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ODESSA, Texas — It was in early May when the City of Odessa stopped offering recycling services. The topic was discussed at Tuesday night's city council meeting, and clarity has been brought to the current situation.
The city is actively working on bringing recycling back for the community. Odessa Mayor Javier Joven said that the plan was never to cancel it permanently, but rather pause operations for now to find a better way to offer the service.
“In this case, I felt that there was a better way of doing it, and if we can wind up doing it in-house and have more controls over it, that’s exactly what we need to do, and stop having an illusion of recycling, and have a recycling that makes sense and also accomplish what the user intends is to keep these products out of the landfill," said Mayor Joven.
As Odessa works to offer an improved recycling system compared to the old method, a more cost-effective and responsible approach is wanted.
Mayor Joven said over 80% of past recyclables were ending up in the landfill due to recycling contamination, and they want to correct that moving forward.
“We were evaluating, reevaluating how we can wind up doing it," said Mayor Joven. "‘Can we do it in-house? Can we seek out those partnerships?’, and that’s what we’ve been working on for a year-and-a-half. What we needed to do was wind up canceling and basically not renewing the contract, and that’s what we did. Now we’re moving forward with the new initiative that will have more control.”
The city is looking to simplify things.
“For right now we’re going to wind up putting containers so you can bring in your plastics and your cardboard, and then we’re asking you to separate those, and then we’ll take care of it from there…and then we’ll wind up exploring an expansion of that depending on the partnerships that we’re able to find," said Mayor Joven. "There’s one that we’re exploring, but we still have to be able to sit down and communicate.”
The goal is to create more efficiency for the entire operation.
“For us, not to have to send everything over to Midland or further destinations, to be able to shorten our routes, to be able not to tie up with personnel, so we can do both the recycling responsible and also to continue to address the pickup of the trash throughout our community, because we can’t compromise one program at the expense of another," said Mayor Joven.
Mayor Joven mentioned that the recycling containers can be up very soon as they work towards a long-term solution for a recycling service. He asked for the community to be patient during this time and that they will continue to provide updates with their progress. | https://www.newswest9.com/article/news/local/city-of-odessa-working-on-bringing-recycling/513-2caae349-c29c-4cb4-a2fc-cb5a7d80c179 | 2023-05-24T09:57:05 | 0 | https://www.newswest9.com/article/news/local/city-of-odessa-working-on-bringing-recycling/513-2caae349-c29c-4cb4-a2fc-cb5a7d80c179 |
NANTICOKE, Pa. — Crews were called to a fire in Luzerne County overnight. The double-block home on West Noble Street in Nanticoke caught fire just after 1 a.m.
The fire chief tells us the fire started on the first floor before spreading.
No one was inside at the time, and no one was hurt.
A state police fire marshal has been called in to look for a cause here in Luzerne County.
See news happening? Call our Newstip hotline. | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/luzerne-county/fire-crews-called-home-nanticoke-overnight-flames-spread/523-ff6a0ad2-a0f3-45c2-81a3-c8bb16c1db1e | 2023-05-24T09:59:17 | 0 | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/luzerne-county/fire-crews-called-home-nanticoke-overnight-flames-spread/523-ff6a0ad2-a0f3-45c2-81a3-c8bb16c1db1e |
'A lot happens on Main Street' Speedway makeover nears finish line, but 'eyesore' remains
Downtown Speedway’s 15-year quest to be more than a pit stop for Indy 500 visitors is nearly complete.
Restaurants, apartments, condos and gleaming race team facilities line Main Street, a turn away from Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Lunchtime crowds are larger, with race team members in matching shirts scurrying to grab a bite along with race-curious day-trippers.
“Our business has tripled since we opened 10 years ago,” said Marley Mann, 27, owner of Bourbon and Barbecue, the third oldest restaurant on Main. “We still get our loyal local customers but the new car businesses help a lot and so do the apartments.”
The $375 million in investment over a decade includes a 90-unit apartment building, the Wilshaw, near 15th Street, and 1300 Block, a condominium development. The street has been rebuilt with new sidewalks and rejiggered parking. Outdoor seating at eateries is abundant.
Business owners and locals say the change has added verve to the strip between 10th and 16th streets.
“I like what they’ve done, there are a lot more options,” said Speedway resident Missy Theile, 53, as she browsed race-related clothing and paraphernalia at Three Sister and a Trunk.
Racing-related production plants and entertainment centers such as Praxair Surface Technologies, Dallara IndyCar Factory and Indy Racing Experience dominate the east side of Main, adding substantially to the workday population.
A few small businesses during the transition have come and gone but the three oldest restaurants thrive. The proprietors of Charlie Brown’s Pancake and Steak House, Dawson’s on Main and Bourbon and Barbecue said more recent additions Tacos and Tequila and O’Reilly’s Irish Pub and Restaurant are good for everyone.
“We’ve seen it all but there are more restaurants now than there ever have been and that only helps us,” said Chris Hill owner of Dawson’s, the second oldest eatery. “We do a lot of catering for the race teams and some of our regulars are from the Wilshaw. They did a good job with the street to make it walk and bike-friendly.”
Wilshaw Hotel remains unfinished six years into construction
A highly visible caution flag on the redevelopment, however, is the unfinished Wilshaw Hotel at the corner of 16th and Main. The steel structure sits unattended behind a chain link fence with a banner plastered out front with a rendering of what the 127-room hotel should have looked like by now.
“It is a real eyesore,” Town Manager Grant Kleinhenz said. “When it should be a highlight.”
The hotel has been stalled for six years because of a range of problems, from financing struggles to pandemic-related stoppages to supply chain issues. The city has proposed a $2 million loan to a new developer so construction can restart.
Kleinhenz said officials still believe the $35 million hotel will be a popular destination year-round. A nearby Marriott and a Hampton on Crawfordsville Road have high occupancy rates, he said.
"Main Street is becoming a happening place with lots of events,” he said. “We think people will come to take in the atmosphere anytime.”
The developer of 1300 Block said even locals are anxious to get in on the action: about half of the purchasers of the 14 condos are from Speedway.
“There just hasn’t been that type of product in Speedway before,” said Rebar Development CEO Shelby Bowen. “A lot of people wanted a chance to live on Main Street.”
Demand for the condos, which range from $250,000 to $450,000, prompted Rebar to change their original plans for a mix of apartments and just four condos, Bowen said.
Old Speedway City Neighborhood Association President Gillian Fletcher said some residents grumbled early on when a few old houses were razed to make room for some of the development, but fewer objections have been lodged since.
“There was concern that we were losing some of our history, which is natural, people don’t like change, ” she said. “But some of the buildings were vacant and nothing historic was taken down.”
For homeowners west of Main, any uptick in foot and car traffic brought by redevelopment is minor compared to the surge of humanity that comes around each race day, when up to 350,000 spectators go to IMS, Fletcher said.
“They have gotten so used to visitors it’s not like it’s something new,” she said. “A lot happens on Main Street.”
Speedway needs more shopping options, local say
Still, some business owners said more diners for restaurants doesn’t always translate into more shopping. The city needs to lure more general businesses to give people a reason to stick around for an afternoon or night, they said.
“They come to eat and they leave,” said Marie Hall, owner of Three Sisters and a Trunk.
Only one storefront at the Wilshaw is occupied, by an ice cream shop, and at 1300 Block, two of three occupants are food or beverage, Le Peep restaurant and Bev, an upscale liquor store recently opened B. Aren Design, a furniture, gift and home décor boutique, relocated to 1300 Block.
Fletcher said the city has told her shops should follow restaurants and to give it time.
“You get people because they are hungry, use that to get them here first, then get the other businesses," she said
Kleinhenz said, "any additional retail would be fantastic."
"We haven't gotten a good foothold on that yet," he said.
But Fletcher said it has to happen soon because there isn’t much room.
“There’s not a lot of space left,” she said. | https://www.indystar.com/story/news/local/2023/05/24/speedway-main-street-makeover-wilshaw-hotel-restaurants-downtown-indy-500/70207950007/ | 2023-05-24T10:01:23 | 1 | https://www.indystar.com/story/news/local/2023/05/24/speedway-main-street-makeover-wilshaw-hotel-restaurants-downtown-indy-500/70207950007/ |
WATERLOO — Secondary English language arts and math teachers at Waterloo Community Schools will now have an easier time analyzing their students’ progress in class.
The Board of Education approved the purchase of the IXL Learning curriculum at a cost of $98,645 in a 5-1 vote on Monday. Board member Lyle Schmitt voted against it, citing concerns with its math modules. Board member Sue Flynn was absent.
The diagnostic tool provides real-time analytics and guidance for teachers to personalize instruction for students. It will also give students the option to practice skills and recover unfinished learning to increase achievement. The tool is available for sixth- through 12th-graders.
Along with assisting students whose performance is less-than-proficient in a course, it will also allow those who are exceeding learning expectations to practice higher level problems.
A pilot of the program was implemented in some classrooms and board documents state that gains in student use and achievement “became evident.”
English teachers at the meeting corroborated this statement, saying that some students have gained 200 points – or advanced two years in learning – with the program.
For the math portion of the curriculum, Schmitt said what was provided is not sufficient due to the lack of learning about “math facts.” Math facts are usually taught from first to fourth grades. They include addition, subtraction, multiplication and division of numbers one through nine.
Schmitt said with the program not focusing on math facts, it could cause future issues once students graduate.
“They come out with a survey saying Waterloo is the worst place to live because earnings are low … because they don’t know their math,” he said. ”It is all based on math facts. I don’t know why we refuse to recognize it.”
The board also unanimously approved curriculum for kindergarten through 12th-grade physical education.
The elementary and secondary programs’ total cost is $392,194. For kindergarten through second grade and third through sixth grade, physical education teachers will continue using a program called SPARK which addresses all the national standards.
Board documents stated that a prepackaged curriculum for secondary grades was difficult but the district worked to find a program that addressed the universal standards. Physical education teachers at the meeting stated there are about 20 activities and lessons taught each semester.
The appointment of Gina Weekley as director of equity, inclusion and belonging. Her salary will be $120,000. The position is new for the district.
The appointment of Megan Allen as the director of special education. Her salary will be $120,000. She will be replacing Sandra Schmitz.
An instructional support levy for the 2024-25 fiscal year. Waterloo Schools has utilized this board-approved property tax levy since 1995 and it will not affect the already approved tax rate.
Jobs projected to grow the most in nursing—and how that compares to other health care roles
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#5. Registered nurses
#4. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/education/waterloo-schools-language-arts-math-classes-will-use-diagnostic-tool-to-evaluate-learning/article_db309256-f98b-11ed-8533-67d55d6e7af1.html | 2023-05-24T10:10:34 | 0 | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/education/waterloo-schools-language-arts-math-classes-will-use-diagnostic-tool-to-evaluate-learning/article_db309256-f98b-11ed-8533-67d55d6e7af1.html |
An event featuring a pop-up selfie museum June 3 in Waterloo will benefit the DeNae Nash Purple Hearts Foundation. Nash, pictured, was a standout East High School basketball player who died in 2020 at age 21.
COURTESY PHOTO
East's Denae Nash, left, and Columbus' Erion Gafeney, right, fight over a rebound under the basket during a 2018 game.
COURIER FILE PHOTO
DeNae Nash, a 2018 East High School graduate, went on to play basketball at Kansas City Community College.
WATERLOO — A pop-up selfie museum is expected to give influencers new Instagram-worthy photos to share.
Nine immersive exhibits for the public to pose in, snap a selfie and post on social media sites will be open from 1 to 6 p.m. June 3 at the Courtyard by Marriott, 250 Westfield Ave.
Selfies may be “all about me,” but this pop-up turns those creative impulses into more than Snapchat and Instagram moments. Instead, the event is a fundraiser for the DeNae Nash Purple Hearts Foundation.
There will be a silent auction and a short presentation. Snacks will be available along with a cash bar.
The fund is being administered through the Waterloo Community Foundation and honors Nash, of Ames, a former East High School basketball standout. She was 21 when she died Nov. 24, 2020, in Chicago. Nash was visiting friends when she apparently fell into Lake Michigan. She died at the University of Chicago Medical Center.
The Selfie Museum is taking place on what would have been her 24th birthday.
Nash graduated from East in 2018 and attended Kansas City Community College and later Des Moines Area Community College, playing basketball at both schools.
“The goal of the scholarship is to reach kids who sometimes fall through the cracks, whether it’s grades, extra-curricular activities or taking the vocational or community college route and not a traditional, four-year college,” said Nash’s mom, Jaquel Sherrod.
She described her daughter as “loyal and loving with the most beautiful soul. Although she wasn’t on this earth long, she made an impact on so many lives with a flash of her contagious smile, positive attitude, or comforting words.”
The fund will help support basketball camps and programs in the area as well as a scholarship. In addition, Nash donated her organs and tissues at her death and the fund also will benefit the Iowa Donor Network.
Selfie museums have been hits with the public, especially young audiences, around the world. Thousands upon thousands of photos have been taken at similar events and posted online.
“It’s open to all ages – kids, students, families, friends, couples. Just bring your cell phone or a camera and pose in some fun, unique and exciting exhibits,” said organizer Catherine Potter of EventConnect.
Themes include a massive pair of angel wings, an eight-foot moon, floral settings, a purple-themed bedroom, a glowing basketball room and more.
Potter hopes the fundraiser will become an annual event to support the DeNae Nash Purple Hearts Foundation. “It’s a wonderful way to honor the memory of this young woman and make a difference in the community,” she added.
An event featuring a pop-up selfie museum June 3 in Waterloo will benefit the DeNae Nash Purple Hearts Foundation. Nash, pictured, was a standout East High School basketball player who died in 2020 at age 21. | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/waterloo-pop-up-selfie-museum-offers-perfect-photo-ops-benefits-denae-nash-scholarship-fund/article_ad2246e0-f975-11ed-b4c6-937b443a8761.html | 2023-05-24T10:10:40 | 1 | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/waterloo-pop-up-selfie-museum-offers-perfect-photo-ops-benefits-denae-nash-scholarship-fund/article_ad2246e0-f975-11ed-b4c6-937b443a8761.html |
GARY — Leaders of the Tolleston Opportunity Hub project conducted an online and telephone survey resulting in 579 people's ideas for the planned community center.
Four areas of need highlighted by the third-party data collection company include social connections and community, adult health and fitness, youth development and community well-being. These data results are considered with a 95% confidence rate and with an error interval of plus or minus 4%.
Partnering with Methodist Hospitals, the Dean and Barbara White Family Foundation, Crossroads YMCA and the City of Gary, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Northwest Indiana wanted to create a one-stop-shop community center in the former Tolleston Middle School. The building, at 2700 W. 19th Ave., which has been the Gary branch of the club since 2013, will see renovations and extensions likely to begin in 18 to 24 months, according to Bill Hanna, executive director of the Dean and Barbara White Foundation.
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Before construction begins, leaders of the project expressed the need for community involvement in the center's design. Certain members of the Gary area were invited to discuss survey results by Ellis Dumas III, vice president of programs and outcomes at the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Northwest Indiana.
"Gary has a high sense of pride. From the smiles on your faces, I can tell that's true and that's why you're here," Dumas said at the beginning of the discussion.
The survey responses revealed that the people of Gary want to focus on healthy habits and have the community building host programs where people can come together. A total of 71% of responses mentioned consistently scheduled family night activities after the work and school day; 64% said they were interested in cooking instructions and nutritional education and 63% want to see garden club activities that may include group landscaping projects in Gary's neighborhoods.
Survey results also tell that 85% of respondents want to utilize funding for health and wellness improvement and 55% are looking forward to mental health resources on campus. The predicted 40,000 square-foot YMCA addition will host a pool, indoor track, cardio fitness center, teaching kitchen, basketball and pickleball courts, and a licensed early learning academy for children aged 13 months to five years. The Y will also have spaces for cycling, aerobics, martial arts, dance classes and various community rooms. An addition of about 10,000 square-feet will be reserved for Methodist Hospitals to build an urgent care center, radiology lab and a pharmacy. Methodist would also be able to utilize the pool and other exercise equipment for physical therapy.
People of all types will be able to take advantage of the center, as pressed by Jennifer McCloskey-Styka, Alternative House Director at Crisis Center, Inc.
"It's important for the Boys & Girls Club to not just be a place for kids to come and play sports. It should be known as a place for all kinds of people to do all kinds of activities," McCloskey-Styka said.
Respondents expressed several concerns for the Tolleston Opportunity Hub, including building and grounds maintenance, transportation and anticipated membership fees. Though no decision has been made about transportation or fees, leaders took note of the community's concerns. All people involved in the discussion event had hopes for building Gary's community in a healthy way, focusing on togetherness and healthy relationships.
Employees of the Boys & Girls Club were included in the project design conversation. Multiple mentioned their day-to-day experiences with children attending the club, and provided insight for future possibilities. Many workers stressed the importance of on-campus mental health counselors, even if a child is just having a rough day.
"You don't know what these kids go through at home or at school," said Xziah Pace, a Boys & Girls Club employee who works with tweens. "This place should be a safe place with mental health professionals."
Hopes for buses and accessible walking routes were mentioned by planners during the discussion. Planners and people in the community hope that by the end of construction, the Tolleston Opportunity Hub will improve "the quality of life" in Gary and serve its people. | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/lake/gary/survey-provides-visions-for-30m-tolleston-opportunity-hub-project/article_821377d6-f8de-11ed-9dcc-0b5d5dcbdb3a.html | 2023-05-24T10:18:14 | 1 | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/lake/gary/survey-provides-visions-for-30m-tolleston-opportunity-hub-project/article_821377d6-f8de-11ed-9dcc-0b5d5dcbdb3a.html |
BALTIMORE — 58.5 million Americans have arthritis, according to the CDC. That's nearly 25 percent of the population.
May is National Arthritis Awareness Month. The Arthritis Foundation is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year.
WMAR-2 News spoke to Dr. Laura Cappelli, who works for the Johns Hopkins Medicine Division of Rheumatology, about the symptoms and treatment for arthritis and the ways to prevent it or delay the symptoms.
There are several different types of arthritis, the most common one being osteoarthritis. Dr. Cappelli said while arthritis can affect people of all age groups, it is most prevalent in people ages 50-70 and is slightly more common in women.
"Unfortunately a lot of patients with arthritis are not able to work in certain jobs that they may have done in the past or aren’t able to do other things that they enjoy, hobbies or care giving kind of responsibilities," she said. "So it really is a huge impact on patients and their families."
According to the CDC, arthritis is the leading cause of work disability, with an annual cost of medical care and lost earnings around $300 billion.
Dr. Cappelli said genetics does play a role in whether a person will develop arthritis, though the medical understanding is not as clear in each type.
"We know particular genetic features that make you pre-disposed to rheumatoid arthritis," she said. "Osteoarthritis does appear to run in families but the genetics are probably a bit more complicated and there aren’t as clear genetic risk factors."
As far as treatments go, Dr. Cappelli said again, it depends on the type of arthritis. It can range from medication, to physical therapy, to surgery in more severe cases.
"There’s a lot of research though for osteoarthritis for more medications to give patients relief and to potentially try to reverse the changes in the joint of arthritis because we don’t really have any good drugs to do that yet unfortunately in osteoarthritis," she said.
Dr. Cappelli said there are ways to prevent, or delay, the symptoms of arthritis including regular exercise, maintaining a healthy weight and not smoking.
Johns Hopkins has a virtual series called Rheum-TV, where they post videos about symptoms, treatments and resources connected to arthritis and other rhuematic diseases. | https://www.wmar2news.com/local/cdc-58-5-million-americans-have-arthritis-nearly-25-of-the-population | 2023-05-24T10:25:43 | 0 | https://www.wmar2news.com/local/cdc-58-5-million-americans-have-arthritis-nearly-25-of-the-population |
Earlier this month, a long-awaited face-to-face, meet-and-greet gathering of fourth-grade students and RSVP of North Central Iowa volunteers was held at West Hancock Elementary School.
The pen pals are typically retired volunteers from surrounding communities.
Members of different generations, these pen pals have written to each other for six months, according to West Hancock fourth-grade teacher Renita Kahlstorf. The program has been made possible through grant monies from a partnership with local schools and North Iowa Area Community College.
NIACC partners with school districts such as West Hancock on behalf of RSVP of North Central Iowa, which coordinates many regional social services provided by elderly citizens, often and not exclusively in local schools. Most students that RSVP volunteers have worked with in recent years improved their reading scores. They also developed a more positive attitude about reading and writing in general.
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Each month, students wrote to their RSVP pen pal, who would write back to them. Every student in the fourth grade had their own pen pal, according to Kahlstorf.
“This year, we were blessed to have a bilingual pen pal which enabled correspondence with our non-English speaking students,” Kahlstorf said. “At the reveal, students got to spend time with their pen pals, enjoying a light snack and chatting about what they learned about each other.”
Some learning activities highlighted generational differences. They included addressing envelopes, writing friendly letters, using cursive writing, and appropriately communicating by using complete sentences instead of the more informal use of texting.
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Rob Hillesland is community editor for the Summit-Tribune. He can be reached at 641-421-0534, or by email at rob.hillesland@globegazette.com. | https://globegazette.com/news/local/six-month-rsvp-pen-pals-revealed-at-west-hancock-elementary-school-copy/article_7760bc6c-f993-11ed-aa8e-138352818f3d.html | 2023-05-24T10:32:08 | 1 | https://globegazette.com/news/local/six-month-rsvp-pen-pals-revealed-at-west-hancock-elementary-school-copy/article_7760bc6c-f993-11ed-aa8e-138352818f3d.html |
Things to know in Manatee: Creative finance management, new public safety director
Finances were at the forefront of Tuesday's Manatee County meeting, where commissioners greenlit several efforts that could save the county millions per year, net the maximum amount of American Rescue Plan Act funds, and change the way tourism tax dollars are spent.
The initiatives were discussed along with the appointment of a new public safety director, and the official start of the search for a new county administrator.
More in Manatee:New shot spotter technology aims to curb gun violence in Manatee County
Also:Manatee School Board hires Jason Wysong from Seminole County as next superintendent
Photo galleries:Sarasota and Manatee County high school graduations
Money matters
Commissioners unanimously approved two initiatives proposed by the county's CFO, McLean, and members of her team — one to pass on fees from electronic payments to county customers and the other to use American Rescue Plan Act funds to pay for payroll.
At McLean's request, commissioners first approved an administrative policy to charge convenience fees and pass merchant fees for debit, credit, and electronic payments on to customers for county transactions, including utility payments.
The county paid bout $3.88 million in merchant fees in Fiscal Year 2022, and is trending continuing upward McLean estimates the policy could save the county about $3.9 million per year.
"At the same time we also offer other means of electronic, more free and more economical methods of payments," McLean said. "There are many counties that already have changed into this new convenience fee, and passing on the user fees. So we are not the only county, we are one of the last counties that are actually implementing this."
Faced with questions about how the county could spend a total of $78 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds before federal deadlines, commissioners approved another maneuver proposed by McLean's team to use about $52.6 million in uncommitted ARP funds to pay for county payroll.
The county has plans for just over $78 million in approved ARP projects but has only committed about $15.5 million to those projects so far. An additional $11.7 million in projects have been completed or deemed ineligible.
The remaining $51 million in ARP funds have been allocated to those projects, but many of them are in preliminary stages and could take years to complete, so the county faces pressure to meet federal deadlines that require the money to be encumbered by December 2024 and spent by December 2026.
To ensure that the county receives the full $78 million allocation, including about $7 million in unspent COVID-19 response funds, McLean's team proposed the use of a recent rule change that makes payroll an eligible expense.
Although the $52.6 million would be used for county payroll, commissioners said the maneuver frees up the same amount of general revenue to follow through on ARP projects.
Tourism tax policy changes
Commissioners approved a new tourism tax ordinance in an effort to streamline the way tourism tax revenue is disbursed among eligible recipients.
The current ordinance was approved in 2011, and has undergone many amendments over the years, Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau Director Elliott Falcione said.
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"What happens is every time the board wants to partner with a nonprofit or a city that is eligible for tourism tax, we bring it back to a public hearing and we amend the ordinance," Falcione said. "(We) decided it's time to write a new ordinance, and while we are doing it let's write it in a manner that optimizes our operation a little bit more."
Fiske appointed as public safety director
Jodie Setnor Fiske has been hired as Manatee County public safety director, following a unanimous vote by commissioners on Tuesday.
Fiske was hired in November as the county's deputy chief of Emergency Management and was named to the acting director role in January. She replaces former director Jacob Saur, who was fired in August with little public explanation.
More:Sarasota and Manatee residents urged to prepare as hurricane season draws near
Although she is new to the county, Fiske has been responding to Manatee County since 2017 in her previous role as the Florida Division of Emergency Management regional response coordinator for Region 6 — which includes Manatee and Sarasota counties.
During her time there she deployed to many disasters throughout the state, including Hurricanes Michael, Elsa, Eta, Dorian, Ian, the Surfside building collapse, the Parkland School Shooting, and the Piney Point breach. She also led regional COVID-19 response teams.
County administrator search kicks off
A national search for the next Manatee County administrator got its official start this week.
Commissioners unanimously voted to direct staff to make the position available on job boards and other avenues nationwide. According to a schedule outlined on Tuesday, the county hopes to enter into a final interview process by mid-August.
More:Hopes responds to resignation, describes separation from Manatee County as 'mutual'
Acting administrator Lee Washington continues to serve in the role in the interim until the county makes a permanent hire to replace former administrator Scott Hopes, who resigned from the county in February amid scandal and public scrutiny. | https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/local/manatee/2023/05/24/things-to-know-in-manatee-finance-management-public-safety-director/70244236007/ | 2023-05-24T10:36:20 | 0 | https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/local/manatee/2023/05/24/things-to-know-in-manatee-finance-management-public-safety-director/70244236007/ |
Venice mayor to meet with developer over building permit fee lawsuit
Developer Pat Neal requested the meeting to a holistic view of his position that may not have been made through attorneys and staff.
VENICE – Venice Mayor Nick Pachota will meet with developer Pat Neal about the $1.4 million lawsuit the developer filed against the city regarding excess building permit fees.
Pachota asked his fellow council members for permission to do so during the commission reports sessions Tuesday.
“This is all just to intake information,” Pachota said. “No back-and-forth per se but an information sharing.”
Related:Judge denies motion to dismiss $1.4 million excess permit fee suit filed against Venice
City Attorney Kelly Fernandez would be present at that meeting. Neal, president of Neal Communities, would likely have his attorney present as well.
Neal filed suit against the city on Aug. 26, 2022, alleging that the city overcharged for building fees because a formula that had been adopted in 2012 basing fees on the percentage of a project's value instead of the cost for enforcement of regulations.
Money collected through the building permit fees was used by Venice to help pay for a new building division – a 7,000-square-foot expansion to house the division, as part of a $12 million expansion of the City Hall campus that included construction of a new Fire Station 51.
Earlier:Venice opens new fire station, expanded building department on City Hall campus
Since then, the city of Venice has been developing a process to refund excess fees on an annual basis.
At an update on the process during the May 9 council meeting, Assistant City Manager James Clinch noted that the city has an outside consultant that would track fee payments and refund excess fees to individual developers at the end of the fiscal year.
The council has been discussing progress in the ongoing litigation at several shade meetings over the past few months.
Fernandez said Neal requested the opportunity to meet informally with an elected official to share a more holistic view of his position than was being communicated through staff and attorneys.
Pachota noted that in previous legal matters, the mayor had served a similar role.
“There’s some information to be garnered from this,” he said. “We as a body need to have some representation on this.”
Fernandez noted that because of the ongoing litigation, Pachota would share his discussions with Neal during a shade meeting.
She later added that Neal may present a counteroffer to settle the suit later this week.
In other action
Also on Tuesday, the Venice City Council:
- Approved the first reading of an ordinance to change the zoning for the Venice Theatre, located at 140 W. Tampa Avenue, be changed from its current status as Venice Avenue to Downtown Edge.
- Approved a resolution allowing some employees who do not regularly deal with the public to work more frequently from home on a case-by-case basis. City Manager Ed Lavallee said the policy is an extension of work-from-home practices adopted during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. He noted that employees could also be asked to return to the office if it impacts how the city is run. “The organization always comes first,” he added.
- Approved on the consent agenda the appointment of attorney Jon Preiksat to complete the unexpired term of Lissa MacDonald on the Venice Planning Commission. Preiksat will be on the board from May 23 through Jan. 31, 2026. | https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/local/venice/2023/05/24/venice-mayor-will-meet-developer-pat-neal-to-discuss-building-fee-suit/70246266007/ | 2023-05-24T10:36:32 | 0 | https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/local/venice/2023/05/24/venice-mayor-will-meet-developer-pat-neal-to-discuss-building-fee-suit/70246266007/ |
LECANTO, Fla. — A deputy is in critical condition after being hit by a vehicle while directing traffic Tuesday night following a high school graduation, according to the Citrus County Sheriff's Office.
Around 9:00 p.m., Deputy Andy Lahera was standing at the interaction of Saunders Way and South Lecanto Highway after Lecanto High School's graduation when a driver going south on South Lecanto Highway struck him, deputies wrote in a statement.
The sheriff's office said life-saving measures were performed at the scene, but Lahera had to be flown in a medevac helicopter to a nearby trauma center due to the serious nature of his injuries.
Florida Highway Patrol is currently investigating this incident. No further details were provided, the sheriff's office said.
Stay with 10 Tampa Bay for updates as this story develops. | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/citruscounty/citrus-county-deputy-critical-condition-after-crash/67-f23b635e-576e-4065-a800-26b033e1720e | 2023-05-24T11:01:42 | 0 | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/citruscounty/citrus-county-deputy-critical-condition-after-crash/67-f23b635e-576e-4065-a800-26b033e1720e |
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Contact Us | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/teen-shot-in-suv-in-wawa-parking-lot/3572370/ | 2023-05-24T11:13:27 | 1 | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/teen-shot-in-suv-in-wawa-parking-lot/3572370/ |
A bleeding teenage boy ran into a Philadelphia Wawa store early Wednesday after shot while in an SUV in the parking lot, investigators said.
The shooting took place just after 1:30 a.m. in the parking lot of the Wawa along Aramingo Avenue, near East Cumberland Street, Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small said.
The 15-year-old was in an SUV when he was shot, Small said.
The boy was rushed to the hospital with gunshot wounds to his arm and torso, Small said. He was listed in critical condition while undergoing surgery overnight.
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The shooting left the window of the driver's side of the SUV shattered, glass scattered on the parking lot.
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Surveillance video shows the small silver SUV pulling out from the Wawa toward Aramingo Avenue, when another vehicle pulls into the parking lot from Aramingo Avenue and next to the boy's SUV, Small said.
Local
Breaking news and the stories that matter to your neighborhood.
"We believe the shots were fired from vehicle to vehicle," Small said.
The 15-year-old can then be seen getting out of the driver's side of the SUV and several other people getting out of the SUV on the passenger side, Small said. Investigators weren't certain who was driving the SUV, but that the injured boy is the only person to leave the SUV on the driver's side.
The other driver fled along Aramingo Avenue.
Police believe several shots were fired, but they only recover one bullet casing at the scene.
According to the most recent shooting data from the City Controller's Office, children have made up about 10% of Philadelphia's 680 shooting victims so far this year.
There are additional resources for people or communities that have endured gun violence in Philadelphia. Further information can be found here. | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/wawa-parking-lot-shooting/3572366/ | 2023-05-24T11:13:33 | 0 | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/wawa-parking-lot-shooting/3572366/ |
ROANOKE, Va. – Happy Wednesday! Check out the Morning Sprint as we go over trending stories that’ll make you smile.
The digital-only newscast is filled with laughter, smiles and stories that’ll brighten your day. You can catch it Monday through Friday at 8 a.m.
Don’t be shy! Be sure to join the conversation as we chat about the news of the day.
Here are some of the stories we will discuss:
- Donnie D’s Bagels & Deli announces new Roanoke location
- ‘Stroke knows no age:’ 26-year-old LewisGale nurse suffers stroke on job
- Cyclist takes cat on cross country adventure
Here’s where you can watch us:
The Sprint can be watched on our website, YouTube account and wherever you stream WSLS 10 weekdays at 8 a.m.
You can also watch it on our 10 News app. Click here to download if you’re an IOS user and here to download if you have an Android.
Be sure to leave a comment. We’d love to hear from you!
Thanks for watching!
Want to know more about the Morning Sprint? Leave us a question using the form below: | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2023/05/24/coming-up-man-bikes-across-the-country-with-his-cat-by-his-side-the-morning-sprint/ | 2023-05-24T11:15:32 | 0 | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2023/05/24/coming-up-man-bikes-across-the-country-with-his-cat-by-his-side-the-morning-sprint/ |
Fond du Lac Salute the Troops half marathon set, plus a look at Memorial Day closures in the city
Among the closures in the city for the holiday, the library will be closed May 27-29.
FOND DU LAC - Salute the Troops will host its half marathon, as well as 5K, ruck march and kids’ fun run May 27.
The event will begin on Oven Island at Lakeside Park in Fond du Lac. Proceeds will benefit veterans and their families in the Fox Valley.
This annual event will feature a half marathon, the Dobogai Memorial 5K run/walk, and the Brandon Michael Memorial Ruck.
The Fox Valley Savings Bank Kids’ Fun Run for children 12 and younger is $10 and includes activities throughout the race.
For entrance fees and race registration, go to https://www.salutethetroopswi.org/races.
“This annual event is a staple for Salute the Troops,” said Vicky Supernand, Salute the Troops race coordinator and board member, in a news release. “We look forward to this event every year. It’s a great opportunity for runners and walkers of all types to enjoy the outdoors, all while assisting veterans.”
Salute the Troops seeks to support local service members, veterans, and their families through financial assistance, resource brokering, and supportive programming while creating awareness, delivering education, and fostering camaraderie all while stimulating economic development in our community. Learn more at Salutethetroopswi.com.
Memorial Day in Fond du Lac: A look at city closures
- City offices in the City/County Government Center will be closed May 29 in observance of the Memorial Day holiday.
- The Municipal Service Center will also be closed on May 29 for all services, including refuse and recycling collection and bulky waste drop-off. There will be no refuse and recycling collection on May 29.
- Refuse/garbage normally collected on Monday will be collected on Tuesday, May 30, with the normal Tuesday collection. Have your materials set out by 5 a.m. on Tuesday to accommodate the additional collections.
- Recycling collection, done by Waste Management, will have a one-day service delay throughout the remainder of week.
- Yard waste and brush may still be dropped off during the holiday hours.
- City transit buses will not operate on May 29, but will resume regular routes on May 30.
- The Senior Center will be closed on May 29 and reopen May 30.
- Fond du Lac Public Library will be closed beginning May 27 through May 29. They will reopen May 30. | https://www.fdlreporter.com/story/news/local/2023/05/24/fond-du-lac-hosts-memorial-day-salute-the-troops-marathon-closures/70247856007/ | 2023-05-24T11:25:29 | 0 | https://www.fdlreporter.com/story/news/local/2023/05/24/fond-du-lac-hosts-memorial-day-salute-the-troops-marathon-closures/70247856007/ |
NORMAL — Some parents might tell their children that spending too much time watching TikTok videos or viewing Snapchat stories won’t amount to anything.
However, 17-year-old Sirihaasa Nallamothu is making waves and cashing in since browsing social media inspired her to help others. The Association for Computing Machinery, in hand with the Computer Science Teachers’ Association, announced May 10 that the University High School Class of 2023 graduate was one of four high school seniors across the nation to receive the Cutler-Bell Prize in High School Computing. Each winner is awarded a $10,000 scholarship.
Nallamothu previously showcased her expertise for the community as a finalist in the 2022 Celebrating High School Innovators contest in Normal. Her research focuses on a potential medical benefit of machine learning, a form of artificial intelligence. She studied postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, which causes people to experience a faster heart rate when they transition from lying down to standing. Nallamothu sought to determine whether machine learning technology, such as an algorithm, could be used to warn people with the condition when they were likely to faint within a 15-minute window.
The Pantagraph previously reported that Nallamothu learned about the condition, commonly called POTS, on Snapchat, where she followed video blogs showing a girl with the syndrome who was prone to fainting. In some instances, she said, videos showed the girl passing out without warning. Or, the patient described in videos feeling the onset of POTS symptoms in dangerous situations, such as when driving or cooking.
In a recent phone interview with The Pantagraph, Nallamothu said the award was entirely unexpected.
“I’m excited people are taking notice and recognizing the importance of this research,” she said.
Nallamothu began her research — the first of its kind that uses data collected from humans — in October 2021. She said she's continuing to collect data from three people with POTS and refine her predictive algorithms. Nallamothu also hopes to expand her sample size in the future.
Tough start
Although both nervous and a little scared, Nallamothu said she’s also excited to start her college journey at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Grainger College of Engineering. She said she knows she’ll be tackling a tough computer science program.
It felt good walking the stage Sunday at her U-High graduation, she said, but it will be sad to leave her classmates and her favorite teacher behind.
Nallamothu credited U-High computer science teacher Cory Culbertson as playing a key role in the project’s research, and securing approval from the Illinois State University Institutional Review Board to collect human data.
“It’s very hard to get,” she said, adding that Culbertson always suggested trying different algorithms or looking at issues from a different lens.
“He’s the main reason I want to study computer science,” Nallamothu said.
To collect data, she said, she and Culbertson used an Empatica E4, a wristband similar to a smartwatch that monitors a subject’s heart rate, blood pressure, and skin conductance, and records accelerometer data. When a research subject started to feel POTS symptoms, she said they were advised to press a button that would tag the data.
Nallamothu said she’s looking to publish her research data in a journal or at a conference either this year or next.
Through her studies, she said, she’s learned there’s a lot of interest in making fainting predictions more accessible because POTS is under-researched. She said some people have therapy dogs who predict when symptom flare, but they’re expensive and hard to train.
Nallamothu also pointed to a March study published by the National Institutes of Health, which reviewed reports that linked POTS to long COVID, a condition in which some people continue to experience symptoms for weeks or months after an initial COVID infection. The study advised doctors treating COVID-19 survivors to have a high suspicion for POTS when the patient reports symptoms consistent with the condition.
Although it will be hard to get back into the grind of school after her senior year of high school, Nallamothu said she’s looking to find new research opportunities in college. | https://pantagraph.com/news/local/education/u-high-grad-gets-10-000-scholarship-for-coding-first-research-on-medical-syndrome/article_600990f0-f8f5-11ed-92f4-33720ba19b97.html | 2023-05-24T11:33:15 | 1 | https://pantagraph.com/news/local/education/u-high-grad-gets-10-000-scholarship-for-coding-first-research-on-medical-syndrome/article_600990f0-f8f5-11ed-92f4-33720ba19b97.html |
How Time Flies is a daily feature looking back at Pantagraph archives to revisit what was happening in our community and region.
100 years ago
May 24, 1923: Demolishment of the residence at the southwest corner of Jefferson Street and Roosevelt Avenue has commenced by the owner, the Loyal Order of Moose, which purchased the structure from Dr. W.E. Neiberger. The building is one of the last, if not the very last, of those constructed in the thirties and possibly is the oldest residence building of the city.
75 years ago
May 24, 1948: A three-cent stamp commemorating four Army chaplains, one an Illinois Wesleyan University graduate, who went down with the troopship Dorchnester, which was torpedoed off Greenland in February 1943, will be issued Saturday. The Rev. George L. Fox of Vermont graduated from IWU in 1932.
50 years ago
May 24, 1973: Normal's first lighted tennis courts will be opened for play Saturday at Ash Park, Parks & Recreation Director Ronald Blemler announced. There is a possibility the courts, south of Sugar Creek, may be ready for play tonight.
25 years ago
May 24, 1998: For the first time since 1832, Kickapoo Nation members from Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas and Mexico will gather at the site of the former Grand Kickapoo Village near LeRoy. The two-day Homecoming Powwow will mark the first time representatives from the three official branches of the Kickapoo tribe have met together since the first Kickapoo left Illinois in 1819.
101 years ago: See vintage Pantagraph ads from 1922
Gerthart's
Union Gas and Electric Co.
Hoover
Dr. J.A. Moore Dentists
Moberly & Klenner
W.P. Garretson
W.H. Roland
Pease's Candy
Thor 32 Electric Washing Machine
The Kaiser's Story of the War
Ike Livingston & Sons
Gossard Corsets
Cat'n Fiddle
'Stolen Moments'
Case Model X
The Johnson Transfer & Fuel Co.
The Pantagraph want ads
Franklin Motor Car Co.
'A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court'
Calumet Baking Powder
Mayer Livingston & Co. Newsmarket
'The Emperor Jones'
'California Fig Syrup'
Compiled by Pantagraph staff | https://pantagraph.com/news/local/history/50-years-ago-normals-first-lighted-tennis-courts-open-for-play/article_2ae1bb4e-f7fd-11ed-af85-b3b15e51d426.html | 2023-05-24T11:33:21 | 0 | https://pantagraph.com/news/local/history/50-years-ago-normals-first-lighted-tennis-courts-open-for-play/article_2ae1bb4e-f7fd-11ed-af85-b3b15e51d426.html |
GREENSBORO — A man charged Monday by police with first-degree murder in the 2021 death of his infant son was arrested a decade ago for felony child abuse in Moore County.
In August 2012, officers responded to a house in the town of Southern Pines, where Sterling Cummings lived with a girlfriend and their 3-week-old son. The injured baby was taken to a hospital for treatment, according to Deputy Chief Charles Campbell.
Although the baby survived, he was expected to have long-term medical challenges and disabilities, Campbell said. The infant was placed in long-term foster care and later adopted.
“We spent months and countless hours working on our case,” which resulted in charging Cummings in March 2013 with felony child abuse inflicting serious injury.
Cummings pleaded guilty to the charge and was given credit for 20 days in jail and placed on 60 months of supervised probation, according to information provided by the Moore County Clerk of Courts Office.
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The child’s mother, Breanne Fowler, was also charged but never prosecuted and moved out of the state, according to a 2016 story by a Raleigh-area TV station. In an interview, Fowler blamed Cummings for what happened to their child.
On Monday, Greensboro police acknowledged the Southern Pines Police Department for its assistance in the investigation. Campbell confirmed his department shared information with Greensboro detectives about the work they did during their investigation years ago.
The length of the investigation by Greensboro police was due, in part, to extensive medical and forensic processing, spokeswoman Josie Cambareri said.
In May 2021, Greensboro police and Guilford County EMS responded to an address in the 4000 block of Pepperbush Drive on a medical cardiac call. Upon arrival, personnel began life-saving measures on a male infant who was in distress, police said in a news release.
The baby was taken by ambulance to Moses Cone Hospital, where he later died from his injuries.
The news release said the baby had been in the care of Cummings, his biological father. The child’s mother called 911 when she returned home and discovered the baby was not breathing.
Cummings provided inconsistent statements to responding officers, police said, and the scene was determined to be “suspicious.”
The child’s mother is not facing charges, Cambareri said.
In addition to the murder charge, Cummings was charged Monday with felony child abuse. He also is charged in a 2022 case with assault on a female, according to Guilford County jail records. | https://greensboro.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/sterling-cummings/article_38785264-f996-11ed-8b41-d7f13f254479.html | 2023-05-24T11:37:05 | 0 | https://greensboro.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/sterling-cummings/article_38785264-f996-11ed-8b41-d7f13f254479.html |
Interested in West Knoxville sidewalks, roads, KUB internet? Get info at June 1 open house
Residents can learn about plans for West Knoxville road projects, KUB Fiber Internet expansion, traffic control and more during a West Knoxville Community Open House 4:30-6:30 p.m. June 1 at Bearden Middle School, 1000 Francis Road.
Attendees should enter the parking lot via the school entrance off Middlebrook Pike, according to a release from the city.
People can stop by any time during the event to talk to city staff and partner representatives about projects in West Knoxville including:
- Pleasant Ridge Road Phase II
- KUB Fiber Internet
- Kingston Pike Complete Connections
- African American Equity Restoration Task Force
- Northwest Greenway Connector
- Middlebrook Advanced Traffic Management System
- Lakeshore and West Hills Park
- A new signal at Gleason and Downtown West
- Neighborhood traffic calming
Visit KnoxvilleTN.gov/WestKnoxville for additional information.
To request language translation services, contact the city’s Human Resources Department at titlevi@knoxvilletn.gov or 865-215-3100. For disability accommodations, contact City ADA Coordinator Stephanie Brewer Cook at scook@knoxvilletn.gov or 865-215-2034 at least 72 hours before the meeting.
More:Tupelo Honey is expanding beyond downtown Knoxville with a Farragut location | https://www.knoxnews.com/story/news/local/2023/05/24/residents-can-learn-about-west-knoxville-projects-at-june-1-open-house/70245047007/ | 2023-05-24T11:41:08 | 1 | https://www.knoxnews.com/story/news/local/2023/05/24/residents-can-learn-about-west-knoxville-projects-at-june-1-open-house/70245047007/ |
BRISTOL, Tenn. (WJHL) — This year, News Channel 11 is celebrating seven decades of delivering you local news and weather. To mark this milestone, each month newscasts will be on the road to visit different communities in the viewing area.
On Wednesday, News Channel 11 is highlighting the people and places that make Bristol, Tennessee a special place to live and visit.
Starting at 6 a.m. coverage will begin from Bristol Bagel & Bakery with Kelly Grosfield, Kasey Marler and Jeremy Eisenzopf throughout the morning shows.
Starting at 4 p.m. join Sara Diamond, Josh Smith, Mark Reynolds and Kenny Hawkins at the historic Paramount Performing Arts Center and Bristol Motor Speedway.
Make plans to celebrate 70 years of News Channel 11 live in Bristol, Tennessee in person or on-air throughout the day. | https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/celebrating-70-years/news-channel-11-celebrates-70-years-in-bristol-tennessee/ | 2023-05-24T11:41:56 | 0 | https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/celebrating-70-years/news-channel-11-celebrates-70-years-in-bristol-tennessee/ |
Over a long career in public budget writing, former North Dakota Rep. Jeff Delzer earned a reputation as a champion of conservative spending.
The Underwood Republican's travel log tells a different story.
Delzer took more than 30 taxpayer-funded trips to out-of-state conferences and meetings in the past decade, collecting nearly $26,000 in daily payments for himself along the way.
One of Delzer's costliest excursions came after voters decided they didn't want him in office any longer.
About two months after losing his bid for reelection in last year's primary, Delzer attended an annually held legislative summit in Denver. The state funded the trip to the tune of $3,700.
Delzer wasn't the only lame duck to wander from the pond. Since 2014, the North Dakota Legislature has spent more than $45,000 to send a dozen retiring and defeated lawmakers to out-of-state conferences, according to documents obtained by Forum News Service through a public records request.
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Some of the departing lawmakers served on interstate policy boards and were expected to show up to faraway meetings, but others went to conferences that could have been attended by any of their colleagues who planned to remain in the Legislature.
Rep. Robin Weisz, a Hurdsfield Republican who briefly oversaw legislative conference attendance this year, said lawmakers who announce their retirement or lose an election "shouldn't be sent anywhere after that point."
"To me, it should be people going that are gonna get usefulness out of the meeting," Weisz said.
Delzer said lawmakers who are leaving office still can gain valuable information from conferences to share with those who will stay in the Legislature.
"You don't want to quit learning, and just because you're not there does not mean you're not going to have the opportunity to visit with people and bring back and share what you learned at these conferences," Delzer said.
Most of the lame-duck trips were approved by former Sen. Ray Holmberg, a Grand Forks Republican who resigned in June after a Forum investigation found he exchanged text messages with a jailed man accused of child pornography crimes.
Holmberg, who attended more out-of-state trips than any of his peers since 2013, also signed off on his own travel during the parts of eight years he served as chairman of Legislative Management, an interim panel of top lawmakers.
The senator's ability to authorize his own state-funded trips was "a basic conflict of interest," said Mark Jendrysik, a political science professor at the University of North Dakota.
"That is completely unethical. I can't believe they let him do that," Jendrysik said. "You can't possibly be unbiased in your own case."
When asked whether it was a conflict of interest to approve his own travel, Holmberg said the chairman of Legislative Management is given that authority by state law.
"How else would you do it? That's what the law is," Holmberg said.
The conference circuit
Since 2013, the state has spent an average of $450,000 each two-year budget cycle to cover legislators' conference-related expenses, including airfare, lodging, meals and daily pay, known as per diem.
The goal of sending lawmakers to conferences is "primarily educational," said Legislative Council Director John Bjornson.
Members of the House of Representatives and Senate can learn from policy experts and compare notes with their counterparts from other states, Bjornson said. When the Legislature heads into session, lawmakers can use what they picked up at conferences.
Jendrysik said sending soon-to-be sidelined lawmakers on such trips strikes him as unethical since "you can't apply the things you learn on the taxpayers' dime in the Legislature."
Nearly all of the lame-duck lawmakers who attended out-of-state conferences during their waning terms held positions of influence within the Legislature or their party.
Delzer, the longtime chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, made two state-funded trips after losing to two Republican candidates in June. Besides the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) summit in Denver, he attended a San Antonio meeting of the Energy Council, a board on which he served.
Former House Speaker Kim Koppelman, R-West Fargo, attended a July meeting of Midwest lawmakers hosted by the Council of State Governments (CSG) in Wichita, Kansas. Several months earlier, he had dropped out of his race for reelection after losing his local party's endorsement.
Less than two weeks after proclaiming that he would not seek another term in July 2019, former Sen. Dwight Cook attended an NCSL summit in Nashville, Tennessee. The Mandan Republican who chaired the Senate Finance and Taxation Committee for a decade also attended meetings of two separate interstate tax policy groups to which he belonged.
Caroyln Nelson, a former assistant minority leader in the Senate, attended an NCSL conference near San Diego in December 2017 less than a month after announcing her intention to retire the following year. The Fargo Democrat also went to meetings in northern Minnesota and Chicago for boards on which she served.
Former House budget writer Mark Dosch, R-Bismarck, attended a CSG meeting in Milwaukee about six months after it became public he would not seek reelection in 2016.
Former House Speaker and Majority Leader Wesley Belter, R-Fargo, attended conferences in Chicago, Denver and Burlington, Vermont, after announcing he would not seek another term in December 2015.
Tony Grindberg, a longtime Senate budget writer from Fargo, went to a CSG conference in Anchorage, Alaska, three months before the end of his final term in 2014. The Republican who now serves on the Cass County Commission announced he would not seek another legislative term in January of that year.
The ex-lawmakers offered several justifications for the trips they took before leaving the Legislature.
Cook and Nelson said they were already registered for the conferences before announcing they would retire. Nelson added that she shared the information she gained from the meetings with other members of her small Democratic caucus.
Belter said elected representatives must continue serving their district and the state until the end of their term. He noted that current lawmakers occasionally ask him about certain issues, so his legislative knowledge is still put to good use.
"I think that the biggest point I would like to make is that I see nothing wrong with a legislator going to a conference after they've decided (to retire) because there is no replacement for them at that point in time," Belter said.
Delzer said the trips he took were justified since he used the knowledge he gained "validly and wisely."
Koppelman, Dosch and Grindberg did not respond to Forum News Service's requests for comment on this story.
Several other lame-duck lawmakers attended out-of-state meetings of groups to which they belonged, including former Sen. Jessica Bell and former Reps. Scot Kelsh, Lois Delmore and Jim Schmidt.
Bell, Kelsh and Delmore said they were expected to go to the meetings as members of their respective panels. Schmidt did not respond to a request for comment.
Former Sen. Joe Miller, R-Park River, attended a Denver agriculture conference as a lame duck in 2016, but he did not collect a per diem or any travel reimbursements. The state paid only the $745 he needed to register for the conference.
Miller told Forum News Service he received enough regular compensation for being a lawmaker, and he "just thought it was unnecessary to be further paid" for going to a meeting.
Holmberg approved most of the lame-duck trips as the chairman of Legislative Management from 2013-2018 and again from 2021 until April 2022, when he resigned from the position.
He told Forum News Service he took cues from the majority and minority leaders, who recommended members of their caucuses for different conferences. Holmberg said he thought sending lame ducks to conferences wasn't a good use of public funds, but signed off on it if legislative leaders insisted.
Former Senate Majority Leader Rich Wardner, R-Dickinson, said he rejected plenty of travel requests by soon-departing lawmakers, but he made exceptions for important members of interstate committees.
Former House Majority Leader Chet Pollert, R-Carrington, said it was valuable to send experienced lawmakers — even sometimes lame ducks — to represent North Dakota in various policy groups to make sure other states didn't have undue influence.
Weisz chaired Legislative Management for less than two weeks this month before House Majority Leader Mike Lefor, R-Dickinson, took over the role.
But even in his abbreviated time at the helm, Weisz said he began receiving travel requests from lawmakers for conferences as far out as next year. Some of the requests came from colleagues he believes won't seek reelection. Now, Lefor will have to deal with those, he said.
"I was like, 'OK, do we really want to send someone who's not running or frankly is checked out in a way already? To me, that is an issue," Weisz said. "You do want to send people that are going to bring back something useful and not (to) get a paid vacation."
Weisz, who has attended only a couple of out-of-state conferences during his nearly 30-year tenure, said the approval of conference attendance over time has become more first-come-first-serve and less a strategic effort by leaders to prepare and improve important lawmakers.
Lefor said he will evaluate travel requests on a case-by-case basis to determine whether investing in a lawmaker's training benefits the state. Lawmakers can spend up to $965,000 over the next two years on conference attendance.
Jet-setting at state's expense
The locations of conferences attended by Holmberg since 2013 read like a glossy travel magazine's table of contents: Norway, Puerto Rico, Alaska, Los Angeles, Miami and Vail, Colorado.
As Weisz put it, Holmberg "rarely missed a meeting."
In all, Holmberg made about 65 publicly funded trips over the last decade at a total cost of nearly $126,000 — by far the most of any lawmaker. He was paid $47,000 in per diem for attending the conferences.
He approved most of the trips himself as chairman of Legislative Management.
Holmberg told Forum News Service his role as a leader in between legislative sessions necessitated his frequent appearances at conferences and meetings across the continent.
Despite holding the ultimate authority to approve his own travel, Holmberg said he consulted Wardner before signing up for the conferences. Wardner said he never rejected Holmberg's requests "because they were all reasonable."
Weisz said it makes sense that Holmberg attended more meetings than the average legislator, but "he took advantage of it."
Jendrysik, who teaches a graduate-level class on ethics in the public sector, said Holmberg shouldn't have been able to exert influence on his own travel requests. The professor noted that he wasn't permitted to approve his own travel when he chaired his department due to the conflict of interest it would have presented.
In the future, there should be a committee or some other mechanism to review travel requests by the chairman of Legislative Management, Wardner said.
Since Lefor is both the House majority leader and the chairman of Legislative Management, he wouldn't have to consult anyone at all before approving his own trips.
Lefor agreed that there probably should be some check on the chairman's travel, but he isn't yet sure what form that would take. On a personal level, Lefor said abusing the power of the position won't be an issue for him.
"I don't think you'll find me taking a lot of trips," Lefor said. "I think I would hold myself to a higher standard." | https://bismarcktribune.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/lame-duck-north-dakota-lawmakers-roamed-to-faraway-conferences-on-the-taxpayers-dime/article_e93c3f38-f98d-11ed-8abf-7fde935da1d7.html | 2023-05-24T11:41:56 | 0 | https://bismarcktribune.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/lame-duck-north-dakota-lawmakers-roamed-to-faraway-conferences-on-the-taxpayers-dime/article_e93c3f38-f98d-11ed-8abf-7fde935da1d7.html |
NORTHFIELD — Congregation Beth Israel celebrated the last day of Sunday School on May 7 by giving awards to students in preschool through grade 6. Awards included "perfect attendance," the "early bird" award, and recognition in Hebrew and Judaic studies.
For more information on Beth Israel's educational programs, call 609-641-3600, email bethisrael@cbinorthfield.org or visit bethisraelnorthfield.org.
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Jacklyn McQuarrie
Editorial Clerk
I interned with a small magazine in Wildwood before starting at The Press in 2013. I currently handle our Hometown and At The Shore calendar of events submissions and enjoy interacting with the local community.
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Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/beth-israel-celebrates-last-day-of-sunday-school-with-awards/article_40d2a038-f8bd-11ed-9737-2fbe38bd54ba.html | 2023-05-24T11:54:35 | 0 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/beth-israel-celebrates-last-day-of-sunday-school-with-awards/article_40d2a038-f8bd-11ed-9737-2fbe38bd54ba.html |
It’s almost summer and that means we’ve got outdoor furniture to clean, flowers to plant and lawns to mow.
But that’s not what summer is all about. It’s the season for planning fun adventures.
And we’re here to help.
In today’s Kenosha News, you’ll find our annual Summer Fun Guide, with the scoop on finding free, live music all summer, plus everything from outdoor markets to popular church festivals.
This 48-page section is your guide to area entertainment, with previews of big events and calendars for the Kenosha, Racine and Lake Geneva areas.
We also share our tips on where to find:
Fourth of July parades and fireworks shows.
Furious demolition derby action.
People are also reading…
World-famous cream puffs.
Art fairs, with live music, food and one-of-a-kind finds.
Water-ski shows and public swimming pools.
Free movie nights in a county park.
A self-guided tour of local gardens.
A car show that fills the streets in downtown Kenosha.
Live music at an outdoor biergarten.
So grab your Summer Fun Guide section today and get busy planning your best summer ever — and check out our Get Out & About entertainment section every Thursday, too.
Remember: If you waste all your sunny days inside staring at screens, you’ll be sorry when those cold February days come around again.
Summertime in Wisconsin is meant to be savored. Get out there and do it. | https://kenoshanews.com/news/local/grab-our-kenosha-area-summer-fun-guide-on-may-24/article_70a168ce-f982-11ed-bf60-6f9f33704808.html | 2023-05-24T11:55:44 | 1 | https://kenoshanews.com/news/local/grab-our-kenosha-area-summer-fun-guide-on-may-24/article_70a168ce-f982-11ed-bf60-6f9f33704808.html |
CEDAR FALLS — Chris Ledeker zeroed in on the chance to become fire chief in Cedar Falls as an opportunity that had a significant benefit.
Most recently, he spent time as the fire chief of departments in Kansas and Arkansas.
After completing some due diligence on the Cedar Falls operation, he told a tiny gathering of five residents during a public meet-and-greet Monday at the Public Safety Center that he decided it would be the right time for him to return home if selected for the job.
The 24-year fire service veteran has been chief of many departments but has never fought fires in Iowa. He had lived in Iowa until the age 7 and still has family spread across the state. And he’s now one of two left in the running to replace retired chief John Bostwick.
Ledeker has skipped around to 13 volunteer and paid departments in four different states over his career.
People are also reading…
“Iowa’s always been home, will always be home, and I always wanted to get back here,” he said.
He emphasized during questioning from the audience that he gained value over the years, racking up as many credentials and certifications as possible, and learning as much as he could from different departments.
“I think if you are going to be in an elevated position, you don’t have to know everything – because you won’t – but you at least have to be prepared,” Ledeker said.
Except for a stint with the Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport Fire Department, he hasn’t been a part of a public safety system like the one in Cedar Falls. The department has public safety officers that include police and firefighters cross-trained to assist each other on scene.
He has emergency medical services experience. But he has never been trained as a professional police officer nor has he responded to emergencies in Iowa. But he doesn’t see that as an indictment on his candidacy and thinks fire service is essentially fire service no matter the model or state.
“I had my concerns. I’m used to a traditional fire department but it was something I really wanted to delve into and I did,” he said.
“Then, when I got over here, you really hear those thoughts put together and you wait a second and realize this is really not much different than what we do now,” he said. “We just don’t call it the same thing. Just because it’s a specific model, it shouldn’t affect and I don’t see it affecting the services that we provide.”
While in Arkansas, Ledeker said he came across many volunteer firefighters who are “also police officers and vice versa.”
“The reason why you’ll see that is because in (the) Arkansas pension system, police and fire, you can (double dip) – you can work full-time one place and either part-time or volunteer at another place. It doesn’t matter if it’s fire or police and you can get two years of retirement in one year. You’ll actually see that a lot,” he said.
And a lot of the times in his experience, fire and police officers will be working on scene together anyway even if not part of a model similar to Cedar Falls, whether that be for a fire or a motor vehicle accident.
“This (PSO) system just brings them even closer,” Ledeker said.
He didn’t come to the meet-and-greet with any outside-the-box ideas or initiatives for change. Instead, he would follow a three- to six-month observation period before proposing anything new.
However, he was peppered with questions on topics ranging from recruitment and the compressed air foam system to community involvement and diversity within the department.
He had been the fire and emergency medical services chief for the similarly-sized Arkansas City Fire Department in Kansas until a few months ago when he was reportedly forced out.
He addressed that situation Monday when asked by Councilmember Gil Schultz, the only elected official present at the session.
“Ark City had a great department and we did some great things there, but it just didn’t end up working out like I had hoped,” Ledeker said. “And to be honest with you, I got called in and still don’t know. They said they were going in a different direction and that’s all I got.”
He’s had experience working as a professional full-time firefighter in departments but also addressed Schultz’s inquiries about him having jumped around to part-time and volunteer roles.
“It was opportunity, experience and to build my pension is why I did that,” said Ledeker.
Right now, he isn’t working full time in any capacity. He’s currently a “reservist” for the Federal Emergency Management Agency and is only deployed for large-scale incidents as an individual assistance cadre.
Prior to meeting the public, Ledeker had interviewed with the city’s top officials as well as others outside the city in the public safety and emergency management realms. Additionally, he met with community leaders and retirees along with union members and public safety supervisors.
Ledeker was one of two finalists drawn from 11 applicants. The other finalist is Acting Fire Chief John Zolondek, who met with the public on Tuesday.
Public Safety Director Craig Berte will make a recommendation to City Administrator Ron Gaines and Mayor Rob Green. They will interview the finalists along with Mayor Pro Tem Simon Harding and Public Safety Committee chairperson Dustin Ganfield before a final recommendation for the City Council is put up for approval as soon as June 5. | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/cedar-falls-fire-chief-finalist-chris-ledeker-shares-background-views-with-public/article_46b854c6-f8b2-11ed-900f-0be0302a25f1.html | 2023-05-24T12:08:00 | 1 | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/cedar-falls-fire-chief-finalist-chris-ledeker-shares-background-views-with-public/article_46b854c6-f8b2-11ed-900f-0be0302a25f1.html |
Headed to the Delaware beaches this Memorial Day weekend? Here's your guide
Don't forget your sunscreen! Though summer doesn’t officially start until June 21, “the season” begins at the Delaware beaches on Memorial Day weekend.
Millions of people will descend upon Lewes, Rehoboth, Dewey, Bethany and Fenwick this summer, all to experience Delaware’s brand of sun, surf and relaxation.
Maybe you’re one of them, or maybe you’re a hardened local who seesaws between tourist traffic rage and toes-in-the-sand-every-weekend bliss. Regardless, Delaware Online/The News Journal will offer this handy guide to the Delaware beaches every weekend this summer, with information on everything from weather to beach closures to things to do.
More:5 must-try places in Rehoboth Beach for French food, fancy fritters and ice cream for Fido
The Delaware beaches have steadied after all the instability caused by COVID-19 and the record-breaking number of tourists that came after (or, at least, after restrictions were lifted).
Following a couple of challenging years, Lewes, Rehoboth, Dewey, Bethany and Fenwick all reported having plenty of lifeguards ready to take their perches on the beach.
The rental market has some availability right now, according to Coldwell Banker Premiere’s Kathy Newcomb, but once July hits, most places are already booked. The Boardwalk Plaza Hotel’s reservations are “on par with previous years,” spokesperson Jennifer Zerby said.
More:Ready to beach? Here are 5 new spots for nightlife & bites at Delaware beaches this summer
Chris Darr, personnel manager at Funland in Rehoboth Beach, said he thinks this season will be at least as busy as the 2022 season, which was the busiest season the amusement park has ever had.
The Starboard's Steve Montgomery also believes business will be on par with or better than last year. He's opening three new restaurants over the new few weeks: Starboard Claw and Starboard Sauced, both in Dewey Beach, and Downtown Blues in Rehoboth Beach.
Bottom line: A busy summer is expected. In addition to sunscreen - don't forget your patience. It's the beach, after all.
Memorial Day weekend forecast
Partly sunny with a chance of showers is the National Weather Service's prediction for Saturday, Sunday and Monday at the Delaware beaches.
Don't let a little spring shower get you down. The likelihood of precipitation maxes out around 40%.
Temperatures are expected to hover around a pleasant 70 degrees, ticking up ever-so-slightly each day.
Weather predictions, of course, are subject to change, so before you make or cancel any plans, get the most up-to-date forecast.
What to know about parking
Parking fees are in effect in all Delaware beach towns, so be prepared to use your ParkMobil app.
Parking prices and rules differ for each beach town. We recommend you arrive early, unless you don't mind looping around town waiting for a spot to open up.
The Delaware Department of Transportation's Park and Ride program is an excellent alternative to paying for parking at the beach.
You can park your car for free in one of two lots, at 20055 Shuttle Road in Rehoboth or at 17616 Coastal Highway in Lewes. The bus fare is $2 per trip, $4 daily, $16 weekly for $60 for 30 days. Buses stop at the lots and the beaches multiple times per hour.
What to know about beach replenishment
The Delaware beaches are in the midst of getting some much-needed nourishment from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, but operations will shut down over Memorial Day weekend. There’s no sand you can’t occupy in Delaware beach towns, but there may be more in some places than others.
Rehoboth Beach’s replenishment was finished last week and work has begun in Dewey Beach, estimated to be completed in late May or early June. Dredging is also underway in Fenwick Island, slated for completion in early- to mid-June, according to Corps spokesman Stephen Rochette.
Work is expected to begin in both Bethany Beach and South Bethany in early June and be completed later that month.
More on beach replenishment:Rehoboth Beach sand is ready for Memorial Day beachgoers. See the replenished beach
Surf-fishing changes
You can always simply walk-on to Delaware state park beaches to surf-fish – all you need is a fishing license. If you want to drive-on, however, you need to plan ahead.
You’ll need a surf-fishing permit, which also counts as a fishing license. You can get one at most state park offices (it takes a few weeks for them to be mailed if you order one online).
New this year, if you want to drive on state park beaches on a weekend or holiday, you'll also need a $4 reservation.
What to do this weekend
The Rehoboth Beach bandstand will come to life this weekend with live music Friday, Saturday and Sunday night. Music doesn’t start until June in Lewes and Bethany.
There are a couple festivals to choose from Saturday, both in Milton. SpringFest will take place at Hudson Fields Saturday, May 27, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., with a car show, a cornhole tournament, live music, kids’ activities and vendors.
From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. is the Horseshoe Crab & Shorebird Festival at Milton Memorial Park. It features vendors, kids' activities and plenty of marine wildlife-related educational exhibits, all on the shore of the Broadkill River.
In need of some fresh produce, meats or flowers, or just want to see what the locals have to offer? Check out the Lewes Farmers Market at George H.P. Smith Park from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday.
Shannon Marvel McNaught reports on Sussex County and beyond. Reach her at smcnaught@gannett.com or on Twitter @MarvelMcNaught | https://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/local/2023/05/24/delaware-beaches-rehoboth-dewey-forecast-parking-memorial-day-weekend/70235671007/ | 2023-05-24T12:08:20 | 0 | https://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/local/2023/05/24/delaware-beaches-rehoboth-dewey-forecast-parking-memorial-day-weekend/70235671007/ |
Surf-fishing reservation system sails through first weekend. Can it handle Memorial Day?
As an overcast Sunday morning turned into a sunny afternoon on Keybox Road beach in Delaware Seashore State Park, about 15 members of Brennan McKone's family snacked and played games, keeping an eye on their surf-fishing lines for movement.
"It's kinda rough right now, so either you can't get it out far enough or it just takes it right down the beach," McKone said. "But usually, later in the day, when the wind calms down, we catch stuff."
McKone, of Dover, said he had no problems using the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control's new online reservation system last week, as numerous others reported, as well. Department spokesman Michael Globetti said they had "no issues."
Background:To avoid 'chaos' over surf-fishing permit sales, State Parks introduces reservation system
However, Keybox was far from full of surf-fishing vehicles. Cape Henlopen State Park surf-fishers reported a little more volume Sunday, but not that of a holiday weekend.
"Next weekend's gonna be the proof in the pudding," Bruce Orr, of Middletown and Rehoboth, said as he drove off Keybox Sunday. "Just because there's gonna be a lot more people hitting the beach."
The new surf-fishing reservation system was created to prevent the long lines of people that formed at state parks in 2020, hoping to obtain one of a limited number of permits, as well as the malfunctioning website debacle of 2022. This year, an unlimited number of permits are available, but anyone wishing to drive on the Delaware beaches on weekends or holiday must have both a permit and a $4 reservation. (You can still walk onto fish surf-fishing beaches with just a fishing license, after paying the park entrance fee.)
This Memorial Day weekend, reservations are required Saturday, Sunday and Monday. For Saturday and Sunday, the department's online reservation system opened at 11 a.m. Tuesday. For Monday, the system will open at 11 a.m. Thursday.
If previous years are any indication, reservations will likely sell out. The system closes at 3 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, and on weekends and holidays, it’s open 8 a.m. to noon.
The department has not released a maximum number of surf-fishing vehicles allowed on Delaware beaches at any one time. The number will be evaluated frequently throughout the season, according to the department's website, subject to change due to beach conditions, presence of protected species and use.
More details about the reservation system are available here.
Shannon Marvel McNaught reports on Sussex County and beyond. Reach her at smcnaught@gannett.com or on Twitter @MarvelMcNaught | https://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/local/2023/05/24/delaware-surf-fishing-reservation-system-launches-with-no-issues/70245104007/ | 2023-05-24T12:08:26 | 0 | https://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/local/2023/05/24/delaware-surf-fishing-reservation-system-launches-with-no-issues/70245104007/ |
NEWTON, Kan. (KSNW) – As the drought stretches across much of Kansas, keeping the greens green at Sand Creek Station is not a problem for the award-winning course.
They can use up to 600,000 gallons of reclaimed water a day.
“It saves about $200,000 to $250,000 a year if I had to guess with the price of water today,” said Chris Tuohey.
Tuohey is the Kemper Regional Manager for the Sand Creek Station golf course.
“When the city constructed the golf course, you have got to give them a lot of credit. They tied in the wastewater treatment plant,” said Tuohey. “With water that is, basically, comes from households. And it filters down through the wastewater treatment plant, and then it basically filters down Sand Creek, and it actually gets drawn into a retention pond.”
From the retention pond, the water is put into the sprinkler system. And, with a continued drought in much of Kansas, Tuohey says the process is a forward-thinking best practice.
Newton is not alone. Hays has been using reclaimed water as well.
“Our water conservation program is as good as it gets,” said Jason Riegel, the water resources reclamation superintendent with the City of Hays. “We beneficially reuse about 20% of our water on an annual basis.”
Riegel says the local golf course and sports complex both use reclaimed water.
“In Hays, we are either in a drought or waiting on the next one,” said Riegel. “So we are so proactive out here. But as soon as a drought comes, we have to have those resources. Any gallon that we save is another gallon we can use in the down times.”
Riegel says on some days, the city can reuse up to 75% of its water or more. He also says the reclaimed water is not free to treat, but it’s still a monetary saving as well as a water saving.
“But if it’s strictly to keep plants alive and keep golf courses looking nice, it doesn’t require so much treatment,” said Riegel.
At Sand Creek, Tuohey says there was an initial startup cost for getting the water to the golf course area and a retention pond. But he also says there is money savings as well as water savings.
“I think what you’re going to see is water is just a very rare commodity now, and it’s getting even more scarce,” said Tuohey. “I think you are going to see, especially in the municipal space, in the golf business, you are going to start seeing golf courses doing this.” | https://www.ksn.com/news/local/sand-creek-station-golf-in-newton-is-recycling-to-save-water/ | 2023-05-24T12:11:56 | 1 | https://www.ksn.com/news/local/sand-creek-station-golf-in-newton-is-recycling-to-save-water/ |
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — Sedgwick County EMS is working to add more positions to the field, something the EMS Chief said hasn’t been done since 2017.
Since 2018, Sedgwick County EMS began staffing its trucks with one paramedic and one EMT to help cut costs.
Paramedics have more advanced capabilities for life-saving measures and are paid more than EMTs.
But now, the current Sedgwick County EMS Chief wants to go back to the old model before 2018. This is where two paramedics are staffed in a truck after finding the 2018 switch has some issues.
“What we are seeing is the result of that is increased workload for our paramedics, increased stress load, lack of functionality on site, and when we are dealing with public safety, we want to make sure that we are giving our EMS staff making sure they have all the resources necessary,” said Sedgwick County Commissioner Ryan Baty.
Sedgwick County EMS Chief Kevin Lanterman said the department’s call volume increases about 5% each year.
He said that it has caused an increased workload for the single paramedics on calls.
“You know am I going to start that IV and give the medication that the patient needs, or am I going to take care of the airway the patient needs, or I’m going to have to choose which one am I going to do first,” said Sedgwick County EMS Chief, Kevin Lanterman.
The EMS Department is hoping to add $568,644 to the 2024 budget to fully fund 31 paramedic positions instead of underfilling with EMTs and add six EMT positions for the Grow Your Own program.
“The two paramedics will help not only just decrease workload but also better functionality on scene,” said Baty.
“It is important at the end of the day that our providers are healthy. They, you know, have lives. They have families they want to go home to,” said Lanterman.
He hopes this can improve retention for staff and keep the best quality service for those calling for help.
The next step for this funding Sedgwick County Commissioners will vote on it sometime in July before approving the final budget in August.
If approved, the EMS Department can adjust and add new positions for 2024. | https://www.ksn.com/news/local/sedgwick-county-ems-asks-for-568k-to-add-more-positions/ | 2023-05-24T12:12:02 | 1 | https://www.ksn.com/news/local/sedgwick-county-ems-asks-for-568k-to-add-more-positions/ |
FORT WORTH, Texas — A Fort Worth daughter has earned the title of "Hero" after her actions to get help for her sick family.
Jaziayh Parker, 12, called 911 after seeing her mother, Ariel Mitchell, and her siblings become sick inside their home on March 27.
"My baby brother, he's only 5 months and something is wrong with him too," Jaziayh said. "He's acting differently. He is passing out. All of them keep on passing out now."
That's part of the 911 call she made. Jaziayh and her family started getting sick at home one by one. Jaziayh said she knew something was wrong. She learned how to call for help from her mother. Here is more of what was said during that 911 call in March:
OPERATOR: What's the location you're calling about?
JAZIAYH: Something is wrong with my Mamma.
OPERATOR: Is she awoke?
JAZIAYH: No.
OPERATOR: What is she doing?
JAZIAYH: Can you just hurry up and come?
Fort Worth firefighters hurried to the family's home. The first firefighter inside suspected carbon monoxide right away. The firefighters went in without taking the extra time to put on safety breathing gear after learning from Jaziayh outside that her family was inside and passed out. Once outside, even Jaziayh collapsed and passed out.
Firefighter Robby Leon-Guerreo entered the home first and started finding one family member after the other passed out. Other firefighters joined him to carry them outside to safety.
"I saw her sister on the stairwell had collapsed and vomited," Leon-Guerreo said. "I saw her brother upstairs and he had vomited, and I knew that they only had minutes."
Within minutes, firefighters rescued Jaziayh's entire family, including her five-month-old brother. After being the first one in, Leon-Guerreo said his biggest concern was, "Them, not making it."
Nationwide, carbon monoxide is responsible for 1,500 accidental deaths and leads to 10,000 injuries every year.
Mitchell said she is proud of her daughter's actions. Mitchell also said she knew she was getting sick but never suspected carbon monoxide.
Mitchell's first instinct was to get into the bathtub to help her feel better. During the investigation into the incident, firefighters learned the family's car had been left running in the garage.
Since carbon monoxide is odorless, tasteless and invisible, Mitchell never realized her family was in danger. Thankfully, Jaziayh did what Mitchell taught her to do: To always think about calling for help in case of emergency.
"If you feel like something is not right, something is off, always call 911, I don't care what it is," Mitchell said.
During a Fort Worth City Council meeting on May 23, 2023, Fort Worth city leaders and firefighters recognized Jaziayh as a hero. They invited her family to city hall where the 12-year-old received a plaque to acknowledge her bravery. She and her siblings received several other gifts as well as a financial gift given to her mother.
Fort Worth fire officials urged families to have not only smoke detectors properly placed around their homes but also at least one carbon monoxide alarm as well.
Jaziayh and her family fully recovered from their exposure to carbon monoxide. They are thankful everyone survived their experience with a gas that is nicknamed "the silent killer". | https://www.kvue.com/article/news/local/texas/fort-worth-12-year-old-helps-save-family-passed-out-due-to-carbon-monoxide/287-18b96b58-37b4-4033-8e12-7e26c85f9270 | 2023-05-24T12:14:58 | 0 | https://www.kvue.com/article/news/local/texas/fort-worth-12-year-old-helps-save-family-passed-out-due-to-carbon-monoxide/287-18b96b58-37b4-4033-8e12-7e26c85f9270 |
Ow, ow, ow: Dealing with sandspurs, tar, jellyfish and other hazards of Florida beaches
Florida beaches are some of the best in the world. Miles of white sand, some with convenient parking and nearby bars and restaurants, some undeveloped and pristine. This year Dr. Beach, in his annual review of the 650 public recreational beaches in the U.S., chose St. George Island beach as the single finest in America.
But that doesn't mean you won't get annoyed. Florida beaches are not always friendly to an unwary visitor, and that's besides the obvious dangers of rip currents, sunburn and sharks. Sometimes there are little frustrations.
As things get hotter in the Sunshine State and you plan your relaxing beach excursion, here's how to deal with the most common annoyances.
Cars, jellyfish and rip currents:How to stay safe on the beach for Memorial Day weekend
May is Nat'l Water Safety Month:How families can keep children safe around water this summer
It's also National Safe Boating Week::Lifestyle on Florida waters requires a' safety first' mentality
What are sandspurs? How do I remove sandspurs?
Sandspurs grow and thrive everywhere in Florida, and they bite.
Maybe not literally, but when you have a plant covered in tiny spiky balls of pain that stick to you and are stubbornly difficult to remove it's hard not to take it personally. Everyone who's spent time walking around outside in Florida knows the pain of stepping on one (or more) while barefoot and the anguish of thinking you got them all and then, hours later, suddenly brushing part of your body against the furniture and getting punctured all over again by the one you missed.
Sandspurs, also known as sandburr, burgrass or buffelgrass, are a native Florida grass from the genus Cenchrus. It flowers and seeds in warm weather and the little thorny burrs can be incredibly difficult to remove from clothing, animal fur and your own skin, especially since if you try to remove one you may end up with the thing stuck into your fingers instead.
(They have good points, such as root systems that help keep the sand in place. But it's hard to remember that when you're hopping up and down in pain.)
WHAT YOU SHOULD DO: Wear shoes or sandals to get past the sandspur area. At least carry along flip-flops.
As for removing them once you get stuck, common tips include wetting your fingers before you grab 'em, using a comb to remove them, or flicking them off with a fingernail. You also may want to pack tweezers to help extract any stubborn spikes.
Getting unstuck:Sandspurs tips and tricks
Sandspurs may threaten baby shorebirds:Roller-wielding volunteers to the rescue
How do I get beach tar off of me?
There's nothing like heading to the beach on a sunny summer day to enjoy some petroleum byproduct residue.
Beach tar is a combination of oil and dirt which evaporates in the sun, leaving a gooey mess on the beach in balls or mats.
The balls may come from the thousands of freighters that sail by off our coasts, from when they sometimes release oil as they take on and release ocean water from ballast tanks to balance the ship at sea. Tar balls also may come from dredging, waterfront construction projects or natural petroleum seeps.
Tar balls aren't as common on Florida beaches as they used to be. Thirty, forty years ago and more, it was just accepted that if you want to the beach, you needed to factor in time to scrape your feet. Tightened shipping regulations have helped to reduce the general amount of beach tar in recent years.
Four years after the BP Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion spewed more than 200 million gallons of crude oil into the Gulf in 2010, tar balls flooded the Florida west coast, requiring the removal of thousands of pounds of the sticky, smelly stuff. Tar ball arrivals since then have been occasional events.
WHAT YOU SHOULD DO: Beachgoers swear by multiple methods.
- Sunscreen: It may not be the best solution but you probably have some with you. Spray or rub some on, let it permeate the tar, and wipe it off. May take multiple tries.
- Hand degreaser: Waterless hand degreaser safely removes tar, grease, oil, paint, and other tricky substances. It's biodegradable and safe for the skin.
- Cooking oil, olive oil, mineral oil, baby oil: Best for removing beach tar from shoes and flip flops. Try a plastic knife to remove thick areas first. Use some of the oil on the tar and let it sit for an hour or so, and then use a soapy paper towel or an old toothbrush to clean it off.
- WD-40, kerosene, turpentine, gasoline: Very effective, but very harsh. Use sparingly for stubborn stains on shoes but wash it off as soon as possible. Keep away from your skin.
- Ice: If the tar is still liquid, freeze it first to make your job a lot easier. Put your shoes in the freezer, or apply a bag full of ice cubes to the area before trying to clean it.
What should I do if I get stung by a jellyfish?
That cool blobby, translucent thing on the beach or bobbing along near you in the water? Don't touch it. Jellyfish stings range from mild to painful to (sometimes) deadly and it doesn't help when everyone around you thinks urine will make it better. (It will not.)
WHAT YOU SHOULD DO:
- Ask a lifeguard for help, if one is available.
- Rinse the area with vinegar to reduce stings.
- Remove any tentacles with tweezers so you won't get any more venom in you.
- Apply a hot compress or soak the affected area in hot water for 45 minutes.
- Seek medical care if the sting is serious.
- Let a lifeguard know so they can warn others.
Contributors: Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA TODAY | https://www.news-journalonline.com/story/news/local/2023/05/24/jellyfish-sandspurs-tar-staying-safe-and-comfortable-on-florida-beaches/70227026007/ | 2023-05-24T12:16:41 | 1 | https://www.news-journalonline.com/story/news/local/2023/05/24/jellyfish-sandspurs-tar-staying-safe-and-comfortable-on-florida-beaches/70227026007/ |
Manitowoc and Two Rivers tourism leaders preview summer of sand-sculpting, Snowfest and more: Q&A
An inaugural Wisconsin Sand Sculpting Festival coming to Manitowoc's Red Arrow Park & Beach is one of this summer's biggest highlights.
MANITOWOC - While many of us are just now dusting off our bikes and kayaks, the tourism departments for the cities of Manitowoc and Two Rivers have been working hard to prepare for the upcoming summer tourism season.
Courtney Hansen, director for Visit Manitowoc, and Brian Dean, director for Explore Two Rivers, took some time out of their busy days to tell the Herald Times Reporter what they are looking forward to this summer. Here's what they had to say.
Q: The cities' tourism departments are in their second year now. What are some of the things you have accomplished so far?
HANSEN: This past year has been full of milestone projects, and I couldn’t be more proud of my team for their hard work.
In October, we launched the beautiful, research-driven visual identity and logo for Visit Manitowoc.
In November, we opened our visitor center and office in the heart of downtown at 824 S. Eighth St. We now operate this visitor center year-round in addition to operating our visitor center at the SS Badger Lake Michigan Car Ferry Ticket Office during the sailing season. Both are the perfect location to meet Badger passengers, special event attendees and visitors where they’re at.
We partnered with Explore Two Rivers on a joint visitor guide that highlights both of our sister communities. This piece launched both in print and digitally in mid-January, and we’re already hard at work on 2024’s.
In March, we launched visitmanitowoc.com. With a mobile-first design and research-driven sitemap, this new visual website is Visit Manitowoc’s largest marketing tool that elevates the level with which we can promote the city of Manitowoc. The website is full of new original content and beautiful photography to inspire and aid potential visitors in planning a trip to or navigating Manitowoc. From upcoming events to blog posts to detailed business listings, there is new content and information added daily.
In April, business owners gained access to the website’s “extranet” to update their listings, submit upcoming events and, soon, will be able to view a series of reports and data.
In addition to these major projects, this past year we grew our social media audience by 550% to more than 12,300 followers, launched print and digital advertisements in statewide and regional guides as well as national publications, and staged professional photo shoots in each season to grow our photography database for marketing and advertising efforts.
We continued to grow our partnership with Travel Wisconsin and other local, statewide and national organizations, participate in countless media interviews, attend both leisure and group sales conferences and trade shows to sell our city, and produce successful special events, including the Lakeshore Holiday Parade.
DEAN: Explore Two Rivers was conceived as an organization in 2022 and formally launched on May 11.
Two Rivers demonstrated its enthusiasm for its new tourism promotion organization through a standing-room-only crowd at the Hamilton Wood Type Museum.
As director of the entity since March 20, I have worked closely with the local stakeholders in the tourism and visitor-oriented business community and learned many of their aspirations for the growth and sustainability of the industry.
Q: What are your goals for this year?
HANSEN: We’re committed to continuing to promote the city of Manitowoc statewide, nationally and beyond to attract more leisure visitors and groups to our beautiful lakeshore community than ever before.
Our tourism product is better than it’s ever been; we’ll continue to use data and strategy to guide our marketing and advertising decisions to tell Manitowoc’s story far and wide.
We’ll also continue to put a focus on meeting potential visitors and visitors here in our community where they’re at.
We’re able to do a large piece of this by continuing to grow our website, and feed our website into new technologies, like 24/7 kiosks, that we can place in prime locations across the city.
DEAN: Our goals for 2023 and beyond include the development and promotion of tourist itineraries that enable prospective visitors to “bundle” an array of diverse activities into a short or extended stay.
By coalescing our hospitality establishments, natural attractions, businesses, cultural and historical assets into an easily manageable format, electronic or otherwise, we can build tourism’s value to Two Rivers and showcase the extent of our offerings.
Explore Two Rivers is working to expand our presence in the markets that attract visitors. We are developing strategies to introduce investors to opportunities in Two Rivers to continue the development of our tourism infrastructure.
Outreach to tour groups is also a key aspect of the mission and one where we will collaborate with our neighbors in to add value to the visitor experience.
Q: What local events are you most excited about this year, and why?
HANSEN: We are especially excited about the inaugural Wisconsin Sand Sculpting Festival that Visit Manitowoc is partnering on with the Manitowoc Sunrise Rotary. Taking place July 14-16 at Red Arrow Park & Beach, this three-day festival will feature 10 competitive sand sculptors from across the country in addition to live music and entertainment, food trucks, cold drinks and more. Attendees can watch and chat with the competing sand sculptors in action, participate in hands-on amateur competitions, and watch sand sculpting demonstrations and speed sculpting shows, too! We’re excited to highlight Manitowoc’s beautiful beachfront as thousands of visitors and residents attend this brand-new event — the only one of its kind in the entire state.
Our office works directly with all of the city’s special event organizers, and I’m so excited to say, this is going to be the biggest and best summer of events yet. Events like Lakeshore Balloon Glow, Malt City Brewfest and the Maritime Bay Bike Classic continue to grow and expand. There are going to be so many can’t-miss weekends along the lakeshore this summer.
DEAN: Of course, a key component of (our mission) is to promote our many events — from Snowfest, Ethnic Fest, to the Bands on the Beach or the concerts in our beautiful Central Park.
The city has invested to upgrade and renew the west side of Central Park with a new bandshell, pavilion and other facilities that will engage visitors and locals alike.
This summer, visitors will see plenty of sandy beach at Neshotah Park. The “Best Beach in Wisconsin” will host live concerts, sports events and all the amenities for a perfect family experience.
Explore Two Rivers is working with local businesses to improve the connectivity between our merchants and the beach community. A major emphasis of our work is the promotion of outdoor activities. Two Rivers sits astride a network of trails with dramatic landscapes and lake views. From Mariners Trail to Rawley’s Point and Point Beach, visitors can enjoy various ecological zones while riding a bike or hiking.
Trail and nature lovers need to witness the Woodland Dunes as an essential part of the local ecological experience. It has become easy to rent a canoe or a kayak to paddle our rivers or waterfront — activities we will work to see expand.
Indeed, a local entrepreneur is preparing to rent stationary houseboats for activities and fun on the rivers and pontoon boats to cruise or relax.
Q: How much did the city make in room taxes from 2022? How much was allotted to your department, and what is it being used for?
HANSEN: The city collected $736,816 in 2022 and 30% is allotted to fund the city’s Tourism Department.
DEAN: The total room tax receipts in 2022 were $291,713.71. From that, $218,015.78 was transferred to Fund 258 (your Tourism Fund). Also, $13,761.34 went to the Manitowoc Area Visitor & Convention Bureau because it was collections of room taxes for a period still covered under the contract. Also, $22,204.70 was transferred to the General Fund for administrative expenses. Finally, $36,316.17 was transferred to the General Fund to aid in bike trail maintenance.
Q: What can people expect to see locally this summer for tourism?
HANSEN: It’s going to be another big summer for tourism across the Manitowoc area. Annual events continue to return and grow, brand-new ones are launching, more live music can be heard across the city and amenities are being added to enjoy outdoor recreation.
In recent months, and even weeks, we’ve welcomed new businesses to the city, many of which are downtown in close proximity to the Badger.
This is the 70th anniversary sailing season of the Badger, so we’ll be celebrating her all summer long.
This is also the first summer two pedal pubs are operating in downtown; you can catch a ride aboard either Manitour Pedalers or Manitowoc Tavern on Wheels, rain or shine.
DEAN: We will draw out our fascinating history by promoting our maritime heritage through Rogers Street and direct travelers to Washington House, where they can enjoy the original ice cream sundae while learning about the city’s heritage.
The future holds exciting prospects of building on Two Rivers as the centerpiece of the “Shipwreck Coast,” drawing visitors and researchers interested in witnessing these sunken artifacts and the stories they tell.
Every day, we encounter individuals who happened upon Two Rivers by chance, fell in love with our city, and decided to make it their vacation or permanent home, place of business, or a destination to frequent for recreation and leisure.
By capitalizing on our natural and man-made endowments, we can build a tourism industry that helps to grow and sustain our community, while protecting its unique natural and cultural blessings.
Q: What are the plans for your department moving forward past 2023, particularly in light of the Circuit Court ruling that the City of Manitowoc is obligated to contract with the Manitowoc Area Visitor and Convention Bureau?
HANSEN: Our department will continue to serve as the destination marketing organization for the City of Manitowoc, promoting the Manitowoc area as a premier tourist destination statewide, nationally and beyond.
DEAN: With respect to the circumstances surrounding the City of Manitowoc and the ongoing litigation, Two Rivers is not a party to those proceedings. We will continue to work with our friends and counterparts throughout the county and state. Cooperation and collaboration add value, and when we work together, we optimize the benefits of our mutual tourist industries.
Read more:
- Metro Jam:Manitowoc's Metro Jam unveils full slate of performers for June 16-17 free music festival. Here's who's coming.
- Road work: Road construction season has already begun in Manitowoc County. Here are the road projects planned for this year.
- Savor Manitowoc: Retro Eighth Coffee & Acai serves colorful fruit bowls, tasty specialty drinks and more
Contact reporter Alisa Schafer at aschafer@gannett.com or follow her on Twitter at @AlisaMSchafer. | https://www.htrnews.com/story/news/local/2023/05/24/manitowoc-two-rivers-summer-tourism-sand-sculpting-snowfest/70248293007/ | 2023-05-24T12:17:46 | 1 | https://www.htrnews.com/story/news/local/2023/05/24/manitowoc-two-rivers-summer-tourism-sand-sculpting-snowfest/70248293007/ |
SPRINGFIELD — According to the Illinois Attorney General investigation released this week, the following 51 clergy members in the Diocese of Peoria have been disclosed as having substantiated claims of child sexual abuse.
John Anderson: 7 reported survivors.
Reported abuse: 1979-84 in Peoria County; 1988-90 in Peoria County; dates unknown in Peoria County and in Colorado.
Status: Removed from ministry 1986; died 2009.
Illinois assignments:
- Saint Mary Aledo, IL
- Saint Mary, Canton, IL
- Saint Rose, Rushville, IL
- Saint Edward, Chillicothe, IL
- Saint Philomena, Peoria, IL
- Saint Joseph Home, Peoria, IL
- King's House Retreat Center, Henry, IL
Michael "Miguel" Baca: at least 1 reported survivor.
Reported abuse: date and location unknown.
Status: Died 1997.
Illinois assignments: Not reported by archdiocese/diocese/religious order.
Robert O. Barnett: 6 reported survivors.
Reported abuse: 1964-66 in LaSalle County; 1964-66 in Rock Island County.
Status: Died 1991.
Illinois assignments:
- 1933: Saint Patrick, Peoria, IL
- 1935: Saint Mary, Moline, IL
- 1937: Saint Patrick, Lincoln, IL
- 1940: Saint Mary, Delavan, IL
- 1957: Saint Mary, East Moline, IL
- 1966: Saint Francis of Assisi, Ottawa, IL
- 1976: Huber Memorial Home, Rock Island, IL
John M. Beatty: at least 1 reported survivor.
Reported abuse: 1961-62 at Saint Patrick Central High School n/k/a Bishop McNamara High School, Kankakee.
Status: Retired 1985; died 1997.
Illinois assignments:
- 1951-54: Cathedral Boys' High School, Springfield, IL
- 1955: Peoria, IL
- 1961-62: Saint Patrick Central High School n/k/a Bishop McNamara High School, Kankakee, IL
Walter Bruening, a.k.a. Walter Breuning: 5 reported survivors.
Reported abuse: 1960s-70s at Saint Joseph, Pekin; dates unknown in Henry County. Status: Retired 1999; removed from ministry 2002; died 2009.
Illinois assignments:
- Saint Patrick, Urbana, IL
- Saint Joseph, Pekin, IL
- Saint Anthony, Atkinson, IL
- Saint Mary, Hooppole, IL
- Saint Augustine, St. Augustine, IL
- Saint Patrick, Raritan, IL
- Saint Mary, Henry, IL
- Saint Joseph, Henry, IL
- Saint Mary, Henry, IL
Edward Bush: 2 reported survivors.
Reported abuse: 1960-61 & 1964-65 in Peoria County.
Status: Removed from ministry & retired 2002; died 2011.
Illinois assignments:
- Saint Thomas, Peoria Heights, IL
- Sacred Heart, Moline, IL
- Saint Patrick, Colona, IL
John Joseph Casey: at least 1 reported survivor.
Reported abuse: 1940s, location unknown.
Status: Died 2000
Illinois assignments:
- Saint Patrick, LaSalle, IL
Terry Cassidy: at least 1 reported survivor.
Reported abuse: 1985 in Rock Island County.
Status: Removed from ministry 2015.
Illinois assignments:
- 1984-87: Christ the King, Moline, IL
- 1987-89: Saint Catherine, Aledo, IL
- 1987-89: Saint Mary, Keithsburg, IL
- 1987-89: Saint Anthony, Matherville, IL
- 1987-89: Saint Therese, New Boston, IL
- 1987-89: Saint John, Viola, IL
- 1987-89: Saint Andrew, Oquawka, IL
- 1989-90: Saint Mark, Peoria, IL
- 1990-92: Saint Edward, Chillicothe, IL
- 1992: Saint Mary, Moline, IL
- 1992-95: Saint Jude, Dunlap, IL
- 1994-95: Saint Mary, Wenona, IL
- 1994-95: Saint John the Baptist, Lostant, IL
- 1995-99: Saint Joseph, Chenoa, IL
- 1995-99: Saint Mary, Lexington, IL
- 1999: Saint Ann, Peoria, IL
- 2001: Saint Martin de Porres, Peoria, IL
- 2001: Saint Ann, Peoria, IL
- 2006-13: Teens Encounter Christ, Diocese of Peoria, IL
- 2006-13: Cursillo Center, Diocese of Peoria, IL
- 2007: Knights of Columbus Saint Jude Council, Peoria, IL
Louis Condon: 6 reported survivors.
Reported abuse: 1958-2000, location unknown.
Status: Retired 1986; died 2009.
Illinois assignments:
- 1948: Saint Mary, Moline, IL
- Unknown: Saint Mary, Pesotum, IL
- Unknown: Saint Louis, Princeton, IL
- 1949: Sacred Heart, Rock Island, IL
- 1952: Saint Mary, Lincoln, IL
- Unknown: Saint Rose, Rushville, IL
- Unknown: Immaculate Conception, Delevan, IL
- 1962: Saint Mary, Delevan, IL
- Unknown: Saint Joseph Mission, Hopedale, IL
- 1971: Saint Joseph, Kewanee, IL
- Unknown: Saint Mary, DePue, IL
- 1976: Sacred Heart, Moline, IL
- 1980: Hispanic Ministry, Diocese of Peoria, IL
- 1982: Saint Margaret Hospital, Spring Valley, IL
Robert Creager: 2 reported survivors.
Reported abuse: 1956 in DeWitt County; 1972-82 in LaSalle County.
Status: Retired 1998; removed from ministry 2002; died 2008.
Illinois assignments:
- Sacred Heart, Moline, IL
- Saint Malachy, Geneseo, IL
- Saint Mary, Keithsburg, IL
- Saint Theresa Mission, New Boston, IL
- Deanery, Rock Island, IL
- Saint Mary, Pesotum, IL
- Saint John the Baptist, Clinton, IL
- Saint Patrick, Wapella, IL
- Saint Patrick, Ottawa, IL
Paul F. Dinan: at least 1 reported survivor.
Reported abuse: Dates unknown in Kankakee County.
Status: Died 1996.
Illinois assignments:
- Saint Mary, Paxton, IL
- Saint Teresa, Kankakee, IL
- Saint Peter the Apostle, Itasca, IL
- Saint Joseph Mission, Loda, IL
Francis Engels: 5 reported survivors.
Reported abuse: 1971-73 in McLean County; 1976-84 in Bureau County; dates unknown in Henry and Tazewell counties, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin.
Status: Removed from ministry 1993; pleaded guilty to sexual abuse of a teenager in Wisconsin, sentenced to 10 years in prison 2005; died 2019.
Illinois assignments:
- 1962: Saint John, Champaign, IL
- 1965: Saint Mary, Champaign, IL
- 1967: Saint Mary's Hospital, Galesburg, IL
- 1969: Saint Joseph, Pekin, IL
- 1970: Saint Columba, Ottawa, IL
- 1973: Saint Mary, Moline, IL
- 1973: Saint Joseph, Chenoa, IL
- 1973: Saint Mary Mission, Lexington, IL
- 1976: Saint John, Woodhull, IL
- 1976: Saint John Vianney, Cambridge, IL
- 1986: Sacred Heart, Annawan, IL
- 1986: Saint Mary Mission, Hooppole, IL
- 1992: Saint Anthony, Atkinson, IL
John V. Farris: at least 1 reported survivor.
Reported abuse: 1951-54, location unknown.
Status: Died 2003.
Illinois assignments:
- Saint Patrick, LaSalle, IL
James Vincent Fitzgerald: at least 1 reported survivor.
Reported abuse: 1960s-80s in Minnesota and South Dakota.
Status: Died 2009.
Illinois assignments: Not reported by archdiocese/diocese/religious order
Norman Goodman: 19 reported survivors.
Reported abuse: 1970-95 in Logan County.
Status: Removed from ministry 2002; died 2013
Illinois assignments:
- Sacred Heart, Moline, IL
- Saint Patrick, Lincoln, IL
- Saint Mary, Atlanta, IL
- Holy Family, Lincoln, IL
- Saint Columba, Mason City, IL
William Harbert: 12 reported survivors.
Reported abuse: 1966-73 in Rock Island County; 1982 in Bureau and Tazewell counties; dates unknown in Florida.
Status: Removed from ministry 1993; died 2003.
Illinois assignments:
- 1962: Holy Trinity, Bloomington, IL
- 1966: Saint Joseph, Pekin, IL
- 1969: Saint Thomas the Apostle, Peoria Heights, IL
- 1971: Saint Joseph, Rock Island, IL
- 1973: Saint Rose, Rushville, IL
- 1974: Christ the King, Moline, IL
- 1976: Immaculate Conception, Monmouth, IL
- 1977: Saint Mary, Keithsburg, IL
- 1977: Saint Therese, New Boston, IL
- 1977: Saint Andrew, Oquawka, IL
- 1981: Immaculate Conception, Ohio, IL
- 1977: Saint John, Walnut, IL
- 1992: Saint Joseph Home, Lacon, IL
George Hiland: 2 reported survivors.
Reported abuse: 1970 in LaSalle County.
Status: Removed from ministry 1993.
Illinois assignments:
- Saint Stephen, Streator, IL
- Saint Patrick, Arlington, IL
- Sacred Heart Mission, Dimmick, IL
- Saint Thomas, Dalzell, IL
- Saint John, Fairbury, IL
- Saint James Mission, Forrest, IL
- Saint Patrick, Dwight, IL
Robert Hughes: at least 1 reported survivor.
Reported abuse: 1954-61 in McLean County.
Status: Died 2016.
Illinois assignments:
- 1954: Holy Trinity, Bloomington, IL
- 1962: Catholic Youth Center
- 1965: Illinois State University, Saint Robert Bellarmine Catholic Student Center, Normal, IL
- 1971: Saint Patrick, Washington, IL
- 1980: Vicariate, Pekin, IL
William Isermann: 3 reported survivors.
Reported abuse: 1950s-70s in LaSalle and Tazewell counties.
Status: Removed 1993; died 1996.
Illinois assignments:
- 1956: Saint Patrick, Washington, IL
- 1958: Saint Patrick, Ransom, IL
- 1958: Saint Patrick, Ottawa, IL
- 1959: Saint Anthony, Hoopeston, IL
- 1960: Holy Trinity, Moline, IL
- Unknown: Saint Mary, DePue, IL
- 1964: Saints Peter & Paul, Leonore, IL
- 1963: Immaculate Conception, Streator, IL
- 1972: Saint Joseph, Peoria, IL
- 1974: Saint John, Cullom, IL
- 1977: Saint Patrick & Dwight Correctional Center, Dwight, IL
J. Eugene Kane: at least 1 reported survivor.
Reported abuse: date and location unknown.
Status: Died 2009.
Illinois assignments:
- 1954: Saint Patrick, Ottawa, IL
- 1960: Saint Patrick, Peoria, IL
- 1962: Bergan High School, Peoria, IL
- 1966: Saint Patrick, Elkhart, IL
- Unknown: Saint Thomas Aquinas, Mt. Pulaski, IL
- 1974: Cathedral of Saint Mary, Peoria, IL
- 1978: Saint Pius X, Rock Island, IL
- 1990: Saint Mary, El Paso, IL
Philip Kraus: at least 1 reported survivor.
Reported abuse: 1970s, location unknown.
Status: Restricted from ministry with minors 1996; removed from ministry 2003.
Illinois assignments:
- Catholic Social Services, Peoria, IL
Severin Lamping: at least 1 reported survivor.
Reported abuse: Date and location unknown.
Status: Died 1986.
Illinois assignments: Not reported by archdiocese/diocese/religious order
M. Duane Leclercq: 3 reported survivors.
Reported abuse: Dates unknown in Peoria County.
Status: Removed from ministry 2018.
Illinois assignments:
- 1964: Holy Trinity, Bloomington, IL
- 1968: Saint Mark, Peoria, IL
- 1971: Saint Mary, Moline, IL
- 1973: Saint Vincent de Paul, Peoria, IL
- 1976: Sacre Coeur, Creve Coeur, IL
- 1979: Saint Edward, Chillicothe, IL
- 1982: Teens Encounter Christ, Diocese of Peoria, IL
- 1983: Saint Bernard, Peoria, IL
- 1983: Saint John, Clinton, IL
- 1983: Saint Patrick, Wapella, IL
- 1989: Saint Theresa, Earlville, IL
- 1991: Saint Boniface, Peoria, IL
- 1994: Saint Patrick, Dwight, IL
- 1994: Saint Patrick, LaSalle, IL
- 2003: Sacred Heart, Granville, IL
- 2003: Saint Patrick, Henepin, IL
Edward Lohan: 3 reported survivors.
Reported abuse: 1948, 1958-60 in Vermilion and Knox counties.
Status: Died 1993.
Illinois assignments:
- 1941: Holy Trinity, Bloomington, IL
- 1948: Saint Patrick, Danville, IL
- 1948: Schlarman High School, Danville, IL
- 1948: Saint Elizabeth Hospital, Danville, IL
- 1950: Corpus Christi High School, Galesburg, IL
- 1950: Saint Mary Hospital, Galesburg, IL
- Unknown: Saint Thomas More, Galesburg, IL
- 1951: Galesburg State Research Hospital, Galesburg, IL
- 1956: Immaculate Heart of Mary, Galesburg, IL
- 1973: Saint Philomena, Peoria, IL
Joachim Lux: at least 1 reported survivor.
Reported abuse: Date and location unknown.
Status: Died 2019.
Illinois assignments: Not reported by archdiocese/diocese/religious order
Frank Martinez: at least 1 reported survivor.
Reported abuse: 1986, location unknown.
Status: Laicized, or removed from clergy status, 2008.
Illinois assignments:
- 1985: Saint Mary Hospital, Decatur, IL
Louis J. Meinhardt: at least 1 reported survivor.
Reported abuse: Date and location unknown.
Status: Died 1990.
Illinois assignments:
- Assumption High School, East St. Louis, IL
- Spalding Institute, Peoria, IL
Thomas Miller: 4 reported survivors.
Reported abuse: 1979-82, 1999-2000 in McLean County.
Status: Removed from ministry 2004.
Illinois assignments:
- 1979: Holy Trinity, Bloomington, IL
- 1983: Schlarman High School, Danville, IL
- 1988: Saint Paul, Danville, IL
- 1988: Saint Bernard, Peoria, IL
- 1989: Peoria SE, Diocese of Peoria, IL
- 1994: Saint Vincent de Paul, Peoria, IL
- 2000: Prelate of Honor, Diocese of Peoria, IL
- 2002: Knight of the Holy Sepulchre, Diocese of Peoria, IL
Orville Lawrence Munie: at least 1 reported survivor.
Reported abuse: 1971-1975, location unknown.
Status: Died 1993.
Illinois assignments:
- 1981-83: Saint Isidore, Bethany, IL
- 1981-83: Sacred Heart, Dalton City, IL
Thomas Murphy: at least 2 reported survivors.
Reported abuse: Date and location unknown.
Status: Unknown.
Illinois assignments: Not reported by archdiocese/diocese/religious order
John Onderko: 2 reported survivors.
Reported abuse: 1971 in LaSalle County.
Status: Retired 2005.
Illinois assignments:
- 1962: Saint Hyacinth, LaSalle, IL
- 1962: Sacre Coeur, Creve Coeur, IL
- 1980: Holy Cross, Mendota, IL
- 1980: Saints Peter and Paul, Peterstown, IL
- 1981: Saint Mary, Moline, IL
- 1993: Resurrection, LaSalle, IL
Victorian Ostmeyer: at least 1 reported survivor.
Reported abuse: Date and location unknown.
Status: Unknown.
Illinois assignments: Not reported by archdiocese/diocese/religious order
Carter Partee: at least 1 reported survivor.
Reported abuse: Date and location unknown.
Status: Laicized, or removed from clergy status, date unknown; left religious order, date unknown; died 2010.
Illinois assignments: Not reported by archdiocese/diocese/religious order
Toussaint Perron: 2 reported survivors.
Reported abuse: 1975, 1992 in Henry County; Saint John, Walnut, IL.
Status: Convicted of aggravated sexual abuse of a child in Illinois, sentenced to three years in prison 1993.
Illinois assignments: Not reported by archdiocese/diocese/religious order
Juvenal Pfalzer: at least 1 reported survivor.
Reported abuse: Date and location unknown.
Status: Died 2002.
Illinois assignments: Not reported by archdiocese/diocese/religious order
Roman Pfalzer: at least 1 reported survivor.
Reported abuse: Date and location unknown.
Status: Unknown.
Illinois assignments: Not reported by archdiocese/diocese/religious order
Gordon Pillon: 2 reported survivors.
Reported abuse: 1978-84 Orange, California.
Status: Removed from ministry 2006; died 2012.
Illinois assignments:
- Bradley University's Newman Center, Peoria, IL
- Saint Edward, Chillicothe, IL
- Saint John Chapel, Champaign, IL
- Saint John the Baptist, Clinton, IL
- Saint Patrick, Wapella, IL
- Sacred Heart, Farmer City, IL
- Saint John, Bellflower, IL
- Saint Patrick, LaSalle, IL
- Saint Hyacinth, LaSalle, IL
- Queen of the Holy Rosary, LaSalle, IL
- Resurrection, LaSalle, IL
Jerome "Jerry" Pilon: 6 reported survivors.
Reported abuse: 1997-2003 in Texas and Michigan.
Status: Removed from ministry 2009.
Illinois assignments:
- 1989: Holy Family, Lincoln, IL
- 1989: Saint Mary, Atlanta, IL
- 1989: Saint Columba, Mason City, IL
- 1989: Lincoln Correctional Center, Lincoln, IL
- 1991: Holy Cross, Mendota, IL
- 1991: Saints Peter & Paul, Peterstown, IL
- 1992: Saint Anthony, Hoopeston, IL
- 1998: Saint Mary, Moline, IL
Gregory James Plunkett: 3 reported survivors.
Reported abuse: 1988, 2003 in Henry and Mercer counties.
Status: Removed from ministry 2002; died 2011.
Illinois assignments:
- 1988: Saint Columba, Ottawa, IL
- 1991: Immaculate Conception, Carthage, IL
- 1991: Saint Mary, West Point, IL
- 1995: Saint Catherine, Aledo, IL
- 1995: Saint Mary, Keithsburg, IL
- 1995: Saint Therese, New Boston, IL
Samuel Pusateri: at least 1 reported survivor.
Reported abuse: 1989-90 at Saint Bede, Peru, IL.
Status: Removed from ministry 1991; pleaded guilty to sexual assault of a child, sentenced to 6 years prison.
Illinois assignments:
- 1980-91: Saint Bede, Peru, IL
- 1995-2004: Wheaton Franciscan Motherhouse, Wheaton, IL
Kenneth Roberts: 3 reported survivors.
Reported abuse: 1980s in LaSalle County; 1984 in St. Clair County.
Status: Retired 1995; removed 1998; died 2018.
Illinois assignments: Not reported by archdiocese/diocese/religious order
Ronald W. Roth: 3 reported survivors.
Reported abuse: 1968-72 in New Mexico.
Status: Removed from ministry 1993, died 2009.
Illinois assignments:
- 1966: Holy Family, Olgesby, IL
- 1967: Saint John, Peoria, IL
- 1972: Saints Peter & Paul, Chatsworth, IL
- 1972: Guardian Angel Home, Peoria, IL
- 1972: Sacre Coeur, Creve Coeur, IL
- 1973: Saint Thomas the Apostle, Peoria Heights, IL
- 1974: Saint Philomena, Peoria, IL
- 1976: Director House of Prayer, Urbana, IL
- 1978: Director of Charismatic Renewal Programs, Diocese of Peoria, IL
- 1978: Saint Patrick, Ransom, IL
- 1983: Saint John, Lostant, IL
- 1986: Apostolate of Prayer and Healing, Diocese of Peoria, IL
John J. Ryan: at least 1 reported survivor.
Reported abuse: 1963 in DeWitt County.
Status: Died 2000.
Illinois assignments:
- 1951: Saint Patrick, Ottawa, IL
- 1953: Holy Trinity, Bloomington, IL
- 1963: Saint John, Clinton, IL
- 1978: Loyola University, Chicago, IL
Laurence Schumacher: at least 1 reported survivor.
Reported abuse: 1966 in Marshall County.
Status: Retired 1978, died 1980.
Illinois assignments:
- 1930: Immaculate Conception, Streator, IL
- 1934: Saint Patrick, Danville, IL
- 1937: Saints Peter & Paul, Peterstown, IL
- 1947: Saint Mary, Henry, IL
- 1970: Saint Theresa, Earlville, IL
- 1971: Immaculate Conception, Streator, IL
- 1972: Saint Bernard, Bushnell, IL
Richard Slavish: 3 reported survivors.
Reported abuse: 1960, 1971 in Rock Island County.
Status: Removed from ministry 2002; died 2016.
Illinois assignments:
- Immaculate Heart of Mary, Galesburg, IL
- Sacred Heart, Moline, IL
- East Moline State Hospital, East Moline, IL
- Saint Mary Cathedral, Peoria, IL
- Saint Theresa, Alexis, IL
- Saint Aloysius, Wataga, IL
- Saints Peter & Paul, Nauvoo, IL
- Sacred Heart, Dallas City, IL
- Saint Francis, Kewanee, IL
- Saint John, Cambridge, IL
- Saint Anthony, Matherville, IL
- Saint John, Viola, IL
William J. Spine: 3 reported survivors.
Reported abuse:1975-76: Diocese of Lexington, KY; 1975-79: Tacna, Peru; 1979-82: Our Lady of Mercy Rectory, Bronx, NY, and Saint Ignatius, Brooklyn, NY.
Status: Removed from ministry 2006.
Illinois assignments:
- 1983-86: Peter Claver Community & Saint Mary, Moline, IL
- 1986-89: Holy Family, Chicago, IL
- 1992-2001: Loyola University, Chicago, IL
Bernard Tomaszewski: at least 1 reported survivor.
Reported abuse: 1946, location unknown.
Status: Removed 1946; died, date unknown.
Illinois assignments:
- Saint Patrick, Danville, IL
- Saint Boniface, Seymour, IL
- Saint Hyacinth, LaSalle, IL
- Saint Patrick, Tolono, IL
- Saint Valentine, Peru, IL
- Immaculate Conception, Monmouth, IL
- Saint Elizabeth, Thomasboro, IL
John Turnbull: at least 1 reported survivor.
Reported abuse: 1970s, location unknown.
Status: Removed from ministry 2005. Died 2017.
Illinois assignments: Not reported by archdiocese/diocese/religious order
Emil Twardochleb: at least 1 reported survivor.
Reported abuse: 1971-1975, location unknown.
Status: Died 1976.
Illinois assignments: Not reported by archdiocese/diocese/religious order
Michael Van Acker: 7 reported survivors.
Reported abuse: 1981-86, 1991 in Peoria and McLean Counties.
Status: Removed from ministry 2002.
Illinois assignments:
- Holy Trinity, Bloomington, IL
- Central Catholic High School, Bloomington, IL
- Saint Patrick, Wapella, IL
- Bergan High School, Peoria, IL
- Saint Patrick, Andalusia, IL
- OSF Saint Mary Medical Center, Galesburg, IL
William D. Virtue: at least 3 reported survivors.
Reported abuse: 1968, 1986, location unknown; 1970s, location unknown; 1981-82 at Saint Mary, Mokena, IL.
Status: Removed from ministry 2006; no faculties to minister in Diocese of Joliet, date unknown.
Illinois assignments:
- Saint Mary Magdalene, Joliet, IL
- Saint Dominic, Bolingbrook, IL
- Saint Mary Nativity, Joliet, IL
- Saint Mary, Mokena, IL
- Sacred Heart, Joliet, IL
- Sacred Heart, Campus, IL
- Saint Mary, Loretto, IL
- Sacre Coeur, Creve Coeur, IL
- Saint Joseph Home, Lacon, IL
- Saint Theresa, Cedar Point, IL
- Sacred Heart, Granville, IL
- Saint Theresa, Earlville, IL
- Sacred Heart, Farmer City, IL
- Saint John, Bellflower, IL
- Saint Flannen, Harmon, IL
- Saint James, Lee, IL
- Saint Theresa, Earlville, IL
- Saint Patrick, Maytown, IL
- Saint Mary, Walton, IL | https://pantagraph.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/illinois-attorney-general-51-clergy-members-in-diocese-of-peoria-sexually-abused-children/article_ba2d58dc-f9a9-11ed-a935-9f1dbc2a7232.html | 2023-05-24T12:21:07 | 1 | https://pantagraph.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/illinois-attorney-general-51-clergy-members-in-diocese-of-peoria-sexually-abused-children/article_ba2d58dc-f9a9-11ed-a935-9f1dbc2a7232.html |
EAST CHICAGO — The City Council has decided to use money from the American Rescue Plan Act to give city employees what's called a premium bonus.
The ordinance is in the amount of $1.75 million.
This marks the third consecutive year the council has approved the use of American Rescue Plan Act funds for premium pay.
In September 2021, $1.4 million was appropriated so full-time employees with five or more years of service received a payment of $3,000. Others received less.
Mayor Anthony Copeland said at that time the money was a reward for extraordinary service during the coronavirus pandemic.
In July 2022, an ordinance that appropriated $1.6 million was approved to allow a maximum bonus of $3,500 for city employees.
The premium pay is a permitted distribution of money received by the city as part of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.
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Under the Act, all city employees designated as “essential workers” (in East Chicago all employees were designated essential) were entitled to receive additional hourly wages paid from the city’s ARP Coronavirus Local Fiscal Recovery, according to Corp. Counsel Joseph Allegretti.
Assistant City Attorney Richard Morrisroe told the council a resolution it approved in late April allocated the money and allows a payment of up to $4,000 for city employees with five or more years of service, down to as little as $1,750 for those with less years.
"You have to put the resolution together with the ordinance," Morrisroe said.
The council approved that ordinance by an 8-0 vote at its first meeting in May.
The council also at that meeting heard a presentation from Pete Schwiegeraht, a senior vice president of development for Pivotal, a company that develops housing.
He spoke of a plan to add 28 new homes in the city's North Harbor neighborhood on Carey and Drummond streets.
He said residents would rent but then have the option of purchasing after 15 years.
"That's a pretty long time for them to rent to own," said Councilman Robert Garcia, D-5th,
The council brought up other questions, including affordability and if East Chicago residents would be given preference.
Garcia said more meetings would be needed to get a better understanding of the project but Schwiegeraht said time would not allow for that, leaving the proposal in doubt.
Also, the council voted 8-0 to approve a memorial street naming for a resident who died in 2020.
Loretta Mosley lived on the 39th block of Carey Street, and it will now carry the name of Loretta Mosley Drive.
City Clerk Richard Medina read the resolution that said Mosley was born in 1970 and was a precinct committee person and the first female president of the Lakeshore Indiana Black Expo.
The resolution called Mosley " a giver who always cared about her community, including assisting her local food pantry, serving meals to anyone in need." | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/lake/ec-designates-arpa-money-for-bonuses/article_281275ec-f8bc-11ed-94c9-870e1517f500.html | 2023-05-24T12:24:31 | 0 | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/lake/ec-designates-arpa-money-for-bonuses/article_281275ec-f8bc-11ed-94c9-870e1517f500.html |
A standoff with Fort Wayne police early today ended with a 59-year-old man in custody.
Officers said they responded to a 911 hang-up call from a residence in the 1000 block of East Berry Street about 1:30 a.m.
Police said they later received text messages from a woman there saying a man attacked her and that she was being held hostage.
The pair had a previous relationship, officers said.
Emergency services and crisis teams were called and attempted to negotiate with the man and he allowed the woman to leave the residence, police said.
The suspect eventually surrendered about 5:30 a.m. after police deployed teargas, officials said.
Officers arrested David Span Jr., charging him with criminal confinement, domestic battery involving a deadly weapon and related offenses.
No further information was provided. | https://www.journalgazette.net/local/man-jailed-after-fort-wayne-standoff/article_cfdc070e-fa22-11ed-82b5-e755da4bda55.html | 2023-05-24T12:26:13 | 1 | https://www.journalgazette.net/local/man-jailed-after-fort-wayne-standoff/article_cfdc070e-fa22-11ed-82b5-e755da4bda55.html |
MIDLAND, Texas — The Bush Family Home has been officially named a Texas Historic Site.
The landmark was welcomed by the Texas Historical Commission, which made it one of 36 historical sites in the Lone Star State after pushing for more state funding to help keep the home up and running.
"And so the funds that the Texas Historic Commissioners are able to apply to this are going to mean that not only that the home will be preserved, updated, and maintained, but will be viewed by many more thousands of people than we were able to do as a small organization," said Former Executive Director of the Bush Family home Paul St. Hilaire. "The tours and the focus of the home will be more on the entire Bush family. The scope of the presentation will be more inclusive than it has been in the past."
Federal officials are considering designating the Bush Family Home as a National Historic Site. | https://www.newswest9.com/article/news/local/bush-family-home-named-texas-historic-site/513-35fe187a-ccb8-495c-9221-69dd2480e0ba | 2023-05-24T12:29:23 | 1 | https://www.newswest9.com/article/news/local/bush-family-home-named-texas-historic-site/513-35fe187a-ccb8-495c-9221-69dd2480e0ba |
ODESSA, Texas — The YMCA Learning Center in Odessa has opened up its registration.
The center has continued their partnership with Ector County ISD to offer their Pre-K Three Program. Family members were able to meet with staff members and teachers at an open house to hear more about what students are learning.
"We use the same curriculum as ECISD as per our partnership, it is a Frog Street 3 curriculum so it teachers in different aspects, math, phonological awareness and reading," said CEO of Odessa Family YMCA Crissy Medina. "So the children are tested at the beginning of the year, mid year, and at the end of the year. So, we compare that data just to get a measurement of where they are in their education."
People can visit the ECISD website to find out more about how you can register. People can also apply in person at the Learning Center. | https://www.newswest9.com/article/news/local/ymca-learning-center-in-odessa-opens-registration/513-a59c5895-c648-4467-9fea-bcf98be99622 | 2023-05-24T12:29:30 | 1 | https://www.newswest9.com/article/news/local/ymca-learning-center-in-odessa-opens-registration/513-a59c5895-c648-4467-9fea-bcf98be99622 |
Lifesaving newspaper carrier reunites with North Canton resident
- Christy Geiger was delivering newspapers the morning of April 24 when she found a North Canton resident on the ground.
- She called 911 and performed CPR until help arrived.
- The resident, Bob Bertsch, and his daughter consider the newspaper carrier to be a hero.
NORTH CANTON − Christy Geiger was a little behind schedule for her Repository delivery route when she pulled into the driveway of Bob Bertsch's home on Woodside Avenue NE.
She drove around to the back door, where Bertsch asked her to throw the paper, and saw him on the ground trying to get up. Geiger's boyfriend, Chris Oshell, got out and helped him sit on the back of a truck.
"And then you just went face down," Geiger said, recalling the day she saved Bertsch's life a month ago. They reunited last week for the first time in person.
A fateful morning
It was a chilly but clear Monday morning on April 24. Bertsch, 85, went outside before breakfast to put air in the tires of his trailer.
"The last thing I really remember, I had that air compressor on wheels and I was trying to get it over that hump or the crack in the driveway," he said.
Bertsch was debating whether to rest inside or outside when he collapsed. When Oshell shouted that he had no pulse, Geiger called 911 and rushed to his aid. She attended a CPR class six years ago when she cared for people with developmental disabilities but never used what she learned until then.
CPR saves:'This is what saves lives.' Lake Local seeks Project ADAM’s Heart Safe School designation
Geiger thought of her father, who was unable to be revived by CPR when he had a heart attack in 2019 at a gas station.
"So I kept thinking when I was doing CPR, 'This is someone's dad. This is someone's dad,'" she said.
She felt something crack during chest compressions and hoped it was a button.
"Hold on, hold on! They're coming, please hold on!" Geiger screamed at Bertsch.
After about 65 chest compressions, a North Canton ambulance arrived. Geiger moved away as a man jumped out with a bag and ran "like something off the movies" to continue CPR.
Community Hero Awards:'Spinners' honored for saving man's life at Jackson YMCA
Bertsch's daughter, Kathy Eudy, was training to be a bus driver nearby at North Canton Hoover High School. She saw her dad enter the garage and a car pull into the driveway but didn't realize anything was amiss until she saw emergency vehicle after emergency vehicle.
"I ran as fast as I could through the backyard," Eudy said.
A heartfelt reunion
The first thing Bertsch remembered after waking in the hospital was learning that doctors had placed a stint in him.
"I guess it was a heart attack," he said.
Bertsch had triple bypass surgery in 2009 but no problems since, other than tiring more easily. He's still "fairly active" around the house and mows his own yard and one of his daughter's.
All three of his children live nearby. Bertsch, who was a volunteer firefighter for North Canton about 40 years ago, has four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Finally, a mom:After 3 pregnancy losses, Stark County woman has twin boys
After spending a couple of days in the hospital, Bertsch was released home. He was sore from the CPR but had no broken ribs.
Bertsch has had nurse and physical therapist visits at home several times a week and a heart checkup soon to determine whether he needs to continue therapy.
"At least I'm upright," he said.
Bertsch called Geiger his "guardian angel" and "hero" when they reunited. Eudy also praised her actions and said it was fortunate Geiger pulled into the driveway when she did.
"It's hard to find a card to say thank you for saving somebody's life," Eudy said after she and Bertsch gave Geiger flowers and a card.
Geiger, a Jackson Township resident who still finished her newspaper deliveries after the ordeal, said she doesn't consider herself a hero. She thinks anyone capable would do the same.
"I'm just glad that he's OK," Geiger said.
Reach Kelly at 330-580-8323 or kelly.byer@cantonrep.com.
On Twitter: @kbyerREP | https://www.cantonrep.com/story/news/local/stark-county/2023/05/24/repository-newspaper-carrier-christy-geiger-saves-life-bob-bertsch-cpr-north-canton/70213068007/ | 2023-05-24T12:30:54 | 0 | https://www.cantonrep.com/story/news/local/stark-county/2023/05/24/repository-newspaper-carrier-christy-geiger-saves-life-bob-bertsch-cpr-north-canton/70213068007/ |
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Contact Us | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/man-shot-while-sweeping-up-at-north-philly-smoke-shop/3572389/ | 2023-05-24T12:31:53 | 0 | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/man-shot-while-sweeping-up-at-north-philly-smoke-shop/3572389/ |
A man who police said was sweeping up to end the day at a North Philadelphia corner store and smoke shop wound up in the hospital after being shot.
The shooting took place just minutes into Wednesday at the Adam Convenience Store along Wagner Avenue, near North 10th Street, in the Logan neighborhood, Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small said.
The man -- who is in his 50s -- was cleaning up the store when a customer who was playing one of the video game machines got into a fight with him, Small said.
"It was a violent struggle that lasted about a minute," and was captured on surveillance video, Small said. The actual shooting took place in the employee area.
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The worker left the store and went to his home nearby and that's where first responders found him bleeding from his arm, Small said.
Medics rushed the worker to the hospital where he was listed in stable condition with a gunshot wound to his arm, Small said.
The shooter -- who has been in the store at least once before -- fled the store on foot, Small said.
Police said it wasn't clear what started the argument, which also involved two other store workers, Small said. They didn't know a motive.
There are additional resources for people or communities that have endured gun violence in Philadelphia. Further information can be found here. | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/shop-worker-cleaning-up-at-end-of-night-gets-shot-while-struggling-with-customer/3572392/ | 2023-05-24T12:31:54 | 0 | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/shop-worker-cleaning-up-at-end-of-night-gets-shot-while-struggling-with-customer/3572392/ |
Looking for Memorial Day weekend activities in Upstate SC? Check out this list of events.
Memorial Day is just around the corner and the time usually means a three-day weekend for many with backyard barbecues and the unofficial start of summer, but there is more to it than that.
The American holiday hasn't always gone by Memorial Day, but has always been a holiday and an opportunity to honor military personnel who died while serving in the U.S. military. The day is usually observed on the last Monday of May and became an official federal holiday in 1971.
In addition to enjoying backyard barbecues and other activities during your three-day weekend, here is a rundown of things to do in Greenville, Spartanburg and Anderson counties:
Greenville events
∎Palmetto Heroes Hike, Saturday, May 27: Hikers can honor fallen first-responders and military service members on the 2nd Annual Palmetto Heroes Hike. Participants will have a choice to hike for 6 miles, or a 12-mile loop on the Swamp Rabbit Trail, stopping together at memorial checkpoints along the route to honor an Upstate fallen first responder and service member. The community event will benefit nonprofits, The Wounded and Recovering Fund and Upstate Warrior Solution. Registration begins at 7 a.m. (12-mile hike) and 9 a.m. (6-mile hike) at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena located at 650 N Academy Street, Greenville. An after-party will follow the hike.
∎Gallabrae, Saturday, May 27: The Greenville Scottish Games is a celebration of Scottish Heritage that will be held at Furman University. There will be heavy athletics, Wee Scotland for kids, drumming and piping competitions, exhibitors, Scottish vendors, border collies herding sheep, Celtic music, Scottish clans, food and Gallabrae Scottish Ale. At 11 a.m., a military salute will commence that will include the SC Army National Guard Band, the War Birds flyover, 21-gun salute, flags jumped onto the field, and Taps, led by Scottland's Royal Highland Fusilier Honor Guard. The World's Greatest Scottish Happy Hour & Celtic Jam will top the event off. Military members get in free with their Military ID. Children under 5-years-old also get in free. Gates open at 8:30 a.m. Parking is free.
∎Memorial Day at 13 Stripes, Monday, May 29: 13 Stripes Brewery will be hosting a ceremony and beer release. Fallen Hero, a Memorial Day Red Lager, will return to the brewery. Its re-release is a tribute to Lance Corporal Nicholas S. O'Brien of the Marine Corps. A portion of the proceeds will benefit Upstate Warrior Solution. The brewery is located on 250 Mill Street in Taylors.
∎Mauldin Memorial Day Ceremony, Monday, May 29: At 11 a.m., the City of Mauldin will host a Memorial Day ceremony on East Butler Road. The event will begin with a welcome from Mayor Terry Merritt, an Air Force veteran. There will be opening and closing prayers by Pastor Carl McCluney of New Harvest Ministries Church, Presentation of Colors by the Mauldin High School Navy Junior ROTC, a variety of musical selections and speaker Charlie Hall, president of Upstate Warrior Solution.
Memorial Day 2023:Everything you need to know about the day of remembrance
Spartanburg events
∎A Soldier's Timeline, Saturday, May 27: Visit encampments and and learn from reenactors and veterans from The American Revolution to modern wars at Walnut Grove Plantation. The event, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., will feature weapons displays and military drill demonstrations. Tickets are $12 for adults and $8 for children ages 5-17.
∎Spartanburg Community Band, Sunday, May 28: The Spartanburg Community Band continues its annual Ice Cream Sunday’s Summer Concert Series. Music will begin at 6 p.m. on Blackman Patio at Converse College in Spartanburg. Admission is free.
∎Memorial Day ceremony, Sunday, May 28: Spartanburg American Legion Post 28 will host a reading of the names ceremony, which will begin at 1:30 p.m. with the service beginning at 2 p.m. at Veteran's Pointe Memorial Park, 94 W. Park Dr., Spartanburg.
∎Memorial Day Cookout - Monday, May 29 Ciclops Cyderi & Brewery will be open from 1-7 p.m. on Memorial Day. The brewery will have a special Memorial Day menu, live music from Bill and Tad's Excellent Duo and a cornhole tournament. Reservations are not required.
Anderson events
∎Memorial Day Murph, Sunday, May 28: Open to the community, AAYMCA CrossFit will be hosting its 8th Annual Memorial Day Murph. It will start at 7:45 a.m. and will feature DJ Kingdomatik, a cookout, social and after party at 10 a.m. The workout was named "Body Armour" by Navy Lieutenant Michael Murphy, who was killed in Afghanistan on June 28, 2005. It was also his favorite workout. The event will include numerous heat times throughout the morning and can be scaled or done as a team of two. The workout begins and ends with a one-mile run, with 100 pull-ups, 200 push-ups and 300 squats in between. "Murph" merch will be available for purchase, with proceeds going to Upstate Warrior Solution.
∎Big Water Marina Live Music with Rhonda Funk, Saturday, May 27: Enjoy a lakeside getaway at Lake Hartwell with live music from country singer Rhonda Funk, 2022 ISSA USA Entertainer of the Year. Music will play from 6-9 p.m. on the Big Water Marina & Campground at 320 Big Water Road in Starr. The marina offers cabin, pontoon and watercraft rentals and waterfront dining from J.R. Cash's Grill & Bar. Splash Island, a family-friendly water zone featuring a new Wibit inflatable obstacle course, is also available for kids. Reservations should be made prior to the busy Memorial Day weekend.
Nina Tran covers trending topics for the Greenville News. Reach her via email at ntran@gannett.com. | https://www.greenvilleonline.com/story/news/local/greenville/2023/05/24/memorial-day-weekend-activities-and-events-to-do-in-the-upstate-sc/70245280007/ | 2023-05-24T12:33:54 | 0 | https://www.greenvilleonline.com/story/news/local/greenville/2023/05/24/memorial-day-weekend-activities-and-events-to-do-in-the-upstate-sc/70245280007/ |
SAGINAW, Mich. (WJRT) - Saginaw police say a 78-year-old man reported missing for the second time this year was found safe again far from home.
Police say Turner Fife was last seen leaving his residence on the east side of Saginaw around 3 p.m. Monday. He was driving his burgundy Cadillac CTS with Michigan license plate EHC7887.
Investigators say Fife suffers from dementia.
The Saginaw Police Department says Fife was found safe in Jackson early Wednesday morning.
He also was reported missing last January. Authorities eventually found him in Charlevoix, where his vehicle ran out of gas. | https://www.abc12.com/news/local/saginaw-man-found-safe-far-from-home-for-second-time-this-year/article_3829dac0-f997-11ed-9394-cfaeafddcf7b.html | 2023-05-24T12:43:48 | 1 | https://www.abc12.com/news/local/saginaw-man-found-safe-far-from-home-for-second-time-this-year/article_3829dac0-f997-11ed-9394-cfaeafddcf7b.html |
Gerrymandering and “racial quotas” are forcing the city of Miami to redraw its voting map with different district boundaries, so said U.S. District Judge K. Michael Moore in an order issued Tuesday morning.
The legal directive comes in response to a lawsuit filed by community groups alleging racial gerrymandering by the city’s commissioners, who aimed to maintain the ethnic composition of the five-person board. Moore has instructed the city to collaborate with those groups – who are represented by attorneys from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) – to develop a new map within the next 30 days.
ACLU attorneys have expressed their readiness to present alternative maps soon after the court’s ruling to block the previously drawn 2022 map.
By accepting a federal magistrate judge’s recommendation, Moore acknowledged the city’s use of “racial quotas” in an attempt to ensure diversity on the board. The ACLU, representing the community groups, has pointed out specific public meetings where commissioners focused on preserving district boundaries that would maintain a board composition consisting of three Hispanic members, one Black member and one non-Hispanic white member, occupying a seat traditionally held by a commissioner of that background.
In anticipation of Moore’s ruling, commissioners had already discussed on May 11 the possibility of requesting alternative maps from their consultant. Commissioner Alex Díaz de la Portilla proposed the idea of abandoning single-member districts altogether and returning to at-large seats, where commissioners would be elected through citywide votes. Miami’s Black community and Christine King, the city’s only Black city commissioner, would have the most to lose in such a scenario, as outlined in last week’s Miami Times story, “Miami Commission delivers threat to erase diversity.”
The community groups involved in the lawsuit – including local branches of the NAACP, Engage Miami and Coconut Grove community group GRACE – accused the city of adopting an unconstitutional map after altering district boundaries in 2022. The city revisits district boundaries every 10 years following the U.S. Census to achieve equitable distribution of political representation.
The revision of district boundaries carries the potential to reshape the political landscape during this election year, as voters will select three commissioners representing various neighborhoods such as Allapattah, Flagami, Coconut Grove, Brickell and downtown Miami. King is not among those running for reelection. | https://www.miamitimesonline.com/news/local/miami-ordered-to-draw-new-voting-map/article_f5693e36-fa10-11ed-ba8b-13c8dd2ffe66.html | 2023-05-24T12:56:42 | 0 | https://www.miamitimesonline.com/news/local/miami-ordered-to-draw-new-voting-map/article_f5693e36-fa10-11ed-ba8b-13c8dd2ffe66.html |
Startling surveillance footage of the Florida Memorial University hit-and-run has recently been made public, capturing the heart-wrenching moment when two students were struck and killed in the Feb. 12 incident. The footage, released by the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office, sheds light on the events that unfolded, leading to the untimely deaths of 19-year-old Asiayanna Green and 18-year-old Shar’raiyah Story.
According to Miami Gardens Police officials, the footage reveals that the incident occurred around 11:30 p.m., when a silver Infiniti, traveling southbound on NW 42nd Avenue, collided with the two young women who were walking in the middle lane, also heading southbound. In the video, two vehicles can be seen passing by the victims before the devastating impact of the third vehicle.
The freshmen students tragically lost their lives at the scene. Following the collision, the driver abandoned the vehicle and fled on foot, but was later apprehended by authorities.
In a separate case development, Miami-Dade prosecutors have obtained a surveillance video that aided in identifying the driver involved in the hit-and-run crash. That video also captured the moment the Infiniti struck the two FMU students.
Witnesses reported that the driver exited the car and expressed confusion, asking, “What just hit me?” Subsequently, after fleeing the scene the driver removed his clothing and trespassed naked, prompting a witness to open fire and shoot him in the stomach. Police were able to track the driver a few blocks away from the crash using a police dog. The suspect, identified as Jerome Harrell, 35, is currently being held at the Metrowest Detention Center.
Prosecutors have filed a felony case against Harrell, charging him with six offenses related to the deaths of Green and Story. Records show that he has a history of traffic citations and previous arrests dating back to 2005, including charges of weapons possession, burglary, domestic violence, aggravated battery and driving without a license. Despite the arrests, most of the cases were dropped, and Harrell is not a convicted felon.
He is currently facing charges that include leaving the scene of a crash involving death, DUI manslaughter with failure to render aid and vehicular homicide with failure to stop. Pretrial hearings for the case are scheduled for July, with Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Michelle A. Delancy presiding.
The FMU community continues to mourn the loss of Green and Story as the investigation and legal proceedings unfold. Their tragic deaths serve as a reminder of the importance of accountability and responsible actions on the road to prevent such devastating incidents from occurring in the future. | https://www.miamitimesonline.com/news/local/video-released-of-hit-and-run-that-killed-florida-memorial-students/article_48cd08a0-f9a8-11ed-bc78-5fc09d141e6e.html | 2023-05-24T12:56:48 | 0 | https://www.miamitimesonline.com/news/local/video-released-of-hit-and-run-that-killed-florida-memorial-students/article_48cd08a0-f9a8-11ed-bc78-5fc09d141e6e.html |
Richmond police are investigating a death on the edge of Carytown Tuesday night.
Officers responded to the 2800 block of Ellwood Avenue around 7:15 p.m. Tuesday after reports that a person was down.
The victim, an adult male, has not yet been identified.
This is a developing story that will be updated when more information is made available.
This morning's top headlines: Wednesday, May 24
Lawyers for Donald Trump have asked for a meeting with Attorney General Merrick Garland as a Justice Department investigation into the former president’s handling of classified documents shows signs of winding down. In the Tuesday letter, which Trump posted on his Truth Social platform, attorneys John Rowley and James Trusty assert that Trump is “being treated unfairly” and ask for a meeting to discuss “the ongoing injustice that is being perpetrated by your Special Counsel and his prosecutors.” Agents and prosecutors have interviewed a broad cross-section of witnesses, including attorneys for Trump, former White House officials and other close aides.
Donald Trump has made a video appearance in a New York courtroom, where the judge tentatively scheduled the former president’s criminal trial for March 25. That date that would fall in the heat of the presidential primary season. Trump had pleaded not guilty last month to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records at his family company, the Trump Organization. Trump glowered at the camera Tuesday as New York Judge Juan Manuel Merchan advised him to cancel all other obligations for the duration of the trial, which could last for several weeks. Trump has portrayed the New York case and the other investigations he faces as a coordinated effort to sully his reelection chances.
Debt ceiling negotiations are locked on a classic problem that has vexed Washington before: Republicans led by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy want to roll back federal government spending, while President Joe Biden and other Democrats do not. Time is short to strike a deal before a deadline as soon as June 1, when the Treasury says the government risks running out of cash to pay its bills. Negotiators are to reconvene Wednesday. McCarthy is rejecting a White House counter-offer to freeze spending instead of cutting it as the two sides try to strike a budget deal in exchange for a vote to raise the government's borrowing limit.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is set to launch his 2024 presidential campaign on Wednesday. The 44-year-old Republican governor is an outspoken cultural conservative and long seen as Donald Trump’s leading rival for the Republican nomination. He plans to announce his decision in an online conversation with Twitter CEO Elon Musk. The audio-only event will be streamed on Twitter Spaces beginning at 6 p.m. EDT. DeSantis will join a crowded Republican contest to decide whether the party will move on from Trump in 2024 as it works to retake the White House from President Joe Biden.
1st seditious conspiracy sentences in Jan. 6 attack to be handed down for Rhodes, other Oath Keepers
Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes and members of his extremist group will be the first Jan. 6 defendants sentenced for seditious conspiracy in a series of hearings beginning this week that could forecast the punishments coming for top Proud Boys leaders convicted of the same charge. The hearings will begin on Wednesday, when prosecutors and defense lawyers are expected to argue over sentencing issues and begin hearing victim impact statements. Rhodes and Florida chapter leader Kelly Meggs will receive their sentences on Thursday and six more Oath Keepers will be sentenced later this week and next.
The South Carolina Senate has approved a bill that would ban most abortions after around six weeks of pregnancy, sending the bill to the governor who has promised to sign it. The proposal passed on Tuesday restores the ban South Carolina had in place when the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last year. That ban was overturned by the state’s highest court because it violated the state Constitution’s right to privacy. Republicans have been searching for an answer to that ruling because it left abortion legal through 22 weeks of pregnancy and sharply increased the number of abortions taking place in South Carolina as most other Southern states enacted stricter laws.
Texas would set new standards and ratings for sexually explicit material in order to ban books from public and charter school libraries, under a bill given final passage by the state Senate late Tuesday night and sent to Republican Gov. Greg Abbott. The Texas move is the latest attempt to ban or regulate reading material in conservative states around the country. Critics say the standards set in the Texas bill are too vague and worry that books dealing with LGBTQ+ subject matter are more likely to be targeted and banned.
Montana is now the first state to specifically ban people dressed in drag from reading books to children at public schools and libraries. The law took effect immediately after Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte signed the bill on Monday. Bills in Florida and Tennessee also appear to try to ban these events, but both states' measures apply to performances that are sexual in nature. Montana's law — while it defines such an event as one hosted by a drag king or queen who reads children's books to minors — does not require the even include a sexual element to be banned. Lambda Legal says that makes Montana's law the first to specifically ban drag reading events.
New York's mayor has asked a judge to allow the city to set aside its long-standing “right to shelter” mandate. Mayor Eric Adams said in a statement Tuesday that officials can no longer house every homeless person because of the arrival of tens of thousands of international migrants. The right to shelter has been in place for more than four decades, after a court in 1981 required the city to provide temporary shelter for every homeless person who asks for it. But with the arrival of 70,000 asylum seekers since last spring, the city has been challenged to find room for all those in need of a temporary roof and bed.
A North Carolina redistricting ruling has set up a possible electoral windfall for congressional Republicans in preserving their U.S. House majority next year, declaring that judges should stay out of scrutinizing seat boundaries for partisan advantage. Experts say four Democratic incumbents are vulnerable when state legislators draw a new map later this year. The state’s highest court in late April threw out a 2022 Democratic ruling against partisan gerrymandering. The Republican-controlled General Assembly now plans to redraw those districts for 2024 elections. Litigation involving congressional maps in states such as Alabama, Louisiana, Georgia, Ohio and Texas could also rework district lines and alter the 2024 electoral map.
The National Weather Service says Typhoon Mawar has barreled into Guam as a powerful Category 4 storm. It is pummeling the U.S. Pacific territory with high winds, heavy rains and a dangerous storm surge swamping low-lying areas as residents hunker down in homes and shelters. The National Weather Service says the typhoon passed over the northern tip of Guam on Wednesday evening. The weather service earlier warned of a “triple threat” of winds, torrential rains and life-threatening storm surge. Officials were bracing for “considerable damage” including non-reinforced concrete walls being blown down, fuel storage tanks rupturing and overturned cars.
The head of the Russian private army Wagner says his force lost more than 20,000 soldiers in the drawn-out battle for Bakhmut, with about 20% of the 50,000 Russian convicts he recruited to fight in the 15-month war dying in the eastern Ukrainian city. The figure was in stark contrast with claims from Moscow that it lost just over 6,000 troops in the war. It is also higher than the official estimate of the Soviet losses in the Afghanistan war of 15,000 troops between 1979-89. Ukraine hasn’t said how many of its soldiers have died since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022. Analysts believe the nine-month fight for Bakhmut alone have cost the lives of tens of thousands of soldiers.
Jayson Tatum scored 33 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, Jaylen Brown added 17 points and the Boston Celtics staved off elimination in the Eastern Conference finals by running away in the second half to beat the Miami Heat 116-99 in Game 4 on Tuesday night. Derrick White had 16 points, Grant Williams scored 14, Al Horford added 12 and Marcus Smart scored 11 for the Celtics, who still trail the series 3-1 — but sent it back to Boston for a Game 5 on Thursday. Jimmy Butler scored 29 for Miami, which led by nine in the second half before getting outscored 48-22 in a 14-minute stretch that turned the game and perhaps the series completely around.
Jonathan Marchessault and the Vegas Golden Knights are one more win from reaching another Stanley Cup Final. Marchessault had the first of three goals in the game's first 7 1/2 minutes for Vegas in a 4-0 win over the Dallas Stars to take a 3-0 series lead in Western Conference Final. Game 4 is Thursday night. The Knights are looking to advance to their second Cup final in the franchise's six seasons. Adin Hill stopped 34 shots for his first career playoff shutout. The Knights knocked Jake Oettinger out with three goals on their first five shots. | https://richmond.com/news/local/crime-courts/richmond-police-death-investigation-ellwood-avenue/article_920e55ce-fa29-11ed-852f-071cd9dbff30.html | 2023-05-24T12:58:02 | 1 | https://richmond.com/news/local/crime-courts/richmond-police-death-investigation-ellwood-avenue/article_920e55ce-fa29-11ed-852f-071cd9dbff30.html |
ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – Pat Williams, as president and co-founder of Orlando City Baseball Dreamers, LLC, is expected to pitch a plan Wednesday to the Orange County Tourist Development Tax Citizen Advisory Task Force promising Orlando’s own MLB team and stadium.
Williams makes the effort nearly 40 years after helping bring the Orlando Magic into focus as the NBA team’s co-founder. What he’s got in mind this time is a $1.7 billion, 45,000-fan capacity baseball stadium that would be built on International Drive, just north of Aquatica.
“These are very, very interesting and tender times as we go before the Orange County commission requesting $975 million to build this unique ballpark that- nobody’s ever seen the likes of it. We would have to raise $700 million privately, and in the history of baseball that’s never been done,” Williams recently told News 6′s Justin Warmoth on “The Weekly.” “The mandate I got four years ago by Mayor Demings was ‘It’s got to be a state-of-the-art ballpark so that tourists would want to visit it even if there’s no ballgame,’ that’s why this price has gotten up to a billion seven, which is stunning, no ballpark’s ever cost that much, but it’s got to be state-of-the-art.”
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Hoping that close-to $1 billion comes from the county’s TDT tax dollars, Williams added he’s had to address misunderstandings of what those dollars are meant to be used for.
“This money is directed totally towards tourism issues. That means convention centers and sports facilities and promotion of tourism, it cannot be earmarked to the homeless and the highways and teachers’ salaries, I see that all the time, that doesn’t come from this money. It’s a state law, and so I want to make sure everybody understands we’re not taking money away from these needy causes, that’s not the case, and so we’ve got to convince that commission that by doing this you’re adding something brand new that would elevate Orlando,” Williams said. “It’s not doing repairs at the Citrus Bowl, it’s not adding some cleanup or whatever at the Amway Center, it’s not a new sports venue at UCF — I’ve seen all the requests, ours is the only one that takes our area and elevates it into an international thrust, I mean, big league baseball’s a big deal.”
The task force will meet at 9 a.m. at the County Administration Building on South Rosalind Avenue, according to a news release.
Get today’s headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily: | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2023/05/24/orlando-mlb-hopefuls-pitch-plan-for-orange-county-tourist-tax-dollars/ | 2023-05-24T13:04:49 | 1 | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2023/05/24/orlando-mlb-hopefuls-pitch-plan-for-orange-county-tourist-tax-dollars/ |
A furious fire that consumed multiple vehicles under one of the city's elevated subway tracks wreaked abject havoc in the Bronx Wednesday, impacting nearly a half-dozen lines and leaving a charred catastrophe on the street.
Reports of the fire on Dyre Avenue and Light Street in Eastchester, right by the station serving the No. 5 line, came in shortly before 6 a.m. Wednesday. Service in the immediate area was suspended for about an hour, as firefighters combatted intense flames and MTA crews performed a track inspection to ensure they didn't sustain damage.
Service on the No. 5 line was restored by about 7 a.m., though delays were expected through the morning rush. Get real-time transit updates from all your key commute sources here.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
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Dramatic footage captured a scene more reflective of a post-apocalyptic fit to "End of Days" than a regular Wednesday sunrise in New York City.
One witness, Sydney Guntley, says his work vehicle, his personal vehicle and his brother's car were completely destroyed. He went to open his front door when he heard an odd rumble and just "saw orange."
No injuries were immediately reported. The investigation is ongoing. | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/bronx-fire-causes-5-train-service-problems-today-in-eastchester-mta-subway-says/4361839/ | 2023-05-24T13:09:07 | 0 | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/bronx-fire-causes-5-train-service-problems-today-in-eastchester-mta-subway-says/4361839/ |
TROY — Attorneys representing all parties in court action involving the Tavern building in Troy’s downtown historic district said Tuesday they are working toward “a mutually beneficial and global resolution” to legal issues surrounding the building.
The statement was released a couple of hours after the office of Miami County Common Pleas Court Judge Stacy Wall said a hearing scheduled for Wednesday was being vacated.
That hearing was to focus on the north parapet wall of the building at 112-118 W. Main St., which has portions dating to the 1840s.
Repairs to that wall are a current focus as the city of Troy works to ensure that the building, whose structural integrity is being debated, is safe enough for adjacent roadwork to proceed on the city’s multimillion-dollar Main Street reconstruction project.
“All parties hope to announce a “win-win” agreement in the next few weeks. Please be respectful of all parties as they work earnestly toward a resolution of this matter,” the statement said.
The building was damaged in a January 2020 tornado that hit downtown Troy.
The sidewalk and parking in front of the building, located just west of the Public Square, has been blocked since that time. Barriers were moved into one lane of traffic recently because of questions about the building’s condition following another storm with high winds this spring.
A proposal by building owner 116 West Main, Randy Kimmel, to demolish the building has been controversial and led to multiple court actions.
The court of appeals this spring upheld Wall’s ruling in fall 2022 that overturned a city board’s approval of the demolition, saying city codes were not followed in the decision.
The Miami County Building Department this spring issued an adjudication order stating the building was unsafe and posed a safety hazard. A few days later, building owners started demolition of a garage dating to the 1930s, at the rear of the building. The removal was halted within hours by court order.
The County Building Department later changed its order from calling the Tavern unsafe, to saying it needed repair following review of structural reports submitted by the city of Troy and Evil Empire LLC, who are parties opposing demolition. However, the department again changed its adjudication order May 9 after reviewing another structural engineer’s report on the building from its owner.
Other hearings have been scheduled then delayed or canceled. Since late last week, more than a half dozen motions and supporting information had been filed by the parties with the court.
About the Author | https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/local/bickering-sides-in-troy-tavern-building-dispute-may-be-nearing-resolution/BREM7VTL7NG5NJXHXW2E5PCNAM/ | 2023-05-24T13:13:15 | 0 | https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/local/bickering-sides-in-troy-tavern-building-dispute-may-be-nearing-resolution/BREM7VTL7NG5NJXHXW2E5PCNAM/ |
A group of Ohio Republicans including some local lawmakers introduced a “bathroom bill” Tuesday, attempting to legislate which bathrooms students are allowed to use in schools and universities.
The legislation adds Ohio to a growing list of states that have, or are considering, legislation that would ban transgender people from using bathrooms that correspond to their gender identity and instead require them to use the bathroom that corresponds to their biological sex.
Introduced as House Bill 183, the proposed law would ban “biological females” from using student restrooms, locker rooms, changing rooms, or shower rooms that have been designated by schools as a boys’ bathroom, and vice versa.
Local lawmakers listed as cosponsors of the bill include Republican Reps. Bill Dean of Xenia, Jennifer Gross of West Chester, Thomas Hall of Madison Twp., and Bernie Willis of Springfield.
Relatedly, House lawmakers are still considering House Bill 68, a piece of legislation that would prevent transgender minors from receiving gender-affirming healthcare.
About the Author | https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/local/local-reps-among-statehouse-group-behind-new-school-bathroom-bill/QN64QQSVEZB2RGBTWN7T2DUHFU/ | 2023-05-24T13:13:22 | 0 | https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/local/local-reps-among-statehouse-group-behind-new-school-bathroom-bill/QN64QQSVEZB2RGBTWN7T2DUHFU/ |
As part of a business acquisition, the Scene 75 building on Poe Avenue has sold for $16.25 million, new Montgomery County property records show.
Two limited liability companies were involved in the transaction, with Poeave 6196 — the LLC for JDS Commercial Holdings — selling the 162,000-square-foot structure at 6196 Poe Ave. to Realty Income Properties 28 LLC. Records show the sale happened Tuesday.
The sale should be no surprise. Last week, Branson, Mo.-based Five Star Parks & Attractions, an operator of family entertainment centers, announced it now owns the Scene 75 indoor entertainment centers, including the one at 6196 Poe Ave. in Vandalia.
Five Star acquired all five Scene 75 locations in Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland and Columbus, in addition to the local location.
With the acquisition, Five Star expands its portfolio to 25 family entertainment centers in 12 states.
“We are pleased to welcome Scene 75 to the growing Five Star Parks family,” John Dunlap, Five Star chief executive, said in a release. “We have long admired Scene 75′s commitment to providing high-quality, innovative entertainment experiences for families and are excited to continue that tradition.”
County records put the building in the Vandalia city tax district and in the Butler City Schools district.
About the Author | https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/local/new-details-scene-75-building-sells-for-1625-million/W46MGWRIZZEXVMZZJQLXYPLZXQ/ | 2023-05-24T13:13:28 | 1 | https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/local/new-details-scene-75-building-sells-for-1625-million/W46MGWRIZZEXVMZZJQLXYPLZXQ/ |
Ohio needs to improve its teaching programs to better teach young children to read, a recent Fordham Institute report says, as the state continues to focus on third-grade reading as a key marker toward success.
According to the report, only 44% of elementary teachers in Ohio graduated from a school that received an A or B in a recent review completed by Fordham that scored elementary teacher prep programs at Ohio universities.
The report comes as Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine pushes state legislators to require K-12 schools to use specific teaching practices — methods that would incorporate more phonics and skills to learn how to read. The debate comes as the Ohio Statehouse is working to finalize the two-year budget by June 30.
In addition, the state hopes to make improvement with a larger-than-normal set of elementary school students who didn’t sufficiently learn vital reading skills during the pandemic and are now behind.
In the 2021-2022 school year, 59.8% of third-grade students tested proficient in reading, according to state exam results, while in the 2018-2019 school year — the last one before the pandemic — 66.7% of third graders tested proficient in reading.
Students in poverty, or who are Black or Hispanic, were impacted even more according to the data, as were students who do not speak English as their first language.
“Far too many students in Ohio aren’t learning to read,” said Heather Peske, president of the National Council on Teacher Quality, a Fordham program that conducted the study.
The study reviewed 26 Ohio undergraduate and graduate teacher prep programs in elementary-school reading. Miami University and the University of Dayton were included.
Fordham gave A’s to programs that covered five components of reading and did not use contrary practices, but programs were rated poorly that inadequately incorporated reading science into their coursework and may also promote multiple contrary practices, according to Fordham.
Fordham gave the University of Dayton an “A” for its use of phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension in the study. In contrast, Miami University was given an “F.” Wright State and Central State were given B’s.
“The faculty in our reading program are knowledgeable and skilled in preparing our teacher candidates to teach reading according to the most up-to-date and relevant research in the field,” said Mary-Kate Sableski, an associate professor and the reading program coordinator in UD’s Department of Teacher Education.
Miami University did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The study’s recommendations for improving elementary reading programs included updating teacher standards, changing the way colleges and university programs are reviewed and creating consequences for colleges that do not pass, using the Ohio Department of Education approved materials, and adding support for existing teachers’ continuing education.
Elizabeth Lolli, superintendent of Dayton Public Schools, said at a press conference announcing the report that she has long been an advocate of using the five reading components. She used to quiz teachers in interviews about the five pillars but said eventually word got around and it was clear when a teacher being interviewed didn’t know what they were talking about.
She said the state needs to make sure materials approved do not interfere with the work that teachers are doing.
“It’s time that the state of Ohio embraces the idea and that we support it through the research, the continued research, and continued evaluation of everything that we’re trying to do here,” Lolli said.
Rep. Tom Young, R-Washington Twp., said Ohio trails too many other states when it comes to the intellectual capital of its residents. A key path to fixing that is investing in higher education, and to get to college, you have to learn to read.
“I keep stating this: higher education, the next level of education in Ohio, is a huge economic engine for us,” he said.
Teacher prep program grades
A: Dayton, Findlay, Marietta, Mount St. Joe, Ohio U., Rio Grande, Youngstown State
B: Akron, Bowling Green, Central State, Ohio State (undergrad), Wright State
C: Wilmington
D: Cleveland State (undergrad and grad), Kent State (undergrad), Ohio State (grad), Shawnee State, Toledo (undergrad), Wittenberg
F: Ashland (undergrad and grad), Defiance, Kent State (grad), Miami, Toledo (grad)
Source: National Council on Teacher Quality, Fordham Institute
About the Author | https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/local/report-ohio-colleges-not-good-enough-at-preparing-teachers-to-teach-reading/O4WRGVCEXJA23PLGJRY7Y7ILKA/ | 2023-05-24T13:13:32 | 1 | https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/local/report-ohio-colleges-not-good-enough-at-preparing-teachers-to-teach-reading/O4WRGVCEXJA23PLGJRY7Y7ILKA/ |
A California man was nabbed Tuesday afternoon along a nearby stretch of Interstate 65 with more than 230 pounds of marijuana, Lake County Sheriff Oscar Martinez Jr. said.
Henry Anthony Sandoval, 35, claimed during the traffic stop just south of Lowell that he was helping a friend move from Chicago to Indianapolis, Martinez said.
St. John Police CIT Officer Dustin Wartman is trained in mental health intervention.
"He told the officer he'd flown to Chicago and rented the vehicle to help his friend move, but he could not give the officer logical responses when asked about which area of Chicago his friend lived in or the area where he was moving," the sheriff said.
"The officer observed the driver become very nervous when speaking about the boxes inside the vehicle."
Based on inconsistencies in Sandoval's story, a Winfield narcotics dog was brought to the site and alerted officers to the large amount of marijuana in the boxes, Martinez said. An undisclosed amount of cash was also found.
A Lake County officer, working as part of the department's highway interdiction team, said he stopped the white minivan in the southbound lanes of the highway around 1:30 p.m. Tuesday after seeing it switch lanes in an unsafe manner.
The system has also proved useful in other offenses such as auto theft and leaving the scene of a crash, and in warrant arrests.
Sandoval, of Alameda, California, was arrested and taken to the Newton County jail, Martinez said. He faces a charge of possession with intent to distribute.
The highway interdiction team routinely patrols area expressways looking for those transporting illegal weapons, drugs, currency obtained through crimes and other contraband, Martinez said.
"To those who would commit these crimes and travel through Lake County, let me be clear: We are looking for you," the sheriff said. "We will find you and bring you to justice."
Gallery: Recent arrests booked into Lake County Jail
Domynic Yerger
Age : 37
Residence: Crown Point, IN
Booking Number(s): 2304493
Arrest Date: May 12, 2023
Arresting Agency: Lake County Sheriff's Department
Offense Description: FRAUD - DECEPTION - IDENTITY
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Shanna Taylor
Age : 34
Residence: Calumet City, IL
Booking Number(s): 2304512
Arrest Date: May 12, 2023
Arresting Agency: Merrillville Police Department
Offense Description: FAMILY OFFENSE- NEGLECT OF DEPENDANT/CHILD VIOLATIONS
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Damon Wade
Age : 52
Residence: Gary, IN
Booking Number(s): 2304496
Arrest Date: May 12, 2023
Arresting Agency: N/A
Offense Description: DEALING - COCAINE OR NARCOTIC DRUG
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Nicholas Sanchez
Age : 43
Residence: Hobart, IN
Booking Number(s): 2304503
Arrest Date: May 12, 2023
Arresting Agency: Lake County Sheriff's Department
Offense Description: FRAUD - FORGERY
Highest Offense Class: Felony
John Smith Jr.
Age : 43
Residence: Crown Point, IN
Booking Number(s): 2304495
Arrest Date: May 12, 2023
Arresting Agency: Lake County Sheriff's Department
Offense Description: DOMESTIC BATTERY - SIMPLE
Highest Offense Class: Felony
George Stevens
Age : 32
Residence: Gary, IN
Booking Number(s): 2304519
Arrest Date: May 13, 2023
Arresting Agency: Lake County Sheriff's Department
Offense Description: RESISTING LAW ENFORCEMENT DEFENDANT USES A VEHICLE
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Aaron Rawls
Age : 39
Residence: Chicago, IL
Booking Number(s): 2304494
Arrest Date: May 12, 2023
Arresting Agency: N/A
Offense Description: MOTOR VEHICLE THEFT
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Ronald Robinson III
Age : 35
Residence: Hammond, IN
Booking Number(s): 2304513
Arrest Date: May 12, 2023
Arresting Agency: Hammond Police Department
Offense Description: INTIMIDATION; OWI
Highest Offense Class: Felony; Misdemeanor
Dakota Ruel
Age : 29
Residence: Highland, IN
Booking Number(s): 2304510
Arrest Date: May 12, 2023
Arresting Agency: Highland Police Department
Offense Description: BURGLARY - PROPERTY - RESIDENTIAL ENTRY - BREAKING AND ENTERING
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Juan Salas
Age : 44
Residence: Chicago, IL
Booking Number(s): 2304522
Arrest Date: May 13, 2023
Arresting Agency: Dyer Police Department
Offense Description: OWI
Highest Offense Class: Misdemeanor
Michael Murray
Age : 35
Residence: Hammond, IN
Booking Number(s): 2304499
Arrest Date: May 12, 2023
Arresting Agency: Lake County Sheriff's Office
Offense Description: DEALING - METHAMPHETAMINE
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Alex Marion III
Age : 20
Residence: Hammond, IN
Booking Number(s): 2304498
Arrest Date: May 12, 2023
Arresting Agency: Hammond Police Department
Offense Description: CRIMINAL RECKLESSNESS - AGGRAVATED - W/DEADLY WEAPON (SOCIETY IS VICTIM)
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Crystal McLain
Age : 48
Residence: Gary, IN
Booking Number(s): 2304507
Arrest Date: May 12, 2023
Arresting Agency: Gary Police Department
Offense Description: DEALING - COCAINE OR NARCOTIC DRUG; DEALING - COUNTERFEIT SUBSTANCE
Highest Offense Class: Felonies
Maria Hoyo
Age : 55
Residence: Lake Station, IN
Booking Number(s): 2304501
Arrest Date: May 12, 2023
Arresting Agency: Dyer Police Department
Offense Description: OPERATING A VEHICLE AFTER DRIVING PRIVILEGES ARE SUSPENDED
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Paris Hewlett
Age : 20
Residence: Hammond, IN
Booking Number(s): 2304515
Arrest Date: May 12, 2023
Arresting Agency: Hammond Police Department
Offense Description: DOMESTIC BATTERY - AGGRAVATED - AGAINST A PREGNANT PERSON
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Joseph Coleman
Age : 36
Residence: Valparaiso, IN
Booking Number(s): 2304502
Arrest Date: May 12, 2023
Arresting Agency: LCCC
Offense Description: POSSESSION - FIREARM - BY A FELON; THEFT - PROPERTY - SHOPLIFTING - < $750; OPERATING A VEHICLE AFTER DRIVING PRIVILEGES ARE SUSPENDED
Highest Offense Class: Felonies
Brandon Dubose
Age : 24
Residence: Schererville, IN
Booking Number(s): 2304504
Arrest Date: May 12, 2023
Arresting Agency: Lake County Sheriff's Department
Offense Description: SEXUAL BATTERY
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Diana Enriquez
Age : 21
Residence: East Chicago, IN
Booking Number(s): 2304492
Arrest Date: May 12, 2023
Arresting Agency: Munster Police Department
Offense Description: OWI
Highest Offense Class: Misdemeanor
Jessica Hermosillo
Age : 30
Residence: Cedar Lake, IN
Booking Number(s): 2304511
Arrest Date: May 12, 2023
Arresting Agency: Cedar Lake Police Department
Offense Description: DOMESTIC BATTERY - SIMPLE
Highest Offense Class: Misdemeanor
Erich Boone
Age : 46
Residence: Gary, IN
Booking Number(s): 2304509
Arrest Date: May 12, 2023
Arresting Agency: Lake County Sheriff's Office
Offense Description: SEX OFFENDER REGISTRATION VIOLATION
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Dwayne Smith
Age : 59
Residence: Gary, IN
Booking Number(s): 2304533
Arrest Date: May 13, 2023
Arresting Agency: Gary Police Department
Offense Description: DOMESTIC BATTERY - SIMPLE
Highest Offense Class: Misdemeanor
Javante Toran
Age : 30
Residence: East Chicago, IN
Booking Number(s): 2304551
Arrest Date: May 13, 2023
Arresting Agency: Indiana State Police
Offense Description: OWI
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Michael Williams Jr.
Age : 49
Residence: East Chicago, IN
Booking Number(s): 2304543
Arrest Date: May 13, 2023
Arresting Agency: East Chicago Police Department
Offense Description: RESISTING LAW ENFORCEMENT - FORCIBLY RESISTING
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Vandana Pagany
Age : 49
Residence: Hinsdale, IL
Booking Number(s): 2304539
Arrest Date: May 13, 2023
Arresting Agency: Lake County Sheriff's Department
Offense Description: PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION - PERJURY
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Matthew Parker
Age : 38
Residence: Lowell, IN
Booking Number(s): 2304554
Arrest Date: May 14, 2023
Arresting Agency: St. John Police Department
Offense Description: POSSESSION - METHAMPHETAMINE
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Daniel Rosario
Age : 49
Residence: Gary, IN
Booking Number(s): 2304537
Arrest Date: May 13, 2023
Arresting Agency: Schererville Police Department
Offense Description: THEFT - PROPERTY - FROM BUILDING - $750 TO $50,000
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Obaid Shafiq
Age : 45
Residence: Hinsdale, IL
Booking Number(s): 2304540
Arrest Date: May 13, 2023
Arresting Agency: Lake County Sheriff's Department
Offense Description: FRAUD - FORGERY
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Paul Newlin
Age : 54
Residence: Hammond, IN
Booking Number(s): 2304528
Arrest Date: May 13, 2023
Arresting Agency: Lake County Sheriff's Department
Offense Description: OWI
Highest Offense Class: Misdemeanor
Pablito Madera II
Age : 37
Residence: East Chicago, IN
Booking Number(s): 2304546
Arrest Date: May 13, 2023
Arresting Agency: Crown Point Police Department
Offense Description: DOMESTIC BATTERY - AGGRAVATED - SERIOUS BODILY INJURY
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Anthony Manson Jr.
Age : 32
Residence: Gary, IN
Booking Number(s): 2304541
Arrest Date: May 13, 2023
Arresting Agency: Hammond Police Department
Offense Description: RESISTING - INTERFERING WITH PUBLIC SAFETY
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Willie McGee
Age : 36
Residence: Gary, IN
Booking Number(s): 2304564
Arrest Date: May 14, 2023
Arresting Agency: Indiana State Police
Offense Description: OWI
Highest Offense Class: Misdemeanor
Donna Jackson
Age : 37
Residence: Aurora, IL
Booking Number(s): 2304538
Arrest Date: May 13, 2023
Arresting Agency: Highland Police Department
Offense Description: FAMILY OFFENSE- INVASION OF PRIVACY
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Jocelyn James
Age : 25
Residence: Gary, IN
Booking Number(s): 2304548
Arrest Date: May 13, 2023
Arresting Agency: Gary Police Department
Offense Description: THEFT - VEHICLE - MOTOR VEHICLE - CONVERSION - UNAUTHORIZED CONTROL
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Kamika Harrell
Age : 29
Residence: Sauk Village, IL
Booking Number(s): 2304534
Arrest Date: May 13, 2023
Arresting Agency: Lake County Sheriff's Department
Offense Description: FRAUD - OBTAINING PROPERTY - BY CREDIT CARD
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Angel Bousono Jr.
Age : 52
Residence: Hammond, IN
Booking Number(s): 2304563
Arrest Date: May 14, 2023
Arresting Agency: Hammond Police Department
Offense Description: OWI
Highest Offense Class: Misdemeanor
Kenyatta Branch
Age : 27
Residence: Chicago, IL
Booking Number(s): 2304535
Arrest Date: May 13, 2023
Arresting Agency: Lake County Sheriff's Department
Offense Description: DOMESTIC BATTERY - SIMPLE - AGAINST ENDANGERED ADULT
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Derrick Daniel
Age : 54
Residence: East Chicago, IN
Booking Number(s): 2304545
Arrest Date: May 13, 2023
Arresting Agency: East Chicago Police Department
Offense Description: ORGANIZED THEFT
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Rodney Allen Jr.
Age : 42
Residence: Merrillville, IN
Booking Number(s): 2304558
Arrest Date: May 14, 2023
Arresting Agency: New Chicago Police Department
Offense Description: OWI
Highest Offense Class: Misdemeanor
Cesar Torres
Age : 52
Residence: East Chicago, IN
Booking Number(s): 2304569
Arrest Date: May 14, 2023
Arresting Agency: East Chicago Police Department
Offense Description: DOMESTIC BATTERY - AGGRAVATED - MODERATE BODILY INJURY
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Michael Toy
Age : 65
Residence: East Chicago, IN
Booking Number(s): 2304572
Arrest Date: May 14, 2023
Arresting Agency: Hammond Police Department
Offense Description: OWI
Highest Offense Class: Misdemeanor
Roman Martinez
Age : 39
Residence: Dyer, IN
Booking Number(s): 2304581
Arrest Date: May 15, 2023
Arresting Agency: Dyer Police Department
Offense Description: DOMESTIC BATTERY - SIMPLE - PRESENCE OF CHILD < 16 YEARS OLD
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Lori Minyard
Age : 60
Residence: Munster, IN
Booking Number(s): 2304576
Arrest Date: May 14, 2023
Arresting Agency: Schererville Police Department
Offense Description: OWI
Highest Offense Class: Misdemeanor
Jeremy Lewis
Age : 32
Residence: Chicago, IL
Booking Number(s): 2304579
Arrest Date: May 14, 2023
Arresting Agency: Hammond Police Department
Offense Description: DOMESTIC BATTERY - SIMPLE - PRESENCE OF CHILD < 16 YEARS OLD
Highest Offense Class: Felony
David Keck
Age : 36
Residence: Crown Point, IN
Booking Number(s): 2304573
Arrest Date: May 14, 2023
Arresting Agency: Lowell Police Department
Offense Description: DOMESTIC BATTERY - SIMPLE
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Samantha Hellems
Age : 30
Residence: East Chicago, IN
Booking Number(s): 2304571
Arrest Date: May 14, 2023
Arresting Agency: Lake County Sheriff's Department
Offense Description: POSSESSION - COCAINE OR NARCOTIC DRUG
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Darius Herron
Age : 30
Residence: Markham, IL
Booking Number(s): 2304567
Arrest Date: May 14, 2023
Arresting Agency: Highland Police Department
Offense Description: DOMESTIC BATTERY - SIMPLE
Highest Offense Class: Misdemeanor
Michael Flores
Age : 36
Residence: Hobart, IN
Booking Number(s): 2304574
Arrest Date: May 14, 2023
Arresting Agency: New Chicago Police Department
Offense Description: DOMESTIC BATTERY - SIMPLE
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Nariana Williams
Age : 23
Residence: Gary, IN
Booking Number(s): 2304611
Arrest Date: May 15, 2023
Arresting Agency: Lake County Sheriff's Department
Offense Description: BATTERY - SIMPLE - TOUCH W/NO INJURY
Highest Offense Class: Misdemeanor
Chad Shaw
Age : 29
Residence: Chesterton, IN
Booking Number(s): 2304591
Arrest Date: May 15, 2023
Arresting Agency: Lake County Sheriff's Department
Offense Description: OPERATING A VEHICLE AFTER DRIVING PRIVILEGES ARE SUSPENDED
Highest Offense Class: Felony
John Vann
Age : 28
Residence: South Haven, IN
Booking Number(s): 2304589
Arrest Date: May 15, 2023
Arresting Agency: Lake County Sheriff's Department
Offense Description: OWI
Highest Offense Class: Misdemeanor
Ricardo Vela
Age : 22
Residence: East Chicago, IN
Booking Number(s): 2304583
Arrest Date: May 15, 2023
Arresting Agency: Whiting Police Department
Offense Description: BATTERY - AGGRAVATED - W/INJURY
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Justin Neely
Age : 28
Residence: Gary, IN
Booking Number(s): 2304594
Arrest Date: May 15, 2023
Arresting Agency: East Chicago Police Department
Offense Description: THEFT - PROPERTY - POCKET-PICKING - < $750
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Trendarious Peterson Mosley
Age : 22
Residence: East Chicago, IN
Booking Number(s): 2304595
Arrest Date: May 15, 2023
Arresting Agency: East Chicago Police Department
Offense Description: DOMESTIC BATTERY - SIMPLE
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Keandrea Robinson
Age : 34
Residence: Calumet City, IL
Booking Number(s): 2304596
Arrest Date: May 15, 2023
Arresting Agency: Lake County Sheriff's Department
Offense Description: THEFT - PROPERTY - SHOPLIFTING - < $750
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Bailey Llamas
Age : 28
Residence: Griffith, IN
Booking Number(s): 2304609
Arrest Date: May 15, 2023
Arresting Agency: Gary Police Department
Offense Description: ROBBERY; POSSESS HYPODERMIC SYRINGE OR NEEDLE
Highest Offense Class: Felonies
Anthony Hardesty-Berry
Age : 34
Residence: Gary, IN
Booking Number(s): 2304587
Arrest Date: May 15, 2023
Arresting Agency: Lake County Sheriff's Department
Offense Description: DOMESTIC BATTERY - SIMPLE
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Hope Horn
Age : 49
Residence: Michigan City, IN
Booking Number(s): 2304588
Arrest Date: May 15, 2023
Arresting Agency: Lake County Sheriff's Department
Offense Description: OWI
Highest Offense Class: Felony
James Lenoir-Williams
Age : 30
Residence: Hammond, IN
Booking Number(s): 2304600
Arrest Date: May 15, 2023
Arresting Agency: Lake County Sheriff's Department
Offense Description: ROBBERY
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Cristina Galka
Age : 31
Residence: Hobart, IN
Booking Number(s): 2304614
Arrest Date: May 15, 2023
Arresting Agency: Hammond Police Department
Offense Description: POSSESSION - COCAINE OR NARCOTIC DRUG
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Armando Cartagena-Dhuperoyis
Age : 62
Residence: Silverdale, WA
Booking Number(s): 2304602
Arrest Date: May 15, 2023
Arresting Agency: Lake Station Police Department
Offense Description: DOMESTIC BATTERY - SIMPLE
Highest Offense Class: Misdemeanor
Gregory Cormick Jr.
Age : 22
Residence: New Oreleans, LA
Booking Number(s): 2304584
Arrest Date: May 15, 2023
Arresting Agency: Lake County Sheriff's Department
Offense Description: BATTERY - AGGRAVATED - W/PERMANENT INJURY OR DISFIGUREMENT
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Genito Balderas
Age : 26
Residence: Hammond, IN
Booking Number(s): 2304619
Arrest Date: May 16, 2023
Arresting Agency: Munster Police Department
Offense Description: OWI
Highest Offense Class: Misdemeanor
William Betts
Age : 27
Residence: Merrillville, IN
Booking Number(s): 2304612
Arrest Date: May 15, 2023
Arresting Agency: Indiana State Police
Offense Description: OWI
Highest Offense Class: Misdemeanor
Benjamin Byers
Age : 21
Residence: St. John, IN
Booking Number(s): 2304599
Arrest Date: May 15, 2023
Arresting Agency: Lake County Sheriff's Department
Offense Description: CRIMINAL RECKLESSNESS - AGGRAVATED - W/DEADLY WEAPON (SOCIETY IS VICTIM)
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Michael Albanese
Age : 57
Residence: Griffith, IN
Booking Number(s): 2304605
Arrest Date: May 15, 2023
Arresting Agency: Schererville Police Department
Offense Description: RESISTING LAW ENFORCEMENT - VEHICLE
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Joshua Baker
Age : 41
Residence: Elkhart, IN
Booking Number(s): 2304514
Arrest Date: May 12, 2023
Arresting Agency: Hammond Police Department
Offense Description: POSSESS HYPODERMIC SYRINGE OR NEEDLE
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Roderick Atkins
Age : 44
Residence: Gary, IN
Booking Number(s): 2304500
Arrest Date: May 12, 2023
Arresting Agency: Lake County Sheriff's Department
Offense Description: POSSESSION - COCAINE OR NARCOTIC DRUG
Highest Offense Class: Felony
Mark Abel
Age : 36
Residence: Merrillville, IN
Booking Number(s): 2304516
Arrest Date: May 12, 2023
Arresting Agency: Hobart Police Department
Offense Description: Confinement
Highest Offense Class: Felony
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WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) – One of the busiest lake weekends of the year is days away, and the drought is continuing to cause low lake levels around the state, forcing a change in plans for some boaters.
Lake Afton is currently down 3.5 feet. This won’t change anything for those heading there this weekend. However, over at Wellington City Lake, it’s currently down over four feet, forcing boat ramps to close.
“Basically, any boat with an inboard, outboard motor, pontoon boats, things like that, that are gonna launch off of a trailer. Those, unfortunately, are going to be prohibited just ’cause you can’t get ’em onto the water,” said Jeremy Jones, Wellington’s director of Public Works.
While boats are unable to launch from the ramps at Wellington City Lake, some boats can be launched from the shoreline.
“If it’s a smaller type kayak, flat bottom boat that you can launch from the shoreline by hand. Even little trolling motors, we would allow those. Sailboats like the little inner tubes,” said Jones.
Jones says that it has been several years since the water has been this low, and are needing to pump water from a river to maintain the current level.
In order for boat ramps to be opened at Wellington City Lake, there needs to be a heavy rain in a short period of time.
Lake Afton is currently at its lowest that it’s been since the 1990s.
“This is the first time it’s ever been this low in probably, I can honestly say in 25 years. It’s low,” said Laurel Ford, Lake Afton’s administrative assistant.
These changes in the water levels are noticeable.
“When I saw it like this, I was like, ‘Dang this is super low compared to last time I was here,'” said fisherman Luke Davis.
The recent rain is helping water levels at Lake Afton, but only slightly.
“It has gone up a little but not much at all,” said Ford.
At both lakes, swimming, fishing, and camping won’t look much different.
Over at Marion County Lake, levels are 3.5 feet low. Park officials say that the two ramps are open, but if the lake loses more water, the ramps could close between now and Friday. | https://www.ksn.com/news/local/will-the-low-lake-levels-in-kansas-affect-your-memorial-day-weekend/ | 2023-05-24T13:17:07 | 1 | https://www.ksn.com/news/local/will-the-low-lake-levels-in-kansas-affect-your-memorial-day-weekend/ |
News Tribune, May 24, 1983
- Superior city officials want the new bridge spanning St. Louis Bay between Duluth and Superior named after Richard I. Bong, a World War II flying ace from Poplar. Some Duluth officials, though, want to call it the Arrowhead Bridge.
- Counterfeit $20 bills with a face value of $1,240 were turned in to police stations from the Twin Ports to La Crosse, Wisconsin, over the weekend. Thirty-one worthless bills turned up in Superior and seven in Duluth.
News Tribune, May 24, 1923
- Last night's second evening of Duluth's Spring Music Festival at the Armory featured songs performed by 1,700 children from the city's public and private schools. The large audience seemed appreciative of each number on the varied and interesting program.
- Renovations and improvements to Duluth Central High School, costing an estimated $100,000, will be made during this summer's vacation period, the Board of Education decided last night. Requests for bids on the work will be called for at once. | https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/news/local/bygones-40-years-ago-northlanders-turned-in-counterfeit-money | 2023-05-24T13:17:37 | 1 | https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/news/local/bygones-40-years-ago-northlanders-turned-in-counterfeit-money |
DULUTH — Mayor Emily Larson was nothing less than effusive in her praise of the Minnesota Legislature this year.
"This is by far the most important and substantial legislative session that has ever happened for the city of Duluth and our residents," she said. "The work of this legislative session has been built upon years and years of work, preparation and relationship building."
Among the city's biggest "gets" this year were:
- $4.3 million in local government aid to provide property tax relief.
- $13 million in bonding funds for what is expected to be a $26 million project to renovate the Spirit Mountain Recreational Area.
- $194.7 million for the Northern Lights Express rail service project.
- An authorization to extend a local half-percent sales tax that has been used to fund recreational amenities in the St. Louis River Corridor, but now will be used to improve parks across the city, to the tune of $36 million.
- Access to a portion of the $240 million in state funds that have been set aside to help communities replace lead water lines.
Larson gave significant credit to local legislators.
"I want to publicly thank Rep. Liz Olson, Rep. Alicia Kozlowski and Sen. Jen McEwen, who have incredibly strong shoulders and who, together, carried enormous projects across the finish line, navigated the politics, always always put this community first, and is delivering truly transformational policies and investments for the residents of Duluth," she said.
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Other state programs that could deliver local benefits include:
- The reinstatement of funding for the state's previously expired state historic tax credit program.
- $95 million in one-time funding for family homeless prevention assistance.
- $3.74 million in state aid to improve public safety.
- $15 million for public housing rehabilitation.
- Double the funding for the Minnesota Youth Work Program.
- $45 million to the state's Green Bank Program to assist cities as they work to cut their carbon footprints.
"In Minnesota, we have each others' back," Sen. Grant Hauschild, DFL-Hermantown, said. "We look out for one another, and we specifically look out for those who need it most. And we do that because we know that in our lives we're going to have those moments when we need help, too."
The District 3 senator said the Legislature targeted relief where it was most needed, citing the passage of the largest tax relief package in state history. Hauschild said that $3 billion-plus package includes:
- Tax relief for 85% of senior citizens receiving Social Security.
- A child tax credit that is projected to reduce the state's child poverty rate by 33%.
- Property tax relief.
"I'm particularly excited because we worked across the aisle right at the last minute to come to a bonding deal — a $2.6 billion investment in infrastructure for our state and our communities," Hauschild said. The noted the Western Lake Superior Sanitary District is among the beneficiaries, as it will receive $17.5 million to replace a critical piece of its water treatment plant that recently failed.
"In the 1970s, there was the 'Minnesota Miracle' that was the talk of the nation," said St. Louis County Commissioner Patrick Boyle, who represents the eastern neighborhoods of Duluth. "This is 'Minnesota Miracle 2.0.'"
Boyle said that when he was serving on the Duluth City Council during the recession 14 years ago, Gov. Tim Pawlenty made deep cuts to municipal and county funding. "We had not recouped those losses up until this year," he said.
More specifically, Boyle pointed to:
- $4.1 million in county program aid.
- $1.7 million in payments in lieu of taxes that should hold down the local levy.
- $2 million to address polyfluoroalkyl substances (also known as PFAS or "forever chemicals") in county landfills.
- $6 million to help complete a transportation plan for the new Rock Ridge School.
- $1.2 million to develop three ATV trail systems in the county.
- $2.5 million for the Clarity Center, a mental health crisis facility expected to open in January.
Dan Hartman, executive director of the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center, said state bonding funds should enable the facility to replace an electric transformer in the basement, upgrade its air-handling system and make roof repairs.
"It means a lot to this community to have this giant 10-venue community center actually functional. And that's only possible because of the state of Minnesota coming in to support us," he said.
Mark Poirier, executive director of the Armory Arts and Music Center, referred to the $4.5 million in bond funding the center is to receive as "critical" to moving a renovation project forward.
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"The Armory project will be focused around our drill hall, with a restored stage, thousands of square feet of community space and food vendors," he said, describing a "food enterprise center" where startup restaurateurs and others can cut their teeth.
The Armory also will house a history center, celebrating some of the many famous performers that were drawn to its halls, including Louis Armstrong, Johnny Cash and a young Duluth musician named Robert Zimmerman, who later came to be known as Bob Dylan.
Poirier said the restored state historic tax credit program will also provide vital support for the project. He expects some roof work and some hazardous material mitigation to begin shortly, with construction slated to begin next spring and completion anticipated by 2025.
"So, we are excited to be going forward," Poirier said. | https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/news/local/duluth-northland-celebrate-exceptional-legislative-successes | 2023-05-24T13:17:47 | 1 | https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/news/local/duluth-northland-celebrate-exceptional-legislative-successes |
Which animals can I hunt in my backyard in Wisconsin?
Beavers, coyotes and foxes beware.
State statutes allow property owners or occupants to hunt or trap those animals — and a handful of others — on their land year-round without a special permit. There are just a couple slight exceptions.
Here's a list of all the animals residents can hunt in their yards and when they should avoid doing so.
What animals is it legal to kill in my yard in Wisconsin?
According to the Wisconsin State Legislature, these are the wild animals Wisconsinites and family members (or anyone with permission) can hunt or trap on their properties without a license at any time:
- Beaver
- Coyotes
- Foxes
- Raccoons
- Woodchucks
- Rabbits
- Squirrels
There are some exceptions connected to the Wisconsin deer hunting season
However, there are some slight exceptions to the statutes that revolve around Wisconsin's deer hunting season.
A property owner or occupant cannot hunt the above listed wild animals for 24 hours before the commencement of deer hunting season "in any area where an open season for hunting deer with firearms is established."
Property owners or occupants are also prohibited from hunting coyotes during an open season for hunting deer with firearms in an area that is closed by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources by rule to coyote hunting.
However, state law says, "the owner or occupant of any land, any member of the owner or occupant's family, and any individual with the owner or occupant's consent may take beaver, rabbits, raccoons, woodchucks, and squirrels on the land at any time by means of live trapping with box traps in areas where the discharge of a firearm is illegal."
What about turkeys, geese, and other nuisance animals?
If you do not see an animal that perhaps you would like to hunt in your backyard — "aggressive" turkeys, for example — on the permitted kill list, then you should refrain from hunting it. But government agencies will likely be able to, so reporting the bothersome animals to the proper authorities, such as the state DNR or Wisconsin Wildlife Services, is probably the way to go.
Various Milwaukee and Waukesha county communities have contracted with state agencies to remove such animals in recent years, notably coyotes in Wauwatosa and muskrats around Okauchee Lake.
Contact Steve Martinez at steve.martinez@jrn.com. Follow him on Twitter at @stjmartinez. | https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/2023/05/24/what-animals-can-i-hunt-in-my-yard-in-wisconsin/70247616007/ | 2023-05-24T13:25:05 | 1 | https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/2023/05/24/what-animals-can-i-hunt-in-my-yard-in-wisconsin/70247616007/ |
ATLANTA — As of Tuesday, there was still no firm timetable for when roads might reopen and when nearby residents who had to evacuate an apartment building might be able to return home following Monday's collapse of a construction crane in Midtown Atlanta.
The situation has left roughly 1,000 people displaced from the area and several crucial streets in Midtown at least partially closed. Work and planning is still underway to neutralize the crane.
There's no clear idea yet for how long that may take, but we can look back to just a couple of years ago for at least a rough idea.
Back in early 2021, a construction crane was similarly compromised at 1105 West Peachtree Street - Monday's collapse happened at 1052 West Peachtree Street. As you can tell by the addresses, they're only just a couple of blocks away.
How long could Midtown streets remain closed after crane collapse?
Here's what that timeline looked like:
- Feb. 20, 2021: The crane was reported to be unstable and tilting outside a building, causing an initial shutdown in the area.
- Feb. 22, 2021: Engineers with the company removing the crane estimated it would take about a week to complete the project.
- Feb 24., 2021: Work to reinforce the crane was completed.
- Feb. 25, 2021: Dismantling of the crane began.
- Feb. 26, 2021: Nearby residents were allowed to return after being put up in hotels by the company removing the crane.
- March 1, 2021: Officials announced the crane was largely removed and projected streets would soon reopen.
- March 3, 2021: Streets reopened.
In the 2021 situation, the start to finish on removal operations and getting streets reopened wound up being a little under two weeks. | https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/atlanta-midtown-crane-collapse-timeline/85-ac9bbf8b-4854-46ab-9b13-68d4e303a9f2 | 2023-05-24T13:32:09 | 0 | https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/atlanta-midtown-crane-collapse-timeline/85-ac9bbf8b-4854-46ab-9b13-68d4e303a9f2 |
ATLANTA — Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum lead a tour inside the city’s broken-down, now-former police training center near Atlanta’s airport on Tuesday, and added he hopes both critics and supporters of a new training center will hear him loud and clear—the new one can’t be ready soon enough.
The tour was a walk through a past that Chief Schierbaum said he'd rather forget, adding "the building had actually become unsafe.”
The future, he said, has to include the city’s new $90 million Public Safety Training Center, scheduled to be completed late next year, despite on-going protests over the location and plans.
"It's actually something that every citizen deserves,” he said, “that when they call 911, the firefighter knows what to do and the police officer knows what to do...As we looked at all the places this center could go, this was the optimal location.”
The Chief said his focus is simple: having the best-trained first responders.
He noted, “when we ask the brightest to come to Atlanta, to be the bravest for our citizens, to be able to go into those scary, chaotic and life-threatening situations, we want to make sure they know we value them and we've trained them properly to navigate those situations To save lives, so our citizens are safe and our officers and firefighters go home safely.”
It is training that, at the old location, was becoming impossible. Schierbaum said the department had to move out in 2021, after a quarter century there--moving to its current, temporary, rented location at Atlanta Metropolitan State College.
“I used to be the academy director” at the old training center, Schierbaum said, “and I would arrive early in the morning with some of our staff because we had to go through the hallways to make sure that all the dead cockroaches had been removed, that the traps that we had set out for rats and for mice were cleared out... You could not drink the water, you could not use the showers... Sewage was backing up into those showers.”
Schierbaum said the city ultimately was not able to maintain the the facility—originally built in 1955 as a public school, then converted into a “temporary” police training center in the late 1990s—because it was falling apart.
And city leadership at the time, he said, did not make a new training center a priority.
“For years, we have not spent the money we needed to properly train our first responders," Schierbaum added, citing situations such as respond to active shooters, life-threatening emergencies, and day-to-day public safety needs.
“There is not a price tag that could be put on the life of one Atlantan,” Schierbaum said. “And to spend $90 million to train your fire and your police department properly is actually the right and the wise investment. And for years we've neglected that investment.”
The chief was also asked about recent outcry at an Atlanta City Council meeting in which nearly 300 opponents of the project, which they call “Cop City,” stood in line for seven hours as one speaker after another asked the Council to reverse itself and vote down the training center.
“The vast majority of Atlanta wants a well-trained police force,” Schierbaum said. “The Atlantans I speak to, hundreds of them, thousands of them, throughout the city, they support this public safety training center.
Schierbaum also pushed back at accusations that the new training center is being designed to train a military-style police force.
“I don’t lead a military force. I lead a police department. And the emergencies we respond to do not require an Army tank. The emergencies we respond to don’t require an Apache helicopter. But they do require us to be equipped and prepared to handle the emergency,” he explained.
Next month, the Atlanta City Council is expected to vote on funding the city’s share of the new training center--$33 million of the overall $90 million dollar cost, with the Atlanta Police Foundation funding the bulk of the cost from private donations. | https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/atlanta-police-chief-public-safety-training-center/85-25dd334d-1d20-4397-a255-848a0fad0a68 | 2023-05-24T13:32:15 | 1 | https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/atlanta-police-chief-public-safety-training-center/85-25dd334d-1d20-4397-a255-848a0fad0a68 |
'Many people would go into a shell': Georgia teen shot by the man who killed his mom now set to graduate
"I'm proud of myself for not letting my situation cut me off from being my true self," Russell Graham said.
West Laurens grad battles through tough times 'Don't get so caught up in your situation'
High School can be filled with ups and downs. But some students are faced with more hardship than others.
Four years ago, Russell Graham walked through the doors at West Laurens High School with a smile. Four years later, he's walking out with that same smile.
"I'm proud of myself for not letting my situation cut me off from being my true self," Graham said.
His true self is happy and outgoing. Jenny Green got to know Russell well when she served as his homebound instructor after his own stepfather shot him.
"Always a little ray of sunshine. His friends think that his teachers think that the administration thinks that," Green said.
That man also killed Russell's mother and set their house on fire before killing himself. It's more than most people have to deal with their whole lives.
"It was a situation I went into thinking that I would go in feeling sorry for him," she said.
Less than six months after the tragedy came another loss - Russell lost his biological father.
"For him to be at peace with himself and with his situation as much as he is. I think it speaks volumes and didn't take what happened to him as necessarily all bad," Green said.
Even though Russell's parents aren't with him anymore, he still remembers the values they taught him.
"They always preached to me how education is the most important thing, especially with me being a black male," he said.
Graham now lives with his older brother DeAnthony Rhodes.
"It's been a lot. It's been a lot this past year and a half, but we still get up every day and keep pushing," Rhodes said.
"Adjusting to staying with my brother, not being able to come home and talk to my parents about my day is a lot to really wrap my head around still," Graham said.
But Russell found support not only from his brothers but also through his sports teams. He played football and ran track.
"Many people would go into a shell. But I was trying to step away from that and continue to be me," Graham said.
"You don't encounter Russell and walk away feeling anything but better," Green said.
Now Graham's planning on going to college.
"They always told me to look for the good in the bad situation. Somebody always has it worse than you, so don't get so caught up in your situation," said Graham.
This resilient young man looks forward to a future that will make his parents proud.
Graham plans to go to Middle Georgia State University in the Fall and major in psychology to become a trauma therapist to help others who have lived through difficult situations. | https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/georgia-grad-was-shot-by-stepdad-and-lost-both-his-parents-but-kept-his-smile/93-0ab810cd-43c0-428d-9271-f7838836b4ba | 2023-05-24T13:32:21 | 1 | https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/georgia-grad-was-shot-by-stepdad-and-lost-both-his-parents-but-kept-his-smile/93-0ab810cd-43c0-428d-9271-f7838836b4ba |
COLUMBUS, Ohio — It has been one year since a gunman killed 21 people at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas. And since that mass shooting, there have been hundreds of other incidents that unfolded within the past year.
The increase in active shooter situations is prompting many to sign up for training and other simulations that teach active shooter response techniques, even people who have survived mass shootings.
Adam Hall lives in Columbus and was at the Las Vegas mass shooting, which killed 58 people and injured nearly 500 others in 2017. He still remembers how it felt at that moment.
“My mind was selling me this idea that it was electronics or it was an idiot in the bathroom with fireworks or something. I was really just trying to believe it was something other than what it was” said Hall.
Hall and everyone he was at the concert with made it out alive, but still feel they could have responded better at the moment when it came to survival techniques. Since the mass shooting, Hall has taken steps to educate himself about how to react to this situation if it ever happens again.
He completed the CRASE training through the Franklin County Sheriff's Office, which teaches people how to respond in the event of an active shooter.
“Trying to understand what to do and how to do it in reacting to an active shooter event, that's not something that’s the happiest conversation. But it’s important” said Hall.
The CRASE training through the Franklin County Sheriff's Office is becoming more popular. Back in 2021, they hosted 35 classes, which had 989 people enrolled. That number more than doubled in 2022, with 2,389 people taking the course in total. So far this year, 895 people have already taken the CRASE training at the FCSO.
“Doing something is better than doing nothing, and also knowing your surroundings!” said Michael Fetherolf with the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office. Fetherolf helps run the CRASE training and said they typically see more people sign up after a major tragedy.
The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office is on about a two to four-month wait for class enrollment but is accepting anyone interested in getting trained. | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/active-shooter-training-insight/530-f6fd967d-c82a-4955-b4e6-f46b7deca49c | 2023-05-24T13:32:51 | 1 | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/active-shooter-training-insight/530-f6fd967d-c82a-4955-b4e6-f46b7deca49c |
UVALDE, Texas — A year after a gunman murdered nineteen children and their two teachers with an AR-15, many have called for change, whether that’s gun control or school safety bills.
Families of some of the victims killed exactly a year ago have spent countless hours travelling from Uvalde to the Texas Capitol, advocating for change.
If you remember, State Senator Roland Gutierrez, a Democrat representing Uvalde has been a staunch supporter of gun control legislation.
For weeks, he held press conferences and introduced 21 bills calling for change, including universal background checks and red flag laws.
But these didn’t pass, including House Bill 2744.
The bill would have raised the minimum age to buy certain semi-automatic rifles from 18 to 21.
Two days after the Allen mall shooting and hours of testimony from families, House Bill 2744 cleared a safety committee but failed to pass a key deadline the very next day.
Opponents of the bill, including Governor Greg Abbott, say the bill would violate the constitutional rights of young adults.
Families did express frustration after these bills didn’t pass.
“Do you hope we will go away? Because if that’s the case, you’re sadly mistaken.”
Some bills that have made progress include Senate Bill 728 and House Bill 2454.
Senate Bill 728 requires courts to report involuntary mental health hospitalizations of minors 16 and older to a federal background check system.
That bill is headed to the governor’s desk.
House Bill 2545 would prevent someone from providing a firearm for someone not allowed to have one, but the most change has come to Texas schools.
State officials provided schools with $105.5 million dollars for safety and mental health resources.
It also included $50 million for bullet resistant shields for schools.
House Bill 249 would establish a school safety officer volunteer program for retired vets and ex police officers.
House Bill 3 offers schools $100 per student and $150,000 for security.
Senate Bill 11 would put $800 million toward school safety and creates a security department within the TEA.
At the federal level, after the shooting at Robb Elementary, Congress passed the bi-partisan Safer Communities Act.
The bill increases the number of qualified mental health professionals in schools and covers the cost of the services.
“One thing we can all agree on, is we got to keep firearms out of the hands of people who are suffering from mental health problems,” said Senator Cornyn.
The Texas legislative session is expected to end next week. | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/following-the-tragedy-in-uvalde-many-have-called-for-change-in-gun-control-and-school-safety-robb-elementary-capitol-texas/273-da1e49c8-b5f1-4f17-9b59-11e0ef4c5b23 | 2023-05-24T13:32:58 | 1 | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/following-the-tragedy-in-uvalde-many-have-called-for-change-in-gun-control-and-school-safety-robb-elementary-capitol-texas/273-da1e49c8-b5f1-4f17-9b59-11e0ef4c5b23 |
GREENSBORO — Just two years after winning $5,000 in a General Mills recipe contest, a local baker has won $20,000 more from the company.
Venee Pawlowski of Black Magnolia Southern Patisserie in Greensboro won the $20,000 grand prize in The Biskies Contest from General Mills.
The Biskies Contest was open to chefs, owners and employees of commercial restaurants, challenging them to create a biscuit-based entrée, side or dessert using Pillsbury’s new Southern Style Unbaked Biscuits and two or more additional ingredients. In addition to the $20,000 prize, the contest awarded $5,000 each to three runner-ups.
Pawlowski won with her upside-down apple praline biscuit, described by General Mills as “a fluffy buttermilk biscuit layered with brown sugar-roasted apples, served with bourbon buttermilk sweet biscuit ice cream and topped with bourbon caramel, pecan pralines and salted toffee.”
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Judges called Pawlowski’s recipe “an innovative twist on a simple classic,” adding that “the biscuit shines as the star of the dish, blending perfectly with unexpected flavors.”
They also said that the addition of ice cream “takes this dessert to a whole new level."
Pawlowski previously won a $5,000 prize for her bourbon banoffee pecan cinnamon rolls.
Pawlowski said in a telephone interview that she was very surprised to win again — especially because she almost didn’t enter. “I actually entered the very last day. One of the PR reps (for General Mills) who I had met before was in town for her daughter’s swim meet, and she came by and said I should enter.”
She said she thinks her biscuit was a hit with judges because it is a twist on the nostalgic comfort food of apple pie and ice cream. “Tarte tatin (a French apple tart) is one of my favorite desserts and this is essentially a play on tarte tatin — and everyone loves the apple pie and ice cream experience,” she said. “And then I add toffee and bourbon — my go-tos for a yummy dessert.”
Pawlowski is one of many bakers in the area who were prompted by the pandemic to pursue the dream of starting their own business. Back in 2020, Pawlowski had been working at Greensboro Country Club when the pandemic shutdown led to an extension of her maternity leave. She then starting selling baked goods at Green Bean coffee shop and directly to customers through her Facebook page.
Two years ago, she was baking in her home. But since then she has opened a retail location in Revolution Mill. Black Magnolia baked goods are also sold at such locations as Common Grounds coffee shops, Cille & Scoe, Danny’s Restaurant and Sleepy Headz Coffee.
Pawlowski said that the contest win comes just as she is planning to go on maternity leave. “I’m due any day now,” she said.
Looking down the road, she said the contest earnings will help Black Magnolia with some expansion plans.
“We’ve started expanding into breads. And right now we’re just a pickup corner, but we’d like to be more of a sit-down business. We would like to be a full-service coffee bar.” | https://greensboro.com/news/local/venee-pawlowski-black-magnolia-southern-patisserie-general-mills-the-biskies-contest/article_fafdcc30-f5c0-11ed-ae77-6b93edba1e10.html | 2023-05-24T13:38:25 | 0 | https://greensboro.com/news/local/venee-pawlowski-black-magnolia-southern-patisserie-general-mills-the-biskies-contest/article_fafdcc30-f5c0-11ed-ae77-6b93edba1e10.html |
A disappointment, followed by good news for supporters of the Pershing mural, who have launched the second phase of a fundraising campaign to restore and reinstall the giant mural that graced Lincoln’s downtown auditorium for 65 years.
On the heels of learning the Legislature did not appropriate $1.5 million to Wyuka Cemetery for the restoration, a small group that spearheaded fundraising to save the mural got a $250,000 matching grant from Lincoln's Harbor of Dreams foundation for the next phase.
“To say we are excited is an understatement,” said Liz Shea-McCoy, who led the group that raised nearly $850,000 in four months to save the mural before the city demolished the old auditorium.
The Wyuka Board of Trustees voted to reinstall the 38-by-140-foot mural on the cemetery grounds as part of a larger vision to turn a portion of the grounds into a playground and picnic area with new landscaping and a bike trail connection.
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The state can give money to the cemetery because it was established as a public charitable organization, but this year's Legislature didn't act on Lincoln Sen. George Dungan’s bill (LB411).
The timely grant — which will match any donations up to $250,000 — comes just before Lincoln’s annual Give to Lincoln Day on Wednesday.
The match will automatically be applied to donations to the Nebraska State Historical Society Foundation through the Give to Lincoln Day website or through the foundation’s website.
The group has an ambitious goal: to raise $3.1 million over the next several months to refurbish and reinstall the 763,000 tiles of the mural, which depict 38 figures in an array of sporting, theater, dance and circus events.
That’s a lot of money, but one shouldn’t underestimate the small group, which managed to raise the money necessary to get all the tiles down in August before the city started demolition of the old auditorium on Centennial Mall — a process that has yet to begin.
“We’ve learned the artwork is a ‘memory cache’ for thousands of Nebraskans,” Shea-McCoy said. “Thousands of donors have memories of concerts or special events they attended, and thousands more are fascinated by the vast span of the mural and the interesting artistic elements contained thereon.”
A special viewing opportunity of the proposed lakeshore site at Wyuka Park is available during Memorial Day events at the cemetery during daylight hours Thursday through Monday.
Fundraisers and conflicts
Whether the Lancaster County engineer’s participation in a Lincoln Independent Business Association fundraiser was appropriate became the subject of a tense exchange between the county engineer and County Commissioner Rick Vest at a recent County Board staff meeting.
This spring, LIBA hosted a fundraiser where one of the items auctioned off was an “engineer for a day,” with Lancaster County Engineer Pam Dingman.
Vest, a member of LIBA who was out of town at the time, logged onto the silent auction and noticed the event.
“That caused me concern on a number of fronts,” Vest said at the County Board staff meeting last week.
He said he was concerned about using taxpayer resources for a particular entity, especially one that endorses political candidates. He also had liability concerns.
Vest said he spoke with Nebraska Accountability and Disclosure Director Frank Daly, who told him it was a gray area and that, had he been asked, he would have advised against, but that he wouldn’t take any action.
Daly, in an interview, said Vest did not file a formal complaint. He said he talked with Dingman, who, along with others, has told him she regularly gives tours of the county’s roads and bridges.
“The fact that one of these things is auctioned off, I can’t say it’s a violation of anything,” he said, though he understands why it could raise red flags.
During the County Board meeting, Dingman noted that while the County Board has authority over the budget, she has authority over her department.
“I am an elected official, we are equal on the flow chart," she said. "I think it’s disparaging that you would accuse me of using taxpayer assets inappropriately. If you had a problem, you could have picked up a phone and called me.”
Dingman said she gives tours to any groups or individuals that ask. Before the pandemic, she said she gave about 30 tours a year, but since the pandemic that’s slowed to about 10 a year. She said she’s offered the tours for fundraisers for the Downtown Rotary.
Commissioner Matt Schulte came to Dingman’s defense, saying she’s led by example and that such outreach is important because so many people don’t understand how government works.
Schulte said governors have auctioned off a night’s stay at the Governor’s Mansion and questions about Dingman’s activities were like a “CNN witch hunt.”
Other commissioners said they had concerns, especially since LIBA gets involved politically and endorses candidates (technically, it’s the LIBA political action committee that endorses candidates).
Commissioner Sean Flowerday said he didn’t like any organizations using the county logo — which LIBA did in promoting the “engineer for a day” event — and use of the logo was something the board did have authority over.
Pink postcards
Remember those pink postcards sent to taxpayers last fall that caused all sorts of confusion?
They were the result of the “Truth in Taxation” law (LB644) introduced by Sen. Ben Hansen of Blair that required counties where a city, county, school district or community college is headquartered to send out the postcards if said subdivision’s total property tax request increased by 2% or more.
Well, those postcards could cause more changes this year, if a portion of a revenue bill making its way through the Legislature survives.
Last year, the budgets of Southeast Community College, Waverly Public Schools, Raymond Central Public Schools and the city of Hickman all triggered postcards.
But the hearings weren’t held until September, when many of the elected boards had already approved their budgets.
Dennis Meyer, Lancaster County’s budget and fiscal officer, said the Legislature wants to change the law to require the hearings before the final budget hearings of those subdivisions.
For those required to hold such hearings, it would mean pushing back the final budget hearings at least a month — into September.
If there's no pink postcard, and no hearing, they could follow their regular budget process, but those that do would not get their budgets approved until well into the fiscal year.
And even with that change, Meyer said, he'd still recommend people show up earlier, when a quorum of elected officials are crafting the budget — not right before a final vote at a hearing where not all elected officials are present. | https://journalstar.com/news/local/government-politics/city-hall-restoration-of-pershing-mural-gets-a-boost/article_9dcaa9f4-f9ba-11ed-a85a-83a9ef921aec.html | 2023-05-24T13:48:05 | 1 | https://journalstar.com/news/local/government-politics/city-hall-restoration-of-pershing-mural-gets-a-boost/article_9dcaa9f4-f9ba-11ed-a85a-83a9ef921aec.html |
ATLANTA — There's a new ranking of cities out where you'll find Atlanta right there with America's heavyweights - New York, L.A. and Chicago.
Unfortunately, and probably as no surprise to anyone with familiar with summers in Atlanta, that ranking is for mosquitoes.
Orkin put out its 2023 list of cities where the pest control company responds to the most calls about mosquitoes. Atlanta comes in with the dubious achievement of rising two spots to No. 4, right behind L.A., Chicago and New York.
This isn't necessarily a list of cities with the most mosquitoes - biologists are probably better equipped to map that out - but it does give you a sense of where they're the most annoying.
And in hot and humid Atlanta, they're very, very annoying.
According to Orkin, the list was compiled with "treatment data from the metro areas where Orkin performed the most mosquito control services from April 1, 2022, to March 31, 2023. The list includes both residential and commercial mosquito treatments."
No other Georgia city made it into the top-50, though some of our regional neighbors including Charlotte (No. 10), Nashville (No. 24), and Greenville, S.C. (No. 26) feature on the list. | https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/mosquito-city-rankings-atlanta/85-d049faea-cffc-4c88-bdb2-b0fd9d024ee4 | 2023-05-24T13:49:15 | 0 | https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/mosquito-city-rankings-atlanta/85-d049faea-cffc-4c88-bdb2-b0fd9d024ee4 |
WINSLOW TOWNSHIP — A Philadelphia resident died on Tuesday when the car they were in flipped over off the Atlantic City Expressway.
State Police responded to the scene near milepost 33.3 westbound at 3:01 p.m., Trooper Charles Marchan said.
The vehicle ran off the road, hit several trees and overturned, killing Percell Gray, 36, a passenger, Marchan said.
The driver, who was not identified, was seriously injured. No additional information was available on Tuesday night, Marchan said.
All of the highway's westbound lanes were closed because of the accident, according to a traffic notice from 511NJ on Tuesday.
Marchan did not say for how long the road was closed off to cars or if a detour was put in place. | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/accident-and-incident/philadelphia-resident-killed-in-crash-that-shut-down-atlantic-city-expressway/article_95f32402-f9a8-11ed-84f1-c35a19f16ee4.html | 2023-05-24T13:56:26 | 0 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/accident-and-incident/philadelphia-resident-killed-in-crash-that-shut-down-atlantic-city-expressway/article_95f32402-f9a8-11ed-84f1-c35a19f16ee4.html |
Signature-gathering begins to recall two Gateway school board trustees
Residents living in the Gateway Unified School District have begun gathering signatures to recall two members of the school board.
A group called the Save Gateway Committee began gathering signatures on Monday to recall Elias and Lindsi Haynes, claiming the two school board members, who are husband and wife, have "demonstrated a profound lack of experience and competency in their roles as trustees," the committee said in a news release issued Monday.
Lindsi Haynes, now the board's vice president, was elected to the board in November 2022 and ran unopposed in that election. Elias Haynes is clerk of the board. Both represent the district's Area 2, the Buckeye area of north Redding.
Shortly after they were sworn into office, the Hayneses and former Board President Cherrill Clifford voted to oust district Superintendent Jim Harrell, drawing backlash from the community that led to Clifford resigning in early February.
The recall committee accused the Hayneses of violating the state's open meeting law, called the Brown Act, and creating an unstable work environment for district employees.
Clifford resigned shortly after it was revealed in emails that Clifford had signed a contract in December to hire Bryan Caples of Redding to replace Harrell as superintendent of the district. At the time, Caples' administrative credential had been suspended by the California Teacher Credentialing Commission. He also ran unsuccessfully for Shasta County Superintendent of Schools in 2022.
The four remaining members of the school board deadlocked numerous times on appointing a replacement for Clifford. Because the trustees could not agree on a replacement, residents in the district's Area 2 will vote on replacing her in a November election.
In written response to the notices of intent to recall that they received, the Hayneses defended their actions as board members.
"The ability to perform my duties is based solely on opinions and not on facts," Elias Haynes wrote. "The voters wanted change so we obliged. New leadership is what we heard so we voted for change."
The notices of intent to recall Lindsi Haynes included "false allegations and personal attacks of my character," she wrote in a response.
"It didn't happen the way stated to obtain the requirements to submit the recall and the pure unfounded lies in exhibits submitted. The majority of voters were confident in my ability to perform the duties they elected me for," Lindsi Haynes wrote.
The group has 90 days to gather 2,025 signatures to qualify the recall for the November ballot. The signatures must come from 25% of registered voters who live in Area 2 in the district, which generally includes north Redding and the Buckeye area.
Residents of the Anderson Union High School District are also are also attempting to recall district board trustee Cindy Trotter-Hogue and board president President Joe Gibson.
But they have twice failed to get enough signatures to begin circulating petitions for Gibson and once failed to get enough signatures to circulate recall petitions for Trotter-Hogue, according to Joanna Francescut, assistant county clerk and registrar of voters.
Reporter Damon Arthur welcomes story tips at 530-338-8834, by email at damon.arthur@redding.com and on Twitter at @damonarthur_RS. Help local journalism thrive by subscribing today! | https://www.redding.com/story/news/local/2023/05/23/group-gathers-signatures-to-recall-gateway-school-board-trustees/70250137007/ | 2023-05-24T13:56:32 | 0 | https://www.redding.com/story/news/local/2023/05/23/group-gathers-signatures-to-recall-gateway-school-board-trustees/70250137007/ |
PAC backing Shasta supervisor fighting potential recall whips up anti-Newsom sentiment
Established last summer and buoyed by a $100,000 donation from former Shasta County winery owner Reverge Anselmo, a political action committee is paying for TV spots and mailers that support embattled District 1 Supervisor Kevin Crye.
The Water Users Committee was formed in late August by far-right political activists Mark and Lyndia Kent, the brother-and-sister team who also backed the February 2022 recall of Supervisor Leonard Moty and the election of Crye and Supervisor Chris Kelstrom last fall.
About a month after the PAC was established, Anselmo, the wealthy East Coast donor whose vendetta against Shasta County has influenced local politics over the last three years, gave $100,000 to the committee. The PAC ran campaign ads in support of Crye and Kelstrom in the runup to last November’s election.
Anselmo sold his winery and moved to Connecticut several years ago after the bitter legal dispute with the county over permits for his winery, Anselmo Vineyards off Inwood Road in the Shingletown area. Shasta County prevailed in two lawsuits filed by the former vintner, owner and restaurateur.
Financial disclosure statements show that Anselmo has given just over $1 million to local candidates and political action committees since 2020, when he contributed $110,000 to District 4 Supervisor Patrick Jones to bankroll his victory over incumbent Steve Morgan.
Now, just over three months into his tenure, Crye is facing a recall from residents who are in large part upset with his decision to prematurely terminate the county’s contract with Dominion Voting Systems and go back to hand counting ballots, a move recall supporters call fiscally irresponsible and reckless.
TV ads and mailers paid for by the Water Users Committee have started circulating.
"Help him defeat this recall. Tell Gavin Newsom that he doesn't get to hand pick our politicians," the mailer in part declares.
More:Expert: Easy to see why Shasta supervisor's MyPillow guy trip aroused suspicion
Meanwhile, on May 16, Crye and Lyndia Kent filed a form 410 with the Shasta County elections office to establish STOP NEWSOM: NO ON CRYE RECALL political action committee. Crye is the principal officer and Kent is the treasurer of that group.
The new PAC has yet to file any financial contribution statements with the county elections office.
A new state law that went into effect in January gives the governor’s office the job of selecting a temporary replacement, should the recall of Crye be successful.
An election to fill the remaining two years of Crye’s term would happen either March 5, 2024, or Nov. 5, 2024, county election officials said.
Crye contends that the attempt to recall him is being driven by a small group of far-left activists who want Newsom to appoint a far-left Democrat should Crye be recalled.
Jeff Gorder, spokesman for the Committee to Recall Kevin Crye, said if Crye is recalled, his group will ask Newsom’s office to not make an appointment and wait for the election in March or November.
“If we couldn’t get it on the March 5 ballot and it goes to Nov. 5, 2024, ballot, we would still ask Gov. Newsom to not appoint anybody,” he said.
Gorder said the group has no interest in putting a liberal Democrat on the board.
“That’s not the goal of this. We want a reasonable, rational Republican, a conservative along the lines of (Supervisors) Mary Rickert or Tim Garman, something like that, to shift the balance of power away from the extremists,” said Gorder, who retired as Shasta County Public Defender in 2018.
Both Rickert and Garman were in the 3-2 minority to keep the Dominion voting machines.
The Committee to Recall Kevin Crye started canvassing for signatures last week. Supporters will need at least 4,151 signatures from District 1 voters to put the recall on the Nov. 7 ballot.
Susanne Baremore, of the Committee to Recall Kevin Crye, said they plan to file their first financial contributions report next week.
“We are forging ahead into week two, putting together more canvassing kits and getting more volunteers engaged,” she said.
David Benda covers business, development and anything else that comes up for the USA TODAY Network in Redding. He also writes the weekly "Buzz on the Street" column. He’s part of a team of dedicated reporters that investigate wrongdoing, cover breaking news and tell other stories about your community. Reach him on Twitter @DavidBenda_RS or by phone at 1-530-338-8323. To support and sustain this work, please subscribe today. | https://www.redding.com/story/news/local/2023/05/23/shasta-county-pac-stirs-anti-newsom-sentiment-recall-fight-kevin-crye/70249355007/ | 2023-05-24T13:56:38 | 1 | https://www.redding.com/story/news/local/2023/05/23/shasta-county-pac-stirs-anti-newsom-sentiment-recall-fight-kevin-crye/70249355007/ |
Husband-and-wife owners Enrique Lopez and Denise Bilski contract with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources to operate concession services at Moraine View State Recreation Area.
Lopez is originally from Mexico and Bilski is from Chicago, but they met in LeRoy and now live there to run the business.
"There's such a variety of people who use the park so we really try to have something for everyone," Bilski said. "Compared to a standard restaurant when you're more in an urban setting or more densely populated area, you really get to know your customers and you're able to serve exactly what they're looking for. Here we have to balance expectations and try to understand."
Longtime residents may remember the establishment's previous life as Gibson Family Restaurant, operated by Leon and Judy Gibson.
The business also offers kayak rentals (including beginner-friendly options), canoes, stand-up paddle boats and more. The campground itself offers amenities such as standing beaches that open on Memorial Day weekend, walking trails, fire pit rentals, hunting, fishing, camping, horse trails, pavilions, a playground and more.
The restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner and offers indoor and outdoor patio seating, where there is a view of the lake and a boat dock.
Bilski and Lopez met while working for the same company, Billy Casper Golf, where they would help manage golf courses and campground facilities. They eventually decided they wanted to venture out on their own.
The two also own and operate the restaurant at Steven Forbes State Recreation Area in Kinmundy, roughly 150 miles south of Moraine View. Such is the couple's commitment that they even lived out of a camper for four years while operating the LeRoy restaurant.
"We meet a lot of people and we've got some exposure to different organizations like Cub Scouts, church groups that come out on a regular basis, and there's naturalists that come use the park," Bilski said. "So we've had a lot of different people. It's chaotic but the most fun. There's a lot of activity."
Popular menu items include the burgers, chicken wraps, and the chicken melt sandwich.
Specials are offered Tuesday through Friday. One menu item is chosen as a special for a meal, including breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and is offered at a discounted price.
Bilski's favorite menu item is the BLT because of the thick-cut bacon. Lopez's favorite item is the banana crepes.
The seasonal restaurant is open from April through October.
"We catch a lot of folks that drive to us from LeRoy, Downs, Ellsworth, Bloomington-Normal and maybe they're on their way home from work or they're going out for the night," Bilski said. "But it's an opportunity for them to actually go out, get food away from the house and not have to drive all the way into town if they don't want to. As an added bonus, they get a beautiful view that comes with their meal, which is pretty awesome."
Moraine View is also a family-oriented restaurant, as Bilski added that Lopez's sons and nephews, and other family members often help out during the summer.
Like many restauranteurs, Bilksi and Lopez had to pare down their menu due to COVID-19, including no longer offering a breakfast menu. However, Bilski said they recently brought back breakfast and added avocado toast, crepes, omelets and breakfast burritos to their menu.
Lopez typically stays to operate the LeRoy location while Bilski goes up to Kinmundy to take care of the other restaurant.
Bilski acknowledged that the couple stays very busy, but said they appreciate the partnerships they have established and feel that they have found the right balance in handling the concessions for two state recreation areas.
Pantagraph File Photos: Moraine View State Recreation Area
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Contact Olivia Jacobs at 309-820-3352. Follow Olivia on Twitter: @olivia___jacobs
Ready for dinner — or lunch, or breakfast — with a view? Moraine View Restaurant & Kayak Rental, 27374 E. 900 North Road in LeRoy, offers savory basics and sweet treats along with kayak, canoe and stand-up paddleboard rentals. | https://pantagraph.com/business/local/moraine-view-restaurant-offers-fun-food-and-lake-views/article_0f337c1a-f5d3-11ed-9eff-ef7dd6f12f99.html | 2023-05-24T13:56:44 | 0 | https://pantagraph.com/business/local/moraine-view-restaurant-offers-fun-food-and-lake-views/article_0f337c1a-f5d3-11ed-9eff-ef7dd6f12f99.html |
The current deputy chief of the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office has announced his candidacy for sheriff. Bret Axlund is spending his weekends collecting signatures, campaigning across the second-largest county in the country.
He’s approaching the process with fervor. Axlund told the Arizona Daily Sun that if there’s one thing he’s always up for, it’s a new challenge.
Axlund is no stranger to the region he’s hoping to serve as sheriff. He’s lived in Coconino County for 30 years, spending 27 of those years in a CCSO-issued uniform.
Axlund’s career at the Sheriff’s Office began in 1996 when he was hired as a detention officer at the county jail. He’d later work the roads on patrol and was based in Page for a number of years.
“I worked on boat patrol, I worked a lot on the reservation and those areas up there. I was promoted to patrol sergeant. Then an interesting thing happened when I was promoted to lieutenant: the sheriff at the time, Bill Pribil, restructured the organization,” Axlund recalled.
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As a newly minted lieutenant, Axlund was put in charge of both the area’s patrol units and the Page jail — which was relatively new, having been built at the same time as the Flagstaff facility in 2000.
Running both divisions in Page was a challenge.
“When I was speaking to the sheriff about it at the time, I reminded him, 'I haven’t worked in the jail for 17 years.' He said, ‘You’ll be fine,’” Axlund said.
According to the now-chief deputy, he was fine -- more than fine.
“We were able to use some of the things that were going on at the jail to help train other agencies. We were able to open up some dive team positions for some detention officers. That was an unheard-of thing, but we were able to do that,” Axlund said. “We were able to take the law enforcement community up there, with the Page Police Department and the Park Service, and develop a training program for the jail.”
Axlund worked with a small staff, setting up cross-training between deputies and detention staff, to ensure that the 48-bed temporary holding facility was always manned at full capacity.
He said he enjoyed the position so much that he imagined retiring in Page — finishing out his career balancing the tasks associated with both the jail and patrol units.
The very job he thought he’d keep forever may have been the training ground that ultimately inspired Axlund’s bid to become the next sheriff.
“Unbeknownst to me, the sheriff at the time said, 'this is going to set you up for bigger things,'” Axlund said.
Sure enough, nine months into Sheriff Jim Driscoll’s first term, Axlund was approached about becoming the county’s chief deputy. The appointment meant he would have to uproot his life in Page and move to Flagstaff.
“We decided that that would be a great opportunity for us. My wife went to work for the health department here in town,” Axlund said. That was in 2017.
Today, Axlund wants to see the community-first culture of CCSO carried on into the future.
“I think I’ve been lucky to have served under such a great department for 27 years. For me, it’s just a really natural step forward,” Axlund said. “We’ve got so many really great things going on right now. So much great programming, by all the different divisions. I’d like to keep that going.”
As sheriff, Axlund said he’d focus on bringing back the Exodus program, which ground to a halt when COVID-19 safety protocols had to be implemented. Exodus is a 90-day treatment program designed to help inmates battle addiction while they’re in custody and work toward achieving sobriety.
Axlund would like to see Exodus revived to run beside the new Pathways to Community Program because they’re both designed to fight recidivism — or the tendency for a person who has committed a crime to re-offend.
If elected sheriff, another of Axlund’s priorities lies in drug enforcement and addressing the opioid epidemic as it relates to Coconino County.
“One of the big issues is the drugs that are coming in from the south,” Axlund said.
In order to address the issue, he wants to see the county’s K9 Unit expanded.
Coconino County had gone about six years without a four-legged deputy on patrol before Dex and his handler Corporal Ben Waibel joined the force about a year ago.
“Dogs are a great tool that we can use,” Axlund said. “If we increase those K9s, it’s going to help us as far as the drugs coming into our communities. While a lot [of drugs] do go through, because we’re at a junction of I-40 and I-17 and Highway 89, some of those end up staying in our area. The more we can remove from our area or deter people from bringing to our area, the better we’re going to be.”
Axlund also hopes to lead a Sheriff’s Department that responds to community needs.
“We go to a lot of community meetings and we listen to what people have to see. There’s very good attendance,” he said.
In areas like Doney Park, Axlund said residents have shared concerns about speeding and impaired drivers on Townsend Winona Road. In Mount Elden Estates, neighbors complain about snowplay and the impacts of illegal parking.
Axlund said he would like to establish a new Special Enforcement Unit that would be tasked with addressing those kinds of specific community concerns.
“This would be a squad that would go around the county, all over the county, helping out wherever they’re needed,” he said. “Right now, our staffing levels are at a point where we can’t stop where we are and refocus. This would be a squad that would be able to focus their efforts on those specific needs.”
The trouble is, CCSO is up against the same issue faced by agencies across the country: They’re understaffed. Before Axlund would be able to create a Special Enforcement Unit, he’d have to ensure the department had enough deputies on their payroll.
He said he’s got a plan for recruitment and retention, and it involves building on the foundation CCSO is already laying.
“We’ve gotten a lot of support from our board of supervisors with this new pay plan that we introduced last year,” Axlund said. “That puts our uniforms into a pay scale with an amount of certainty of where they’re going to be in so many years. It’s an eight-step plan that allows them to see where they’re going to be, how much money they’re going to make, so we’re really lucky to get that through.”
Right now, CCSO is actively recruiting officers at events and on social media. Axlund said CCSO under his leadership would continue to take a proactive approach to hiring.
In other words, the department won’t just wait for would-be deputies to approach them. They’d actively recruit.
When it comes to retention, Axlund wants to maintain some of CCSO’s current strategies for boosting mental health and morale — for deputies and civilian staff alike.
“Any time we see people going through a fairly traumatic event, which could be different for you or for me, based on our upbringing, based on what’s important to us, we offer support,” he said. “It’s no longer the tough cop, go home and deal with it and come back to work tomorrow morning. We’re needing to keep our people through the long term and invest in them. That’s been really important to us.”
CCSO has a counseling-based program in place called “Heal a Hero” and offers all employees access to an anonymous wellness app. On that app, CCSO employees can get support from an outside counselor at any time of the day or night.
“Probably one of our biggest challenges is mental health. It continues to be that, even before COVID started. Now, since COVID, we’re continuing to see lots of suicide-type calls, people in trouble mentally, dealing with different issues that they’re having,” Axlund said.
He attended a training in San Diego to become a mental health first aid trainer. CCSO offers mental health first aid training for the public, but the whole program is eight hours long. Axlund said he hopes to make the training more accessible, by shortening the time commitment and adding more opportunities for community members to engage with CCSO on the topic.
“That’s who we work for, our community,” he said. “What’s really advantageous to us is the people we are hiring right now really want to serve their community, really want to make a difference in the way of helping other people. It’s no longer 'I want to drive fast and carry a gun and wear a shiny uniform.' To them, it’s all about being able to help people.”
It’s that community-first ethos that Axlund said has driven his candidacy. He believes the role of the deputy is to save lives and serve their neighbors.
That’s the reason why the 51-year-old says he’s trading restful weekends with his wife and pet pug to get to work gathering signatures for his candidacy.
“Right now we really enjoy going to all the places we’re going, getting signatures. Whether it’s Leupp or Page, attending all the events,” he said. “We’re getting to know a lot of new people.” | https://azdailysun.com/news/local/coconino-county-deputy-chief-announces-candidacy-for-sheriff-with-community-first-approach/article_78f001b8-f9b2-11ed-86aa-d775b9634967.html | 2023-05-24T13:56:49 | 1 | https://azdailysun.com/news/local/coconino-county-deputy-chief-announces-candidacy-for-sheriff-with-community-first-approach/article_78f001b8-f9b2-11ed-86aa-d775b9634967.html |
Margot Wilder is getting ready to move across the country after graduating from Northland Preparatory Academy (NPA) last week.
Wilder has attended NPA since 6th grade and said she enjoyed the school’s small atmosphere and AP and language course options. She wanted to acknowledge the school’s “amazing teachers,” as well, saying she especially enjoyed being in classes taught by Raphaelle Roland-Francis (French), Ladys Montaño-Caicedo (Spanish) and Austin Kerr (AP U.S. History as well as Speech and Debate).
“It’s been great throughout,” Wilder said of her time at NPA. “I’ve had so many classes that I’ve loved and NPA, it has just a really great community to it.”
She added: “I just want to shout out what a special place NPA is.”
Some of Wilder's favorite experiences at NPA were related to what she hopes to study in college--either political science or anthropology.
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Her favorite class this year, she said, was anthropology. Her research project as part of an AP capstone takes an archaeological approach to Sinaguan history, exploring the connections that can be found in the ceramic sherds they left behind.
Wilder said she’s drawn to anthropology as a way to understand cultures and ways of thinking outside of her own. She was first introduced to archaeology on family hiking trips around Arizona, and said “it’s always been a part of my life and something that I’ve loved.”
“We’ve covered everything from illness and disease to how languages are born and created over time to evolution and pharmacology,” she said of her anthropology class. “...It’s really a class where you get to learn a little about everything and all the different cultures outside of your own [experience], different issues that the world is facing, like climate change and political struggles.”
Wilder's interest in politics comes in part from Model U.N., where she served as president, helping introduce other students to how the club works as well as organizing trips and training sessions.
She’s ending high school fluent in three languages -- English, Spanish and French -- and is hoping to add a fourth (maybe Russian) while in college. This started in elementary school, as she attended Puente de Hózhó in the Spanish program.
"It was always just really cool to me to learn a language and then be able to communicate with the people who spoke that language because of course not everyone speaks English,” she said. “Sometimes it's a lot easier to speak in Spanish, if that's their native language. Also, I just love to travel and learn about different cultures and different people’s experiences and so languages has allowed me to broaden that part of my life a lot more.”
In addition to school, Wilder has been in ballet with NAU Community Music and Dance since she was 4 years old, and started playing piano in fifth grade.
She said having passion for each pursuit helped motivate her.
“I really enjoy all the things that I’m doing, so it’s nice to be filling my schedule with a lot of things I love rather than a lot of things I feel meh about,” she said.
She’ll be attending Hamilton College in upstate New York this fall, where she plans to study either anthropology or political science. She chose the school after a lot of research into different liberal arts colleges. Of the three she visited, Wilder said, “Hamilton just clicked.”
Wilder has spent almost her entire life in Flagstaff and said while moving so far away is “nerve wracking,” it’s also exciting.
“I know my family will always be there to support me and the college is great and I’ll be doing great things while I’m there and hopefully really learning,” she said.
Some potential careers she’s considering are diplomacy or anthropology.
“I think that becoming a foreign diplomat, like working for the state department, would be a really cool job to have, just very exciting,” she said. “I’d learn all the time and I could maybe use my languages too…With anthropology, I think being able to visit different countries and do research and stuff, that sounds like a really cool and awesome lifestyle.
Either way, Wilder said, she's ready for what comes next.
“I’m really excited to be moving on to my new adventures,” she said. “My time at NPA has been really fun and I’ve learned a lot while I’m here, but I’m ready to go on and do cool things in college, have new experiences. I am a little sad to leave NPA, because all my amazing friends and teachers, but I’m hoping college will be just as great as NPA has been.” | https://azdailysun.com/news/local/education/npa-graduate-spotlight-margot-wilder-ready-for-new-experiences/article_42b1f108-f375-11ed-bfd1-ef001a86aebd.html | 2023-05-24T13:56:55 | 1 | https://azdailysun.com/news/local/education/npa-graduate-spotlight-margot-wilder-ready-for-new-experiences/article_42b1f108-f375-11ed-bfd1-ef001a86aebd.html |
NORMAL — The Normal Police Department announced their Fit for Life Youth Fitness & Wellness program in partnership with the Bloomington-Normal Athlete Factory.
The program is seeking individuals ages 13 to 17 from the Bloomington-Normal area to participate in a free summer fitness session. Those who participate will receive instruction from trained fitness instructors over the course of eight weeks.
There will also be officers assisting during the sessions to help form strong bonds with those in the community.
Sessions will take place from 4 p.m. to 5:15 p.m. starting June 12 through Aug. 4. They will either take place Mondays and Wednesdays or Tuesdays and Thursdays depending on how many people sign up.
Those who wish to participate can apply by emailing bpark@normal.org or by filling out the form. | https://pantagraph.com/news/local/normal-police-department-announces-fit-for-life-youth-program/article_7b296f0c-f988-11ed-97bd-330540899bd1.html | 2023-05-24T13:56:56 | 1 | https://pantagraph.com/news/local/normal-police-department-announces-fit-for-life-youth-program/article_7b296f0c-f988-11ed-97bd-330540899bd1.html |
Northern Arizona Healthcare’s Orthopedic and Spine Institute will be holding a sports physical clinic for Flagstaff student athletes June 10.
The third-annual clinic will be held from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Orthopedic and Spine Institute (107 E. Oak Ave, Suite 101). Each screening will cost $10, with either cash or check payments accepted. All proceeds will be donated to support athletics at each student’s school.
No appointments are necessary, though a signed release from a parent or guardian is required for athletes under the age of 18. Student athletes participating in a contact sport must download the Sway Medical app at swaymedical.com before their physical.
According to the announcement, “Sway is an FDA-cleared app that reinvents the way athletes and patients are monitored for signs of imbalance or delayed reaction.”
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The sports physicals will take about an hour each and include internal medicine, baseline sway concussion testing and orthopedic clearance. Internal medicine physicians, orthopedic physicians and surgeons, athletic trainers and physical therapists will perform the tests.
More information about the clinic is available by calling 928-799-7880. | https://azdailysun.com/news/local/orthopedic-and-spine-institute-holding-low-cost-clinic-for-flagstaff-student-athletes/article_0bde5d8e-f9be-11ed-a0dd-9756d3c9192c.html | 2023-05-24T13:57:01 | 1 | https://azdailysun.com/news/local/orthopedic-and-spine-institute-holding-low-cost-clinic-for-flagstaff-student-athletes/article_0bde5d8e-f9be-11ed-a0dd-9756d3c9192c.html |
Mike Elder is calling it quits.
The Northland Prep Academy athletic director, who made great strides with the programs at the school, is retiring. He will leave Northland Prep after 20 years, including 17 in his current role.
“It just felt like it was time,” he said.
Elder’s history with Flagstaff dates back almost 50 years. In 1978, as a student at Arizona State University and athlete on the track and field team, he spent a summer taking classes at Northern Arizona University and worked a summer job in a country club.
Following graduation, he took a job in Alaska working in national parks, and eventually became a teacher and hockey coach there. He moved to North Carolina for many years, too, but Arizona kept calling.
“I always loved Flagstaff, so after that summer it was in the back of my mind,” he said.
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Elder signed on as a teacher and cross country coach at Northland Prep in 2003. He also founded and was the first coach of the Spartans track and field team.
In 2006, the athletic director position opened, and he was selected, but not before winning a couple track and field state titles. In 20 years, he added the Spartans’ first softball, track and field, tennis, wrestling, swimming and diving, and golf teams.
“I feel that adding the additional sports to the athletic program was one of the greatest accomplishments. As a coach, obviously, it felt great to win state championships. There’s no other feeling like that,” he said. “But growing NPA into a robust program means a lot.”
Perhaps the most successful team on campus, especially in the last few years, is the Spartans’ girls soccer team. It has won five of the past six fall championships. Co-coach Michael Blair lauded Elder for his efforts at the school.
“I don’t think people realize all the administrative work it takes. He was always supportive of the team and the kids and everything we wanted to do,” Blair said.
He added: “Mike had to work with the county and the city to get fields because we didn’t have a lot of our own facilities. So he had to do even more than some other schools.”
The job had plenty of challenges. Elder spent time as president of the 2A Conference, and sat for a time on the AIA’s track and field and cross country advisory boards. He was instrumental in pushing altitude alterations for times in track and field.
Like those around the country, he also had to deal with the fallout of COVID-19 canceling the 2020 spring athletic season and limiting availability of practices and facilities for months after. There was also the politics of state athletic associations, none of which came naturally.
The hardest part, though, was being the “bad guy” when it didn’t feel like Elder’s nature.
“I thought my job would be to make opportunities for kids to play sports. Sports meant so much to me growing up, and in high school and college,” he said. “But once you got into it, instead of being the guy who gives the opportunities, I became the guy who had to enforce the rules. I became the guy that had to approach kids or tell the coach and the student that someone was academically ineligible, things like that.”
Still, after many decades in the workforce, 35 years in schools and 20 at Northland Prep, Elder can ride off happy with what he accomplished.
What’s next? Even he doesn’t know, but is sure relaxing and enjoying his home in Flagstaff will be part of the plan.
“I’m proud of my 35 years in education, but now I am retired. I get to do whatever I want, and we’ll see what’s on the horizon.” | https://azdailysun.com/sports/local/npa-ad-elder-retiring-after-20-years/article_243ce61c-f9c2-11ed-bcf8-bb99aa71700b.html | 2023-05-24T13:57:14 | 0 | https://azdailysun.com/sports/local/npa-ad-elder-retiring-after-20-years/article_243ce61c-f9c2-11ed-bcf8-bb99aa71700b.html |
WATERLOO — Within less than two years, Helenjean Marshall lost both of her parents. But without the amazing people who stepped into her life, it could have been far worse.
First her father, Dean, died in 2018 and then, in 2020, her mother, Angel, also passed away. Marshall was placed in foster care for a little over a year before she was taken in by Cliff and Sonya Tharpe of Reinbeck. The experience not only got her out of a terrible spot, but completely changed her perspective.
“I loved it because I had kids that were around my age in the home,” Marshall said. “They taught me how to get life skills. We had fun, we did a lot of fun things like go on family vacations, hang out – all that type of stuff. They even threw me a graduation party after graduation.”
The Tharpes also allowed Marshall to have constant contact and involvement with her older brother, Dean Jr., who wasn’t in a position at the time to be able to act as her guardian. They were supportive throughout her time with them and, according to her, the steps they took allowed her to heal.
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Now aged out of the foster care system, Marshall says she still considers her foster parents and siblings her family. They’re still people she can turn to and fall back on as she embarks on going to college and work.
“At first when I got into foster care, I really didn’t want to be in foster care because I wanted to be with family,” Marshall said. “But now that I aged out, I see that it actually gave me a new look on life.”
On June 1, from 4 to 5:30 p.m., success stories like Marshall’s are being honored at the Van G. Miller Adult Learning Center during the 15th annual foster care youth graduation celebration. According to Michelle Cooper, a transition planning specialist for the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, the event provides practical gifts for graduates that they can use as they prepare for college or moving into their own apartments.
Six foster youth are expected to participate in the open house, which the public is invited to attend. The Adult Learning Center is located at 120 Jefferson St.
Cooper added that only 56% of children in the U.S. who go into foster care end up graduating from high school, while only 3% graduate from college. Older teenagers may move around from school to school and district to district for various reasons, with each school system having different credit requirements.
The stress involved in constant moves and decreased involvement that comes as a result of these changes can also be a factor, so the celebration is recognizing a major achievement for the students.
“It’s a huge accomplishment for them and we absolutely want to recognize that, support them and make a big deal about it,” Cooper said. “Definitely.”
Marshall added that events like this are a reminder that foster care is not the end of the road and they deserve to celebrate with their peers.
“It’s a new look on life. People are willing to help you and it’s nice to go to an event like that because my grandmother showed and she was proud,” Marshall said. “I know my parents would have been proud of me, as well, for being such a young adult.”
Donations are being accepted to procure practical gifts for the students. Checks made payable to Success Link, to help cover the cost of the group gift, can be sent to Ellen Vanderloo, 3608 Inverness Road, Waterloo, IA 50701. Additional information is available by calling Vanderloo at (319) 290-0005. | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/education/foster-youth-graduation-open-house-celebrates-local-success-stories/article_14ef39a8-f9a4-11ed-9175-831e06646e75.html | 2023-05-24T14:01:08 | 1 | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/education/foster-youth-graduation-open-house-celebrates-local-success-stories/article_14ef39a8-f9a4-11ed-9175-831e06646e75.html |
WAVERLY — Joanna Longwe of Nairobi, Kenya, and Chandler Njus of Fredericksburg will deliver the student messages at the Wartburg College Commencement on Sunday, May 28.
Based on nominations from their peers and in consultation with faculty and staff, Wartburg College President Rebecca Neiduski invited the seniors to give the remarks on behalf of the class of 2023 at the ceremony beginning at 10:30 a.m. in the Hoover Fieldhouse & Track in the Wartburg-Waverly Sports & Wellness Center.
“Joanna and Chandler received strong support from students, faculty and staff on campus and represent the breadth of experiences, majors and identities within our graduating class,” Neiduski said.
Longwe, a computer science major with a data analytics minor, has accepted a position as a software developer at VGM Group in Waterloo following graduation. At Wartburg, Longwe, who is a Davis United World College Scholar, has served as a resident assistant in Clinton Hall, vice president of the Chess Club, the social event coordinator for the Scholar’s Council and the social media coordinator for the African Representative Council.
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She also has actively participated in the college’s Ambassador program, was vice president of the Computer Science Club and an active member of the Black Student Union and International Club. During her first years at Wartburg, she was a member of Hope Overflow, the college’s worship band. She also was inducted into the National Society of Leadership and Success.
Njus, an elementary education major with endorsements in reading, math and middle school, will teach fourth grade at North Fayette Valley Schools in Elgin beginning this fall. At Wartburg, he served as a percussion section leader for the wind ensemble. He also served as treasurer of the college’s Drumline and was a member of Ritterchor, a tenor and bass ensemble.
As co-president of the Ambassadors program, he played a vital role in the restructuring of the organization, which provides tours for prospective students and college guests. He also served as the logistics coordinator for Entertainment ToKnight and was a resident assistant, manager of the Castle Connections pre-orientation program and president of the Kappa Delta Pi honor society. | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/longwe-njus-are-student-speakers-at-wartburg-commencement/article_aef2ff98-f9be-11ed-b0cf-2f61a26d7c8f.html | 2023-05-24T14:01:14 | 1 | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/longwe-njus-are-student-speakers-at-wartburg-commencement/article_aef2ff98-f9be-11ed-b0cf-2f61a26d7c8f.html |
Hot dog! Trolley Dogs, 5501 Sixth Ave., is celebrating its 20th anniversary with special offers from 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. today. Among the deals are $2 Chicago Dogs and $4 Chicago Dog Meals. Customers on May 24 will also be given a coupon to use on their next visit.
This is your last week to see these exhibits at the Anderson Arts Center, 6603 Third Ave.: Works from the Racine Art Guild, plus solo show winners from the Winter Juried Show 2022 and works from the Area Artists Group and Kemper Lakefront Studios. The shows run through Sunday. The Anderson Arts Center is open from 1 to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. Admission is free. For more information, go to kempercenter.com.
May is Golf Month, whicih means you have just a few more days to celebrate at one of our area golf courses. So pull those clubs out and hit the green. May is also National Hamburger Month, as you ponder your post-golf meal options.
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The Kenosha Public Museum, 5500 First Ave., hosts a “Museum Munchkins” program from 9:30 to 10 this morning. Today’s program focuses on the platypus. This is a free program, open to preschoolers with an adult. For more information, call 262-653-4140.
Head to Rustic Road Brewing Company, 5706 Sixth Ave., for Music Bingo, starting at 7 p.m. It’s free to play, and there are PRIZES.
The University of Wisconsin-Parkside is hosting the 28th Parkside National Print Exhibition, on display through July 28 in the Emile H. Mathis Gallery. The gallery is open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday-Friday. Admission is free. For more details, go to www.uwp.edu/therita/artgalleries.cfm. | https://kenoshanews.com/news/local/kenosha-area-events-for-wednesday-may-24/article_b532364a-f97c-11ed-be0b-cb7dc2240e6d.html | 2023-05-24T14:01:58 | 0 | https://kenoshanews.com/news/local/kenosha-area-events-for-wednesday-may-24/article_b532364a-f97c-11ed-be0b-cb7dc2240e6d.html |
Name: Angel Peña
School: Indian Trail High School & Academy
Parents: Manuel and Isabella Hinojos
Most memorable high school moment: My most memorable moment in high school has to be the time I attended my first homecoming as a senior. I didn’t really dance or hung out, but I did have one of the best nights that day. I was a photographer for our newspaper, The Pulse and it was so entertaining and amazing capturing all these special memories. Everyone was happy and having such a great time. Above all, my friends were all there and it was just so wonderful being with people I can spend quality time with.
Most influential teacher: Mrs. Sciarra in Digital Graphics; When I first started the Communications academy freshman year in Indian Trail, I never really knew how to use Photoshop or Illustrator. I did enjoy photography and the thrill it brought when I was learning new things. And being in class with Mrs. Sciarra was so comfortable. We really didn’t work cameras, but more of the editing side and adding all sorts of things, making records, posters, ID cards, etc. What really moved me was the inspiration I felt and the motivation I had to perfect my style with digital graphics. It mainly opened the door to my photography route that I would later take. After she retired Junior year, things felt out of place. I miss having her around, she was so sweet and kind.
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School activities/clubs: Newspaper, School video announcements
Out-of-school activities/hobbies: I am an avid film and digital photographer. Having only boughten my first camera almost a year ago (my 35mm Canon A1), I’ve become really comfortable taking pictures with film or digital cameras. I also sometimes take the opportunity to make video projects like the journalism campaign I recorded / edited for my community service hours.
College choice: Columbia College in Chicago
Intended major/field of study: Cinematography
Role model: Alexander Giannascoli
Three words that best describe my role model: Easy going, wallflower, determined
What I hope to accomplish in my lifetime: I want to continue my passion with photography in hopes to obtain a career in film making. It has been a dream of mine for a long time now. | https://kenoshanews.com/news/local/todays-teen-2023-angel-pe-a-of-indian-trail-high-school-academy/article_e03c1204-f812-11ed-9649-5bbe59ca57b3.html | 2023-05-24T14:01:59 | 0 | https://kenoshanews.com/news/local/todays-teen-2023-angel-pe-a-of-indian-trail-high-school-academy/article_e03c1204-f812-11ed-9649-5bbe59ca57b3.html |
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. — The Hot Springs Police Department has asked the public for help locating a missing 20-year-old.
Amir Isaiah Ellis was last seen at 101 Rocky Reef Circle during the early morning hours on May 17, 2023.
He is described as a Black male with brown eyes and a height of 5'6".
Anyone with information should contact the Hot Springs Police Department at (501) 321-6704 or Detective Branstetter at bbranstetter@cityhs.net. | https://www.thv11.com/article/news/local/missing-persons-reports/hot-springs-missing-man/91-eca13de9-92c9-4fbb-a500-1cedba61252c | 2023-05-24T14:06:46 | 1 | https://www.thv11.com/article/news/local/missing-persons-reports/hot-springs-missing-man/91-eca13de9-92c9-4fbb-a500-1cedba61252c |
Arizona author charts a course through 1930s science and sexism on the Colorado River
Melissa Sevigny's new book, published Tuesday, will make readers yearn for the adventure and natural beauty of a Colorado River rafting trip at the same time that it fires them up over sexism in science and media.
Drawing on the detailed diaries of two botanists who became the first white women to "Brave the Wild River," as the book is titled, the Flagstaff-based author guides us through the rough waters and peaceful moments of a story about facing fears and bucking norms to pursue scientific passions for the benefit of future generations.
At a time when the Colorado River is making headlines like never before, due to drought conditions and tense negotiations between states over dividing up the fluctuating water supply, Sevigny takes us back.
Back before the Colorado River Basin's water needs for agriculture and a growing population exceeded its flows. Back before the construction of the Glen Canyon Dam and the existence of Lake Powell. Back before scientists worried much about how that dam would affect the Grand Canyon ecosystem. Back even before the term "ecosystem" was in common use, but when two Michigan-based botanists nevertheless understood the value of documenting the species of plants eking out a living in this harsh and turbulent river corridor.
The story Sevigny tells takes place mostly in 1938, when an unlikely crew of two female scientists new to river trips joined forces with a would-be commercial boater determined to invent that industry and a rotating cast of oarsmen trying their luck through seldom-run rapids. They built their own boats out of wood and screws, cooked their own meals (the women were expected to do that) and scouted their own rapids in rocky waters known to have claimed the lives of white adventurers who had tried before. (Sevigny is careful to note throughout the book that the Indigenous peoples who call the region home were the first to accomplish many of the feats later hailed as novel achievements by white explorers.)
The 43-day-long summer journey featured sweltering temperatures, group discord and a range of mishaps including a runaway boat and some unintentional swimming. All along the way, the women "worked well past sundown," Sevigny writes, to document — via their journals and plant vouchers — how the botany changed as they progressed down river, filleting cactus pads and scooping out sticky flesh to press the spiky remains between sheets of newspaper for transport to herbaria collections. They slept on flat rocks in homemade bedrolls along the river banks, then woke before the rest of the crew to prepare breakfast for them daily, "moving quietly among their sleeping companions and fumbling at the dishware with cold fingers while dawn pinked the tops of the cliffs and painted them blush and rouge."
The hard work of career scientists Elzada Clover and Lois Jotter went largely unrecognized by the journalists who covered the expedition at the time. Most accounts failed to even mention the word 'botany' or acknowledge the research merits of the trip, framing it instead as a thrill-seeking jaunt these reckless women had no business participating in.
As a science journalist herself stepping into the story 85 years later, Sevigny rights this wrong. By relying on the journals and scientific legacies left by these women, she reframes the story, often in their own words.
The 257-page account is one of two courageous and dedicated botanists who overcame their own fears and the many sexist barriers that 1930s society had constructed for career-oriented women. These two individuals were willing to trade ruffled skirts for overalls and decorum for scientific achievement and produced, as a result, ecological findings of lasting value.
"There was simply no other comprehensive plant list published prior to the closure of Glen Canyon Dam," Sevigny writes. "Anyone who wanted to understand how the vegetation had changed — because of dams, exotic species, or any of the other human and natural influences at work on ecosystems in the past half-century — had to refer to Clover and Jotter's work."
More:As climate disasters force people to flee, a new book examines the modern migrant quandary
Change on the river is a theme of the book. Since the construction of Glen Canyon Dam in the 1960s, environmental activists have mourned the drowning of sites upstream as well as the loss of sediment carried by a natural flood cycle that once built up beaches downstream and created habitat for native plants and wildlife. The flora has changed as a result, with invasive species filling in the new, more calm spaces where only plants that could reestablish after chaotic floods existed before.
Climate change, too, is taking a toll on the river by redefining which plants and animals can survive in these places with rising temperatures and a decades-deep drought.
River rafting culture has changed swiftly. In 1938, the Grand Canyon National Park discouraged travel by river, not wanting to spend resources on rescue efforts. Now rafting the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon is a major commercial endeavor and a hallmark of the park experience for adventurous tourists (though modern rafting trips have luxuries Clover and Jotter could not have imagined). River runners no longer paint their names on the rock walls of the canyon, but the environment is forever changed by the modern impact of 27,000 annual rafters.
Read the climate series:The latest from Joan Meiners at azcentral, a column on climate change that publishes weekly
The book also highlights aspects of the 1938 trip that remain woefully unchanged. Many of the undertones of sexism in science and outdoor exploration Sevigny chronicled echo situations still experienced by female researchers and adventurers today. Clover and Jotter felt that their work was not taken seriously in their time. Female scientists today receive less recognition for their work than their male colleagues, as evidenced by fewer authorship opportunities and lower citation rates for the same type of work. Sexual harassment is also still a major concern for women working in national parks though, thankfully, that was not something the 1938 botanists dealt with.
Overall, the book's tone is triumphant, celebrating the adventurous spirits and scientific accomplishments of these women and their companions. It's a story so relevant to modern discussions about water resources, climate change, science, sexism and the impacts of recreation as to likely feel shocking to many readers that they have not heard much about these trailblazers before.
By telling the tale of the 1938 expedition now, Sevigny brings to light many important themes of the modern era that will be relevant discussion points in ecosystem management for years to come. With experience as a poet, she also artfully bridges a gap of nearly 100 years to shape the timeless story of a shared human experience with nature.
"What does 'wild' mean, anyway?" Sevigny asks in the final chapter. "Not untouched by human presence, for even the plants — especially the plants — show how the canyonland's first inhabitants tended agave and prickly pear, coaxing them into new shapes. A wild place isn't one unchanged by humans. It's a place that changes us."
Joan Meiners is the climate news and storytelling reporter at The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com. Before becoming a journalist, she completed a doctorate in ecology. Follow Joan on Twitter at @beecycles or email her at joan.meiners@arizonarepublic.com. Read more of her coverage at environment.azcentral.com.
Support climate coverage and local journalism by subscribing to azcentral.com at this link. | https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona-environment/2023/05/24/colorado-river-book-brave-the-wild-river-melissa-sevigny/70247708007/ | 2023-05-24T14:11:26 | 1 | https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona-environment/2023/05/24/colorado-river-book-brave-the-wild-river-melissa-sevigny/70247708007/ |
How do you recycle plastic waste? Tucson is working to turn it into building blocks
A pilot program that turns unrecyclable plastic waste into multicolored building blocks is growing citywide in Tucson.
Mayor Regina Romero and the City Council approved a four-year service agreement May 9 with ByFusion, a Los Angeles-based company that converts plastic waste into construction material. The partnership will advance Tucson's goals to "move past the traditional landfill model and into an era of regenerative waste-to-asset activities," the agreement said.
ByFusion started partnering with Tucson's Ward 6 about 10 months ago to collect and transform unrecyclable plastics. The waste is collected in a bright orange 22 cubic-yard container at the back of the building, then picked up by the city's Environmental Services trucks and emptied at Tank's Speedway Recycling and Landfill. There, Tank's bales the waste into 12-ton loads and ships it to California so ByFusion can turn it into blocks.
ByFusion will now build the blocks in Tucson. The city signed a $1 million contract and will pay $2.4 million extra to build a facility at Los Reales Sustainability Campus, where the company will operate a Blocker machine, called a Micro Diversion Platform.
Though for now, the plastic must be left at city drop-off sites, the company is considering offering curbside pickup services to residents, too. All the hard-to-recycle plastic waste, numbered 3 through 7, which can't go into the blue bin, can be deposited there. Styrofoam is not included in the list.
Because of the pilot's program success, the city added two more drop-off sites at the Ward 4 office at 8123 E Poinciana Drive, and Fire Station 15, at 2002 S Mission Road. The three sites will continue to receive residents' unrecyclable plastics, along with the Los Reales facility once the blocker machine arrives.
The blocker could be up and running before Christmas, said Steve Kozachik, Tucson's vice mayor and Ward 6 councilmember.
State support for recycling:Arizona lawmakers want to restore recycling fund. But environmentalists fear one addition
Community participation made it happen
Kozachik launched a new recycling program a few years back for crushed glass at the back of the Ward 6 office. The program grew into a community-wide glass collection program. A constituent who became involved asked if he'd considered working with unrecyclable plastics too.
"Everything in the waste stream is a potential resource, it just has to find the right niche at the right price at the right time to become useful," said Val Little, a Ward 6 resident and chairwoman of Tucson's Groundwater Advisory Council.
She had followed recycling initiatives and news for years, and when she read about ByFusion she decided to pitch the idea to Kozachik. It was common-sense technology that was right up Tucson's alley, she said. The results from the pilot ended up showing it, too.
The pilot program began in August 2022 with the goal of collecting 20 tons of waste and getting 500 signatures of support from constituents. By early December they had collected 35 tons and collected about 1,000 signatures.
When they looked at the zip codes of people who signed in support, every single zip code in Pima County was represented, Kozachik said.
"That means that people are driving in from Oro Valley, from Marana, from Green Valley, unincorporated Pima County, the top of Mount Lemmon," he said.
"The point was made. We demonstrated to the city environmental resources folks that the community really wants this."
In total, the city has collected over 80 tons from the three locations. The council vote on the agreement was unanimous.
"It just has clicked with the community, not only with the constituents but with staff within environmental services and other departments that are impacted too," Little said.
Electronics in the waste stream:Your old cellphone and printer are e-waste. Here's why you should recycle them responsibly
Why some people make the effort to recycle
On a recent morning, Jeremy Bower rolled a 32-gallon trash can to the container at the back of the Ward 6 office. A couple of days back he'd read about the program going citywide, so he started sorting and storing his plastics right away and made the drive to drop it off.
In the span of 20 minutes, eight other cars pulled over to drop off bags.
"Obviously we have to make the effort to come here but it's worth it to me," Jennifer Tuttle said. "You do not realize how much (plastic) waste you have. I feel really good about making something more productive out of it. I love it."
She doesn't care too much about having a curbside pickup service but believes it will increase compliance and participation.
Manny Carrillo drives 10 miles to drop off all kinds of recyclables at Ward 6. Because he lives out of the city service area, he used to pay a company to pick up his garbage and recyclable waste. He said he started taking it to Ward 6 after a truck driver told him: "You guys are paying for recycling but it's not actually being recycled it's going straight to the landfill." He still does this every week to keep his wife happy, he said.
Because participation has been so good, Tank's Speedway Recycling and Landfill has received about 95 tons of bread bags, coffee lids, single-use bags, bubble wrap and snack packing, among other plastics that do not go in the blue bin. They have baled and shipped about 20 tons to Los Angeles so ByFusion could turn it into 1,200 blocks. The city has built new benches at Himmel Park with them, as well as outdoor planters.
Operations manager Tod Payme said they have five more loads, each made of about 12 more tons of waste compressed and wrapped with wire, ready to go. The rest are still out in the open.
Payme said it is "awesome" the program is detouring the plastics away from the landfill and transforming the materials into new products. Tank's used to receive and sort plastic 1 and 2, PET and HDPE, and cardboard. Then they would send it to a recycling facility. But since China imposed its the National Sword policy, the prices for recycling just crashed.
The loads still at Tank's will be sent to L.A. to make new blocks. Kozachik said the city already has plans for them: to build a perimeter wall at the University of Arizona, expand the Sister José Women's Center, build a tack room at Therapeutic Riding of Tucson, and build new park benches and ramadas.
The Zero Waste group at Sustainable Tucson, a local grassroots nonprofit founded in 2006, said it appreciates the efforts to divert waste from the landfill but hopes the city and Arizona will do more to address the root cause: overproduction and consumption of plastics.
In Arizona, it is still illegal to ban single-use plastics. About a decade ago, Bisbee was threatened with losing $2 million in state tax revenue if it enforced a new ordinance to take plastic bags out of grocery stores.
Kevin Greene, chair of the working group, said they'd like the City of Tucson to work with local businesses and institutions to pilot reusable and refillable container systems and invest in Zero Waste education.
"Unfortunately, the city is placing too much emphasis on researching downstream waste management," Green said. Such solutions create products of less value and don't address the production of trash. "We need to work more on upstream solutions to the plastic problem."
Obstacles to recycling:Arizona cities struggle to maintain recycling programs because of high costs
ByBlock's end use and markets
The micro-diversion platforms, or MDPs, use steam and compression to produce 22-pound blocks. They don't use any additives and they don't have to sort or clean the unrecyclable plastics they get. One of the main challenges of traditional plastic recycling is that contamination with food scraps or other residues can send whole loads to the landfill.
Of the new blocks that come out from Tucson's blocker, ByFusion will give 10% to the city, as per the agreement.
The company plans to develop three revenue streams in Tucson by selling the rest of the blocks into the construction market, offering curbside pickup service to residents, and getting commercial contracts with local companies, shopping centers and business.
Kozachik said he has introduced ByFusion to retailers like Costco, RoadHouse Cinemas, Poly Print and Ace Hardware.
"The real opportunity and value from the standpoint of being able to, you know, recruit as much plastic as possible and keep it from being burned or buried on the commercial side," said Vaughan Stanford, ByFusion's chief revenue officer.
"That's where the biggest impact will be made has on the commercial level," Stanford said. "But the residential opportunity is there as well."
Standford said ideally the blocks they produce in Tucson will stay in Tucson. ByBlocks have been used for many outdoor buildings and landscaping, but the company has also promoted them for construction. Standford said one of the end uses is for accessory dwelling units, like a two-bedroom, one-bath house being built in Flagstaff. ByFusion was recently recognized with a sustainability award by the U.S. Building Council of Los Angeles.
Tucson is the first city to land a service agreement with ByFusion, but the company has already worked for two years in the greater Boise area in Idaho providing the same service. The difference is that Tucson is collecting waste through three drop-off points so waste will come in directly to the blocker.
In Boise, ByFusion has partnered with Dow and the Hefty ReNew program, which offers special pickup services to residents so the plastic is turned into blocks. To continue operations in the area, ByFusion signed a service of agreement with Reynolds Consumer Products and Dow on Jan. 9.
The company plans to start pilot projects in other cities too.
"Boise and Tucson are the furthest along, but we're we're anticipating that we'll have probably three more up and three to four more up and running by end of year," he said, declining to disclose the other four agreements.
"The biggest challenge for us is the number of micro-diversion platforms that we have and building to be able to make the blocks."
At some point they could continue to expand beyond Tucson, Standford said.
"The city of Phoenix itself could support multiple MDPs. Tucson can probably even support another MDP once we get off and going. The model for us is basically to land and expand."
Clara Migoya covers environment issues for The Arizona Republic and azcentral. Send tips or questions to clara.migoya@arizonarepublic.com.
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 environmental journalism in Arizona. Subscribe to azcentral today. | https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona-environment/2023/05/24/tucson-approves-new-plastic-recycling-program-in-zero-waste-effort/70225775007/ | 2023-05-24T14:11:32 | 0 | https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona-environment/2023/05/24/tucson-approves-new-plastic-recycling-program-in-zero-waste-effort/70225775007/ |
Wood for Life turns downed trees into firewood for Indigenous communities, teaches job skills
The need for reliable fuel for cooking and heating on reservation land in the Four Corners region has been exacerbated by the 2019 closure of the Navajo Generating Station, officials said.
The roars of chainsaws and ATV engines echoed last week through an area of the Coconino National Forest west of Flagstaff as youth crews collected and processed wood for Navajo and Hopi communities.
The crews are part of Wood for Life, which worked Thursday afternoon to repurpose downed trees from various forest health and restoration projects into much-needed firewood and building materials for nearby tribal communities.
Now in its fourth year, the program is the result of a partnership between the Ancestral Lands Conservation Corps, the National Forest Foundation, the U.S. Forest Service and more. This year, Wood for Life also received a $50,000 boost from the Arizona Lottery Gives Back program.
Wood for Life solves two problems with one solution
When Matt McGrath first started as the Flagstaff District Ranger for the U.S. Forest Service almost five years ago, the agency struggled to manage materials leftover from forest health and wildfire prevention projects.
Traditional timber sales often leave behind large slash piles that the agency then needs to burn during the off-season while many trees that were initially removed to limit the spread of wildfire were often stacked in massive log decks that then have nowhere to go, McGrath said.
"The fire danger continues to exist," he said. "Just instead of it being spread across a large area, its this giant fire risk concentrated right there."
At the same time the agency was looking for ways to manage their stockpiles of timber, indigenous communities across Arizona and in the Four Corners region were really struggling due to a lack of fuel for cooking and heating, a situation that was only exacerbated by the 2019 closure of the Navajo Generating Plant.
To meet both needs, Wood for Life was born.
Marshall Masayesva, the Hopi Coordinator for the Ancestral Lands Conservation Corps, was integral in the development of the program and worked to ensure the mission was guided by an indigenous perspective.
For example, the smaller branches and tree limbs that ultimately become slash piles can instead be turned into much-needed mulch for gardening and agriculture, which is needed more and more because of climate change and the continued desertification of reservation land, Masayesva said.
"The entirety of the tree can be used for a purpose," he said. "We could utilize the entire tree and our forest resources to address a lot of the issues that we have at home."
For the first time, in addition to firewood, the crews are also preparing large posts for building, which Masayesva hopes will also begin addressing the community's housing crisis.
As the list for housing assistance on the reservation stretches on, many households remain overcrowded and rarely have modern amenities or proper insulation, he said. By giving them building materials, he hopes they can start addressing their own housing issues.
"So the more that we encourage our own people to revitalize our building practices and provide the material to be able to do so … we could address multiple issues at the same time," he said.
The success of the program is evident to McGrath each time he drives through the forest, he said, as fewer and fewer log decks are scattered throughout.
"We need to get rid of this wood, they have a need for it," McGrath said. "It just lines up really, really well."
Indigenous youth gain life skills while serving their communities
The program has also created opportunities for Native youth to learn job skills while at the same time ultimately giving back to their communities.
While Aeon Albert oversees new youth crews now as a program manager with Ancestral Lands, she started the same way everyone else does.
First, everyone is trained on the equipment and procedures and then they get to work, camping just a few hundred yards away from the worksite, for nine days at a time.
"You're really throwing yourself into something that's not like any other job," Albert said.
Albert explained that a lot of Hopi are really hands-on and don't always perfectly align with the mold of our education system. And while she herself had a good post-secondary educational experience, she said she knows that is not the case for many in her community.
Through this program, she's hoping to show people there is another path to a successful career.
"Being able to allow other young people to see that you can run a chainsaw and that can be your career is really amazing," she said.
"I think my main goal within the program is just to be able to give them a different perspective and be able to help them figure out where they want to go, even if it is post-secondary education," she said.
On days when the job feels particularly challenging, like when temperatures surpass 100 degrees or when monsoon rains won't ease up, Albert said she relies on the Hopi value of contributing to her community and her home as motivation.
"I think its really reaching down into your heart and being able to find that mentality that's going to keep you going," she said.
Reach the reporter at LLatch@gannett.com.
The Republic’s coverage of northern Arizona is funded, in part, with grants from Vitalyst Health Foundation and Report from America. To support regional Arizona news coverage like this, make a tax-deductible donation at supportjournalism.azcentral.com. | https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona/2023/05/24/wood-for-life-thinned-trees-become-firewood-for-native-reservations/70232813007/ | 2023-05-24T14:11:38 | 1 | https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona/2023/05/24/wood-for-life-thinned-trees-become-firewood-for-native-reservations/70232813007/ |
'Creation of a new neighborhood': Peoria approves $38M development in Warehouse District
The "largest two" undeveloped warehouses in Peoria's burgeoning Warehouse District are about to get a major makeover.
The Peoria City Council approved a $38 million development plan for buildings at 800 SW Washington Street and 801 SW Washington Street to be turned into 176 residential units. Both warehouses have plans to include commercial space.
City Manager Patrick Urich said the addition of these residential units would bring the total number of residential units downtown and in the Warehouse District to over 1,000. He also said this addition would aid in what he described as the "creation of a new neighborhood" in the Warehouse District.
"This is a very welcomed development that we have," Urich said. "Oculus Development is a developer out of Chicago, they have a great track record of multi-family units."
Construction on the residential units has an estimated completion date of March 2026.
More:Which Peoria neighborhoods have the most short-term rentals? Here's where things stand
Tax incentives for residential units
Project developer Oculus Development will be using historic tax credits and tax increment financing reimbursements to recoup development costs through 2043. The total TIF reimbursement on property taxes for the project will be $10.4 million, the developer will recoup $6.7 million of that money, and the city will get $3.7 million.
Oculus Development will receive a 100% rebate on property taxes in the years 2027 through 2029; 75% between 2030 and 2032; 65% between 2032 and 2034; 50% between 2036 and 2043. In the first three years of development, the developer will get no TIF rebate.
The developer can receive no reimbursement money however until the project is completed and a letter of occupancy is signed.
'Hallelujah':Back-in-only parking to end in downtown Peoria
Special parking agreement made between city, developer
A city-led parking project was also promised as part of this development, which will see the city develop a parking structure at 905 and 907 SW Washington Street to be used by the residents of the Oculus Development.
Two weeks ago, the City Council approved a plan for the city to buy the land at 905 and 907 SW Washington Street, in an effort to add more parking deemed crucial for the residential development.
Peoria plans to demolish the current buildings located at 905 and 907 SW Washington Street to develop a parking structure, once funds for the project are released, Urich said.
Residents of 800 SW Washington Street will be allocated 84 spots at the parking structure. Residents of 801 SW Washington Street will be offered parking on an "as available, non-exclusive basis." | https://www.pjstar.com/story/news/local/2023/05/24/peoria-approves-38-million-residential-development-in-warehouse-district/70250301007/ | 2023-05-24T14:13:57 | 1 | https://www.pjstar.com/story/news/local/2023/05/24/peoria-approves-38-million-residential-development-in-warehouse-district/70250301007/ |
'Hallelujah': Back-in-only parking to end in downtown Peoria
One Peoria City Council member suggested the city throw a party. Another called the move long-awaited.
So, what were the Peoria City Council members celebrating Tuesday night? Their decision to end the unpopular back-in-only parking located in downtown Peoria.
The Peoria City Council voted unanimously, and quite happily, on Tuesday night to allocate $75,000 to end the requirement that drivers back into certain parking spots downtown on Fulton Street near City Hall.
Back-in-only parking on Fulton Street will meet its demise sometime before the end of the year, City Director Rick Powers said.
The $75,000 will come from the downtown conservation tax increment financing fund and will be used to place a black slurry seal over the current pavement so new parking spaces can be painted.
Abandoned and for sale:Here's what we know about 11 properties connected to Kim Blickenstaff
Why is the council so happy about this particular project? Because those back-in-only parking spaces happen to be right outside of City Hall.
"If I could vote six times on this I would," councilmember Chuck Grayeb said. "I have had zero positive comments about the current regime that we have and I think this will be a move forward."
Grayeb said when the city first implemented reverse-in-only parking they did so based on a worry that a child near the trunk of a parked vehicle would be in the street instead of the sidewalk, so the city figured it needed to implement a policy that would mandate car trunks be near the sidewalk.
"The fact is a lot of people, myself included, find it difficult to back-in and it's hard to see, especially if you have a larger vehicle, how far back you can go," Grayeb said. "I think this is a step forward for safety, not a step backward."
More:Peoria journalist leaving TV station after five years
Councilman John Kelly simply added "Hallelujah" to the conversation.
"I am happy too," Mayor Rita Ali added. "I consider myself a good driver, but I don't go backwards as well as I go forward."
It will be considered a violation to back into a parking spot after this change is completed. The city will be putting up signs and "flooding the media market" with news of this change, Powers said.
"I may be pulling a permit to shut down Fulton Street for a party," councilman Zach Oyler joked. | https://www.pjstar.com/story/news/local/2023/05/24/peoria-to-end-an-unpopular-parking-requirement-in-downtown/70250560007/ | 2023-05-24T14:14:03 | 0 | https://www.pjstar.com/story/news/local/2023/05/24/peoria-to-end-an-unpopular-parking-requirement-in-downtown/70250560007/ |
MIDLAND, Texas — The Bush Family Home has been officially named a Texas Historic Site.
The landmark was welcomed by the Texas Historical Commission, which made it one of 36 historical sites in the Lone Star State after pushing for more state funding to help keep the home up and running.
"And so the funds that the Texas Historic Commissioners are able to apply to this are going to mean that not only that the home will be preserved, updated, and maintained, but will be viewed by many more thousands of people than we were able to do as a small organization," said Former Executive Director of the Bush Family home Paul St. Hilaire. "The tours and the focus of the home will be more on the entire Bush family. The scope of the presentation will be more inclusive than it has been in the past."
Federal officials are considering designating the Bush Family Home as a National Historic Site. | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/bush-family-home-named-texas-historic-site/513-35fe187a-ccb8-495c-9221-69dd2480e0ba | 2023-05-24T14:14:03 | 1 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/bush-family-home-named-texas-historic-site/513-35fe187a-ccb8-495c-9221-69dd2480e0ba |
DALLAS — Mosquitos are back, folks. And according to Orkin, Dallas-Fort Worth is the worst area in all of Texas for those pesky pests.
Orkin released its top 50 Mosquito Cities List, and DFW ranked No. 5 in the entire country. It was the highest Texas city, ahead of Houston (No. 9), San Antonio (No. 39) and Austin (No. 46).
On last year's list, Dallas ranked 6th in America for mosquitos. Los Angeles topped the list for the third year in a row.
This comes from Orkin's data, which is based on the metro areas where the pest control company performed the most mosquito control services from April 1, 2022, to March 31, 2023. The list includes both residential and commercial mosquito treatments.
Here's a look at the Top 50
- Los Angeles
- Chicago
- New York
- Atlanta
- Dallas/Ft. Worth
- Washington, DC
- Philadelphia
- Detroit
- Houston
- Charlotte
- Raleigh-Durham
- Tampa
- Miami
- Orlando
- Denver
- San Francisco
- Seattle
- Cleveland, OH
- Baltimore
- Indianapolis
- Minneapolis
- Phoenix, AZ
- Grand Rapids
- Nashville
- Norfolk, VA
- Greenville, SC
- Columbus, OH
- Oklahoma City
- St. Louis
- Richmond
- Memphis
- Milwaukee
- Boston
- Kansas City, KS & MO
- Flint
- Sacramento
- Pittsburgh
- San Diego
- San Antonio
- Tulsa
- New Orleans
- Cincinnati
- Knoxville
- Myrtle Beach
- West Palm Beach
- Austin
- Greensboro, NC
- Spokane
- Bakersfield, CA
- Fresno
We generally see about 40% of the calendar year with mosquitos. On average over the past 30 to 40 years, we've gained about two days of mosquitos.
Tips to repel and prevent mosquito bites include:
- Wear loose-fitting, long-sleeved shirts and long pants.
- Apply an EPA-registered mosquito repellent containing products such as DEET, picaridin or IR3535.
- Eliminate standing water in bird feeders, water bowls for pets, potted plants, wading pools and other children’s toys.
- Regularly clean debris in gutters that provide moisture and harborage.
WFAA sister station, KHOU, contributed to this article.
More Texas headlines: | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/dallas-texas-mosquito-worst/287-440b2862-37d6-4805-a447-ca7e110626a0 | 2023-05-24T14:14:09 | 0 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/dallas-texas-mosquito-worst/287-440b2862-37d6-4805-a447-ca7e110626a0 |
Grab your popcorn! Regal Cinemas is looking to help families save big this summer.
Starting Tuesday and lasting through Sept. 6, the movie theatre chain will be offering $2 tickets for movies you and the kids can enjoy.
While the Summer Movie Express series begins as a whole on May 23, some theatres will only be participating in the weeks that align with their local school system’s summer break schedule.
Showings include How to Train Your Dragon, Abominable, The Croods: A New Age, Shrek Forever After and several others.
The movies will be shown on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, with the theater also offering 50% off popcorn to Regal Crown Club members.
Here’s a look at Regal movie theatres in our region:
- Regal Valley View Grande - Roanoke
- Regal Cinemas - Christiansburg
- Regal River Ridge - Lynchburg
To see a full list of showings, click here. | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2023/05/24/2-family-movies-return-to-regal-cinemas/ | 2023-05-24T14:18:24 | 0 | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2023/05/24/2-family-movies-return-to-regal-cinemas/ |
The following is the opinion and analysis of the writer:
Drive down any thoroughfare in Arizona, past the storefronts and the bustling shopping centers, and you will see countless businesses that share one critical thing in common. It’s not the local workers they employ, the entrepreneurs who run them or the trusted brand names on the sign, though those are true too. What unites these establishments is the business model they utilize — franchising.
I have dedicated my career as a small business owner and public relations professional to helping franchise businesses grow and thrive. To my core, I believe franchising is a miracle of our free enterprise system, one that allows people to experience the joy and challenge of owning their own small business but with the assistance of an established brand. These entrepreneurs are “on their own but never alone.”
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That’s why I’m so frustrated that, today, it is in vogue among many politicians to smear and undercut franchise businesses, so much so that one of the ring leaders of this movement — Julie Su — has been nominated by President Joe Biden to be Secretary of Labor.
Ms. Su served previously as Secretary of the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency, where she supported a variety of job killing policies, including several that would pose an existential threat to franchise businesses. These policies were extreme enough that even California rejected most of them. Now Ms. Su is being handed a golden opportunity to push these policies nationally, which would bring them right here to Arizona.
That would be an economic disaster. Arizona is thriving in no small part because we are a franchise-friendly state. In fact, we were recently named the top state for franchise business growth in the country by the International Franchise Association. We have more than 17,000 franchise establishments that employ 190,000 Arizonans. These aren’t just McDonald’s and Subways. Franchise businesses range from gyms to auto body shops to hotels.
We also have many franchisors — or parent brands — headquartered in our state, including Re-Bath, a bathroom remodeling company with 200 employees in Arizona; Angry Crab Shack, a seafood restaurant with 16 locations in Arizona employing approximately 800 people; and the Joint Chiropractic, with more than 800 locations nationwide. Each of these Arizona-based companies (and others) have locations around the country that send a portion of revenues back to Arizona to the benefit of our economy.
Why do politicians like Julie Su have it out for the franchise system? The answer, as far as I can tell, is that they refuse to believe franchises are real small businesses. They see them as an extension of “big business” and, thus, a bogeyman that takes advantage of workers and communities. Anyone who believes that simply doesn’t understand how franchising works.
Have you ever walked into a franchised restaurant and seen a picture of the local Little League team framed on the wall? This is because franchisees are your neighbors. They make decisions to support the PTA, the baseball team, or the high school drama club because they are independent business owners making independent, community-centered decisions.
Some in our federal government have had the audacity to suggest that owning a franchise is like “renting a job.” And they wonder why Washington is seen as out of touch. Not only is this condescending, but it’s patently false. These business owners aren’t employees. They are entrepreneurs who have employees. And they treat those employees well because they know them and work with them up close.
Not only are franchise businesses similar to other small businesses, but they actually have some notable advantages. They pay higher wages, have a greater percentage of minority owners, and offer health insurance to more of their employees than their non-franchise counterparts. They also offer better training and more opportunities for career advancement. Many of us have heard stories of the employees of McDonald’s who go on to own their own McDonald’s or even serve as executives of the whole company.
None of these benefits inherent to franchising has stopped Julie Su and her California allies from attacking the business model. Her laws would turn franchisees into employees of the parent brand, kill their autonomy, and end their ability to tailor benefits and schedules to better address their workers’ needs. The laws will hurt the very people they are intended to help.
When I drive down the streets in Arizona, I try to take note that every franchise I pass represents someone’s unique American dream. They are owned and operated by our neighbors and friends. They are integral to our communities. But if Julie Su has her say, all of that will change. We can all hope Sens. Kyrsten Sinema and Mark Kelly stand up yet again for Arizona small businesses and reject her nomination.
Sherri Fishman is Co-CEO of Fishman PR and President of Franchise Elevator PR. Fishman PR’s mission is to increase the number of small business owners and the success of entrepreneurs throughout North America. | https://tucson.com/opinion/local/arizona-opinion-new-biden-nominee-has-it-out-for-critical-arizona-businesses/article_b4526bf6-f4e4-11ed-816f-e706fc36dc70.html | 2023-05-24T14:19:21 | 1 | https://tucson.com/opinion/local/arizona-opinion-new-biden-nominee-has-it-out-for-critical-arizona-businesses/article_b4526bf6-f4e4-11ed-816f-e706fc36dc70.html |
HALLOWELL, Maine — Police are trying to identify a person who jumped in to help fight a fire in Hallowell Tuesday night.
The fire at 1 Franklin Street broke out just before 10 p.m., trapping two occupants on the roof, according to a news release from Hallowell police.
An officer arrived at the scene in less than a minute and assisted a civilian who ran to help. The civilian grabbed a ladder, and together they were able to get the occupants to safety, the release stated.
"If anyone knows the identity of the civilian hero please send a DM to the PD messenger," police said on Facebook.
There were no injuries in the fire, according to officials.
Fire crews from Hallowell, Augusta, Gardiner, Farmingdale, Manchester, Randolph, and Pittston responded, the release said.
The investigation has been turned over to the Office of the State Fire Marshal.
To message Hallowell police on Facebook, click here. The department can be reached by phone at 207-623-3131. | https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/local/hallowell-fire-maine-franklin-street-rescues-civilian-hero/97-4f7454a0-2261-42a5-83d2-bed53d0722b4 | 2023-05-24T14:22:13 | 0 | https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/local/hallowell-fire-maine-franklin-street-rescues-civilian-hero/97-4f7454a0-2261-42a5-83d2-bed53d0722b4 |
LIMA, Ohio — One of the two inmates who escaped from a prison in northwest Ohio on Tuesday was found and arrested in Kentucky.
James Lee, a 47-year-old man in custody for burglary, breaking and entering and safecracking, was arrested by authorities in Henderson, Kentucky. Additional information on his arrest was not immediately available.
He and 50-year-old Bradley Gillespie were reported missing from the Allen-Oakwood Correctional Institution in Lima, according to the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction.
During a prisoner count at 11 a.m. Tuesday, ODRC officials found that Lee was missing. An AOCI warden approved an emergency count of all prisoners in the facility and escape posts were guarded. It was then discovered that Gillespie was also missing.
The ODRC notified law enforcement and officers from multiple jurisdictions. The Allen County Sheriff's Office and the Patrol responded to the facility.
During the course of the investigation, prison officials determined Gillespie and Lee were last seen on surveillance video inside the facility at 8:41 a.m. on Monday.
Gillespie was in prison for a murder conviction. He's described as being 6 feet tall, weighing 200 pounds, bald and having blue eyes.
He is considered dangerous, ODRC said, and anyone who spots them should call 911 immediately.
Authorities have set up a perimeter in Henderson and are searching for Gillespie in that area.
A reward of up to $20,000 is being offered by the U.S. Marshals Office and OSHP.
📺 10TV+ is available for free on Roku & Amazon Fire TV: Stay up to date on what's happening in your community with a 24/7 live stream and on demand content from 10TV — available on Roku and Amazon Fire TV. | https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/local/ohio-prison-escape-2-men-missing-from-allen-oakwood-correctional-institution/530-87aeb0be-d9ee-456f-b007-9c5e4979cb0b | 2023-05-24T14:22:15 | 1 | https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/local/ohio-prison-escape-2-men-missing-from-allen-oakwood-correctional-institution/530-87aeb0be-d9ee-456f-b007-9c5e4979cb0b |
Orders for charity shark plate surpass 5,000
Shark plates to hit the street this summer; orders surpass 5,000
Rhode Islanders should see a lot of sharks this summer, on the Ocean State's roads at least.
More than 5,000 Atlantic Shark Institute charity license plates have been ordered, and distribution of the plates will begin this summer, according to Jon F. Dodd, the institute's executive director.
Characterizing the reaction to the plate as a "shark plate frenzy," Dodd said, “We’ve been astounded since day one when the site went live and orders started to pour in.”
More:RI shark license plates available – here's how to order one
The state has three categories of license plates – passenger, combination and commercial. A charity must receive 600 orders for the state to begin production in any category. The institute has surpassed the threshold for passenger and combination plates but not commercial.
The institute has received 242 orders for commercial plates and needs another 358 for production to begin. Dodd said, "We’d really like to get the commercial plate on the road as well."
More:Want a Gaspee license plate and to help Gaspee Days? This could be your chance
Plates cost $42.50 for set, with $20 of the purchase price going to the Atlantic Shark Institute. Plates can be ordered at www.atlanticsharkinstitute.org or at the Rhode Island Division of Motor Vehicles' website.
“With a staff made up entirely of volunteers, every dollar from our supporters and from these license plates will go toward vital research aimed at answering critical questions about shark health, ocean health, and our health,” Dodd said. | https://www.providencejournal.com/story/news/local/2023/05/24/frenzy-of-ordering-for-new-charity-shark-plate/70248001007/ | 2023-05-24T14:26:18 | 0 | https://www.providencejournal.com/story/news/local/2023/05/24/frenzy-of-ordering-for-new-charity-shark-plate/70248001007/ |
Hospitals are raising alarm over Mayor Smiley's tax bill. Here's why.
Rhode Island hospitals are raising concern over Providence Mayor Brett Smiley's push for legislation that would boost their tax bills, along with those of other nonprofits in the city.
The Hospital Association of Rhode Island, or HARI, contacted reporters just two days before a House vote on a bill that Smiley has said would tax nonprofit owned, commercially used spaces, revoking tax exempt status for those specific tenants.
However, HARI contends the bill goes "far beyond the stated intent" and "would authorize cities and towns to tax hospital-owned real estate occupied by not-for-profit physician groups directly connected to a hospital’s mission." Those are groups that are federally tax exempt but are not exempt from property taxes.
That includes entities like the Care New England medical group, the Lifespan medical group, Coastal Medical, and Brown Physicians, Incorporated.
"Our main concern with that is the impact that it has on the healthcare system," said HARI Senior Vice President Lisa Tomasso. "The not-for-profit physician groups that are owned by us, licensed under us, and affiliated with us — who are working as a critical part of our ability to fulfill our mission in the community — that is our concern, that this would be an additional financial burden on hospitals."
Mayor hasn't budged in talks over an amendment, HARI says
HARI has had two meetings and two phone calls with Smiley, all within the past month or so, in an effort to persuade him to add an amendment to the bill that would address the matter. However, so far, no agreement has been reached.
"We want to remain optimistic that there is an opportunity for us to continue to work toward that amendment and so I don’t want to take it off the table," Tomasso said. "I hope there is still room for that conversation to continue before this legislation passes."
Tomasso did not have an estimate of how much more local hospitals would pay if the bill passes, but said in Fiscal Year 2022, Lifespan and Care New England paid $2.9 million in property taxes to the city.
More:Search through Providence's tax-exempt properties
Smiley's spokesman, Josh Estrella, said the bill is about fairness and closing "a long-standing statewide loophole."
"Currently, when large institutions, such as colleges and hospitals, act as commercial landlords the building is property tax free, no matter who the tenants might be – a Starbucks or a doctor’s office," Estrella said. "This is wrong and unfair. This legislation fixes that, and requires that any building renting to tenants that are not property tax exempt, pay taxes to their city or town. This would include physician groups because they are not property tax exempt. In fact, these physician groups have been paying for years and only stopped once the building was purchased by the hospital. | https://www.providencejournal.com/story/news/local/2023/05/24/hospital-association-of-rhode-island-pushes-back-against-nonprofit-tax-bill/70247036007/ | 2023-05-24T14:26:24 | 1 | https://www.providencejournal.com/story/news/local/2023/05/24/hospital-association-of-rhode-island-pushes-back-against-nonprofit-tax-bill/70247036007/ |
Two endangered red wolf pups born at Roger Williams Park Zoo. Here's why it's so important
It's the second litter for the zoo's adult red wolves, Brave and Diego.
Two endangered red wolf pups were born at the Roger Williams Park Zoo last month, marking the second year in a row the zoo has celebrated a red-wolf birth, the zoo announced Tuesday.
Born April 29, the two pups are the second litter for Brave, 8, and Diego, 7. Brave gave birth to the pups' sister, Saluda, last May. According to the zoo, Brave and Diego were recommended to breed as part of the Red Wolf Species Survival Plan, a cooperative effort by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums to save the species.
Red wolves are the world's most endangered canid species, according to the zoo. An estimated 23 to 25 red wolves live in the wild, while 278 live in facilities across the country, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
More:Red Wolf born at Roger Williams Park Zoo could be set free, but survival isn't guaranteed
The next month is a "critical time for the pups' development," the zoo said in a press release. Zookeepers and the zoo's veterinary team are monitoring Brave and the pups via an infrared camera in the wolves' birthing den. The pups have been seen nursing and appear to have steadily gained weight, the zoo said.
"The cubs have been staying in the den for the first month as they surpass critical milestones such as nursing, opening their eyes, and gaining strength," the zoo said. "Both pups have already opened their eyes!"
For zoo visitors, spotting the pups could be difficult initially. The pups and their mother are likely to mostly remain in the den, although the pups did take their first steps outside last weekend, the zoo said.
More:Red Wolf born at Roger Williams Park Zoo could be set free, but survival isn't guaranteed
"Guests may be able to catch a glimpse of the pups as they continue to venture outside of the den," the zoo said. "Until then, we encourage folks to follow the Zoo on Facebook and Instagram for updates on the pups progress."
Their father, Diego, should be easier to spot in the wolves' North American habitat, the zoo said. The pups' big sister, Saluda, is showing "a lot of curiosity" toward her siblings but hasn't been seen interacting with them, according to Vick Scharfberg, the zoo's director of marking and public relations.
The pups don't yet have names. The zoo doesn't even know their gender, but that should be revealed when they get their first health check at about seven weeks, Scharfberg said.
Red wolves once populated a large part of the country from Texas to New York, but the species was declared extinct in 1980. To restore the species, zookeepers across the country are breeding the wolves in captivity, and some wolves are being released to wildlife refuges in North Carolina, but the effort has had setbacks.
The wild red wolf population in North Carolina reached a peak of 120 animals in 2012, but the numbers plummeted over the past decade, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Some wolves in the wild have been hit by cars. Others have been mistaken for coyotes and shot. Hybridization with coyotes has also contributed to the decline.
The effort has also celebrated some recent successes. Earlier this month, the Red Wolf Recovery Program announced a litter of three females and two males born in April at the Alligator River Wildlife Refuge in North Carolina. It was the second year in a row the two adult wolves added to their pack.
"Because of this Red Wolf pair's proven ability to care for and nurture a lively bunch of pups, the Red Wolf Recovery Program fostered a male pup born at Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium in Tacoma, Washington, into this wild litter a few weeks after their birth, bringing this brood to a total of 6 pups!," the Red Wolf Recovery Program said on Facebook.
"With family bonds that are amazingly strong, the 5 siblings from the 2022 litter will help the parents with the raising and bonding of this new group of red wolves," the post said. | https://www.providencejournal.com/story/news/local/2023/05/24/pair-of-endangered-red-wolf-pups-born-at-roger-williams-park-zoo-ri/70246686007/ | 2023-05-24T14:26:30 | 1 | https://www.providencejournal.com/story/news/local/2023/05/24/pair-of-endangered-red-wolf-pups-born-at-roger-williams-park-zoo-ri/70246686007/ |
Check out these top stories and more in The Times and nwi.com.
Northwest Indiana Universities are headed for a cliff: https://bit.ly/3MPlOwV
Morton Highschool to host educators conference: https://bit.ly/45nnHbD
Munster's Nolan Kinsella commits to Indiana soccer: https://bit.ly/43giKQ4
Stay connected with all your Region News at www.nwi.com.
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VALPARAISO — An attorney for two brothers nabbed with just more than 120 pounds of cocaine told a Porter County jury his clients did not know the illegal drug was inside the semi truck they were driving.
Attorney Jason Jackson said Baljinder Singh and Gurwinder Singh, both of California, don't dispute that the large amount of cocaine was found in the rear of the truck and both were cooperative during the Dec. 7, 2020 seizure and arrests.
But prosecutors have no evidence showing the brothers were aware of the drug, he said.
The defense was presented as evidence began in the trial before Porter Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Clymer, who is livestreaming the proceedings online.
"Cameras were prohibited in Indiana courts until 2020, when the Supreme Court allowed 'virtual' appearances, Zoom hearings and livestreaming of court proceedings because of travel restrictions," Clymer had said when announcing his bid for re-election earlier this month.
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"I am proud to allow the public to see what happens in my court by simply watching online. Livestreaming should give the public confidence in what is happening in my court because anyone can watch as it happens."
Each of the defendants, who are being provided with a Punjabi language interpreter, are charged with a felony count of dealing in cocaine, court records show.
"To those who would commit these crimes and travel through Lake County, let me be clear: We are looking for you," the sheriff said. "We will find you and bring you to justice."
Porter County Deputy Prosecutor Christopher Hammer told jurors during opening arguments Tuesday afternoon that, "this is not a small amount by any means."
An Indiana State police trooper said he was called out to the eastbound I-94 truck scales in Porter County at about 1:30 p.m. on the day in question for an unknown substance in a duffel bag and suitcase found by an inspector in the rear of a semi containing a partial load of garlic.
The truck had been randomly chosen at the scales when problems were discovered, Hammer said.
The bags contained 47 white-colored and three brown-colored bricks that tested positive as cocaine, police said. The stash was weighed at 54,500 grams, or just more than 120 pounds.
The system has also proved useful in other offenses such as auto theft and leaving the scene of a crash, and in warrant arrests.
The pair reportedly told police they dropped off part of their load near Chicago, during which time they never left their vehicle. They then slept in the truck the night before and were heading to a warehouse outside of Detroit where they expected to have their truck unloaded, police said.
During an initial court appearance just days after their 2020 arrests, the brothers were told they have an immigration hold on them
Clymer explained when setting bond at $100,000 surety and $10,000 cash that even if the amount were posted, the accused would not be released from custody because of the hold by the federal government.
Chesterton-based attorney Eric Blankenship, who represented Gurwinder, said he wanted to have a bond in place in case the immigration hold is lifted.
Gallery: Recent arrests booked into the Porter County Jail
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An Indianapolis man died of a fentanyl poisoning last year. The man who gave it to him was recently implicated in his death
Jason Platipodis (right) poses with his triplet siblings Jessica and Jeff. They are the first set of triplets successfully born in Valparaiso.
INDIANAPOLIS — Marion County 911 dispatchers answered a call around 7:15 a.m. Jan. 3, 2022. The voice of a 6-year-old girl traveled through the receiver. She told dispatchers she couldn't wake her father and needed help.
Indianapolis police and medical personnel swiftly arrived at the scene to do a welfare check on the girl's father at his apartment in the 7000 block of River Walk Drive. The medics found Jason Platipodis, 40, deceased.
Jason's brother, Jeff, who lived in the area, arrived at Jason's apartment and grabbed Jason's phone. While scrolling through messages, he saw texts between Jason and a contact called "Johnny Boy." Messages showed that Johnny Boy had acquired some sort of drugs and given them to Jason.
Jason had a history of drug abuse but had been clean for six years. Jeff was shocked.
"I saw him every day. We worked together," Jeff said. "If he had relapsed, I would have known."
Jeff brought Jason's phone to the Indianapolis Metro Police Department and handed it to a detective, which was the beginning of an investigation that would last over a year into how Jason died and who would be held responsible for giving him the lethal substance that ended his life.
Fighting for Jason
Jonathan Spurling, 38, of Valparaiso was charged March 22 with dealing a controlled substance resulting in death, a Level 1 felony, for his role in Jason's death. If convicted, he is looking at 20 to 50 years in prison.
A law passed in 2018 gave prosecutors the ability to file charges against anyone who allegedly provided a drug that resulted in death, but the cases are difficult to prove. The charges against Spurling are one of few cases in Indiana in which charges have been filed since the law was passed.
In the Region, charges related to this statute are seldom filed. There have been seven cases charged in Lake County, six in LaPorte County and three in Porter County, according to data from the Indiana Supreme Court.
Shortly after Jason's death, his uncle Scott Westergren said he read an article about a woman named Susan Fox who lost her son, Nathan May, to a fentanyl overdose in 2020. Fox had worked to collect evidence that implicated the man who provided the lethal drug to her son. She presented the evidence to police, who involved the Drug Enforcement Administration. Charges were filed in June against the man who provided the drug.
Westergren sent an email to her. She responded and connected him with the DEA agents who worked on her son's case.
DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Chip Cooke said families have taken a crucial role in these cases when it comes to gathering evidence.
"It’s really the families who are driving this," Cooke said. "Every time [law enforcement] investigate or come upon an overdose victim, I don’t think the thought is, ‘this is a homicide.’ It’s really the families of the victims who are getting involved and going to state local law enforcement.”
Westergren said he knew the case was being investigated but was not aware of the details until charges were filed.
“I am so grateful that the DEA and Indianapolis police were able to pursue these charges,” he said. "We got to fight for Jason."
Jason's story
Jason, a triplet, grew up in Valparaiso. His triplet brother, Jeff, said Jason worked as a carpenter. The two lived in Indianapolis but would drive back to the Region every weekend to work on a home improvement project. Jason loved fishing and spending time with his daughter. Jeff described him as a "family man" who always had a smile on his face.
"He's the type of guy that would give you the shirt off his back," Jeff said. "He was a good dad, a hard worker, a family man."
Jason Platipodis poses with his nephew. His family remembers him as someone who enjoyed bringing all generations of his family together for ac…
Jason was prescribed an opioid pain reliever for back pain early in adulthood, Westergren said. He said their family has a history with substance abuse but believes the prescription could have been the catalyst that fueled Jason's opioid abuse. When Jason's daughter was born, he worked to get sober and "transformed."
"He’s dearly missed," Westergren said. "There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t think about him."
His triplet sister, Jessica, said she remembers him taking all his nieces and nephews swimming, boating and fishing. He wanted to involve the "younger generation" in every activity.
“He was the glue to our family," she said. "He always tried to get our family together while he was out in Valparaiso.”
By bringing awareness to the circumstances surrounding Jason's death and the charges filed against his alleged dealer, the family said they hope it can bring awareness to substance-abuse disorders and bring justice to other victims of drug poisonings.
Proving their case
Investigations related to dealing a controlled substance resulting in death are handled as homicide investigations, LaPorte County Drug Task Force Sgt. Kyle Shiparski said.
Techniques used to investigate are similar. Detectives rely on evidence from cellphones, witnesses toxicology reports and forensic evidence on scene. The difficulties lie in proving that a person died from a specific instance in which they were supplied a drug and subsequently ingested it.
This can be hard, Shiparski said, if a person has multiple suppliers or died with a combination of drugs in their system. More challenges include underlying conditions or other risks surrounding death. The cases are not black-and-white.
“What we’re seeing with these cases is, they’re much harder to prove and investigate," Shiparski said. "And when they get in front of a jury, they become even harder to prove in that setting.”
The deaths are often labeled as accidental overdoses, Shiparski said. Once the cause of death is determined, investigators can begin to explore the case, searching into what happened on scene. Law enforcement are reliant on cellphones and witnesses to provide information, and a timeline of events is created.
Official cellphone data showed that Jason communicated with Spurling in the days before his death. According to court documents, Spurling traveled to a location in the Chicago area to obtain drugs from another source. Jason asked Spurling to "grab me a couple," purportedly referencing the drugs Spurling was purchasing. The men planned to meet up Jan. 2, 2022 at Spurling's home in Valparaiso. After obtaining the drugs, Jason and his daughter, who were in Valparaiso that weekend, subsequently drove back to Indianapolis.
In one of the messages, Spurling said: "Promise it did the trick but wasn’t overwhelming?" Investigators believe this indicates that Spurling knew the drug had the potential to have an "overwhelming" effect. Spurling told police he gave Jason heroin and nothing else, according to court documents.
Shiparski said there are some people who do not agree with how the law reads. The language of the law targets anyone who "knowingly manufactures or delivers" a drug that results in death, but the ultimate goal is to find the drug dealers who are widely distributing the counterfeit pills.
“You try to climb that ladder and hold the initial source of supply accountable,” Shiparski said.
Kristen Martin, founder of Gary Harm Reduction, said she believes laws related to dealing resulting in death are counterproductive to curbing the drug epidemic in the United States. She said stricter laws could instill fear in people who are using drugs, making them scared to ask for help.
"If we’re charging people, no one is going to want to ever call for help if somebody is overdosing," Martin said. "They’re going to leave more people left for dead.”
Martin said some trust has been built in communities of people who use drugs, erring on the side of nonjudgment and leading with compassion to help people struggling with substance abuse to find help. Martin and other organizations offer free naloxone and fentanyl testing strips to reduce harm for anyone who uses drugs. She worries that if laws surrounding the prosecution of individuals who deal or use drugs villainize those who are struggling with addiction, it will do more harm than good.
“There’s a fine line between drug dealer and drug user,” Martin said. “It’s not getting at the root of the problem. How is ruining someone else’s life by putting them in prison going to help the issue?”
Seeking justice
Spurling, who posted bond April 4, is set to stand trial May 30 in Marion Superior Court, according to online court records. The family has traveled from Valparaiso to attend some of the court hearings and plan to attend the trial.
Jason's family said they will continue to bring awareness to the law that they believe will help them get justice for their brother.
"We understand it’s not going to bring Jason back, but it could save another family from going through what we went through," Jessica said. "Something needs to be done. People who are dealing need to be held accountable."
Gallery: Recent arrests booked into the Porter County Jail
Heather Wood
Shannon Uttal
Thomas Littlefield
Kevin Carrico
Barry Rogers
Jonathan Riley Jr.
Crysta Carrico
Cynthia Cruz
Cory Hebda
Prince Pugh
DeMario Young Jr.
Tyler Roark
Christopher Deming
Mitchell Demeter
Cassidy Stewart
Colin Page
Martell Joe
Willie Key Jr.
Stephen Williams
William Jackson
Brittany Jeleniewski
Janese Moore
Shawn Sparks
Bryce Parlin
Matthew Martin
Solitaire Johnson
Edward Levine
Michael Gilpin
David Caldwell
An Indianapolis man died of a fentanyl poisoning last year. The man who gave it to him was recently implicated in his death
Jason Platipodis (right) poses with his triplet siblings Jessica and Jeff. They are the first set of triplets successfully born in Valparaiso.
INDIANAPOLIS — Marion County 911 dispatchers answered a call around 7:15 a.m. Jan. 3, 2022. The voice of a 6-year-old girl traveled through the receiver. She told dispatchers she couldn't wake her father and needed help.
Indianapolis police and medical personnel swiftly arrived at the scene to do a welfare check on the girl's father at his apartment in the 7000 block of River Walk Drive. The medics found Jason Platipodis, 40, deceased.
Jason's brother, Jeff, who lived in the area, arrived at Jason's apartment and grabbed Jason's phone. While scrolling through messages, he saw texts between Jason and a contact called "Johnny Boy." Messages showed that Johnny Boy had acquired some sort of drugs and given them to Jason.
Jason had a history of drug abuse but had been clean for six years. Jeff was shocked.
"I saw him every day. We worked together," Jeff said. "If he had relapsed, I would have known."
Jeff brought Jason's phone to the Indianapolis Metro Police Department and handed it to a detective, which was the beginning of an investigation that would last over a year into how Jason died and who would be held responsible for giving him the lethal substance that ended his life.
Fighting for Jason
Jonathan Spurling, 38, of Valparaiso was charged March 22 with dealing a controlled substance resulting in death, a Level 1 felony, for his role in Jason's death. If convicted, he is looking at 20 to 50 years in prison.
A law passed in 2018 gave prosecutors the ability to file charges against anyone who allegedly provided a drug that resulted in death, but the cases are difficult to prove. The charges against Spurling are one of few cases in Indiana in which charges have been filed since the law was passed.
In the Region, charges related to this statute are seldom filed. There have been seven cases charged in Lake County, six in LaPorte County and three in Porter County, according to data from the Indiana Supreme Court.
Shortly after Jason's death, his uncle Scott Westergren said he read an article about a woman named Susan Fox who lost her son, Nathan May, to a fentanyl overdose in 2020. Fox had worked to collect evidence that implicated the man who provided the lethal drug to her son. She presented the evidence to police, who involved the Drug Enforcement Administration. Charges were filed in June against the man who provided the drug.
Westergren sent an email to her. She responded and connected him with the DEA agents who worked on her son's case.
DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Chip Cooke said families have taken a crucial role in these cases when it comes to gathering evidence.
"It’s really the families who are driving this," Cooke said. "Every time [law enforcement] investigate or come upon an overdose victim, I don’t think the thought is, ‘this is a homicide.’ It’s really the families of the victims who are getting involved and going to state local law enforcement.”
Westergren said he knew the case was being investigated but was not aware of the details until charges were filed.
“I am so grateful that the DEA and Indianapolis police were able to pursue these charges,” he said. "We got to fight for Jason."
Jason's story
Jason, a triplet, grew up in Valparaiso. His triplet brother, Jeff, said Jason worked as a carpenter. The two lived in Indianapolis but would drive back to the Region every weekend to work on a home improvement project. Jason loved fishing and spending time with his daughter. Jeff described him as a "family man" who always had a smile on his face.
"He's the type of guy that would give you the shirt off his back," Jeff said. "He was a good dad, a hard worker, a family man."
Jason Platipodis poses with his nephew. His family remembers him as someone who enjoyed bringing all generations of his family together for ac…
Jason was prescribed an opioid pain reliever for back pain early in adulthood, Westergren said. He said their family has a history with substance abuse but believes the prescription could have been the catalyst that fueled Jason's opioid abuse. When Jason's daughter was born, he worked to get sober and "transformed."
"He’s dearly missed," Westergren said. "There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t think about him."
His triplet sister, Jessica, said she remembers him taking all his nieces and nephews swimming, boating and fishing. He wanted to involve the "younger generation" in every activity.
“He was the glue to our family," she said. "He always tried to get our family together while he was out in Valparaiso.”
By bringing awareness to the circumstances surrounding Jason's death and the charges filed against his alleged dealer, the family said they hope it can bring awareness to substance-abuse disorders and bring justice to other victims of drug poisonings.
Proving their case
Investigations related to dealing a controlled substance resulting in death are handled as homicide investigations, LaPorte County Drug Task Force Sgt. Kyle Shiparski said.
Techniques used to investigate are similar. Detectives rely on evidence from cellphones, witnesses toxicology reports and forensic evidence on scene. The difficulties lie in proving that a person died from a specific instance in which they were supplied a drug and subsequently ingested it.
This can be hard, Shiparski said, if a person has multiple suppliers or died with a combination of drugs in their system. More challenges include underlying conditions or other risks surrounding death. The cases are not black-and-white.
“What we’re seeing with these cases is, they’re much harder to prove and investigate," Shiparski said. "And when they get in front of a jury, they become even harder to prove in that setting.”
The deaths are often labeled as accidental overdoses, Shiparski said. Once the cause of death is determined, investigators can begin to explore the case, searching into what happened on scene. Law enforcement are reliant on cellphones and witnesses to provide information, and a timeline of events is created.
Official cellphone data showed that Jason communicated with Spurling in the days before his death. According to court documents, Spurling traveled to a location in the Chicago area to obtain drugs from another source. Jason asked Spurling to "grab me a couple," purportedly referencing the drugs Spurling was purchasing. The men planned to meet up Jan. 2, 2022 at Spurling's home in Valparaiso. After obtaining the drugs, Jason and his daughter, who were in Valparaiso that weekend, subsequently drove back to Indianapolis.
In one of the messages, Spurling said: "Promise it did the trick but wasn’t overwhelming?" Investigators believe this indicates that Spurling knew the drug had the potential to have an "overwhelming" effect. Spurling told police he gave Jason heroin and nothing else, according to court documents.
Shiparski said there are some people who do not agree with how the law reads. The language of the law targets anyone who "knowingly manufactures or delivers" a drug that results in death, but the ultimate goal is to find the drug dealers who are widely distributing the counterfeit pills.
“You try to climb that ladder and hold the initial source of supply accountable,” Shiparski said.
Kristen Martin, founder of Gary Harm Reduction, said she believes laws related to dealing resulting in death are counterproductive to curbing the drug epidemic in the United States. She said stricter laws could instill fear in people who are using drugs, making them scared to ask for help.
"If we’re charging people, no one is going to want to ever call for help if somebody is overdosing," Martin said. "They’re going to leave more people left for dead.”
Martin said some trust has been built in communities of people who use drugs, erring on the side of nonjudgment and leading with compassion to help people struggling with substance abuse to find help. Martin and other organizations offer free naloxone and fentanyl testing strips to reduce harm for anyone who uses drugs. She worries that if laws surrounding the prosecution of individuals who deal or use drugs villainize those who are struggling with addiction, it will do more harm than good.
“There’s a fine line between drug dealer and drug user,” Martin said. “It’s not getting at the root of the problem. How is ruining someone else’s life by putting them in prison going to help the issue?”
Seeking justice
Spurling, who posted bond April 4, is set to stand trial May 30 in Marion Superior Court, according to online court records. The family has traveled from Valparaiso to attend some of the court hearings and plan to attend the trial.
Jason's family said they will continue to bring awareness to the law that they believe will help them get justice for their brother.
"We understand it’s not going to bring Jason back, but it could save another family from going through what we went through," Jessica said. "Something needs to be done. People who are dealing need to be held accountable."
Gallery: Recent arrests booked into the Porter County Jail
Heather Wood
Shannon Uttal
Thomas Littlefield
Kevin Carrico
Barry Rogers
Jonathan Riley Jr.
Crysta Carrico
Cynthia Cruz
Cory Hebda
Prince Pugh
DeMario Young Jr.
Tyler Roark
Christopher Deming
Mitchell Demeter
Cassidy Stewart
Colin Page
Martell Joe
Willie Key Jr.
Stephen Williams
William Jackson
Brittany Jeleniewski
Janese Moore
Shawn Sparks
Bryce Parlin
Matthew Martin
Solitaire Johnson
Edward Levine
Michael Gilpin
David Caldwell
An Indianapolis man died of a fentanyl poisoning last year. The man who gave it to him was recently implicated in his death
Jason Platipodis (right) poses with his triplet siblings Jessica and Jeff. They are the first set of triplets successfully born in Valparaiso.
INDIANAPOLIS — Marion County 911 dispatchers answered a call around 7:15 a.m. Jan. 3, 2022. The voice of a 6-year-old girl traveled through the receiver. She told dispatchers she couldn't wake her father and needed help.
Indianapolis police and medical personnel swiftly arrived at the scene to do a welfare check on the girl's father at his apartment in the 7000 block of River Walk Drive. The medics found Jason Platipodis, 40, deceased.
Jason's brother, Jeff, who lived in the area, arrived at Jason's apartment and grabbed Jason's phone. While scrolling through messages, he saw texts between Jason and a contact called "Johnny Boy." Messages showed that Johnny Boy had acquired some sort of drugs and given them to Jason.
Jason had a history of drug abuse but had been clean for six years. Jeff was shocked.
"I saw him every day. We worked together," Jeff said. "If he had relapsed, I would have known."
Jeff brought Jason's phone to the Indianapolis Metro Police Department and handed it to a detective, which was the beginning of an investigation that would last over a year into how Jason died and who would be held responsible for giving him the lethal substance that ended his life.
Fighting for Jason
Jonathan Spurling, 38, of Valparaiso was charged March 22 with dealing a controlled substance resulting in death, a Level 1 felony, for his role in Jason's death. If convicted, he is looking at 20 to 50 years in prison.
A law passed in 2018 gave prosecutors the ability to file charges against anyone who allegedly provided a drug that resulted in death, but the cases are difficult to prove. The charges against Spurling are one of few cases in Indiana in which charges have been filed since the law was passed.
In the Region, charges related to this statute are seldom filed. There have been seven cases charged in Lake County, six in LaPorte County and three in Porter County, according to data from the Indiana Supreme Court.
Shortly after Jason's death, his uncle Scott Westergren said he read an article about a woman named Susan Fox who lost her son, Nathan May, to a fentanyl overdose in 2020. Fox had worked to collect evidence that implicated the man who provided the lethal drug to her son. She presented the evidence to police, who involved the Drug Enforcement Administration. Charges were filed in June against the man who provided the drug.
Westergren sent an email to her. She responded and connected him with the DEA agents who worked on her son's case.
DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Chip Cooke said families have taken a crucial role in these cases when it comes to gathering evidence.
"It’s really the families who are driving this," Cooke said. "Every time [law enforcement] investigate or come upon an overdose victim, I don’t think the thought is, ‘this is a homicide.’ It’s really the families of the victims who are getting involved and going to state local law enforcement.”
Westergren said he knew the case was being investigated but was not aware of the details until charges were filed.
“I am so grateful that the DEA and Indianapolis police were able to pursue these charges,” he said. "We got to fight for Jason."
Jason's story
Jason, a triplet, grew up in Valparaiso. His triplet brother, Jeff, said Jason worked as a carpenter. The two lived in Indianapolis but would drive back to the Region every weekend to work on a home improvement project. Jason loved fishing and spending time with his daughter. Jeff described him as a "family man" who always had a smile on his face.
"He's the type of guy that would give you the shirt off his back," Jeff said. "He was a good dad, a hard worker, a family man."
Jason Platipodis poses with his nephew. His family remembers him as someone who enjoyed bringing all generations of his family together for ac…
Jason was prescribed an opioid pain reliever for back pain early in adulthood, Westergren said. He said their family has a history with substance abuse but believes the prescription could have been the catalyst that fueled Jason's opioid abuse. When Jason's daughter was born, he worked to get sober and "transformed."
"He’s dearly missed," Westergren said. "There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t think about him."
His triplet sister, Jessica, said she remembers him taking all his nieces and nephews swimming, boating and fishing. He wanted to involve the "younger generation" in every activity.
“He was the glue to our family," she said. "He always tried to get our family together while he was out in Valparaiso.”
By bringing awareness to the circumstances surrounding Jason's death and the charges filed against his alleged dealer, the family said they hope it can bring awareness to substance-abuse disorders and bring justice to other victims of drug poisonings.
Proving their case
Investigations related to dealing a controlled substance resulting in death are handled as homicide investigations, LaPorte County Drug Task Force Sgt. Kyle Shiparski said.
Techniques used to investigate are similar. Detectives rely on evidence from cellphones, witnesses toxicology reports and forensic evidence on scene. The difficulties lie in proving that a person died from a specific instance in which they were supplied a drug and subsequently ingested it.
This can be hard, Shiparski said, if a person has multiple suppliers or died with a combination of drugs in their system. More challenges include underlying conditions or other risks surrounding death. The cases are not black-and-white.
“What we’re seeing with these cases is, they’re much harder to prove and investigate," Shiparski said. "And when they get in front of a jury, they become even harder to prove in that setting.”
The deaths are often labeled as accidental overdoses, Shiparski said. Once the cause of death is determined, investigators can begin to explore the case, searching into what happened on scene. Law enforcement are reliant on cellphones and witnesses to provide information, and a timeline of events is created.
Official cellphone data showed that Jason communicated with Spurling in the days before his death. According to court documents, Spurling traveled to a location in the Chicago area to obtain drugs from another source. Jason asked Spurling to "grab me a couple," purportedly referencing the drugs Spurling was purchasing. The men planned to meet up Jan. 2, 2022 at Spurling's home in Valparaiso. After obtaining the drugs, Jason and his daughter, who were in Valparaiso that weekend, subsequently drove back to Indianapolis.
In one of the messages, Spurling said: "Promise it did the trick but wasn’t overwhelming?" Investigators believe this indicates that Spurling knew the drug had the potential to have an "overwhelming" effect. Spurling told police he gave Jason heroin and nothing else, according to court documents.
Shiparski said there are some people who do not agree with how the law reads. The language of the law targets anyone who "knowingly manufactures or delivers" a drug that results in death, but the ultimate goal is to find the drug dealers who are widely distributing the counterfeit pills.
“You try to climb that ladder and hold the initial source of supply accountable,” Shiparski said.
Kristen Martin, founder of Gary Harm Reduction, said she believes laws related to dealing resulting in death are counterproductive to curbing the drug epidemic in the United States. She said stricter laws could instill fear in people who are using drugs, making them scared to ask for help.
"If we’re charging people, no one is going to want to ever call for help if somebody is overdosing," Martin said. "They’re going to leave more people left for dead.”
Martin said some trust has been built in communities of people who use drugs, erring on the side of nonjudgment and leading with compassion to help people struggling with substance abuse to find help. Martin and other organizations offer free naloxone and fentanyl testing strips to reduce harm for anyone who uses drugs. She worries that if laws surrounding the prosecution of individuals who deal or use drugs villainize those who are struggling with addiction, it will do more harm than good.
“There’s a fine line between drug dealer and drug user,” Martin said. “It’s not getting at the root of the problem. How is ruining someone else’s life by putting them in prison going to help the issue?”
Seeking justice
Spurling, who posted bond April 4, is set to stand trial May 30 in Marion Superior Court, according to online court records. The family has traveled from Valparaiso to attend some of the court hearings and plan to attend the trial.
Jason's family said they will continue to bring awareness to the law that they believe will help them get justice for their brother.
"We understand it’s not going to bring Jason back, but it could save another family from going through what we went through," Jessica said. "Something needs to be done. People who are dealing need to be held accountable."
Gallery: Recent arrests booked into the Porter County Jail
Heather Wood
Shannon Uttal
Thomas Littlefield
Kevin Carrico
Barry Rogers
Jonathan Riley Jr.
Crysta Carrico
Cynthia Cruz
Cory Hebda
Prince Pugh
DeMario Young Jr.
Tyler Roark
Christopher Deming
Mitchell Demeter
Cassidy Stewart
Colin Page
Martell Joe
Willie Key Jr.
Stephen Williams
William Jackson
Brittany Jeleniewski
Janese Moore
Shawn Sparks
Bryce Parlin
Matthew Martin
Solitaire Johnson
Edward Levine
Michael Gilpin
David Caldwell
An Indianapolis man died of a fentanyl poisoning last year. The man who gave it to him was recently implicated in his death
Jason Platipodis (right) poses with his triplet siblings Jessica and Jeff. They are the first set of triplets successfully born in Valparaiso.
INDIANAPOLIS — Marion County 911 dispatchers answered a call around 7:15 a.m. Jan. 3, 2022. The voice of a 6-year-old girl traveled through the receiver. She told dispatchers she couldn't wake her father and needed help.
Indianapolis police and medical personnel swiftly arrived at the scene to do a welfare check on the girl's father at his apartment in the 7000 block of River Walk Drive. The medics found Jason Platipodis, 40, deceased.
Jason's brother, Jeff, who lived in the area, arrived at Jason's apartment and grabbed Jason's phone. While scrolling through messages, he saw texts between Jason and a contact called "Johnny Boy." Messages showed that Johnny Boy had acquired some sort of drugs and given them to Jason.
Jason had a history of drug abuse but had been clean for six years. Jeff was shocked.
"I saw him every day. We worked together," Jeff said. "If he had relapsed, I would have known."
Jeff brought Jason's phone to the Indianapolis Metro Police Department and handed it to a detective, which was the beginning of an investigation that would last over a year into how Jason died and who would be held responsible for giving him the lethal substance that ended his life.
Fighting for Jason
Jonathan Spurling, 38, of Valparaiso was charged March 22 with dealing a controlled substance resulting in death, a Level 1 felony, for his role in Jason's death. If convicted, he is looking at 20 to 50 years in prison.
A law passed in 2018 gave prosecutors the ability to file charges against anyone who allegedly provided a drug that resulted in death, but the cases are difficult to prove. The charges against Spurling are one of few cases in Indiana in which charges have been filed since the law was passed.
In the Region, charges related to this statute are seldom filed. There have been seven cases charged in Lake County, six in LaPorte County and three in Porter County, according to data from the Indiana Supreme Court.
Shortly after Jason's death, his uncle Scott Westergren said he read an article about a woman named Susan Fox who lost her son, Nathan May, to a fentanyl overdose in 2020. Fox had worked to collect evidence that implicated the man who provided the lethal drug to her son. She presented the evidence to police, who involved the Drug Enforcement Administration. Charges were filed in June against the man who provided the drug.
Westergren sent an email to her. She responded and connected him with the DEA agents who worked on her son's case.
DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Chip Cooke said families have taken a crucial role in these cases when it comes to gathering evidence.
"It’s really the families who are driving this," Cooke said. "Every time [law enforcement] investigate or come upon an overdose victim, I don’t think the thought is, ‘this is a homicide.’ It’s really the families of the victims who are getting involved and going to state local law enforcement.”
Westergren said he knew the case was being investigated but was not aware of the details until charges were filed.
“I am so grateful that the DEA and Indianapolis police were able to pursue these charges,” he said. "We got to fight for Jason."
Jason's story
Jason, a triplet, grew up in Valparaiso. His triplet brother, Jeff, said Jason worked as a carpenter. The two lived in Indianapolis but would drive back to the Region every weekend to work on a home improvement project. Jason loved fishing and spending time with his daughter. Jeff described him as a "family man" who always had a smile on his face.
"He's the type of guy that would give you the shirt off his back," Jeff said. "He was a good dad, a hard worker, a family man."
Jason Platipodis poses with his nephew. His family remembers him as someone who enjoyed bringing all generations of his family together for ac…
Jason was prescribed an opioid pain reliever for back pain early in adulthood, Westergren said. He said their family has a history with substance abuse but believes the prescription could have been the catalyst that fueled Jason's opioid abuse. When Jason's daughter was born, he worked to get sober and "transformed."
"He’s dearly missed," Westergren said. "There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t think about him."
His triplet sister, Jessica, said she remembers him taking all his nieces and nephews swimming, boating and fishing. He wanted to involve the "younger generation" in every activity.
“He was the glue to our family," she said. "He always tried to get our family together while he was out in Valparaiso.”
By bringing awareness to the circumstances surrounding Jason's death and the charges filed against his alleged dealer, the family said they hope it can bring awareness to substance-abuse disorders and bring justice to other victims of drug poisonings.
Proving their case
Investigations related to dealing a controlled substance resulting in death are handled as homicide investigations, LaPorte County Drug Task Force Sgt. Kyle Shiparski said.
Techniques used to investigate are similar. Detectives rely on evidence from cellphones, witnesses toxicology reports and forensic evidence on scene. The difficulties lie in proving that a person died from a specific instance in which they were supplied a drug and subsequently ingested it.
This can be hard, Shiparski said, if a person has multiple suppliers or died with a combination of drugs in their system. More challenges include underlying conditions or other risks surrounding death. The cases are not black-and-white.
“What we’re seeing with these cases is, they’re much harder to prove and investigate," Shiparski said. "And when they get in front of a jury, they become even harder to prove in that setting.”
The deaths are often labeled as accidental overdoses, Shiparski said. Once the cause of death is determined, investigators can begin to explore the case, searching into what happened on scene. Law enforcement are reliant on cellphones and witnesses to provide information, and a timeline of events is created.
Official cellphone data showed that Jason communicated with Spurling in the days before his death. According to court documents, Spurling traveled to a location in the Chicago area to obtain drugs from another source. Jason asked Spurling to "grab me a couple," purportedly referencing the drugs Spurling was purchasing. The men planned to meet up Jan. 2, 2022 at Spurling's home in Valparaiso. After obtaining the drugs, Jason and his daughter, who were in Valparaiso that weekend, subsequently drove back to Indianapolis.
In one of the messages, Spurling said: "Promise it did the trick but wasn’t overwhelming?" Investigators believe this indicates that Spurling knew the drug had the potential to have an "overwhelming" effect. Spurling told police he gave Jason heroin and nothing else, according to court documents.
Shiparski said there are some people who do not agree with how the law reads. The language of the law targets anyone who "knowingly manufactures or delivers" a drug that results in death, but the ultimate goal is to find the drug dealers who are widely distributing the counterfeit pills.
“You try to climb that ladder and hold the initial source of supply accountable,” Shiparski said.
Kristen Martin, founder of Gary Harm Reduction, said she believes laws related to dealing resulting in death are counterproductive to curbing the drug epidemic in the United States. She said stricter laws could instill fear in people who are using drugs, making them scared to ask for help.
"If we’re charging people, no one is going to want to ever call for help if somebody is overdosing," Martin said. "They’re going to leave more people left for dead.”
Martin said some trust has been built in communities of people who use drugs, erring on the side of nonjudgment and leading with compassion to help people struggling with substance abuse to find help. Martin and other organizations offer free naloxone and fentanyl testing strips to reduce harm for anyone who uses drugs. She worries that if laws surrounding the prosecution of individuals who deal or use drugs villainize those who are struggling with addiction, it will do more harm than good.
“There’s a fine line between drug dealer and drug user,” Martin said. “It’s not getting at the root of the problem. How is ruining someone else’s life by putting them in prison going to help the issue?”
Seeking justice
Spurling, who posted bond April 4, is set to stand trial May 30 in Marion Superior Court, according to online court records. The family has traveled from Valparaiso to attend some of the court hearings and plan to attend the trial.
Jason's family said they will continue to bring awareness to the law that they believe will help them get justice for their brother.
"We understand it’s not going to bring Jason back, but it could save another family from going through what we went through," Jessica said. "Something needs to be done. People who are dealing need to be held accountable."
Gallery: Recent arrests booked into the Porter County Jail
Heather Wood
Shannon Uttal
Thomas Littlefield
Kevin Carrico
Barry Rogers
Jonathan Riley Jr.
Crysta Carrico
Cynthia Cruz
Cory Hebda
Prince Pugh
DeMario Young Jr.
Tyler Roark
Christopher Deming
Mitchell Demeter
Cassidy Stewart
Colin Page
Martell Joe
Willie Key Jr.
Stephen Williams
William Jackson
Brittany Jeleniewski
Janese Moore
Shawn Sparks
Bryce Parlin
Matthew Martin
Solitaire Johnson
Edward Levine
Michael Gilpin
David Caldwell
An Indianapolis man died of a fentanyl poisoning last year. The man who gave it to him was recently implicated in his death
INDIANAPOLIS — Marion County 911 dispatchers answered a call around 7:15 a.m. Jan. 3, 2022. The voice of a 6-year-old girl traveled through the receiver. She told dispatchers she couldn't wake her father and needed help.
Indianapolis police and medical personnel swiftly arrived at the scene to do a welfare check on the girl's father at his apartment in the 7000 block of River Walk Drive. The medics found Jason Platipodis, 40, deceased.
Jason's brother, Jeff, who lived in the area, arrived at Jason's apartment and grabbed Jason's phone. While scrolling through messages, he saw texts between Jason and a contact called "Johnny Boy." Messages showed that Johnny Boy had acquired some sort of drugs and given them to Jason.
Jason had a history of drug abuse but had been clean for six years. Jeff was shocked.
"I saw him every day. We worked together," Jeff said. "If he had relapsed, I would have known."
Jeff brought Jason's phone to the Indianapolis Metro Police Department and handed it to a detective, which was the beginning of an investigation that would last over a year into how Jason died and who would be held responsible for giving him the lethal substance that ended his life.
Fighting for Jason
Jonathan Spurling, 38, of Valparaiso was charged March 22 with dealing a controlled substance resulting in death, a Level 1 felony, for his role in Jason's death. If convicted, he is looking at 20 to 50 years in prison.
A law passed in 2018 gave prosecutors the ability to file charges against anyone who allegedly provided a drug that resulted in death, but the cases are difficult to prove. The charges against Spurling are one of few cases in Indiana in which charges have been filed since the law was passed.
In the Region, charges related to this statute are seldom filed. There have been seven cases charged in Lake County, six in LaPorte County and three in Porter County, according to data from the Indiana Supreme Court.
Shortly after Jason's death, his uncle Scott Westergren said he read an article about a woman named Susan Fox who lost her son, Nathan May, to a fentanyl overdose in 2020. Fox had worked to collect evidence that implicated the man who provided the lethal drug to her son. She presented the evidence to police, who involved the Drug Enforcement Administration. Charges were filed in June against the man who provided the drug.
Westergren sent an email to her. She responded and connected him with the DEA agents who worked on her son's case.
DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Chip Cooke said families have taken a crucial role in these cases when it comes to gathering evidence.
"It’s really the families who are driving this," Cooke said. "Every time [law enforcement] investigate or come upon an overdose victim, I don’t think the thought is, ‘this is a homicide.’ It’s really the families of the victims who are getting involved and going to state local law enforcement.”
Westergren said he knew the case was being investigated but was not aware of the details until charges were filed.
“I am so grateful that the DEA and Indianapolis police were able to pursue these charges,” he said. "We got to fight for Jason."
Jason's story
Jason, a triplet, grew up in Valparaiso. His triplet brother, Jeff, said Jason worked as a carpenter. The two lived in Indianapolis but would drive back to the Region every weekend to work on a home improvement project. Jason loved fishing and spending time with his daughter. Jeff described him as a "family man" who always had a smile on his face.
"He's the type of guy that would give you the shirt off his back," Jeff said. "He was a good dad, a hard worker, a family man."
Jason was prescribed an opioid pain reliever for back pain early in adulthood, Westergren said. He said their family has a history with substance abuse but believes the prescription could have been the catalyst that fueled Jason's opioid abuse. When Jason's daughter was born, he worked to get sober and "transformed."
"He’s dearly missed," Westergren said. "There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t think about him."
His triplet sister, Jessica, said she remembers him taking all his nieces and nephews swimming, boating and fishing. He wanted to involve the "younger generation" in every activity.
“He was the glue to our family," she said. "He always tried to get our family together while he was out in Valparaiso.”
By bringing awareness to the circumstances surrounding Jason's death and the charges filed against his alleged dealer, the family said they hope it can bring awareness to substance-abuse disorders and bring justice to other victims of drug poisonings.
Proving their case
Investigations related to dealing a controlled substance resulting in death are handled as homicide investigations, LaPorte County Drug Task Force Sgt. Kyle Shiparski said.
Techniques used to investigate are similar. Detectives rely on evidence from cellphones, witnesses toxicology reports and forensic evidence on scene. The difficulties lie in proving that a person died from a specific instance in which they were supplied a drug and subsequently ingested it.
This can be hard, Shiparski said, if a person has multiple suppliers or died with a combination of drugs in their system. More challenges include underlying conditions or other risks surrounding death. The cases are not black-and-white.
“What we’re seeing with these cases is, they’re much harder to prove and investigate," Shiparski said. "And when they get in front of a jury, they become even harder to prove in that setting.”
The deaths are often labeled as accidental overdoses, Shiparski said. Once the cause of death is determined, investigators can begin to explore the case, searching into what happened on scene. Law enforcement are reliant on cellphones and witnesses to provide information, and a timeline of events is created.
Official cellphone data showed that Jason communicated with Spurling in the days before his death. According to court documents, Spurling traveled to a location in the Chicago area to obtain drugs from another source. Jason asked Spurling to "grab me a couple," purportedly referencing the drugs Spurling was purchasing. The men planned to meet up Jan. 2, 2022 at Spurling's home in Valparaiso. After obtaining the drugs, Jason and his daughter, who were in Valparaiso that weekend, subsequently drove back to Indianapolis.
In one of the messages, Spurling said: "Promise it did the trick but wasn’t overwhelming?" Investigators believe this indicates that Spurling knew the drug had the potential to have an "overwhelming" effect. Spurling told police he gave Jason heroin and nothing else, according to court documents.
Shiparski said there are some people who do not agree with how the law reads. The language of the law targets anyone who "knowingly manufactures or delivers" a drug that results in death, but the ultimate goal is to find the drug dealers who are widely distributing the counterfeit pills.
“You try to climb that ladder and hold the initial source of supply accountable,” Shiparski said.
Kristen Martin, founder of Gary Harm Reduction, said she believes laws related to dealing resulting in death are counterproductive to curbing the drug epidemic in the United States. She said stricter laws could instill fear in people who are using drugs, making them scared to ask for help.
"If we’re charging people, no one is going to want to ever call for help if somebody is overdosing," Martin said. "They’re going to leave more people left for dead.”
Martin said some trust has been built in communities of people who use drugs, erring on the side of nonjudgment and leading with compassion to help people struggling with substance abuse to find help. Martin and other organizations offer free naloxone and fentanyl testing strips to reduce harm for anyone who uses drugs. She worries that if laws surrounding the prosecution of individuals who deal or use drugs villainize those who are struggling with addiction, it will do more harm than good.
“There’s a fine line between drug dealer and drug user,” Martin said. “It’s not getting at the root of the problem. How is ruining someone else’s life by putting them in prison going to help the issue?”
Seeking justice
Spurling, who posted bond April 4, is set to stand trial May 30 in Marion Superior Court, according to online court records. The family has traveled from Valparaiso to attend some of the court hearings and plan to attend the trial.
Jason's family said they will continue to bring awareness to the law that they believe will help them get justice for their brother.
"We understand it’s not going to bring Jason back, but it could save another family from going through what we went through," Jessica said. "Something needs to be done. People who are dealing need to be held accountable." | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/crime-courts/brothers-had-no-idea-they-had-120-pounds-of-cocaine-defense-tells-porter-county-jury/article_65d35708-fa23-11ed-93f0-53606f07df55.html | 2023-05-24T14:26:45 | 0 | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/crime-courts/brothers-had-no-idea-they-had-120-pounds-of-cocaine-defense-tells-porter-county-jury/article_65d35708-fa23-11ed-93f0-53606f07df55.html |
PINE TOWNSHIP — Porter County police say a 34-year-old Chesterton woman who crashed into a tree was nearly four times the legal limit for drinking and driving.
Whitney Leonard faces several criminal charges of operating while intoxicated, including one of endangering others, according to the arrest report.
A county police officer said he was called out at 7:23 a.m. Tuesday to 1615 N. County Road 625 East for a report of a vehicle crashing into a tree.
The officer found a passenger from the vehicle walking and was told she jumped out of the vehicle shortly before the driver, Leonard, crashed into the tree, the report says.
Leonard, who smelled of alcohol and admitted to have been drinking the night before and a couple hours before the crash, said she crashed after being distracted when her passenger jumped from the vehicle, police said.
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Porter County Deputy Prosecutor Christopher Hammer told jurors during opening arguments Tuesday afternoon that, "this is not a small amount by any means."
Leonard consented to a blood test, which revealed her blood alcohol concentration to be 0.309%, which greatly exceeds the legal limit of 0.08%, according to the report.
After being cleared medically, Leonard was taken to the Porter County jail.
Animal control took possession of her dog, police said.
Gallery: Recent arrests booked into the Porter County Jail
Heather Wood
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Cory Hebda
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Cassidy Stewart
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Martell Joe
Willie Key Jr.
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Janese Moore
Shawn Sparks
Bryce Parlin
Matthew Martin
Solitaire Johnson
Edward Levine
Michael Gilpin
David Caldwell
An Indianapolis man died of a fentanyl poisoning last year. The man who gave it to him was recently implicated in his death
Jason Platipodis (right) poses with his triplet siblings Jessica and Jeff. They are the first set of triplets successfully born in Valparaiso.
INDIANAPOLIS — Marion County 911 dispatchers answered a call around 7:15 a.m. Jan. 3, 2022. The voice of a 6-year-old girl traveled through the receiver. She told dispatchers she couldn't wake her father and needed help.
Indianapolis police and medical personnel swiftly arrived at the scene to do a welfare check on the girl's father at his apartment in the 7000 block of River Walk Drive. The medics found Jason Platipodis, 40, deceased.
Jason's brother, Jeff, who lived in the area, arrived at Jason's apartment and grabbed Jason's phone. While scrolling through messages, he saw texts between Jason and a contact called "Johnny Boy." Messages showed that Johnny Boy had acquired some sort of drugs and given them to Jason.
Jason had a history of drug abuse but had been clean for six years. Jeff was shocked.
"I saw him every day. We worked together," Jeff said. "If he had relapsed, I would have known."
Jeff brought Jason's phone to the Indianapolis Metro Police Department and handed it to a detective, which was the beginning of an investigation that would last over a year into how Jason died and who would be held responsible for giving him the lethal substance that ended his life.
Fighting for Jason
Jonathan Spurling, 38, of Valparaiso was charged March 22 with dealing a controlled substance resulting in death, a Level 1 felony, for his role in Jason's death. If convicted, he is looking at 20 to 50 years in prison.
A law passed in 2018 gave prosecutors the ability to file charges against anyone who allegedly provided a drug that resulted in death, but the cases are difficult to prove. The charges against Spurling are one of few cases in Indiana in which charges have been filed since the law was passed.
In the Region, charges related to this statute are seldom filed. There have been seven cases charged in Lake County, six in LaPorte County and three in Porter County, according to data from the Indiana Supreme Court.
Shortly after Jason's death, his uncle Scott Westergren said he read an article about a woman named Susan Fox who lost her son, Nathan May, to a fentanyl overdose in 2020. Fox had worked to collect evidence that implicated the man who provided the lethal drug to her son. She presented the evidence to police, who involved the Drug Enforcement Administration. Charges were filed in June against the man who provided the drug.
Westergren sent an email to her. She responded and connected him with the DEA agents who worked on her son's case.
DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Chip Cooke said families have taken a crucial role in these cases when it comes to gathering evidence.
"It’s really the families who are driving this," Cooke said. "Every time [law enforcement] investigate or come upon an overdose victim, I don’t think the thought is, ‘this is a homicide.’ It’s really the families of the victims who are getting involved and going to state local law enforcement.”
Westergren said he knew the case was being investigated but was not aware of the details until charges were filed.
“I am so grateful that the DEA and Indianapolis police were able to pursue these charges,” he said. "We got to fight for Jason."
Jason's story
Jason, a triplet, grew up in Valparaiso. His triplet brother, Jeff, said Jason worked as a carpenter. The two lived in Indianapolis but would drive back to the Region every weekend to work on a home improvement project. Jason loved fishing and spending time with his daughter. Jeff described him as a "family man" who always had a smile on his face.
"He's the type of guy that would give you the shirt off his back," Jeff said. "He was a good dad, a hard worker, a family man."
Jason Platipodis poses with his nephew. His family remembers him as someone who enjoyed bringing all generations of his family together for ac…
Jason was prescribed an opioid pain reliever for back pain early in adulthood, Westergren said. He said their family has a history with substance abuse but believes the prescription could have been the catalyst that fueled Jason's opioid abuse. When Jason's daughter was born, he worked to get sober and "transformed."
"He’s dearly missed," Westergren said. "There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t think about him."
His triplet sister, Jessica, said she remembers him taking all his nieces and nephews swimming, boating and fishing. He wanted to involve the "younger generation" in every activity.
“He was the glue to our family," she said. "He always tried to get our family together while he was out in Valparaiso.”
By bringing awareness to the circumstances surrounding Jason's death and the charges filed against his alleged dealer, the family said they hope it can bring awareness to substance-abuse disorders and bring justice to other victims of drug poisonings.
Proving their case
Investigations related to dealing a controlled substance resulting in death are handled as homicide investigations, LaPorte County Drug Task Force Sgt. Kyle Shiparski said.
Techniques used to investigate are similar. Detectives rely on evidence from cellphones, witnesses toxicology reports and forensic evidence on scene. The difficulties lie in proving that a person died from a specific instance in which they were supplied a drug and subsequently ingested it.
This can be hard, Shiparski said, if a person has multiple suppliers or died with a combination of drugs in their system. More challenges include underlying conditions or other risks surrounding death. The cases are not black-and-white.
“What we’re seeing with these cases is, they’re much harder to prove and investigate," Shiparski said. "And when they get in front of a jury, they become even harder to prove in that setting.”
The deaths are often labeled as accidental overdoses, Shiparski said. Once the cause of death is determined, investigators can begin to explore the case, searching into what happened on scene. Law enforcement are reliant on cellphones and witnesses to provide information, and a timeline of events is created.
Official cellphone data showed that Jason communicated with Spurling in the days before his death. According to court documents, Spurling traveled to a location in the Chicago area to obtain drugs from another source. Jason asked Spurling to "grab me a couple," purportedly referencing the drugs Spurling was purchasing. The men planned to meet up Jan. 2, 2022 at Spurling's home in Valparaiso. After obtaining the drugs, Jason and his daughter, who were in Valparaiso that weekend, subsequently drove back to Indianapolis.
In one of the messages, Spurling said: "Promise it did the trick but wasn’t overwhelming?" Investigators believe this indicates that Spurling knew the drug had the potential to have an "overwhelming" effect. Spurling told police he gave Jason heroin and nothing else, according to court documents.
Shiparski said there are some people who do not agree with how the law reads. The language of the law targets anyone who "knowingly manufactures or delivers" a drug that results in death, but the ultimate goal is to find the drug dealers who are widely distributing the counterfeit pills.
“You try to climb that ladder and hold the initial source of supply accountable,” Shiparski said.
Kristen Martin, founder of Gary Harm Reduction, said she believes laws related to dealing resulting in death are counterproductive to curbing the drug epidemic in the United States. She said stricter laws could instill fear in people who are using drugs, making them scared to ask for help.
"If we’re charging people, no one is going to want to ever call for help if somebody is overdosing," Martin said. "They’re going to leave more people left for dead.”
Martin said some trust has been built in communities of people who use drugs, erring on the side of nonjudgment and leading with compassion to help people struggling with substance abuse to find help. Martin and other organizations offer free naloxone and fentanyl testing strips to reduce harm for anyone who uses drugs. She worries that if laws surrounding the prosecution of individuals who deal or use drugs villainize those who are struggling with addiction, it will do more harm than good.
“There’s a fine line between drug dealer and drug user,” Martin said. “It’s not getting at the root of the problem. How is ruining someone else’s life by putting them in prison going to help the issue?”
Seeking justice
Spurling, who posted bond April 4, is set to stand trial May 30 in Marion Superior Court, according to online court records. The family has traveled from Valparaiso to attend some of the court hearings and plan to attend the trial.
Jason's family said they will continue to bring awareness to the law that they believe will help them get justice for their brother.
"We understand it’s not going to bring Jason back, but it could save another family from going through what we went through," Jessica said. "Something needs to be done. People who are dealing need to be held accountable."
Gallery: Recent arrests booked into the Porter County Jail
Heather Wood
Shannon Uttal
Thomas Littlefield
Kevin Carrico
Barry Rogers
Jonathan Riley Jr.
Crysta Carrico
Cynthia Cruz
Cory Hebda
Prince Pugh
DeMario Young Jr.
Tyler Roark
Christopher Deming
Mitchell Demeter
Cassidy Stewart
Colin Page
Martell Joe
Willie Key Jr.
Stephen Williams
William Jackson
Brittany Jeleniewski
Janese Moore
Shawn Sparks
Bryce Parlin
Matthew Martin
Solitaire Johnson
Edward Levine
Michael Gilpin
David Caldwell
An Indianapolis man died of a fentanyl poisoning last year. The man who gave it to him was recently implicated in his death
Jason Platipodis (right) poses with his triplet siblings Jessica and Jeff. They are the first set of triplets successfully born in Valparaiso.
INDIANAPOLIS — Marion County 911 dispatchers answered a call around 7:15 a.m. Jan. 3, 2022. The voice of a 6-year-old girl traveled through the receiver. She told dispatchers she couldn't wake her father and needed help.
Indianapolis police and medical personnel swiftly arrived at the scene to do a welfare check on the girl's father at his apartment in the 7000 block of River Walk Drive. The medics found Jason Platipodis, 40, deceased.
Jason's brother, Jeff, who lived in the area, arrived at Jason's apartment and grabbed Jason's phone. While scrolling through messages, he saw texts between Jason and a contact called "Johnny Boy." Messages showed that Johnny Boy had acquired some sort of drugs and given them to Jason.
Jason had a history of drug abuse but had been clean for six years. Jeff was shocked.
"I saw him every day. We worked together," Jeff said. "If he had relapsed, I would have known."
Jeff brought Jason's phone to the Indianapolis Metro Police Department and handed it to a detective, which was the beginning of an investigation that would last over a year into how Jason died and who would be held responsible for giving him the lethal substance that ended his life.
Fighting for Jason
Jonathan Spurling, 38, of Valparaiso was charged March 22 with dealing a controlled substance resulting in death, a Level 1 felony, for his role in Jason's death. If convicted, he is looking at 20 to 50 years in prison.
A law passed in 2018 gave prosecutors the ability to file charges against anyone who allegedly provided a drug that resulted in death, but the cases are difficult to prove. The charges against Spurling are one of few cases in Indiana in which charges have been filed since the law was passed.
In the Region, charges related to this statute are seldom filed. There have been seven cases charged in Lake County, six in LaPorte County and three in Porter County, according to data from the Indiana Supreme Court.
Shortly after Jason's death, his uncle Scott Westergren said he read an article about a woman named Susan Fox who lost her son, Nathan May, to a fentanyl overdose in 2020. Fox had worked to collect evidence that implicated the man who provided the lethal drug to her son. She presented the evidence to police, who involved the Drug Enforcement Administration. Charges were filed in June against the man who provided the drug.
Westergren sent an email to her. She responded and connected him with the DEA agents who worked on her son's case.
DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Chip Cooke said families have taken a crucial role in these cases when it comes to gathering evidence.
"It’s really the families who are driving this," Cooke said. "Every time [law enforcement] investigate or come upon an overdose victim, I don’t think the thought is, ‘this is a homicide.’ It’s really the families of the victims who are getting involved and going to state local law enforcement.”
Westergren said he knew the case was being investigated but was not aware of the details until charges were filed.
“I am so grateful that the DEA and Indianapolis police were able to pursue these charges,” he said. "We got to fight for Jason."
Jason's story
Jason, a triplet, grew up in Valparaiso. His triplet brother, Jeff, said Jason worked as a carpenter. The two lived in Indianapolis but would drive back to the Region every weekend to work on a home improvement project. Jason loved fishing and spending time with his daughter. Jeff described him as a "family man" who always had a smile on his face.
"He's the type of guy that would give you the shirt off his back," Jeff said. "He was a good dad, a hard worker, a family man."
Jason Platipodis poses with his nephew. His family remembers him as someone who enjoyed bringing all generations of his family together for ac…
Jason was prescribed an opioid pain reliever for back pain early in adulthood, Westergren said. He said their family has a history with substance abuse but believes the prescription could have been the catalyst that fueled Jason's opioid abuse. When Jason's daughter was born, he worked to get sober and "transformed."
"He’s dearly missed," Westergren said. "There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t think about him."
His triplet sister, Jessica, said she remembers him taking all his nieces and nephews swimming, boating and fishing. He wanted to involve the "younger generation" in every activity.
“He was the glue to our family," she said. "He always tried to get our family together while he was out in Valparaiso.”
By bringing awareness to the circumstances surrounding Jason's death and the charges filed against his alleged dealer, the family said they hope it can bring awareness to substance-abuse disorders and bring justice to other victims of drug poisonings.
Proving their case
Investigations related to dealing a controlled substance resulting in death are handled as homicide investigations, LaPorte County Drug Task Force Sgt. Kyle Shiparski said.
Techniques used to investigate are similar. Detectives rely on evidence from cellphones, witnesses toxicology reports and forensic evidence on scene. The difficulties lie in proving that a person died from a specific instance in which they were supplied a drug and subsequently ingested it.
This can be hard, Shiparski said, if a person has multiple suppliers or died with a combination of drugs in their system. More challenges include underlying conditions or other risks surrounding death. The cases are not black-and-white.
“What we’re seeing with these cases is, they’re much harder to prove and investigate," Shiparski said. "And when they get in front of a jury, they become even harder to prove in that setting.”
The deaths are often labeled as accidental overdoses, Shiparski said. Once the cause of death is determined, investigators can begin to explore the case, searching into what happened on scene. Law enforcement are reliant on cellphones and witnesses to provide information, and a timeline of events is created.
Official cellphone data showed that Jason communicated with Spurling in the days before his death. According to court documents, Spurling traveled to a location in the Chicago area to obtain drugs from another source. Jason asked Spurling to "grab me a couple," purportedly referencing the drugs Spurling was purchasing. The men planned to meet up Jan. 2, 2022 at Spurling's home in Valparaiso. After obtaining the drugs, Jason and his daughter, who were in Valparaiso that weekend, subsequently drove back to Indianapolis.
In one of the messages, Spurling said: "Promise it did the trick but wasn’t overwhelming?" Investigators believe this indicates that Spurling knew the drug had the potential to have an "overwhelming" effect. Spurling told police he gave Jason heroin and nothing else, according to court documents.
Shiparski said there are some people who do not agree with how the law reads. The language of the law targets anyone who "knowingly manufactures or delivers" a drug that results in death, but the ultimate goal is to find the drug dealers who are widely distributing the counterfeit pills.
“You try to climb that ladder and hold the initial source of supply accountable,” Shiparski said.
Kristen Martin, founder of Gary Harm Reduction, said she believes laws related to dealing resulting in death are counterproductive to curbing the drug epidemic in the United States. She said stricter laws could instill fear in people who are using drugs, making them scared to ask for help.
"If we’re charging people, no one is going to want to ever call for help if somebody is overdosing," Martin said. "They’re going to leave more people left for dead.”
Martin said some trust has been built in communities of people who use drugs, erring on the side of nonjudgment and leading with compassion to help people struggling with substance abuse to find help. Martin and other organizations offer free naloxone and fentanyl testing strips to reduce harm for anyone who uses drugs. She worries that if laws surrounding the prosecution of individuals who deal or use drugs villainize those who are struggling with addiction, it will do more harm than good.
“There’s a fine line between drug dealer and drug user,” Martin said. “It’s not getting at the root of the problem. How is ruining someone else’s life by putting them in prison going to help the issue?”
Seeking justice
Spurling, who posted bond April 4, is set to stand trial May 30 in Marion Superior Court, according to online court records. The family has traveled from Valparaiso to attend some of the court hearings and plan to attend the trial.
Jason's family said they will continue to bring awareness to the law that they believe will help them get justice for their brother.
"We understand it’s not going to bring Jason back, but it could save another family from going through what we went through," Jessica said. "Something needs to be done. People who are dealing need to be held accountable."
Gallery: Recent arrests booked into the Porter County Jail
Heather Wood
Shannon Uttal
Thomas Littlefield
Kevin Carrico
Barry Rogers
Jonathan Riley Jr.
Crysta Carrico
Cynthia Cruz
Cory Hebda
Prince Pugh
DeMario Young Jr.
Tyler Roark
Christopher Deming
Mitchell Demeter
Cassidy Stewart
Colin Page
Martell Joe
Willie Key Jr.
Stephen Williams
William Jackson
Brittany Jeleniewski
Janese Moore
Shawn Sparks
Bryce Parlin
Matthew Martin
Solitaire Johnson
Edward Levine
Michael Gilpin
David Caldwell
An Indianapolis man died of a fentanyl poisoning last year. The man who gave it to him was recently implicated in his death
Jason Platipodis (right) poses with his triplet siblings Jessica and Jeff. They are the first set of triplets successfully born in Valparaiso.
INDIANAPOLIS — Marion County 911 dispatchers answered a call around 7:15 a.m. Jan. 3, 2022. The voice of a 6-year-old girl traveled through the receiver. She told dispatchers she couldn't wake her father and needed help.
Indianapolis police and medical personnel swiftly arrived at the scene to do a welfare check on the girl's father at his apartment in the 7000 block of River Walk Drive. The medics found Jason Platipodis, 40, deceased.
Jason's brother, Jeff, who lived in the area, arrived at Jason's apartment and grabbed Jason's phone. While scrolling through messages, he saw texts between Jason and a contact called "Johnny Boy." Messages showed that Johnny Boy had acquired some sort of drugs and given them to Jason.
Jason had a history of drug abuse but had been clean for six years. Jeff was shocked.
"I saw him every day. We worked together," Jeff said. "If he had relapsed, I would have known."
Jeff brought Jason's phone to the Indianapolis Metro Police Department and handed it to a detective, which was the beginning of an investigation that would last over a year into how Jason died and who would be held responsible for giving him the lethal substance that ended his life.
Fighting for Jason
Jonathan Spurling, 38, of Valparaiso was charged March 22 with dealing a controlled substance resulting in death, a Level 1 felony, for his role in Jason's death. If convicted, he is looking at 20 to 50 years in prison.
A law passed in 2018 gave prosecutors the ability to file charges against anyone who allegedly provided a drug that resulted in death, but the cases are difficult to prove. The charges against Spurling are one of few cases in Indiana in which charges have been filed since the law was passed.
In the Region, charges related to this statute are seldom filed. There have been seven cases charged in Lake County, six in LaPorte County and three in Porter County, according to data from the Indiana Supreme Court.
Shortly after Jason's death, his uncle Scott Westergren said he read an article about a woman named Susan Fox who lost her son, Nathan May, to a fentanyl overdose in 2020. Fox had worked to collect evidence that implicated the man who provided the lethal drug to her son. She presented the evidence to police, who involved the Drug Enforcement Administration. Charges were filed in June against the man who provided the drug.
Westergren sent an email to her. She responded and connected him with the DEA agents who worked on her son's case.
DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Chip Cooke said families have taken a crucial role in these cases when it comes to gathering evidence.
"It’s really the families who are driving this," Cooke said. "Every time [law enforcement] investigate or come upon an overdose victim, I don’t think the thought is, ‘this is a homicide.’ It’s really the families of the victims who are getting involved and going to state local law enforcement.”
Westergren said he knew the case was being investigated but was not aware of the details until charges were filed.
“I am so grateful that the DEA and Indianapolis police were able to pursue these charges,” he said. "We got to fight for Jason."
Jason's story
Jason, a triplet, grew up in Valparaiso. His triplet brother, Jeff, said Jason worked as a carpenter. The two lived in Indianapolis but would drive back to the Region every weekend to work on a home improvement project. Jason loved fishing and spending time with his daughter. Jeff described him as a "family man" who always had a smile on his face.
"He's the type of guy that would give you the shirt off his back," Jeff said. "He was a good dad, a hard worker, a family man."
Jason Platipodis poses with his nephew. His family remembers him as someone who enjoyed bringing all generations of his family together for ac…
Jason was prescribed an opioid pain reliever for back pain early in adulthood, Westergren said. He said their family has a history with substance abuse but believes the prescription could have been the catalyst that fueled Jason's opioid abuse. When Jason's daughter was born, he worked to get sober and "transformed."
"He’s dearly missed," Westergren said. "There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t think about him."
His triplet sister, Jessica, said she remembers him taking all his nieces and nephews swimming, boating and fishing. He wanted to involve the "younger generation" in every activity.
“He was the glue to our family," she said. "He always tried to get our family together while he was out in Valparaiso.”
By bringing awareness to the circumstances surrounding Jason's death and the charges filed against his alleged dealer, the family said they hope it can bring awareness to substance-abuse disorders and bring justice to other victims of drug poisonings.
Proving their case
Investigations related to dealing a controlled substance resulting in death are handled as homicide investigations, LaPorte County Drug Task Force Sgt. Kyle Shiparski said.
Techniques used to investigate are similar. Detectives rely on evidence from cellphones, witnesses toxicology reports and forensic evidence on scene. The difficulties lie in proving that a person died from a specific instance in which they were supplied a drug and subsequently ingested it.
This can be hard, Shiparski said, if a person has multiple suppliers or died with a combination of drugs in their system. More challenges include underlying conditions or other risks surrounding death. The cases are not black-and-white.
“What we’re seeing with these cases is, they’re much harder to prove and investigate," Shiparski said. "And when they get in front of a jury, they become even harder to prove in that setting.”
The deaths are often labeled as accidental overdoses, Shiparski said. Once the cause of death is determined, investigators can begin to explore the case, searching into what happened on scene. Law enforcement are reliant on cellphones and witnesses to provide information, and a timeline of events is created.
Official cellphone data showed that Jason communicated with Spurling in the days before his death. According to court documents, Spurling traveled to a location in the Chicago area to obtain drugs from another source. Jason asked Spurling to "grab me a couple," purportedly referencing the drugs Spurling was purchasing. The men planned to meet up Jan. 2, 2022 at Spurling's home in Valparaiso. After obtaining the drugs, Jason and his daughter, who were in Valparaiso that weekend, subsequently drove back to Indianapolis.
In one of the messages, Spurling said: "Promise it did the trick but wasn’t overwhelming?" Investigators believe this indicates that Spurling knew the drug had the potential to have an "overwhelming" effect. Spurling told police he gave Jason heroin and nothing else, according to court documents.
Shiparski said there are some people who do not agree with how the law reads. The language of the law targets anyone who "knowingly manufactures or delivers" a drug that results in death, but the ultimate goal is to find the drug dealers who are widely distributing the counterfeit pills.
“You try to climb that ladder and hold the initial source of supply accountable,” Shiparski said.
Kristen Martin, founder of Gary Harm Reduction, said she believes laws related to dealing resulting in death are counterproductive to curbing the drug epidemic in the United States. She said stricter laws could instill fear in people who are using drugs, making them scared to ask for help.
"If we’re charging people, no one is going to want to ever call for help if somebody is overdosing," Martin said. "They’re going to leave more people left for dead.”
Martin said some trust has been built in communities of people who use drugs, erring on the side of nonjudgment and leading with compassion to help people struggling with substance abuse to find help. Martin and other organizations offer free naloxone and fentanyl testing strips to reduce harm for anyone who uses drugs. She worries that if laws surrounding the prosecution of individuals who deal or use drugs villainize those who are struggling with addiction, it will do more harm than good.
“There’s a fine line between drug dealer and drug user,” Martin said. “It’s not getting at the root of the problem. How is ruining someone else’s life by putting them in prison going to help the issue?”
Seeking justice
Spurling, who posted bond April 4, is set to stand trial May 30 in Marion Superior Court, according to online court records. The family has traveled from Valparaiso to attend some of the court hearings and plan to attend the trial.
Jason's family said they will continue to bring awareness to the law that they believe will help them get justice for their brother.
"We understand it’s not going to bring Jason back, but it could save another family from going through what we went through," Jessica said. "Something needs to be done. People who are dealing need to be held accountable."
Gallery: Recent arrests booked into the Porter County Jail
Heather Wood
Shannon Uttal
Thomas Littlefield
Kevin Carrico
Barry Rogers
Jonathan Riley Jr.
Crysta Carrico
Cynthia Cruz
Cory Hebda
Prince Pugh
DeMario Young Jr.
Tyler Roark
Christopher Deming
Mitchell Demeter
Cassidy Stewart
Colin Page
Martell Joe
Willie Key Jr.
Stephen Williams
William Jackson
Brittany Jeleniewski
Janese Moore
Shawn Sparks
Bryce Parlin
Matthew Martin
Solitaire Johnson
Edward Levine
Michael Gilpin
David Caldwell
An Indianapolis man died of a fentanyl poisoning last year. The man who gave it to him was recently implicated in his death
Jason Platipodis (right) poses with his triplet siblings Jessica and Jeff. They are the first set of triplets successfully born in Valparaiso.
INDIANAPOLIS — Marion County 911 dispatchers answered a call around 7:15 a.m. Jan. 3, 2022. The voice of a 6-year-old girl traveled through the receiver. She told dispatchers she couldn't wake her father and needed help.
Indianapolis police and medical personnel swiftly arrived at the scene to do a welfare check on the girl's father at his apartment in the 7000 block of River Walk Drive. The medics found Jason Platipodis, 40, deceased.
Jason's brother, Jeff, who lived in the area, arrived at Jason's apartment and grabbed Jason's phone. While scrolling through messages, he saw texts between Jason and a contact called "Johnny Boy." Messages showed that Johnny Boy had acquired some sort of drugs and given them to Jason.
Jason had a history of drug abuse but had been clean for six years. Jeff was shocked.
"I saw him every day. We worked together," Jeff said. "If he had relapsed, I would have known."
Jeff brought Jason's phone to the Indianapolis Metro Police Department and handed it to a detective, which was the beginning of an investigation that would last over a year into how Jason died and who would be held responsible for giving him the lethal substance that ended his life.
Fighting for Jason
Jonathan Spurling, 38, of Valparaiso was charged March 22 with dealing a controlled substance resulting in death, a Level 1 felony, for his role in Jason's death. If convicted, he is looking at 20 to 50 years in prison.
A law passed in 2018 gave prosecutors the ability to file charges against anyone who allegedly provided a drug that resulted in death, but the cases are difficult to prove. The charges against Spurling are one of few cases in Indiana in which charges have been filed since the law was passed.
In the Region, charges related to this statute are seldom filed. There have been seven cases charged in Lake County, six in LaPorte County and three in Porter County, according to data from the Indiana Supreme Court.
Shortly after Jason's death, his uncle Scott Westergren said he read an article about a woman named Susan Fox who lost her son, Nathan May, to a fentanyl overdose in 2020. Fox had worked to collect evidence that implicated the man who provided the lethal drug to her son. She presented the evidence to police, who involved the Drug Enforcement Administration. Charges were filed in June against the man who provided the drug.
Westergren sent an email to her. She responded and connected him with the DEA agents who worked on her son's case.
DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Chip Cooke said families have taken a crucial role in these cases when it comes to gathering evidence.
"It’s really the families who are driving this," Cooke said. "Every time [law enforcement] investigate or come upon an overdose victim, I don’t think the thought is, ‘this is a homicide.’ It’s really the families of the victims who are getting involved and going to state local law enforcement.”
Westergren said he knew the case was being investigated but was not aware of the details until charges were filed.
“I am so grateful that the DEA and Indianapolis police were able to pursue these charges,” he said. "We got to fight for Jason."
Jason's story
Jason, a triplet, grew up in Valparaiso. His triplet brother, Jeff, said Jason worked as a carpenter. The two lived in Indianapolis but would drive back to the Region every weekend to work on a home improvement project. Jason loved fishing and spending time with his daughter. Jeff described him as a "family man" who always had a smile on his face.
"He's the type of guy that would give you the shirt off his back," Jeff said. "He was a good dad, a hard worker, a family man."
Jason Platipodis poses with his nephew. His family remembers him as someone who enjoyed bringing all generations of his family together for ac…
Jason was prescribed an opioid pain reliever for back pain early in adulthood, Westergren said. He said their family has a history with substance abuse but believes the prescription could have been the catalyst that fueled Jason's opioid abuse. When Jason's daughter was born, he worked to get sober and "transformed."
"He’s dearly missed," Westergren said. "There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t think about him."
His triplet sister, Jessica, said she remembers him taking all his nieces and nephews swimming, boating and fishing. He wanted to involve the "younger generation" in every activity.
“He was the glue to our family," she said. "He always tried to get our family together while he was out in Valparaiso.”
By bringing awareness to the circumstances surrounding Jason's death and the charges filed against his alleged dealer, the family said they hope it can bring awareness to substance-abuse disorders and bring justice to other victims of drug poisonings.
Proving their case
Investigations related to dealing a controlled substance resulting in death are handled as homicide investigations, LaPorte County Drug Task Force Sgt. Kyle Shiparski said.
Techniques used to investigate are similar. Detectives rely on evidence from cellphones, witnesses toxicology reports and forensic evidence on scene. The difficulties lie in proving that a person died from a specific instance in which they were supplied a drug and subsequently ingested it.
This can be hard, Shiparski said, if a person has multiple suppliers or died with a combination of drugs in their system. More challenges include underlying conditions or other risks surrounding death. The cases are not black-and-white.
“What we’re seeing with these cases is, they’re much harder to prove and investigate," Shiparski said. "And when they get in front of a jury, they become even harder to prove in that setting.”
The deaths are often labeled as accidental overdoses, Shiparski said. Once the cause of death is determined, investigators can begin to explore the case, searching into what happened on scene. Law enforcement are reliant on cellphones and witnesses to provide information, and a timeline of events is created.
Official cellphone data showed that Jason communicated with Spurling in the days before his death. According to court documents, Spurling traveled to a location in the Chicago area to obtain drugs from another source. Jason asked Spurling to "grab me a couple," purportedly referencing the drugs Spurling was purchasing. The men planned to meet up Jan. 2, 2022 at Spurling's home in Valparaiso. After obtaining the drugs, Jason and his daughter, who were in Valparaiso that weekend, subsequently drove back to Indianapolis.
In one of the messages, Spurling said: "Promise it did the trick but wasn’t overwhelming?" Investigators believe this indicates that Spurling knew the drug had the potential to have an "overwhelming" effect. Spurling told police he gave Jason heroin and nothing else, according to court documents.
Shiparski said there are some people who do not agree with how the law reads. The language of the law targets anyone who "knowingly manufactures or delivers" a drug that results in death, but the ultimate goal is to find the drug dealers who are widely distributing the counterfeit pills.
“You try to climb that ladder and hold the initial source of supply accountable,” Shiparski said.
Kristen Martin, founder of Gary Harm Reduction, said she believes laws related to dealing resulting in death are counterproductive to curbing the drug epidemic in the United States. She said stricter laws could instill fear in people who are using drugs, making them scared to ask for help.
"If we’re charging people, no one is going to want to ever call for help if somebody is overdosing," Martin said. "They’re going to leave more people left for dead.”
Martin said some trust has been built in communities of people who use drugs, erring on the side of nonjudgment and leading with compassion to help people struggling with substance abuse to find help. Martin and other organizations offer free naloxone and fentanyl testing strips to reduce harm for anyone who uses drugs. She worries that if laws surrounding the prosecution of individuals who deal or use drugs villainize those who are struggling with addiction, it will do more harm than good.
“There’s a fine line between drug dealer and drug user,” Martin said. “It’s not getting at the root of the problem. How is ruining someone else’s life by putting them in prison going to help the issue?”
Seeking justice
Spurling, who posted bond April 4, is set to stand trial May 30 in Marion Superior Court, according to online court records. The family has traveled from Valparaiso to attend some of the court hearings and plan to attend the trial.
Jason's family said they will continue to bring awareness to the law that they believe will help them get justice for their brother.
"We understand it’s not going to bring Jason back, but it could save another family from going through what we went through," Jessica said. "Something needs to be done. People who are dealing need to be held accountable."
Gallery: Recent arrests booked into the Porter County Jail
Heather Wood
Shannon Uttal
Thomas Littlefield
Kevin Carrico
Barry Rogers
Jonathan Riley Jr.
Crysta Carrico
Cynthia Cruz
Cory Hebda
Prince Pugh
DeMario Young Jr.
Tyler Roark
Christopher Deming
Mitchell Demeter
Cassidy Stewart
Colin Page
Martell Joe
Willie Key Jr.
Stephen Williams
William Jackson
Brittany Jeleniewski
Janese Moore
Shawn Sparks
Bryce Parlin
Matthew Martin
Solitaire Johnson
Edward Levine
Michael Gilpin
David Caldwell
An Indianapolis man died of a fentanyl poisoning last year. The man who gave it to him was recently implicated in his death
INDIANAPOLIS — Marion County 911 dispatchers answered a call around 7:15 a.m. Jan. 3, 2022. The voice of a 6-year-old girl traveled through the receiver. She told dispatchers she couldn't wake her father and needed help.
Indianapolis police and medical personnel swiftly arrived at the scene to do a welfare check on the girl's father at his apartment in the 7000 block of River Walk Drive. The medics found Jason Platipodis, 40, deceased.
Jason's brother, Jeff, who lived in the area, arrived at Jason's apartment and grabbed Jason's phone. While scrolling through messages, he saw texts between Jason and a contact called "Johnny Boy." Messages showed that Johnny Boy had acquired some sort of drugs and given them to Jason.
Jason had a history of drug abuse but had been clean for six years. Jeff was shocked.
"I saw him every day. We worked together," Jeff said. "If he had relapsed, I would have known."
Jeff brought Jason's phone to the Indianapolis Metro Police Department and handed it to a detective, which was the beginning of an investigation that would last over a year into how Jason died and who would be held responsible for giving him the lethal substance that ended his life.
Fighting for Jason
Jonathan Spurling, 38, of Valparaiso was charged March 22 with dealing a controlled substance resulting in death, a Level 1 felony, for his role in Jason's death. If convicted, he is looking at 20 to 50 years in prison.
A law passed in 2018 gave prosecutors the ability to file charges against anyone who allegedly provided a drug that resulted in death, but the cases are difficult to prove. The charges against Spurling are one of few cases in Indiana in which charges have been filed since the law was passed.
In the Region, charges related to this statute are seldom filed. There have been seven cases charged in Lake County, six in LaPorte County and three in Porter County, according to data from the Indiana Supreme Court.
Shortly after Jason's death, his uncle Scott Westergren said he read an article about a woman named Susan Fox who lost her son, Nathan May, to a fentanyl overdose in 2020. Fox had worked to collect evidence that implicated the man who provided the lethal drug to her son. She presented the evidence to police, who involved the Drug Enforcement Administration. Charges were filed in June against the man who provided the drug.
Westergren sent an email to her. She responded and connected him with the DEA agents who worked on her son's case.
DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Chip Cooke said families have taken a crucial role in these cases when it comes to gathering evidence.
"It’s really the families who are driving this," Cooke said. "Every time [law enforcement] investigate or come upon an overdose victim, I don’t think the thought is, ‘this is a homicide.’ It’s really the families of the victims who are getting involved and going to state local law enforcement.”
Westergren said he knew the case was being investigated but was not aware of the details until charges were filed.
“I am so grateful that the DEA and Indianapolis police were able to pursue these charges,” he said. "We got to fight for Jason."
Jason's story
Jason, a triplet, grew up in Valparaiso. His triplet brother, Jeff, said Jason worked as a carpenter. The two lived in Indianapolis but would drive back to the Region every weekend to work on a home improvement project. Jason loved fishing and spending time with his daughter. Jeff described him as a "family man" who always had a smile on his face.
"He's the type of guy that would give you the shirt off his back," Jeff said. "He was a good dad, a hard worker, a family man."
Jason was prescribed an opioid pain reliever for back pain early in adulthood, Westergren said. He said their family has a history with substance abuse but believes the prescription could have been the catalyst that fueled Jason's opioid abuse. When Jason's daughter was born, he worked to get sober and "transformed."
"He’s dearly missed," Westergren said. "There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t think about him."
His triplet sister, Jessica, said she remembers him taking all his nieces and nephews swimming, boating and fishing. He wanted to involve the "younger generation" in every activity.
“He was the glue to our family," she said. "He always tried to get our family together while he was out in Valparaiso.”
By bringing awareness to the circumstances surrounding Jason's death and the charges filed against his alleged dealer, the family said they hope it can bring awareness to substance-abuse disorders and bring justice to other victims of drug poisonings.
Proving their case
Investigations related to dealing a controlled substance resulting in death are handled as homicide investigations, LaPorte County Drug Task Force Sgt. Kyle Shiparski said.
Techniques used to investigate are similar. Detectives rely on evidence from cellphones, witnesses toxicology reports and forensic evidence on scene. The difficulties lie in proving that a person died from a specific instance in which they were supplied a drug and subsequently ingested it.
This can be hard, Shiparski said, if a person has multiple suppliers or died with a combination of drugs in their system. More challenges include underlying conditions or other risks surrounding death. The cases are not black-and-white.
“What we’re seeing with these cases is, they’re much harder to prove and investigate," Shiparski said. "And when they get in front of a jury, they become even harder to prove in that setting.”
The deaths are often labeled as accidental overdoses, Shiparski said. Once the cause of death is determined, investigators can begin to explore the case, searching into what happened on scene. Law enforcement are reliant on cellphones and witnesses to provide information, and a timeline of events is created.
Official cellphone data showed that Jason communicated with Spurling in the days before his death. According to court documents, Spurling traveled to a location in the Chicago area to obtain drugs from another source. Jason asked Spurling to "grab me a couple," purportedly referencing the drugs Spurling was purchasing. The men planned to meet up Jan. 2, 2022 at Spurling's home in Valparaiso. After obtaining the drugs, Jason and his daughter, who were in Valparaiso that weekend, subsequently drove back to Indianapolis.
In one of the messages, Spurling said: "Promise it did the trick but wasn’t overwhelming?" Investigators believe this indicates that Spurling knew the drug had the potential to have an "overwhelming" effect. Spurling told police he gave Jason heroin and nothing else, according to court documents.
Shiparski said there are some people who do not agree with how the law reads. The language of the law targets anyone who "knowingly manufactures or delivers" a drug that results in death, but the ultimate goal is to find the drug dealers who are widely distributing the counterfeit pills.
“You try to climb that ladder and hold the initial source of supply accountable,” Shiparski said.
Kristen Martin, founder of Gary Harm Reduction, said she believes laws related to dealing resulting in death are counterproductive to curbing the drug epidemic in the United States. She said stricter laws could instill fear in people who are using drugs, making them scared to ask for help.
"If we’re charging people, no one is going to want to ever call for help if somebody is overdosing," Martin said. "They’re going to leave more people left for dead.”
Martin said some trust has been built in communities of people who use drugs, erring on the side of nonjudgment and leading with compassion to help people struggling with substance abuse to find help. Martin and other organizations offer free naloxone and fentanyl testing strips to reduce harm for anyone who uses drugs. She worries that if laws surrounding the prosecution of individuals who deal or use drugs villainize those who are struggling with addiction, it will do more harm than good.
“There’s a fine line between drug dealer and drug user,” Martin said. “It’s not getting at the root of the problem. How is ruining someone else’s life by putting them in prison going to help the issue?”
Seeking justice
Spurling, who posted bond April 4, is set to stand trial May 30 in Marion Superior Court, according to online court records. The family has traveled from Valparaiso to attend some of the court hearings and plan to attend the trial.
Jason's family said they will continue to bring awareness to the law that they believe will help them get justice for their brother.
"We understand it’s not going to bring Jason back, but it could save another family from going through what we went through," Jessica said. "Something needs to be done. People who are dealing need to be held accountable." | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/crime-courts/motorist-in-crash-found-to-be-nearly-4-times-legal-limit-porter-county-cops-say/article_824e5c02-fa37-11ed-9314-c3f17eea2445.html | 2023-05-24T14:26:52 | 1 | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/crime-courts/motorist-in-crash-found-to-be-nearly-4-times-legal-limit-porter-county-cops-say/article_824e5c02-fa37-11ed-9314-c3f17eea2445.html |
ANDOVER, Kan. (KSNW) – The Andover YMCA water park with new features will open on May 27 to YMCA members.
The YMCA branch was heavily damaged in last year’s tornado, and the water park next to the building was also closed due to damage.
The YMCA says the park’s first two weeks of operation will be open for members only. If you aren’t currently a member and would like to be part of the Andover Y water park’s opening, the Y has a special offer. From May 22-June 5, pay nothing to join when you use promo code SUMMER at ymcawichita.org/join.
Starting June 12, guest passes will be available.
The hours at the park will be 1-6:30 p.m., Saturday-Sunday; 1-7 p.m., Monday-Friday. Parking lot access is available off of YMCA Drive. The east half of the parking lot will be reserved for water park visitors. The other half is still closed as the building is under construction.
Restrooms will be available at the park. However, there is no lock room availability. Food and drinks will be for sale, and no outside food is allowed. | https://www.ksn.com/news/local/andover-ymca-water-park-readies-for-opening/ | 2023-05-24T14:31:12 | 0 | https://www.ksn.com/news/local/andover-ymca-water-park-readies-for-opening/ |
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — Industry insiders say never before in Birmingham’s history has the city been ready and willing to host big sporting events and entertainment acts, but is the city finally ready to become home to a major league sports team?
“We’ve never had an alignment of the facilities that we currently have with Protective Stadium, a renovated BJCC, CrossPlex, Barber Motor Sports, Hoover Met, Regions Field. When you look in the aggregate of all those facilities it bodes very well for our future,” said CEO of Eventive Sports Gene Hallman.
Hallman has brought big events to the Birmingham area for years and believes the newly renovated BJCC and new Protective Stadium will usher in even bigger events for the city.
Greater Birmingham is home to 1.2 million people and is one of the largest markets in the country without a professional sports franchise at the major league level, but isn’t even on the list for possible NBA expansion teams.
“Alabama’s not gonna get a pro team. Zero chance of that. Zero ever, no,” said Charles Barkley on the prospect of Birmingham getting a major pro franchise anytime soon.
Perhaps the path to major league sports may not be the long-talked about way through the Squadron, Stallions, Barons or even the Bulls.
The one path where Hallman sees the possibility of a major league team? Soccer. It’s a though that’s crossed the mind of Jay Heaps, President and General Manager of Birmingham Legion FC.
Heaps said other cities like Cincinnati started small with 5,000 to 6,000 fans at games before eventually growing to a consistent 15,000. Heaps believes that could happen here in Birmingham.
“I think, looking on the horizon they’ll be another round of expansions in the next four to five years,” Heaps said.
While the Legion continues to score goals at Protective, Hallman along with city and county leaders have goals of their own. Not so much in bringing sports teams here, but in bringing sporting events.
Fresh off hosting the World Games 2022, NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, and continuing to bring annual traditions like Indy Car in May, and the SEC Baseball Tournament there is a focus on upping the ante.
To make big things happen for Birmingham, Hallman knows all too well, you have to think big and look to the future.
“I keep going back in time to Charlotte and Nashville and Jacksonville. They never 30-40 years ago envisioned they could be what they are and look at them now,” Hallman said. | https://www.cbs42.com/news/local/could-birmingham-host-a-major-professional-sports-franchise-in-the-future/ | 2023-05-24T14:32:16 | 1 | https://www.cbs42.com/news/local/could-birmingham-host-a-major-professional-sports-franchise-in-the-future/ |
Westbound drivers on Interstate 64 in Henrico County are facing significant delays Wednesday morning after a multi-vehicle crash shut down as many as three lanes of traffic.
VDOT first reported the crash, which occurred near the Staples Mill Road exit, around 8:30 a.m. Wednesday.
The left shoulder and left, left-center and right-center lanes were all closed after the crash. The right-center lane had reopened as of 10 a.m., but multiple lanes are still closed.
Drivers are warned to expect delays and seek alternate routes if possible.
This morning's top headlines: Wednesday, May 24
Lawyers for Donald Trump have asked for a meeting with Attorney General Merrick Garland as a Justice Department investigation into the former president’s handling of classified documents shows signs of winding down. In the Tuesday letter, which Trump posted on his Truth Social platform, attorneys John Rowley and James Trusty assert that Trump is “being treated unfairly” and ask for a meeting to discuss “the ongoing injustice that is being perpetrated by your Special Counsel and his prosecutors.” Agents and prosecutors have interviewed a broad cross-section of witnesses, including attorneys for Trump, former White House officials and other close aides.
Donald Trump has made a video appearance in a New York courtroom, where the judge tentatively scheduled the former president’s criminal trial for March 25. That date that would fall in the heat of the presidential primary season. Trump had pleaded not guilty last month to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records at his family company, the Trump Organization. Trump glowered at the camera Tuesday as New York Judge Juan Manuel Merchan advised him to cancel all other obligations for the duration of the trial, which could last for several weeks. Trump has portrayed the New York case and the other investigations he faces as a coordinated effort to sully his reelection chances.
Debt ceiling negotiations are locked on a classic problem that has vexed Washington before: Republicans led by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy want to roll back federal government spending, while President Joe Biden and other Democrats do not. Time is short to strike a deal before a deadline as soon as June 1, when the Treasury says the government risks running out of cash to pay its bills. Negotiators are to reconvene Wednesday. McCarthy is rejecting a White House counter-offer to freeze spending instead of cutting it as the two sides try to strike a budget deal in exchange for a vote to raise the government's borrowing limit.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is set to launch his 2024 presidential campaign on Wednesday. The 44-year-old Republican governor is an outspoken cultural conservative and long seen as Donald Trump’s leading rival for the Republican nomination. He plans to announce his decision in an online conversation with Twitter CEO Elon Musk. The audio-only event will be streamed on Twitter Spaces beginning at 6 p.m. EDT. DeSantis will join a crowded Republican contest to decide whether the party will move on from Trump in 2024 as it works to retake the White House from President Joe Biden.
1st seditious conspiracy sentences in Jan. 6 attack to be handed down for Rhodes, other Oath Keepers
Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes and members of his extremist group will be the first Jan. 6 defendants sentenced for seditious conspiracy in a series of hearings beginning this week that could forecast the punishments coming for top Proud Boys leaders convicted of the same charge. The hearings will begin on Wednesday, when prosecutors and defense lawyers are expected to argue over sentencing issues and begin hearing victim impact statements. Rhodes and Florida chapter leader Kelly Meggs will receive their sentences on Thursday and six more Oath Keepers will be sentenced later this week and next.
The South Carolina Senate has approved a bill that would ban most abortions after around six weeks of pregnancy, sending the bill to the governor who has promised to sign it. The proposal passed on Tuesday restores the ban South Carolina had in place when the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last year. That ban was overturned by the state’s highest court because it violated the state Constitution’s right to privacy. Republicans have been searching for an answer to that ruling because it left abortion legal through 22 weeks of pregnancy and sharply increased the number of abortions taking place in South Carolina as most other Southern states enacted stricter laws.
Texas would set new standards and ratings for sexually explicit material in order to ban books from public and charter school libraries, under a bill given final passage by the state Senate late Tuesday night and sent to Republican Gov. Greg Abbott. The Texas move is the latest attempt to ban or regulate reading material in conservative states around the country. Critics say the standards set in the Texas bill are too vague and worry that books dealing with LGBTQ+ subject matter are more likely to be targeted and banned.
Montana is now the first state to specifically ban people dressed in drag from reading books to children at public schools and libraries. The law took effect immediately after Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte signed the bill on Monday. Bills in Florida and Tennessee also appear to try to ban these events, but both states' measures apply to performances that are sexual in nature. Montana's law — while it defines such an event as one hosted by a drag king or queen who reads children's books to minors — does not require the even include a sexual element to be banned. Lambda Legal says that makes Montana's law the first to specifically ban drag reading events.
New York's mayor has asked a judge to allow the city to set aside its long-standing “right to shelter” mandate. Mayor Eric Adams said in a statement Tuesday that officials can no longer house every homeless person because of the arrival of tens of thousands of international migrants. The right to shelter has been in place for more than four decades, after a court in 1981 required the city to provide temporary shelter for every homeless person who asks for it. But with the arrival of 70,000 asylum seekers since last spring, the city has been challenged to find room for all those in need of a temporary roof and bed.
A North Carolina redistricting ruling has set up a possible electoral windfall for congressional Republicans in preserving their U.S. House majority next year, declaring that judges should stay out of scrutinizing seat boundaries for partisan advantage. Experts say four Democratic incumbents are vulnerable when state legislators draw a new map later this year. The state’s highest court in late April threw out a 2022 Democratic ruling against partisan gerrymandering. The Republican-controlled General Assembly now plans to redraw those districts for 2024 elections. Litigation involving congressional maps in states such as Alabama, Louisiana, Georgia, Ohio and Texas could also rework district lines and alter the 2024 electoral map.
The National Weather Service says Typhoon Mawar has barreled into Guam as a powerful Category 4 storm. It is pummeling the U.S. Pacific territory with high winds, heavy rains and a dangerous storm surge swamping low-lying areas as residents hunker down in homes and shelters. The National Weather Service says the typhoon passed over the northern tip of Guam on Wednesday evening. The weather service earlier warned of a “triple threat” of winds, torrential rains and life-threatening storm surge. Officials were bracing for “considerable damage” including non-reinforced concrete walls being blown down, fuel storage tanks rupturing and overturned cars.
The head of the Russian private army Wagner says his force lost more than 20,000 soldiers in the drawn-out battle for Bakhmut, with about 20% of the 50,000 Russian convicts he recruited to fight in the 15-month war dying in the eastern Ukrainian city. The figure was in stark contrast with claims from Moscow that it lost just over 6,000 troops in the war. It is also higher than the official estimate of the Soviet losses in the Afghanistan war of 15,000 troops between 1979-89. Ukraine hasn’t said how many of its soldiers have died since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022. Analysts believe the nine-month fight for Bakhmut alone have cost the lives of tens of thousands of soldiers.
Jayson Tatum scored 33 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, Jaylen Brown added 17 points and the Boston Celtics staved off elimination in the Eastern Conference finals by running away in the second half to beat the Miami Heat 116-99 in Game 4 on Tuesday night. Derrick White had 16 points, Grant Williams scored 14, Al Horford added 12 and Marcus Smart scored 11 for the Celtics, who still trail the series 3-1 — but sent it back to Boston for a Game 5 on Thursday. Jimmy Butler scored 29 for Miami, which led by nine in the second half before getting outscored 48-22 in a 14-minute stretch that turned the game and perhaps the series completely around.
Jonathan Marchessault and the Vegas Golden Knights are one more win from reaching another Stanley Cup Final. Marchessault had the first of three goals in the game's first 7 1/2 minutes for Vegas in a 4-0 win over the Dallas Stars to take a 3-0 series lead in Western Conference Final. Game 4 is Thursday night. The Knights are looking to advance to their second Cup final in the franchise's six seasons. Adin Hill stopped 34 shots for his first career playoff shutout. The Knights knocked Jake Oettinger out with three goals on their first five shots. | https://richmond.com/news/local/interstate-64-staples-mill-road-multi-vehicle-crash/article_98b0a8ac-fa3b-11ed-a231-373e710f88ad.html | 2023-05-24T14:33:46 | 0 | https://richmond.com/news/local/interstate-64-staples-mill-road-multi-vehicle-crash/article_98b0a8ac-fa3b-11ed-a231-373e710f88ad.html |
Average daily flows
Snake River at Jackson 255 cfs
Snake River at Palisades 8,803 cfs
Snake River at Heise 12,034 cfs
Snake River at Blackfoot 6,773 cfs
Snake River at American Falls 8,987 cfs
Snake River at Milner 0 cfs
Little Wood River near Carey 976 cfs
Jackson Lake is 48% full.
Palisades Reservoir is 71% full.
American Falls Reservoir is 85% full.
Upper Snake River system is at 74% of capacity.
As of May 23 | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/average-daily-streamflows/article_b9bbee7a-f9b5-11ed-8d96-9fff6bbad011.html | 2023-05-24T14:34:12 | 1 | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/average-daily-streamflows/article_b9bbee7a-f9b5-11ed-8d96-9fff6bbad011.html |
TWIN FALLS — This was a different kind of case.
Sydney Rain Gibson was in court Monday afternoon. On paper, the charge was felony drug possession, but the backstory was much more.
“I obviously don’t need to go into details,” District Judge Ben Cluff said as he was about to hand down a sentence, as the story of how the case unfolded was already well-known between the prosecutor and public defender.
Gibson, 19, was the driver in a dramatic high-speed pursuit Aug. 26 that roared through parts of Magic Valley at speeds in excess of 100 mph. It ended in a field north of Buhl with gunshots, as her boyfriend, Caleb Tussey, fired a .40 caliber handgun multiple times before being mortally wounded by deputies, an investigation found.
Gibson was charged with felony eluding, but, as part of a plea deal, she signed a written plea of guilty to a charge of drug possession. Public defender Eileen McDevitt praised the public defender’s office for agreeing to shift charges toward that charge.
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Gibson told officers during the investigation of the officer-involved shooting that Tussey forced her to drive.
“She had been in fear of her life,” McDevitt said. “There was a gun present.”
She had posted a $10,000 surety bond in October, and when sentencing was handed down, she was still free. As was part of the recommendation, the sentence of three years fixed and two years indeterminate was suspended, and Gibson will be on probation for three years.
She will also perform 100 hours of community service and pay about $900 in restitution.
One thing is clear, Cluff said at the hearing: “When drugs are present, bad things happen.”
Gibson told officials she and Tussey had taken methamphetamine previous to the incidents that night. Tussey was known to deal in drugs, she said.
Gibson will still be on a tight leash. Cluff amended the terms of probation to read that Gibson must submit to drug testing at the request of any law enforcement officer.
Court records show that Gibson failed two drug tests in January in Cassia County, and failed to show up for seven random tests.
Things have changed now that Gibson is living with her grandparents in southern Nevada, and the arrangement is working well, McDevitt said. Her grandfather, who attended the sentencing, is supportive, and Gibson wants to go to college and pursue a career in nursing.
She hasn’t had any positive tests from mid-March to mid-May, McDevitt said.
“I’m glad to see they are negative so we can proceed,” Deputy Prosecutor Justin Seamons said.
Recovering from the trauma of the morning of Aug. 26 will still take time, McDevitt said. Cluff agreed, and encouraged her to seek any needed counseling.
Gibson did not make a statement during the hearing. | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/driver-in-pursuit-and-ended-with-shooting-sentenced/article_f1f4e406-f9b3-11ed-a929-83f1c9acde52.html | 2023-05-24T14:34:18 | 1 | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/driver-in-pursuit-and-ended-with-shooting-sentenced/article_f1f4e406-f9b3-11ed-a929-83f1c9acde52.html |
TWIN FALLS — In a ceremony that acknowledged history and tradition, and at the same time faced the future, the senior class of 2023 on Tuesday held its commencement ceremony in a packed College of Southern Idaho gymnasium.
“The class of 2023 has certainly distinguished itself,” Principal Ryan Nesmith told graduates and guests. He listed a dazzling array of awards and accolades the Bruins had racked up, both athletically and academically.
“In a report this spring, U.S. News ranked Twin Falls in the state’s top 20 for Idaho’s best high schools,” Nesmith said. “This senior class had a lot to do with that recognition.”
The Class of 2023 saw 240 seniors complete their requirements and earn a diploma. This year, there were 17 valedictorians and four salutatorians. Fifty-four of the graduates were National Honor Society members, five students graduated with associate degrees, and six foreign exchange students earned degrees. An additional 16 students graduated early.
Though a comprehensive list is daunting, Nesmith gave it a shot. He gave shout-outs to the state champion girls’ golfers, the three National Merit finalists, 12 Magic Valley Academic All-stars, along with debate, speech dance, swimming, cheerleading, Business Professionals of America, band, drama, and welding, and too many others to list.
Nesmith’s pride in the Bruins was evident, emotion creeping into his voice during his send-off.
“Looking at each of you causes me to ponder my own fortune,” he said. “I am so grateful to have known you.”
An alumnus himself, Nesmith graduated as a Bruin 20 years ago and for the past nine years has been an administrator for the school. He departs Twin Falls High School in July to work for the district.
In his final remarks before awarding diplomas, Nesmith quoted Walt Whitman.
“Afoot and high-hearted I take to the open road. Healthy, free, the world before me,” Nesmith said. “Whatever course your future takes, it is my sincere hope you will look back on your years at Twin Falls High School as having prepared you to meet and deal with the challenges that life presents.”
In his commencement address, noted BASE Jumper Miles Daisher told the graduates to take regular walks to clear the head, think of where they want to be in the future, and plan the steps that will take them there.
“When you know where you wish to be, plan your journey there step by step so you arrive in style,” Daisher said.
Daisher recalled a time when he was working in construction and landscaping in order to ski all winter. A friend gave him the advice to spend his energy doing something he loved.
“He told me to quit those jobs and start doing something I love right now,” Daisher said. “I’m going to be doing something for the rest of my life and it’s better to do something you love for your entire life.”
Daisher said he took that advice and that’s how he racked up tens of thousands of skydives and BASE jumps. And now he’s one of a handful of people in the world making a living jumping off of things.
Prior to the ceremony, the Times-News spoke with two valedictorians making their way from the parking lot to the staging area for graduates.
Madison Gilster and James Wright are both National Honor Society members and valedictorians with perfect 4.0 GPAs through all four years of high school. They said they were ready to graduate and already had plans for what comes next.
“It’s strange, like I don’t think it’s fully hitting me yet,” Gilster told the Times-News. “I feel like it will hit me when I go to college in August.
“But right now, I’m just like, ’yeah, I‘m going to school next year.’”
PHOTOS: Twin Falls graduation, 2023
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Graduating class of 2023 for Twin Falls High School
Twin Falls High School graduate Caytlin Montoya blows her boyfriend a kiss while waiting to enter the gym for her graduation ceremony Tuesday evening, May 23, 2023, at CSI in Twin Falls.
Twin Falls High School graduates listen to Miles Daisher, a Red Bull athlete and renowned stuntman, give the commencement address at their graduation ceremony Tuesday evening, May 23, 2023, at CSI in Twin Falls.
Twin Falls High School graduate Ayden Coats leads everyone in the Pledge of Allegiance during their graduation ceremony Tuesday evening, May 23, 2023, at CSI in Twin Falls. | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/education/healthy-free-the-world-before-me-tfhs-class-of-2023-has-graduated/article_e3a0ba4c-f9e0-11ed-8e11-ab4573ac94cb.html | 2023-05-24T14:34:24 | 1 | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/education/healthy-free-the-world-before-me-tfhs-class-of-2023-has-graduated/article_e3a0ba4c-f9e0-11ed-8e11-ab4573ac94cb.html |
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