood and its surrounding coastal neighbors have not received the periodic beach replenishment projects that most of the rest of the Jersey Shore has been getting for decades, due in part to the difficulty of getting approval from property owners.
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As a result, it has experienced serious erosion over the last decade, and says it needs to take immediate emergency steps including shoring up dunes and building another steel sea wall to complement one it already built.
Numerous violation notices issued by the state remain active, including one that involves work the city did several years ago along a section of beachfront that it said had become badly eroded. The state said the work destroyed 8 acres of vegetated dunes, including 6.7 acres of critical wildlife habitat, and 1.1 acres of freshwater wetlands.
North Wildwood previously built a vinyl and steel bulkhead for about 10 blocks without state approval, saying it needed to act urgently to protect lives and property. That is separate from the latest bulkhead the city wanted to build, but agreed to forego for now.
___
Follow Wayne Parry on Twitter at www.twitter.com/WayneParryAC | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/emergency-beach-repairs-start-in-new-jersey-town-amid-33m-legal-fight-with-state/3571138/ | 2023-05-22T17:47:48 | 0 | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/emergency-beach-repairs-start-in-new-jersey-town-amid-33m-legal-fight-with-state/3571138/ |
PORTLAND, Ore. — TEDxPortland returned for its 11th year on Saturday at the Keller Auditorium in downtown Portland. The one-day event featured 11 TED talks and four musical performances.
The speakers and performers were announced on May 5. From a mental health advocate, to a physician whose work revolutionized COVID-19 testing, to a finalist of NBC's 'The Voice' and an actress who exposed a cult — the lineup was made up of diverse people from a wide range of backgrounds.
In the weeks leading up to the event, organizers focused on the themes of "embrace fluidity, strength and balance," according to the TEDxPortland website. "We will celebrate the contrarians, open-minded thinkers, and doers committed to creating a better tomorrow for our city and the world."
Speakers included Kiauna "Kee" Nelson, chef and owner of Northeast Portland's Kee's Loaded Kitchen; ocean advocate Aarthi Ananthanarayanan, the director of the Ocean Conservancy's Climate and Plastics Initiative; Dr. Yuan Po Tu, a physician at The Everett Clinic who played a key role in the pandemic; Trevor Beaman, an advocate for mental health and trauma awareness; Kim Scott, co-founder of Radical Candor, a company that helps employers create respectful working environments.
Sam Diaz, an expert on Oregon's land use policies also spoke as well as actress and podcast host Sarah Edmondson; David Lucas, a former professional basketball player and the founder of the Portland nonprofit the Maurice Lucas Foundation, which empowers youth through sports; Toby Barnes, the principal designer at Amazon's Alexa, who has worked with Amazon, Nike, Levi's and Microsoft; Emily Stutzman, CEO of the Portland brand design agency Happylucky; Software engineer Kyle Thornton, who has worked on solar tech at Tesla.
Performers included Fabiola Reyna, the co-founder of Reyna Tropical, a musical project made up of musicians, DJs and producers who celebrate the tropical diaspora. Finalist on NBC's 'The Voice' in 2020, singer and songwriter Thunderstorm Artis.
Pioneering rapper Gary Eldrige Grice, known by the stage names GZA or The Genius, is a founding member of legendary hip hop group Wu-Tang Clan. Singer and songwriter Megan Diana founded an outreach project called Piano. Push. Play, through which she places newly refurbished pianos across Portland in the summer.
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See a typo in this article? Email web@kgw.com for corrections | https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/11th-tedxportland-event/283-0f51af42-4a34-4176-9eed-da8727564fcb | 2023-05-22T17:51:12 | 0 | https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/11th-tedxportland-event/283-0f51af42-4a34-4176-9eed-da8727564fcb |
NOVA SCOTIA, Canada — Charles Vinick is the executive director of the Whale Sanctuary Project and a board member for Friends of Toki, a non-profit organization collaborating with new Miami Seaquarium owner The Dolphin Company, to ensure her health, welfare and other factors contributing to her quality of life. He was also project manager for the Keiko project, which returned the orca featured in 'Free Willy' to the ocean. Here, he answers questions about Tokitae's journey and plans for a whale sanctuary in Nova Scotia to house other belugas and orcas.
On the timeline for Toki's release:
We’re going to do this as expeditiously as possible. I’ve read the media just as you have, all your readers and everyone who’s watching has, and there’s all kinds of speculation about how quickly it will be done or how long it may take. I don’t think we know the precise answer to that but we have a team of people in terms of- the owner, Eduardo Albour, of the Dolphin company, in terms of Friends of Toki, in terms of the Lummi Nation and all the Indigenous tribal groups here in the Pacific Northwest who also see her as a family member, and a member of their family who lives beneath the waves- and they’re committed to bringing her home as well.
We have all of this lifeforce gathered together to bring her home- and it’s a tremendous opportunity that we have to work as expeditiously as possible to bring it to fruition.
On differences between life in a tank and life in the ocean:
You’re in wild ocean. And wild ocean has waves, it has currents, it has tides. Birds are flying across and resting on the surface. There’s a sandy bottom with crabs and critters, there are fish swimming through it. So the environment, by its very nature- cause it’s in nature- is dynamic- and that’s something you never have in a concrete tank. So that’s enriching for the animals.
On the moment news of Toki's release became official:
For all of us who work in this area, it was a tremendously joyful, hopeful experience. But I think it’s important to remember, there have been people here in Washington state, in the Pacific Northwest, and really around the world, who’ve been looking to bring Toki home, for decades. People like Howie Garrett, Ken Balcomb, before he passed away, many many people have been working on this.
It just happens that we’re in a moment in time when we have three things. We have an owner of a park, Eduardo Albour, owner of the Dolphin Company, who says he wants to take her home if it’s possible. We have Pritam Singh, who has invested more than a million dollars already as the co-founder of Friends of Toki, to really move this forward, and provide for her care and welfare, an independent veterinary analysis on-site in the park and now going forward, and we have Jim Irsay, who has stepped forward and said, he will help fund it completely or help fund it to the extent necessary, really with no holds barred. Those three ingredients have never been together before. So that’s what makes this special.
It’s not that we’re different from the others that’s tried before- it’s simply that this is a moment in time when it can happen if we have the regulatory approvals and continue to have her health stabilized in the way it is today.
On concerns about her health:
First of all, she has had some health issues over the years. Certainly, the public reports from the Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, in 2021, showed that she had some severe illness. In October of 2022, she had a difficult time, but she is receiving medication, her veterinarians today say she is in better health, stable health, than she’s been in at any time in a couple of years they’ve been examining her and providing for her veterinary care.
She is a robust, active animal today. When you visit her, as I’ve had the privilege of doing, she is active, she is responsive, she’s just full of life, and she has demonstrated a will to live that frankly, almost no other whale has ever demonstrated. Fifty-six, 57 years old, ups and downs but very active, robust and stable today and her veterinarians today have said, she’s healthy enough for a transport. She can certainly be in a new environment.
Are there risks at all? Of course, there are some risks. There’s risks today for any one of us, wherever we are. But is this an opportunity to bring her home? Yes, it is.
On the possible transport of dolphins living with her now:
All of us are social animals and everything we know scientifically about orca are that they are very social. If you look at it scientifically, their brains are more convoluted in the communication and emotion of the human brain, so we’ve seen evidence, certainly here with the southern residents, of their connection to one another, their connection to family, so having her with a companion, even if it’s a dolphin companion she knows well, is certainly something that is ideal, so that is an objective.
We have to make sure it can be done, we have to make sure the regulators agree with all of these steps along the way but certainly that’s an objective. She’ll also come home with the trainers, the people she is most dependent on, and who have been working with her because she knows them, she’s comfortable with them, she enjoys being with them. You can see that when she approaches them.
We want to make sure everything about this work is done responsibly, done carefully, abiding by all regulations and following the science.
Along with his work on Friends of Toki, Vinick serves as the executive director for the Whale Sanctuary Project, which is working to build a sanctuary in Nova Scotia to house other marine mammals removed from marine parks.
On choosing the location for the sanctuary:
We looked at about 130 sites in British Columbia, Washington State and Nova Scotia looking for what we think is the ideal site for a very large whale sanctuary.
A sanctuary that could have eight or 10 beluga whales, perhaps two or three orcas, separated by double nets and the like, and in looking at all of those locations, the site we found in the town of Wine Harbour in Port Hilford Bay, which is also called Indian Harbour, is the site that we think is ideal because it has tremendous flushing of the water, it has tidal flow, we’ve done hydrodynamic studies of it, the environment works to both protect the animals from extreme storms, but also to give them a beautiful natural environment in which to thrive.
What can be learned from the Whale Sanctuary Project's work to inform the journey for Tokitae?
First of all, I think the situations are different. We should look at them differently. The situation with Toki, with Lolita, Sk'aliCh'elh-tenaut, she has many names, is really a unique situation. She is an animal who was captured before the U.S. enacted the Marine Mammal Protection Act. So she’s pre-act. She’s also the only southern resident in captivity. So I think we should treat her separately. We should treat her as the unique animal she is and look to the National Marine Fisheries Service, the federal agencies, and the state agencies, to work with us to bring her back home to a netted enclosure where she can be cared for for the rest of her life.
She’s entertained millions of people, she has, frankly, made millions of dollars for the different people who’ve owned the park over the years. I think we owe her something back and I think this is something we can do for her at this point in her life. | https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/washington/charles-vinick-tokitaes-journey-friends-for-toki/281-caff972f-357e-42b0-8ac5-53b95bfaa3d8 | 2023-05-22T17:51:54 | 0 | https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/washington/charles-vinick-tokitaes-journey-friends-for-toki/281-caff972f-357e-42b0-8ac5-53b95bfaa3d8 |
KENT, Wash. — Five people were shot at a street race in Kent early Sunday morning, according to the Renton Police Department who also responded to the scene.
While investigating a collision at around 1:15 a.m. on Sunday, a patrol sergeant heard gunfire coming from the direction of East Valley Highway and South 180th Street. The intersection was full of hundreds of street racers and spectators, according to police.
When Renton officers arrived to help, they discovered five people had been shot and injured on the Kent side of the intersection. The victims are all receiving treatment at local hospitals.
Renton police had responded to a shooting at a different street race in the same area the night before.
A Renton Fire Department truck was caught in the street racing crowd Friday night, according to a tweet from the Renton Firefighters IAFF Local 864 union. The union said street racers gather at the same intersection every weekend, causing a persistent safety issue.
Nick Nason lives just up the road from where the street racing was taking place. He agreed that street racing is a recurring issue in the area.
"During the weekend, this is their hang-out place," he said. "During the summertime seems to be the worst... we hear things all the time, I mean, people getting shot and stuff like that.”
In the meantime, Kent police are investigating and waiting with bated breath for a state law to go into effect next year that would allow authorities to impound street racers’ cars for 72 hours.
"It breaks that cycle," said Mayor Dana Ralph in her testimony to legislators. "We are seeing those cars come back. They’ve been cited on a Friday and they’re back and racing on Saturday, so we’re hoping that this can serve as a deterrent."
Kent Police Chief Rafael Padilla spoke in favor of the bill, which Gov. Jay Inslee signed earlier this year.
"It’s growing because there isn’t adequate deterrent to this event," Padilla said in his testimony to lawmakers.
Under the new law, a second offense would require a forfeit of the car after a conviction, and it allows promoters and organizers of street racing events to be charged and prosecuted as an accomplice.
But until the law goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2024, Nason said he has little faith that police will be able to put a stop to the street racing.
"It's only gonna get worse before anything gets better, right?" Nason said.
Nason's message to the street racers is this: "Get a life, ya know? Find something else to do.” | https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/washington/five-people-shot-kent-street-racing-event-police-say/281-d946ce44-57e2-42e9-be61-ff82a9e40ee6 | 2023-05-22T17:52:00 | 0 | https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/washington/five-people-shot-kent-street-racing-event-police-say/281-d946ce44-57e2-42e9-be61-ff82a9e40ee6 |
MIAMI — Tokitae is the last surviving orca of the whales that were captured from Puget Sound and sold into captivity.
KING 5 was there when Tokitae was violently taken from her pod in August 1970 near Whidbey Island's Penn Cove.
People who were trapping the whales to sell to aquariums were using planes to spot them in the ocean and explosives to separate the adults from the young.
Several orcas died during the roundups.
Tokitae was sold to the Miami Seaquarium for about $20,000. She was believed to be just four years old.
The Lhaq'temish people, also known as the Lummi Nation, have been fighting for Tokitae's return since the day she was captured. They also call her Sk'alich'elh-tenaut, a name that means "home."
The below gallery depicts whale-catching operations in Washington State in the 1970s:
Tokitae arrived in Miami in late September of 1970. She was said to be "depressed" upon her arrival, refusing to eat.
Over the next fifty-plus years, Tokitae performed for crowds of hundreds under the name Lolita.
In September 2020, members of the Lummi Nation went to Miami to mark 50 years since Tokitae arrived at the Seaquarium.
In August 2021, The Dolphin Company purchased the Seaquarium, and as a condition of the sale, the U.S. Department of Agriculture told the company they had to retire Tokitae.
A month later, the USDA then released a report showing that the conditions Tokitae was living in were impacting her health.
She was being fed "poor quality" rotting food, the water in her tank was dirty and her trainers "disregarded veterinary instructions," making her perform despite her injuries.
Since Tokitae's retirement, her care was taken over by a team of independent veterinarians and her health began to improve. The new owner of the Miami Seaquarium told a Lummi Elder that he would support Tokitae's relocation if certain conditions were met.
Then in March 2023, the day that so many had been waiting for arrived: the aquarium announced that it was on board with plans to send the orca back to the Salish Sea.
The owners of the Miami Seaquarium announced a "formal and binding agreement" with Friends of Lolita to begin the process of returning the orca to Puget Sound. The joint effort is "working toward and hope the relocation will be possible in the next 18 to 24 months."
In early May, a joint report between the Miami Seaquarium and Friends of Lolita announced that Tokitae is in "good condition," and that plans to relocate her are moving forward.
The plan to move Tokitae needs to be approved by federal authorities before concrete steps can be taken.
The approval process for Tokitae's move
A number of steps need to be completed before work can begin on moving Tokitae back to the Pacific Northwest.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will be a big part of the process, but the agency has not received an application or official plan, so it is not sharing what the approval process will include.
The USDA will also be part of the approval process, then the plan will move to the State of Washington.
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife says a number of permits will need to be approved, including one for a hydraulic project approval. Anyone planning a project in or near state waters needs this permit.
The Washington State Department of Natural Resources will study the proposed area for the sea pen to make sure the environment will not be disrupted. | https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/washington/timeline-tokitae-efforts-bring-her-home/281-6c53a7c1-ced9-4805-980d-57daa0e30431 | 2023-05-22T17:52:06 | 1 | https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/washington/timeline-tokitae-efforts-bring-her-home/281-6c53a7c1-ced9-4805-980d-57daa0e30431 |
PORTLAND, Ore. — Wildfire season is on the horizon, so staying safe and getting ready is top of mind for many. Oregon firefighters encourage everyone to have a wildfire plan, given the changing nature of the climate and the possibility of more extreme fires.
At this point of the year, things look lush and green, but firefighters are on high alert.
"The reality is, I mean, we did have a pretty wet spring there for a while with cool, moderate temperatures, but quickly it got warm," said Stefan Myers, with Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue (TVF&R). "So what happens is, all those green fuels that look so beautiful then become dry and fire can find its way to move through there."
Across the region, departments like TVF&R are doing what they can now to fight wildfires this year.
"We have to be ready, whether it's fast moving fires and fine fuels or small fuels on the ground, or if it's getting into a more dense forested area, we are investing in that by doing training right now," Myers said.
Fire crews also want to help everyone protect their homes and communities. At the World Forestry Center Discovery Museum this week, Portland Fire and Rescue (PF&R) and the Office of the State Fire Marshal held a special event to educate the public.
"With the drought conditions we've been seeing and the change in the fire behavior, the Portland area is very much at risk for a possible wildfire to start," said Kim Kosmas, with PF&R. "And if it did — when and if it does happen — it can be very catastrophic."
Ann Ruttan, an artist, and Apricot Irving, an author, use their work to share their personal experiences — and close calls — with Oregon wildfires.
"I drove through the beginning of the Santiam Canyon Fire in September 2020, and these paintings are the result of that," Ruttan said.
"Writing about the Eagle Creek Fire was a really important part for me, of being able to feel like I could process and heal from the trauma of it," Irving said.
Not only has it shaped their work, the fires have driven them to advocate for wildfire safety.
"Because our landscape is changing so much, this is not a rainforest environment anymore, and we've got to get ready," Ruttan said.
"It is possible to still live well in this landscape that we love, and there's things we can do to protect our homes, and recognize that wildfire is here," Irving said. | https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/wildfire/firefighters-urge-wildfire-prevention-season-start/283-67690d6a-e1ef-4d2a-87a6-c18807e17fd0 | 2023-05-22T17:52:13 | 0 | https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/wildfire/firefighters-urge-wildfire-prevention-season-start/283-67690d6a-e1ef-4d2a-87a6-c18807e17fd0 |
GETTYSBURG, Pa. — A planned road repair project on the southern portion of the Gettysburg National Military Park battlefield has been delayed due to supply chain issues, the park announced Monday.
The project was originally scheduled to begin this week, the park said. Instead, it has been pushed back to the middle of next month.
The four-month project will address road surfaces that are at the end of their lifespan, the park said. The project will require road closures that will temporarily interrupt the ability to visit portions of the battlefield while work is ongoing.
Park roads may be fully closed or reduced to a single lane of traffic. However, no work will occur during the events of the 160th Anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg commemoration from July 1 to 3, the park said.
You can visit the Gettysburg National Military Park website for further details. | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/adams-county/gettysburg-national-battlefield-road-work-plans-delayed/521-bd46e0f7-fe3c-44fc-b9d0-695163ba0ade | 2023-05-22T17:52:23 | 1 | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/adams-county/gettysburg-national-battlefield-road-work-plans-delayed/521-bd46e0f7-fe3c-44fc-b9d0-695163ba0ade |
MARIETTA, Ga. — Cobb County Police are investigating a deadly crash that left a 40-year-old woman dead.
Officers said the crash happened Sunday just around on 4:42 a.m. on I-75 northbound near Windy Hill Road.
When police responded to the crash, they found the woman, later identified as Rebecca Poole, had died at the scene.
After investigating, officials found that the driver of a Toyota Corolla was driving on the northbound lanes while Poole was walking westbound from the eastern shoulder.
Police said that's when the driver hit Poole. The driver was not injured in the crash.
Poole's next of kin has been contacted about her death.
Authorities are still investigating the crash. They are advising anyone with information to call the department at 770-499-3987.
This is a developing story. Check back often for new information.
Also download the 11Alive News app and sign up to receive alerts for the latest on this story and other breaking news in Atlanta and north Georgia. | https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/deadly-crash-i-75-northbound-windy-hill-road/85-e57352aa-2490-4d6a-901c-186228c1c392 | 2023-05-22T17:55:07 | 0 | https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/deadly-crash-i-75-northbound-windy-hill-road/85-e57352aa-2490-4d6a-901c-186228c1c392 |
ROSEVILLE, Calif. — People in West Roseville could soon see a new Costco after the city council approved a $6 million incentive.
The $6 million would be paid to Costco once the store opens to offset infrastructure costs.
"It'll be a benefit to those on the east side because we will see less traffic, so this is a benefit to all of Roseville," said Mayor Bruce Houdesheldt.
The cost of the project, including about $16.5 million in public infrastructure, has delayed development in the nine years since the project was initially approved, according to city council documents.
Assistant City Manager Ryan DeVore said at a May 17 city council meeting Costco had concerns about the timing of reimbursement. He said city staff was confident most of the reimbursement would happen in 5-7 years.
DeVore said while it is unlikely reimbursements would not be paid in seven years, there is a backstop of up to $1.8 million if not paid to Costco within seven years of the store opening. The city would then take Costco's place to be reimbursed instead, but he said it's unlikely to happen.
Costco would be the anchor store for the Baseline Marketplace, located at Baseline Road and Fiddyment Road. It's an 81-acre retail development in the Sierra Vista Specific Plan. Once completed, the project will be about 750,000 square feet of building area, including three commercial buildings, four fast food restaurants with drive-thru facilities, three gas stations and 23 outlying restaurant and retail stores.
The first phase of the project, which includes the Costco store, gas station, car wash and three other parcels, would bring the city about $3 million a year in tax revenue. Once Baseline Marketplace is finished, it's expected to bring the city about $7 million in annual revenue.
"Without this support, it's likely they would build a store in an area locally, but not in Roseville and then we would lose out on all of that revenue," DeVore said.
The Costco project is also expected to bring more than 600 jobs, paying an hourly wage of $27.50 as well as benefits.
When will Costco be finished?
Mike Dobrota, a representative for Costco, said they're planning on building the Costco as quickly as they can.
"Let's say that we can get permits near the end of this year, we could very possibly be open by the end of next year. We typically don't open during the holiday season so it could very possibly fall into January or February after the next holiday," Dobrota said at the meeting.
When asked about the performance of the current Roseville Costco Dobrota said all he could say is it is "one of the best in the United States."
Dobrota also said there is no intention to close the existing Roseville Costco.
"This is very exciting. This is something we wanted from the day that West Roseville started to begin," said District 2 Councilmember Pauline Roccucci.
Find more information about the Costco project HERE.
Watch more on ABC10: Placer Pride back for a second year in Roseville with 'more of everything' | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/roseville-approves-6m-incentive-for-second-costco/103-f18ad76b-ff4e-4d02-8e5d-40b605e7d9f9 | 2023-05-22T18:00:34 | 0 | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/roseville-approves-6m-incentive-for-second-costco/103-f18ad76b-ff4e-4d02-8e5d-40b605e7d9f9 |
STOCKTON, Calif. — A 55-year-old man is dead after a shooting in Stockton on Monday.
The shooting happened just after 2 a.m. near West Fremont Street and North Commerce Street, according to the Stockton Police Department. Upon arrival, officers found a 55-year-old man who had been shot. He was taken to a hospital where he died.
Homicide detectives are investigating the shooting.
Anyone with more information can call the police department's non-emergency number at (209) 937-8377 or the Investigations Division at (209) 937-8323.
Watch more on ABC10 | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/stockton/55-year-old-man-killed-stockton-shooting/103-880b836b-4def-48e3-9cf1-114d573b18bd | 2023-05-22T18:00:35 | 0 | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/stockton/55-year-old-man-killed-stockton-shooting/103-880b836b-4def-48e3-9cf1-114d573b18bd |
SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY, Calif. — One person is dead after a shooting near Stockton on Monday, according to the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office.
A spokesperson with the sheriff's office said they believe "sideshow activity" led to the shooting, which happened around 12:40 a.m. Two other people were wounded with non-life-threatening injuries, but it's not clear how they were hurt. The identity of the person killed and the two people injured has not been released.
Few details about the shooting were available, but it happened near South B Street and East 8th Street. People are advised to avoid the area.
Watch more on ABC10 | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/stockton/shooting-investigation-stockton/103-007b39f8-8dd5-4ee4-98a1-66fee44ae730 | 2023-05-22T18:00:42 | 1 | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/stockton/shooting-investigation-stockton/103-007b39f8-8dd5-4ee4-98a1-66fee44ae730 |
Editor’s note: This article contains a graphic image. We are publishing the photo because it illustrates the severity of the injuries involved with the excessive force allegation.
A Bismarck police officer has been fired after a department investigation into allegations that he used excessive force during a March arrest.
Officer George Huff was fired Sunday, according to the Bismarck Police Department.
Officers on March 9 responded to a call that a pedestrian was in the roadway at 24th Street and East Main Avenue. The man “began displaying aggressive behavior” when attempts were made to detain him, according to police. The department after inquiry from the Tribune a few days after the incident identified the man as 63-year-old Keith Erlandson. The inquiry was prompted by a Burleigh Morton Detention Center booking photo in which Erlandson appeared bloodied and with one eye swollen shut.
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Huff was the first officer to arrive at the scene on March 9. Force was used to detain Erlandson, and assisting officers reported to administration that the force appeared excessive. Huff was placed on administrative leave and did not return to duties before he was fired, the department said.
An investigation by Bismarck Police Internal Affairs led to a Disciplinary Review Board recommendation that Huff’s employment be terminated.
“Chief (Dave) Draovitch agreed that Huff had violated several BPD policies and terminated the officer’s employment,” according to a department statement.
Huff at the time of the incident had been with the department about four years. He had no prior disciplinary documents in his file, a department spokesman said.
The department in the Monday statement said the incident “is not a reflection on the good work BPD officers perform every day, with integrity.”
“The officers who quickly reported this issue to their chain of command took steps to protect the safety of our community, as we expect from our force,” officials said.
The findings of a probe by the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation have been forwarded to prosecutors. Burleigh County State’s Attorney Julie Lawyer on Monday did not immediately respond to a Tribune request for information about possible charges. Court records on Monday did not list any criminal charges against Huff.
(Check back for updates.) | https://bismarcktribune.com/news/local/accident-and-incident/bismarck-police-officer-fired-after-probe-of-excessive-force-allegations/article_556fa62a-f8b9-11ed-a27c-2b7729851fe4.html | 2023-05-22T18:10:34 | 0 | https://bismarcktribune.com/news/local/accident-and-incident/bismarck-police-officer-fired-after-probe-of-excessive-force-allegations/article_556fa62a-f8b9-11ed-a27c-2b7729851fe4.html |
VCU Police were on scene at the school's downtown medical campus Monday afternoon, according to alerts sent out by the school.
The first alert was sent shortly after 12 p.m. Monday, with follow-ups alert around 12:30 and 1 p.m. saying that police were still on scene.
The school marked the situation resolved at 1:15 p.m., but has not yet released any detailed information about the circumstances that led to the police presence.
This is a developing story that will be updated when more information is made available.
This morning's top headlines: Monday, May 22
The European Union has slapped Meta with a record $1.3 billion privacy fine and ordered it to stop transferring users' personal information to the United States by October. Meta, which had previously warned that services for its users in Europe could be cut off, vowed to appeal and ask courts to immediately put the decision on hold. The company said Monday that “there is no immediate disruption to Facebook in Europe.” The decision applies to user data like names, email addresses, messages, viewing history and other information that Meta — and other tech giants — use for targeted ads. The legal battle followed former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden’s revelations of electronic surveillance by U.S. security agencies.
President Joe Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy have a pivotal meeting coming up on the impasse over the debt ceiling. Washington is racing to strike a budget compromise and raise the nation’s borrowing limit in time to avert a potentially devastating federal default as soon as next week. The White House negotiators and McCarthy's team wrapped up three hours of talks Monday morning at the Capitol. After a weekend of start-stop talks, both Biden and McCarthy appeared upbeat as they face a deadline, as soon as June 1, when the government could run out of cash to pay its bills. McCarthy took a sharper tone critical of Biden on Monday.
Just 33% of American adults say they approve of President Joe Biden’s handling of the economy and only 24% say national economic conditions are in good shape. That's according to a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. Public approval of Biden’s handling of the economy remains low in a time of high inflation, a difficult housing market and concerns about a potential U.S. government debt default. American opinion is also gloomy about Biden’s efforts on gun policy and immigration, with only 31% saying they approve of the president’s performance on those hot button issues. Overall, 40% say they approve of the way Biden is doing his job.
Russia claims it has won control of Ukraine’s eastern city of Bakhmut after a grinding nine-month conflict in which tens of thousands of fighters have died. But top Ukrainian military leaders say the battle is not over. Ukrainian officials acknowledge they now control only a small part of Bakhmut but say their fighters’ presence has played a key role in their strategy of exhausting the Russian military. And they say their current positions in surrounding areas will let them strike back inside Bakhmut while Ukrainian forces are making significant advances just outside the 400-year-old city, chipping away at Russia’s northern and southern flanks with the aim of encircling Russian fighters inside.
Palestinian officials say three Palestinian militants were killed in an Israeli army raid in a West Bank refugee camp. The Palestinian Health Ministry says the raid took place early on Monday in Balata, near the city of Nablus. The ministry said six people were wounded, including one who was in critical condition. The army later confirmed soldiers had raided Balata; it said troops came under fire and killed three Palestinians. Israel has stepped up raids over the past year in response to a spate of Palestinian attacks. Meanwhile, the Biden administration issued a sharply worded statement on Sunday criticizing Israel for moving to reestablish settlers at the previously evacuated outpost of Homesh in northern West Bank.
South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott has launched his presidential campaign. At an event in his hometown of North Charleston on Monday, Scott offered an optimistic message he hopes can contrast the two figures who have used political combativeness to dominate the early GOP primary field: former President Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. Scott is the Senate's only Black Republican. His team acknowledges the challenge but notes that the political environment can change, that Scott won reelection by a commanding 20 points in November and that Scott has more money to start his campaign than any presidential candidate in history.
The 10th installment of the “Fast and Furious” franchise was off to the races this weekend, knocking “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” out of first place and easily claiming the No. 1 spot at the box office. “Fast X” earned $67.5 million in ticket sales from 4,046 North American theaters, according to estimates from Universal Pictures on Sunday. Including international showings, it had a $319 million global debut. In its third weekend, Disney and Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” made an estimated $32 million. Third place went to “The Super Mario Bros. Movie,” now in its seventh weekend.
Gabe Vincent scored a career-high 29 points, Duncan Robinson added 22 and the eighth-seeded Miami Heat are now just one win from the NBA Finals after rolling past the Boston Celtics 128-102 on Sunday night in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference title series. Caleb Martin scored 18, Jimmy Butler finished with 16, Bam Adebayo had 13 and Max Strus added 10 for Miami, which leads the series 3-0. Jayson Tatum scored 14 and Jaylen Brown added 12 for the Celtics, who won three times on Miami’s floor on the way to winning last season’s Eastern Conference finals.
Chandler Stephenson jumped on a rebound 1:12 into overtime and hit the back of the net to complete a rally and give the Vegas Golden Knights a 3-2 victory over the Dallas Stars and a 2-0 lead in the Western Conference Final. Jonathan Marchessault forced overtime with a shot from the slot with just 2:22 left in the third period. Stephenson, Marchessault and Mark Stone each had a goal and an assist for Vegas, and Adin Hill saved 26 shots. Miro Heiskanen and Jason Robertson each scored for the Stars, and Ryan Suter had two assists. Jake Oettinger made 21 saves.
Brooks Koepka is a major champion again. Gone are those injuries that led to doubt whether he was still part of golf's elite. Koepka won the PGA Championship at Oak Hill by closing with a 67 and winning by two shots over Scottie Scheffler and Viktor Hovland. He now has won the PGA Championship three times. And it was his fifth major title. Only 14 players have won more. It was the first major by a LIV Golf player since the Saudi-funded league began nearly a year ago. California club pro Michael Block made an ace and tied for 15th. | https://richmond.com/news/local/crime-courts/vcu-police-activity-medical-school-campus-may-22-2023/article_6275986a-f8bf-11ed-8a6b-83a9553b8519.html | 2023-05-22T18:14:08 | 1 | https://richmond.com/news/local/crime-courts/vcu-police-activity-medical-school-campus-may-22-2023/article_6275986a-f8bf-11ed-8a6b-83a9553b8519.html |
Wichita Falls arts alliance ACE Awards nominations to open Friday
News Staff
Times Record News
Nominations for the Arts and Cultural Empowerment (ACE) Awards will open on May 26 and can be submitted online at wichitafallsarts.org/ace-awards.
The ACE Awards recognize individuals and organizations whose contributions have shaped the cultural landscape of Wichita Falls. All forms of artistic endeavors, including visual arts, performing arts, culinary arts will be celebrated at the awards ceremony scheduled for Oct. 18. at the convention center at MPEC.
Caterories for awards include:
- Outstanding Arts Educator
- Business Champion for the Arts
- The Maker Award
- Distinguished Artist of the Year
- Distinguished Cultural Organization
- Inclusion Advancement Award
- Margie J. Reese Innovation Award
- Mayor's Choice Award
Tickets go on sale in September. | https://www.timesrecordnews.com/story/news/local/2023/05/22/ace-awards-nominations-to-open-wichita-falls-arts-alliance/70235860007/ | 2023-05-22T18:28:11 | 0 | https://www.timesrecordnews.com/story/news/local/2023/05/22/ace-awards-nominations-to-open-wichita-falls-arts-alliance/70235860007/ |
Bicycle ER opens permanent location
A mobile bicycle repair service put the parking brake on and is setting up shop at a location at 502 Wichita Street.
Bicycle ER hosted an opening event Friday in the new shop.
More:Bicycle ER: A new Wichita Falls business is hitting the road
Owner Taylor Houts purchased the building earlier this year and said they are excited to continue serving the community.
He began the mobile business about a year ago, bringing his repair trailer to cycling events.
Along with the new storefront, Bicycle ER aims to also continue the mobile services during events.
The permanent Bicycle ER location is in downtown Wichita Falls across from the Wee-Chi-Tah trail entrance.
For more information about Bicycle ER, visit their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/bicycleerwf. | https://www.timesrecordnews.com/story/news/local/2023/05/22/bicycle-er-opens-permanent-location-in-downtown-wichita-falls/70243899007/ | 2023-05-22T18:28:17 | 1 | https://www.timesrecordnews.com/story/news/local/2023/05/22/bicycle-er-opens-permanent-location-in-downtown-wichita-falls/70243899007/ |
New United set to open Wednesday
A new United Supermarket at 2720 Southwest Parkway will open to the public at 6 a.m. Wednesday, but that will be preceded by a ribbon-cutting for invited guests only Tuesday morning. Top United officials will meet with local dignitaries for that event.
The new location is a rehabbed former supermarket at Kemp Boulevard and Southwest Parkway. The company said it will employ about 200 full and part-time workers.
More:'We're glad to be back': Old Albertson's to become new United Supermarket
The building was initially a Skaggs - Albertson's supermarket and later became an Albertson's. It fell on hard times after it became a Cash Saver supermarket that closed in 2014 because of tax delinquencies.
More:New United store shoots for spring grand opening
United, which is now owned by Albertson's, is based in Lubbock and will have four stores in Wichita Falls with the opening of the new location. | https://www.timesrecordnews.com/story/news/local/2023/05/22/new-united-set-to-open-wednesday/70236446007/ | 2023-05-22T18:28:23 | 0 | https://www.timesrecordnews.com/story/news/local/2023/05/22/new-united-set-to-open-wednesday/70236446007/ |
TUCSON, Ariz. — The death of a Pima County inmate over the weekend is under investigation, the Pima County Sheriff's Department said.
A corrections officer reportedly found the man unresponsive in his cell at the Pima County Adult Detention Complex early Saturday morning.
Prison staff started emergency life-saving measures, but the Tucson Fire Department pronounced the man dead on the scene, officials said.
So far, detectives have found no sign of trauma and no suspicious circumstances in the man's death. However, authorities have not released an official cause of death.
The man's identity is being withheld until next of kin is notified.
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Amazon Fire TV: Search for "12 News KPNX" to find the free 12News+ app to add to your account, or have the 12News+ app delivered directly to your Amazon Fire TV through Amazon.com or the Amazon app. | https://www.12news.com/article/news/local/arizona/pima-county-inmate-dies-in-custody-sheriffs-office-investigation/75-ff5a73b4-a492-4787-8571-f71003122270 | 2023-05-22T18:34:37 | 1 | https://www.12news.com/article/news/local/arizona/pima-county-inmate-dies-in-custody-sheriffs-office-investigation/75-ff5a73b4-a492-4787-8571-f71003122270 |
WASHINGTON D.C., DC — Editor's note: The above video aired during a previous broadcast when the proposal was first announced.
A deal to keep the Southwest's lifeblood flowing has been announced, the culmination of a years-long debate between states that rely on the Colorado River.
But, Arizona water officials affirmed that the plan is a "short-term" solution to a much larger problem.
The proposal, announced by the Department of the Interior on Monday, is expected to conserve an estimated three million acre-feet of Colorado River water through the end of 2026. The Southwest's historically wet winter has bettered water levels for the near future, but the plan leaves post-2026 guidelines up for change.
Federal officials will now take the proposal into consideration while deciding how to change the Colorado River shortage guidelines in light of the Southwest's ongoing megadrought.
It's unknown whether federal officials will agree to the proposal. The conservation estimate falls short of the immediate two to four million acre-feet across-the-board water cut federal officials previously said was needed for water to continue pouring into Lake Mead. Instead, the plan estimates that 1.5 million acre-feet of water in Lake Mead will be conserved by the end of 2024.
"We are frontloading the water in Lake Mead, therefore protecting Lake Mead earlier," said Central Arizona Project General Manager Brenda Burman.
However, Bureau of Reclamation representatives have said numerous times that they would prefer states work together to form a plan rather than force federal officials to impose one. This plan was brought forward by Arizona, Nevada and California and has reportedly been given the seal of approval by Colorado, Utah, New Mexico and Wyoming. Another potential positive point: The plan does not cut water from any state outside of the already-established priority system.
The Department of the Interior is expected to finalize the changes in its near-term Colorado River drought guidelines later this year.
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"From here, our work must continue to take action and address the long-term issues of climate change and overallocation to ensure we have a sustainable Colorado River for all who rely upon it," Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs said.
See the entire proposal here Arizona, Nevada and California sent to federal officials here:
This is a developing story. Tune in to 12News for the latest information.
Water Wars
Water levels are dwindling across the Southwest as the megadrought continues. Here's how Arizona and local communities are being affected.
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12News+ showcases live video throughout the day for breaking news, local news, weather and even an occasional moment of Zen showcasing breathtaking sights from across Arizona. | https://www.12news.com/article/news/local/water-wars/arizona-colorado-river-conservation-deal/75-59bf0469-93d4-4dbd-9ff5-f02ce18722d5 | 2023-05-22T18:34:43 | 1 | https://www.12news.com/article/news/local/water-wars/arizona-colorado-river-conservation-deal/75-59bf0469-93d4-4dbd-9ff5-f02ce18722d5 |
PHOENIX — Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs will veto legislation that would have restored water service to Rio Verde Foothills, an upscale, unincorporated community north of Scottsdale whose water service was cut off by the city five months ago.
12News learned Monday from two sources with direct knowledge that the governor would veto the bill. Her formal veto message is expected later in the day.
The City of Scottsdale had opposed the legislation, passed by the Republican-controlled Legislature. The city said the bill, HB 2441, would have forced it to violate its state-required Drought Management Plan.
The city also cited its drought management plan when it ended decades of providing water to a standpipe where Rio Verde Foothills water haulers filled up.
"There is no Santa Claus," Scottsdale Mayor David Ortega said in a statement last December. "The mega-drought tells us all – water is not a compassion game."
Rio Verde Foothills residents have survived the cutoff, taking extreme measures to conserve water and paying exorbitant rates to have water hauled into their community.
The plight of the subdivision's residents has become a national symbol of Arizona's failure to manage its water supply.
Under state law, the so-called "wildcat subdivision" was allowed to develop homes over the last several decades without an assured water supply. Now, in the midst of a megadrought, the search for a new water supply has hit dead ends.
The Hobbs veto leaves just one apparent option for restoring water service to the roughly 500 water customers affected: A bill that would set up a new "standpipe district" within state government to serve Rio Verde Foothills.
That bill passed the House but remains in limbo in the state Senate. Legislators are on break until June 12. The current legislative session is expected to end no later than June 30.
A longer-term solution, now before the Arizona Corporation Commission, would provide direct water service to the Foothills. That service wouldn't be in place for about three years.
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Catch up on the latest news and stories surrounding Arizona’s water crisis on the 12News YouTube channel. Subscribe today. | https://www.12news.com/article/news/local/water-wars/gov-hobbs-to-veto-bill-restore-water-service-to-rio-verde-foothills/75-a2f88664-c54f-4f40-acf1-e1d2b86d9f45 | 2023-05-22T18:34:49 | 1 | https://www.12news.com/article/news/local/water-wars/gov-hobbs-to-veto-bill-restore-water-service-to-rio-verde-foothills/75-a2f88664-c54f-4f40-acf1-e1d2b86d9f45 |
PORTLAND, Maine — The 207 studio has been home to plenty of guests over the years but none quite as glamorous as Miss America and Miss Maine.
Miss America 2023 Grace Stanke and Miss Maine 2022 Madison Leslie both stopped by to talk about their roles and why the titles go beyond wearing a crown and sash.
Leslie was raised in Lewiston/Auburn and graduated from Franklin Pierce University in 2022. She was crowned Miss Maine in June of 2022.
Stanke is from Wisconsin and was crowned Miss America in December. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin Madison this year with a degree in Nuclear Engineering.
Check out the full interview to learn more about the young women, their roles, and how sisterhood and scholarships are a key focus of the Miss America Organization. | https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/local/207/miss-america-miss-maine-promote-scholarship-program/97-50df7853-3de4-48ef-8e99-8da7fedb11ed | 2023-05-22T18:34:55 | 1 | https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/local/207/miss-america-miss-maine-promote-scholarship-program/97-50df7853-3de4-48ef-8e99-8da7fedb11ed |
WATERVILLE, Maine — One person has died from injuries following a fire Monday morning at an apartment building in Waterville.
The Waterville Fire Department responded to a call about a fire on Elm Street at around 5:40 a.m. When crews arrived, they reported visible smoke and fire from two sides of the building and learned the fire was coming from a unit on the fourth floor, fire officials said in a post on Facebook.
A person in that area was found following an "aggressive search," but despite resuscitation efforts, the individual died, the release stated.
"Additional crews advanced a hose line to the fourth floor, while other crews simultaneously assisted other occupants to a safe area outside the building," the release said. "This was an extremely difficult task as there are reported 50 units throughout the building."
The multistory building is managed by the Waterville Housing Authority and is reportedly used as housing for aging Mainers.
Three other residents were brought by ambulance to a hospital for evaluation and treatment.
The Waterville Fire Department was aided by Delta Ambulance. An investigation into the cause of the fire is expected to be conducted by the Maine state fire marshal's office and the Waterville Police Department.
Waterville Housing and the Red Cross were working to help tenants who are displaced and others who wish to reunite with pets and their belongings, according to the release.
A "Do Not Drink" order has been issued for people who source from the Kennebec Water District, as firefighting foam used to contain the fire reportedly contaminated the supply, a press release from the water district stated.
The order would remain in place until water quality tests determine the water is safe to consume. The water district does state, however, that the water is safe for bathing and cleaning.
Anyone with unusual foaming in the water is asked to run cold water for 15 to 20 minutes from a bathtub or outside spigot. The water district asks people to call 207-872-2763 if the foaming persists. | https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/local/augusta-waterville/waterville-fire-maine-senior-apartment-building/97-501dde50-459a-43ba-9262-3f7cb993d006 | 2023-05-22T18:34:57 | 1 | https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/local/augusta-waterville/waterville-fire-maine-senior-apartment-building/97-501dde50-459a-43ba-9262-3f7cb993d006 |
PORTLAND, Maine — Staff with the city of Portland and a developer are looking for a new location to house hundreds of asylum seekers after calling off further work on a potential site on Blueberry Road.
The site provided a glimmer of hope for the more than 1,300 asylum seekers who have come to Portland since Jan. 1, 2023. Those asylum seekers have arrived in a city where shelters are at capacity nearly every night.
The developer told NEWS CENTER Maine he does not have an update on a new location. A Portland spokesperson said they are hopeful the developer will find a new location.
In March, when the city's Homeless Services Center opened, it became full almost instantly: 70 to 75 percent of the people living at the HSC are unhoused asylum seekers.
"It would absolutely take pressure off him, and it would immediately open up 140 or so beds, Kristen Dow, the city's health and human services director, said. "Specialty shelters definitely exist in our in our state. That is not something that's unique. If we can have a shelter that is really tailored to meeting the needs of asylum seekers and helping them get established in the country and more of a resettlement facility, then absolutely, that is something that would be beneficial for the asylum seekers but also would then alleviate some space at the HSC for people maybe who are unhoused."
Dow said the city is not looking to open a permanent shelter. Instead, they plan to help a nonprofit get the shelter up and running and pass along the operation of it to the nonprofit. The state has pledged $4 million in grant money to the Blueberry Road location. NEWS CENTER Maine is waiting for a response on whether that money would be available for a future spot.
The city plans to close an emergency shelter at the Portland Expo in August. It currently houses asylum-seeking families: 301 people in total. | https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/local/maine-immigration/portland-asylum-seekers-shelter-location/97-f404bdee-fcee-4a9f-9057-9913a4978fd9 | 2023-05-22T18:35:04 | 0 | https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/local/maine-immigration/portland-asylum-seekers-shelter-location/97-f404bdee-fcee-4a9f-9057-9913a4978fd9 |
MAINE, USA — A new bill would require rail companies to disclose the hazardous materials they are carrying and the route the train will travel in Maine.
Speaker Rachel Talbot Ross of Portland introduced the emergency legislation and said the bill would ensure the public’s health and safety from exposure to hazardous materials from trains.
The bill comes after a train carrying hazardous materials, pentamethylheptane, and ethanol derailed in Rockwood back in April.
This bill would repeal a 2015 law, that allows rail companies to keep information about hazardous materials confidential.
If signed into law, this bill would require rail companies to share information with the public about the hazardous materials trains are carrying.
Talbot Ross said the bill must take effect before its 90-day expiration to ensure the public is safe from hazardous materials that could be spilled by rail companies while traveling through the state. | https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/local/maine-trains-hazardous-toxic-chemicals-materials-disclose/97-62350c9c-dba3-426d-8ac3-c4d10bfb7ad2 | 2023-05-22T18:35:10 | 0 | https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/local/maine-trains-hazardous-toxic-chemicals-materials-disclose/97-62350c9c-dba3-426d-8ac3-c4d10bfb7ad2 |
PORTLAND, Maine — As the clock ticked closer to an eviction deadline Tuesday, the Bayside Trail in Portland was a flurry of activity. Some 150 people lived in tents for the past several months along this stretch of public land in the Bayside neighborhood. Dozens of tents remained standing as the unhoused residents rushed to pack up their entire lives.
The city of Portland notified the people in the encampment five days earlier that they had to be out by 9 a.m. Tuesday. Officials said the encampment had become an acute health and public safety issue, and had to come down.
Police officers watched as people scurried to break down tents, fill suitcases and backpacks, and shove whatever they could into shopping carts. Volunteers helped haul things into waiting vans from organizations such as Milestone Recovery to transport people wherever they wanted to go. Nearby, city public works staff, donned in neon yellow safety vests, hovered next to idling heavy machinery.
This was the latest blow to the city’s unhoused population, and the latest chapter in what has become a mounting set of crises involving two distinct populations.
During the annual census taken in January, 4,258 homeless people were counted in Maine, about a quarter of them chronically homeless, meaning they were homeless for at least a year or are in and out of homelessness. That’s up from 3,455 last year and 1,297 in 2020, just prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.
At the same time, Portland has received at least 1,000 new asylum seekers since the first of the year, most from central and southern Africa, further straining Maine’s social services. The asylum seekers are generally staying in other housing, and not in the tents on the Bayside Trail.
The decision to tear down the encampment, an event that drew a heavy media presence, also showed that local officials are struggling with where to put thousands of unhoused people. Simply put, the people ousted from the encampment had little guidance on where to go next.
“There’s very little guidance on what they can do, which is not very helpful,” said Matt Brown, who runs Hope Squad Maine, a group that provides homeless people with food, drinks, clothes or whatever else they might need.
While he spoke Tuesday morning, Brown searched on his phone for a map of public lands in Portland. He and others were scrambling to figure out where the unhoused residents of Bayside Trail could go next. The yellow tags placed on tents, notifying residents that their “unauthorized campsite” would be removed, said “shelter is available in Portland through area emergency shelters,” even though city officials said earlier this month that no beds were available.
“I mean, it’s like, ‘OK, I can’t do this. I can’t do that. Where the hell can I go where I’m not going to be rousted out tomorrow? I’m bringing my whole life with me, breaking it down and moving it to this spot,’ ” he said.
“Are you going to tell me tomorrow, ‘Hey, what are you doing here?’ So that’s the tricky part.”
A ‘looming crisis’
Maine is short some 22,000 affordable housing units, said Cullen Ryan, the executive director of Community Housing of Maine. Fewer than 1,000 units are added to the housing stock every year, meaning it would take more than 20 years to fill the need.
“The last time we had an adequate supply of affordable housing was in 1977,” Ryan said.
The rental market only continues to get more expensive as vacancy rates decline, MaineHousing director Daniel Brennan said in a memo to a legislative committee last fall.
The fair market rent for a one- or two-bedroom apartment in the Portland metropolitan area for 2023 is 35% more than 2019. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development uses fair market rents as the standard for determining Section 8 housing vouchers.
The fair market rent for a two-bedroom apartment is unaffordable for the average household in all areas of Maine, Brennan said.
Compounding this is the end of the Emergency Rental Assistance Program, a pandemic-era federal program to assist those with rent costs, bills and other expenses. MaineHousing stopped accepting applications for the program last September.
A commission formed in the last legislative session to study housing called the end of the program a “looming crisis” and recommended that the legislature approve increasing the maximums for general assistance in its final report published in November.
Gov. Janet Mills earlier this month announced her revised budget package, which includes $12 million for the Emergency Housing Relief Fund and $80 million for various affordable housing programs.
But obtaining government housing help is a long process.
Bill, who declined to give his last name, said he got a housing voucher from the city in December. Six months later, on the same day the encampment was being cleared, he finally got word a one-bedroom apartment may have opened up.
“Housing in Portland is ridiculous, especially for people who don’t have any income and have no housing or anything like that. Even when you’re working, it’s hard to get into a place because they want first, last and security deposit,” he said.
“Who can come up with $4,000, $5,000, $6,000 before they move into an apartment, especially working a full-time job paying barely above minimum wage?”
As of February, 11,753 housing choice vouchers had been distributed by public housing authorities in Maine, according to data from HUD. There were more than 2,000 vouchers yet to be distributed, which may be because the local public housing agency in some communities, like Portland, ran out of funding.
Of the 2,143 vouchers available to the Portland Housing Authority, 277 were still available as of February. But according to the data, Portland could only distribute 87 of those vouchers while keeping within its $27 million budget for this year.
Scarcity of resources
Meanwhile, Portland is currently housing about 1,200 people each night in one of the three city-run shelters or in hotels. Between 70-80% of individuals at the 208-bed Homeless Services Center are asylum seekers. The city’s family shelter is almost all asylum seekers as well, city staff said at a meeting Thursday. And the third shelter, a 300-bed temporary shelter at the Portland Expo, was opened in April specifically to serve asylees.
“It’s just the extra pressure of the asylum-seeking folks coming here,” Jeff Logan, the executive director and co-pastor of Grace-Street Ministry, said Tuesday on the Bayside Trail. “There’s just nothing. There’s no room at the inn for anybody.”
“I think the system is set up pretty well for the numbers of people who experience homelessness traditionally here, to meet their needs and actually decrease that number markedly. But it’s really hard for that to happen when the system is overwhelmed with a sudden population,” Ryan said in an interview earlier this month.
Federal law says asylum seekers must wait 180 days for authorization to work, which forces individuals and families to remain on municipal-run general assistance programs even longer. Members of Maine’s Congressional delegation have introduced legislation over the years to shorten the waiting period, and state lawmakers are exploring options for a federal waiver.
The shelters at the Portland Expo and Salvation Army were set up with “focused wrap-around services for newly arriving asylum-seeking families. The Homeless Services Center was built to house single individuals with available services focused on those who are circumstantially and chronically unhoused,” City of Portland spokesperson Jessica Grondin said in an email.
“We have reached capacity at all of our facilities. This is why we are advocating heavily for more transitional housing options for both families and individuals. … Having more transitional housing facilities for asylum seekers would open up more beds at the HSC for those who need the kind of wrap-around services that facility was designed to offer,” she said.
Housing at a shelter is offered on a first-come, first-served basis, Grondin said. Once an individual or a family is deemed eligible for general assistance and meets with social services staff, they are “offered a bed when one is available.”
To clear the Bayside encampment while city shelters are largely filled with people who are part of a different community is rubbing salt in the wound, some unhoused people and advocates said.
But when a person applies for general assistance, “(the city is) not looking at them as an asylum seeker, they are looking at them as a person,” Mufalo Chitam, the executive director of the Maine Immigrants’ Rights Coalition, said Wednesday.
“God forbid something happened to them, you know, they lost their home, lost a job, they couldn’t pay the rent and, you know, here they are presenting at general assistance asking for help,” she said.
“They’re not titles or identities. They are just a human being who is needing that (help).”
With how the situation in Portland has played out, however, asylum seekers are “being looked at as the boot that’s to (homeless people’s) faces,” Chitam said.
“Creating situations where people are forced to compete for scarce resources only serves to promote disunity,” Chitam said, quoting board president and Bates College professor Val Carnegie from a meeting the day before.
Chitam’s organization, among others, have strongly advocated for more resources for the city’s homeless population, including placing a 30-day moratorium on clearing the Bayside encampment, as members of the Portland Emergency Shelter Assessment Committee.
“We have to look at the foundation of even this discussion, of you know, ‘them against us’ because there is a scarcity of housing,” Chitam said.
“We have to look at (it in) a much broader way. What got us here? Which system got us here?”
This story was originally published by The Maine Monitor, a nonprofit and nonpartisan news organization. To get regular coverage from the Monitor, sign up for a free Monitor newsletter here. | https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/local/portland/portland-maine-housing-homeless-unhoused-bayside-encampment-laws/97-1b762cdd-64de-426b-907a-7f5c86fc02ad | 2023-05-22T18:35:16 | 1 | https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/local/portland/portland-maine-housing-homeless-unhoused-bayside-encampment-laws/97-1b762cdd-64de-426b-907a-7f5c86fc02ad |
WATERVILLE, Maine — An order to not drink the water has been issued for the Kennebec Water District in the area of Waterville following an apartment building fire Monday morning.
Residents are being advised to not drink the water because of the possible presence of firefighting foam in the water distribution system, Kennebec Water District General Manager Roger Crouse said in a release.
Shortly before 6 a.m., an apartment building in the area of 60 Elm St. in Waterville caught fire. As a result of the fire, firefighting foam entered the water distribution system, and the extent of the contamination is unclear, Crouse said.
The "Do Not Drink" advisory is systemwide, according to the release. However, the water contamination issue appears to be limited to areas of Elm Street and Main Street in Waterville.
"Kennebec Water District staff are at various locations flushing the contamination out of the system," the release said. "This Do Not Drink Order will remain in place until water quality tests demonstrate the water is safe to drink."
The staff reportedly received guidance on the water testing and flushing from the Maine CDC, according to the release.
"While the firefighting foam is biodegradable and PFAS-free, it is not safe for human consumption," the release stated.
Area residents are advised to refrain from using water for making ice cubes, food preparation, teeth brushing, and any other activity that involves the consumption of water, according to Crouse. Using the water for bathing and cleaning is still deemed safe.
"If you experience unusual foaming in your water run your cold water for 15-20 minutes from a bathtub or outside spigot," Crouse said in the release. "If foaming persists, please contact us at 207-872-2763." | https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/local/public-safety/do-not-drink-ordered-for-water-in-kennebec-water-district-waterville-maine-apartment-fire/97-13fd3f5c-bb3a-49b9-8ccd-8a3fd007dafc | 2023-05-22T18:35:22 | 1 | https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/local/public-safety/do-not-drink-ordered-for-water-in-kennebec-water-district-waterville-maine-apartment-fire/97-13fd3f5c-bb3a-49b9-8ccd-8a3fd007dafc |
SAN ANTONIO — Two American Idol legends are coming to San Antonio for one night only this fall.
Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken will appear at The Tobin Center for 'Twenty | The Tour' on October 16 at 7:30 pm in the H-E-B Performance Hall.
Studdard and Aiken won the hearts of America 20 years ago during their run for the win and title during the second season of American Idol.
"This unlikely Southern duo, who skyrocketed the series to the top of the Nielsen ratings, will reunite to bring their stunning performance history back to the stage," said a press release.
Over 38 million viewers tuned in to the finale, which remains the most-watched episode of the FOX series. Combined they've recorded twelve albums, which have sold over eight million copies worldwide, as well as winning multiple music awards. They've toured nationally 14 times and earned two Grammy nominations.
This reunion of America's favorite unlikely pair promises a night of unforgettable music, celebrating a journey that spans two decades and resonates deeply with fans around the world.
Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased online at tobincenter.org, or by phone at (210) 223-8624 or in-person at The Tobin Center Box Office (100 Auditorium Circle, 78205).
The box office is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. utnil 6 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.
Learn more about KENS 5:
Since going on the air in 1950, KENS 5 has strived to be the best, most trusted news and entertainment source for generations of San Antonians.
KENS 5 has brought numerous firsts to South Texas television, including being the first local station with a helicopter, the first with its own Doppler radar and the first to air a local morning news program.
Over the years, KENS 5 has worked to transform local news. Our cameras have been the lens bringing history into local viewers' homes. We're proud of our legacy as we serve San Antonians today.
Today, KENS 5 continues to set the standard in local broadcasting and is recognized by its peers for excellence and innovation. The KENS 5 News team focuses on stories that really matter to our community.
You can find KENS 5 in more places than ever before, including KENS5.com, the KENS 5 app, the KENS 5 YouTube channel, KENS 5's Roku and Fire TV apps, and across social media on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and more!
Want to get in touch with someone at KENS 5? You can send a message using our Contacts page or email one of our team members. | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/american-idol-legends-ruben-studdard-clay-aiken-reunite-for-historic-twenty-the-tour-at-the-tobin-heb-performance-hall-san-antonio-texas/273-8f8afb45-dd8c-4d2a-8ec1-be6b7c7a3f13 | 2023-05-22T18:35:33 | 0 | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/american-idol-legends-ruben-studdard-clay-aiken-reunite-for-historic-twenty-the-tour-at-the-tobin-heb-performance-hall-san-antonio-texas/273-8f8afb45-dd8c-4d2a-8ec1-be6b7c7a3f13 |
UVALDE, Texas — A group supporting the families of the Uvalde mass shooting victims and advocate for gun reform is holding a vigil Wednesday evening remember the lives lost.
Wednesday marks exactly one year since a gunman entered a classroom at Robb Elementary and killed 19 children and two adults.
The vigil, hosted by Lives Robbed, will take place Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. at Uvalde Memorial Park amphitheater at the northeast end of the park. The group says it is open to the public.
A private event for the famliies of the victims will be held earlier in the day at the Uvalde Civic Center.
Lives Robbed was formed by the families of the children murdered at Robb Elementary on May 24, 2022. The groups goal is to advocate for reducing gun violence, through legislative changes, at the state and federal levels
Some of their specific goals include passing common-sense gun laws, engaging with lawmakers in discussions, and partnering with other gun violence prevention groups to push for legislative change. The group also endorses gun-sense candidates.
Learn more about KENS 5:
Since going on the air in 1950, KENS 5 has strived to be the best, most trusted news and entertainment source for generations of San Antonians.
KENS 5 has brought numerous firsts to South Texas television, including being the first local station with a helicopter, the first with its own Doppler radar and the first to air a local morning news program.
Over the years, KENS 5 has worked to transform local news. Our cameras have been the lens bringing history into local viewers' homes. We're proud of our legacy as we serve San Antonians today.
Today, KENS 5 continues to set the standard in local broadcasting and is recognized by its peers for excellence and innovation. The KENS 5 News team focuses on stories that really matter to our community.
You can find KENS 5 in more places than ever before, including KENS5.com, the KENS 5 app, the KENS 5 YouTube channel, KENS 5's Roku and Fire TV apps, and across social media on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and more!
Want to get in touch with someone at KENS 5? You can send a message using our Contacts page or email one of our team members. | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/uvalde-group-vigil-for-victims-mass-shooting-robb-elementary/273-f1c8295a-3618-4940-b154-73e857698290 | 2023-05-22T18:35:39 | 1 | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/uvalde-group-vigil-for-victims-mass-shooting-robb-elementary/273-f1c8295a-3618-4940-b154-73e857698290 |
WEIR, Miss. (WTVA) — Authorities continue searching for a man wanted for an alleged child sex crime in Choctaw County.
The Choctaw County Sheriff’s Office is working to arrest Joey Ryan Simmons who is wanted for the felony charge of enticement of a minor.
Someone last saw him at approximately 8:50 p.m. on Main Street in Weir. He is 5 feet 7 inches tall and weighs 145 pounds. Authorities don’t believe he’s armed.
Anyone who sees him should not approach him but call 911 instead. | https://www.wtva.com/news/local/child-sex-crime-suspect-wanted-in-choctaw-county/article_2fad45f2-f8b2-11ed-b0fb-9ffd56634e60.html | 2023-05-22T18:36:22 | 0 | https://www.wtva.com/news/local/child-sex-crime-suspect-wanted-in-choctaw-county/article_2fad45f2-f8b2-11ed-b0fb-9ffd56634e60.html |
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WTVA) — Authorities removed the body of a person found hanging between two billboards in Columbus.
Columbus Police Chief Joseph Daughtry said people started calling about the body around 1 p.m. Sunday in the 2400 block of Highway 45 south of Bluecutt Road and Holly Hills Road.
This is south of the Columbus Marble Works and north of the Carl Hogan auto dealership.
A white sheet was placed over the body when authorities removed it. Daughtry added it is not clear if the death was a suicide or an accident.
Update - Death of individual found between billboards in Columbus ruled a suicide | https://www.wtva.com/news/local/person-found-hanging-between-two-billboards-in-columbus/article_489a8492-f80a-11ed-87dd-5355f58a40a3.html | 2023-05-22T18:36:28 | 0 | https://www.wtva.com/news/local/person-found-hanging-between-two-billboards-in-columbus/article_489a8492-f80a-11ed-87dd-5355f58a40a3.html |
Due to technical difficulties on Saturday, May 20, WTVA did not air two children’s shows — "Earth Odyssey" and "The Voyager with Josh Garcia."
Those programs will air this week.
"Earth Odyssey" will air on Wednesday, May 24 at 4 p.m.
"The Voyager" will air on Thursday, May 25 at 4 p.m.
These programs will replace half of the 4 p.m. news on these two days. | https://www.wtva.com/news/local/wtva-re-airing-two-childrens-shows-due-to-technical-issue/article_f9bc3312-f8ad-11ed-aa67-5358f21994e5.html | 2023-05-22T18:36:34 | 1 | https://www.wtva.com/news/local/wtva-re-airing-two-childrens-shows-due-to-technical-issue/article_f9bc3312-f8ad-11ed-aa67-5358f21994e5.html |
On May 4, more than 1,000 Nebraskans attended the first call-to-action event held by Justice in Action — a nonprofit organization formed in 2022 by leaders of Lincoln and Lancaster County faith congregations dedicated to creating community change.
"Our philosophy is that there are two types of power in the public arena," said the Rev. Kirstie Engle of First United Methodist Church of Lincoln, who is a Justice in Action co-president. "The first is money and the second is people. We believe in the power of organized people. Organized people have the power to build the collective will to transform our community. That is the core of Justice in Action.”
In October of 2022, faith congregations across the Lincoln and Lancaster County areas hosted nearly 90 meetings where Nebraskans could share problems they were passionate about and wanted to address in the community.
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From the eight issues that emerged from those meetings, two were selected by popular vote at a November assembly as the organization's first challenges to tackle: mental health and criminal justice reform. Two issues will be selected annually, allowing the organization to focus their resources more efficiently.
"In my professional life, I study criminology and public health," said Lisa Kort-Butler, a member of Horizons Community Church in Lincoln and Justice in Action's research team. "When we, as an organization, decided that those were the things we were going to be focusing on, I thought, 'Hey, that's right in my wheelhouse, this is something I can help with.'"
By December, Kort-Butler and nearly 200 other Justice in Action staff and members were involved in the research process — meeting with experts, looking through prior studies and attempting to form specific, measurable solutions to present at May's Nehemiah Action Assembly.
"We started meeting with people who we identified as stakeholders in the community, who were experts on these processes," Kort-Butler said. "On the criminal justice side, we met with folks doing prison missionary work, a UNL law professor who specializes in restorative justice, the director of community corrections at the time, the county attorney, and so on."
Kort-Butler said the meetings often took the form of large panel interviews where the research teams would ask questions, take notes and learn where Justice in Action could have an impact.
"We were very pleased with the response from the different offices we reached out to," she said. "It's been exciting to see positive action for change and to bring people together from all parts of the county who have different points of view, centered around this core value of justice for our neighbors."
When all the information was gathered, the two Justice in Action research teams created reports to present to elected officials at the Nehemiah Action Assembly.
The organization invited County Commissioner Christa Yoakum, Councilwoman Sändra Washington, Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird, County Commissioner Rick Vest, Councilman James Michael Bowers, and County Attorney Pat Condon — hoping to gain commitments to implement the proposed solutions and policies.
“We want everyone to leave here knowing where our elected officials stand and what can happen next,” said Engle to the assembled crowd. "We didn't name this group Justice in Words, we named it Justice in Action."
Yoakum, Washington and Michael Bowers heard the solution from Justice in Action's mental health committee — a navigation program modeled after one in Toronto — to increase accessibility to existing mental health resources. Gaylor Baird was unable to attend but sent a representative in her place.
"People experiencing mental health issues in Lancaster County are often unable to access timely and appropriate care and end up interacting with the criminal justice system, which is costly and robs them of the opportunity to receive the ongoing care they need to lead productive and positive lives," the report on mental health read.
Engle said a navigation program would provide trained personnel to help Nebraska's families navigate available resources based on their specific situations and needs, a program that hasn't existed since the Community Mental Health Center closed in 2014.
All three elected officials agreed to meet with Justice in Action and Toronto Navigation representatives in early June to further discuss the program and work to establish a working idea for a Lincoln program by early 2024.
“We have wonderful nonprofits doing really, really hard work,” Yoakum said. “But it is a tough system to navigate.”
On the criminal justice reform stage, Vest heard a proposal to increase the community corrections budget to add staff, eliminate fees for diversion programs and create a real-time online dashboard that publishes data on inmates and individuals in diversion programs. Condon was unable to attend.
"County jails are the front door to mass incarceration," the criminal justice reform committee wrote in their report. "A growing number of people are placed or kept in the Lancaster County Jail for nonviolent offenses because the local system doesn’t have sufficient tools, discretion, or community-based alternatives to address their needs while maintaining public safety."
According to Engle, diversion refers to programs that offer an alternative to arrest, prosecution and incarceration.
"Recidivism for those serving time in the Lancaster County Jail is around 60%, while recidivism for those successfully completing a Community Corrections diversion program is only 20%, which means these programs improve public safety,” said Kirstie.
Vest said some of the requests, like the dashboard, were already in progress and money for the rest will be there "when the time is right."
While he said he couldn't make a commitment while the search for a permanent Community Corrections director continued, Vest pledged to address the budget proposals within 90 days of the new hire.
And this won't be the last Lincoln sees of Justice in Action, though the topics may vary over the coming years.
"Every year we'll decide on, as an organization, two topics to pursue," Kort-Butler said. "They may be brand new ones, or they may carry the torch forward and make sure action is happening. Our intent is to continue until we see change happening and to hold people accountable to that — we're not disappearing in any sense, this is long work that requires endurance and we're in for pursuing this as long as it takes."
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It is important to freeze fresh vegetables properly to preserve their best qualities. | https://journalstar.com/news/local/lincoln-faith-congregations-rally-around-community-change-organization/article_03d06d9a-f346-11ed-8ee9-1fd4a8088fdf.html | 2023-05-22T18:40:18 | 1 | https://journalstar.com/news/local/lincoln-faith-congregations-rally-around-community-change-organization/article_03d06d9a-f346-11ed-8ee9-1fd4a8088fdf.html |
BALTIMORE — Three firefighters suffered minor injuries in a fire in southwest Baltimore this afternoon.
The city's fire department said it happened shortly after noon, in a one-story brick garage on Hafer Street near South Franklintown Road.
The three firefighters were taken to local hospitals.
There were no injuries to residents, and the fire remains under investigation.
Stay with us for any updates.
Shortly after 1200pm, #BCFD responded to 2600 Blk of Hafer St. Units found a 1 story brick garage with fire showing.
— Baltimore Fire (@BaltimoreFire) May 22, 2023
3 firefighter injuries all minor, all 3 transported to local hospitals.
No civilian injuries. Cause of the fire is still under investigation at this time. pic.twitter.com/237M5FkFnc | https://www.wmar2news.com/local/3-firefighters-injured-in-sw-baltimore-fire | 2023-05-22T18:43:41 | 0 | https://www.wmar2news.com/local/3-firefighters-injured-in-sw-baltimore-fire |
ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY, Md. — Firefighters in Anne Arundel County battled a large house fire Monday afternoon.
According to officials, the blaze took place in the 100 block of Wallace Manor Road in Edgewater.
All occupants are out of the residence and safe.
There's no word on the cause of the fire at this time.
ACTIVE RESIDENTIAL FIRE INCIDENT. 100 Block of Wallace Manor Road in Edgewater. Fire crews are on-scene actively fighting the fire. Avoid the area. All occupants are out of the residence and safe. pic.twitter.com/DQXWM81O3m
— Anne Arundel County Fire Department (@AACoFD) May 22, 2023
This story will continue to be updated. | https://www.wmar2news.com/local/firefighters-battle-large-house-fire-in-edgewater-no-injuries-reported | 2023-05-22T18:43:47 | 0 | https://www.wmar2news.com/local/firefighters-battle-large-house-fire-in-edgewater-no-injuries-reported |
A 27-year-old man was sentenced today to 80 years in prison for a 2021 murder.
Derrick D. Dennis II, 27, couldn’t stay still as both his mother and the mother of the man he was convicted of shooting and killing spoke to Allen Superior Court Judge David Zent. Zent sentenced Dennis to 60 years in prison for the murder and 20 years for using a gun to kill 19-year-old Gery A. Rucker in 2021.
Dennis’ mother thanked the court for their fairness in the proceedings and spoke directly to Rucker’s family.
“To the family of Gery Rucker, I’m so sorry,” Dennis’ mother said. “I pray for you all the time.”
As Nikia Tinker, Rucker’s mother, spoke, Dennis shook his head in disagreement and looked at the ceiling.
Tinker said she has been praying to find the right words, but they didn’t come.
Dennis spoke to Tinker as she addressed the court, maintaining his innocence and stance that the shooting was in self-defense. Tinker disagreed.
“The was you chose to pull the trigger,” she said. “That was a choice.”
However, Tinker said she could not hate the man convicted of killing her son despite all her family has lost.
“You took a son from his mother, a father from his son,” Tinker said, referencing her grandson.“You have your father; he doesn’t have his.”
Dennis’ attorney, Robert Gevers, asked for the minimum sentence for his client though he said no sentence would please everyone. In lieu of that, Gevers said he hopes Dennis’ and Rucker’s loved ones find healing and justice.
Allen County Deputy Prosecutor Tesa Helge asked for the maximum sentence, calling Dennis “the worst of the worst offenders” for what she described as a predatory killing.
Dennis was arrested shortly after the Sept. 14, 2021 shooting because he was identified as the shooter by multiple witnesses, according to a probable cause affidavit signed by Fort Wayne Detective Aaron Johnson. Witnesses told police Rucker and a group of people went to confront Dennis for allegedly having a relationship with the mother of Rucker’s son.
They said they heard gunshots after Rucker approached Dennis’ residence.
Security camera footage from the scene of the shooting showed Rucker approach the door of Dennis’ Eden Greene apartment after getting into an argument with his child’s mother, according to court documents. Rucker opened the door but quickly jumped back as shots were fired in his direction, striking him.
Rucker fell but got up and ran to the car that took him to a local hospital, according to the affidavit. Dennis could be seen getting into his own vehicle with a handgun after the car Rucker was in drove off.
At Monday’s sentencing hearing, Dennis told Zent he plans to appeal and was appointed a public defender. | https://www.journalgazette.net/local/man-gets-80-year-sentence-for-2021-murder/article_045a1c4e-f8a4-11ed-a277-cbc6400f342a.html | 2023-05-22T18:56:19 | 1 | https://www.journalgazette.net/local/man-gets-80-year-sentence-for-2021-murder/article_045a1c4e-f8a4-11ed-a277-cbc6400f342a.html |
Who gets to adopt Native children?
A Supreme Court decision will soon answer that question
This story was originally published by Searchlight New Mexico.
There once was a girl who lived in Corrales and loved collecting butterflies. She would capture perhaps 20 or 30 of them at a time, take them inside, then set them free to fly around her bedroom. Another thing she noticed about herself: Whenever she happened to be on the verge of a big life change, a coyote would appear. “Not like one running across the road,” Veronica Krupnick, now 27 years old, recalled, “but like I’d be out on a walk with my family, and a coyote would follow along close behind us.”
For years, these uncanny animal connections struck her as mysterious and sometimes unsettling. “I didn’t have anyone to teach me about them,” Krupnick said, until she was reintroduced to her Hopi grandparents when she was 19 or 20. It was then that she learned that the coyote and the butterfly are among her clan affiliations. Suddenly, these aspects of her life, along with others, began to make sense.
An enrolled member of the Hopi tribe, Krupnick’s lineage also includes Jemez Pueblo and Navajo ancestry. She was adopted by a white couple when she was 10 years old, after spending four years in seven different foster placements. Though ultimately landing in a home where she was physically safe and materially secure, she struggled throughout her adolescence and was eventually admitted into a behavioral residential treatment facility, where she completed her last two years of high school. Coyote companions were the least of the things that confused her.
For some 45 years, adoptions like Krupnick’s have been governed by a landmark federal law, the Indian Child Welfare Act. Enacted in 1978, ICWA regulates adoption and foster placement for Native American children who don’t live on reservation lands — the vast majority, owing to the fact that some 87 percent of Native peoples have moved off those lands. The law was designed to end the long and terrible history of involuntarily separating Native children from their families and to do what’s in the best interest of each child.
ICWA strives to reverse that goal and keep children within their families, clans, and communities. Today, Native American tribes and child welfare organizations hail its success with near unanimity. It is widely regarded as the gold standard for child welfare regulations, and states have modeled their own laws for non-Native kids after it to one degree or another.
An upcoming U.S. Supreme Court decision is casting a shadow on all that. The high court will soon rule in Brackeen v. Haaland, in which plaintiffs seek to strike down ICWA, alleging that it discriminates on the basis of race and violates the Constitution in other ways, as well. The case arose from the Texas court system, where Jennifer and Chad Brackeen, a white couple seeking to adopt a Navajo girl, sued to make it easier for non-Native families to adopt Native American children. A decision is expected by the end of June.
Much is at stake. In the big picture, some of the legal challenges to ICWA strike at the very foundation of Indian law, or Title 25 — a voluminous compilation of federal codes governing nearly every aspect of life on tribal lands. Many of these laws are rooted in centuries-old interpretations of the Constitution’s Commerce Clause that, among other things, give Congress the power to regulate and protect certain tribal activities. Lawyers for the Brackeens, along with conservative groups such as the Goldwater Institute, argue that Native American child custody issues are not among them.
Should the high court rule that it was indeed beyond the authority of Congress to enact ICWA in the first place — by narrowing the conventional understanding of the Commerce Clause — a swath of other laws could fall, too.
A skeptical Justice Neil Gorsuch suggested during oral argument in November that these could include Native American health care provisions, religious liberties, rights to access sacred sites and tribal environmental regulations. “There would be a lot that would be bitten out of Title 25,” he said. “We’d be busy for the next many years striking things down.”
The court could conclude that Congress didn’t violate the Commerce Clause, but overreached in more limited ways, overturning ICWA without the alarming ripple effects.
But if the justices rule that ICWA violates the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment — concluding that it is a “race-based law” — the consequences could be catastrophic, many Native American advocates fear.
“Indian law is based on the principle that tribes are sovereign nations that have a government-to-government relationship with the United States,” said Beth Wright, a staff attorney at the Native American Rights Fund and an enrolled member of Laguna Pueblo. “If this is reduced to a racial classification, all rights that tribes and tribal people enjoy are also subject to attack. They’re attacking tribal sovereignty at its core.”
Wright fears that this would spawn wholesale assaults on Indian Country, such as environmental and economic exploitation by corporations eager to tap into natural resources and casinos on Native land. She points out that the law firm representing the Brackeens pro bono also represents Chevron and some of the largest gaming companies in the world.
Opponents of ICWA dismiss such concerns as exaggerated. Their only targets, they say, are Native child welfare regulations.
In New Mexico, Native American adoptions and foster care are regulated by an especially robust version of ICWA called the Indian Family Protection Act. As a state law, the Act will remain intact unless the Supreme Court strikes down ICWA as a violation of the Equal Protection Clause – in which case it too would likely be thrown out as race-based, according to attorneys on both sides of the debate.
A complex welter of issues
Beyond the tangle of legal matters, the Supreme Court case delves into the evocative terrain of historical trauma, race, identity, cultural biases — and the very meaning of family.
The moral heart of the Brackeens’ argument is that ICWA, despite its good intentions, actually discriminates against Native children by limiting their options for adoptive and foster families and making “genetics and ancestry” the key criteria for placement. The Brackeens themselves, who are evangelical Christians, fostered and ultimately adopted a boy of Navajo and Cherokee parentage in 2018, following what they described as a religious calling. They have been fighting to adopt his younger half-sister, who they have fostered for most of her four years, sharing custody with a great-aunt who lives on the Navajo Nation.
ICWA mandates that child welfare agencies should first try to settle Native children with other family members. If that’s not possible, they should next try to place children with another family from their tribe, then with a family from another tribe, and lastly in a non-Native household. Exceptions are made on a case-by-case basis, when in the best interest of the child. But the Brackeens contend that these preferences harm Native children by steering them away from adoptive families that might be optimal but are farther down the list.
Among the many who disagree are 497 tribes, dozens of children’s rights organizations, 87 members of Congress, the ACLU, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Psychological Association and other groups that have filed or joined amicus briefs in support of ICWA.
There is ample evidence dating back decades that removing Native children from Native society can cause “untold social and psychological consequences,” according to the brief filed by 180 tribes. Another brief, filed by Casey Family Programs and 26 other child welfare and adoption organizations from around the country, highlights ICWA’s crucial benefits.
Citing outcomes data, the brief points out that, by favoring placement with blood relatives, clan relations or close family friends, Native foster children are less likely than non-Native children to be shuffled around from one setting to another, resulting in “fewer mental health disorders, and better well-being, while minimizing trauma.” They also have a better chance than non-Native kids of landing a permanent home.
A system “that does not prioritize family integrity and community ties, invites a return to the days when courts unthinkingly presumed that an Indian child’s best interests were served by placement with a middle-class, non-Indian family,” the brief adds.
Wright, the lawyer with the Native American Rights Fund, put it bluntly: “The other side doesn’t really care about Indian children.”
Who am I?
For Native child welfare advocates in New Mexico, the most important feature of ICWA’s placement preferences is its attempt to address the deep, existential questions faced by children who find themselves separated from their parents.
“Where do I come from? Who are my people? Who am I? Anyone who has interacted with the foster care system can identify with wondering about these things,” said Angel Charley, of Laguna Pueblo. As executive director of the Coalition to Stop Violence Against Native Women, Charley provided input into the drafting of New Mexico’s Indian Family Protection Act of 2022; she also works on improving communication between Native foster families and the Children, Youth and Families Department, the agency responsible for foster care in New Mexico.
“We need to insure ‘belonging’ for little ones who are removed from families for circumstances that are beyond their control,” Charley said in a phone interview. “Indigenous people have language, culture, ceremony. We’re so grounded in belonging and to our ancestors and the land. For a child not to have access to those ways of being is detrimental.
“I know many adults who grew up with no connection to community and are struggling to figure out how to connect. Kinship and culture can’t be replicated outside of our communities. Belonging is more important than material wealth.”
Veronica Krupnik’s complex story bears this out, though parts of it, if taken in isolation, could bolster the argument against ICWA’s placement preferences: At age nine, she was being fostered by a family member, but the situation turned abusive. She was then placed with a white couple, on an emergency basis, and they eventually adopted her.
Her adoptive parents were “wonderful providers,” sending her to top private schools, she said. “They wanted me to be educated and have every opportunity.” But she spiraled as she entered her teen years, rebelling against a restrictive household where she never felt entirely at home. “It wasn’t just their fault,” she reflected. “I was a traumatized kid.”
Exacerbating those traumas was her sense of being thrust into a world in which she didn’t belong. “It’s not just one thing. It’s how you speak, how you dress, how you wake up in the morning, how you eat dinner,” Krupnick said. “In Native cultures, ways of life are more abstract; in Western culture, everything needs to have an answer, everything happens on a timeline, there’s a lot less grey.”
What’s more, leaving her community as a child, she didn’t know much about her own culture, leaving her ungrounded, unrooted.
State fails Indigenous children
Though New Mexico, with the passage of IFPA, has emerged as a leader in Native American child welfare, it hasn’t yet lived up to its aspirations. A 2021 survey by the Children, Youth and Families Department found that the state has fallen far short of meeting several of its obligations to Native kids in foster care. Only about a quarter of them found preferred placements with family or tribal members, the survey revealed.
The critical bottleneck is the shortage of licensed Native foster families. While efforts are now being made to increase Native participation — in part by employing more culturally sensitive ways of communicating with and evaluating households — raising these numbers will take time.
The major exception to these deficiencies is in Bernalillo County, where a special ICWA court was established in 2020. Headed by Judge Catherine Begaye, a member of the Navajo Nation, the court has seen more than 100 children come through its doors: 86 percent have gone into preferred placements; 60 percent have been reunified with their parents; none of the families that were reunified have come back before the court; and no parental rights have been terminated, court data show.
Judge Begaye chokes up with emotion when speaking of her hopes and dreams for the children she sees, and she uses the powers of the bench to support each one. This can include helping extended family members become licensed foster parents, working in tandem with tribes and ordering the Children, Youth and Families Department to ensure that kids have the opportunity to participate in dances and other ceremonies. Begaye calls doing what’s best for Native children simply “following the law.”
If ICWA is overturned on equal protection grounds, this special court will likely cease to function, at least in its current form. Throughout New Mexico and the nation, protocols for handling Native child welfare cases will enter unknown territory. The state doesn’t have any backup plans to address this possibility.
Krupnick hopes it won’t come to that. She knows the value of the very things that ICWA was designed to protect and believes other Native children do, too. “As a kid plopped from one community to another, that took away a really essential part of my identity. I couldn’t figure out where I was going until I found this core piece of myself.”
Reconnecting with her culture and her family of origin, and making Native friends, has helped Krupnick heal. “When I go back to Hopi, something in me knows I’m home. I have a physical response that I don’t have anywhere else, except maybe at my great-grandma’s house in Jemez. It’s like my body takes a great big sigh of relief,” she said. Being around other Native people, she added, means “not having to explain.”
She now volunteers with and advocates for Native children who are in the child welfare system and serves on the board of directors of CASA First – which trains court-appointed advocates for foster children in the First Judicial District. Recently, she also took a new job in the New Mexico’s House Majority Office.
And she still has close encounters with coyotes from time to time, she said. “But now I can lean on it, instead of it being weird and confusing.”
Michael Benanav is a writer, photographer and digital storyteller based in northern New Mexico. In addition to Searchlight New Mexico, his work appears in The New York Times, The Christian Science Monitor and more.
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- Burger King is closing up to 400 restaurants. What does that mean for New Mexico locations? | https://www.lcsun-news.com/story/news/local/new-mexico/2023/05/22/who-gets-to-adopt-native-children/70233028007/ | 2023-05-22T18:56:19 | 1 | https://www.lcsun-news.com/story/news/local/new-mexico/2023/05/22/who-gets-to-adopt-native-children/70233028007/ |
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