text string | url string | crawl_date timestamp[ms] | label int64 | id string |
|---|---|---|---|---|
MERRILLVILLE — Turning away food is never ideal for the Food Bank of Northwest Indiana, but that had to happen upon occasion because of a lack of freezer space at the Food Bank’s Merrillville headquarters.
That all changed Friday when the Food Bank expanded its storage capacity after unveiling a new freezer that can hold more than three truckloads of product, which is more than 100,000 pounds of food.
Donors, board members, staff and community partners cheered as Nigel Jefferson, Lead Receiver at the Food Bank, drove in the first pallet of food to the new freezer.
“This has been a project that I just can’t believe we are so fortunate to have happened,” Food Bank President and CEO Victor Garcia said. The Food Bank’s Merrillville facility at 6490 Broadway consisted of about 72,000 square feet space, and now it’s closer to about 75,000 square feet with the addition of the new freezer, which is a $450,000 project.
People are also reading…
“And that’s in addition to all the other work that we’ve done to this facility over the course of the last three years,” Garcia said.
The idea for the new freezer space came through regular conversations Garcia has with Tricia Sheaks, the Food Bank’s Vice President of Operations and Programming, as well as Raymond Mack, the Food Bank’s Warehouse Manager.
Sheaks explained the organization was “busting at the seams” in its original freezer space, which led to the Food Bank turning away some opportunities for food because there wasn’t enough room.
Sheaks told Garcia, “if we can expand our freezer space, that would be a game changer.” Garcia thanked many key collaborators for the success of the new freezer project, especially David Schoon, President of Midwest Refrigeration.
When Garcia approached Schoon about the endeavor, Schoon provided him with cost estimates to help plan for fundraising. “And he was so generous in bringing his own dollars and in-kind work to make this a reality,” Garcia said.
Midwest Refrigeration not only handled the installation of the new freezer, but the company also took care of exterior roofing improvements and work associated with the original cooler and freezer, Garcia said.
“Dave’s been such a critical partner for the Food Bank,” Garcia said.“We would not be able to serve the community at the level we do if we didn’t have the partnership with Midwest Refrigeration.”
About the Food Bank of Northwest Indiana
The Food Bank of Northwest Indiana has the been leading the fight against hunger in the Region since 1982.
The Food Bank distributes more than 7 million pounds of groceries annually to families, children, seniors and individuals in Lake and Porter Counties through more than 110+ partner agencies, Mobile Market Distributions, Commodity Supplemental Food Program for Seniors, Backpack Programs, Pantry Pack Programs and more.
Visit foodbanknwi.org to learn more and join the fight against hunger in Northwest Indiana. | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/new-freezer-expands-food-banks-storage-capacity/article_e4cb4426-f97e-11ed-8073-e78009cf4762.html | 2023-05-24T20:45:45 | 0 | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/new-freezer-expands-food-banks-storage-capacity/article_e4cb4426-f97e-11ed-8073-e78009cf4762.html |
JEROME, Idaho — A 38-year-old man from Wendell died Tuesday at the hospital, one day after he was injured in a crash in Jerome County, Idaho State Police said Wednesday.
The driver, whose name has not been released, was headed west on 100 South in a Chevrolet Silverado just before 1:45 a.m. Monday when police said he "exited the vehicle while it was motion." The truck came to rest against a nearby fence, according to ISP. The scene is near the Jerome Cheese Company.
The driver was the only person involved in the crash. An air ambulance crew flew him to the hospital.
The road was blocked for about an hour and 50 minutes. The crash remains under investigation by Idaho State Police.
Watch more Local News:
See the latest news from around the Treasure Valley and the Gem State in our YouTube playlist: | https://www.ktvb.com/article/news/local/man-passes-away-after-crash-near-jerome-cheese-company/277-25c4ae9e-0ac0-48fc-ae31-3170dd694421 | 2023-05-24T20:46:40 | 0 | https://www.ktvb.com/article/news/local/man-passes-away-after-crash-near-jerome-cheese-company/277-25c4ae9e-0ac0-48fc-ae31-3170dd694421 |
BOISE, Idaho — Roaring Springs on Wednesday announced its new expansion will officially open for Memorial Day weekend after the project was completed ahead of schedule.
The major expansion – which features three new attractions in Camp IdaH2O, Class 5 Canyon and Critter Crossing – will open on Saturday at 11 a.m. The new section was originally scheduled to open on Wednesday, May 31.
Roaring Springs, the largest waterpark in the Northwest, will become one of the largest waterparks in the country with the six-acre addition. On top of the three new attractions, the expansion also includes the facility's first bar and 16 new luxury cabanas.
This expansion is part one of a seven-phase expansion of Roaring Springs over the next decade. Once the master plan is complete, Roaring Springs will increase in size by 40%.
“There has been great excitement and anticipation as the largest expansion in Roaring Springs’ 24 year history has been built, and we can’t wait to welcome our first guests to experience it,” Roaring Springs Marketing Director Tiffany Quilici said.
Here's a breakdown of what visitors can expect from the expansion's debut on Saturday:
Camp IdaH2O: A giant interactive play structure with seven kids slides, iconic Idaho creatures and Tippin' Tater – the world's first and only tipping potato bucket. Tippin' Tater is a 1,500 pound shud-shaped tipping bucket that dumps 650 gallons of water every four-and-a-half minutes.
Critter Crossing: An adventure pool with floating forest-themed features, along with water basketball.
Class 5 Canyon: Idaho's first wave action river
"There's nothing lazy about this river," Quilici said. "It's a whitewater wave action adventure."
Geyser Grill & Bar: According to Roaring Springs, the spot will feature Idaho fare with an Asian flair. The menu includes rice bowls, fried potstickers, sliders, and American favorites. It also brings the waterpark's first bar.
"Which will serve Idaho-inspired cocktails, craft beers, frozen drinks in a very responsible way," Quilici asid.
16 new luxury cabanas and additional paved parking.
Day passes and season tickets for Roaring Springs can be purchased by clicking here.
Watch more Local News:
See the latest news from around the Treasure Valley and the Gem State in our YouTube playlist: | https://www.ktvb.com/article/news/local/roaring-springs-waterpark-expansion-opening-early-memorial-day-weekend/277-ade31925-e04b-4e8d-a324-13208eca6be2 | 2023-05-24T20:46:46 | 0 | https://www.ktvb.com/article/news/local/roaring-springs-waterpark-expansion-opening-early-memorial-day-weekend/277-ade31925-e04b-4e8d-a324-13208eca6be2 |
A 46-year-old man is in jail without bond in the shooting death of his mother at her Greensboro home, according to the Guilford County Sheriff's Office.
Deputies responded to the 100 block of East Steeple Chase Road shortly after 8 p.m. Tuesday to find 73-year-old Sherry Lynn Bradley dead inside the home from multiple gunshot wounds, according to a news release.
Her son, Adam Lee Bradley, of Randleman, was arrested on a charge of first-degree murder. He was jailed in Guilford County without bond and is scheduled to appear in court on Thursday.
Additional details, such as a possible motive, were not released.
Authorities ask anyone with information to call Guilford County Crime Stoppers at 336-373-1000 or Master Corporal Robertson at 336-641-5969. | https://greensboro.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/man-accused-of-shooting-his-mother-to-death-at-her-greensboro-home-authorities-say/article_5728123c-fa61-11ed-a84b-7f1115e7f06e.html | 2023-05-24T20:50:00 | 0 | https://greensboro.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/man-accused-of-shooting-his-mother-to-death-at-her-greensboro-home-authorities-say/article_5728123c-fa61-11ed-a84b-7f1115e7f06e.html |
PORTLAND, Maine — Mick Werkhoven and Chris Brown from Bull Moose joined us in the 207 studio to share some upcoming new releases.
Yes - "Mirror the To Sky": The 23rd album by progressive rock icons Yes is the kind of inspired stuff you’ve come to expect; plus it comes in an attractive package! Amazing to think that these guys have been making music for five decades and they’ve still got it!
The Scary Jokes - "Retinal Bloom": A new album from bedroom pop pioneers The Scary Jokes! This album is an evolution of their style and has them really playing with a ton of musical influences. It's hard to pin down an exact genre but it all sounds wicked cool.
Stan Getz & Charlie Byrd - "Jazz Samba Acoustic Sounds Series": The words "bossa nova" are often synonymous with the name Stan Getz. But North Americans might not have ever known the bright sound of bossa nova had it not been for Charlie Byrd. In 1961, Byrd returned from a tour of South America, where bossa nova music was thriving. Byrd brought back records for Getz to hear, they planned a session, and the result was "Jazz Samba"—the first album of true bossa nova music by jazz artists and the one that broke the bossa nova wave in 1960s America.
"Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves": We have come a long, long way since the 2000s “Dungeons & Dragons,” both in terms of filmmaking and the popularity and ubiquity of tabletop gaming, and now we finally have a movie which truly captures what it feels like to roll dice with your wizard friends. "Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves" is a true 10/10 adventure experience that even those who never rolled a die can appreciate. | https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/local/207/new-movies-music-from-our-friends-at-bull-moose-entertainment/97-22ed54aa-8dbc-4758-b9d7-abdd4d4f91b7 | 2023-05-24T20:50:13 | 1 | https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/local/207/new-movies-music-from-our-friends-at-bull-moose-entertainment/97-22ed54aa-8dbc-4758-b9d7-abdd4d4f91b7 |
BANGOR, Maine — A New York man received a two-year prison sentence in a Bangor courtroom Wednesday for unlawfully possessing a firearm as a felon.
Camby Wilson, 22, was sentenced to 24 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, a news release from the U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Maine said.
Court records show Wilson was a passenger in a vehicle stopped by Augusta police in March 2022, according to the release. During the stop, Wilson gave police a false name and date of birth, prompting officers to ask him to step out of the vehicle.
"When an officer asked him if he had any weapons on him, he ran away from the officers," the release said. "They chased him on foot and were able to apprehend him after a brief pursuit."
After apprehending Wilson, police found a loaded .380 caliber pistol in the pocket of his jacket, the release stated. However, a previous conviction in New York in 2019 prohibited Wilson from possessing a firearm, officials said.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Augusta Police Department. | https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/local/courts-news/new-york-man-sentenced-to-two-years-for-unlawfully-possessing-firearm-maine-crime/97-f0932020-cca8-4f9e-8e62-b57a0776ada5 | 2023-05-24T20:50:14 | 0 | https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/local/courts-news/new-york-man-sentenced-to-two-years-for-unlawfully-possessing-firearm-maine-crime/97-f0932020-cca8-4f9e-8e62-b57a0776ada5 |
WARREN, Maine — Fishermen and regulators call the return of Alewife runs in Maine a success story.
In the '80s, the fishery was all but gone. Dams and overfishing drove the migratory fish, that lives in the ocean and returns to ponds to spawn, out of the playbook for lobstermen bait.
But now with regulations by the Department of Marine Resources and the removal of dams throughout Maine streams, the alewife is now running better than the last few decades.
"We look forward to it every year," Dana Johnson said, who owns a trap and net system in Warren, hauling hundreds of pounds of alewife a session.
The crew starts around five in the morning, with a worker dipping a net into the trapped alewives.
Out of the thousands that migrate through the Saint George River, a fraction gets corralled into the pen.
The alewife harvested here end up going into lobster traps.
Gerry Cushman, a lobsterman out of Port Clyde, said lobsters like alewife due to their freshness.
"It's my favorite bait, so I've been coming here for over 30 years," Cushman said. "Usually alewives make for a much better catch."
The alewife run also comes as a temporary relief to lobstermen amid high bait and fuel prices.
"It's a little bit cheaper. It goes a lot further for me anyway," Cushman said.
Since the season is so short, it can't totally replace other forms of bait such as pogies, which had their season cut short at the end of last year.
Johnson also agrees the return of alewives to the region is a boost to the ecosystem and business.
"I think the alewife run has come back to the state five times as much as it used to be," Johnson said.
The Department of Marine Resources said while the rebound of alewives is outstanding and an environmental boost, it's still around five percent of what it used to be nearly a hundred years ago.
Cushman said the alewife brings a lot of other wildlife with it.
"They bring life," he said. "When you see alewife, everything follows. Look at the birds and all the life around here."
And if the future looks like these last few years, the DMR also said it hopes to double the current migration population of alewives in Maine in the next ten to fifteen years. | https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/local/fisheries/historic-alewife-runs-in-maine-continue-to-rebound-animals/97-b3dcfca9-b97c-45ab-82c2-22e94fa8ddd4 | 2023-05-24T20:50:15 | 0 | https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/local/fisheries/historic-alewife-runs-in-maine-continue-to-rebound-animals/97-b3dcfca9-b97c-45ab-82c2-22e94fa8ddd4 |
NANTUCKET, Mass. — A federal judge has rejected a lawsuit brought by Nantucket residents who argued that the planned construction of dozens of wind turbines off the affluent resort island threatens the survival of endangered Northern Atlantic right whales.
Nantucket Residents Against Turbines said Vineyard Wind’s proposed project of some 62 turbines in waters 14 miles (22 kilometers) south of the island is in a crucial area for foraging and nursing for the dwindling species, which researchers estimate to number about 340.
In a ruling issued Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani found the group failed to show that either the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management or the National Marine Fisheries Service violated the Endangered Species Act or the National Environmental Policy Act in issuing a 2021 biological opinion or final environmental impact statement for the wind energy project.
Vineyard Wind CEO Klaus Moeller welcomed the decision.
“We’re pleased the court has acknowledged the rigorous and thorough administrative review that our project underwent over the last many years," Moeller said in a statement. "We remain committed to working with all stakeholders so that we can continue to set the highest possible standards on this first in the nation project.”
The 800-megawatt Vineyard Wind project is on track to be the first commercial-scale offshore wind farm in the U.S., with plans to eventually create enough electricity to power 400,000 homes.
Vallorie Oliver, a Nantucket resident and one of the plaintiffs in the case, said the group is considering possible options.
“Nantucket Residents Against Turbines is obviously disappointed in the ruling,” she said. “We will be taking a few days to weigh our options going forward.”
The American Clean Power Association also applauded the decision, saying it shows “the environmental review process for offshore wind projects is rigorous and effective at ensuring that these projects are built in an environmentally responsible manner.”
The visibility of the towering structures — which could rise up to 850 feet (260 meters) above sea level and eclipse Boston’s 790-foot (240-meter) Hancock Tower — is also among the group’s concerns.
Vineyard Wind comes years after the proposed Cape Wind project, which failed after bitter litigation from another group that included Nantucket property owners. | https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/local/fisheries/nantucket-lawsuit-rejected-wind-turbine-north-american-right-whale/97-1ce94fd8-9664-4f54-97fe-7df1bde99932 | 2023-05-24T20:50:25 | 1 | https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/local/fisheries/nantucket-lawsuit-rejected-wind-turbine-north-american-right-whale/97-1ce94fd8-9664-4f54-97fe-7df1bde99932 |
SULLIVAN COUNTY, Tenn. (WJHL) – Seniors preparing to graduate from West Ridge High School returned to their roots in a celebration at their old elementary school.
Twenty former Rock Springs Elementary students walked their old halls on Wednesday to the applause of current students. Elementary students lined the halls, greeting and high-fiving the soon-to-be graduates.
The seniors were featured in a slideshow of photos and videos in the Rock Springs Elementary lobby.
Graduating senior Ashton Waller said it was a joy to return to Rock Springs and see the reception from the younger students.
“It’s great seeing everybody that you used to know and I mean the size difference,” Waller said. “I mean, you see the school when you are that young and it completely changes when you when you become a senior and come back.”
Waller told News Channel 11 that he helped design the latest Rock Springs Raven logo for the school.
West Ridge High School’s graduation is set for Friday, May 26. | https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/west-ridge-seniors-walk-rock-springs-elem-halls-ahead-of-graduation/ | 2023-05-24T20:50:25 | 1 | https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/west-ridge-seniors-walk-rock-springs-elem-halls-ahead-of-graduation/ |
LEWISTON, Maine — Crews responded to a fire at a recycling center in Lewiston on Wednesday morning.
The Lewiston Fire Department wrote in a Facebook post that they were called to the fire shortly after 10 a.m.
The building fire occurred at 424 River Rd., inside the recycling center's processing facility.
"Firefighters entered the structure and quickly extinguished a fire located on the conveyor belt, near the tipping room, before it spread to nearby piles of recyclable materials waiting to be processed," the post stated.
There were no injuries, and the fire isn't considered to be suspicious, officials said.
Units left the scene shortly after 11:30 a.m. | https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/local/lewiston-auburn/lewiston-crews-respond-to-recycling-center-fire-maine/97-deb757bd-84b0-4485-a6cc-170386a0be75 | 2023-05-24T20:50:31 | 0 | https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/local/lewiston-auburn/lewiston-crews-respond-to-recycling-center-fire-maine/97-deb757bd-84b0-4485-a6cc-170386a0be75 |
LANCASTER, Pa. — Students in Lancaster County are in for a treat.
Music For Everyone (MFE), a non-profit in Lancaster, is giving away nearly 900 musical instruments, valued at around $80,000 to 37 Lancaster County schools on Wednesday.
This is a part of their Great Grant Give-Out, where local schools could apply for instruments for their classrooms. MFE worked with an international instrument retailer to supply their grants. It's an investment they say is necessary for success in schools.
"Programs need musical instruments and need to have strong music programs," said MFE Assistant Executive Director Brendan Stengle. "If you have strong music programs. You have strong schools."
The organization and the awarded schools believe the initiative goes beyond the classroom.
"Music is so much more than music," said Stengle. "It's about more than the feel-good. It's about building brains, it's about critical thinking, social skills, and community building."
"It gives kids a different outlet in their education career, gives them something to look forward to," said Lincoln Middle School Music Teacher Nathan Wingert. "It's really given them some excitement, some happiness."
While MFE was able to grant a significant amount of money, Stengle said the organization received requests for over $230,000.
He said they hope they can close these gaps in music education and increase funding for the future.
“We are going to work diligently over the next decade," said Stengle. "We imagine a world where teachers don’t need to request a whole lot of things because a lot of their music programs are fully met.”
The instruments will be distributed to teachers and students at E.R. Martin Elementary in Lancaster from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 24.
This year's grant award recipients are as follows:
Adamstown Elementary School
Bear Creek School
Boys & Girls Club of Lancaster
Brecknock Elementary School
Burrowes Elementary School
Conestoga Valley Elementary Schools
Conestoga Valley High School
Crispus Attucks Community Center
Donegal Primary School
E.R. Martin School
Elizabethtown Area Middle School
Farmdale Elementary School
Fulton Elementary School
Garden Spot High School
Hamilton Elementary School
Hans Herr Elementary School
Hempfield School District
John Beck, Kissel Hill, John Bonfield Elementary Schools
King Elementary School
Lafayette Elementary School
Lincoln Middle School
Martin Meylin Middle School
Mountville Elementary School
New Holland Elementary School
Park Elementary School and Taylor Middle School
Pequea Valley High School
Price Elementary School
Reynolds Middle School
Ross Elementary School
Smith Wade El Elementary School
Smoketown Elementary School
Swift and Smith Middle Schools
The Mix at Arbor Place
Warwick High School
Warwick School District
Washington Elementary School
Wheatland Middle School | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/local-nonprofit-donates-nearly-900-musical-instruments-to-lancaster-county-schools-music-for-everyone/521-ba2c65a4-260c-4075-91fc-2d7b74380fb7 | 2023-05-24T20:52:53 | 0 | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/local-nonprofit-donates-nearly-900-musical-instruments-to-lancaster-county-schools-music-for-everyone/521-ba2c65a4-260c-4075-91fc-2d7b74380fb7 |
READING, Pa. — Law enforcement officials in Berks County announced they have broken up a drug trafficking and delivery conspiracy involving mass quantities of cocaine being mailed to Reading from Puerto Rico.
A special task force investigation launched in August 2022 has resulted in charges against 12 members of the alleged trafficking conspiracy, which was led by Jeffrey Ramos-Perez and his girlfriend, Jennifer Zerolo-Feliciano, both of whom were responsible for mailing packages of cocaine to the U.S., the Berks County District Attorney's Office said.
The other ten co-conspirators allegedly accepted the parcels and distributed the drugs locally, according to the DA's Office.
"This corrupt organization functioned with the purpose of flooding Berks County and surrounding counties with illegal drugs for financial gain," District Attorney John T. Adams said.
During the investigation, detectives and agents seized forty kilograms of cocaine from nineteen parcels destined for Berks County and surrounding areas.
The street value of the cocaine is estimated to be approximately $4 million.
Charged as a result of the investigation, dubbed "Operation Special Delivery," are:
- Jeffrey Ramos-Perez, 22, of Reading: Possession with the intent to Deliver Controlled Substances, Possession of a Controlled Substance, Corrupt Organizations, Criminal use of Communication Facility, Criminal Conspiracy
- Jennifer Zerolo-Feliciano, 30, of Aguadilla, PR: Possession with the intent to Deliver Controlled Substances, Possession of a Controlled Substance, Corrupt Organizations, Criminal use of Communication Facility, Criminal Conspiracy
- Cruz Lebron-DeJesus, 42, of Philadelphia: Possession with the intent to Deliver Controlled Substances, Possession of a Controlled Substance, Corrupt Organizations, Criminal use of Communication Facility, Criminal Conspiracy
- Jeffrey Cedeno-Ramirez, 41, of Reading: Possession with the intent to Deliver Controlled Substances, Possession of a Controlled Substance, Corrupt Organizations, Criminal use of Communication Facility, Criminal Conspiracy
- Raquel Rivera- Maldonado, 45, of Reading: Possession with the intent to Deliver Controlled Substances, Possession of a Controlled Substance, Criminal Conspiracy
- Jose Escobar-Camacho, 39, of Reading: Possession with the intent to Deliver Controlled Substances, Possession of a Controlled Substance, Criminal Conspiracy
- Hector Luis Rosado-Ortiz, 39, of Hamburg: Possession with the intent to Deliver Controlled Substances, Possession of a Controlled Substance, Corrupt Organizations, Criminal use of Communication Facility, Criminal Conspiracy
- Javier Rosario-Bones, 51, of Hummelstown: Possession with the intent to Deliver Controlled Substances, Possession of a Controlled Substance, Corrupt Organizations, Criminal use of Communication Facility, Criminal Conspiracy
- Rodrigo Fontanez-Cortez, 43, of Wyomissing: Possession with the intent to Deliver Controlled Substances, Possession of a Controlled Substance, Corrupt Organizations, Criminal use of Communication Facility, Criminal Conspiracy
- David Arocho-Cortes, 34, of Reading: Possession with the intent to Deliver Controlled Substances, Possession of a Controlled Substance, Corrupt Organizations, Criminal use of Communication Facility, Criminal Conspiracy
- Grace Diaz-Rodriguez, 29, of Reading: Possession with the intent to Deliver Controlled Substances, Possession of a Controlled Substance, Corrupt Organizations, Criminal use of Communication Facility, Criminal Conspiracy
- Michel Diaz-Ramos, 33, of Reading: Possession with the intent to Deliver Controlled Substances, Possession of a Controlled Substance, Corrupt Organizations, Criminal use of Communication Facility, Criminal Conspiracy
Currently, 11 of the 12 subjects are in custody. Cruz Lebron-DeJesus is still at large, according to law enforcement officials.
If anyone has any information regarding this incident, please contact the Berks County Detectives at 610-478-7171.
Anonymous tips can also be made to Crime Alert Berks County by either calling (877) 373-9913, downloading the ALERTBERKS app on your mobile device, or via text message using your mobile phone and typing ALERTBERKS along with your tip to 847411. | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/operation-special-delivery-cocaine-distribution-arrests-reading/521-eab0a060-0f3b-4bd7-a67b-4f299b724668 | 2023-05-24T20:52:54 | 1 | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/operation-special-delivery-cocaine-distribution-arrests-reading/521-eab0a060-0f3b-4bd7-a67b-4f299b724668 |
'Cruel exhibition of violence': Detroit man pleads guilty to torturing ex's dog, AG says
A Detroit man accused of torturing his ex-girlfriend's dog and recording it has pleaded guilty to one count of animal torture in the first degree, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said Wednesday.
Julius Holley, 56, is accused of breaking into his ex-girlfriend's home in October 2022 and stealing her property, including her Yorkshire-Terrier mix dog. Holley allegedly beat and tortured the dog while recording himself and sent the videos to his ex, the attorney general's office said in a news release.
The dog later was abandoned in a bucket next to a house before being rescued by the Michigan Humane Society. Holley faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted.
“The torture of an animal, and for the explicit torment of those who love them, is a cruel exhibition of violence that is inherently linked with domestic violence and Michigan is well served by the law which acknowledges this link,” Nessel said in a statement.
Nessel charged Holley in November, prompting him to flee the state. He was later extradited from Ohio in late 2022 and has remained in custody.
Under state law, torturing or killing a pet with the intent to cause mental suffering or distress to another person, or to exert control over another person, is a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
As part of a plea agreement, Holley also will face reserved restitution and be barred from owning or possessing any animal or contacting the human victim, the news release said. He'll be sentenced June 12.
The case against Holley, who has a history of violence against women and convictions of criminal sexual conduct and domestic violence, is part of a partnership between the Department of Attorney General and the Michigan Humane Society to investigate and prosecute animal abuse crimes, Nessel said.
“Beyond the excellent prosecutors in my department, I want to applaud the dedicated staff and swift response of both the Michigan Humane and the Detroit Police Department."
The dog, according to the attorney general, is alive today.
jaimery@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @wordsbyjakkar | https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/detroit-city/2023/05/24/cruel-exhibition-of-violence-detroit-man-pleas-guilty-of-animal-torture-ag-says/70252684007/ | 2023-05-24T20:53:56 | 0 | https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/detroit-city/2023/05/24/cruel-exhibition-of-violence-detroit-man-pleas-guilty-of-animal-torture-ag-says/70252684007/ |
Detroit, federal officials announce summer crime prevention plan
Detroit — Following a wave of warm-weather mayhem that included multiple shootings downtown, federal and local law enforcement officials Wednesday announced a "Summer Enhancement Strategy" aimed at reducing violent crime in two of Detroit's most dangerous neighborhoods.
The initiative that will focus on high-crime areas of Detroit's 8th and 9th Precincts was announced during a press conference at the U.S. Attorney's Detroit offices by officials including U.S. Attorney Dawn Ison, Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy and Detroit Police Chief James White.
"This strategy will target some of the most dangerous areas of Detroit," Ison said. "We will federally prosecute carjackings, robberies and gun crimes in these areas. At the same time, we'll reach out and engage with the community to prevent crime from occurring in the first place."
The effort will kick off Monday, Memorial Day, and run through Labor Day, officials said. The strategy was rolled out under the "One Detroit" initiative, a partnership that includes the U.S. Attorney's Office, Detroit Police, Michigan Department of Corrections, the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office and church leaders that was announced last month.
"Since Jan. 1, our records show there have been 865 cases of serious assault citywide — homicides, carjackings, armed robberies," Worthy said Wednesday. "We are losing the battle against gun violence which is why this effort is so critically important. This is where collaborations come in. ... I didn't want to be part of another task force, because task forces in name only don't accomplish anything. But this is different. This is a true holistic and global approach that I believe will work."
Under the strategy, Detroit Police with work with federal authorities to focus on four crime "hot spots" in the 8th precinct on Detroit's west side, along with four high-crime areas in the 9th Precinct on the east side. People arrested in those hot spots for violent crimes or firearm violations will be prosecuted in the federal system, which Ison said often carries harsher penalties. FBI agents will accompany Detroit officers to crimes, she said.
As part of the initiative, 200 letters were sent out last week to people on probation, parole or supervised release warning them about the enforcement plan, and also giving them information about the "Peacenics" planned in their areas. Peacenics, which make up the prevention component of the One Detroit initiative, are community events that offer entertainment and resources that include job training, literacy programs and mental health screenings.
"Too often, people in our city go to sleep at night to the sound of gunshots," Mayor Mike Duggan said Wednesday. "We have never seen this kind of focused attention from the U.S. Attorney's Office like you're seeing here. And the message has two sides: one, if you commit gun crimes in this area you'll feel the full force of the federal law enforcement; but the second component is the Peacenics, because we don't want to lock anybody up. So, this is a chance to take advantage of the good programs, but if you don't you'll be prosecuted."
Detroit Police Chief James White said he feels the program will be successful because it focuses on both crime prevention and enforcement.
"We recognize that not everybody is a criminal, and under this program, folks are going to have an opportunity to make better decisions — but for those who don't, who choose to victimize our community, you'll get our full attention to get you off the street," the chief said.
The 8th Precinct encompasses approximately 15 square miles on the city's west side, bounded by 8 Mile to the north, Greenfield to the east, Telegraph to the west and Fenkell to the south. The 12.5 square-mile 9th Precinct is home to the high-crime 48205 zip code that includes the "Red Zone" that for years was infiltrated with gangs; its borders are 8 Mile to the north, I-94 on the east and south, and Coleman A. Young International Airport to the west.
In 2022, the two precincts led the city in homicides, with 45 killings in the 9th Precinct and 39 in the 8th Precinct. The 153 nonfatal shootings in the 9th Precinct and 123 in the 8th Precinct were also the highest and second-highest in the city last year.
There were 37 carjackings in the 8th Precinct in 2022, the most in the city, while the 28 carjackings in the 9th Precinct were tied for third behind the 2nd Precinct and tied with the 6th Precinct. Many of the incident in the 8th Precinct happen in an area some cops have dubbed "carjack row" — 7 Mile Road between Greenfield and Evergreen.
Michigan House Democrats earlier Wednesday announced proposed legislation that would create a fund to stabilize and supplement public safety efforts in high-crime areas — a solution they say responds to a rise in crime in Michigan's larger cities.
The Public Safety and Violence Prevention Fund would be meted out based on crime data collected by the Michigan State Police, with communities receiving cash based on their share of statewide violent crimes with a cap of 25% of the fund for any one community.
ghunter@detroitnews.com
(313) 222-2134
Twitter: @GeorgeHunter_DN | https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/detroit-city/2023/05/24/mayor-duggan-detroit-police-federal-partnership-summer-crime-8th-9th-precincts/70251618007/ | 2023-05-24T20:54:02 | 1 | https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/detroit-city/2023/05/24/mayor-duggan-detroit-police-federal-partnership-summer-crime-8th-9th-precincts/70251618007/ |
2023 Celebrate Michigan Photo Contest official rules
1) NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER TO WIN. A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR ODDS OF WINNING. SUBJECT TO APPLICABLE FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL AND MUNICIPAL LAWS AND REGULATIONS. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED.
2) Eligibility. Subject to the additional restrictions below, the Celebrate Michigan Photo Contest (the “Contest”) is open to legal U.S. residents (excluding Puerto Rico), age 18 years or older, who have never derived more than 15% of their annual earnings from photography or teaching photography. Employees and contractors of The Detroit News (“Sponsor”), Gannett Co., Inc., Detroit Free Press, and each of their respective affiliated companies, and advertising and promotional agencies, and the immediate family members of, and any persons domiciled with, are not eligible to enter or to win.
3) How to Enter. The Celebrate Michigan Contest will begin at 12:01 a.m. (EDT) May 26, 2023 and end at 12:00 p.m. (EDT) Monday, Aug. 21, 2023 (the “Contest Period”). There will be one (1) Entry Period and three (3) Contest Themes, as outlined below. During each Entry Period, entries will be accepted for any or all of the corresponding Contest Theme(s).
Contest Themes, Entry Period
All three Contest Theme contests will be conducted simultaneously:
Views and Vistas, 12:01 a.m. (EDT) May 26, 2023 – 12:00 p.m. (EDT) Aug. 21, 2023
Fur, Feathers, and Flora, 12:01 a.m. (EDT) May 26, 2023 – 12:00 p.m. (EDT) Aug. 21, 2023
Candid Captures, 12:01 a.m. (EDT) May 26, 2023 – 12:00 p.m. (EDT) Aug. 21, 2023
To enter, visit the Contest official entry page at https://detroitnews.secondstreetapp.com/2023-Celebrate-Michigan-Photo-Contest/, complete the entry form with all required information (including a photo title, caption, media release consent, your name, address, and email address), upload a photo or photos and follow all posted instructions. Click “Submit” to submit your entry.
All photos must be the sole, original work of the entrant, and must have been shot on or after May 26, 2018. Photos should be of a high resolution. Photos that were named finalists or winners in previous Celebrate Michigan Photo Contests are not eligible for entry. Photos with watermarks, signatures, dates, copyright notices or any other text on the image will not be eligible for prizes.
Enter as many photos as you like; however, multiple entries by means of software-generated or other automatic processes will be disregarded. You may enter the same photo in multiple Contest Themes, but a photo may not win more than one prize or be named a Finalist in more than one Contest Theme.
Photos must appear “as shot,” with only minor toning or cropping before submission. Photo effects created by a camera setting – slow shutter speed, high dynamic range, panoramic images – are eligible. Photos altered noticeably by software, or combined with other photos to make a single image, are not eligible.Photos taken by drone cameras are eligible only if the drone is registered with the FAA, was flown in accordance with the FAA’s Special Rule for Model Aircraft and federal and state laws, and did not violate U.S. airspace restrictions.
Multiple entrants are not permitted to share the same email address. Sponsor will not be responsible for incomplete, lost, late, misdirected, or illegible entries. Entries that do not comply with the provisions of these Official Rules will be disqualified.
Contestants acknowledge and agree that Sponsor shall have the right to edit, adapt, modify, reproduce, publish, promote, or otherwise display or use entries in any way it sees fit without limitation or compensation to entrants. Sponsor further reserves the right to disqualify any entry that is alleged to infringe on any third party’s intellectual property rights, or that Sponsor, in its sole discretion, deems obscene, offensive or otherwise inappropriate for viewing by a general audience.
By entering, you agree to receive emails from Sponsor or those directed by Sponsor. You can opt out of the receipt of such emails by following the directions in any email received from Sponsor.
4) Winner Selection: Finalists. Four (4) Contest Theme Finalists will be chosen by The Detroit News photo staff from among all eligible entries received in the all Contest Themes by the following judging dates: 6/1/23, 6/8/23, 6/15/23, 6/22/23, 6/29/23, 7/6/23, 7/13/23, 7/20/23, 7/27/23, 8/3/23, 8/10/23, and 8/17/23. A panel of judges from The Detroit News photo staff will evaluate photos received as of the judging date for each respective Contest Theme according to the following criteria: 20% artistic merit; 20% appropriateness of theme; 20% technical quality; 20% originality and 20% overall appeal. Four (4) photos, one from each Contest Theme and one at-large, with the highest cumulative values on each of the above judging dates will be named the Finalists, for a total of forty-eight (48) Finalists selected throughout the Contest Period.
Contest Theme Winners. The winner of each Contest Theme will be selected by The Detroit News photo staff from among the 16 (+/-) Finalists in each and announced on or about 9/5/23.People’s Choice Awards. A ballot showing the 16 Finalists for each Contest Theme will accessible through a link at http://detroitnews.com/celebrate-michigan and open for public voting by individuals 13 years or older. The Voting Period for the People's Choice awards will be open from 12:01 a.m. Monday, Aug. 28, 2023 to 11:59 p.m. Friday, Sept, 1, 2023.
Eligible voters may cast one (1) vote only for their favorite entry from the sixteen (16) Finalists in a Contest Theme. The one (1) Finalist in each Contest Theme receiving the most eligible votes will be the People’s Choice Winner, for a total of three (3) People’s Choice Winners. In the event of a tie, the People’s Choice Winner will be selected in a random drawing from among all tied entries.
Awards of Excellence. A panel of judges from The Detroit News photo staff will judge all Finalists from the three Contest Themes, except previously named Contest Theme Winners and People’s Choice Winners, according to the following criteria: 20% artistic merit; 20% appropriateness of theme; 20% technical quality; 20% originality, and 20% overall appeal. Judging will conclude by Sept. 3, 2023. The three (3) highest-scoring Finalists will be named the Awards of Excellence recipients. In the event of a tie, tied entries will be re-judged on the same criteria listed above.
Decisions of judges and Sponsor shall be final and binding in all respects. Odds of winning depend on the number of eligible entries received.
5) Prizes. The three (3) Contest Theme Winners and three (3) People’s Choice Award Winners will each receive $300 VISA debit cards. The three (3) Awards of Excellence winners will each receive $100 VISA debit cards. Limit one (1) prize per person.
6) Winner Notification and Acceptance. The Winners of the Contest Themes, the Awards of Excellence, and the People's Choice Awards will be notified on or about Sept. 5, 2023.
Sponsor will attempt to reach winners at the email address provided on winners’ entry form. Failure of winner to respond to such email notification within 48 hours of the date and time the email was sent, or return of email notification as undeliverable may result in disqualification of winner, forfeiture of his or her interest in all prizes, and selection of a substitute winner from among all remaining eligible entries. Winners may waive their right to receive prizes. Prizes are non-assignable and nontransferable. No substitutions allowed by winner. Prizes are not redeemable for cash. Prizes and individual components of prize packages are subject to availability and Sponsor reserves the right to substitute prizes of equal or greater value. Winner is solely responsible for reporting and payment of any taxes on prizes.
Winner may be required to complete an affidavit of eligibility/liability certifying that the entrant’s submission is entrant's original work, that entrant owns right to the work, and that the entrant has complied with the Official Rules of the Contest. Winner will be required to sign a liability and publicity release (except where prohibited by law) which must be returned as directed by Sponsor. Failure to sign and return the affidavit or release, or to comply with any term or condition of these Official Rules, may result in a winner’s disqualification, the forfeiture of his or her interest in the prize, and the award of the prize to a substitute winner.
Except where prohibited, acceptance of any prize constitutes winner’s consent to the publication of his or her name and biographical information for any commercial or promotional purpose in any media, including the Internet, without further compensation. Prizes not claimed by eligible winners in accordance with these Official Rules will not be awarded and will remain the property of Sponsor
7) Participation. By participating, contestants agree to be bound by these Official Rules and the decisions of Sponsor. Sponsor reserves the right to disqualify persons found tampering with or otherwise abusing any aspect of this Contest as solely determined by Sponsor. In the event the Contest is compromised by a virus, non-authorized human intervention, tampering or other causes beyond the reasonable control of Sponsor which corrupts or impairs the administration, security, fairness or proper operation of the Contest, Sponsor reserves the right in its sole discretion to suspend, modify or terminate the Contest. Should the Contest be terminated prior to the stated expiration date, Sponsor reserves the right to award prizes based on the entries received before the termination date.
Sponsor will not be responsible for incomplete, lost, late, misdirected or illegible entries (either photos or ballots), poor quality photos, or for failure to receive entries or votes or other electronic communications due to transmission failures or technical failures of any kind, including, without limitation, malfunctioning of any network, hardware or software, whether originating with sender or Sponsor.
The authorized account holder of the e-mail address submitted at time of entry will be considered the entrant. An “authorized account holder” shall mean the natural person assigned to such e-mail account by the Internet access provider, online service provider, or other organization responsible for assigning e-mail addresses for the domain associated with such e-mail account. A potential winner may be requested to provide proof that he or she is the authorized account holder of the e-mail address associated with a winning entry.
In the event of a dispute, all online entries will be deemed to have been submitted by the owner of the ISP account from which they were sent. For these purposes, an ISP account holder shall mean the natural person assigned to such ISP account by the Internet access provider, online service provider or other organization responsible for assigning ISP addresses for the domain associated with such ISP account. Any questions regarding the number of entries or votes, or the owner of an ISP account shall be determined by Sponsor in its sole discretion, and Sponsor reserves the right to disqualify any entries or votes determined to be tampering with or abusing any aspect of the Contest.
8) Licensing. By entering the Contest, each contestant grants to Sponsor an exclusive, royalty-free and irrevocable right and license to publish, print, edit or otherwise use the contestant’s submitted entry, in whole or in part, for any purpose and in any manner or media (including, without limitation, the Internet) throughout the world in perpetuity, all without limitation or further compensation. Each contestant further agrees that if his or her entry is selected by Sponsor as the winning entry, he or she will sign any additional license or release that Sponsor may require.
9) Construction. The invalidity or unenforceability of any provision of these rules shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other provision. In the event that any such provision is determined to be invalid or otherwise unenforceable, these rules shall be construed in accordance with their terms as if the invalid or unenforceable provision was not contained therein.
10) Sponsor. The Celebrate Michigan Photo Contest is sponsored by The Detroit News. The decisions of Sponsor regarding the selection of the winners and all other aspects of the Contest shall be final and binding in all respects. Sponsor will not be responsible for typographical, printing or other inadvertent errors in these Official Rules or in other materials relating to the Contest.
For a copy of these Official Rules, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to “Winners/Official Rules” (as applicable), Celebrate Michigan Photo contest, The Detroit News, 160 W. Fort Street, Suite 300, Detroit, Michigan 48226. Questions about the Contest should be emailed to The Detroit News photo department at photoeds@detroitnews.com. | https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan/celebrate-michigan/2023/05/24/2023-celebrate-michigan-photo-contest-official-rules/70248954007/ | 2023-05-24T20:54:08 | 1 | https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan/celebrate-michigan/2023/05/24/2023-celebrate-michigan-photo-contest-official-rules/70248954007/ |
2 arrested, 1 sought in Tuesday fatal shooting of Pontiac man, 33
Two men are in custody and a third is being sought in connection with the fatal shooting Tuesday of a Pontiac man, officials said Wednesday.
Oakland County sheriff’s deputies were called at about 7:40 p.m. Tuesday to a home in the 300 block of Central Avenue near Woodward Avenue and East South Boulevard for a report of shots fired, according to authorities.
The caller told dispatchers that her boyfriend had been shot and was lying on the home's living room floor, police said.
Deputies and medics arrived. The victim, a 33-year-old man, was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced deceased at about 8 p.m., they said. Officials said they are not releasing his name until his next of kin are notified.
Investigators said they interviewed several witnesses at the scene of the shooting.
They also said detectives arrested two suspects who are being held at the Oakland County Jail pending charges in connection with the shooting.
Meanwhile, deputies continue to search for a third suspect, officials said.
cramirez@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @CharlesERamirez | https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/oakland-county/2023/05/24/2-arrested-1-sought-in-tuesday-fatal-shooting-of-pontiac-man/70252922007/ | 2023-05-24T20:54:14 | 1 | https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/oakland-county/2023/05/24/2-arrested-1-sought-in-tuesday-fatal-shooting-of-pontiac-man/70252922007/ |
Detroit area divers, first responders practice plane crash simulation
Dozens of divers took to the shores of Gross Ile Wednesday in the 65-degree waters of the Detroit River and Lake Erie for what is believed to be the largest diving team exercise in Michigan.
The Search and Rescue Team exercise simulated a plane crash, coordinated by the Oakland County Sheriff's Office, which began around 8 a.m. and ended around 2 p.m. The exercise assembled seven strike teams from the Southeast Michigan Dive Group to the Gross Ile Municipal Airport in response to a simulated plane crash.
In the simulation, teams were told a "small plane with engine trouble" had crashed into Gibraltar Bay and a resident called 911 to report the crash, the Oakland County Sheriff's Office said. A plane replica was used in the exercise and divers had to maneuver through the underwater wreckage to perform the simulated underwater rescue and recovery of victims, among other duties. Divers used side-scan sonar, lift bags and other specialized equipment to respond to the simulated wreckage.
"The goal is to save lives and increase the capabilities of the dive group so that if this were an actual event, the teams would have experience responding to such incidents, know the equipment and what the teams can do. Regular training is vital to having the team work as a unit," the Oakland County Sheriff's Office said in a statement.
The Oakland County Sheriff's Search and Rescue Team, as well as teams from the Wayne County Sheriff's Office, Downriver Mutual Aid, the U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, along with police departments from Detroit, Saginaw and Windsor, Ontario, joined in the group exercise. In all, about 15 agencies and about 55 divers joined the exercise, the Oakland County Sheriff's Office said.
The agencies are part of the Southeast Michigan Dive Group, a dive group comprised of 21 Michigan counties coordinated by the Oakland County Sheriff's Office.
Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said the dive group is one of the largest dive and rescue teams in the United States.
"The Southeast Michigan Dive Group is now what I believe is the largest consortium dive group in America. So the combined power of that, if you will, allows them to bring tremendous people and resources to a situation," Bouchard said.
The Oakland County Sheriff's Office coordinates two to three search and rescue diving exercises a year. The next exercise will take place in July in Bay County.
Bouchard said the efforts each county is putting into the dive group is improving the emergency response capabilities in the region.
"I'm super proud of all of the members who have joined the dive group and my team who is coordinating this across the 21 counties. I know they're putting in a ton of time to do this, but it gives us the capability to respond to any kind of emergency," the sheriff said.
slewis@detroitnews.com | https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/oakland-county/2023/05/24/plane-crash-simulation-grosse-ile-oakland-county-sheriff/70251661007/ | 2023-05-24T20:54:20 | 0 | https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/oakland-county/2023/05/24/plane-crash-simulation-grosse-ile-oakland-county-sheriff/70251661007/ |
CHARLOTTE COUNTY, Fla. — A teacher at Port Charlotte High School was removed from the classroom after a photo showed a White Claw drink on a table.
The photo circulated on social media for more than a week.
Charlotte County Schools confirmed that the photo came from the teacher’s classroom. The school district has not identified the teacher but said the situation is currently under investigation. | https://nbc-2.com/news/local/charlotte-county/2023/05/24/charlotte-county-teacher-found-with-white-claw-in-classroom/ | 2023-05-24T20:54:49 | 0 | https://nbc-2.com/news/local/charlotte-county/2023/05/24/charlotte-county-teacher-found-with-white-claw-in-classroom/ |
'Jeopardy!' fans are furious over Ben Chan being 'robbed' as his winning streak ends on misspelling
Ben Chan's run on "Jeopardy!" came to an end — a somewhat controversial end, we might add — Tuesday, but it sure was a memorable one.
The Green Bay resident and St. Norbert College assistant philosophy professor's time on the show began in April and stretched into May after his initial run was put on pause after a positive COVID-19 test. When Chan returned May 15, he became must-watch as he racked up win after win on the game show.
And with every victory, Chan's popularity grew online and he became a quasi-celebrity in northeast Wisconsin — and among the show's fans.
That's why when he lost Tuesday after misspelling a word by one letter in Final Jeopardy, social media was disappointed.
But fans weren't upset with Chan. They were mad at host Mayim Bialik and "Jeopardy!" for not allowing his response.
Here's a closer look at Chan's time on "Jeopardy!" and Twitter's reaction to the finish:
Chan will bring home a hefty purse from his nine wins on 'Jeopardy!'
Chan won an impressive $252,600 across his 10 games on "Jeopardy!" During his nine wins, he posted runaway victories every time. In fact, Chan made history. According to a Substack "Jeopardy!" blog, he became the first player to ever win their first six games in runaway fashion, which meant he was so far ahead that, even if his opponents wagered everything and were correct in Final Jeopardy, Chan would still win, even if he bet nothing.
But there was more competition Tuesday when his lead was just $2,600 entering the final question.
What were 'Jeopardy!' totals for Ben Chan and Lynn Di Vito?
Chan entered the final question with $17,400 and, after his response was ruled incorrect by Bialik, he lost his $12,201 wager and finished second with $5,199. New winner Lynn Di Vito, who also got the final question wrong, finished with $11,800 after wagering just $3,000 of her $14,800.
Why does social media feel that Ben Chan was cheated out of a victory?
Final Jeopardy asked contestants to provide the names of two lovers from a Shakespeare play that both come from the Latin word "blessed."
Chan wrote "Who are Beatrice & Benedict?" from the play "Much Ado About Nothing." Beatrice and Benedick was the correct answer, though people on Twitter were furious about what they called inconsistencies in the rules regarding spelling. Di Vito also spelled her answer incorrectly, though it was wrong anyway, but it was still allowed.
What does the 'Jeopardy!' rulebook say about spelling?
"Jeopardy!" has a list of five rules on its website. Some are clear — like saying an answer in the form of a question — but others aren't as cut and dried. Final Jeopardy is the only time when contestants have to spell an answer on a screen at their podium. The rest of the answers are given verbally.
As the official "Jeopardy!" website says, the game show is "not a spelling test."
"Written responses to the Final Jeopardy! clue do not have to be spelled correctly, but they must be phonetically correct and not add or subtract any extraneous sounds or syllables," its site says.
If the word is misspelled, it will be "a judgment call, but the closer you can get it, the better chance for a thumbs-up from the judges."
The time Ben Chan talked about beating Aaron Rodgers in pub trivia will be remembered
One of the most interesting facts that Chan revealed came during his first day on the show, when he told a story about how he once defeated Aaron Rodgers in trivia at a pub in Green Bay.
Talk about a flex!
Chan, however, said Rodgers came back to St. Brendan's Inn next week and enacted some revenge on Chan.
What does Ben Chan plan to do with his winnings?
He said after his first three wins that he already "splurged" by spending some of the money on a new buzzer system for a game-show style contest he puts on for his class during finals week at St. Norbert. He also bought his dogs some extra treats.
But now that he has just over a quarter of a million dollars, maybe he'll splurge a bit more.
What's next for Ben Chan on 'Jeopardy!'?
Since he won at least five games, he'll return later this year for the show's Tournament of Champions. | https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/wisconsin/2023/05/24/jeopardy-fans-say-ben-chan-robbed-over-beatrice-and-benedict-answer-spelling/70253147007/ | 2023-05-24T21:01:48 | 0 | https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/wisconsin/2023/05/24/jeopardy-fans-say-ben-chan-robbed-over-beatrice-and-benedict-answer-spelling/70253147007/ |
A revised study, previously released last year, that measured the impact on remote work on New York City offices has painted a more dire picture than it previously did when it comes to this specific post-pandemic fallout, according to a The Real Deal report that cites academic research.
The Real Deal reports that updated results from researchers at New York University and Columbia University now finds that as a whole offices in the city will lose 44% if its pre-pandemic value by 2029. This is a steep increase form the estimated 28 percent previously published last year.
According to The Real Deal, even those who are optimistic of the state of offices in the city have admitted that remote work has endured more than they thought it would.
The authors of the study, as per The Real Deal (which reports real estate market news), found that companies that do not use to the same extent their office space are not renewing their leases or are deciding to move forward with only a portion of the space.
Get Tri-state area news and weather forecasts to your inbox. Sign up for NBC New York newsletters.
The Real Deal reports that office buildings in the city saw a notable uptick in physical occupancy after Labor Day 2022, hitting almost 47 percent since the pandemic. However, this number seems to have been a plateau since, as of May, office occupancy is slightly higher than 48 percent. | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/remote-work-will-wipe-out-44-of-office-values-in-nyc-updated-report-finds/4363338/ | 2023-05-24T21:02:09 | 1 | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/remote-work-will-wipe-out-44-of-office-values-in-nyc-updated-report-finds/4363338/ |
WILDWOOD — Cape May County has no cannabis dispensary, although it seems inevitable that one will open eventually.
When it does, it will not open in Wildwood, which like many beach towns has opted out of allowing cannabis sales in the community, and out of the chance to charge an additional local tax on weed sales.
Which has led to some surprise and confusion with the opening of Kannavis Botanicals on New Jersey Avenue, with images of a familiar spiky leaf on the sign and “Licensed” marked under the name.
The business is licensed by the state to sell hemp and hemp-derived products, not cannabis, a distinction that has more to do with legal definitions than with plant biology. Both are from the buds of the same plant, but hemp, by definition, has less than 0.3% of THC, the chemical in marijuana that gets you high.
People are also reading…
Many cannabis dispensary strains boast THC concentrations of more than 20%.
But that distinction gets blurrier still with the assurance from Dill Nelson, who owns Kannavis with her husband, Ken, that if you smoke their hemp, you will feel it. As Ken Nelson explains it, the process of burning the hemp flowers changes the nature of other cannabinoids in the plant.
ATLANTIC CITY — Christina Casile stands in the lobby of Design 710 at 112 Park Place, the la…
“Once you light it, it changes,” he said.
“Then it’s game on,” added Dill Nelson.
The New York Avenue shop is their third location in Wildwood. The first opened on the Boardwalk in 2020, a tough time for any new business, and there is also a location on Pacific Avenue. The other locations remain open, and the New Jersey Avenue site opened April 20, often described as a “weed holiday” for its connection to 420, which has become cannabis culture slang for consumption.
This shop is in a former bank, with a drive-through in operation. The hemp and hemp products are dispensed from the old teller stations, while lighted boards show the available strains and their relative potency, much like one of the cannabis dispensaries.
The buds available for purchase at the shop are indistinguishable, by sight or smell, from the cannabis sold at a licensed dispensary, or for that matter from weed bought on the still-thriving underground market.
Presumably, a lab test could find a difference, or an experienced smoker. Ken Nelson has compared the difference between hemp and dispensary cannabis as similar to the difference between beer and whiskey, with one offering a much stronger impact.
As marijuana has become far more mainstream, potent, and sometimes dangerous, uneven regulation at the state and federal levels leaves consumers at risk.
“It’s an option for somebody who does not have the $60 or $70 to spend on an eighth at a dispensary,” he said. An eighth of an ounce is close to 3.5 grams, which is a standard measurement of sale at licensed dispensaries. Kannavis offers 5 grams of a hemp flower called Sour Haze for $20, or $5 for a single gram, which would be enough to roll about three cigarettes.
The store also offers gummies and other edibles, as well as a barbecue sauce. Several of the products in the store included the label “Contains THC.”
The store has raised concerns in Wildwood, enough so that the municipal government issued a news release this year stating that they were selling hemp, not marijuana.
“These stores are not selling anything with THC in it,” part of the release states. The products could be legally sold in a vitamin store, for instance.
The Wildwood Board of Commissioners had an appearance from the Kannavis store on the agenda for its Wednesday meeting, with a request for the owners to explain their business plan.
The name of the business, which Nelson described as Greek for hemp, and the mention of a license on the sign created confusion, said Mayor Pete Byron. The city wanted to let the public know it did not issue any licenses.
Veterinarians are growing alarmed by an apparent rise in marijuana poisonings among dogs that ingest discarded joints and edibles on city sidewalks.
“Honestly, as long as it’s not illegal, there’s nothing we can do about it,” Byron said.
Nelson said his business does have a license, from the New Jersey Department of Agriculture. That means he gets an annual inspection, he said, and has to comply with other regulations that do not impact other Boardwalk stores or vape shops that offer hemp-derived products like CBD and Delta 8.
No one from the Department of Agriculture responded to requests for an interview for this story. A spokesperson for the New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission, the agency that issues licenses to the now-legal cannabis dispensaries, said the CRC does not regulate hemp-derived products, and directed questions to the Department of Agriculture.
As many have pointed out, hemp has been used for clothing, food and in manufacturing for thousands of years. It’s the same species of plant as marijuana, and for decades, that kept hemp products off American shelves.
In 2001, early in President George W. Bush’s administration, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration cracked down on hemp in foods, from cereals to granola bars to protein powders, even though the seeds that were used did not contain enough THC to possibly have an effect.
A federal court later rejected that effort, and in 2018, a federal farm bill made clear that hemp with under 0.3% THC was as legal as apples or any other agricultural product.
Brittney Griner got emotional quickly while speaking to reporters for the first time since her nearly 10-month detainment in Russia on drug-related charges. The WNBA star had to take a moment to compose herself after being asked about her resiliency through the ordeal. Griner's first news conference drew more than 100 people, including Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs, members of the Phoenix Mercury organization and her wife, Cherelle.
That cleared the way for products containing CBD, another part of the plant, to be sold across the country so long as it was derived from hemp. Proponents say CBD has anti-inflammatory properties and other benefits.
But the DEA says THC Delta 8 and its cousin THC Delta 9 are not hemp, but instead are schedule 1 drugs, just like marijuana. The DEA has proposed changes to federal drug laws that would take Delta 8 off the shelf, and 14 states have issued an outright ban.
The potential for a legislative change that could upend his business keeps Nelson worried, he said. He added he is phasing out Delta 8 products, instead using more products that use the entire hemp flower.
Delta 8 appears in nature, but only in very small quantities. It is concentrated from hemp plants to reach effective levels.
Scott Rudder, with the industry group the New Jersey CannaBusiness Association, described hemp as a useful and beneficial plant, but he expressed concerns about the sale of products containing Delta 8 and other potential intoxicants, insisting it is not just because they are taking sales from association members.
Most of the products being sold are not tested, and consumers may have little information about what they are buying. In some instances, someone may think it is similar to CBD, which may or may not have a mild, calming influence like a cup of chamomile tea, and instead find themselves feeling intoxicated behind the wheel.
Twitter under its 4/20-friendly owner Elon Musk earlier this year became the first major social media company to allow cannabis advertisements. Now, the platform is relaxing those rules in an attempt to lure in more advertisers from U.S. states where marijuana is legal. “Going forward, certified advertisers may feature packaged cannabis products in ad creative,” Twitter said in a post on its website. Previously, cannabis advertisers could not show any products in their ads, nor could they actually promote their sale.
“When you see these products being sold at gas stations and at convenience stores, there’s a good chance that most of those products have not gone through a testing process,” he said.
In many instances, he said, there appears to be little care to ensure only those over 21 are buying the products, he added.
At a recent open house at the new Wildwood location, a local classic rock station blasted Tom Petty in the parking lot while staff offered samples of hot sauce, presumably infused hot sauce. Nelson said he remains scrupulous about checking IDs and will not sell anything to someone under 21. | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/is-weed-by-another-name-a-legal-loophole-or-a-whole-different-plant/article_bc9a9726-f66e-11ed-a0a4-330ba2053f67.html | 2023-05-24T21:02:58 | 1 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/is-weed-by-another-name-a-legal-loophole-or-a-whole-different-plant/article_bc9a9726-f66e-11ed-a0a4-330ba2053f67.html |
The Southern Regional High School boys volleyball team won its seventh straight Shore Conference Tournament title Tuesday, winning its semifinal and final match at Georgian Court University.
In the semifinals, the Rams (26-1) defeated Colts Neck 2-1 with set scores of 25-14, 21-25, 25-14. In the finals, Southern beat Howell 2-1 with set scores of 25-22, 23-25, 26-24. The Rams are the top-ranked team in The Press Elite 11.
In the semifinals, Ethan Brummer led with 29 assists to go with five service points and four digs. Lucas Kean added 21 kills, six digs, three service points and two aces. Landon Davis contributed 17 digs and nine service points. Jack McKenna added 11 digs, 10 service points, four kills and two aces.
Colts Neck fell to 17-4.
In the finals, Brummer led with 32 assists to go with five digs. McKenna added 15 digs, six kills and five service points. Lucas Kean added 13 kills, nine digs and seven service points. Davis contributed 10 digs and seven service points. Dane Calsyn aded nine kills and three blocks.
People are also reading…
Howell fell to 16-4.
Softball
South Jersey Group III first round
(9) Pinelands Reg. 6, (8) Toms River South 2: Elianna Meola struck out four in a complete game to earn the win in the circle. She also went 2 for 3 with two runs. Madison Wilbert singled to go with three RBIs and a run for the Wildcats (11-9). Megan Trettin went 2 for 3 with an RBI. Jozlyn Peterson doubled twice and scored one. Kaydence Arleth scored once.
Abbey Wilber went 3 for 3 with a triple and a run for Toms River South (11-14). Pinelands will travel to top-seeded Ocean City in the quarterfinals Friday.
South Jersey Group IV first round
(11) Washington Twp. 6, (6) Vineland 3: Alyssa Pepe doubled and drove in two for Washington Township (12-11). Alexis Thompson went 2 for 4 with a run and an RBI. For Vineland (13-12), Leah Mears went 2 for 3 with a homer and three RBIs. Megan Harrell-Alvarez went 2 for 3 with a run. Morgan Harrell-Alvarez went 3 for 4 with a double. Natalia Ponce singled and scored. | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/sports/local/highschool/southern-volleyball-wins-shore-conference-tournament-title/article_91bb99d6-fa3f-11ed-994b-af68ffc9b69d.html | 2023-05-24T21:03:04 | 0 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/sports/local/highschool/southern-volleyball-wins-shore-conference-tournament-title/article_91bb99d6-fa3f-11ed-994b-af68ffc9b69d.html |
PORTLAND, Ore. — TriMet's board of directors voted 6-1 Wednesday to enact a controversial plan to increase rider fares on the Portland metro area's buses and light rail trains. The new fares will take effect Jan. 1, 2024.
The plan will hike baseline fares by 30 cents, so regular two-and-a-half-hour passes will go from $2.50 to $2.80, and all-day passes will jump from $5 to $5.60. Honored Citizen and Youth tickets will go up by 15 cents to $1.40. Monthly and annual pass rates will not increase.
The board began exploring a fare hike in November 2022 and directed staff to develop a plan. The current rates have been in place since 2012, and board members said the agency needs the increase to offset inflation and rising operational costs that have built up over the past decade.
Widespread opposition
The proposed hike received significant negative feedback in the months after it was announced, and riders who spoke to KGW on Wednesday morning continued to express opposition.
"I think that keeping affordable things like public transportation as accessible as possible should be the priority," said one rider.
Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler added his voice to the opposition this week when he sent a letter to the board Monday urging the members to vote against the fare increases, citing overall financial burdens on Portlanders and the impact of the fare hike on low-income residents in particular.
"While I appreciate and understand the stated reasoning behind the proposed increases, I firmly believe many Portlanders today are being priced out," he wrote. "Although individual rate increases may seem minor, the collective impact of tax, utility rate, and fee increases by multiple regional public and private agencies results in financial hardship for many Portlanders."
TriMet held a series of open houses and informational meetings about the fare increase earlier in the year, and a March 22 report from the agency showed that 40% of survey respondents during the outreach said the fare increases would have a large impact on them, and 34% said it would have a small impact. The surveys found that 43% of respondents said they'd take fewer trips.
Summarizing the comments received, TriMet said 51% of people were against the fare proposal, 29% suggested fixing other issues first such as safety issues and existing fare enforcement, and 39% had suggestions for alternative funding plans (some comments applied to multiple categories).
Disruptions and disagreements
The opposition continued during the public comment period at the start of Wednesday's meeting, with many of those who testified asking the board to reconsider the plan.
When the board began to take up the fare increase ordinance, they were immediately interrupted by shouting and chanting from members of the audience, many of whom carried signs with messages opposing the increase or transit fares in general.
The shouting continued intermittently through staff presentations and board member comments ahead of the vote, prompting multiple pauses. Board president Linda Simmons eventually led the board members to another room to continue the meeting in a virtual format.
The board members expressed a mix of support and concern ahead of the vote. Board member Kathy Wai said she'd vote no, citing concerns about the impact of the fare increase on TriMet's ridership levels. Board member LaVerne Lewis said TriMet has been resourceful about finding alternatives to fare hikes over the past 10 years.
Board member Thomas Kim said he wanted to pursue a long-term financial strategy that doesn't rely on fare revenue, but said the current increase is a necessary "band-aid" to maintain service levels.
Simmons also said that the fare increase was needed to cover service improvements, and board member Lori Bauman argued that the increase would only bring fares back in line with TriMet's original fares in 1969 when accounting for inflation.
Board member Keith Edwards said he liked the idea of fareless transit, but that it wouldn't work in his district. Board member Ozzie Gonzalez said that every other option had been stretched as far as possible, and fares need to be part of the cost conversation even if it's difficult.
"There's never a convenient time for this to happen," he said.
The board voted 6-1 in favor of the increase, with only Wai dissenting. | https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/trimet-board-votes-fare-increase/283-e2bc622d-9e6b-498f-ba32-791c4d09478d | 2023-05-24T21:03:10 | 0 | https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/trimet-board-votes-fare-increase/283-e2bc622d-9e6b-498f-ba32-791c4d09478d |
A Montgomery County man is accused of straw purchasing and selling 15 guns, some of which were used in multiple homicides in Philadelphia, including a quadruple shooting that left three people dead, officials announced Wednesday.
Tamir Hartsock, 23, of Glenside, is charged with unlawful sale/transfer of a firearm, dealing in the proceeds of unlawful activities, corrupt organizations, conspiracy, unsworn falsification and criminal use of a communications facility.
The investigation began in April after Philadelphia Police recovered guns from people not allowed to possess a firearm, officials said. Police then linked those guns back to purchases made by Hartsock, according to investigators.
Investigators determined Hartsock bought his first two guns on Sept. 9, 2020, less than a month after turning 21. He then continued buying handguns through December 2022 and bought seven guns in a four-month period at one point, investigators said.
Get Philly local news, weather forecasts, sports and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC Philadelphia newsletters.
Hartsock bought a total of 15 firearms with four of them recovered and 11 unaccounted for, according to investigators.
The tenth gun bought by Hartsock on February 19, 2021, – a Glock, Model G27, .40 caliber, semi automatic – was recovered by police on April 28, 2023, at the scene of a quadruple shooting that left three people dead and another injured along the 5900 block of Palmetto Street, according to investigators. A bullet taken from the body of one of the victims was entered into the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN). A ballistic comparison found that the bullet came from the Glock that was purchased by Hartsock, investigators said. Investigators also linked the same gun to a shooting on January 23, 2023, on the 3600 block of West Indian Lane.
The first gun Hartsock bought on Sept. 9, 2020, – a Glock, Model 22, .40 caliber, semi-automatic handgun – was recovered on Sept. 6, 2022, after police responded to around 50 shots being fired along Carlisle Street, investigators said. Police stopped a fleeing vehicle at that location and arrested three people inside, including one person who was in possession of the Glock, according to officials. The fired cartridge casings from the Glock were entered into the NIBIN which connected the gun to the following Philadelphia shootings:
Local
Breaking news and the stories that matter to your neighborhood.
January 15, 2021 - A shooting on 5043 Greene Street with no victims at the scene.
August 4, 2021 - A shooting on 3652 Germantown Avenue in which four people were injured.
August 19, 2021 - A shooting on 5104 Germantown Avenue in which one person was killed and five others were shot.
May 30, 2022 - A shooting on 1543 West Erie Avenue in which a man was killed with more than 25 fired cartridge casings from three different guns.
Two other guns purchased by Hartsock were also recovered on June 26, 2021, during a DUI arrest in Philadelphia as well as on Oct. 7, 2022, during a traffic stop and firearms arrest by Marple Township Police.
Investigators said Hartsock bought the majority of the guns online and then shipped the weapons to a federally licensed firearms dealer in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. That dealer then completed the required forms and background check to finish the transaction, according to officials.
“This defendant and his trafficking of firearms to violent criminals, including murderers, shows just how dangerous straw purchases are and what a danger they are to public safety,” Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele said. “Gun traffickers like Hartsock are enabling violence and murder. Law enforcement at all levels—local, state and federal—are committed to partnering to stop the illegal sales of guns. And we have seen through this case that the use of the NIBIN machine and database can make a huge difference in tracking firearms and the violence committed with them.”
Hartsock was arraigned Wednesday with bail set at $500,000 cash. He was unable to post bail and remains in the Montgomery County Correctional Facility. It’s unknown at this time if he has legal representation.
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/man-accused-of-trafficking-15-guns-used-in-multiple-philly-homicides/3572920/ | 2023-05-24T21:06:49 | 0 | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/man-accused-of-trafficking-15-guns-used-in-multiple-philly-homicides/3572920/ |
Police have identified and are searching for a suspect in a hit-and-run rampage that left one person dead and three others injured in Philadelphia a day after Christmas last year.
On December 26, 2022, around 8 p.m., Neera Nicolas-Hudson, 32, was driving a 2005 Ford Mustang in the parking lot of Rivers Casino along the 100 block of North Delaware Avenue when she crashed into a 51-year-old man on a grey electric scooter, knocking him to the pavement and shattering his leg, police said. The man was taken to the hospital where he was placed in stable condition.
Nicolas-Hudson continued driving recklessly near the casino's valet area, striking three other vehicles, including a 2022 Toyota Camry driven by a 48-year-old woman who suffered a minor injury, according to police.
Get Philly local news, weather forecasts, sports and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC Philadelphia newsletters.
After fleeing the scene on Delaware Avenue, Nicolas-Hudson was later seen by witnesses weaving in-and-out of traffic at a high rate of speed along North Broad Street, where she struck a 53-year-old man on a bicycle near the intersection with Spring Garden Street, according to investigators. That man was taken to a hospital and placed in stable condition as well.
Nicolas-Hudson then fled the scene once again and continued onto the corner of Broad Street and Lehigh Avenue where she struck 22-year-old Roland Darrel White who was walking in the area, police said. White was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead at 8:36 p.m. that night.
Clarence Summers told NBC10 he witnessed the deadly crash.
Local
Breaking news and the stories that matter to your neighborhood.
"I've never seen nothing like that in my life," Summers said. "Can you imagine seeing a body flying through the air from Lehigh Avenue all the way to half way down the street? Terrible."
Responding police officers later found Nicolas-Hudson's Mustang unoccupied with a busted windshield and smashed front end near the intersection of Broad Street and Indiana Avenue, roughly a quarter of a mile from where White was killed, investigators said.
On Wednesday, police identified Nicolas-Hudson as the hit-and-run driver and an arrest warrant was issued for her. She is charged with murder, homicide by vehicle and other related offenses.
White's family is offering a reward for information leading to Nicolas-Hudson's arrest. If you have any information on her whereabouts, please call the Crash Investigation Division at 215-685-3180 or 911. | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/police-id-suspect-in-hit-and-run-rampage-that-left-1-dead-and-3-hurt/3572878/ | 2023-05-24T21:06:49 | 1 | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/police-id-suspect-in-hit-and-run-rampage-that-left-1-dead-and-3-hurt/3572878/ |
A team of attorneys working with the Texas House General Investigating Committee revealed findings of a probe into misconduct allegations against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.
The meeting Wednesday morning before the five-member Texas House General Investigating Committee lasted about three hours. The panel began looking into Paxton in March after a proposal to use state funds in order to pay a $3.3 million settlement over a whistleblower lawsuit filed by four former employees who accused Paxton of wrongdoing.
Erin Epley served as a lead investigator for the team of former prosecutors and white-collar crime experts, who also looked into Paxton’s relationship with Austin real estate and campaign donor Nate Paul. Investigators alleged Paxton improperly used his office’s resources to help Paul, who had been under FBI investigation, in his fight against a charitable foundation.
The team said Wednesday, they reviewed hundreds of pages of documents, including lawsuit documents. Epley said they also interviewed the whistleblowers, along with other agency employees. The ‘whistleblower’ lawsuit refers to the four former employees who sued Paxton in 2020. They claimed they were fired after alleging Paxton committed bribery and abuse of power to help Paul.
According to investigators Wednesday, Paul contributed $25,000 to Paxton’s re-election in 2018. Accusations are still under investigation and no charges have been filed.
The findings discussed Wednesday addressed allegations, which include Paul helping remodel the kitchen in Paxton’s home in Austin and securing a job for a woman with whom Paxton was alleging having an affair.
In attendance Wednesday was Adrian Shelley, the Texas director of Public Citizen. The watchdog group is headquartered in Washington, D.C., with offices in Texas.
“I think what is really surprising about today is just the breath of misconduct here. It seems like at every turn, Paxton was willing to abuse his office and to bully those around him,” Shelley said.
Shelley said their group is calling for Paxton’s resignation.
“His conduct throughout his time as attorney general has been unbecoming of someone who is the state’s top law enforcement official,” he said. “His alleged crimes are hopefully finally catching up with him. If the Legislature doesn’t act right away to impeach Ken Paxton, I think it sends a signal he really is above the law.”
The committee remained in executive session for about one hour Wednesday, adjourning around noon without a public recommendation or ruling.
Just before noon Wednesday, Paxton said the hearing had "false testimony" with "highly partisan Democrat lawyers with the goal of manipulating and misleading the public."
"Every allegation is easily disproved, and I look forward to continuing my fight for conservative Texas values," Paxton said in a statement.
NBC 5 also reached out to an attorney representing Nate Paul. We have not heard back as of this writing. | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/texas-news/house-investigators-reveal-findings-of-probe-into-ag-ken-paxton-alleges-years-of-misconduct/3264340/ | 2023-05-24T21:10:38 | 1 | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/texas-news/house-investigators-reveal-findings-of-probe-into-ag-ken-paxton-alleges-years-of-misconduct/3264340/ |
As families and loved ones mourn the unimaginable loss of 19 children and two teachers shot dead last year in Uvalde, Texas, President Joe Biden said from a solemn White House memorial that too many schools, too many everyday places have become "killing fields."
On May 24, 2022, a gunman entered Robb Elementary School and killed 19 children and two adults. Another 17 people who were injured in the shooting survived the attack.
Biden delivered remarks in front of a display with 21 candles, one for each victim, with a white rose and satin ribbons in school colors that displayed each victim's name and age. All the students killed were between the ages of 9 and 11 years old. Before the president spoke, he and first lady Jill Biden, who is a teacher, stopped to look at the names of the dead.
Biden spoke of how he stood in Uvalde a few days later, staring at 21 crosses outside the school with the names of victims. He said they spent hours with the grieving families.
"We know one year later, this is still so raw for you," he said. "You'll miss birthdays and holidays, school plays, soccer games. Just that smile. A year of everyday joy, just gone forever."
The killings, along with another mass shooting in Buffalo, New York, prompted bipartisan legislation that passed through a divided Congress just a month later. It was the most significant gun safety law in decades. The law toughened background checks for the youngest gun buyers and sought to keep firearms from domestic violence offenders and to help states put in place red flag laws that make it easier for authorities to take weapons away from people adjudged to be dangerous.
"We can't end this epidemic until Congress passes common sense gun safety laws and keeps weapons of war off our streets and out of the hands of dangerous people. Until states do the same thing. How many more parents will live their worst nightmare before we stand up to the gun lobby?" Biden said.
The president pointed his remarks directly at Congress, calling on all members to stand up to the gun lobby and enact legislation that will help stop the epidemic of gun violence in America. Specifically, the president said he hoped to see assault-style weapons once again banned along with high-capacity magazines.
"We still need to ban, in my view, AR-15 firearms and assault weapons, once again. They've been used time and again in mass killings of innocent children and people. We need to ban high-capacity magazines with the ability to shoot 20, 30, 40, 50, 60 bullets without reloading," Biden said. "Today, guns remain the number one killer of children in America."
Last year, the president and first lady visited Uvalde in the days after the shooting and met with the families of the children killed in the shooting. Biden said that he and the first lady have heard from Americans who have pleaded with him to do something about gun violence.
"Standing there in Uvalde, Jill and I couldn’t help but think that too many schools, too many everyday places have become killing fields in communities across America. And in each place, we hear the same message: 'Do something. For God’s sake, please do something,'" Biden said.
"So it’s time to act. It’s time to make our voices heard. Not as Democrats or as Republicans. But as friends, as neighbors, as parents – and as fellow Americans," Biden said.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who has pushed back on attempts to enact new gun laws in the state, called for a moment of silence at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, coinciding with the moment the shooting began.
People in the town of Uvalde, who have sought privacy as the anniversary neared, planned a private ceremony and candlelight vigil for Wednesday evening.
UVALDE SCHOOL SHOOTING
Uvalde is still managing the fallout from the botched emergency response to the shooting. An investigation is still ongoing into how the days after the attack was marred by authorities giving inaccurate and conflicting accounts about efforts made to stop a teenage gunman armed with an AR-style rifle. It was the worst shooting in a school since 2012, when 20 children between 6 and 7 years old and six adults were murdered at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut.
A damning report by Texas lawmakers found nearly 400 officers had been on the scene, from an array of federal, state and local agencies. The findings laid out how heavily armed officers waited more than an hour to confront and kill the 18-year-old gunman. It also accused police of failing "to prioritize saving innocent lives over their own safety."
In Austin on Wednesday, a bipartisan group of lawmakers led by state Sen. Roland Gutierrez, a Democrat who represents Uvalde, read the names of the 21 victims who were murdered as the entire chamber paused in remembrance.
Each victim was memorialized with a speech, describing who they were and the loved ones they left behind. "I pray that in all of our differences, we aspire to our better angels, perhaps remember those moments when we were little," Gutierrez said. "Look at the pictures of these children and remember our better angels."
Throughout Texas' biennial legislative session, which began in January and ends Monday, a group of the victims' family members made the three-hour drive to Austin every Tuesday, with few exceptions, to lobby lawmakers in hopes of raising the legal age requirement to own certain semiautomatic weapons - like the one used by the 18-year-old Uvalde shooter - from 18 to 21.
But in the GOP-controlled Texas Capitol, Republicans this year rejected it and nearly all other proposals to tighten gun laws.
Several months in, the new federal law has had some success: Stepped-up FBI background checks have blocked gun sales for 119 buyers under the age of 21, prosecutions have increased for unlicensed gun sellers and new gun trafficking penalties have been charged in at least 30 cases around the country. Millions of new dollars have flowed into mental health services for children and schools.
Yet since that bill signing last summer, the tally of mass shootings in the United States has only grown. Five dead at a nightclub in Colorado. Eleven killed at a dance hall in California. Three 9-year-olds and three adults shot and killed at an elementary school in Nashville, Tennessee. Seven shot dead in rural Oklahoma.
As of May 24, there have been at least 25 mass killing incidents in the U.S. so far in 2023, leaving at least 127 people dead, not including perpetrators who died, according to a database maintained by The Associated Press and USA Today in partnership with Northeastern University.
That puts the country on a faster pace for mass killing incidents than in any other year since 2006, according to the database, which defines a mass killing as an incident in which four or more people are killed, not including the perpetrator, within a 24-hour period.
There have been at least 556 incidents in all since 2006 in the U.S., according to the database, leaving at least 2,892 people dead.
Firearms are the No. 1 killer of children in the U.S. and so far this year, 85 children younger than 11 have died by guns and 491 have died between the ages of 12 and 17. As of 2020, the firearm mortality rate for children under 19 is 5.6 per 100,000. The next comparable is Canada, with .08 per 100,000 deaths.
"It's time to act," Biden said. "It's time to make our voices heard. Not as Democrats or Republicans. But as friends, as neighbors, as parents - as fellow Americans."
"I know for a long time it's been hard to make progress," Biden said. "But there will come a point where our voices are so loud, our determination so clear, that it can no longer be stopped. We will act." | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/texas-news/its-time-to-act-president-biden-marks-one-year-anniversary-of-uvalde-massacre/3264390/ | 2023-05-24T21:10:45 | 1 | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/texas-news/its-time-to-act-president-biden-marks-one-year-anniversary-of-uvalde-massacre/3264390/ |
State spends millions of dollars on death row inmates
Speaker tells Oak Ridge group money could be better spent on families of crimes' survivors; mental health
Tennesseans are spending millions of tax dollars on a broken, failing system – the death penalty. According to Rev. Stacy Rector, executive director of Tennesseans for Alternatives to the Death Penalty (TADP), state tax revenues could better be spent on supporting surviving families and other victims of violent crime and expanding access to mental and behavioral health services.
During a talk to the League of Women Voters of Oak Ridge recently, she mentioned a recent report by Knoxville’s WBIR-TV that cited a study released almost 20 years ago by the state comptroller’s office. According to the analysis, a death penalty trial typically costs almost 50% more than trials of defendants who receive sentences of life without parole or life with the possibility of parole.
Reasons for the higher expenses include the increased number of agencies involved, more preparation time spent by both the prosecution and defense, and more steps in the appeals process. The WBIR report also cited a 2016 study at Susquehanna University. It found that “on average death row inmates cost $1.12 million more than general population inmates.”
Rector, an ordained Presbyterian minister, said that in Tennessee the convicted murderers most likely to receive the death penalty are people of color who have low incomes, who live in certain counties (primarily, Shelby County, the location of Memphis), who have killed a white person, and who may be mentally ill.
She provided evidence that Shelby County was “among the 25 counties in the United States with the most recorded hangings without a trial of Black persons between 1807 and 1950.
"The history of lynching tracks with the locations of the people most likely to get the death penalty," Rector said.
She expressed gratitude that the Tennessee General Assembly did not pass a bill to bring back the firing squad to execute Tennesseans on death row. She added that one lawmaker “in utter seriousness asked to amend that bill to include hanging by tree.”
Not really guilty
Another problem with the death penalty, she added, is the risk of executing an innocent person.
“We just don’t get it right all the time,” she said. “Since 1972, 190 people have been released from death rows across the country after evidence of their innocence came to light. For every eight executions in the United States since 1972, we’ve let somebody go because we were wrong.”
Since 1972, she added, 67% of the individuals on death row who were later shown to be innocent were convicted partly because of “official misconduct” by the police and prosecutors. “Official misconduct was much higher in cases involving defendants of color.”
Rector said the existence of the death penalty in Tennessee exerts harmful impacts on the mental and physical health of the families of murder victims and the individuals on death row, as well as on attorneys, judges and jurors in capital trials.
“Any of us in this room could be asked to decide whether a person lives or dies based on whatever evidence happens to be presented, which we may find out later isn’t the full story,” Rector said.
She noted that three-fourths of the states have repealed the death penalty (23 states, including Virginia in 2021, the first Southern state) or not used it in the past decade (14).
The good news, she remarked, is that since 2013 only three people in Tennessee have been sentenced to death.
“The 49 people on our state’s death row were sentenced in a very different time back in the 1980s and 1990s," she said.
One of the men on death row was Pervis Payne. TADP publicized the need to get him off death row because of his intellectual disability. Thanks to the work of his lawyers and lawmakers, a court finally ruled in 2021 that he should not be executed for that reason.
According to Rector, a Vanderbilt University poll last year showed that 53% of Tennesseans support alternatives to the death penalty when given the options of the death penalty and its alternatives. Many people she has talked with agree that the death penalty does not make people safer, does not help prevent future violent crimes and does not provide better access to mental and behavioral healthcare (especially for children exposed to abuse and trauma, as usually had been the case for many on death row).
The death penalty also causes mental health problems for poorly paid staff in the Department of Corrections who must carry out executions, she said. They got a break last year because Gov. Bill Lee stopped the planned executions of five men by lethal injection. The reason: the governor became aware of violations in the protocol of testing and handling the drugs. Rector lauded the lawyer Lee hired for his excellent report on the state’s “horribly broken lethal injection situation.”
Knowing that it’s “a system in disarray,” TADP and other organizations have been pushing for transparency concerning this execution method. “We want to remove the secrecy around lethal injection in Tennessee,” Rector said. “We want to know who sells the drugs to the state, what the state pays for the drugs, where they come from and if they’re legal.”
Lee recently hired a new commissioner of corrections from the state of Arizona, Frank Strada.
“He has fought very hard to keep everything secret,” Rector said. “We are not going to give up on getting the information. If you’re going to execute people, it should be done in the light of day, so citizens of this state know what’s happening.”
She cited Radley Balko’s chilling opinion piece in the Washington Post. It gave an example of a Supreme Court ruling that “expediency and procedure trump getting to the truth (of a person’s innocence), administering actual justice and ensuring that innocent people are not executed.” In the 6-3 Shinn v. Ramirez ruling in which Justice Clarence Thomas wrote the opinion, the Supreme Court legalized “an unthinkable position.”
Even though it did not find unpersuasive the innocence claims of Barry Lee Jones, a man on Arizona’s death row, the Supreme Court ruled that the federal courts were barred from considering them, Rector said.
Balko wrote, “Every court to consider the actual merits of Barry Jones’s innocence claim has ruled that he should never have been convicted of murder. And every court to rule against Jones did so for procedural reasons without considering the new evidence. If Jones is executed, it will not be because there is overwhelming evidence of his guilt. It will be because of a technicality.”
“I feel like we’re in trouble and we’ve lost our way,” Rector concluded. “There should be no circumstance where innocence is beside the point in our justice system.” | https://www.oakridger.com/story/news/local/2023/05/23/state-spends-millions-of-dollars-on-death-row-inmates/70243669007/ | 2023-05-24T21:10:54 | 1 | https://www.oakridger.com/story/news/local/2023/05/23/state-spends-millions-of-dollars-on-death-row-inmates/70243669007/ |
BEL AIR, Md. — You're never too old to exercise and one 94-year-old lady in Bel Air is showing that. Hitting the gym four days a week, she says it's her secret to longevity.
For many, hitting the gym is a New Year’s resolution or a routine to get a better version of their body. But for 94-year-old Marge Purvis, swimming and getting a strong leg work out shows age is just a number.
"I don't know if I told you, but I do a 310 on the leg machine," said Purvis.
Purvis has been a member of the Bel Air Athletic Club for 20 years. Back in February, the gym closed getting new ownership by a popular sports venue, Coppermine.
Owner Alex Jacobs said Purvis is the one who motivated him to buy the property.
"We came out into the parking lot and you said to me are you going to join the club,” asked Jacobs.
And now, “Are you joining the club?” is on the back of the new Coppermine shirts. Jacobs said he informed Purvis the club was closing but she shared with him how special this gym is to her.
"You told me that you had six kids and that you're 94-years-old and that your husband had passed away, and that this club had actually saved your life,” Jacobs said to Purvis, “As soon as I talked to you, I said we're going to take over this club.”
With renovations to the building and new equipment, Jacobs wanted to give grandma Purvis the first official tour of the facility before the grand opening.
He says exercise is important for older members and in honor of her long-time commitment to staying in shape, a "Marge Membership" was created. Giving lifetime free membership to not only Purvis, but all those who are 94 and above.
"When I stop to think about it, I don't believe that I’m even that old. It's the workout, no question about it,” said Marge.
Don't let the slow movement fool you, for Purvis it's a walk in the park, or the gym.
Her routine consists of getting exercise four days a week whether it's going to a dance class, "The Zumba on Thursdays which is fantastic." Or doing laps in the pool. She says it's her secret to longevity.
“Not only the matter of longevity, it's about feeling good. That's the main thing,” said Purvis.
The gym is scheduled to reopen June 1 with a special ribbon cutting done by Purvis.
It just goes to show, you're never too old to adopt a healthy habit. | https://www.wmar2news.com/local/94-year-old-gets-lifetime-free-membership-at-gym-in-bel-air | 2023-05-24T21:14:17 | 1 | https://www.wmar2news.com/local/94-year-old-gets-lifetime-free-membership-at-gym-in-bel-air |
BALTIMORE, Md. — Housing advocates picked up the fight of an estimated 200 public housing tenants behind on their rent outside the Baltimore District Court on East Fayette Street when news came of an apparent victory.
“We have kids, children. We don’t need to be out here and our kids on the streets,” said Shantel Knox who owes $215 in back rent, “We need this and thank you! Whooooh! Thank you!”
Because of hardships faced during the pandemic, many tenants couldn’t pay rent for months, if not years and most of the assistance, which had been available to them has now simply run out.
“We’re learning that some of these cases are actually getting dismissed, which is one of the outcomes we’ve hoped for,” said Detrese Dowridge of Baltimore Renters United.
“Did they offer any reason? Do you know why?” we asked.
“No, I haven’t talked to anyone yet,” she responded.
While it appeared the call for the Housing Authority of Baltimore City to halt evictions had worked, HABC Executive Director Janet Abrahams says that’s not the case.
“There was a technicality on the notice,” said Abrahams, “We will be refiling all those cases. Yes.”
Late payments pre-dated the pandemic and a moratorium on evictions followed.
The Housing Authority then filed the paperwork for more than a thousand tenants to receive emergency funds totaling $3 million, but to no avail.
“What has happened is the residents, although we filed the paperwork for them and they received the funding, they still stopped paying their rent,” said Abrahams, “Right now, the Housing Authority is about $4 million in arrears, and so we have no choice.”
No choice, but to collect the past due rent or to evict, opening the door to 14,000 others on the waiting list for Section 8 vouchers and the 9,000 in line for public housing. | https://www.wmar2news.com/local/we-need-this-housing-advocates-celebrate-dismissal-of-overdue-rent-cases | 2023-05-24T21:14:24 | 1 | https://www.wmar2news.com/local/we-need-this-housing-advocates-celebrate-dismissal-of-overdue-rent-cases |
City warns of health danger in bodies of water
The Wichita Falls Public Works Department and Public Health District is warning people who will be swimming in area lakes and rivers this summer about the possible presence of Naegleria fowleri and aiming to educate them about how to protect children from a highly preventable waterborne disease.
Naegleria fowleri is found in all natural bodies of water. During the warm summer months the amoeba can infect people, especially children, by being forcibly injected into their sinus cavities during recreational activities. Once in the sinus, the amoeba can cause the fatal disease Primary Amebic Meningoencephalitis (PAM).Two key precautions that citizens can take to help protect their children include:• Never swim or play in warm, muddy, stagnant waters.• Teach children to hold their noses or use nose clips when in any natural water body, especially in recreation that can force water into the nose, such as skiing, jet skiing, jumping, or diving.
If your child starts to experience any of the following symptoms within a couple of days of recreating in a natural body of water, contact your healthcare provider immediately:• Headache• Fever• Nausea and/or VomitingLater symptoms can include;• Stiff neck• Confusion• Loss of balance• Disorientation• Hallucinations• SeizuresThe amoeba does not live in swimming pools and hot tubs that are properly maintained and treated with chlorine and filtration.
For more information on Naegleria fowleri and Primary Amebic Meningoencephalitis visit http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/naegleria/index.html | https://www.timesrecordnews.com/story/news/local/2023/05/24/city-warns-of-health-danger-in-bodies-of-water/70251612007/ | 2023-05-24T21:18:35 | 0 | https://www.timesrecordnews.com/story/news/local/2023/05/24/city-warns-of-health-danger-in-bodies-of-water/70251612007/ |
Trash schedule changes for Memorial Day
News Staff
Times Record News
The trash collection schedule for Wichita Falls will be adjusted for Memorial Day which is Monday.
• Normal Monday trash pickup will move to Tuesday.• Normal Tuesday trash pickup will move to Wednesday.• There will be no curbside organics recycling pickup on Wednesday.• Regular service will resume on Thursday.• The Transfer Station and Landfill will also be closed on Monday
Wichita Falls city offices will be closed Monday. | https://www.timesrecordnews.com/story/news/local/2023/05/24/trash-schedule-changes-for-memorial-day/70243372007/ | 2023-05-24T21:18:41 | 1 | https://www.timesrecordnews.com/story/news/local/2023/05/24/trash-schedule-changes-for-memorial-day/70243372007/ |
Four WFISD special education students receive diplomas in graduation ceremony
Four WFISD students receive diplomas during special education graduation at Region 9.
Laughter and smiles filled the room Tuesday as four Wichita Falls ISD special education students received their high school diplomas in a commencement ceremony at Region 9.
This was a time for these students to celebrate their accomplishments and graduate in a sensory-accommodating environment.
"We would like to give them that opportunity to experience what it's like to go through the graduation program and be recognized," said Alefia Paris-Toulon, Director of Special Education for WFISD.
As the Rider High School ensemble played, the graduates proceeded into the room and gifted a rose to a family member. A slideshow was then shown featuring a glimpse into each graduate's public school career.
The Director of Special Education for WFISD Alefia Paris-Toulon explained that through communication with staff and some parents during the process, she knows the passion, excitement and gratitude the families feel when their children are considered and included.
After the ceremony was over, refreshments were served and plenty of photos were taken with the graduates.
"I know that by no means has this been an easy journey, but we know that collaboratively we can always work together to ensure that our students are taken care of and their needs are met. I know that they have a great future ahead of them and I want to congratulate them and their families," said Paris-Toulon. | https://www.timesrecordnews.com/story/news/local/2023/05/24/wfisd-special-education-ceremony-for-four-students/70249815007/ | 2023-05-24T21:18:47 | 0 | https://www.timesrecordnews.com/story/news/local/2023/05/24/wfisd-special-education-ceremony-for-four-students/70249815007/ |
A 23-year-old man is charged with robbery after allegedly pointing a box cutter at a Bismarck liquor store employee.
Police say Morgan Silk, of Bismarck, on Tuesday was attempting to steal a 1-liter bottle of bourbon from Captain Jacks South by concealing it down the front of his pants, according to an affidavit. He allegedly pointed a folding box cutter at an employee, told the worker to stop harassing him, and said, “I only came in to get a bottle.”
Silk has been barred from the store since September 2020. He has six criminal trespass convictions on his criminal record, according to the affidavit.
Silk is charged with felony robbery, which has a possible five-year prison sentence upon conviction. He also is charged with misdemeanor criminal trespass and possession of drug paraphernalia. Police say they found him with a syringe when they searched him.
People are also reading…
The attorney listed for Silk did not immediately respond to a Tribune request for comment. | https://bismarcktribune.com/news/local/bismarck/box-cutter-incident-at-liquor-store-leads-to-robbery-charge/article_a7dbc584-fa66-11ed-8f5d-275fc0f623d8.html | 2023-05-24T21:20:59 | 1 | https://bismarcktribune.com/news/local/bismarck/box-cutter-incident-at-liquor-store-leads-to-robbery-charge/article_a7dbc584-fa66-11ed-8f5d-275fc0f623d8.html |
ABILENE, Texas — Memorial Day is set to be observed May 29 and most City of Abilene offices will be closed as a result.
Closures include City Hall, Abilene Taylor County Public Health District & MERCY Health Clinic, Parks & Recreation administration office, Convention Center offices, Abilene Regional Airport administration office, Recreation & senior service centers, Abilene Animal Shelter, Police & Fire administration offices, Solid Waste Services offices, Environmental Recycling Center, Brush Center, & Citizens Convenience Center, Municipal Court and Main, Mockingbird and South libraries.
Municipal Court citations originally due May 29 can be submitted May 30 without repercussion.
Other closures include garbage pickup and CityLink transportation services while the Abilene Zoo, Adventure Cove and splash pads will remain open with normal hours of operation.
Offices will reopen May 30 at regular business hours. | https://www.myfoxzone.com/article/news/local/city-of-abilene-offices-closed-in-honor-of-memorial-day-holiday/504-630d1b0a-79cf-4739-8045-cbb5d7009185 | 2023-05-24T21:28:37 | 0 | https://www.myfoxzone.com/article/news/local/city-of-abilene-offices-closed-in-honor-of-memorial-day-holiday/504-630d1b0a-79cf-4739-8045-cbb5d7009185 |
SAN ANGELO, Texas — The majority of City of San Angelo will be closed Monday, May 29 in observance of the Memorial Day holiday.
These closings include the Animal Shelter, City Hall and the Community Development building, City Hall Annex, Fairmount Cemetery business offices, Municipal Court, the San Angelo Nature Center, Parks and Recreation offices, San Angelo-Tom Green County Health Department, Southside and Carl Ray Johnson recreation centers, Station 618 and Santa Fe Crossing senior centers and the WIC offices.
Some operations will continue as normal, including garbage removal, self-guided tours from 9 a.m.- 5 p.m. at Fort Concho, Lake Nasworthy parks and the Love Municipal Pool.
Entry fees for Middle Concho and Spring Creek park are $3 per city resident vehicle and $6 for non-resident vehicle while camping permits are $6 for resident campsites and $12 for non-resident campsites. Permits can be purchased at Spring Creek Marina.
The Love Municipal Pool will be open for the season starting May 27. Memorial Day hours will be the same as usual from noon through 6 p.m.
All city offices will reopen May 28 for normal hours of operation. | https://www.myfoxzone.com/article/news/local/san-angelo-city-offices-closed-for-memorial-day/504-7c05f872-c570-4874-9335-e025eecaa334 | 2023-05-24T21:28:38 | 0 | https://www.myfoxzone.com/article/news/local/san-angelo-city-offices-closed-for-memorial-day/504-7c05f872-c570-4874-9335-e025eecaa334 |
ABILENE, Texas — All active, veteran and retired military servicemembers and their families can participate in a free day at the Abilene Zoo Saturday, May 27, as part of Zoolute 2023, presented by H-E-B Helping Here.
The annual Memorial Day weekend event commemorates all men and women who died while serving in the United States military. Active, veteran and retired military members and their families will be admitted to the zoo for free from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. with proof of service.
Dyess Air Force Base leaders, honor guard and local dignitaries will be at the event for the national anthem and presentation of colors at 11 a.m.
Keeper chats and up-close animal encounters will be found throughout the day at the zoo. H-E-B will provide free lunch and snacks to all attendees starting at 11:30 a.m., while Blue Bell Ice Cream will be on hand with ice cream, while supplies last.
Schedule of events
- 9 a.m. - Zoo opens
- 11 a.m. - Ceremony featuring Dyess AFB Honor Guard at the Red Oak Plaza
- 11:15 a.m. - Animal ambassador appearance at the Red Oak Plaza
- 11:30 a.m. - Lunch served by H-E-B at the Lakeside Pavilion
- Noon - Band performance at the Red Oak Plaza
- 1 p.m. - Flamingo keeper chat
- 2 p.m. - Animal ambassador appearance at the Red Oak Plaza
- 3 p.m. - Lemur keeper chat
- 4 p.m. - Gates close
For more information, go to abilenezoo.org. | https://www.myfoxzone.com/article/news/local/zoolute-planned-for-saturday-at-abilene-zoo/504-8e7b6521-b6a5-4842-b401-cc413e1f146e | 2023-05-24T21:28:38 | 0 | https://www.myfoxzone.com/article/news/local/zoolute-planned-for-saturday-at-abilene-zoo/504-8e7b6521-b6a5-4842-b401-cc413e1f146e |
A man has been arrested in connection with arson fires this week at two historic churches in Douglas, officials say.
The Douglas Fire Department saw flames and heavy smoke at the St. Stephen’s Church after receiving a 911 call about the blaze about 10:51 a.m. Monday. While battling that fire, crews saw smoke coming from a neighboring church, First Presbyterian, a department spokesman said.
St. Stephen’s suffered significant structural damage. First Presbyterian lost its roof, the spokesman said.
Crews were still on scene Tuesday dealing with flare-ups.
No one was injured in the fires.
Arson investigators from Douglas Police, Douglas Fire, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Gilbert Fire and the FBI determined the fires were intentionally set.
People are also reading…
Eric Ridenour, 58, was then identified as a person of interest, a news release from Douglas police said.
After searching Ridenour’s home, he was arrested by ATF and taken to the Cochise County jail. He is awaiting transfer to federal custody, police said.
A motive is not known and the investigation continues, officials said.
Douglas is about 120 miles southeast of Tucson.
Jamie Donnelly covers breaking news for the Arizona Daily Star. Contact her via e-mail at jdonnelly@tucson.com | https://tucson.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/man-arrested-in-douglas-church-fires/article_90e84e50-fa67-11ed-9c70-7b634dcc3543.html | 2023-05-24T21:32:22 | 1 | https://tucson.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/man-arrested-in-douglas-church-fires/article_90e84e50-fa67-11ed-9c70-7b634dcc3543.html |
PONTIAC — OSF HealthCare announced Tuesday that the Pontiac branch has filled its need for a new president.
Derrick Frazier has accepted the position and will begin duties at OSF St. James - John W. Albrecht Medical Center on June 19.
Frazier will take over as president of OSF St. James in Pontiac beginning June 19.
PROVIDED BY OSF HEALTHCARE
Frazier will direct internal operations at the hospital and ensure "high-quality, cost-effective and safe health care is consistently delivered," according to a news release.
Liz Davidson, who had been interim president since March when the previous president retired, will take over as vice president and chief nursing officer.
Frazier's experience includes serving as CEO at Homer Memorial Hospital in Homer, Louisiana, and Morehouse General Hospital in Bastrop, Louisiana.
Denise Bilski talks about the Moraine View Restaurant in Le Roy
Clay Jackson
Photos: Heartland Head Start graduation ceremony at Illinois Wesleyan University
Heartland Head Start graduation ceremony at Illinois Wesleyan University's Hansen Student Center.
CLAY JACKSON, THE PANTAGRAPH
Heartland Head Start graduation ceremony at Illinois Wesleyan University's Hansen Student Center.
CLAY JACKSON, THE PANTAGRAPH
Heartland Head Start graduation ceremony at Illinois Wesleyan University's Hansen Student Center.
CLAY JACKSON, THE PANTAGRAPH
Heartland Head Start graduation ceremony at Illinois Wesleyan University's Hansen Student Center.
CLAY JACKSON, THE PANTAGRAPH
Heartland Head Start graduation ceremony at Illinois Wesleyan University's Hansen Student Center.
CLAY JACKSON, THE PANTAGRAPH
Heartland Head Start graduation ceremony at Illinois Wesleyan University's Hansen Student Center.
CLAY JACKSON, THE PANTAGRAPH
Heartland Head Start graduation ceremony at Illinois Wesleyan University's Hansen Student Center.
CLAY JACKSON, THE PANTAGRAPH
Heartland Head Start graduation ceremony at Illinois Wesleyan University's Hansen Student Center.
CLAY JACKSON, THE PANTAGRAPH
Heartland Head Start graduation ceremony at Illinois Wesleyan University's Hansen Student Center.
CLAY JACKSON, THE PANTAGRAPH
Heartland Head Start graduation ceremony at Illinois Wesleyan University's Hansen Student Center.
CLAY JACKSON, THE PANTAGRAPH
Heartland Head Start graduation ceremony at Illinois Wesleyan University's Hansen Student Center.
CLAY JACKSON, THE PANTAGRAPH
Heartland Head Start graduation ceremony at Illinois Wesleyan University's Hansen Student Center.
CLAY JACKSON, THE PANTAGRAPH
Heartland Head Start graduation ceremony at Illinois Wesleyan University's Hansen Student Center.
CLAY JACKSON, THE PANTAGRAPH
Heartland Head Start graduation ceremony at Illinois Wesleyan University's Hansen Student Center.
CLAY JACKSON, THE PANTAGRAPH
Heartland Head Start graduation ceremony at Illinois Wesleyan University's Hansen Student Center.
CLAY JACKSON, THE PANTAGRAPH
Heartland Head Start graduation ceremony at Illinois Wesleyan University's Hansen Student Center.
CLAY JACKSON, THE PANTAGRAPH
Heartland Head Start graduation ceremony at Illinois Wesleyan University's Hansen Student Center.
CLAY JACKSON, THE PANTAGRAPH
Heartland Head Start graduation ceremony at Illinois Wesleyan University's Hansen Student Center.
CLAY JACKSON, THE PANTAGRAPH
Heartland Head Start graduation ceremony at Illinois Wesleyan University's Hansen Student Center.
CLAY JACKSON, THE PANTAGRAPH
Heartland Head Start graduation ceremony at Illinois Wesleyan University's Hansen Student Center.
CLAY JACKSON, THE PANTAGRAPH
Heartland Head Start graduation ceremony at Illinois Wesleyan University's Hansen Student Center.
CLAY JACKSON, THE PANTAGRAPH
Heartland Head Start graduation ceremony at Illinois Wesleyan University's Hansen Student Center.
CLAY JACKSON, THE PANTAGRAPH
Heartland Head Start graduation ceremony at Illinois Wesleyan University's Hansen Student Center.
CLAY JACKSON, THE PANTAGRAPH
Heartland Head Start graduation ceremony at Illinois Wesleyan University's Hansen Student Center.
CLAY JACKSON, THE PANTAGRAPH
Heartland Head Start graduation ceremony at Illinois Wesleyan University's Hansen Student Center.
CLAY JACKSON, THE PANTAGRAPH
Heartland Head Start graduation ceremony at Illinois Wesleyan University's Hansen Student Center.
CLAY JACKSON, THE PANTAGRAPH
Heartland Head Start graduation ceremony at Illinois Wesleyan University's Hansen Student Center.
CLAY JACKSON, THE PANTAGRAPH
Heartland Head Start graduation ceremony at Illinois Wesleyan University's Hansen Student Center.
CLAY JACKSON, THE PANTAGRAPH
Heartland Head Start graduation ceremony at Illinois Wesleyan University's Hansen Student Center.
CLAY JACKSON, THE PANTAGRAPH
Heartland Head Start graduation ceremony at Illinois Wesleyan University's Hansen Student Center.
CLAY JACKSON, THE PANTAGRAPH
Heartland Head Start graduation ceremony at Illinois Wesleyan University's Hansen Student Center.
CLAY JACKSON, THE PANTAGRAPH
Heartland Head Start graduation ceremony at Illinois Wesleyan University's Hansen Student Center.
CLAY JACKSON, THE PANTAGRAPH
Contact D. Jack Alkire at (309)820-3275.
Twitter: @d_jack_alkire
The business news you need
Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly. | https://pantagraph.com/business/local/pontiacs-osf-st-james-announces-new-president/article_98f975ae-f9ab-11ed-b4d1-8f255d867060.html | 2023-05-24T21:33:20 | 1 | https://pantagraph.com/business/local/pontiacs-osf-st-james-announces-new-president/article_98f975ae-f9ab-11ed-b4d1-8f255d867060.html |
BLOOMINGTON — The Bloomington-Normal NAACP will host its annual Freedom Fund Banquet at 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 23.
The event will be held at the Bloomington-Normal Marriot Hotel & Conference Center, 201 Broadway, Normal. The organization is celebrating 105th anniversary this year.
Tickets are $100 per person, $190 per couple or $750 per table of eight. Tickets for those 17 and younger are $50.
The goal is to raise funds to support the NAACP's mission of equality for all and to support scholarships for high school seniors.
The keynote speaker for the event is Attorney Benjamin Crump, one of the nation's biggest civil rights lawyers and advocates for social justice, according to a news release. He has successfully battled to protect local, state and federal levels of constitutional rights, using his advocacy skills and high profile to provide a voice to the silenced and disenfranchised.
Tickets are available now on Eventbrite . For more information, go to bnnaacp.org .
Linda Foster, president of the Bloomington-Normal NAACP, speaks to the school board candidates and audience at the start of the groups forum for 2023 consolidated election candiates on Thursday, March 9, 2023, at Mt. Pisgah Baptist Church.
Photos: Bloomington-Normal NAACP 2022 Freedom Fund Gala
091922-blm-loc-1naacpgala.JPG
Shiela Harris, Bloomington-Normal NAACP membership chair, at the 2022 NAACP Gala Saturday, Sept. 17, at the Parke Regency Hotel in Bloomington.
D. Jack Alkire
091922-blm-loc-2naacpgala.JPG
Willie Holton Halbert, right, and Ryleigh Rose Beauvlien at the 2022 NAACP Gala Saturday, Sept. 17, at the Parke Regency Hotel in Bloomington.
D. Jack Alkire
091922-blm-loc-3naacpgala.JPG
Linda Foster, president of the Bloomington-Normal NAACP, and Tyanez Jones at the 2022 NAACP Gala Saturday, Sept. 17, at the Parke Regency Hotel in Bloomington.
D. Jack Alkire
091922-blm-loc-4naacpgala.JPG
Members of the Bloomington Police Department, from left to right, Kerri Johnson, Chief Jamal Simington, Sgt. Kiel Nowers, and Brandt Parsley, at the 2022 NAACP Gala Saturday, Sept. 17, at the Parke Regency Hotel in Bloomington.
D. Jack Alkire
091922-blm-loc-5naacpgala.JPG
Kevin Jackson and Bradley Ross Jackson at the 2022 NAACP Gala Saturday, Sept. 17, at the Parke Regency Hotel in Bloomington.
D. Jack Alkire
091922-blm-loc-6naacpgala.JPG
Tia Moore and Shirley Boykin at the 2022 NAACP Gala Saturday, Sept. 17, at the Parke Regency Hotel in Bloomington.
D. Jack Alkire
091922-blm-loc-7naacpgala.JPG
The Bloomington-Normal NAACP official charter at the 2022 NAACP Gala Saturday, Sept. 17, at the Parke Regency Hotel in Bloomington.
D. Jack Alkire
091922-blm-loc-8naacpgala.JPG
Sara Lindenbaum and Sharon Chung at the 2022 NAACP Gala Saturday, Sept. 17, at the Parke Regency Hotel in Bloomington.
D. Jack Alkire
091922-blm-loc-9naacpgala.JPG
Bloomington Police Chief Jamal Simington and Mayor Mboka Mwilambwe at the 2022 NAACP Gala Saturday, Sept. 17, at the Parke Regency Hotel in Bloomington.
D. Jack Alkire
091922-blm-loc-10naacpgala.JPG
Bishop Larry Taylor and Willie Holton Halbert at the 2022 NAACP Gala Saturday, Sept. 17, at the Parke Regency Hotel in Bloomington.
D. Jack Alkire
091922-blm-loc-11naacpgala.JPG
Tia Moore sings the Black National Anthem at the 2022 NAACP Gala on Saturday, Sept. 17, at the Parke Regency Hotel in Bloomington.
D. Jack Alkire
091922-blm-loc-12naacpgala.JPG
Sheri Strohl with the McLean County Moms Demand Action table at the 2022 NAACP Gala Saturday, Sept. 17, at the Parke Regency Hotel in Bloomington.
D. Jack Alkire
091922-blm-loc-13naacpgala.JPG
Veleda Harvey, District 87 school board member, and superintendent David Mouser at the 2022 NAACP Gala Saturday, Sept. 17, at the Parke Regency Hotel in Bloomington.
D. Jack Alkire
091922-blm-loc-14naacpgala.JPG
Dr. Carla Campbell-Jackson, Lisa Campbell, Paige White, Jennifer Franklin, Kentrica Coleman and Dr. Jeanne Morris at the 2022 NAACP Gala Saturday, Sept. 17, at the Parke Regency Hotel in Bloomington.
D. Jack Alkire
091922-blm-loc-15naacpgala.JPG
Will Lewis, Doris Houston and Ashley Hall with the Illinois State University table at the 2022 NAACP Gala Saturday, Sept. 17, at the Parke Regency Hotel in Bloomington
D. Jack Alkire
Contact Olivia Jacobs at 309-820-3352. Follow Olivia on Twitter: @olivia___jacobs
Get local news delivered to your inbox!
Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. | https://pantagraph.com/news/local/tickets-on-sale-for-naacp-freedom-fund-gala-in-normal/article_2d0d0ba8-f9b0-11ed-af3b-b3db23490f91.html | 2023-05-24T21:33:26 | 1 | https://pantagraph.com/news/local/tickets-on-sale-for-naacp-freedom-fund-gala-in-normal/article_2d0d0ba8-f9b0-11ed-af3b-b3db23490f91.html |
Gerald "Jerry" Brumm and his wife Nancy Brumm founded one of the Region's most popular floral and gift shops and ran it for more than a half century.
They built Brumm's Bloomin' Barn at 2540 45th St. in the Brumm Plaza in Highland into a Northwest Indiana institution. It's still operating as Bloomin' Barn under new ownership today.
Brumm died earlier this month, just short of his 80th birthday, while planting flowers in his garden. He's remembered as a warm, caring family man who was close to both employees and customers over the decades.
"He was a fun-loving family man who loved people," his daughter Holly Furdo said. "He served in his church. He served in his community. He served in the National Guard."
Treating people well
The Hammond High School graduate and Schererville resident met his wife and business partner at Philip's Flowers in the 1960s.
"He was a wonderful husband and father," Nancy Brumm said. "He loved traveling. He loved people. He loved our customers. He thought of them as friends and family. He served them for 51 years."
They founded their family business in 1970 just six months after they married. They only had a few thousand dollars but had worked at another floral shop and had ideas for how they could do it better.
They opened a second Brumm's Bloomin' Barn in the Southlake Mall in 1974 and ran it for 12 years before closing it in 1986, when they built Brumm's Plaza on 45th Street in Highland. The nine-unit shopping center has long been home to tenants like Arrenello's Pizza and the Butterfingers delicatessen.
The 5,200-square-foot Brumm's Bloomin' Barn stocked many different items over the years, including balloons, posters, hats and Beanie Babies during the 1990s craze. It provided floral arrangements for countless weddings, anniversaries, proms, birthdays, Mother's Days, Valentine's Day and other special occasions over the years.
"Generations of people got flowers delivered for baby showers, proms, weddings, very life-changing moments and milestones," Furdo said. "They got flowers from my dad because they were always good quality and they would sometimes come to him for counseling or just to talk. Some people would stop in two or three times a week to talk. He would treat customers like family. He would make them feel special, like they had his undivided attention."
Customers continued to order with the store, even after moving to Arizona or being deployed as soldiers to Afghanistan.
"He believed if you treated people well, you'd never have to worry," she said. "It was an 'if you build it, they will come' scenario."
It's been known for having longtime loyal employees, some of whom have worked there for decades.
"If employees had a hard time, he'd let them call off and ask what they need," Nancy Brumm said. "He'd give employees special bonuses at Christmas time."
One of a kind
There was an outpouring of support from past employees and the public after his death.
"It was like 'It's a Wonderful Life,'" his sister-in-law Kathy Miller said. "People came from everywhere to honor him at his funeral. We're just overwhelmed with the outpouring of love, texts, flowers and food."
Brumm was active in the Immanuel Presbyterian Church, where he served as a deacon and an elder. He loved spending time with family and his grandchildren, never missing a softball or other game.
He was a huge fan of Jimmy Buffet, sometimes inviting friends, family and a few customers over for Cheeseburger in Paradise parties where they would grill out in the yard before taking a bus to a Jimmy Buffet concert. His garage was filled with Buffet and Cubs memorabilia. He was a huge Cubs fan, who would often listen to games on the radio at work. He meticulously maintained a Corvette he got for his high school graduation and also had a sweet tooth, keeping candy in a cabinet in the kitchen.
He was an avid traveler who visited nearly all 50 states, only missing out on Oregon.
"He was always starting the next adventure," Nancy Brumm said. "He was always trying something new, always experimenting, always making memories."
They would stay at fancy hotels one night and then spend the next cooking pork chops on a cast-iron skillet over an open flame while camping, before he would go out fishing.
"He visited many churches while traveling," Holly Furdo said. "He felt comfortable everywhere he went."
They often traveled on business, visiting old sales reps even after they retired in 2021. But his family said he just had a joy for life as evidenced by neighborhood bonfires he would star and snow angels he would make in the winter.
"He would always say, 'Look, look, look before you miss something' and 'People die in bed. Get up and see what's happening," Holly Furdo said.
Longtime employee Aaron Shloss remembers how he liked treating and helping the customers on the sales floor.
"He had very little patience for anything that distracted him from it. Neither he nor I had any idea how important we would end up becoming to each other over the subsequent years. And that's just one example," he said. "I remember he would stand at the receiving door and wait for the trucks of merchandise to arrive. He was absolutely rabid about getting new product in the store. When the wholesale merchandise would arrive he was a like a little kid on Christmas. The boxes would barely be inside and he would be tearing them open."
Shloss describes Brumm as one of a kind.
"I've never known anyone like him. He was alive in a way that so few people are," he said. "Always upbeat, always positive, and that's the thing that stood about him the most. He had absolutely no time for negativity or laziness or pessimism. No obstacle intimidated him. He'd plow right through it every time. He lived and breathed his store. I think the only thing more important to him was his family. And so often over the years, that line was blurred anyway. He and Nancy raised their kids in the store. And he treated his employees like they were his kids."
He almost lived in the store, showing up every day from morning to evening, Shloss said.
"Even when he did take a day off, he'd call multiple times to see how things were going. He oversaw everything and he had a genuine love for every single aspect of the business. He was fair but firm," he said. "He didn't suffer fools. He was staunchly loyal to his customers and to his workers. He was an excellent talker and an excellent salesman. In another life he could have been a hostage negotiator. He was just extremely charismatic and likable. If it was storming outside, he could convince you it was sunny. And to him, it always was. When customers would come in you could tell they were here as much to see him and Nancy as to buy merchandise. He was everyone's friend."
Brumm was a family man whose family was everything to him and who left a legacy of a store that's meant to much to the community, Shloss said.
"In 1970 there was absolutely nothing like Brumm's Bloomin' Barn. And there really is still not, to this day. Jerry and Nancy were auteurs in their field. What they started and grew for a half century is still here, still evolving. People still come in here and ask about him and Nancy," he said. "He was a model businessman but he was also a warm human being who cultivated much more than a successful independent business. He cultivated a legacy of friendship and togetherness and hard work and hometown pride.
"Not a day goes by that he is not remembered as the warm, radiant, dedicated friend and employer that he was. And so, as long as that remains true, Jerry Brumm will never die."
NWI Business Ins and Outs: Pierogi stand, Brown Skin Coffee and Alpha Family Resale opening; Ixxa and Dan's Pierogies updating
Region native Joseph S. Pete is a Lisagor Award-winning business reporter who covers steel, industry, unions, the ports, retail, banking and more. The Indiana University grad has been with The Times of Northwest Indiana since 2013. | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/brumms-bloomin-barn-founder-jerry-brumm-dies-remembered-as-everyones-friend/article_0f684746-fa6b-11ed-b08e-f7a047994fd3.html | 2023-05-24T21:33:51 | 1 | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/brumms-bloomin-barn-founder-jerry-brumm-dies-remembered-as-everyones-friend/article_0f684746-fa6b-11ed-b08e-f7a047994fd3.html |
GARY — Indiana University Northwest is launching "Kids College," a free on-campus enrichment program for low-income middle schoolers, the university announced.
The program is scheduled for June 5-16, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. It's a free, two-week camp aimed at children from historically underrepresented and low-income populations who qualify for free and reduced lunch. The goal is to prepare children for college and careers by connecting the students with IUN faculty and staff, as well as with community partners. Each student will participate in five tracts, — business, medical, theatre and arts, robotics and coding — IUN said. The camp will also connect students to the 21st Century Scholars Program, a state program that provides undergraduate tuition and support to income-eligible students attending colleges or universities in Indiana.
The program is limited to 100 students on a first-come-first-serve basis who meet the eligibility requirements: students of color and from low-income backgrounds who qualify for free and reduced lunch and are enrolling in the sixth, seventh or eighth grades at the start of the fall 2023 academic year. Families interested in attending should get a membership packet at the John Will Anderson Gary Boys & Girls Club, 2700 W 19th Ave., or call 219-885-5501. IUN is partnering with the John Will Anderson Gary Boys & Girls Club on this program.
The program was made possible through a $899,541 grant funded from Lilly Endowment Inc. first announced in October 2022. The grant is funding the program in Gary in 2023 and subsequent years with plans to expand to three additional Indiana University campuses throughout the state over the next two years. It's a revival of a program previously run by IUN for over 10 years that ceased operations in 2016.
In this Times file photo from 2009, Kayla Nichols, 11, learns how to properly feed a baby with a bottle in Linda Reeves' Red Cross class as part of Indiana University Northwest Kids College program in Gary. | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/education/iun-launches-kids-college-program/article_021ad1c0-f8e6-11ed-814d-5773dbeff251.html | 2023-05-24T21:33:58 | 1 | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/education/iun-launches-kids-college-program/article_021ad1c0-f8e6-11ed-814d-5773dbeff251.html |
SCHERERVILLE — A 58-year-old man who was hit by a vehicle Monday night was pronounced dead early Tuesday morning, the Lake County coroner's office is reporting.
Alfredo Munoz, of Dyer, was riding a bicycle around 9 p.m. heading south on Eagle Ridge Drive when he was struck by a black Ford Fusion, Schererville police Cmdr. Kevin Wagner said in an email. He was taken to Franciscan Health in Crown Point but died from his injuries.
St. John Police CIT Officer Dustin Wartman is trained in mental health intervention.
The driver of the vehicle remained on the scene and cooperated with investigators, police said. The manner of death was declared an accident.
The crash remains under investigation. Anyone with additional information can contact the Schererville Police Department Detective Bureau at 219-322-5000.
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
Be the first to know
Get local news delivered to your inbox! | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/lake/schererville/update-man-who-died-in-schererville-crash-was-struck-while-riding-a-bicycle-police-say/article_57c42c3c-f9c4-11ed-850b-0385465edcbb.html | 2023-05-24T21:34:04 | 1 | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/lake/schererville/update-man-who-died-in-schererville-crash-was-struck-while-riding-a-bicycle-police-say/article_57c42c3c-f9c4-11ed-850b-0385465edcbb.html |
The Kenosha woman accused of stealing over $345,000 from her local employer waved her preliminary hearing Wednesday morning and could face probation for her alleged crimes through a deal with prosecutors.
Diane C. Sigler, 55, was charged earlier this month with theft of moveable property valued over $100,000 and unauthorized use of an entity’s identifying information or documents, both felonies.
Sigler, a former employee of Expanded Technologies Corporation, allegedly stole more than $345,000 from the company by transferring funds to her own bank account over several years while she worked there.
The chief executive officer of the company that specializes in manufacturing floor protection products told investigators that her alleged actions left them on the verge of bankruptcy, according to the criminal complaint.
People are also reading…
Sigler, who made her initial appearance at Intake Court last week, remains in custody on a $40,000 cash bond.
On Wednesday, Sigler appeared with public defender attorney Seth Johnson before Court Commissioner Loren Keating in the Pretrial Building Courtroom.
Sigler, who appeared handcuffed and in an orange prison jumpsuit, waved her preliminary hearing and Keating found probable cause exists that a felony was committed by Sigler. The case over to Kenosha County Circuit Court for further proceedings.
Sigler pleaded not guilty.
Before Sigler waved her preliminary hearing her attorney said there was a preliminary hearing waver offer made.
“The offer is that if Ms. Sigler pleads guilty to Count 2 the state would dismiss and read in Count 1. The state at the time of sentencing would recommend probation but also require a stipulation to restitution. The offer is subject to further negotiations,” Seth said.
Seth said the offer is contingent upon bond compliance and the defense not challenging the prosecution or arrest.
Count 1 is theft of moveable property valued over $100,000, a Class C felony. Count 2 is unauthorized use of an entity’s identifying information or documents, a Class H felony.
The judicial pretrial is set for June 29 before Judge Anthony Milisauskas.
Criminal complaint
On April 12, a Kenosha Police officer met with the chief executive officer of Expanded Technologies who reported that Sigler, his accounts manager, had stolen more than $345,000 from his business’s checking account over the past several years, according to the criminal complaint.
The man said that he had suspected for about a year that money was missing from his company’s account, according to the complaint, and so he conducted a review. The man said he discovered that there were accounts associated with the business that did not exist so asked his bank for a full report.
On March 27, while he was in the process of his audit, Sigler reportedly contacted him and admitted to taking the funds because she needed the money and had spent it all.
Sigler was fired on April 11 and the chief executive officer reportedly said he kept employing her after her March confession was because she was the one who knew all of the banking and account passwords.
Sigler also reportedly told another employee that she “took money” and had been stealing since October 2020.
Sigler, according to the complaint, told the employee “I don’t want to go to prison, I don’t want to go to prison.”
The employee later went through some accounting software and found Sigler created fake vendor accounts that had the same or similar names as legitimate vendors.
Sigler would then reportedly create invoices and vouchers for the fake vendor and generate checks to pay the fake vendor’s vouchers before voiding out the vouchers from the system after the money was transferred.
A detective subpoenaed the bank where all the suspect vouchers and transfers were linked to and found it was owned by Sigler.
The detective, according to the complaint, found at least 130 fraudulent transactions totaling $345,499.06.
Investigators installed a recording program on the chief executive officer’s phone and recorded a conversation between he and Sigler. Sigler reportedly admitted to stealing the funds alone and promised to pay back the funds once she got a new job.
Mugshots: Racine County criminal complaints, May 19, 2023
Today's mugshots: May 19
These are images of people charged with a crime in Racine County. Booking photos are provided by Racine County law enforcement officials. A defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty and convicted.
Beverly J. Johnson Jr.
Beverly J. Johnson Jr., 900 block of High Street, Racine, attempting to flee or elude an officer, felony bail jumping.
Leroy A. McAllister
Leroy (aka Boobee) A. McAllister, 1100 block of Marquette Street, Racine, possession of narcotic drugs, possession of cocaine.
Katie Lynn Nuszbaum
Katie Lynn Nuszbaum, 1200 block of Wisconsin Avenue, Racine, felony bail jumping, misdemeanor retail theft (intentionally take less than or equal to $500), possession of THC, obstructing an officer.
Kaleb D. Weaver
Kaleb D. Weaver, 1100 block of Marquette Street, Racine, manufacture/deliver THC (less than or equal to 200 grams, possession with intent to deliver/distribute a controlled substance on or near a park), maintaining a drug trafficking place, deliver fentanyl (between 10-50 grams, possession with intent to deliver/distribute a controlled substance on or near a park), possession of THC, felony bail jumping. | https://kenoshanews.com/news/local/crime-courts/woman-accused-of-stealing-over-345-000-waves-preliminary-hearing-could-face-probation/article_68b1cc40-fa5d-11ed-9053-1f100b12e524.html | 2023-05-24T21:34:42 | 1 | https://kenoshanews.com/news/local/crime-courts/woman-accused-of-stealing-over-345-000-waves-preliminary-hearing-could-face-probation/article_68b1cc40-fa5d-11ed-9053-1f100b12e524.html |
Employer of 7 farmworkers killed in Oregon highway crash says devastation is 'immeasurable'
The employer of the seven farmworkers who were killed last week on Interstate 5 between Salem and Albany said the company considered them family and is grieving the loss.
All 11 people killed or injured in the crash, which is being investigated as a DUII, were agricultural workers for J. Ruiz Farm Labor Contracting, a labor contract company in Salem. Seven people were killed; four were injured, some seriously. The Mexican Consulate said it believes the victims were Mexican nationals or have connections to Mexico.
Anmarie Ruiz, the company's administrative manager, said the devastation is "immeasurable."
"No one could have known what lied ahead when they went to work that day or that they would never return home to their family after an honest day's work," Ruiz said in a statement to the Statesman Journal. "Day in and day out these hard-working individuals work harder than anyone could ever know to make a life here with their families."
OSP has identified the victims as: Eduardo Lopez, 31, of Gervais; Alejandro Jimenez Hernandez, 36, of Gervais; Josue Garcia Garcia, 30, of Salem; Luis Enrique Gomez Reyes, 30, of Woodburn; Javier Suarez, 58, of Woodburn; Alejandra Espinoza Carpio, 39; and Juan Carlos Leyva Carrillo, 37, of Woodburn.
Ruiz said the company's sole focus now is supporting surviving employees and victims' families.
"They had plans for a future, children to raise, they had hopes and dreams," she said.
Some of those who died were biological relatives, Ruiz said, or worked alongside biological relatives. But "all were family, in a sense," she said.
"Many of these families work together, live together [and] now can't work because they are grieving and trying to navigate through this tragedy," Ruiz said.
Ruiz is grateful for the outpouring of support she already has seen from friends and colleagues, she said, including from a GoFundMe created by the Oregon Farm Bureau.
The GoFundMe, which was launched Tuesday evening, had raised more than $36,000 of its $55,000 goal by noon Wednesday. The funds will be split evenly among the victims' families and surviving employees, Ruiz said.
SAIF, Oregon's worker's compensation agency, will cover funeral costs and repatriation to Mexico. PCUN, Oregon's farmworker union, also is raising money through its foundation to be split among the 11 families. SAIF, Oregon's worker's compensation agency, will cover funeral costs and repatriation
Ruiz said she hopes the funds provide some relief to families as they grieve and recover.
"We at J. Ruiz Farm Labor are grateful to have known them all."
Shannon Sollitt covers agricultural workers through Report for America, a program that aims to support local journalism and democracy by reporting on under-covered issues and communities. Send tips, questions and comments to ssollitt@statesmanjournal.com | https://www.statesmanjournal.com/story/news/local/2023/05/24/j-ruiz-farm-labor-contracting-salem-oregon-highway-crash-farmworkers/70252606007/ | 2023-05-24T21:36:55 | 0 | https://www.statesmanjournal.com/story/news/local/2023/05/24/j-ruiz-farm-labor-contracting-salem-oregon-highway-crash-farmworkers/70252606007/ |
MITCHELL — Voices of opposition and support of the initiated measure that aims to allow the city to sell eight lots along Lake Mitchell debated on Tuesday and made their case ahead of the June 6 election.
The debate featured Mitchell Mayor Bob Everson, who helped bring the ballot measure forward as a mechanism to help fund a future lake dredging project, and Sherry Stilley, a Lake Mitchell resident advocating against selling the lots who said the initiated measure isn’t about cleaning up the water.
Everson opened the debate by emphasizing the lots make up a miniscule portion of the city-owned land along the lake shores. Roughly 76% of the land is owned by the city, and Everson said the sale of the lots would decrease the city’s land on the lake shore by 2%.
“We will still have 73% of the shoreline accessible for the public. The impact is negligible, but the money we can raise gives us the benefit of being able to get going with work in Lake Mitchell,” Everson said. “These eight were chosen because they were already platted. A lot of areas along Lake Mitchell are not platted. They are simple to put into a realtor's hands and be sold.”
Transforming the lots from public park land to future homes is a move that Stilley believes will have a negative impact on the environment and the water.
ADVERTISEMENT
The existing trees on some of the lots Stilley argued help absorb nutrients and runoff in the soil, which she fears would end up in Lake Mitchell if they are torn down for future housing developments.
“These lots full of trees currently help nature clean up the water. The roots absorb the nitrates and phosphates and fertilizers that make the algae grow in the lake. Trees provide oxygen, clean the soil, control pollution and slow stormwater runoff,” Stilley said, adding the trees provide habitat for birds. “If houses were built, they would tear out the trees and fertilize the lawns that would make our lake greener again.”
Stilley claimed the ballot measure isn’t about helping improve the algae-laden water in the lake, rather it centers around money and future real estate development.
“It’s so misleading. It’s not about cleaning up the water. It’s about selling all of the green spaces between lakefront homes. It’s about giving up eight pieces of your public access parkland for development,” she said. “I’m advocating for your parkland because it cannot speak for itself."
Everson rejected Stilley’s claim that a no vote from the council on dredging would eliminate the impact the sale of the lake lots by explaining the money generated from the sale of the lots would still be dedicated toward Lake Mitchell restoration work, regardless of whether dredging is struck down.
“If council decides not to move forward with dredging, the money would still be used to make improvements to Lake Mitchell. Whether those improvements have to do with floating wetlands that can be placed in the lake to take out nutrients or working near the Firesteel watershed,” Everson said.
Everson estimates the revenue from the sale of all eight lots could amount to nearly $1 million. He said the city would look to list each for at least six figures through a realtor and an opening listing that allows any realtor to sell them.
The idea to sell city-owned lots around the lake recently emerged during a public meeting where city officials pitched potential methods of funding the proposed $25 million lake dredging project. The city council is nearing a vote on a 30-year loan application to fund a $25 million dredging project in mid-June. If voters approve the lake measure, Stilley believes it would be rendered useless if the council were to strike down going ahead with dredging.
ADVERTISEMENT
Four of the lots are located along the shores of the south side of the lake near North Ohlman Street, while the other four are situated on the north side of the lake by North Harmon Drive. A majority of the eight lots are about 50 feet wide with tree coverage. Most of the lots are also located in between existing homes, which Everson said rarely ever get used.
Stilley recalled voters approving to turn all city owned land along the lake into parkland in 2010 and urged a no vote to keep the same result in place.
“We voted on this in 2010 to preserve parkland forever. If these lots were sold, it would increase the lake problems, not improve them because people would be fertilizer where they are not now,” Stilley said, asking voters to be visionaries for the future.
In his closing remarks, Everson reminded the audience of the severe algae woes that have hampered the lake for decades and said generating any revenue to tackle that long-standing issue would advance progress on the restoration of Lake Mitchell.
“It’s old. It's seen its lifespan, and we need to do some rejuvenating to make it a good place for residents to use and generate revenue for the city. We would also ask council to capture that property tax revenue and also dedicate that to work being done in Lake Mitchell. It gives us more than just a single method to put some revenue in the coffers for improving Lake Mitchell,” Everson said of the initiated measure. | https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/the-debate-featured-mitchell-mayor-bob-everson-who-helped-bring-the-ballot-measure-forward-as-a-way-to-help-fund-a-future-lake-dredging-project-and-sherry-stilley-a-resident-opposed-to-the-measure | 2023-05-24T21:38:00 | 0 | https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/the-debate-featured-mitchell-mayor-bob-everson-who-helped-bring-the-ballot-measure-forward-as-a-way-to-help-fund-a-future-lake-dredging-project-and-sherry-stilley-a-resident-opposed-to-the-measure |
BANGOR- A Brewer man has been indicted for attempted murder.
The Penobscot County Grand Jury indicted 33-year-old Brandon Rego on several other charges including kidnapping, aggravated assault , domestic violence terrorizing with a dangerous weapon and two counts of domestic violence assault.
Officials with the Penobscot County District Attorneys Office say in one instance during January of this year, Rego allegedly held a gun to his girlfriend and forced her to take a large number of pills with the intention of making her overdose.
Dustin Gagnon, 20, of Brewer was also indicted.
Crews were called to a fire on Greenwood Drive in Brewer in March.
When they arrived they found heavy smoke and fire in the kitchen.
Everyone made it out safely.
Gagnon was indicted for aggravated reckless conduct and terrorizing. | https://www.foxbangor.com/news/local/brewer-man-indicted-for-attempted-murder/article_46c1eb08-fa79-11ed-a7b6-1765a627badb.html | 2023-05-24T21:39:07 | 1 | https://www.foxbangor.com/news/local/brewer-man-indicted-for-attempted-murder/article_46c1eb08-fa79-11ed-a7b6-1765a627badb.html |
AUGUSTA -- A public hearing was held today on a bill that proposes an amendment to Maine's constitution.
LD1953 introduced by Representative Jennifer Poirer of Skowhegan would establish a "Parental Bill of Rights".
She says the bill is designed to give Maine voters the right to have a public discussion of whether parents or the state should have the say on the education and upbringing of children.
"LD1953 establishes into our constitution a parental right to raise our children how parents see fit with our own core values and beliefs. Under this amendment parents have the fundamental right to educate their children, to care for their children and to raise their children while still giving the state authority to protect children when necessary," said Poirer.
The Maine School Board Association and Maine School Superintendent's Association have come out against the legislation.
They say there are already written policies in place to promote the rights of parents to partner with schools .
"Board members should promote parental engagement in the education of their children by monitoring their child's learning progress, reviewing their homework, discussing concerns with appropriate staff members in school and joining the PTO and volunteering at school," said Victoria Wallack, Director of Communication for Maine School Management Association.
Sixteen states have a parental bill of rights in their statutes.
Maine could be the first to have one in it's constitution. | https://www.foxbangor.com/news/local/parental-bill-of-rights-hearing/article_b92950c6-fa6c-11ed-91dd-b3b8b07ef1b6.html | 2023-05-24T21:39:13 | 0 | https://www.foxbangor.com/news/local/parental-bill-of-rights-hearing/article_b92950c6-fa6c-11ed-91dd-b3b8b07ef1b6.html |
PHOENIX — As public comment meetings begin next month involving proposed rates and rules for APS, there is disagreement about the actual impact the utility’s proposal would have on customers’ bills.
APS proposed a new rate formula to the Arizona Corporation Commission that the utility company said will increase its annual net revenue by $460 million, amounting to an average residential customer bill increase of 13.6%, according to an announcement by APS.
However, the actual net impact on consumers may be twice as high, according to the most recent estimate by the Residential Utility Consumer Office (RUCO), the agency that represents the interests of residential utility customers. A February legal filing to the Commission by RUCO provides a “best estimate” of the actual impact to ratepayers to be a total increase of $895 or 26.3%.
The estimates could evolve as the rate case moves forward this summer.
“We will continue to address this issue in the APS case, but at the moment, this is our position. We have not made any changes,” said Cynthia Zwick, acting Director of RUCO.
First public comment hearing is scheduled for June 1
Within the next three weeks, ACC Staff and RUCO are expected to file their testimonies in the case. The first public comment meeting is scheduled for June 1.
“The Commission has to dig into these details and actually parse all the competing information to get to the reality so that, in fact, customers are protected,” said Justin Olson, a former Corporation Commissioner who finished his term in January. Olson spoke to 12 News during a panel discussion Wednesday.
Bill Mundell, who served on the Commission from 1999 to 2009, said RUCO’s role in the upcoming hearings will be crucial.
“If RUCO does their job as established by statute then the public can feel pretty confident the hearing will be fair,” Mundell said.
Lessons learned from the 2017 rate case?
Consumers have a reason to be skeptical, given the results of the 2017 APS rate settlement.
“There was an initial recommendation (in 2017) by staff that the rates stay the same and RUCO recommended the rates go down,” Mundell said, who was not at the Commission at the time. “Then all of the sudden behind closed doors the people of Arizona get a settlement where they learn they are getting a rate increase. That changed overnight.”
For his part, Olson was also not part of that settlement. Olson said he believes it will be important commissioners don’t try to add complexity to rates as they did in 2017.
“Are there big changes in the rate design? If so you are going to see that disparate impact,” Olson said.
A year after the rates went into effect, a consumer complaint alleged the actual bill impact to consumers was on average three times higher than what APS had described. A subsequent independent review in 2019 also concluded APS over-earned what they were authorized by the ACC. It stated APS did not take into account additional costs to customers and there was “a lack of full disclosure” to customers.
APS declined to comment on the independent review at the time of its release.
In 2021, APS entered a $24 million settlement with the Arizona Attorney General’s Office involving 230,000 customers allegedly financially harmed by APS practices. The AG determined APS did not adequately inform customers about their most economical rate plan and did not resolve a data error affecting customers.
Many factors to consider in a rate case
“These issues are not developed in a vacuum,” said Caryn Potter, Arizona representative for the Southwest Energy Efficiency Project (SWEEP), a nonprofit funded by government and supporters of alternative energy industries. SWEEP was an intervenor in the 2017 case and is again an intervenor in this current case. SWEEP did not sign off on the 2017 case.
“This (rate settlements) is all determined based on what is happening across the state economically, politically and based on other consumer issues as well,” Potter said.
Potter said SWEEP’s priority in the upcoming case is simple.
“To make sure consumers know what options are available to them and to reduce rates as much as possible,” Potter said.
APS proposing added support for limited-income customers
APS’s proposal also includes new time-of-use holidays, more support for limited-income customers, investments to the grid, and cost competitive clean energy, APS said in a statement.
“The reliable electric service customers expect comes from maintaining and growing the grid; and APS invests more than $1.5 billion a year to do that,” APS told 12 News in writing. “Our rates today are based on costs from five years ago – a lot has changed since then - and it’s critical that we continue to strengthen our infrastructure to protect against extreme weather and also support Arizona’s growing demand for energy.”
The rate case hearings are scheduled to begin August 10th and are scheduled to last about a month.
>> Download the 12News app for the latest local breaking news straight to your phone.
Watch 12 News on Thursday, May 25th, at 6pm for expanded coverage of “Power and Influence” with a deeper look at what is at stake in the APS rate application case.
Up to Speed
Catch up on the latest news and stories on our 12News YouTube playlist here. | https://www.12news.com/article/news/local/arizona/aps-higher-rates-ruco-disagree-about-impact-on-customers/75-83ecb91f-a2b6-475f-bcaf-1b880288735a | 2023-05-24T21:50:50 | 1 | https://www.12news.com/article/news/local/arizona/aps-higher-rates-ruco-disagree-about-impact-on-customers/75-83ecb91f-a2b6-475f-bcaf-1b880288735a |
QUEEN CREEK, Ariz. — The Queen Creek Police Department has submitted charges against two juveniles after staff at a local high school found a black doll hanging by a rope in a student bathroom.
On Monday, a staff member at Queen Creek High School was conducting a routine security sweep when they found a black children's doll hanging by a jump rope in a campus bathroom, according to a police spokesperson.
Local police were called to investigate, resulting in police submitting referrals to the Maricopa County Attorney's Office for prosecutorial review.
The referrals are attempting to charge the two juveniles with disrupting an educational institution.
Up to Speed
Catch up on the latest news and stories on our 12News YouTube playlist here.
More ways to get 12News
On your phone: Download the 12News app for the latest local breaking news straight to your phone.
On your streaming device: Download 12News+ to your streaming device
The free 12News+ app from 12News lets users stream live events — including daily newscasts like "Today in AZ" and "12 News" and our daily lifestyle program, "Arizona Midday"—on Roku and Amazon Fire TV.
We are committed to serving all of the Valley's communities, because we live here, too.
12News is the Official Home of the Arizona Cardinals and the proud recipient of the 2018 Rocky Mountain Emmy Award for Overall Excellence.
12News+ showcases live video throughout the day for breaking news, local news, weather and even an occasional moment of Zen showcasing breathtaking sights from across Arizona. | https://www.12news.com/article/news/local/valley/queen-creek-police-investigating-hanging-doll-found-school-bathroom/75-ab790aba-020d-424b-9835-c5278131ea2d | 2023-05-24T21:50:56 | 0 | https://www.12news.com/article/news/local/valley/queen-creek-police-investigating-hanging-doll-found-school-bathroom/75-ab790aba-020d-424b-9835-c5278131ea2d |
BLOOMINGTON, Ind — Indiana State Police believe a missing woman from Bloomington is in extreme danger and may require medical assistance.
The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the disappearance of Christina Lynn Strunk, who was last seen on Monday, May 22 at 10 a.m.
She is described by police as being a 49-year-old woman, 5 feet 4 inches tall and 85 pounds. She has blonde hair with hazel eyes, and was last seen wearing a black floral dress.
She was reportedly driving a red 2016 Toyota Camry with the Indiana license plate: BLZ500.
Again, she is believed to be in extreme danger and may require medical assistance.
If you have any information on Christina Lynn Strunk, contact the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office at 812-349-2781 or 911.
Amber Alert vs. Silver Alert: What's the difference?
There are specific standards a person's disappearance must meet in order for police to declare an Amber Alert or a Silver Alert.
Amber Alerts are for children under the age of 18 who are believed to have been abducted and in danger. Police also need to have information about a suspect and their car to issue an Amber Alert.
Silver Alerts are for missing and endangered adults or children. They are much more common for missing people. It was not until last year when the standards for Silver Alerts were expanded to include children.
In both situations, these alerts must be issued by police. | https://www.wthr.com/article/news/local/silver-alert-issued-for-missing-christina-lynn-strunk-of-bloomington-person/531-304a09c6-54fe-44bd-b3c8-7d8ae8e073f5 | 2023-05-24T21:51:42 | 1 | https://www.wthr.com/article/news/local/silver-alert-issued-for-missing-christina-lynn-strunk-of-bloomington-person/531-304a09c6-54fe-44bd-b3c8-7d8ae8e073f5 |
ATLANTA — A Georgia State Patrol trooper was involved in a shooting Wednesday afternoon at a BP gas station across the street from an Atlanta Fire Rescue station in southeast Atlanta, according to police.
Law enforcement is currently on the scene of the shooting at 448 Boulevard SE. The gas station is just two blocks away from Grant Park.
Officials with Georgia Bureau of Investigation said troopers were involved in a chase near I-20 and Boulevard, which escalated to gunfire at the gas station.
It's not yet known who, if anyone, was shot in the incident, but Atlanta Fire officials confirmed the shooting did not happen at the fire station.
11Alive has a crew on the way to the scene to find out more about what happened.
This is a developing story. Check back often for new information.
Also download the 11Alive News app and sign up to receive alerts for the latest on this story and other breaking news in Atlanta and north Georgia. | https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/georgia-state-trooper-involved-shooting-atlanta-fire-station-grant-park/85-4aad50e1-58f9-4fe5-83ad-c913bb0216fb | 2023-05-24T21:54:28 | 1 | https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/georgia-state-trooper-involved-shooting-atlanta-fire-station-grant-park/85-4aad50e1-58f9-4fe5-83ad-c913bb0216fb |
ATLANTA — Editor's note: The video above is from a previous web story
Georgia’s youngest certified farmer is set to appear in an airing of Sesame Street Thursday.
Kendall Rae Johnson was featured in an episode of Sesame Street called “G is for Garden.” The episode will premiere Thursday night on HBO Max, according to her website.
The now 8-year-old is known for her passion for all things agricultural. Johnson became the youngest certified farmer in Georgia at the age of 6.
She frequently discusses her garden, where she grows several varieties of produce, including cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers and okra – to name a few.
"My garden is my favorite part of my house,” Johnson said in a video back in 2021. “I grow carrots and they are delicious. My goal is to meet new friends and inspire other kids."
Since then, Johnson has appeared on several national shows and has released her own book called "I'm Growing Places," the website said.
The South Fulton resident is also active in her community. She hosted her “very own Earth Day Parade '' consisting of marching bands, vendors, schools, city officials and celebrities, according to a release.
If you want to attend the premiere party, it will start at 5 p.m. at the Adams Park Library at 2231 Campbellton Road SW in Atlanta.
South Fulton Mayor Khalid Kamau, Councilwoman Carmalitha Gumbs and the UGA Master Gardeners will also attend the event.
For more information, click the link here. | https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/georgias-youngest-certified-farmer-featured-sesame-street-episode-kendall-rae-johnson/85-1d649242-6d3a-40d2-8ee1-b1a338d54163 | 2023-05-24T21:54:34 | 1 | https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/georgias-youngest-certified-farmer-featured-sesame-street-episode-kendall-rae-johnson/85-1d649242-6d3a-40d2-8ee1-b1a338d54163 |
GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — Gwinnett County firefighters battled a fire that broke out at a Lawrenceville home Wednesday morning.
Crews were called to the single-story home at the 1400 block of Riverwood Court. When firefighters arrived, they were met with flames coming from the back of the home.
Firefighters then used several hoses to put out the fire. While no one was injured, the home had extensive fire and smoke damage, according to a Facebook post from Gwinnett County Fire and Emergency Services.
House fire
Officials did not say if anyone was displaced by the fire or what caused it.
However, Gwinnett County Fire urges residents to keep in mind that a burn ban is in effect until Sept. 30 and "rubbish fires are considered illegal on non-burn days." | https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/gwinnett-county-firefighters-battle-house-fire-lawrenceville/85-ae4b7963-d10c-4441-9c03-1a131b684c25 | 2023-05-24T21:54:40 | 1 | https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/gwinnett-county-firefighters-battle-house-fire-lawrenceville/85-ae4b7963-d10c-4441-9c03-1a131b684c25 |
SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — Sandy Springs Police Department has converted its river rescue unit into a river patrol unit.
Starting Memorial Day weekend, the newly-formed patrol unit will be on the water in the Chattahoochee River between Island Ford and The Palisades. Officers will be enforcing state laws and Sandy Springs ordinances, according to the department.
"The goal of this unit will be to deter any criminal activity on the river and the immediate surrounding areas in Sandy Springs. Additionally, we aim to reduce the number of drownings as well as educate local swimmers, floaters, and boaters on the best safety practices all while enjoying their time on the river," a spokesperson for the department said in a news release.
The team is made up of two sergeants and nine officers. The Sandy Springs Fire Department will operate the river rescue unit for the city. | https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/sandy-springs-river-patrol-unit/85-484760e9-44b4-4a82-aad3-1999a6dbdf67 | 2023-05-24T21:54:46 | 0 | https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/sandy-springs-river-patrol-unit/85-484760e9-44b4-4a82-aad3-1999a6dbdf67 |
An extraordinary recovery after a serious diagnosis.
Tootsie is an aging standard poodle with arthritis and recently, her legs stopped working, Virginia Tech officials said.
Mary Jane Barrett of Roanoke is Tootsie’s owner. She said when the pup’s legs stopped working, it looked like she was doing a belly flop.
The pup was taken to the vet, then was referred to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital at the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine for treatment. officials said.
The next day, they arrived at the appointment and Tootsie was completely unable to stand.
We’re told the pup was later diagnosed with “wobbler syndrome,” a condition more formally called cervical spondylomyelopathy, which occurs when the spinal cord is compressed because of a narrowing of the spinal canal. VT officials said the syndrome is usually seen in large dog breeds.
There were two options for treatment – a decision that wasn’t so easy for her owner to make.
“It’s scary. We were petrified to make the decision: surgery or medicine,” Barrett said.
But since Tootsie’s symptoms came on so quickly, they decided to go with surgery. With that decision, the VT team expected a long road to recovery ahead.
“Going into surgery, we discussed that it could take months for her to get back up and walk again,” said Kayla Fowler, chief neurology and neurosurgery resident.
But Tootsie is exceeding their expectations. After just weeks in the hospital and multiple types of therapy, officials said she is now able to walk on her own again.
Even though she’ll need to remain in long-term rehab and still wears a support harness just in case, Tootsie is back home living it up with her family, officials said.
Her owner is overjoyed with the outcome.
“There have been lots of tears. The first day that she just got up on her own and walked to her water bowl, I cried. Watching her walk from the car to therapy has just fulfilled every kind of emotion,” said Barrett. “My daughter said it best: ‘Mom, it’s like watching your kid take their first step.’ | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2023/05/24/its-like-watching-your-kid-take-their-first-step-virginia-tech-vet-team-helps-poodle-walk-again/ | 2023-05-24T21:55:37 | 0 | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2023/05/24/its-like-watching-your-kid-take-their-first-step-virginia-tech-vet-team-helps-poodle-walk-again/ |
SALEM, Va. – A ribbon cutting was held on Wednesday for the Recharge Boutique, a new clothes closet run by the Salem High School’s robotics team.
The clothes closet is part of a service project and was made possible through donations from local businesses like Cato and Walmart.
“We try and pride ourselves in making things look good, so we tried our best to make this look good so people don’t feel like they’re reaching into a big cardboard box, grabbing some clothes. They feel like they’re genuinely shopping at a nice boutique, clothing store,” Adam Greene with the Salem High robotics team said.
“We know there’s a stigma to handouts or feeling like somebody’s having to give you something so we wanted to make it a true experience,” Beth Denton, a faculty sponsor said.
Students have regular “shopping hours” when they can select clothing they would not otherwise have, during which time they can get up to six items for free.
The store has also been used by staff members. | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2023/05/24/recharge-boutique-clothes-closet-opens-at-salem-high-school/ | 2023-05-24T21:55:43 | 1 | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2023/05/24/recharge-boutique-clothes-closet-opens-at-salem-high-school/ |
SEATTLE — Workers in Washington state eligible for WA Cares exemptions must apply by June 1 to avoid the paycheck deductions beginning in July.
Beginning July 1, employers in Washington state will start deducting premiums from paychecks for the WA Cares Fund, the state’s new long-term care insurance program. Workers will pay 0.58% of every $100 earned to fund the program. Some workers are eligible to receive an exemption from the paycheck deductions, like workers who are unlikely to be able to use the benefits.
According to the state’s Employment Security Department (ESD), more than 200,000 workers in the state may still be eligible to receive the exemption but must apply before the deadline on June 1. The WA Cares Fund website said more than 10,000 workers have submitted applications since Jan. 1.
Veterans with a 70% or higher service-connected disability can apply for a permanent exemption, according to the WA Cares Fund website.
Other workers who are eligible for the exemption include:
- Workers who are a spouse/registered domestic partner of an active-duty U.S. armed forces member.
- Workers who work in Washington but live out of state.
- Workers who have a temporary non-immigrant visa, including H-2A and H-1B visas.
These workers are only eligible for the exemption for as long as they remain in the circumstances above. The workers must notify their employer and ESD within 90 days if they no longer qualify, the WA Cares Fund website said.
Workers can apply online for an exemption from WA Cares by visiting its website.
ESD will send an email confirming the application. If approved, workers will be able to access their approval letter through their WA Cares online account within 48 hours of approval. Workers will need to provide the letter to their current and future employers to ensure their paychecks are not deducted.
ESD said it will continue to process applications received after June 1, but applications approved on or after July 1 will not be effective until Oct. 1 at the earliest.
The WA Cares Fund will eventually be used to help Washingtonians access a $36,500 benefit - adjusted annually for inflation - for long-term care insurance. Benefits will become available for qualified individuals in July 2026.
Learn more on the WA Cares Fund website. | https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/workers-eligible-wa-cares-exemptions-apply-june-1/281-06ee587b-af78-4c7a-8db7-cb791be205fc | 2023-05-24T21:55:44 | 1 | https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/workers-eligible-wa-cares-exemptions-apply-june-1/281-06ee587b-af78-4c7a-8db7-cb791be205fc |
As the weather gets warmer, tick season is upon us.
Virginia Tech medical geography expert Korine Kolivras says one way to protect yourself from tick-borne illnesses is to rethink landscaping choices.
“We found higher rates of Lyme disease in areas with herbaceous cover, such as meadows and grass, as well as the edges or boundaries between herbaceous land cover and forest patches,” Kolivras, a Department of Geography professor said.
Kolivras studies how Lyme cases are associated with certain land cover characteristics and configurations.
“Many neighborhoods, especially in our region, fit this profile and individuals could take steps to reduce our interaction with tick populations,” she said.
“At the broad scale, we may want to rethink how we develop residential neighborhoods in terms of this landscape configuration that mixes herbaceous and forested land,” she said. “For individual risk, though, we need to consider very local characteristics of the areas in which people move around, as well as their individual behavior. Yard modifications can make a difference when it comes to the probability of interaction with ticks.”
Kolivras suggests the following modification tips:
- Rethink how we create our residential neighborhoods. By reducing the number of small forest patches that are interspersed with patches of herbaceous cover and keeping large, forested areas intact, we can likely reduce Lyme disease risk on a broad scale.
- Modify individual yard spaces. If we zoom in to the individual spaces in which many of us live, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has specific recommendations such as regular mowing, placing a mulch edge around play areas, and clearing brush at the edge of open spaces. We’re still talking about reducing that forest-herbaceous edge, but now at the very local backyard edge. While deer are not a Lyme disease reservoir or source of the bacterium, they are a food source for ticks, so discouraging deer with fences and vegetation reduction can keep deer, and the ticks that hang out on them, farther from our residential outdoor spaces.
- Minimize risk by reducing interactions with ticks when outdoors. With respect to human behavior, the CDC and other groups recommend hiking in the center of a trail to minimize the likelihood of brushing against vegetation where ticks could be “questing” or hanging out looking for a host. It’s also recommended to wear long sleeves and pants that are tucked into socks, which can admittedly be difficult on a hot summer hike, and to carefully check for ticks every evening. Insect repellants can further reduce risk. | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2023/05/24/virginia-tech-expert-shares-tips-on-how-to-protect-yourself-from-tick-borne-illnesses/ | 2023-05-24T21:55:50 | 1 | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2023/05/24/virginia-tech-expert-shares-tips-on-how-to-protect-yourself-from-tick-borne-illnesses/ |
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – A senior deputy district attorney in Multnomah County has announced he’ll run for his boss’s job.
Nathan Vasquez has been a prosecutor in the Multnomah County District Attorney’s office for more than 20 years.
He’ll run against incumbent DA Mike Schmidt, who took office in 2020.
“I have a different vision for Multnomah County,” Vasquez said in a video announcing his candidacy. “As your DA, I will focus on empowering victims, neighborhood safety, and diversion programs that prevent repeat offenders.”
“I’ve decided I simply have to run against Mike for office because Portland has become less safe,” Vasquez said.
Read more at PortlandTribune.com.
The Portland Tribune and its parent company Pamplin Media Group are KOIN 6 News media partners. | https://www.koin.com/local/multnomah-county/deputy-da-announces-run-for-multnomah-county-district-attorney/ | 2023-05-24T21:55:52 | 0 | https://www.koin.com/local/multnomah-county/deputy-da-announces-run-for-multnomah-county-district-attorney/ |
SAN ANTONIO — Customers experience service at its finest when they step inside Hermes Music Store in north San Antonio.
Amid the bustle of answering phones and questions about instruments and equipment, Manager Jay Dominguez values human connection in his line of work. That, he says, is what put him on a path he may have been destined for in the aftermath of last year's shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde.
"It was a godly thing, the odds of them seeing me," Dominguez says.
A seasoned musician, he sees a lot of familiar faces from the present and past. But he's been out of the performing scene for about 20 years, and was surprised to find a guitar still in storage after thinking he'd long gotten rid of this equipment.
He set upon making a new song: "Crayons from Heaven," dedicated to the parents of the 19 children killed on May 24, 2022 in Uvalde.
"I started writing one line and it was different... one line fell on another line," he said. "I didn't even have to think about it."
In March, while he was looking to share "Crayons from Heaven," fate put him on the path of the right couple.
"I was passing by, and I heard, 'Uvalde,'" he said. "And I said, 'Oh my God,' you know."
The woman speaking was Sandra Torres, the mother of Eliahna Torres, who lost her life at the school. She recalls the encounter as well.
"He said, 'I have something for Uvalde,'" Torres told KENS 5. "He asked us to take a seat while he went to go get whatever he was going to get. He comes back with his cell phone and he introduces us to this song."
The notes of "Crayons from Heaven" came out of the phone.
Then, about halfway through, she started to cry.
"That was something that I really needed to hear... with everything going on. I really needed to hear that (at) that moment," Torres said.
The song provided a message only music could convey.
"Mixed emotions like the part (at) the beginning, it was so comforting because it's a little girl talking to her daddy, you know, to her parents," she said. "Telling them that they're OK and everything. That's what I needed to hear, you know, like they're OK. They're fine up there." | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/music-store-manager-song-uvalde/273-6a8e238e-fd4a-4ced-9cc2-9971ea467b70 | 2023-05-24T21:57:04 | 1 | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/music-store-manager-song-uvalde/273-6a8e238e-fd4a-4ced-9cc2-9971ea467b70 |
TWIN FALLS — With a wave of an arm, Charlie the Chicken entered the gymnasium and hundreds of students erupted in cheers.
The 6-foot tall, bright yellow chicken then mounted a unicycle with training wheels and rode, weaving around the assembled students, accompanied by thumping beats of dance music provided by DJ JUL3Z.
The occasion was Bickel Elementary School's achievement assembly, and Charlie the Chicken’s appearance was the brainchild of Michelle Brewer.
“The reason why I’m wearing the chicken suit today is because our bar graph went from 31% to 60%,” Brewer told the Times-News. "So that’s a 29% growth in mathematics."
Brewer likes to offer wild rewards as incentive for students to apply themselves on monthly and year-end math and reading assessments and, every year, she dreams up a different zany reward.
Last year, Brewer was taped to a wall as a reward for students meeting their goals.
“I just try to motivate the kids," Brewer said.
Every month, Twin Falls School District students take a state-required assessment. The Istation's Indicators of Progress (ISIP) program for early reading and math is a form of online, computer-adaptive testing that shows each student’s proficiency and improvement from month to month.
Jennie Peterson is elementary programs director for the district. She said ISIP scores are a tool used by teachers and administrators to adjust personalized instruction.
“It’s one that we rely on pretty heavily for our data to kind of drive our instruction,” Peterson told the Times-News. “What it allows us to do is really get down into targeted information on our students on where we need to target our instruction.”
Gone are the days when assessment tests were done by filling in a bubble on a sheet of paper. These days, the assessments are computerized and adapt to the student who is taking the test, with questions below and above their bubble, made by Isation, which is used across Idaho.
They still have some pen-and paper assessments, but those are infrequent.
“They’re probably more fun than they were when we were kids, for sure,” Peterson said. “There’s animation, there’s some gaming to it, that type of thing.”
The assessments can show if a student can improve in certain areas to achieve proficiency. For English language arts, it looks at things like vocabulary, spelling, even understanding the relationship between word-sounds (called "phonemic awareness" in education-lingo) can be targeted for focused instruction to help get students to the point where they can read for comprehension.
“We check that data every month and that’s how teachers will put their students into flexible targeted groups to be able to address specific needs of students,” Peterson said.
All schools in the district have goals for student improvement. But Brewer has taken those goals, and created some interesting incentives.
"She really encourages the kids and makes that important, and includes them in what’s going on — all of our schools do that," Peterson said. "I think she’s a little more extreme with her celebration, which is great.”
Eva Craner, the district's public relations direction, told the Times-News that Brewer’s technique works for student buy-in.
“When there’s something to work toward, as an elementary-age student, that’s something that they can process and say, ‘Yeah, I’m going to do my best because I want to see my principal do this silly thing,'" Craner said. "Student engagement is important to getting accurate data of how students are actually performing.”
The assessments are important drivers of instruction, too, she said.
“Data is important in the Twin Falls School District. It indicates how successful we are, or where we need to continue to work,” Craner said.
PHOTOS: Inside Magic Valley schools, 2022-23
Party at Bickel Elementary
Party at Bickel Elementary
Party at Bickel Elementary
Party at Bickel Elementary
Party at Bickel Elementary
Party at Bickel Elementary
Party at Bickel Elementary
Party at Bickel Elementary
Party at Bickel Elementary
Party at Bickel Elementary
Party at Bickel Elementary
A principal in a chicken suit?
Lawmakers, others listen in at Rock Creek Elementary
Lawmakers, others listen in at Rock Creek Elementary
Lawmakers, others listen in at Rock Creek Elementary
Lawmakers, others listen in at Rock Creek Elementary
Lawmakers, others listen in at Rock Creek Elementary
Lawmakers, others listen in at Rock Creek Elementary
Lawmakers, others listen in at Rock Creek Elementary
Lawmakers, others listen in at Rock Creek Elementary
Lawmakers, others listen in at Rock Creek Elementary
Lawmakers, others listen in at Rock Creek Elementary
Dressed as a chicken, Bickel Elementary School Principal Michelle Brewer rides a unicycle with training wheels with the help of counselor Lucy Wills on Monday. | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/education/why-was-bickels-principal-in-a-chicken-suit-on-a-unicycle-with-training-wheels/article_6fd0e7a8-f978-11ed-abb1-e7f49f7e6747.html | 2023-05-24T22:02:48 | 1 | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/education/why-was-bickels-principal-in-a-chicken-suit-on-a-unicycle-with-training-wheels/article_6fd0e7a8-f978-11ed-abb1-e7f49f7e6747.html |
PONTIAC — Pontiac was chosen as this year's official destination for the National Road Trip 2023 by National Day Calendar that will take place on Friday, May 26.
Founder of National Day Calendar Marlo Anderson will lead a road trip through Illinois in celebration of National Road Trip Day.
Those who wish to participate can join hundreds of historic and modern cars to kickoff the event at 11 a.m. with an official destination proclamation at Wally's, 1 Holiday Road in Pontiac.
After the ceremony, the cars will travel along Route 66. Pontiac's notable destinations include the Route 66 Museum, Livingston County War Museum, Pontiac-Oakland Automobile Museum, Wally's, Pontiac's three swinging bridges and murals on Main Street.
Call 815-844-5847 or go to visitpontiac.org for more information.
PHOTOS: Pontiac at Central Catholic boys basketball
1 Michael Kuska 1 010623.JPG
Brad Underwood 1 010623.JPG
Chase Fisher 1 010623.JPG
Cole Certa 1 010623.JPG
Cole Certa 2 010623.JPG
Colin Hayes 1 010623.JPG
Colin Hayes 2 010623.JPG
Jason Welch 1 010623.JPG
Matt Kelley 1 010623.JPG
Riley Weber 1 010623.JPG
Riley Weber 2 010623.JPG
Contact Olivia Jacobs at 309-820-3352. Follow Olivia on Twitter: @olivia___jacobs
There are 23 murals in Pontiac, including the Route 66 shield on the back of the Illinois Route 66 Hall of Fame and Museum. Roadtrippers can grab a mural guide at the museum or follow the red painted footprints for a walking tour. | https://pantagraph.com/news/local/pontiac-chosen-in-honor-of-national-road-trip-day/article_87fbfc56-f9ae-11ed-8054-abcb13b0302f.html | 2023-05-24T22:03:46 | 1 | https://pantagraph.com/news/local/pontiac-chosen-in-honor-of-national-road-trip-day/article_87fbfc56-f9ae-11ed-8054-abcb13b0302f.html |
A widespread outage left Spectrum customers in Lincoln without internet and other services.
Several people reported on social media that they had lost all Spectrum phone, internet and TV service.
The website downdetector.com showed more than 300 reports of Spectrum outages in the Lincoln area and more than 1,700 nationwide.
Wes Shirley, a Spectrum spokesman, said customers in Lincoln were experiencing a service outage due to fiber cable that was cut by a third party digging underground.
Shirley did not say how many customers were affected nor did he estimate when service might be restored.
"Our technicians are working quickly to make repairs and restore services," he said in an email.
Some customers reported that they received messages from Spectrum estimating service would be restored by 5:30 p.m.
Allo, a fiber-optic internet provider, is coming into La Vista, Papillion and Gretna, Fastwyre to Bellevue and Google Fiber to Omaha.
Photos: Google gives search engine an AI makeover
Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai speaks at a Google I/O event in Mountain View, Calif., Wednesday, May 10, 2023. Google has unveiled plans to infuse its dominant search engine with more advanced artificial-intelligence technology.
Jeff Chiu, Associated Press
The camera to the Google Pixel Fold is shown at a Google I/O event in Mountain View, Calif., Wednesday, May 10, 2023. More AI technology will be coming to Google's Gmail with a “Help Me Write” option that will produce lengthy replies to emails in seconds, and a tool for photos called “Magic Editor” that will automatically doctor pictures.
Jeff Chiu, Associated Press
A person looks at the Google Pixel Fold at a Google I/O event in Mountain View, Calif., Wednesday, May 10, 2023.
Jeff Chiu - staff, AP
Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai speaks at a Google I/O event in Mountain View, Calif., Wednesday, May 10, 2023. “We are at an exciting inflection point," Pichai told a packed developers conference in a speech peppered with one AI reference after another. “We are reimagining all our products, including search.”
Jeff Chiu, Associated Press
The Google Pixel Fold is demonstrated at a Google I/O event in Mountain View, Calif., May 10, 2023. The foldable phone will sell for $1,800 and begin shipping next month.
Jeff Chiu, Associated Press
The Google Pixel Fold is demonstrated at a Google I/O event in Mountain View, Calif., Wednesday, May 10, 2023.
Jeff Chiu - staff, AP
Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai speaks at a Google I/O event in Mountain View, Calif., Wednesday, May 10, 2023.
Jeff Chiu, Associated Press
The Google Pixel Fold is demonstrated at a Google I/O event in Mountain View, Calif., Wednesday, May 10, 2023.
Jeff Chiu, Associated Press
Google Pixel 7a phones are displayed at a Google I/O event in Mountain View, Calif., Wednesday, May 10, 2023.
Jeff Chiu, Associated Press
The Google Pixel tablet is demonstrated at a Google I/O event in Mountain View, Calif., Wednesday, May 10, 2023.
Jeff Chiu, Associated Press
A person looks at the Google Pixel Fold at a Google I/O event in Mountain View, Calif., Wednesday, May 10, 2023.
Jeff Chiu, Associated Press
A person takes photos of the Google Pixel Fold at a Google I/O event in Mountain View, Calif., Wednesday, May 10, 2023.
Jeff Chiu, Associated Press
Rick Osterloh speaks about the Google Pixel Fold at a Google I/O event in Mountain View, Calif., Wednesday, May 10, 2023.
Jeff Chiu, Associated Press
Thomas Kurian speaks at a Google I/O event in Mountain View, Calif., Wednesday, May 10, 2023.
Jeff Chiu, Associated Press
Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai speaks at a Google I/O event in Mountain View, Calif., Wednesday, May 10, 2023.
Jeff Chiu, Associated Press
Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai speaks at a Google I/O event in Mountain View, Calif., Wednesday, May 10, 2023.
Jeff Chiu, Associated Press
Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai speaks at a Google I/O event in Mountain View, Calif., Wednesday, May 10, 2023.
Jeff Chiu, Associated Press
The business news you need
Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly. | https://journalstar.com/news/local/business/cut-cable-leaves-lincoln-spectrum-customers-without-service/article_c36f1cba-fa6b-11ed-80e0-c3d96751b359.html | 2023-05-24T22:04:13 | 1 | https://journalstar.com/news/local/business/cut-cable-leaves-lincoln-spectrum-customers-without-service/article_c36f1cba-fa6b-11ed-80e0-c3d96751b359.html |
A 16-year-old Norris High School student warned administrators in early April that rumors were circulating about a relationship between the school's assistant trap shooting coach and a student athlete on the team, deputies alleged in court filings.
The 16-year-old student told investigators that he was instructed to stop speaking about 23-year-old Lillie Bowman's relationship with the student athlete or risk a suspension, Lancaster County Sheriff's Deputy Joanna Dimas said in a search warrant made public Wednesday that outlines a weeklong investigation that ended with Bowman's arrest Friday.
Prosecutors charged the English teacher and Norris High School alumna Monday with first-degree sexual abuse by a school employee — a class 2 felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison.
People are also reading…
In an email Wednesday to the Journal Star, Norris School District Superintendent Brian Maschmann said the district "received word" April 6 that rumors were circulating about an inappropriate relationship between a teacher and student, but that an immediate investigation seemed to quash the rumor.
"At that time, both (Bowman and the student) stated that the rumor was not true," Maschmann said in the email, in which he did not name Bowman.
Maschmann said the administrator also interviewed the student thought to have been spreading the rumor, who reported "hearing the rumor off campus and spreading the message to other students."
The administrator then called that student’s mom to relay the conversation "and that the accusation appeared unfounded," Maschmann said.
And, he said, administrators reported the rumor and investigation to Norris' school resource officer.
Reached by phone Wednesday, Chief Sheriff's Deputy Ben Houchin said he didn't learn of the April 6 email from an assistant principal to the resource officer until this week, but said the resource officer seemed to follow protocol.
Houchin said the email seemed intended to keep the deputy in the loop about school happenings and — since the assistant principal indicated the rumor was "unfounded" and that there wasn't yet an indicating of the relationship's sexual nature — there wasn't an apparent need for further investigating.
Then, more than a month later, a concerned Norris parent reported Bowman's relationship with a member of the team to the sheriff's office May 14, prompting a weeklong investigation that resulted in Monday's felony charges.
In the search warrant, Dimas, the deputy, said a parent called the sheriff's office and said her son reported seeing Bowman holding hands with the student athlete, riding in a vehicle with him and going out to lunch with the teen.
Investigators later talked to Bowman's roommate, who shared a south Lincoln apartment with the Doane University graduate.
Bowman's roommate told authorities the 23-year-old informed her of her relationship with the student in mid-April and that the student had at times hung out at their apartment, Dimas said in the court filing.
But for the most part, Bowman tried to keep the student out of her roommate's sight due to the discomfort their relationship had caused, according to the search warrant.
Bowman would text her roommate and ask if she planned to be around their apartment before inviting the student over, Dimas said, doing so eight times in April and May.
On May 18 — the day before deputies arrested Bowman — investigators obtained the 23-year-old's phone records that showed she had spoken on the phone with the student 306 times between April 1 and then, Dimas said.
Deputies on Friday searched Bowman's apartment, at 8450 Cody Drive, and found open condom wrappers and used condoms — at least one of which is thought to have been from the night before, Dimas said.
In a Friday interview with investigators, the student said he had been in a relationship with Bowman since March after they grew close to one another as trap season progressed, according to the court records.
The student said he and Bowman had sex approximately 10 times since April, Dimas said.
Bowman, who was taken to the Lancaster County jail after she was arrested on school grounds Friday, was in her first year teaching at Norris following her graduation from Doane in May 2022.
She paid $5,000 to bond out Monday. | https://journalstar.com/news/local/crime-courts/norris-high-school-student-reported-teacher-month-before-arrest-court-records-show/article_6493d5e8-fa73-11ed-8441-1b30ea6bad34.html | 2023-05-24T22:04:20 | 0 | https://journalstar.com/news/local/crime-courts/norris-high-school-student-reported-teacher-month-before-arrest-court-records-show/article_6493d5e8-fa73-11ed-8441-1b30ea6bad34.html |
Lincoln Public Schools has tabbed an Omaha Westside administrator and former LPS teacher to be the district's next executive director of equity, diversity and inclusion.
Brittney Hodges-Bolkovac was named Wednesday to the district's top diversity post, which has remained unfilled since Vann Price took over as the associate superintendent of human resources in November.
The hire marks a return to LPS for Hodges-Bolkovac, who was a teacher, athletic director and community and culture specialist at Dawes Middle School for seven years. This past school year, she served as the dean of students and district projects coordinator at Omaha Westside Community Schools.
“I am excited to welcome Brittney back to Lincoln Public Schools and have her as a valuable executive team member,” Superintendent Paul Gausman said in a news release.
In addition to her work in education, Hodges-Bolkovac has been an active member in the Lincoln community. She is the current vice chair of the Citizen Police Advisory Board, which provides oversight to the Lincoln Police Department and is involved with the annual MLK Youth Rally and March.
She is also involved in a number of other community boards and organizations, including the Belmont Community Center, the Mayor's Commission on Women and Gender and the Nebraska State Education Association Delegate Assembly.
Returning to the classroom after the pandemic has had a major impact on students behavior. Seventy percent of educators believe student behavioral problems have spiked, according to a rescind survey by EdWeek Research Center. Veuer’s Maria Mercedes Galuppo has the story.
How salaries compare for 10 types of teachers
How salaries compare for 10 types of teachers
Becoming a teacher takes more than having patience and a fondness for children.
Most teaching roles require a bachelor's degree and—if teaching at a public school—passing a state exam. However, not all teachers make the same as their colleagues, even if they have the same level of education. Each teacher's specific job and location are key factors that determine a salary level.
As far back as 2020, an Education Week article detailed the trials and tribulations of teacher shortages, along with a simple strategy for recruitment: Pay teachers a decent wage. The article also explained how "intensive on-the-job training with the support of mentors" can help keep newly hired teachers onboard for the long haul. The American teacher shortage over the past few years resulted in salary increases and teacher training updates.
TeacherCertification.com analyzed data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics to explore how much 10 types of teachers earn annually. This analysis examines the average annual incomes and total employment for teachers, ranging from preschool to high school, and includes rankings for incomes across the 10 teacher types featured in the story. That said, the top eight on this list all have average salaries within $5,000 of each other. Many teachers work nights and weekends to grade and prepare lessons and often have summers off without pay.
Canva
Preschool teachers
Children between 3-5 years old are eligible for preschool enrollment . Preschool teachers help these children learn in a creative, supportive environment that prepares students for elementary school. These teachers may need an associate or bachelor's degree to get hired. The nation's 71,730 preschool teachers earn less than any other category of teachers, with an average annual income of $52,420, according to the BLS.
Canva
Kindergarten teachers
The nation's 118,220 kindergarten teachers work with children between the ages of 4 and 6 years old. They'll need a bachelor's degree and must pass a state exam for public school jobs; private schools may require just a bachelor's degree. Some soft skills that can help teachers excel in this role include patience, empathy, creativity, and good communication techniques. At $65,050, kindergarten teachers' salaries are the third-lowest on this list.
Canva
Elementary school teachers
Elementary school teachers need a bachelor's degree, and often a master's degree in teaching, along with two years of teaching experience, according to Glassdoor. Most of the roughly 1.32 million elementary school teachers in the U.S. will share their students' progress with their parents or guardian. They also need to be able to "control a classroom, show empathy, and prepare students for standardized tests ." The average annual income for elementary school teachers is $67,130, the fifth-highest of the 10 types of teachers.
Canva
Middle school teachers
Middle school teachers, who teach sixth- through eighth-graders, have the fifth-lowest salary of the 10 types of teachers' jobs. The average annual income for this teaching position is $66,910. The country's 590,400 middle school teachers need at least a bachelor's degree to prepare students for high school while building the fundamental skills students learned in elementary schools, according to the BLS.
Canva
Middle school career/technical education teachers
With the second-highest average annual income of all 10 types of teachers, middle school career and technical education teachers help students with "technical and vocational subjects , such as auto repair, health care, and culinary arts," according to the BLS. The average income of the 11,820 people who hold this type of teaching job is $69,430. They need at least a bachelor's degree and some teaching experience to get hired. Job growth for this type of position is slower than most professions, at 2% over the next 10 years, according to federal data.
Canva
Secondary school teachers
Secondary school teachers teach classes to middle and high school students on a wide range of subjects , including math, science, art, music, and English. They may also act as mentors and counselors to students to help them plan their educational paths. These teachers have the highest average annual income on this list, at $69,580, and need to earn a bachelor's degree and pass a state exam to get hired.
With a little over 1 million positions filled, secondary school teachers make up 12% of the teaching profession , mainly at elementary and secondary schools. Texas employs 102,360 of them, the most in the U.S.; California is a close second, employing 91,340 secondary school teachers.
Canva
Secondary school career/technical education teachers
Secondary school career and technical education teachers "teach occupational, vocational, career, or technical subjects to students at the secondary school level," according to the BLS. The average income of the 81,190 of these teachers in the U.S. is $69,310, the third-highest on this list. The New York-Newark-Jersey City metropolitan area employs 3,110 secondary school career and technical education teachers, more than any other metro area in the U.S.
Canva
Special education teachers
Special education teachers, those who teach students with cognitive disabilities, often have bachelor's degrees in special education . Most of their schooling focuses on general education, with a few specialty courses such as assistive technology, learning methods, or autism education. There are 445,010 special education teachers on school faculties around the nation.
They earn an average annual income of $68,860, the fourth-highest of the 10 types of teachers. But the type of school they work in matters a lot: Preschool special education teachers earn an average of $68,570; in kindergarten and elementary schools, they earn an average of $67,180; in middle schools, they earn $68,880 on average; and secondary school special education teachers earn an average of $70,530.
Canva
Adult basic education, adult secondary education, and ESL instructors
According described by the BLS, "Adult basic and secondary education and ESL (English as a Second Language) teachers instruct adults in fundamental skills, such as reading and speaking English. They also help students earn their high school equivalency credential." There are 13,920 of these teachers in the U.S., and their average annual income is $65,910, the fourth-lowest of the 10 types of teachers. They need at least a bachelor's degree, according to federal data. The federal government is projecting there will be a 6% decline in the number of these types of jobs over the next decade.
Canva
Self-enrichment teachers
Self-enrichment teachers lead individuals or groups of students in noncareer-driven educational programs, such as art, dance, chess, or music. Sports coaches and scouts and exercise instructors are excluded from the federal data for this category. Of course, people do earn a living in all sorts of disciplines that self-enrichment teachers help students explore, but the goal of this sort of education is more about developing a recreational or hobby interest than preparing for a career. These teachers' average annual income is $57,080, the second-lowest on this list, according to federal data.
This story originally appeared on TeacherCertification.com and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio.
Canva
Want to see more like this?
Get our local education coverage delivered directly to your inbox. | https://journalstar.com/news/local/education/lps-names-westside-admin-and-former-dawes-teacher-to-top-diversity-post/article_c376386c-fa50-11ed-beef-a389a83309ed.html | 2023-05-24T22:04:26 | 1 | https://journalstar.com/news/local/education/lps-names-westside-admin-and-former-dawes-teacher-to-top-diversity-post/article_c376386c-fa50-11ed-beef-a389a83309ed.html |
City pools start summer hours Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day
LAS CRUCES - Summer is right around the corner which means the City of Las Cruces’ pools will be open to the public soon.
The city’s Parks & Recreation Department announced that its four aquatic facilities will begin operating on summer hours Saturday, May 27 and continue through Monday, Sept. 4. This includes the new Las Cruces Natatorium which features Olympic-length lanes.
Capacity at each location is limited and sessions are subject to cancellation due to inclement weather. People will be admitted on a first-come, first-served basis and must wear proper pool attire. Outdoor facilities are available for rental on Saturdays.
Children 8 and younger must be accompanied by an adult. Only two children are allowed per adult and must be within arm’s reach.
Pools
East Mesa Bataan Memorial Pool
The two open swim sessions will be from noon to 3 p.m. and 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday to Sunday. The pool will be closed Mondays. East Mesa Bataan Memorial Pool is located at 6141 Reynolds Dr.
Laabs Pool
The two open swim sessions will be from noon to 3 p.m. and 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday to Sunday. Laabs Pool will be closed Mondays. It is located at 750 W. Picacho Ave.
Las Cruces Natatorium
Open lap swimming will be from 6 to 11 a.m. and 4 to 8 p.m. Monday to Friday and from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday. The pool will be closed Sundays. The Las Cruces Natatorium is located at 1405 E. Hadley Ave.
Las Cruces Regional Aquatic Center
Open swim sessions will be from noon to 3 p.m. and 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. Monday to Sunday. The center’s second-floor fitness area and gym will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Monday to Friday, from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and from noon to 6:30 p.m. Sunday beginning Tuesday, May 23.
Fitness swim sessions will be offered at the center from 7:30 to 11:30 a.m. Monday to Friday and 8 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday. Additional lap swimming will be open from 6:45 to 7:30 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
The Las Cruces Regional Aquatic Center is located at 1401 E. Hadley Ave.
Other water facilities
Plaza de Las Cruces Interactive Fountain
The fountain is located at 101 E. Las Cruces Ave. and will be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.
Unidad Splash Pad
The splash pad is located at 1501 E. Hadley Ave. and will be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.
Metro Verde Splash Pad
The splash pad is located at 7125 Metro Park and is open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday through Sunday. It will be open daily starting May 27.
Free swim days
Several free swim days will be offered at the East Mesa Bataan Memorial Pool and Laabs Pool during open swim sessions. Dates include:
- Monday, May 29 (Memorial Day)
- Sunday, June 18 (Father’s Day)
- Tuesday, July 4 (Independence Day)
- Monday, Sept. 4 (Labor Day)
Leah Romero is the trending reporter at the Las Cruces Sun-News and can be reached at 575-418-3442, LRomero@lcsun-news.com or @rromero_leah on Twitter.
Others are reading: | https://www.lcsun-news.com/story/news/local/2023/05/24/city-pools-start-summer-hours-memorial-day-weekend-through-labor-day-las-cruces-free-swim-nm/70233795007/ | 2023-05-24T22:05:13 | 1 | https://www.lcsun-news.com/story/news/local/2023/05/24/city-pools-start-summer-hours-memorial-day-weekend-through-labor-day-las-cruces-free-swim-nm/70233795007/ |
'Mean Girls,' 'Come From Away,' 'Hairspray' coming to IU Auditorium in 2023-24 season
Five biggies from Broadway plus award-winning musicians and other performers will hit the stage of the Indiana University Auditorium beginning this October.
The 2023–24 season offers a range of genres, including the Bloomington debuts of "Mean Girls" and "Come From Away," along with "Hairspray," "Jesus Christ Superstar," "Shrek – The Musical" and STOMP.
And that's just part of the upcoming schedule. Patti LuPone and Branford Marsalis will entertain, along with exhilarating performances by Step Afrika! and "The Simon & Garfunkel Story."
And of course, Bloomington traditions such as Dennis James Hosts Halloween, Straight No Chaser, and "Chimes of Christmas" return.
World-renowned chamber orchestra Academy of St. Martin in the Fields will feature Bloomington’s own Joshua Bell, and there will be room for laughter and grace as the male ballet dancers shimmer across the stage in Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo (“the Trocks”). A jazz salute to a century of Disney with the house band of the National Jazz Museum in Harlem will perform in "When You Wish Upon A Star."
More:John Mellencamp takes the stage at Indiana University Auditorium
Step Afrika!: 8 p.m. Oct. 7
Step Afrika! is the first professional "stepping" company. In 1994 C. Brian Williams started Step Afrika!, which is among the world's 10 top-most-rated African American dance companies.
Step Afrika! mixes percussive dance styles practiced by historically African American fraternities and sororities, traditional West and Southern African dances and contemporary dance and art forms. Audiences, who will participate in parts of the show, will also hear humor, songs and stories.
Patti LuPone: 7:30 p.m. Oct. 11
In her Bloomington debut, this three-time Tony Award winner, Patti LuPone, will do her one-woman show "Don’t Monkey with Broadway." LuPone performs Broadway show tunes by artists such as Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart, Jule Styne, Stephen Schwartz, Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim, Cole Porter and Irving Berlin.
"When You Wish upon a Star – A Jazz Tribute to 100 Years of Disney": 7:30 p.m. Oct. 19
"When You Wish upon a Star" honors 100 years of Disney, with jazz by the new house band of The National Jazz Museum in Harlem. Pianist and musical director Sean Mason leads the band, and vocalists Kim Nalley and Sasha Dobson help illuminate Disney favorites. This production is not affiliated with, sponsored or authorized by the Walt Disney Company.
More:Spring for a unique place to tie the knot: Buskirk-Chumley, FAR, the Mill, Flex Space
Dennis James Hosts Halloween: 7:30 p.m. Oct. 25
Bloomington’s beloved musician Dennis James hosts “Mystery Night” for this year's Dennis James Hosts Halloween. The show includes a live radio reenactment along with Sherlock Holmes-themed films with James, of course, creating the soundtrack on IU Auditorium’s 4,543-pipe organ.
Again this year, live actors from IU’s Department of Theatre, Drama, and Contemporary Dance will perform an episode of the 1940s radio drama "Inner Sanctum." James will present silent films with live accompaniment.
"Mean Girls": 7 p.m. Oct. 27-28
"Mean Girls" is the hit Broadway musical from a creative team that includes Tina Fey ("30 Rock"), Jeff Richmond ("Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt"), lyricist Nell Benjamin ("Legally Blonde"), and original director and choreographer Casey Nicholaw ("The Book of Mormon").
"Come From Away": 7:30 p.m. Nov. 1- 2
This musical favorite, Broadway’s "Come From Away" makes its Bloomington debut. This New York Times Critics’ Pick is a true story of 7,000 airline passengers and the Newfoundland town that took them in during the crises of Sept. 11, 2001.
Chimes of Christmas, 2 and 7:30 p.m. Dec. 2
The Grammy-nominated Singing Hoosiers return for their holiday concert, "Chimes of Christmas." Contemporary songs, favorite carols, classical choral arrangements and guests and ensembles from the Jacobs School of Music will entertain.
Straight No Chaser: 7:30 p.m. Dec. 13
IU's Straight No Chaser returns as part of their 2023 "Sleighin’ It" tour. Pop and holiday a cappella classics and new songs, with some humor, are in store.
Since their early days at IU, Straight No Chaser has become a worldwide attraction with a large fanbase and accolades. including two RIAA Gold Certified albums, over 1.5 million concert tickets sold and more than two million albums sold worldwide.
STOMP: 8 p.m. Jan. 20
Garbage cans, brooms, matchboxes, Zippo lighters, and such will provide rhythms and energy as STOMP returns to Bloomington. Witty and unusual, the show is for all ages. Its choreographed percussion and physical comedy has been delighting audiences for more than 30 years.
An Evening with Branford Marsalis: 7:30 p.m. Jan. 25
Three-time Grammy Award-winning saxophonist Branford Marsalis and the Branford Marsalis Quartet will provide music that has rendered them the gold standard among jazz ensembles.
The quartet’s newest album, "The Secret Between the Shadow and the Soul," won laurels, including a Grammy nomination, and is said to be the group’s most emotionally wide-ranging and melody-propelled release.
"Hairspray": 7:30 p.m., Feb. 6 -7
Broadway's "Hairspray" is a Tony Award-winning musical comedy and returns to Bloomington. Tracy Turnblad is 16, and it's the 1960s again, in Baltimore. Can a girl make the world a better place? See this all-new touring production.
"Jesus Christ Superstar": 7:30 p.m. , Feb. 20-21
As part of a 50th anniversary tour, a new production of the musical "Jesus Christ Superstar" returns. With lyrics and music by Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony winners Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber, the show is set against the backdrop of events during the last weeks of Jesus Christ's life as witnessed by Judas. It took the 2017 Olivier Award for Best Musical Revival, attracting both theater audiences and concert music fans.
Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo (the Trocks): 8 p.m. Feb. 24
Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo consists entirely of male dancers, well-known around the globe. During its 50th anniversary season, dancers will perform highlights from the company’s repertoire. Also called The Trocks, they began in 1974 in New York City.
Ballet experts as well as complete novices rave about these dancers, who perform pointe work alongside sophisticated parodies of choreography from classical ballet.
Joshua Bell and Academy of St Martin in the Fields: 7:30 p.m. March 26
Music director and Bloomington native Joshua Bell leads The Academy of St Martin in the Fields, as they cross the Atlantic to come to Bloomington. This chamber orchestra ranks as one of the world’s best. They are known for their for fresh interpretations of the globe's finest orchestral music.
With Bell leading and the support from leader/director Tomo Keller and principal guest conductor Murray Perahia, the ensemble gives player-directed performances with symphonic repertoire and chamber music.
"Shrek – The Musical": 7:30 p.m. April 9-10
A surprising hero goes on a trip with a wisecracking donkey. A lively princess resists rescue. You guessed it: that delightful ogre is back in "Shrek – The Musical," based on the behemoth-sized hit, in this Oscar-winning DreamWorks animated film.
"The Simon & Garfunkel Story": 7:30 p.m. April 25
The popular theater show "The Simon & Garfunkel Story"comes to Bloomington for the first time. Using a immersive concert style, it tells the story of the folk-rock duo Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel.
The two began as Tom and Jerry and became one of the 1960s top selling music groups. They broke up in 1970, and the show comes to a crescendo in 1981 with the men's notable “The Concert in Central Park” reunion. More than half a million people showed up to watch.
Since 1965, they have sold more than 100 million albums, rendering them one of the most triumphant folk-rock duos ever. Ten Grammy Awards and induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is only a part of their success.
How to buy tickets in 2023–2024
IU Auditorium executive director Maria Talbert, in a press release, encouraged patrons to choose five shows to subscribe to this summer and save up to 15% off single ticket prices (for most shows).
"Loyalty Points" members and new subscribers can place their orders and select their seats before tickets go on sale to the general public. Visit IUauditorium.com/Subscribe for details.
When do subscriptions and pre-orders go on sale?
June 13-23: "Loyalty Points" seat selection.
June 26: New subscribers seat selection starts.
July 31–Aug. 13: Preorder single tickets will be available.
Aug. 14: General public can start buying single tickets.
For a complete list of events for the 2023–2024 season, visit IUauditorium.com.
The complete list and info
The following is the complete list of shows, in alphabetical order, that have been announced by IU Auditorium for its 2023-24 season:
- Academy of St Martin in the Fields
- An evening with Bradford Marsalis
- Chimes of Christmas
- Come from Away
- Dennis James Hosts Halloween
- Hairspray
- Jesus Christ Superstar
- Joshua Bell
- Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo (The Trocks)
- Mean girls
- Patti LuPone
- Shrek—the Musical
- Simon and Garfunkel story
- Step Afrika!
- Straight No Chaser
- STOMP
IU Auditorium, is at 1211 E. Seventh St. Go online to iuauditorium.com/ for more information or tickets, which can also be purchased in person at the IU Auditorium Box Office and by calling 812-269-8248. | https://www.heraldtimesonline.com/story/entertainment/local/2023/05/24/step-afrika-patti-lupone-branford-marsalis-come-to-iu-auditorium/70253060007/ | 2023-05-24T22:08:40 | 0 | https://www.heraldtimesonline.com/story/entertainment/local/2023/05/24/step-afrika-patti-lupone-branford-marsalis-come-to-iu-auditorium/70253060007/ |
Country
United States of America US Virgin Islands United States Minor Outlying Islands Canada Mexico, United Mexican States Bahamas, Commonwealth of the Cuba, Republic of Dominican Republic Haiti, Republic of Jamaica Afghanistan Albania, People's Socialist Republic of Algeria, People's Democratic Republic of American Samoa Andorra, Principality of Angola, Republic of Anguilla Antarctica (the territory South of 60 deg S) Antigua and Barbuda Argentina, Argentine Republic Armenia Aruba Australia, Commonwealth of Austria, Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Bahrain, Kingdom of Bangladesh, People's Republic of Barbados Belarus Belgium, Kingdom of Belize Benin, People's Republic of Bermuda Bhutan, Kingdom of Bolivia, Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana, Republic of Bouvet Island (Bouvetoya) Brazil, Federative Republic of British Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Archipelago) British Virgin Islands Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria, People's Republic of Burkina Faso Burundi, Republic of Cambodia, Kingdom of Cameroon, United Republic of Cape Verde, Republic of Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad, Republic of Chile, Republic of China, People's Republic of Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Colombia, Republic of Comoros, Union of the Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, People's Republic of Cook Islands Costa Rica, Republic of Cote D'Ivoire, Ivory Coast, Republic of the Cyprus, Republic of Czech Republic Denmark, Kingdom of Djibouti, Republic of Dominica, Commonwealth of Ecuador, Republic of Egypt, Arab Republic of El Salvador, Republic of Equatorial Guinea, Republic of Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Faeroe Islands Falkland Islands (Malvinas) Fiji, Republic of the Fiji Islands Finland, Republic of France, French Republic French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon, Gabonese Republic Gambia, Republic of the Georgia Germany Ghana, Republic of Gibraltar Greece, Hellenic Republic Greenland Grenada Guadaloupe Guam Guatemala, Republic of Guinea, Revolutionary
People's Rep'c of Guinea-Bissau, Republic of Guyana, Republic of Heard and McDonald Islands Holy See (Vatican City State) Honduras, Republic of Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of China Hrvatska (Croatia) Hungary, Hungarian People's Republic Iceland, Republic of India, Republic of Indonesia, Republic of Iran, Islamic Republic of Iraq, Republic of Ireland Israel, State of Italy, Italian Republic Japan Jordan, Hashemite Kingdom of Kazakhstan, Republic of Kenya, Republic of Kiribati, Republic of Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Kuwait, State of Kyrgyz Republic Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon, Lebanese Republic Lesotho, Kingdom of Liberia, Republic of Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Liechtenstein, Principality of Lithuania Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of Macao, Special Administrative Region of China Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Madagascar, Republic of Malawi, Republic of Malaysia Maldives, Republic of Mali, Republic of Malta, Republic of Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania, Islamic Republic of Mauritius Mayotte Micronesia, Federated States of Moldova, Republic of Monaco, Principality of Mongolia, Mongolian People's Republic Montserrat Morocco, Kingdom of Mozambique, People's Republic of Myanmar Namibia Nauru, Republic of Nepal, Kingdom of Netherlands Antilles Netherlands, Kingdom of the New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua, Republic of Niger, Republic of the Nigeria, Federal Republic of Niue, Republic of Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Norway, Kingdom of Oman, Sultanate of Pakistan, Islamic Republic of Palau Palestinian Territory, Occupied Panama, Republic of Papua New Guinea Paraguay, Republic of Peru, Republic of Philippines, Republic of the Pitcairn Island Poland, Polish People's Republic Portugal, Portuguese Republic Puerto Rico Qatar, State of Reunion Romania, Socialist Republic of Russian Federation Rwanda, Rwandese Republic Samoa, Independent State of San Marino, Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, Democratic Republic of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Senegal, Republic of Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Singapore, Republic of Slovakia (Slovak Republic) Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia, Somali Republic South Africa, Republic of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain, Spanish State Sri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic of St. Helena St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Pierre and Miquelon St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Suriname, Republic of Svalbard & Jan Mayen Islands Swaziland, Kingdom of Sweden, Kingdom of Switzerland, Swiss Confederation Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand, Kingdom of Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of Togo, Togolese Republic Tokelau (Tokelau Islands) Tonga, Kingdom of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Tunisia, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda, Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe | https://www.albanyherald.com/local/t-gamble-parents-have-turned-the-prom-into-a-family-event/article_c4ea0c36-fa47-11ed-ad4c-4f34b3aa53ea.html | 2023-05-24T22:08:49 | 1 | https://www.albanyherald.com/local/t-gamble-parents-have-turned-the-prom-into-a-family-event/article_c4ea0c36-fa47-11ed-ad4c-4f34b3aa53ea.html |
MCCSC moving ahead with additional tax increase to fund schools
School board members on Tuesday gave Monroe County Community School Corp. Superintendent Jeff Hauswald the go-ahead to pursue a new school tax levy on the Nov. 7 general election ballot.
During Tuesday night's meeting, the board unanimously voted in favor of a resolution that allows Hauswald to forward the proposal on to the county auditor to put the referendum process in motion.
Hauswald said the proposed tax levy would allow affordable preschool programs for 3- to 5-year-olds and provide free instruction materials, specialized exams and career education for all students.
In a statement distributed after the meeting, he called the proposed referendum "family centered and community focused."
He said the MCCSC "plans to assist families with costs they face on an annual basis by leveraging funds for education-related expenses and expanding early-childhood education programming."
In explaining the proposal during the meeting, Hauswald said it's important to remove barriers for students whose families struggle financially, to "even the playing field." And preschool is a proven key to educational success.
More:Another tax referendum? School district seeking additional property tax increase
He said the tax increase passed six months ago funded raises for teachers and other school staff. "This one is for our students," he said Tuesday, "about removing fiscal barriers for families."
The proposed extra levy is .085, but Hauswald said the actual hike to overall school taxes would be about half that because of changes in other property levies reducing MCCSC's tax income next year.
He said the school board is expected to vote on the referendum ballot terminology at its June 27 meeting. MCCSC has information about the proposed referendum on its website: www.mccsc.edu.
Referendums usually pass
Since Indiana's school referendum legislation went into effect in 2009, there have been 165 school tax levy proposals put before voters. Of those, 115, which is 70%, have passed.
The MCCSC has presented and passed three school tax levy increases, each lasting six years. The first was approved in 2010 with a .14 rate, the second in 2016 with a .115 rate and the third in November 2022 with a .185 rate.
More:Voters say yes to Monroe County Community School Corporation referendum
Data from the Department of Local Government Finance (DLGF) indicates the most recent MCCSC tax increase costs the average property owner, with a homestead valued at $250,000, an additional $250 per year in taxes. The average business owner, with a $327,000 assessment, is paying an additional $606 a year.
Hauswald said that if the new referendum passes, it would cost Monroe County property owners an additional $50 a year overall.
School tax referendums 101
Indiana law allows school boards to pass a resolution to place a public question on a ballot if the board members determine the school corporation "cannot carry out its public educational duty unless it imposes a referendum tax levy, or that a referendum tax levy should be imposed to replace property tax revenue that the school corporation will not receive."
Under the law, a public school district corporation also can place a question on the ballot asking voters to extend an existing referendum tax for the same amount of time it was set for initially.
Proposed referendum data must be presented to and approved by the state DLGF, which reviews the details and approves or rejects proposal.
Most school tax levy requests are for operting expenses; some are for construction projects.
In 2019, state lawmakers expanded the law to allow a tax increase for school safety. Carmel Clay Schools approved the state's first such increase. Nearly 70% of voters were in favor, resulting in $5 million in tax dollars annually to fund more police officers and student mental health programs.
Contact Herald-Times reporter Laura Lane at llane@heraldt.com or 812-318-5967. | https://www.heraldtimesonline.com/story/news/local/2023/05/24/mccsc-moving-ahead-with-additional-tax-increase-to-fund-schools/70249846007/ | 2023-05-24T22:08:55 | 1 | https://www.heraldtimesonline.com/story/news/local/2023/05/24/mccsc-moving-ahead-with-additional-tax-increase-to-fund-schools/70249846007/ |
Bloomington's first Cosmic Songwriters Festival draws crowd
The editor's note: This story has been updated to include the date of the concert at the Switchyard Park Pavilion.
Over the weekend, a slate of Bloomington's best and brightest songwriters took to the Switchyard Park Pavilion, playing about topics ranging from a tender love to a tenderloin sandwich, in the first Cosmic Songwriters Festival. The four-day festival featured over two dozen local artists in a series of performances.
Between noon and 3 p.m. Saturday, May 20, seasoned performers Matt Lundquist, Rickie Maxwell, Hazy Hollows, Amanda Webb, Millaze and Lenox Monroe shared the stage in pairs, which had been randomly selected prior to the event, in a crowded park pavilion. Across the sea of filled seats, late-arriving attendees fled to their cars in order to bring and set out their own camping chairs.
Each artist took turns playing their material in between light conversation among one another and with the audience. The unique format originates from the Cosmic Songwriters Club, which began in December 2021 and occurs monthly at the Orbit Room.
While the concept began as a way to bridge local songwriters together, founders Pablo "Oso" Fuentes and Shaun McDermott, songwriters and musicians in their own right, saw the potential for a multi-night extravaganza.
The event spanned five local venues, including the crowded Switchyard pavilion.
If you're still looking to catch some performances, you can check out a the next Cosmic Songwriters Club meeting at the Orbit Room on Wednesday, June 7, at 7 p.m. | https://www.heraldtimesonline.com/story/news/local/2023/05/24/songwriters-perform-original-material-in-bloomington-festival/70248919007/ | 2023-05-24T22:08:56 | 1 | https://www.heraldtimesonline.com/story/news/local/2023/05/24/songwriters-perform-original-material-in-bloomington-festival/70248919007/ |
LOCAL
News in 90 Seconds: SpaceX launch, Brevard lifeguard costs and TItusville graffiti
Rob Landers
Florida Today
Support local journalism. Unlock unlimited digital access to floridatoday.com
Looking for the stories included on today's News in 90 Seconds? Click the links below:
It's launch day (again)! After first scrub, here's what to know about SpaceX's next Florida launch
Brevard County moves to shift cost of lifeguard protection to municipalities
Cryptic biblical graffiti in Titusville prompts police investigation, resident speculation
Rob Landers is a veteran multimedia journalist for the USA Today Network of Florida. Contact Landers at 321-242-3627 or rlanders@gannett.com. Instagram: @ByRobLanders Youtube: @florida_today | https://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/local/2023/05/24/spacex-launch-attempt-brevard-ocean-rescue-titusville-graffiti-ni90/70253861007/ | 2023-05-24T22:10:35 | 1 | https://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/local/2023/05/24/spacex-launch-attempt-brevard-ocean-rescue-titusville-graffiti-ni90/70253861007/ |
ORLANDO, Fla. – “You don’t mess with the Mouse.”
It’s one of those things people say in Florida, along with “If you don’t like the weather, wait five minutes” and “Don’t feed the alligators.”
But Gov. Ron DeSantis, and the Republican majority in the Florida Legislature, have been feuding with Mickey Mouse and the Walt Disney Company for a year.
Criticism from Disney executives of Florida’s Parental Rights in Education law rankled DeSantis and conservative lawmakers. After that criticism, DeSantis and the Florida Legislature remade the special governing district that oversaw Disney property in Florida, the Reedy Creek Improvement District, giving the governor more control over the district.
Disney is suing DeSantis in federal court, accusing him and the Florida government of violating the company’s constitutional rights in retaliation for that criticism.
Disney is more than one of the top employers and taxpayers in Central Florida. It’s also an entertainment juggernaut and a multinational corporation.
As DeSantis prepares to run for president, Disney is likely to follow him in the campaign too, and the feud may influence how people see him.
“I think initially he gained a lot of points by standing up to Disney trying to eliminate their special governing district out there,” said News 6 political analyst Dr. Jim Clark from the University of Central Florida. “But I think the longer this plays on, I wonder if people are wondering, ‘Hey, is this going to ever end?’”
Disney’s political place in Florida
Walt Disney World would not exist in Florida without politicians willing to work with the company.
In 1967, Florida lawmakers created the Reedy Creek Improvement District, one of several pieces in the deal Disney made with lawmakers to build Walt Disney World in Florida.
Florida defines a special district as “a unit of local government created for a special purpose, as opposed to a general purpose, which has jurisdiction to operate within a limited geographic boundary and is created by general law, special act, local ordinance, or by rule of the Governor and Cabinet.”
The concept is not unique in Florida. The Villages has a special district that oversees it. So do Orlando International Airport and Daytona International Speedway.
Reedy Creek maintained all the public roads and infrastructure in its borders, along with sewers, electric power generation, waste, water treatment, emergency services and land use and environmental protections.
If Disney needed a land permit, it could go to its special district and apply for it.
And all of this was subject to oversight by the state government as well, which received reports from RCID.
VIDEO: Walt Disney and Gov. Haydon Burns discuss government incentives to bring @WaltDisneyWorld to Florida in 1965. @GovRonDeSantis has called for a special session to reconsider the Reedy Creek Improvement District (State Archives of Florida) #news6 pic.twitter.com/NNYlBM3Ipu
— Mike DeForest (@DeForestNews6) April 19, 2022
As Disney World grew in size and popularity, Disney grew in influence in Florida politics. It spent millions of dollars in political donations to political candidates.
According to records by the Florida Division of Elections, for the 2020 election cycle, Disney subsidiaries donated more than $4 million to political candidates, parties and political action committees.
This is just state candidates and groups, it does not include contributions to federal political candidates and causes.
Dozens of Florida representatives and senators received $1,000 donations from Disney subsidiaries, from both parties.
Among the candidates who got donations are some of the very state lawmakers who would go on to write the bills that went after Reedy Creek, like State Rep. Randy Fine, R-Brevard County.
Disney also donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to the Republican Party in Florida in 2020.
Disney’s influence has given it the ability to shape policy in Florida, including exemptions from laws when needed. For instance, the large theme parks in Florida, including Disney, do not have to worry about ride inspection laws that smaller amusement attractions in Florida have to contend with. Instead, Disney self-reports.
Parental Rights in Education
In 2022, Florida lawmakers passed a bill called Parental Rights in Education, HB 1557, which among other things would ban schools and school districts from discussions of gender identity and sexual orientation in kindergarten through third grade, and in other grades where needed, and allow for parental objection and even lawsuits.
Critics immediately blasted the bill because they said it would stymie discussion of LGBTQ people and concepts in schools, either actively or passively through the broad wording of the bill. They called it “Don’t Say Gay.”
Disney workers protested the bill and called on CEO Robert Chapek to use Disney’s influence to speak out and maybe even stop the bill.
It wouldn’t have been the first time Disney had spoken out against anti-LGBTQ policies. In 2016, Disney threatened to boycott Georgia, where it was filming the highly-popular Marvel movies, over a bill that was considered anti-LGBTQ. The governor of that state at the time eventually vetoed the bill.
Chapek told shareholders at a meeting in 2022 that Disney had opposed the bill, but wanted to try and work “behind the scenes” to get DeSantis to oppose the bill, rather than initially take a public position.
“It is clear that this is not just an issue about a bill in Florida, but instead yet another challenge to basic human rights. You needed me to be a stronger ally in the fight for equal rights and I let you down. I am sorry,” he said in a letter to Disney cast members.
Disney increased funding to LGBTQ causes and also put a pause on campaign donations, which as of this writing still seems to be in place, according to Florida Division of Elections records.
In response, the Florida legislature used two special sessions to first, dissolve the Reedy Creek Improvement District by June 2023, and then, earlier this year, to remake the district instead, with a new name, the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District, and a governing board handpicked by DeSantis.
“Disney is a guest in the state of Florida and today we remind them of that,” Fine said when introducing the Reedy Creek dissolution bill in 2022.
Has Disney ever criticized Florida policy before?
It’s tough to find evidence of Disney issuing a direct, official criticism of Florida policy before, but Disney certainly made moves.
In 2008 for instance, the Florida Legislature put in place a law that allowed Floridians to keep guns locked in their cars while at work.
Disney surprised lawmakers by declaring publicly it had a special exemption from the new law and could continue to ban guns on Disney property. This was because the law contained a loophole for companies that held federal fireworks permits.
Disney eventually relaxed that rule to allow guns on parts of Disney property where fireworks were not stored or used.
In 2020, Disney also kept more stringent COVID-19 policies even as DeSantis tried to reopen the state and ban mandates.
But Disney largely made moves behind the scenes in Florida, said Clark.
“Disney has 38 lobbyists in Tallahassee,” Clark said. “And for half a century they have always gotten what they wanted from tax breaks to exemptions to regulations. The first time they criticize the governor, the governor and the legislature turn on them with punitive measures.”
Disney’s power play
DeSantis called the remaking of the Reedy Creek Improvement District “the end of the corporate kingdom.”
It wasn’t really clear what Disney’s next move would be. Some experts said a lawsuit was possible.
Iger voiced his displeasure. During a shareholder’s meeting, Iger said the state’s actions were retaliation for a position Disney took, and said it sounded “not just anti-business, but it sounds anti-Florida.”
But in official Disney statements, the company betrayed nothing.
“Disney works under a number of different models and jurisdictions around the world, and regardless of the outcome, we remain committed to providing the highest quality experience for the millions of guests who visit each year,” Jeff Vahle, president of Walt Disney World Resort, said in a statement last year.
The Central Florida Tourism Oversight District soon learned that Disney had already made a move right under everyone’s noses.
[WATCH PREVIOUS COVERAGE]
When the new oversight board began its work, it soon discovered that in February at a public meeting, Disney and the Reedy Creek Improvement District entered into an agreement that stripped RCID and any future board of much of its governing power over Disney property, handing it to Disney “until 21 years after the death of the last survivor of the descendants of King Charles III, King of England, living as of the date of this declaration.”
The meeting happened while lawmakers held their special session to create the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District, and Disney said it followed all of the state’s rules to make the deal public.
Return fire
DeSantis and the Florida Legislature promised “very, very strong actions” in return for Disney’s move.
The legislature first passed a law to allow the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District to nullify any agreement Disney entered with the former governing board.
[WATCH PREVIOUS COVERAGE]
Then they passed a law putting Disney’s monorail under inspection by the Florida Department of Transportation.
They also tried to carve out a new rule that would make Disney’s theme park attractions subject to inspection by the Florida Department of Agriculture. That measure failed.
DeSantis and the oversight district said more could be coming.
At one event, he said they were looking at “taxes on the hotels, we’re going to look at things like tolls on the roads, we’re going to look at things like developing some of the property that the district owns.”
DeSantis even joked at one point about allowing a non-Disney theme park or a state prison on the property.
Dueling lawsuits
The lawsuit that experts had been waiting for finally came.
Disney filed suit in federal court on April 26, alleging several constitutional violations by DeSantis and the oversight district, including the company’s First Amendment, contracting and due process rights.
“Disney finds itself in this regrettable position because it expressed a viewpoint the Governor and his allies did not like. Disney wishes that things could have been resolved a different way. But Disney also knows that it is fortunate to have the resources to take a stand against the State’s retaliation — a stand smaller businesses and individuals might not be able to take when the State comes after them for expressing their own views. In America, the government cannot punish you for speaking your mind,” Disney wrote in its suit.
The Central Florida tourism oversight district filed a lawsuit in state court on May 1, accusing Disney of making a backroom deal with the former Reedy Creek Improvement District. The lawsuit claims Reedy Creek unlawfully delegated governmental authority to a private entity.
[WATCH PREVIOUS COVERAGE]
David vs. Goliath?
DeSantis has trumpeted his battle with Disney in the run-up to his presidential campaign. He’s posited it as a necessary part of the fight against “the woke mind virus.”
“In Florida, gender ideology has no place in our schools, and if that means taking on Disney to make sure that’s the case, we will do it,” DeSantis said at an event at Liberty University.
Clark believes this is a battle that will go all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court.
“I think it’s the battle that’s gonna go on for the rest of (DeSantis’) governorship,” Clark said. “I think he thought it was over a year ago that he had defeated Disney. Then Disney came back and then he thought he had defeated them a second time. Now they’ve gone to the federal courts. The DeSantis supporters have gone to the state courts. And this is going to be in the court system for years now to come probably till the end of his term. I don’t think he anticipated it going on this long.”
But aside from the question of whether DeSantis can win in the courts, a bigger question for the governor, as he runs for president, is whether he can win the court of public opinion.
“We may hate the lines and the cost of tickets, but we like Disney movies. We like the attractions and things like that. So Ron DeSantis is taking on one of the most popular companies in the country,” Clark said.
You can listen to every episode of Florida’s Fourth Estate in the media player below: | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2023/05/24/desantis-versus-disney-why-florida-is-in-a-feud-with-one-of-its-biggest-employers/ | 2023-05-24T22:14:12 | 1 | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2023/05/24/desantis-versus-disney-why-florida-is-in-a-feud-with-one-of-its-biggest-employers/ |
LAKE MARY, Fla. – The long-awaited replacement for the Lake Mary Police Department’s prior ground-breaking solution for those in mental health crisis: The Behavioral Services Unit.
News 6 reported extensively on Lake Mary Police Department’s Mental Health Intervention Group over the past several years.
The partnership with the community was helping those in crisis get better, which meant fewer hospital visits and run-ins with police.
The Mental Health Intervention Group pulled together hospitals, counselors, pharmacists, and food pantries to address the underlying issues of those struggling with their mental health. But it ended suddenly last year over lack of funding. All partners had been volunteering their services and resources.
Now, Lake Mary police have modeled their new version of the Mental Health Intervention Group — the Behavioral Services Unit — after a similar program at the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office.
Community Relations Officer Claudia Umana, also a crisis negotiator, is one of three in the unit.
“What we did, we took all the cases the day that M.H.I.G. ended and we followed up on those cases until the Behavioral Services Unit was established,” Umana said. “After we listen to them, get to know their story, we see where they are in life, and what we can assist them with. Whether it’s getting them medication, referrals for mental illness, substance abuse. It just depends what they’re in need of.”
The BSU now follows up on anyone who comes in contact with police in crisis. Umana and two other BSU officers follow up either in person, over the phone, or visit them at their home or last point of contact, even in Spanish.
“Every morning [Officer] Michelle and I come in and we have an email from the Secretary of the Criminal Investigations Division,” Umana said. “She sends us the current Baker Act and Marchman Act patient cases. So her and I start looking into those cases, we see if this is a known person. Now if it’s a new person, we’ll just call and introduce ourselves and say we’re here to help, how can we assist you and what can we assist you with. It may be someone with mental illness, substance abuse, so depending on what the person’s need is that’s what we know what resources to provide them. Usually they make contact with patrol, they’re in immediate need of assistance at that point. They’re either medically or substance-abuse dependent at that time. So our officers speak with them and determine if they’re a case for Baker Act or Marchman Act.”
Lt. Matthew Schaefer oversees the BSU.
“Our goal is to provide people in crisis with services that they can go and get help,” Schaefer said. “So what we try and do is isolate what the need is early on. So if a senior is in need of services or something along those lines, we partner with the Senior Intervention Group.”
The BSU now turn to its partners, just like M.H.I.G. did, referring people in crisis to counselors and churches, shelters, senior centers, and in the case of children, to the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office’s Youth Intervention Services.
“The Seminole County Sheriff’s Office, they have Youth Interventions Services that is particularly designed to provide services to children, they’re the one who will take a look and provide the services,” Schaefer said.
Community partner Aspire Behavioral Health will provide free medication under certain circumstances.
Is the BSU seeing results?
“Yes, we have less repeat people in our system,” Umana said. “They’re calling less or their family members are calling less because they’re always in contact with someone.”
Typically, the BSU comes in contact with someone in crisis when they’ve called for service but you can reach out to them directly if you are in crisis or just need referrals.
Email communityrelations@lakemaryfl.com or call 407-585-1330 and ask for the BSU.
Get today’s headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily: | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2023/05/24/new-lake-mary-police-unit-replaces-successful-mental-health-partnership/ | 2023-05-24T22:14:18 | 1 | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2023/05/24/new-lake-mary-police-unit-replaces-successful-mental-health-partnership/ |
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. — The first legal sale of medical marijuana in Arkansas occurred at a windowless, former roadside barbecue shack. Dozens lined up outside the nondescript building in May 2019 after two-and-a-half years of legal wrangling in a sign of pent-up demand.
Today, the same owners have cashed in on that demand by building a 1,100-square-foot dispensary right next door in Hot Springs called Suite 443. The original building is now a tobacco smoke shop with tanning beds arriving soon.
"It's great. We really didn't know what to anticipate when we first started, but it's met all of our expectations," Green Springs Medical owner Dragan Viscentic.
Green Springs Medical is a dispensary that began selling medical marijuana the morning after what was then called "Doctor's Orders" filled the historic first prescription.
"Originally, the state anticipated a one percent participation rate," Vicentic said. "There are three million people in the state, so 30,000 people is what they anticipated would get medical marijuana cards. We're three times that, so it's been really good for Arkansas and really good for taxes."
According to Scott Hardin, the spokesperson for the state Department of Finance and Administration, which oversees the Medical Marijuana Commission, there are just under 94,000 Arkansans with medical marijuana cards.
Hardin has become a familiar face to the media and the public with frequent updates on the exact numbers of pounds sold and dollars spent. After four years, he reported that Arkansas had collected just over $100 million in taxes.
That comes from a 6.5% sales tax and a 4% "privilege tax." The latter has been dedicated to UAMS and assisting the state's public university hospital to enhance its cancer research and treatment.
The fruits of that revenue stream can be found in the recent ribbon-cutting for a high-tech imaging center planned in partnership with Baptist Health.
Lawmakers earlier this year extended and redirected one portion of the tax toward increasing medical residencies and another to be spent on reducing the debt amassed in the free/reduced school lunch programs.
Those new intended funding targets are signs lawmakers believe the market will continue to expand for at least another two years.
"It's just a matter of time until we cross 100,000 [medical marijuana cards]," Hardin said.
Other figures that show the industry has, in Hardin's words, "hit a groove" are the approximately 3,000 jobs created from scratch. The state's 38 dispensaries employ 1,740 people, and the eight state-sanctioned cultivators employ 1,100 people.
"It looks like we're going to see anywhere from 22 to 25 million spent every month," Hardin said. "That doesn't look like it's changing anytime soon."
But a big question emerged on the horizon last November. That's when Arkansas voted down recreational marijuana, but neighboring Missouri joined the nationwide expansion.
Issue 4 faced headwinds in Arkansas from the same groups opposed to legalizing marijuana in any form and sank when longtime marijuana supporters opposed the structure of that particular proposal.
Most people we spoke with expect the issue to appear on the ballot again at some point, though they differ on how long until it happens.
While we wait, public health experts are trying to fill a data vacuum on how medicinal marijuana truly is.
"We're in the middle of our three-year grant from the National Institutes of Health to study the effects of introducing medical marijuana into the state of Arkansas," said Dr. Joe Thompson, the CEO of the Arkansas Center for Health Improvement.
It's still too early to draw medical conclusions, but Thompson, a former Arkansas surgeon general, does have data that could influence future proposals.
"We have found so far that about 10 percent of licensed physicians in the state have qualified an individual," Thompson said of doctors' apparent growing familiarity with cannabis. "Given the dialogue and even the resistance to the introduction of medical marijuana, 10 percent is a pretty large number."
ACHI is being deliberate with its research, despite the high demand for conclusions nationwide. Limited information quickly becomes political talking points, with elections popping up every cycle.
For instance, headlines warned of a surge in youth marijuana use after Colorado started selling legally in 2014. Still, within the last three years, opposite findings made headlines as other states went to the polls.
Despite the political winds, Thompson is among many urging caution and vigilance regarding marijuana and people under 25.
"I think it's important for parents, for leaders, for coaches to be watching for signs of illicit drug use and marijuana use in particular," Thompson said. "This is something we don't want to lose control of. We want to use it if it has a benefit. We want to guard against potential harms."
Controlling what comes next is a recurring theme. Managing the health unknowns, overseeing the financial unknowns, and people like dispensary owner Vicentic, directing the narrative.
"I think where the mistake was last time is they didn't educate the people enough about the benefits of medical marijuana," Vicentic said. "If they had and knew how beneficial it is to you, there would have been a lot more votes for and a lot more approval." | https://www.5newsonline.com/article/news/local/cannabis-at-a-crossroads-in-arkansas/91-d6d7fba8-804c-483e-ad79-74e5429271e3 | 2023-05-24T22:14:20 | 1 | https://www.5newsonline.com/article/news/local/cannabis-at-a-crossroads-in-arkansas/91-d6d7fba8-804c-483e-ad79-74e5429271e3 |
ORLANDO, Fla. – The U.S. Marshals announced that over 200 children in 16 different locations, including Orlando, were recovered in a national operation, according to a news release.
The 10-week “Operation We Will Find You” located and recovered 225 children who were endangered missing, including runaways and those abducted by non-custodial parents.
According to the release, the operation was conducted from the following locations: Orlando, eastern Virginia, Washington D.C., Maryland, Massachusetts, South Carolina, New Orleans, San Antonio, Detroit, Yakima, Los Angeles, northern Ohio, Guam, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Officials said 42 children were found outside the city where they went missing and 10 children were found outside of the country in Mexico. Marshals also arrested a Top 15 Most Wanted couple who fled to Mexico from Washington state with their five children, who they had taken into hiding.
[TRENDING: Become a News 6 Insider]
“The U.S. Marshals Service is fully committed to the important mission of protecting the American people, especially our most vulnerable population – our children,” said Ronald Davis, director of the Marshals Service. “The results of this operation underscore that commitment but also highlight the necessity of these critical efforts. Our continued success can only be achieved through our collaboration with state and local law enforcement agencies, and partnership with NCMEC. Together, the USMS and NCMEC have recovered over 3,100 missing children since the passage of the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act in 2015.”
The operation was conducted with the help of state and local agencies across 16 federal judicial districts, officials said.
According to the release, the missing children were considered some of the most challenging recovery cases, based on indications of high-risk factors such as victimization of child sex trafficking, child exploitation, sexual abuse, physical abuse, and medical or mental health conditions.
“Operation We Will Find You is a great example of how the U.S. Marshals Service continues to prioritize child protection,” said NCMEC President & CEO Michelle DeLaune. “NCMEC is proud of our long-standing partnership with the USMS and commends them and the participating state and local agencies who helped recover the 225 endangered missing children.”
Get today’s headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily: | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2023/05/24/us-marshals-locate-225-missing-children-in-16-locations-including-orlando/ | 2023-05-24T22:14:25 | 0 | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2023/05/24/us-marshals-locate-225-missing-children-in-16-locations-including-orlando/ |
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — The Wichita Police Department (WPD) has confirmed the woman who was shot twice after breaking up a fight Saturday night has since died.
She leaves behind a 6-month-old daughter.
The alleged shooting suspect, 19-year-old La’Niha Banks, is still at large. The WPD says detectives are working on locating her.
Banks is wanted on suspicion of one count of aggravated battery, five counts of aggravated assault, two counts of discharge of a firearm into an occupied vehicle, and one count of attempted murder.
Wichita police say she is considered armed and dangerous.
If anyone has information on this case, the WPD asks that you please call detectives at 316-268-4407, the See Something Say Something hotline at 316-519-2282, or Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111. | https://www.ksn.com/news/local/weekend-shooting-turns-deadly-wichita-police-still-looking-for-alleged-suspect/ | 2023-05-24T22:22:35 | 0 | https://www.ksn.com/news/local/weekend-shooting-turns-deadly-wichita-police-still-looking-for-alleged-suspect/ |
The Hobart Chamber of Commerce honored businesses, teachers, first responders and others in the community at its recent awards ceremony.
Local business leaders gathered at Gino’s Banquet By Ace Catering for the annual awards.
The Hobart Chamber of Commerce honored Audrey Amsler as Outstanding Elementary Educator, Leo Guzman as Outstanding Middle School Educator, Melissa Higgason as Outstanding High School Educator, Detective Wendell Hite as Police Officer of the Year, Ryan Maloney as Firefighter of the Year and Sally Davis as Volunteer of the Year.
Heidi Morgan with Belle Ame Boutique was named New Business of the Year. Pam Ridings with State Farm Insurance won Business Leader of the Year.
The Maria Reiner Center and Aimee Schallenkamp received the Nonprofit of the Year award.
People are also reading…
Vanessa Shindle with Reflectionz Photo Booth won Executive Director's Choice St. Mary Medical Center got the Mayor's Choice Award for its 50 Year Anniversary.
Outgoing Mayor Brian Snedecor won the Hobart Chamber Appreciation Award for his 16 years of service to the city and chamber.
"We're celebrating members of the community that create impact and are leaders, including our police and firefighters and our school teachers, as well as our community activists and business leaders," Hobart Chamber of Commerce Board President Jason Beres said. "It's important to recognize them because they provide leadership for our youth as well as for the community at large. It helps strengthen and foster a relationship between the chamber, businesses in the chamber and our community members."
For more information, visit hobartchamber.com.
NWI Business Ins and Outs: Pierogi stand, Brown Skin Coffee and Alpha Family Resale opening; Ixxa and Dan's Pierogies updating
Open
Open
Closed
Renovated
New mural
Opening
Opening
Coming soon
Coming soon
Expanded
Expanded
219 News Now 5/19/23
NWI Business Ins and Outs: Unbeatable Eatables, DRIPBaR Crown Point, Taco Depot and Flashback Antiques open; Da Burger House closes | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/business/hobart-chamber-of-commerce-announces-award-winners/article_76b47604-fa48-11ed-bdbf-bb87645fab78.html | 2023-05-24T22:25:58 | 1 | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/business/hobart-chamber-of-commerce-announces-award-winners/article_76b47604-fa48-11ed-bdbf-bb87645fab78.html |
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — The City of Little Rock announced the deadline for tornado debris removal Wednesday.
Residents are asked to place any remaining debris within at least 10 feet of the curb no later than June 11 to guarantee pick-up.
Yard waste and constructed debris must be divided into separate piles.
According to the city, the debris removal contractor will not collect debris after the June 11 deadline. Little Rock has collected more than 360,000 cubic yards of debris during its collection period, which began on April 20. | https://www.thv11.com/article/news/local/little-rock-deadline-debris-removal/91-6c62a039-ccfb-4436-afff-938a208f0b44 | 2023-05-24T22:28:32 | 0 | https://www.thv11.com/article/news/local/little-rock-deadline-debris-removal/91-6c62a039-ccfb-4436-afff-938a208f0b44 |
BOISE, Idaho — The Ada County Coroner identified that the body pulled from the Boise River on May 16 is indeed the missing kayaker. On May 1, Tracy Demaree kayaked the river and was overtaken by the cold water.
"At approximately 5:53 pm on 05/16/2023, the Ada County Coroner's Office was dispatched to the Boise River, near the 400 block of E. Parkcenter Blvd. in Boise, Idaho. 63-year-old Tracy Demaree of Boise, Idaho, was pronounced dead at the scene after being reported missing while kayaking in the Barber Park area," the coroner stated.
The manner and cause of his death is still pending and an investigation is still ongoing.
Download the KTVB mobile app to get breaking news, weather and important stories at your fingertips.
Watch more Local News:
See the latest news from around the Treasure Valley and the Gem State in our YouTube playlist: | https://www.ktvb.com/article/news/local/local-coroner-identifies-body-pulled-from-boise-river-as-missing-kayaker/277-5f401e0b-e3e8-4fab-9890-788c93a75fc3 | 2023-05-24T22:28:44 | 0 | https://www.ktvb.com/article/news/local/local-coroner-identifies-body-pulled-from-boise-river-as-missing-kayaker/277-5f401e0b-e3e8-4fab-9890-788c93a75fc3 |
IDAHO, USA — Summertime in the valley can get scorching hot and taking a mini vacation or day trip up to higher ground can be a lovely respite. Ski Idaho released a full list of resorts that are open for fun off-season activities.
"Eleven Idaho ski areas offer summertime mountain biking, eight of the operations are lift-served all season, many are debuting new trails this season, and three destinations — the Route of the Hiawatha, Silver Mountain Resort, and Soldier Mountain — are opening their bike trails Memorial Day weekend," the website states.
According to Ski Idaho, some of the highlights are a weeklong Fourth of July celebration at Sun Valley, 5 miles of trails and more self-loading chairlift bike trays at Tamarack, a new three-story Aerial Adventure Course at Bogus Basin, Grand Targhee’s new Wildflower Race 10K and half-marathon trail, a new mountain-biking school at Brundage Mountain Resort and a new trail connecting its network to Bear Basin and an MTB skills clinic at Pomerelle this fall.
North Idaho:
People can go to the Route of the Hiawatha, which Lookout Pass Ski and Recreation Area operates under, Silver Mountain Resort and Schweitzer.
Southwest Idaho:
Close to Boise is Bogus Basin Mountain Recreation Area and there's also, Brundage Mountain Resort and Tamarack Resort.
South Central and Southern Idaho:
South Central Idaho offers Sun Valley Resort, Soldier Mountain and Pomerelle Mountain Resort.
Eastern Idaho:
The eastern area of Idaho has, Kelly Canyon Resort, Grand Targhee Resort and Pebble Creek Ski Area.
For a full list of activities people can go to Ski Idaho's website.
Download the KTVB mobile app to get breaking news, weather and important stories at your fingertips.
Watch more Local News:
See the latest news from around the Treasure Valley and the Gem State in our YouTube playlist: | https://www.ktvb.com/article/news/local/local-ski-resorts-in-idaho-have-a-lot-to-offer-in-the-summertime/277-e1ed665b-c7f3-4daf-80f5-5fa6b04f1503 | 2023-05-24T22:28:48 | 0 | https://www.ktvb.com/article/news/local/local-ski-resorts-in-idaho-have-a-lot-to-offer-in-the-summertime/277-e1ed665b-c7f3-4daf-80f5-5fa6b04f1503 |
HARRISBURG, Pa. — The Pennsylvania Supreme Court heard oral arguments on May 24 on a lower court’s injunction stopping the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) from taking effect.
RGGI is a multi-state effort to bring down carbon emissions. Eleven states comprising all of New England and some of the Mid-Atlantic already participate. If Pennsylvania joined, it would be the first major fossil fuel-producing state to adopt cap-and-trade carbon pricing.
States participating in RGGI set a cap for the total amount of carbon dioxide emissions that power plants can emit. Credits for emissions are auctioned off to power companies at quarterly auctions.
In Pennsylvania’s proposed plan, the money raised from auctions would go to state programs supporting energy efficiency, renewable energy and greenhouse gas abatement.
Republicans, fossil fuel interests and trade unions have opposed RGGI, arguing it would drive up electric bills and drive energy companies to non-participating states. One estimate by conservative think tank Caesar Rodney Institute found the proposal could result in 22,000 lost jobs and a total loss to the economy as high as $7.7 billion a year.
Democrats, independent researchers and environmental groups that support RGGI point to studies that show states in RGGI have seen large decreases in carbon emissions and net positive economic impact.
“These are market forces that are already changing Pennsylvania’s energy economy, so participating in RGGI, doing this the right way, and investing any proceeds into the Clean Air Fund will ultimately help Pennsylvanian jobs and the air that we breathe,” said Katie Blume, political and legislative director of Conservation Voters of Pennsylvania.
In 2019, Republican lawmakers blocked legislation to join the consortium. In 2021, the state Department of Environmental Protection under the administration of Gov. Tom Wolf joined the program without legislative approval.
The action soon met legal challenges from Republican lawmakers and energy production groups. The Commonwealth Court, an appellate court in Pennsylvania, issued an order in July 2022 to block the state from enacting RGGI regulations until the court ruled on its constitutionality.
The main issue before the Supreme Court on May 24 was not whether RGGI is a good policy, but rather who has the authority to approve it. Ultimately, that depends on whether the proceeds from carbon auctions, estimated to come in at about $663 million a year, are an administrative fee or a tax on energy producers.
The DEP is authorized to administer fees to pay for programs it oversees, but a tax requires legislative approval from the General Assembly.
The Commonwealth’s Court ruled the proceeds likely were a tax, and during oral argument before the Supreme Court, at least one justice said she saw them as a tax.
Attorneys for the Republican senators who brought the case argued if the funds amount to a tax, RGGI, therefore, can’t go into effect.
"When one branch of the government exercises authority that is exclusively reserved to another branch, that is harmful to the branch that has the authority,” said Attorney Brigid Khuri of the law firm McNees Wallace & Nurick during oral arguments.
Attorneys for DEP and environmental groups said no matter how the justices rule, it will help RGGI advocates find the right venue to push for the program.
“I think the justices had a lot of really hard questions. I think they’re really engaging with the Environmental Rights Amendment and how it plays into this case overall as well as into environmental cases in general. I think that’s a good thing,” said Jessica O’Neill, senior attorney for Citizens for Pennsylvania’s Future. | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/pa-supreme-court-rggi-injunction/521-237b7236-1f9c-49f0-89c3-8dd2350424ff | 2023-05-24T22:29:32 | 0 | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/pa-supreme-court-rggi-injunction/521-237b7236-1f9c-49f0-89c3-8dd2350424ff |
It was a busy day at the Benton Area School District as students, teachers, parents, and community members gathered for the district's 82nd May Day celebration.
"It is a huge deal. It is definitely the largest crowd we get for any school event that we have," Principal Jill Shupp said.
Each year's May Day has a different theme and this year's was Elvis. The King of Rock and Roll even made an appearance!
May Day is a collaboration between the district's elementary, middle, and high schools. The event started with the May Day king and queen being crowned. They were escorted by kindergarten students.
"And then the students at my elementary school, which is K-6, they are all going to do individual performances by grade level," Shupp said.
The students all performed different Elvis tunes.
Community members tell Newswatch 16 May Day is a longtime tradition.
"People just come from all over to see this. It really is popular," Lorey Samsel said.
Lorey Samsel has been coming for more than 30 years.
"Between my own kids coming and my grandkids are in it now, so it's been years and years and years that I've been coming here," Samsel said.
People tell us that May Day has also gotten much bigger over the years.
"There was only just a couple of rows of chairs and now it's like to see everybody up front you have to push your way through," Diane Posey said.
As part of the festivities, a time capsule from 1998 was opened and put on display. It featured items such as a cassette tape, a floppy disc, and newspaper articles. | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/columbia-county/82nd-may-day-celebration-in-benton-includes-elvis/523-36893856-bdc0-4215-8868-1342f22cc734 | 2023-05-24T22:29:37 | 0 | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/columbia-county/82nd-may-day-celebration-in-benton-includes-elvis/523-36893856-bdc0-4215-8868-1342f22cc734 |
HAZLETON, Pa. — Some students at the Hazleton Area Career Center don't have a driver's license yet, but they're getting behind the wheel anyway, to learn about the dangers of driving under the influence.
"Don't drive while being drunk, just don't drive or else you will pay the consequences," said sophomore Thomas.
Those choices can have big consequences in real life.
That's why "Arrive Alive Tours" stops at schools across the nation.
This week it's working with Hazleton Area.
Students got a lesson on what it's like to drive drunk or high by wearing special virtual reality goggles.
"It was lowkey kind of hard, it was like swerving really hard you couldn't control it. It was blurry it was dizzy, the lights were shining really bright. I couldn't see really good and that's why I crashed into the taxi driver," explained freshman Anthony Familia.
"It was pretty weird, especially being drunk, because I was seeing cars that weren't there," said Thomas.
A lesson that's extra important every day of the year, but especially timely ahead of prom season.
"We want to let them know that it's not just affecting you, you can affect family members. There's mothers, fathers, children in those cars, and making a bad decision can affect so much more than themselves," said Shaquille Hill with Arrive Alive Tours.
After their time behind the wheel, students are given a citation for their traffic offenses.
"I was swerving driving below-posted speed, driving on the incorrect side of the road, failing to stop," said sophomore Gina Gad.
"If that was real life, I'd probably would have been injured really bad, driving under the influence is not good,"
The "Arrive Alive" simulation will make stops at other schools in the Hazleton Area School District later this week. | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/luzerne-county/if-this-was-real-life-id-be-in-the-hospital/523-10a4095a-a973-4e11-9441-a51425541f1e | 2023-05-24T22:29:39 | 0 | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/luzerne-county/if-this-was-real-life-id-be-in-the-hospital/523-10a4095a-a973-4e11-9441-a51425541f1e |
DELAWARE WATER GAP, Pa. — From Raymondskill Falls, Kittatinny Point, and the Appalachian Trail, there's no shortage of beautiful sites inside the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area.
With thousands of visitors expected to visit this holiday weekend, park officials and the Monroe County Transit Authority are bringing back the free river and hiker shuttles.
"The River Runner, which goes from Delaware Water Gap all the way up to Milford, provides portage for kayaks, canoes, bikes, children, pets, and other things like that so. You can take your boat, go from Smithfield Beach up to Dingmans, and float back to your car," said Rich Schlameuss, the MCTA assistant director.
Officials say the shuttles help reduce congestion in busy areas while helping people get their gear around.
"We get millions of visitors every year and trying to fit those folks in a small location like this can be a challenge. So having these buses that can move or shuttle up and down the river to prime locations is very critical to our operation," said Zachary Piotrowski, the outdoor recreation planner for the park.
Raymondskill Falls is one of the most popular destinations in the park and because of that, this year, the only way to visit that part of the park on holidays and weekends will be by a shuttle. You will not be able to park in the parking lot.
"That is going to start from the Milford Knob trailhead, in the north end of the park, and then goes to Raymondskill Falls. Very small parking lot up there so it's critical that we have the shuttle buses operating to get folks back and forth to that location," said Piotrowski.
A hiker shuttle will also run from Kittatinny Point to Delaware Water Gap, including the northernmost part of the park in Milford.
"Because we're going all the way back up to Milford, which we didn't do last year because of the road and certain conditions, we're going to see a lot more people moving up the river, to go to Milford and Dingmans to float back and forth," said Schlameuss.
The free shuttle service begins this Saturday and runs on weekends and holidays through Labor Day.
Click here for a list of shuttle routes and schedules.
Check out WNEP's YouTube channel. | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/monroe-county/national-recreation-areas-park-shuttles-ready-to-roll-out-this-holiday-weekend-buses-mcta-river-runner-hiker-dingmans-kittatinny-milford/523-3d5e8a42-8b44-4a7c-870b-60ec4892eb82 | 2023-05-24T22:29:39 | 0 | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/monroe-county/national-recreation-areas-park-shuttles-ready-to-roll-out-this-holiday-weekend-buses-mcta-river-runner-hiker-dingmans-kittatinny-milford/523-3d5e8a42-8b44-4a7c-870b-60ec4892eb82 |
MONROE COUNTY, Pa. — At just ten weeks old, one little black lab has a bright future. Not only will she grow up to become a search and rescue dog with Northeast Search and Rescue (NESAR), but she and her handler are teaching students at Hamilton Elementary School near Stroudsburg about their jobs' importance.
"Most kids, they're familiar with the fire department, the police, but they don't see search and rescue very often. So we're letting them know that we are out there in the community should something happen where they were to get lost or trapped somewhere, that they will have a dog that's coming to find them and to not be worried, that it's OK. These dogs are specially trained for that," said Gilliana Schwartz, president of Northeast Search and Rescue.
Northeast Seach and Rescue serve eastern and central Pennsylvania and the tri-state area. They work emergency searches for people and cover water rescues and recoveries.
The yet-to-be-named puppy is one of 17 dogs on the team. They are all in various stages of training.
Second grader Emily Miller was excited to learn about what these dogs do.
"The dog would help people and find people."
Through donations, students at Hamilton Elementary can choose between Artemis, Raven, And onyx for the puppy's new name.
"We don't receive any local, state, or federal funding. This is all by donation that we run our team. So we do our best to fundraise all year long, and this time the school's been nice enough to help us out. So, the students are raising money, but voting for the name," Schwartz said.
For $1, students cast their vote for their favorite name.
The puppy's name will be announced on the Northeast Search and Rescue Facebook page on Sunday at 6 p.m.
See more pets and animal stories on WNEP's YouTube playlist. | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/monroe-county/students-meet-new-rescue-dog-compete-to-name-her-northeast-search-rescue-nesar-black-lab-students-name/523-f8aa1c26-5bad-4f8a-baf5-640bc04dc6c2 | 2023-05-24T22:29:40 | 1 | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/monroe-county/students-meet-new-rescue-dog-compete-to-name-her-northeast-search-rescue-nesar-black-lab-students-name/523-f8aa1c26-5bad-4f8a-baf5-640bc04dc6c2 |
MAHANOY TOWNSHIP, PA — The STEM room at Mahanoy Area Junior Senior High School is now home to two bridges constructed by students and entered into the 2023 American Association of Highway and Transportation Officials AASHTO Bridge Challenge. A national competition for school STEM programs.
Students from the junior and senior teams returned from competing in Seattle last week. They were the only school from Pennsylvania that made it to the national competition.
“There's people here that haven't even left their little town and for us to just build a bridge in STEM class and then go to Seattle, just for that little project it was crazy,” Diamond Walker, Mahanoy Area Sophomore, explained.
This is what both teams at Mahanoy Area used to build their bridges. Balsa wood and glue. To see how much weight their bridges could support before it cracks.
“We held 32 pounds and I feel that's pretty impressive because before when we tested it in Mahanoy, our bridge only held about 19 pounds,” Angel Pelegrin, Mahanoy Area Sophomore said.
Both teams spent six months designing and building their bridges.
Their goal was to construct a bridge that could carry as much weight as possible while weighing as little as possible.
The kids tell Newswatch 16 they faced many obstacles leading up to competition day.
“We weren't prepared as much as they were. We didn't have enough time to test our bridge and we broke our bridge twice,” mentioned Greyson Zaremba, Mahanoy Area 7th Grader.
“This is more hands-on and you're able to see what you're doing wrong and learn from that on the spot instead of a book,” Justin De La Rosa, Mahanoy Area Sophomore added.
This was the first time all six students got to go to Seattle.
“There's a lot of cool buildings and taller ones than here. And the space needle was really cool too,” Teagan Kane, Mahanoy Area 8th Grader said.
And all of the participants agree this experience has made them excited for a future career in engineering.
“The trip and just seeing really what's out there and exploring more careers. Because really I always saw myself going into the medical field but now this has opened up architecture for me,” Naomi Kowalick, Mahanoy Area 8th Grader.
The competition has inspired students to start drafting a blueprint for next year's bridge challenge. | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/schuylkill-county/schuylkill-county-students-compete-in-national-bridge-competition/523-b40e2866-3598-45d2-8f10-6c42c02b9b5a | 2023-05-24T22:29:41 | 1 | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/schuylkill-county/schuylkill-county-students-compete-in-national-bridge-competition/523-b40e2866-3598-45d2-8f10-6c42c02b9b5a |
LEWISBURG, Pa. — Since the beginning of the pandemic, more than 1,500 child care classrooms in Pennsylvania have closed, but the need for child care is still growing.
Angela Heimbach of Mifflinburg has been in the child care field for many years. She is a nanny and sees the need for care.
"There's always a need. There's so much. Families are always working, moms and dads."
According to the Greater Susquehanna Valley YMCA, there are nearly 11,000 pre-kindergarten-aged children in Union, Snyder, and Northumberland Counties, and around 60 percent have working parents. But with more facilities closing, parents have fewer options.
"I have a workforce that's 80 percent women, and it's the number one conversation that young employees have with me. They just don't have access to affordable child care," said Kendra Aucker, president and CEO of Evangelical Community Hospital near Lewisburg, one of the owners of the Miller Center.
Thanks to more than $3 million in grant money, a child care center will be built at the Miller Center, a sports and recreation facility outside Lewisburg.
"Whether you're a university, a hospital, a manufacturer, a grocery store, you need a workforce. In order to do that, you have got to look at getting people back to work," Aucker said.
The new child care facility is expected to have between 100 and 120 spots and serve the entire region.
"That's perfect because everybody can come from Danville," Heimbach said. "State College doesn't come down this far, but there is definitely a need for child care."
Aucker says the hope is for the new child care facility to be built within the next year and a half.
Check out WNEP’s YouTube channel. | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/union-county/new-child-care-center-coming-to-union-county-miller-center-evangelical-community-hospital/523-c25f1014-6f34-4cad-8b6d-6154f0902f86 | 2023-05-24T22:29:57 | 0 | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/union-county/new-child-care-center-coming-to-union-county-miller-center-evangelical-community-hospital/523-c25f1014-6f34-4cad-8b6d-6154f0902f86 |
MOLINE, Ill. -- John Deere is off to a multi-billion dollar start for the first two quarters of its fiscal year, showing growing income from last year's numbers.
On Friday Deere & Company reported net income of $2.86 billion for the second quarter, or $9.65 per share. Last year at this time the company reported a net income of $2.098 billion, or $6.81 per share.
For the first six months of its 2023 fiscal year, net income attributable to Deere & Company was $4.819 billion, or $16.18 per share. That is up more than $1.8 billion from last year at this time, when the company reported $3.001 billion, or $9.72 per share over six months.
Worldwide net sales and revenues increased 30%, to $17.387 billion, for the second quarter of FY23 and rose to $30.038, an increase of 31%, for the first two quarters combined. Net sales were $16.079 billion for the quarter and $27.481 billion for six months, also up, from $12.034 billion and $20.565 billion last year.
People are also reading…
Production and precision agriculture made up the largest share of net sales for Q2, at $7.822 billion, up from $5.12 billion in the 2022 fiscal year. The earnings release attributes the 53% increase to "higher shipment volumes and price realization." Operating profit for production and precision agriculture more than doubled.
“As shown by the company’s outstanding second-quarter results, Deere continues to benefit from favorable market conditions and an improving operating environment,” CEO John C. May said in the news release. “We also are being helped by the sound execution of our business plans by our employees, dealers and suppliers. They are doing an exceptional job meeting demand for our products and serving customers. Though supply-chain constraints continue to present a challenge, we are seeing further improvement.”
Net income attributable to Deere & Company for FY23 is forecast to be between $9.25 billion to $9.50 billion. Deere also reported a net sales gain of 34% and higher earnings throughout the quarter.
“Based on Deere’s results to date, it’s clear we are well on our way to another year of exceptional achievement,” May said. “This is due in no small part to the success of our smart industrial operating model and our ability to provide value to our customers by helping them be more profitable, productive, and sustainable." | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/deere-reports-income-of-2-86b-in-q2/article_f6f33f9e-fa7a-11ed-a2cf-93b97122c831.html | 2023-05-24T22:30:19 | 1 | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/deere-reports-income-of-2-86b-in-q2/article_f6f33f9e-fa7a-11ed-a2cf-93b97122c831.html |
WATERLOO -- The Otto Schoitz Foundation has awarded $772,500 to organizations aligned with the mission of advancing the health and wellbeing of the Cedar Valley community and its individual members.
Twenty-five organizations making significant impact are recipients of funding. Otto Schoitz Foundation’s priority of creating social connectedness and building avenues for increased opportunity, especially for vulnerable and marginalized persons, is reflected in the grant awards. Investing in both the community as a whole and efforts to support individual self-sufficiency is highlighted.
“I am honored to share Otto Schoitz Foundation’s investment in organizations that build community and create new possibilities in the Cedar Valley," said Mike Mallaro, foundation board chairperson. "By supporting individuals and enhancing public spaces, among other meaningful initiatives, our grant partners are contributing to the wellbeing of our community. The leaders of our foundation are proud to call the Cedar Valley home and congratulate the awardees on their notable efforts to make this community a great place to live, work, play and age.”
People are also reading…
Highlights from the spring awards include:
- The Grout Museum District is offering a sensory-friendly experience so that differently abled individuals and caretakers can enjoy a safe and comfortable visit to the district. Offering dedicated hours, designated quiet spaces and a “Social Story” guide describing what to expect at exhibits, each visitor can interact with the museum at their individual level of comfort.
- Addressing both the immediate needs and long-term goals of single mothers and women aging out of the foster care system, House of Hope makes an outsize impact by creating access points for women to enter systems that have previously excluded them based on income, credit scores, employment histories or long-term instability. These new access points pave the way to entering banking systems, non-predatory car loans, professional and stable employment with a livable wage, safe childcare, healthy community, preventative health care, quality affordable housing, and for some even homeownership.
- The Waterloo Public Library and Sunrise Children’s Zoo are investing in public spaces for gathering and learning. The Waterloo Public Library is reimagining the youth department to offer teens a dedicated place to study, meet friends and have some fun without distracting other patrons. The library’s toddler space will be enclosed to increase safety. Engaging youth programming will draw additional visitors to the refreshed spaces. With over 25,000 visitors each summer, the Sunrise Children’s Zoo provides a free and interactive attraction for many in the Cedar Valley. Capital improvements funded will create shade and shelter for the animals and improve the visitor experience.
- SuccessLink brings community health services directly to students and families through the Success Street in-school clinics. Offering a convenient and efficient connection to care, SuccessLink reduces disparities that exist in health care access. The Success Street clinics located directly in Cedar Valley schools provide mental health, substance use disorder, pregnancy and sexual health, vaccine, and primary health care.
- Providing legal services to low-resourced individuals, Iowa Legal Aid has prioritized housing as a focus. An Eviction Diversion Help Desk has been established at the Black Hawk County Courthouse to help individuals and families avoid eviction and homelessness. Tenants are screened for eviction legal defenses, as well as legal problems that may reduce their income and ability to pay rent. Tenants are educated about their legal rights, given step-by-step instructions to resolve the problem on their own and offered legal representation as needed. Connections are made with other community providers to help tenants with non-legal needs.
Additional organizations funded in the Otto Schoitz Foundation spring 2023 grant cycle include:
Cedar Valley Angels; Center of Attention; EPI -- Exceptional Persons Inc.; Four Oaks Family and Children’s Services; Girl Scouts of Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois; Grin & Grow Ltd.; Iowa Dental Foundation; The Job Foundation; Love INC of the Cedar Valley; Lutheran Services in Iowa; ONE Cedar Valley; One City United; Plentiful Pantry; Royal Legacy Christian Academy; The Salvation Army; Try Pie; UNI Local Food Program Veggie Vouchers; Waterloo Housing Trust Fund; and the Youth Art Team.
Founded in 2016, Otto Schoitz Foundation has awarded nearly $17 million in the Cedar Valley. Visit the Foundation’s website at www.ottoschoitzfoundation.org for further details on grant awards and how interested parties can apply for the next grant cycle. Foundation staff are available to answer applicant questions and can be reached at (319) 232-2870. | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/otto-schoitz-foundation-awards-772-500-in-grants/article_d6989e28-fa71-11ed-9845-b7fb3d413f45.html | 2023-05-24T22:30:25 | 1 | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/otto-schoitz-foundation-awards-772-500-in-grants/article_d6989e28-fa71-11ed-9845-b7fb3d413f45.html |
DALLAS — Dallas City Council on Wednesday gave TxDOT the green light to take down I-345 and replace it with a lowered trench.
Discussions of the future of I-345 had been ongoing in Dallas political circles for roughly a decade. The 1.4-mile stretch of elevated highway that connects I-45 and US 75 has been long-criticized as a divider in the city’s downtown area.
"This has been a years-long process, and some days were easier than others," said council member Omar Narvaez, the council's transportation and infrastructure committee chair.
The vote to move forward with the project passed unanimously, 14-0, after more than two hours of discussion.
About a dozen speakers advocated against the trench option, arguing it would do little, if anything, to reconnect Deep Ellum and southern Dallas neighborhoods to the rest of Downtown Dallas, as has long been the argument behind the elevated highway's removal..
Council member Chad West has been an outspoken advocate for replacing I-345 with a boulevard, which would dramatically slow traffic -- up to 50 percent -- according to a TxDOT study, but would reconnect the city and create up to 25 acres of opportunity for community development.
“I’m not in favor of a highway of any type continuing to divide the neighborhoods of Deep Ellum and Downtown,” West said during Wednesday’s council meeting. “I’m going to begrudgingly support this.”
In Deep Ellum, the vote is being seen as a step in the right direction, at least.
“Simply from an aesthetic point, I think it’s great for the whole city,” said Jeff Brightwell, who owns Deep Ellum bar Dot's Hop House & Cocktail Courtyard. “A lot of people get a little nervous walking under those overpasses.”
West and other supporters of the option for complete removal got pushback from council members with concerns about the legality of removing I-345 along with its potential traffic impacts.
“I-345 probably should never have been built, and it’s a tragedy that it destroyed minority neighborhoods when it was constructed 50 years ago,” council member Jaime Resendez said. “However, turning the highway into a boulevard would not bring those neighborhoods back.”
Council directed Dallas City Manager T.C. Broadnax to search for an estimated $2 million of funding for an independent study to review if the trench is indeed the best option for the I-345's future.
Council member Cara Mendelsohn raised budgetary concerns, saying that there is no money for the study. Furthermore, Mendelsohn noted, if the city were to pivot back to a boulevard option after approving the trench plan, it would be on the hook for $20 million in reimbursements to TxDOT for the engineering work in the interim.
“What’s not going to ever happen is for it to be a boulevard,” Mendelsohn said. “We just have to deal with reality and move this forward.”
Replied West: "That’s a very suburban mentality which was existed since the 1950s in this city, and it’s time to rethink that. As we think about the density that’s coming to Dallas we’ve got to think about when is enough enough on highways."
According to TxDOT, I-345 carries about 180,000 cars a day. City officials said its busiest streets handle around 60,000.
Council amended the resolution it passed to require TxDOT to brief the council every six months on its progress, to look into decking and capping the trench similarly to how Woodall Rogers Freeway is topped with Klyde Warren Park, and to be sure it follows policies and plans including the city's bike plan, its economic development policy and its Vision Zero safety plan.
If the plan stays on track, the $1 billion project could start construction in 2028.
"70 to 100 years from now we’re going to have to replace it with something else,” West said. “Between now and then, we’re going to have to live with whatever we come up with.”
Added Brightwell: “It does feel like it’s been forever. I guess we’ll just have to wait till they start turning dirt to see where it really goes.” | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/dallas-city-council-votes-to-replace-i-345-with-trench/287-434d8c1b-a373-4196-8a55-33ac516248d2 | 2023-05-24T22:34:39 | 1 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/dallas-city-council-votes-to-replace-i-345-with-trench/287-434d8c1b-a373-4196-8a55-33ac516248d2 |
MIDLAND, Texas —
Midland Academy Charter School will be joining forces with Vitalant for a blood drive on Friday.
The event will take place from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in the blood mobile, which will be parked at the school. The school is located at 500 N Baird St.
To schedule an appointment and do your part, call Gracie Perez at 432-686-0003, call 1-877-25VITAL or log on using the link attached here.
Use blood drive code MACS. | https://www.newswest9.com/article/news/local/midland-academy-charter-school-vitalant-team-up-for-blood-drive/513-9e248dec-1b57-4f95-b093-35d923993efa | 2023-05-24T22:38:48 | 0 | https://www.newswest9.com/article/news/local/midland-academy-charter-school-vitalant-team-up-for-blood-drive/513-9e248dec-1b57-4f95-b093-35d923993efa |
CLEARWATER, Fla. — The city of Clearwater launched its new website and recycling dashboard to show residents how much is actually being recycled every month along with contamination rates.
After news broke back in January of the city not properly processing any residential recycling since June 2022, this seems to be a way for residents to keep track of whether their items are actually being recycled or going with the rest of the trash.
Throughout the month of April, Clearwater crews collected 692.17 tons of recycling from residents and delivered it to the city's recycling processor – Waste Connections in St. Petersburg.
Of the amount of recycling collected, 670.86 tons – which is 96.9% – were accepted and processed. The other 21.31 tons, or 2.1 percent, of recycling, were rejected because of contamination.
The website is set to be updated every month with new numbers.
"In addition, the city is working with a consultant to help us secure a long-term single-stream recycling contract that preferably includes revenue sharing," city leaders explain in a news release. "The current short-term contract with Waste Connections does not.
"The consultant will also examine and address efficiency issues with our routes if they exist."
Residents will be able to find past and current updates about the city's handling of recyclables on the new website. They can also subscribe for webpage updates at the bottom of the page.
The city of Safety Harbor and the town of Belleair are reportedly no longer using Clearwater to process their recycling.
Anyone interested in seeing the new site can click here. | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/pinellascounty/clearwater-recycling-dashboard/67-0697decb-abec-4c51-b006-9188a163e9e3 | 2023-05-24T22:39:07 | 0 | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/pinellascounty/clearwater-recycling-dashboard/67-0697decb-abec-4c51-b006-9188a163e9e3 |
A collection of tributes that poured in Wednesday from musicians, actors and athletes following the death of musical superstar Tina Turner,
“We have lost one of the word’s most exciting and electric performers. A total legend on record and on stage. She was untouchable. Condolences to Erwin and her family. The saddest news.” — Elton John said on Instagram.
“How do we say farewell to a woman who owned her pain and trauma and used it as a means to help change the world? Through her courage in telling her story, her commitment to stay the course in her life, no matter the sacrifice, and her determination to carve out a space in rock and roll for herself and for others who look like her, Tina Turner showed others who lived in fear what a beautiful future filled with love, compassion, and freedom should look like. Her final words to me — for me — were “You never mimicked me. Instead, you reached deep into your soul, found your inner Tina, and showed her to the world.” I shall hold these words close to my heart for the rest of my days.” — Angela Bassett, who played Turner in the 1993 film “What’s Love Got to Do With It”
“Rest in peace to one of my favorite artists of all time, the legendary queen of rock n’ roll Tina Turner. I’ve seen her many many times and hands down, she gave one of the best live shows I’ve ever seen. She always gave you your moneys worth.” — NBA legend Magic Johnson, who posted a photo with him and Turner on Twitter.
“Cultural Icon down. Safe Journey Anna Mae Bullock . You were HERE.” — singer Erykah Badu said Instagram.
“Heaven has gained an angel. Rest in Paradise Tina Turner. Thank you for the inspiration you gave us all.” - singer Ciara said on Twitter.
“What a woman, what a life, what a warrior!!! The day I met you Ms Tina, I couldn’t believe I was standing in the presence of your greatness!! (Thanks to my big sis @oprah!!!) I got to celebrate and thank you for all the love you’ve poured out around u. The songs you sang gave us courage to step out and be our full selves. You are a fierce force as a woman and a performer! All of these things have been beacons of light for not only me, but all the people around the world finding ourselves and our fearlessness, through our vulnerability!!” — Alicia Keys said on Instagram.
“Truest rocker. Greatest performer. Most profoundly sexy woman. What a dynamo, what a story, what a heroine. Always an energy inspiration for me, always tapping the source. Tina forever. Man. Always been in awe of her and the infinite power.” — Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea said on Instagram.
“A Survivor and a Badass. Every note she sang shook the room and shook your soul. There will never be another like her. Shake the roof off of Heaven Tina Turner.” — musician Diane Warren said on Twitter.
“Tina Turner was iconic, talented, and fierce. What a journey. What a life, filled with great highs and great lows. She left an abusive marriage. She found love again. She made her way in this world, selling millions of albums. She became a mother, she experienced terrible sadness, and she still kept going. She brought joy to so many, even when she was experiencing such tragedy. I’ve always admired her. I first met her as a teenager and followed her throughout her inspiring life. May we honor Tina, and may we continue to play her music loudly and dance!” — actor Maria Shriver said on Twitter. | https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/2023/05/24/tina-turner-death-tributes-reaction/ed213598-fa7a-11ed-bafc-bf50205661da_story.html | 2023-05-24T22:39:09 | 1 | https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/2023/05/24/tina-turner-death-tributes-reaction/ed213598-fa7a-11ed-bafc-bf50205661da_story.html |
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — As severe storms roll through the Tampa Bay area, even producing small hail over Pinellas County, some residents are reporting power outages.
Just over 1,000 people have reported outages in Pinellas County with about 600 reports coming out of the St. Pete-Clearwater area, according to Duke Energy.
An area hard-hit with outages is the Lealman area, which is also where hail has been reported. Power restoration is expected by 12:30 a.m., Duke Energy reports.
Tampa Electric is reporting 1,673 power outages across Hillsborough County. Majority of customers hit are in the Tampa Heights area. It's estimated to be restored by 9:30 p.m., TECO reports.
Duke Energy customers in Pinellas County can report an outage by clicking here. TECO customers can report an outage here. | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/power-outages-st-pete-tampa-bay-area-strong-storm/67-02841882-cedd-46d4-ad8a-359412640bef | 2023-05-24T22:39:13 | 0 | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/power-outages-st-pete-tampa-bay-area-strong-storm/67-02841882-cedd-46d4-ad8a-359412640bef |
TAMPA, Fla. — One Tampa Gold Star family is getting love and comfort ahead of this Memorial Day thanks to a Southeastern Guide Dogs.
Emily Hoey was a military officer. Her late husband, John, was in special forces. The two met in 2005 when they were both stationed in Virginia.
"He was just fun to be around," Hoey said. "He had that personality that just draws you in."
The couple had a dog named Maggie. Maggie was there when they got married, had their daughter Isabella and moved all around the country with the family. Emily explained their dog, Maggie, was always there to provide support.
"Relied on her for a lot of comfort," she said.
That comfort was especially important when her late husband, John, was deployed to Afghanistan.
"He was killed in August 2009 in Afghanistan."
An explosive device killed John at 28 years old. This was when Emily relied on Maggie for comfort. That loss grew when Maggie passed 12 years later.
"She had been such an interwoven part of our life with John," Emily said. "It felt like another piece that we lost."
As a grieving Gold Star family, Emily qualified for a Southeastern Guide Dog.
Southeastern Guide Dogs officials fully train dogs and give them to people for different reasons. Emily got a companion dog given as a part of the Gold Star family program. They also have guide and service dogs.
Emily got a 2-year-old Labrador Retriever in October 2022. Her name: Elle.
"She brought us so much happiness again," she said. "I feel like she’s just that little missing piece that makes our family."
Elle comforts Emily this Memorial Day as she grieves the loss of her late husband — a man who loved serving his country and was dedicated to his family.
"He was just all-around a great person to be around and definitely missed," Emily added. | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/tampa-bay-gold-star-family-southeastern-guide-dog-veteran/67-6ea37ac8-02d8-4dff-91b1-6c5ba028b1b8 | 2023-05-24T22:39:19 | 0 | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/tampa-bay-gold-star-family-southeastern-guide-dog-veteran/67-6ea37ac8-02d8-4dff-91b1-6c5ba028b1b8 |
BRIDGETON — Cumberland County hospitals can expect higher Medicaid reimbursements after the county Board of Commissioners approved an ordinance that would authorize the use of money through a federally funded program.
The board approved the ordinance implementing the New Jersey County Option Hospital Fee Program during its meeting Tuesday.
Through the program, the county receives federal dollars to provide financial support to local hospitals, officials said Wednesday in a news release.
A trust fund will be created to collect the fees, according to the ordinance.
The county's use of the program still awaits approval from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid, which is overseen by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, officials said, without saying when they expected a decision.
People are also reading…
The program was formed to target areas of high Medicaid and uninsured populations. Cumberland County is considered one of the state's poorest.
VINELAND — The CompleteCare Health Network earned the loyalty of Terri Sullivan over the years.
"Supporting County Option is clearly in the best interest of our most vulnerable residents and provides needed support to our hospitals,” Commissioner Director Doug Albrecht said in a statement. “We know that this is just one of the many important steps in improving health outcomes in our community, and we look forward to further collaboration with our hospital partners to best serve all.”
To implement the fee, the county formed a Fee and Expenditure Report, which was approved by the state Department of Human Services. The report was used to help the department gauge how the county planned to manage the funds and the program.
The program has been implemented in seven counties since its inception in 2018, expanding to four additional counties last year, officials said. Atlantic and Ocean counties are among them, according to the state Department of Human Services' website.
Through the program, a $1,341 fee for each hospital inpatient non-Medicare discharge will be charged to in-county hospitals beginning July 1, according to the ordinance.
Hospitals should expect to start being reimbursed by October, officials said.
Interest at a rate not to exceed 1.5% per month of the outstanding payment amount will be imposed by the county upon a hospital when payment of the fee is more than 10 days past the established due date, the ordinance said.
Missouri Republican lawmakers have filed more than two dozen bills directed at the LGBTQ community, including some that target gender transition therapy.
Inspira CEO Amy Mansue said enacting the ordinance will help her company reach more people in an attempt to curtail social gaps tied to poor health.
“Inspira cares for some of the most vulnerable populations — both in terms of health outcomes and economic stability," Mansue said in a statement. "The additional funding provided through the County Option program will enable us to expand our efforts to reduce health disparities and strengthen our focus on providing high-quality care for all our Cumberland County neighbors.” | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/cumberland-county-oks-ordinance-to-raise-medicaid-reimbursement/article_b6c8c306-fa4a-11ed-ba93-6bc144aeeb98.html | 2023-05-24T22:43:03 | 0 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/cumberland-county-oks-ordinance-to-raise-medicaid-reimbursement/article_b6c8c306-fa4a-11ed-ba93-6bc144aeeb98.html |
CAPE MAY COURT HOUSE — An Upper Township man last week admitted causing a hit-and-run crash that killed an Ocean View woman last year.
Hugo Maucher, 51, pleaded guilty May 17 to leaving the scene of a fatal accident before Judge J. Christopher Gibson, according to a Cape May County Superior Court filing.
The plea would carry a 10-year prison sentence and a $150,000 fine.
Under the agreement, prosecutors would drop a charge for violating a law intended to protect public health and safety, recklessly causing death, the filing says.
Maucher was indicted in March in the fatal crash that killed Marjorie Straubmuller, 80, on Dec. 29.
Prosecutors say Maucher was traveling home from his job at Corinthian Yacht Club in Cape May when, on Stagecoach Road near Brewhaus Lane, his car hit Straubmuller.
People are also reading…
The vehicle continued past the scene, prompting a hunt by State Police, who issued a suspect sketch and said they were searching for a possible Jeep Grand Cherokee.
Straubmuller was pronounced dead at AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center, City Campus. | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/upper-township-man-pleads-guilty-in-fatal-hit-and-run-crash/article_ee9c4acc-fa73-11ed-954a-47dfccb8a44d.html | 2023-05-24T22:43:09 | 0 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/upper-township-man-pleads-guilty-in-fatal-hit-and-run-crash/article_ee9c4acc-fa73-11ed-954a-47dfccb8a44d.html |
ATLANTIC CITY — City Council voted down the city's $225.8 million annual budget Wednesday evening, which the mayor has said would include a 5-cent drop in the local tax rate, on a vote of 5-4.
But Mayor Marty Small Sr. said the state has the final say on the budget under the state takeover law and has already approved it.
"We will continue to move this city forward, despite some do-nothing council persons," Small said.
The meeting got heated between those on opposing sides on the budget.
"When we are producing a 5.23-cent tax decrease in troubling times ... people who purport to care for the city and you have a budget producing a tax decrease and this is behavior happening?" Small said during the public discussion. "People will remember that during election time. I’m going to remind everybody. Trust me."
People are also reading…
"You want us to vote on something without all the information," said Councilwoman LaToya Dunston. "It doesn’t make any sense to us."
ATLANTIC CITY — Mayor Marty Small Sr. announced a 5.23-cent tax rate decrease for the 2023 b…
Members of council voting no said they had not gotten enough information about the budget before voting, but city Finance Director Toro Aboderin said all members got a detailed budget and other documentation.
But council Vice President Kaleem Shabazz said the opposition vote was a political move in election season. All council seats are up for election this year.
Those voting against the budget were lone Republican Councilman Jesse Kurtz and Democratic council members Dunston, Bruce Weekes, George Tibbitt and MD Hossain Morshed. All but Morshed have lately been critics of Small.
Voting in favor were Council President Aaron "Sporty" Randolph, Vice President Kaleem Shabazz and Council members Stephanie Marshall and Muhammad Zia.
Under the proposed budget, the tax rate would fall from $1.5997 per $100 of assessed property value to $1.5474 per $100.
The owner of a property valued at $125,000 would see their local taxes decrease by about $60.38, according to Small.
ATLANTIC CITY — The Democratic mayor and Republican state senator have decided to work toget…
Council also voted to pass an ordinance to spend $6 million in American Rescue Plan funds to renovate city parks and a city bridge.
Of that amount, $4 million will go toward the parks and $2 million toward replacing the Venice Lagoon Bridge. | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/council-votes-down-atlantic-citys-225-8-million-spending-plan/article_9727b8cc-fa3b-11ed-b93b-6b857ce00fb3.html | 2023-05-24T22:43:16 | 0 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/council-votes-down-atlantic-citys-225-8-million-spending-plan/article_9727b8cc-fa3b-11ed-b93b-6b857ce00fb3.html |
With hopes of blue skies and sunshine, Geoff Rickly, lead singer of the band Thursday, said fans should not expect “War All The Time” when his group performs live on the beach from 6 to 6:45 p.m. Saturday during the Adjacent Festival in Atlantic City.
This September is the 20th anniversary of the ensemble’s third studio album, “War All The Time,” which is its only top-10 Billboard 200 release.
In commemoration, Thursday will play the full-length release in its entirety during the sold out Rocks Off Concert Cruise on Sept. 13 and 14 in New York City and The Fest 21 from Oct. 27 to 29 in Gainesville, Florida.
But they will not play the whole “War All The Time” album in Atlantic City because the recording might be a little too dark, Rickly said.
“It will be a mix of everything because it is during the daytime,” Rickly said. “This (the Adjacent Festival) is a feel-good thing. ... It is spacious, outdoors.”
People are also reading…
Thursday will be making a rare live appearance in America’s Favorite Playground. The band played in the resort in November 2006 at the now defunct House of Blues inside the Showboat Atlantic City Hotel, back when it was also a casino.
The newly reunited blink-182 and Paramore will headline the Adjacent Music Festival, a new two-day live music festival with over 40 bands on three stages with craft food and beverage experiences and vendors on the Atlantic City Beach to kick-off the Summer of 2023 over Memorial Day Weekend, Saturday and Sunday, May 27 and 28, 2023.
Other bands at the Adjacent Festival have had more commercial success, but Thursday is known for its compelling live performances.
In Dan Ozzi’s book “Sellout: The Major Label Feeding Frenzy That Swept Punk, Emo, and Hardcore (1994-2007),” Rickly is on the cover in a photo from one of Thursday’s shows. He is in the crowd in front of the stage, mouth open singing with the microphone cord wrapped around his right wrist and the microphone in his right hand capturing the audience members shouting along.
The choice was made to put an image from a Thursday live concert on the cover over more popular bands featured in the same book, such as Green Day, My Chemical Romance and Adjacent headliner Blink-182.
Thursday’s fans are fortunate that the band still exists after forming in 1997 in New Brunswick, Middlesex County.
Thursday went on indefinite hiatus in 2004 for about a year. The band disbanded from 2011 to 2016 and hasn’t released a full-length recording since 2011. The COVID-19 pandemic kept the group from playing in front of a live audience for nearly two years.
Currently, it is a great time for the band, Rickly said.
Just off the Boardwalk in Atlantic City, in a casino town where cover bands rule and Shoobie…
“There has been a resurgence of love for the band,” he said, adding he really felt it while his group did some dates opening for My Chemical Romance last year. “It’s all bonus time, a nice surprise. It still matters to people.”
Thursday’s second studio album, “Full Collapse” from 2001, has appeared on various best-of emo lists, including those from Consequence of Sound, Kerrang!, NME and Rolling Stone.
The same quintet that created “Full Collapse” — lead guitarist Tom Keeley, rhythm guitarist Steve Pedulla, bassist Tim Payne, drummer Tucker Rule and Rickly — will play Saturday at the Adjacent Festival.
The band has been around long enough to see the type of music they play — Rickly calls it post-hardcore, others call it emo — fall out of favor and come back around again.
It was hard when punk rock and all its offshoots were at the depths of their popularity from 2008 to 2010, Rickly said.
“At the time, there was a complete disregard. It was like taking Patti Smith and turning it into Motley Crue,” he said.
Atlantic City’s perpetual roller-coaster ride through history appears to be on an upswing, but the resort town still seems stuck in the “familiar is favorable” approach in many of its live-music venues.
In the late 2000s, people into esoteric, avant-garde music believed Thursday was a corny, mall band, and those who were fans of the more popular punk-pop groups thought Thursday was too avant garde and weird, Rickly said.
During Thursday’s height, the band used to play 250 to 320 shows annually, Rickly said. This year, they weren’t supposed to tour. Besides playing in Atlantic City, the group will be meeting soon to decide what, if any, work it wants to do next year.
“We will be talking about South America,” Rickly said. “We will talk about whether we want to do more ‘War All The Time’ 20th anniversary shows.” | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/nj-band-thursday-to-give-rare-atlantic-city-performance-during-adjacent-festival/article_6c7f625a-ef87-11ed-a2ee-07653a0e83ee.html | 2023-05-24T22:43:22 | 1 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/nj-band-thursday-to-give-rare-atlantic-city-performance-during-adjacent-festival/article_6c7f625a-ef87-11ed-a2ee-07653a0e83ee.html |
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.