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SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The California Department of Justice is investigating how a group of 16 Venezuelan and Colombian migrants were dropped off in the front office of the Diocese of Sacramento, Gov. Gavin Newsom said Saturday.
According to Sacramento Area Congregations Together (ACT), the group of migrants originated in El Paso where they were allegedly approached by a private contractor saying that they would be provided with jobs, free support and help getting into a migrant center.
Newsom says the migrants were then flown on a private chartered jet to Sacramento and dropped off in the front office of the Diocese of Sacramento Friday.
According to Sacramento religious leaders, the migrants did not know where they were and only had a backpack's worth of belongings.
The migrants were reportedly processed upon entry into the United States and have court appearances pending.
"Within each of the 16 migrants transported to Sacramento on Friday we recognize the humble presence of Jesus, and we hear His call to stand by them," Sacramento Bishop Jaime Soto said in a statement. "The urgency to respond was heard by Catholics and people of good will. We are thankful to our partner organizations who took up the holy work of hospitality, dedicating their time and resources to ensure that every migrant did not feel alone and abandoned."
In a statement Saturday, Sacramento Mayor Darrel Steinberg likened the drop-off to human trafficking.
"Whoever is behind this must answer the following: Is there anything more cruel than using scared human beings to score cheap political points? Sacramento represents the best of American values," the statement said. "We always welcome 'the tired, the poor, and the huddled masses,' and we always will."
Newsom weighed in on the situation in a statement Saturday saying that he and Attorney General Rob Bonta met with the migrants.
"We are working closely with the Mayor’s office, along with local and nonprofit partners to ensure the people who have arrived are treated with respect and dignity, and get to their intended destination as they pursue their immigration cases," Newsom said in a statement.
According to Newsom, the California Department of Justice is investigating the circumstances surrounding who paid for the group's travel and whether any criminal laws were violated, including kidnapping.
Sacramento ACT says that the organization has received an outpouring of support for the migrants. They are asking for people to contribute financially through their website or by offering transportation to appointments through a sign-up sheet.
Watch more from ABC10: Title 42 Ends: California southern border update - May 11, 2023 | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/sacramento/migrants-dropped-off-at-diocese-of-sacramento/103-10705bec-da21-43d2-9318-344fcac46530 | 2023-06-04T05:20:12 | 1 | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/sacramento/migrants-dropped-off-at-diocese-of-sacramento/103-10705bec-da21-43d2-9318-344fcac46530 |
Karen Ann White
September 27, 1936-May 31, 2023
MASON CITY-Karen Ann White, 86, of Mason City, IA, passed away May 31, 2023 at the Rehabilitation Center in Belmond, IA after a battle with Alzheimer's.
A Funeral Mass will be held at 10:30 am, Thursday, June 8, 2023 at Epiphany Parish Holy Family Catholic Church, 722 North Adams Avenue, Mason City, IA 50401. Visitation will be held one hour prior to mass. Burial will take place at Elmwood St. Joseph Cemetery in Mason City.
Karen was born September 27, 1936, in Mason City, IA daughter of Cedrick and Lucille (Chute) Connelly. She began working part-time for Northwestern Bell Telephone Company while she attended St. Joseph High School. Following her graduation, she began working for them full time. She quickly made her way to the position of supervisor and those that worked with her had a great deal of love and respect for her. She later retired from the company in 1986 after 32 years of service. Karen was united in marriage to Bernard “Larry” White December 28, 1957. Larry passed away on August 28, 1986. Karen came out of retirement to work for the Crisis Intervention Service in Mason City as their office manager. She devoted her time there for over 27 years. Years after Larry passed away, she enjoyed traveling with her devoted companion, Kaye Young, until his passing in March of 2013.
Karen loved playing cards with the gals a couple times a month, was an avid reader and fitness enthusiast. She would dedicate time everyday walking or going to the Ironhouse Gym. She and Kaye enjoyed many winters in Mazatlan, Mexico. She was a member of Epiphany Parish as well as Al-Anon and the Telephone Pioneers. Faith was a large part of her life; she dedicated much of her time to ministries of the church until her memory declined.
Karen is survived by her sons, Michael (Ann) White of Fitchburg, WI, and Patrick (Darla) White of Meservey, IA; grandchildren, Kristine (Curt) Fangman, of Center Point, IA, Daniel (Jenny Sippola) White, of Madison, WI, Michelle (Dallas) Schmitt, of Fall River, WI, Elizabeth White, of Fitchburg, Christine (Mike) Sandry, of Meservey, Jordan (Megan) White, of Meservey; great-grandchildren, Eric and Rachel Sandry, Emmalyn and Cooper Schmitt, Austin and Brooklyn Fistler; and many beloved nieces, nephews, friends, and extended family.
Karen was preceded in death by her husband, Larry; special friend, Kaye; parents, Cedrick and Lucille; sisters, Phyllis Hugeback and Judy (Jerry) Birdsall; as well as a niece and nephew.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be made to Crisis Intervention Service, Mason City, St. Croix Hospice, Humboldt, IA or Epiphany Parish.
Hogan Bremer Moore Colonial Chapel. (641) 423-2372. ColonialChapels.com | https://globegazette.com/news/local/obituaries/karen-ann-white/article_3e5621c7-b106-5270-870e-419493fe6a63.html | 2023-06-04T05:20:15 | 0 | https://globegazette.com/news/local/obituaries/karen-ann-white/article_3e5621c7-b106-5270-870e-419493fe6a63.html |
Kay A. Backhaus
February 10, 1940 - June 2, 2023
MASON CITY-Kay A. Backhaus, 83, of Mason City, died on June 2, 2023, at the Good Shepherd Health Center. A funeral service will be held at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, June 6, 2023, at Major Erickson Funeral Home, 111 N Pennsylvania Ave with Pastor Dan Dahl officiating. Visitation will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. on Monday, June 5, 2023, at Major Erickson Funeral Home. Interment will be held in Memorial Park Cemetery. Memorials may be directed to the family of Kay Backhaus. | https://globegazette.com/news/local/obituaries/kay-a-backhaus/article_ff1fcadf-72ca-55a8-b7e3-49ba869c9dc2.html | 2023-06-04T05:20:21 | 1 | https://globegazette.com/news/local/obituaries/kay-a-backhaus/article_ff1fcadf-72ca-55a8-b7e3-49ba869c9dc2.html |
Michael "Mike" Johnson
December 28, 2022
CLEAR LAKE-Michael Mike Johnson 75, of Clear Lake, IA passed away unexpectedly on December 28th, 2022 at the home of his daughter and son-in-law in Arlington, TX.
Internment of his cremains will take place on June 10th 2023, at 10:30 A.M. at Elmwood Cemetery in Mason City, IA with military honors.
An open-house celebration of Mikes' life will be June 10th 2023, at the Clear Lake, IA VFW from 1 to 3 P.M. Casual attire is requested. | https://globegazette.com/news/local/obituaries/michael-mike-johnson/article_1197a57e-f8d7-11ed-be98-ff8a4535e69c.html | 2023-06-04T05:20:27 | 0 | https://globegazette.com/news/local/obituaries/michael-mike-johnson/article_1197a57e-f8d7-11ed-be98-ff8a4535e69c.html |
Robert Bechtum
January 26, 1936-May22, 2023
Robert was born in Riceville. He attended the Mossville schoolhouse there, going on to graduate from Osage. He then joined the Marines. In 1958 he met and married Sharon Bechtum of Austin. They farmed and went on to own 2 more businesses. They lived in WY, Co, and AZ, returning to Osage in later years. He is survived by Kim (Dave) Tillotson, Lynne (Frank) Salcido, Laurie (Al) Hoines, 6 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife Sharon in 2022. | https://globegazette.com/news/local/obituaries/robert-bechtum/article_5052a4b0-b98e-53ed-bca0-8633515ef60e.html | 2023-06-04T05:20:34 | 1 | https://globegazette.com/news/local/obituaries/robert-bechtum/article_5052a4b0-b98e-53ed-bca0-8633515ef60e.html |
Arnold "Arnie" Elsing was born on August 25, 1933, in Comfrey Minnesota, to George and Amelia “Mollie” Elsing.
Arnie was raised in Comfrey until the end of 8th grade, when he and two friends decided to seek new adventures. They traveled around working odd jobs.
First, he worked in Saint Paul, MN at Swift & Co. Meat Packing, then to Rother Logging Co. in Seeley Lake, MT. Next stop was Sunshine Mine in Kellog, ID, where he developed a fantastic bond with his boss. His boss taught him to “go down the shaft last because you get to leave first”. Arnie would often talk about these memories, as they truly shaped the man he became. Arnie finally landed at his aunt and uncle's (Mary & Frank Wolf) ranch in Hollister, ID.
Arnie learned to work hard from a young age. He was introduced to the drilling operation by Loren Page. He would then go on to work at Eaton Drilling where Lee Trail gifted him his first rig to start his own operation.
This dedication would lead him to operate his own business called Elsing Drilling and Pump Company. He valued this industry, that brought him the pleasure of a successful and fun business.
Arnie met the love of his life, Norma Elsing and they married on June 28, 1989, in Twin Falls. This year will mark 50 wonderful years together. Arnie and Norma made incredible memories over the years, traveling across the United States. Some of their fondest memories were spent at their home in Havasu. Arnie was able to show Norma the wonderful scenery the country has to offer. They enjoyed hosting BBQs for their family and friends and attending Nascar races for over 26 years. Being surrounded by family brought the most joy to Arnie. Most people remember his famous “4th of July cannon”. We will all miss this very special man.
Arnie is survived by his loving wife; Norma Elsing, children; Ron (Christy) Elsing, Don Elsing, Lorrie (Jody) Greseth, grandchildren; Nicholas (partner: Michelle) Elsing, Stashia (Richard) Gidican and Robyn Elsing, 13 great-grandchildren, 3 great-great-grandchildren.
Arnie was preceded in death by both his parents, son, Randy Elsing, grandson, Michael Barnes, brothers: Ben, Jerry, and Kenneth Elsing, and sister, Arlene Leisenfeld.
At Arnie's request, there will not be a formal service. There will be a memorial service held at a later date. | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/obituaries/arnold-arnie-elsing/article_eff7fcf2-2092-56e6-8caa-611c5128ebed.html | 2023-06-04T05:26:39 | 1 | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/obituaries/arnold-arnie-elsing/article_eff7fcf2-2092-56e6-8caa-611c5128ebed.html |
June 12, 1933 - April 22, 2023
Proverbs 31:25: “She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.” This quote could not be more perfect for our mom. She always made sure that she had her hair done and her lipstick on. Yet, she would love riding behind the love of her life on the three-wheeler with the wind blowing in her hair, laughing and enjoying the moment of cruising down the lane on the farm leaving a trail of dust behind them.
Our beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend, Barbara (Jeanne) Jean Paul returned home to our Father in Heaven on April 22, 2023, at the age of 89 years. She was so excited to get to her 90th birthday, but God had other plans by bringing her home. She was welcomed into heaven with loving arms from her husband of 64 years, Herbert Paul; brothers, Warren and Early Howard, and her parents: Lloyd and Francis Howard. The welcome was extra special with her and her mom since she had not seen her since she was five years old.
Jeanne was born June 12, 1933 in Buhl, Idaho to Lloyd and Francis Howard. She moved to California in her early years and graduated from San Fernando Valley High School in California. After graduation she moved back home to Idaho for a new adventure. Little did she know that she would meet the love of her life, Herbert Paul and fall madly in love with him when he threw grass over the car at her when they met. This meeting was courtesy of Billie Kay Hendricken (Jones) who was Herbert's niece.
Two months later they were married December 22, 1953 on the family farm in Eden, Idaho in the house they would end up raising their three children and entertaining their six grandchildren and thirteen great-grandchildren.
Mom enjoyed the farm so much and loved driving harvest trucks, and especially loved it when dad bought a second combine so the two of them could thrash beans side by side. Many fond memories were shared by family and friends at their home. Jeanne loved entertaining and always had a house full of family and friends that would stop by often to enjoy conversations with coffee, but especially her food.
Times News even wrote an article of her wonderful down-home cooking. Wonderful memories of her biscuits and gravy, apple pie, banana bread, cookies, and her famous sweet green ice tea. And we won't forget her cinnamon rolls and pull apart bread and rolls. She taught all her family how to cook and her love of cooking is being passed down through the generations. So many wonderful meals were shared on the screened in porch and around the huge dining table. Evenings spent sitting on the front porch swing watching sunsets and many thunderstorms across the farmland. Christmas Eve was always a house full of family and laughter with dinner and her famous caramel popcorn which would be served in Herbert's porcelain baby bath tub.
Her family was her pride and joy! Her family went beyond blood and included Dolores and Jerry Czebotar (Utt) and family, and Jeannie Shawver Koch and her husband Bill. Whether it was Sunday family suppers or holidays there was always fun and beautiful memories. She was an active member of West End Social Club and the Russel Lane Harmony Club which was made up of area wives. She was active in all 3 kid's activities, Room Mother, and treats for choir practice for many years. Herbert and Jeanne enjoyed yearly hunting trips with their dear friends Charles and Phyllis Utt in the mountains and dearly loved their trips with the Utts to the Oregon Coast.
After Herbert passed away, she moved into Twin Falls, Idaho into the “little cottage” where she would still host dinners on the deck and as many holiday celebrations as she could. Traditions that she started continue through her whole family. Jeanne loved entertaining and always had a house full of family and friends that would stop by often to enjoy conversations with coffee, but especially the food. The Hallmark Channel became one of her favorite channels to watch. Always tickled when Hallmark gifts were given to her. Her favorite was “The Christmas Waltz”.
She will be lovingly remembered by her children: Mike Paul (Priscilla) of Salmon, Idaho, Bill Paul (Sandy) of Twin Falls, Idaho and Susan Pohanka (Mike) of Jerome Idaho. Grandchildren Joseph Paul (Andrea) of Twin Falls, Idaho, Laura Bulzomi (Geno) of Eaton, Colorado, Lance Paul (Lonnie) of Buhl, Idaho, Christopher Pohanka (Daisi) of Meridian, Idaho, Megan Ewert (Steve) of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and Parker Paul of Twin Falls, Idaho and sister-in-law Margie Howard of Twin Falls, Idaho. Her surviving family includes thirteen great-grandchildren and many loving nieces and nephews. She cherished time spent with her Church Family at the Evangelical Valley Presbyterian Church and the Silver and Gold Senior Center.
The family wishes to send a special thank you to Dr. Ficklin, the staff at the Cancer Center, the staff at the Serenity Transitional Care facility, and the Auburn Crest Hospice for their care and compassion.
A celebration of life will be held on June 10, 2023 at 11:00 am at Rosenau Funeral Home in Twin Falls, Idaho. A grave side service will be held right after at Sunset Cemetery where our Herbert and Jeanne will be placed into their final resting place together, in lieu of flower, please send donations to Evangelical Valley Presbyterian Church, Hazelton, Idaho or Silver and Gold Senior Center, Eden, Idaho. | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/obituaries/barbara-jean-paul/article_8df65c74-3e39-5617-8aa2-e37c26f70925.html | 2023-06-04T05:26:46 | 1 | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/obituaries/barbara-jean-paul/article_8df65c74-3e39-5617-8aa2-e37c26f70925.html |
TWIN FALLS — Bill Brockman, 89, of Twin Falls, passed away peacefully on May 26, 2023, surrounded by family, at home.
Bill was primarily a rancher and farmer. He was also a public servant, serving on numerus boards and as County Commissioner.
Bill is survived by his children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, as well as many good friends.
There will be a funeral mass honoring Bill on June 16, 2023 at 3:00 pm, held at the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Buhl, with a special dinner following the service, served by the family of Bill.
There will also be a Rosary on June 15, 2023, starting at 6:00 pm, held at White- Reynolds Funeral Chapel.
See complete obituary at White-Reynolds Funeral Chapel website. | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/obituaries/bill-brockman/article_9c8b6eb2-77c9-5878-bb08-c991d6fb8cf9.html | 2023-06-04T05:26:53 | 0 | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/obituaries/bill-brockman/article_9c8b6eb2-77c9-5878-bb08-c991d6fb8cf9.html |
Darryl John Lampert
JEROME - Darryl John Lampert, 46-year-old resident of Jerome, Idaho, passed away May 24, 2023, following a Herculean effort battling an extremely rare and highly progressive cancer.
Born and raised in Portland, Oregon, Darryl then found his way to Richmond, Virginia. He married his wife, Sarah, in 1999, and they remained in Virginia until their move to Puyallup, Washington in 2007.
They spent a decade there together, and then decided to pack up their load and puppies, moving to Jerome, Idaho, to be closer to his parents, John and Mary Lampert, and other deeply loved family members who had chosen Jerome for retirement.
In his younger years, Darryl had a great love for square dancing and chess. His main passion shifted to computers, where he chose his professional path and life-long career.
Darryl had a laugh that was all-encompassing, and so utterly genuine that anyone who knew him was immediately sucked into his energy, infected with the positive presence that he maintained throughout the entirety of his life, including the darker moments and difficulties with his battle with cancer.
He never faltered, never wavered, completely focused on loving his wife and family, steadfastly preparing for the eventuality of his passing with no thoughts of himself. Instead, he fastidiously did all he could to prepare and support his loved ones for a life without him. Unsurprisingly to those who were lucky enough to know him - as that's just who he was both inside and out.
There aren't words to describe Darryl accurately enough, as he was incomparable. He was honest and genuine, selfless, and compassionate, brilliant beyond description, and without an unkind moment in his life, ever humble and reserved. He never once ignored an opportunity to help someone, giving of himself with a seemingly unending pool of love for everyone . . . everywhere.
Darryl's work ethic was unparalleled. He worked tirelessly to solve every problem before him, and most often - did just that. He absolutely loved his job. He had a deep respect and love for his colleagues. He had his quirks, though. He wasn't the best at organizing things, routinely misplacing his wallet and keys, and leaving countless items in hotel rooms across the country upon checking out from a work trip. He likely replaced dozens upon dozens of computer chargers and tools. Once he actually left the television remote in the freezer. He just didn't care to focus his energy on little things. He was all about others.
Throughout his 15-month battle, Darryl and Sarah were consistently overwhelmed with gratitude from support from family and friends. Of particular note include John and Mary Lampert, Jennifer Norton, Gary and Mary Tietz, Phillip and Mary Girling, and Mark and Jesse Warden. Unfathomable support from Darryl's superiors and colleagues at Accurate Electric Incorporated as well as Sarah's employers and colleagues in the Jerome School District.
Support from these folks could not be overstated. Darryl often spoke of how deeply touching it was to recognize how loved he was by so many people.
Darryl Lampert is survived by his wife, Sarah Lampert, parents John and Mary Lampert, brother, Richard Lampert, sister, Jennifer Norton, and numerous extended family members.
Memorial to be held at Rosenau Funeral Home in Twin Falls, Idaho on Saturday, June 17, 2023, at 10:30 a.m. | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/obituaries/darryl-john-lampert/article_59d73d2f-60b6-5251-8f3e-1a2d74e15f8f.html | 2023-06-04T05:26:55 | 0 | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/obituaries/darryl-john-lampert/article_59d73d2f-60b6-5251-8f3e-1a2d74e15f8f.html |
Paul Roberts
TWIN FALLS - Paul Roberts, 72, of Twin Falls passed away Wednesday, May 24, 2023 at his home. A graveside service with military honors will be held at 3:00 p.m., Friday, June 9, 2023 at Twin Falls Cemetery, 2350 4th Ave. East, Twin Falls. Memories and condolences may be shared with the family on Robert's memorial webpage at www.farmerfuneralchapel.com. | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/obituaries/funeral-notices/paul-roberts/article_d44f87cb-30ac-58a9-a506-489e9b80a7a9.html | 2023-06-04T05:27:01 | 0 | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/obituaries/funeral-notices/paul-roberts/article_d44f87cb-30ac-58a9-a506-489e9b80a7a9.html |
April 15, 1933—May 5, 2023
TWIN FALLS — Janet “Jan” Lorraine Thompson was born to William and Juanita Glassman on April 15, 1933 in Ogden, Utah. Janet joined her loved ones in heaven in May 5, 2023.
She lived the beginning of her life in Utah. After marrying Ray Chugg they moved to Jerome, Idaho and to this union two children Raelene and Curtis were born. They later divorced. Jan married Robert “Bob” Thompson in 1976, and they made their home in Twin Falls County. They raised sheep and racehorses on their small ranch until after Bob’s death when Jan moved into town.
Jan was an amazing athlete all her life. She was an Olympic contender in skiing, rode and raced quarter horses, bowled, and played pool achieving awards in all of these. She was an amazing seamstress, a great gardener, and an award-winning cook. She loved life, her friends, and her family.
Jan is survived by her son, Curtis (Chris) Chugg; grandchildren, Cynthia Chugg, Karlene (Chance) Owens, Jami Jackson, Ben (Angela) Jacobson, and Ryan (Nicole) Jacobson; eight great-grandchildren, Stewart and Spencer Stropshire, Kaleb Owens, Gavin Chugg, Carter, Cole and Paige Jacobson; and her sister, Evelyn Ladd as well as many other nieces, nephews, and extended family. She was preceded in death by her parents, William and Juanita Glassman, her husband Robert Thompson, all four of her brothers, her only daughter, Raelene McMillan, and her great-granddaughter, Kymber Lee Phillips.
In lieu of a funeral a private family memorial is planned for later.
The family would like to give a special thank you to Visions Hospice for the loving care they extended to mom.
She will be greatly missed by all who knew her.
Contributions may be made to Breast Cancer Awareness. | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/obituaries/janet-lorraine-thompson/article_6c62a1a3-327f-503a-abf8-a792513e61dc.html | 2023-06-04T05:27:07 | 1 | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/obituaries/janet-lorraine-thompson/article_6c62a1a3-327f-503a-abf8-a792513e61dc.html |
Jan. 14, 1975 - May 31, 2023
Jerrid Wayne Funke was born January 14, 1975 and returned to heaven on May 31, 2023 at St. Luke's Magic Valley surrounded by family, friends and love.
From Burley, ID he is survived by: parents, Denise Hall and Gale Funke (Carleen), siblings: John Funke (Stephanie), Lonna Reeves (Randy), son, Dakota Funke-Evans, granddaughter, Ember, his forever love, Sandy, and many nieces and nephews which he loved as if his own.
His courageous spirit took him on many adventures in life, but his favorites were around a fire with family and friends talking into the long hours of the night. He enjoyed fishing, motorcycles, drawing, and making people laugh. Whether it be an impersonation or his quick whit he was bound to make anyone smile. With an enormous heart he has left an everlasting impact on many lives, leaving behind treasured memories and wisdom. This cowboy will never be forgotten.
The family will be hosting a Celebration of Life in August 2023 more details to follow. Condolences may be left by visiting www.whitereynoldschapel.com. | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/obituaries/jerrid-wayne-funke/article_9b10b1ab-dc8e-5c33-a9e5-fe8f4f46cb6a.html | 2023-06-04T05:27:14 | 0 | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/obituaries/jerrid-wayne-funke/article_9b10b1ab-dc8e-5c33-a9e5-fe8f4f46cb6a.html |
January 1, 1934 - May 25, 2023
John “Jack” Stanley Fields passed away quietly in his home on May 25, 2023 at the age of 89, after a brief battle with cancer. Jack was born in the small Town of St. Marys, Kansas, on January 1, 1934, to Stanley and Adena (Carlson) Fields.
He lived in Kansas until his father journeyed to Idaho on a fishing trip and immediately decided to move the family west. Settling in Castleford, Jack grew up with his siblings, Geneva, Lola, Marie, and Bob. Early on, the family knew Jack was mechanically inclined and he proved them correct as he coaxed an old Model A to life and started driving it long before he was licensed for the road.
Soon after graduating from Castleford High School in 1951, Jack began working as a mechanic at Spradlings Texaco in Buhl, where he met the love of his life, Kay Winegar.
They were married on March 22, 1952 and were blessed with five children over the next 11 years. Strong values and family commitments, along with many other accomplishments kept Jack and his family rooted here in Buhl and the Magic Valley.
Starting at an early age with the Buhl Moose organization, Jack then joined the Jaycees and served at both local and state levels. During his time with the club, Buhl Sagebrush Days evolved into the 4th of July Celebration it is today. After “aging out” of Jaycees, Jack became involved with the Buhl Lions Club, and was a past President of this organization as well.
Jack and his brother Bob purchased the Phillips 66 Service Station on January 15, 1970, and continued to own and operate it for the next 46 years.
When he wasn't working, Jack loved to spend time outdoors. His annual elk hunting trip in Challis with his good buddies was something that he looked forward to every fall. Whether hunting or fishing, or riding dirt bikes or snowmobiles, or just camping with his family and friends, Jack was an avid outdoorsman who respected the land and taught his children and grandchildren to do the same.
While Jack took family vacations to the Oregon coast every year, his true love of travel began once the children were out of the house. He and Kay traveled to Las Vegas every spring with close friends and made several visits to the East Coast to explore the Civil War battle grounds and experience the New England fall foliage. Later in life they began traveling with their grown children, visiting Europe several times, and discovering a love of cruising. They managed to enjoy many voyages over the years, including a Caribbean trip to celebrate their 70th Wedding Anniversary with several members of the family.
Jack was our father, our friend, and our hero. Growing up under the guidance of this man was a gift of love that wasn't fully realized until we were adults. It would be impossible to list everything we learned from dad, but his depth of knowledge, his patience, and his wisdom continue to influence our lives each and every day.
Jack is survived by his wife of 71 years, Kay Fields; his children, Ron Fields, John (Robyn) Fields, Janie (Tim) Hudson, Becky (Larry) Hanover, and Bill (Jeannie) Fields; grandchildren, Jacki Fields-Deckard, Jenae Fields-Prescott, Brandi (Jamie) Webster, Jeni (Dustin) Taylor, Kari Lortz, Joni (Jeff) Jones, Logan (Stephanie) Hudson, Lindsey (Chris) Westberg, Kota Hanover, Callie Welch, Janica (Sylvia) Cortinas-Hanover, Shalako Hanover, Chris (Jackie) Fields, Shala (Tomás) Fields-Montaño, Kelsie Fields, and Cassandra (Kyle) Garcia-Stokes; 34 great grandchildren; 3 great-great grandchildren; numerous nieces and nephews; his brother, Bob Fields; and his sister, Marie Inchausti. Jack is also survived by many friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his sisters, Geneva Benson and Lola Graybeal; grandson, Kade Hanover; and several close friends.
A graveside service will be held at 11:00 a.m., Thursday, June 8, 2023 at West End Cemetery, 1574 East 4150 North, Buhl.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Boys and Girls Club of Magic Valley, 650 Addison Ave. W, Ste. 210, Twin Falls, ID 83301 in Jack's name, or to a charity of your choice.
Memories and condolences may be shared with the family on Jack's memorial webpage at www.farmerfuneralchapel.com. | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/obituaries/john-jack-stanley-fields/article_442ca86b-b110-50d6-903d-2635444f51ae.html | 2023-06-04T05:27:20 | 0 | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/obituaries/john-jack-stanley-fields/article_442ca86b-b110-50d6-903d-2635444f51ae.html |
Oct. 9, 1945 - May 27, 2023
OAKLEY – Katherine "Kathy" (Schorzman) Poulton died suddenly on Saturday, May 27, 2023, at St. Luke's Magic Valley Medical Center in Twin Falls.
Kathy, the daughter of Madge Matthews and Arthur E. Schorzman, was born in Oakley, Idaho, on October 9, 1945. Kathy lived an idyllic childhood on the family farm in Sublett, Idaho, where she entertained and directed her three siblings. As the oldest child, she was often put in charge of keeping the little ones occupied. She was always patient and creative and took her big sister role seriously. Her skills as a seamstress were often put to good use for the latest doll clothes, costume and formal dress.
In 1951, the family purchased a home in Burley and would move to “town” during the school year and live in Sublett during the summers. Kathy attended Burley High School where she was active in countless clubs and activities.
She was an accomplished pianist and vocalist and excelled in drama. She graduated in 1963, then attended the University of Idaho but finished her degree at the University of Utah, with a Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education. Her first teaching job was in West Allis, Wisconsin. She then moved back to Burley where she taught in numerous schools in the Cassia County School District, retiring after 32 years. Most former students will remember the bug collections, silly songs, and numerous other unforgettable life lessons taught with her strict, but fair demeanor. There are few who weren't impacted by her teaching.
Kathy married Gary Russell “Mike” Poulton, of Oakley, and they raised their two children, Kaye and Michael “Mike” while running the family farm and cow/calf operation. They moved the farm from Warm Creek to Goose Creek over the course of their 30-year marriage. Kathy was an excellent cook and no one left hungry from any meal that she made for those who helped brand or move the cows up or down the mountain. She supported the Rodeer each year. She and Marty Bedke camped, fed and cleaned up while everyone else moved the cows. The meals were always exceptionally cooked and gourmet, even in the dustiest of locations.
Kathy lost Mike on May 27, 2001, from Alpha 1 Antitrypsin Deficiency. During his five-year battle with this disease, she provided care, sitting with him through infusions and hospital stays. Kathy was the source of strength for the family.
After retirement, Kathy participated in numerous organizations that kept her busy. She was never one to let the grass grow under her feet! She served on the West Cassia Soil & Water Conservation District Board for 14 years. She was Secretary/Treasurer for 11 of those years, helping with conservation programs that supported both student and adult community education. Kathy, never one to sit still, became a certified Master Gardener, contributing to service projects such as the restoration of the Burley Caboose Garden. Kathy was also a long-time member of P.E.O. Recently, she became a certified Fit and Fall Proof Class Leader and taught classes at the Oakley Senior Center.
Kathy had a passion for quilting. You could often find Kathy at her sewing machine, working on birthday, retirement, graduation, wedding or “just because” quilts, which were all tailor-made for each person. She was a member and officer of the Mt. Harrison Quilt Guild.
Throughout her entire life, her constant source of strength was her faith in God and her affiliation with the First Presbyterian Church of Burley. Kathy was dedicated to her faith and supporting the church. We want to thank all the members that supported her throughout the years, especially Carleen Clayville and the Reverends David and Donna Henry.
Kathy was preceded in death by her husband, Mike; and her parents, Art and Madge Schorzman. She is survived by her children, Kaye (Chris) Poulton-Timm and Michael Poulton; her five grandchildren, Reece (Ellie), Jayden and Clate Poulton, and Alex and Henry Timm; her siblings, John (Kate) Schorzman, Carolyn (Craig) Wallin, and Anne Schorzman; and numerous nieces and nephews. Kathy will be greatly missed by her family and friends.
The funeral will be held at 11:00 a.m. Friday, June 9, 2023, at First Presbyterian Church, located at 2100 Burton Ave., in Burley, with the Rev. John Ziulkowski officiating. Burial will follow at Oakley Cemetery in Oakley. Friends and family are invited to a luncheon at the Oakley Stake Center, 355 N. Center Ave., immediately following the graveside service.
Family and friends will be received from 5:00 until 7:00 p.m. Thursday, June 8, 2023 at Rasmussen-Wilson Funeral Home, 1350 E. 16th St., in Burley, and from 10:00 until 10:45 a.m. Friday, June 9, 2023 preceding the funeral, at the church.
A webcast of the funeral service will be available and maintained at rasmussenwilson.com.
Kathy was an avid supporter of youth and educational programs. Her family asks that in lieu of flowers, you make a donation to the West Cassia Soil & Water Conservation District for educational scholarships by sending a check to West Cassia SWCD, 1361 East 16th St., Burley, ID 83318. | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/obituaries/katherine-poulton/article_dbd85c31-4541-54d4-a594-b6ba1a5bbdfa.html | 2023-06-04T05:27:26 | 0 | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/obituaries/katherine-poulton/article_dbd85c31-4541-54d4-a594-b6ba1a5bbdfa.html |
April 20, 1931 - May 6, 2023
BUHL — Margaret Mae (Sterns) Rodgers, 92, of Buhl passed away peacefully on May 6, 2023 at Grace Senior Living facility. Margaret was born on April 20, 1931 to Charles and Irma (Nelson) Sterns in San Diego, California.
As an only child, Margaret learned to occupy her own time and keep herself busy. At the age of 13, the family moved to Grants Pass, Oregon, where her father worked in the sawmills. They soon decided that living conditions there were a little too primitive, so they settled in Roggen, Colorado. Margaret was a 1949 graduate of Prospect Valley High School. She was a very talented and artistic child and spent many hours adding touches of color to black and white photos.
After graduation, Margaret attended Colorado A & M (Colorado State University) where she met Frank A. Rodgers, Jr. He was a smart, handsome football player that swept her off her feet. They were married on November 11, 1951. Their union lasted 64 years until Frank's passing in June of 2016. Frank and Margaret settled near Arvada, Colorado where they were blessed with four children: Janell, Barbara, Richard and Michael. Margaret was a stay-at-home mom and worked hard to keep her young family properly fed and clothed. She raised a huge garden each summer and she canned and froze the bounteous harvest. Living on a cattle ranch, she became a master of creating ways to fix hamburgers! She also raised and processed her own chickens each year to make sure there was fried chicken for Sunday Dinner each week.
Margaret was an extremely talented seamstress and made all of her girls' clothes, as well as shirts for the boys. When Janell and Barb got married, they wore wedding dresses made by their mother. She also made the attendants' dresses, as well as her own dress, for both weddings. Margaret passed on her knowledge of sewing, cooking, and canning to her girls.
In 1973, Frank, Margaret, Rick and Mike moved to Castleford, Idaho where they raised cattle and farmed 1000 acres on the Roseworth Tract. After moving, Margaret spent much of her time outdoors helping Frank. She was his silent sidekick and kept things running smoothly. They moved to Buhl in 1995 and became very active in the Polled Hereford business, traveling to many different places for cattle shows and sales. Helpers at the ranch were always treated to a delicious meal prepared by Margaret, and they looked forward to helping again soon.
In her later years, Margaret developed a love for quilting and made many beautiful and intricate place mats, wall hangings and table runners. Her handiwork can be found in the homes of her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She was also an avid reader and instilled a love of reading in her children. Margaret was a quiet presence, but always quick to laugh.
Margaret is survived by her children, Janell (John) Reid, Barbara (Greg) Stukenholtz, Rick (Jana) Rodgers and Mike Rodgers; as well as 10 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; and her brother-in-law, Jim (Barbara) Rodgers.
A Celebration of Margaret's Life will be held at 11:00 a.m., Friday, June 9, 2023, at Castleford United Methodist Church, 303 Elm St., Castleford.
Memorial contributions may be made to The Buhl Public Library, 215 Broadway Ave N., Buhl, Idaho 83316 or Castleford United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 667, Castleford, Idaho 83321.
Memories and condolences may be shared with the family on Margaret's memorial webpage at www.farmerfuneralchapel.com. | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/obituaries/margaret-rodgers/article_722212cb-3c87-5e53-8061-d9e4d5042649.html | 2023-06-04T05:27:32 | 0 | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/obituaries/margaret-rodgers/article_722212cb-3c87-5e53-8061-d9e4d5042649.html |
Sept. 1, 1933—May 31, 2023
On May 31, 2023, Naomi Mae (Meierhoff) Wing, 88, peacefully returned to her Father in Heaven. She was born on September 1, 1933 in Buhl, ID to John Meierhoff and Evelyn (Fox) Meierhoff, the youngest of seven children with five brothers and one sister.
Naomi attended schools in Buhl. Her senior year of high school, on October 23, 1950, Naomi and Elwood (Woody) Wing eloped to Elko, NV. Her dad was not far behind but the deed was done by the time he arrived!
Naomi and Woody lived in the Buhl/Castleford, ID area for many years where she drove truck as she followed Woody’s combines around the valley.
She enjoyed horse riding and was a member of the Filer Wranglerettes. Working for the USDA, she gathered statistics from farmers about their operations. In 1974, they moved to Murphy, ID, and farmed on Murphy Flats. After several years in Murphy, they moved the farming operation to Mountain Home, ID.
Naomi loved playing pinochle and spent many fun game nights with family and friends. She enjoyed being in a bowling league with several of her friends. Always ready to drive truck or run for parts, Naomi did what she could to keep the farming operation running. She was strong-willed and helped her children and family succeed in their endeavors. She loved her Pepsi, and in her later years, DumDum suckers were her go-to candy.
Naomi was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, six siblings, and daughter, Gail. She is survived by three children, Kay Wiser Erkins, Sidney Duane Wing, and Michael Eugene Wing, eight grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren, and a great-great-grandchild on the way.
Private graveside services will be held at the Buhl Cemetery on Tuesday, June 6, 2023, at 1:00 pm. Arrangements are under the care of Rost Funeral Home, McMurtrey Chapel. | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/obituaries/naomi-mae-wing/article_77e10f52-0725-58d7-8484-42bd0945aac7.html | 2023-06-04T05:27:38 | 0 | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/obituaries/naomi-mae-wing/article_77e10f52-0725-58d7-8484-42bd0945aac7.html |
Aug. 12, 1929 - May 29, 2023
It is with heavy hearts and profound sadness that we announce that on May 29, 2023, Paul Miller, 93, passed away peacefully to be with his Lord, with family by his side. Paul left behind a legacy of love, laughter, and an enduring spirit that will forever inspire us.
Paul's journey began on August 12, 1929, in Wabash, Indiana, as the youngest son of Charles and Bessie Miller. Growing up on a farm in Indiana, Paul admired his older brothers, Lowell and Doyle, and he developed a deep passion for fishing and playing basketball.
When Paul was 19, his strong work ethic and dedication were on display when he saved his money for a year to buy a Harley-Davidson motorcycle. Paul decided to travel across the country on his Harley. His uncle, Paul Marlow, worked for Lester and Ola McGregor on a farm in Idaho.
As Paul passed through, he stopped to visit his uncle. Little did he know that this pit stop would change his life forever.
He met the love of his life, Jeanie McGregor.
Paul and Jeanie were engaged in 1951, and in 1952 Paul became a United States Marine. He was deployed to fight overseas in the Korean War. Paul was recognized for his exceptional bravery and steadfastness in action on Bunker Hill on August 24, 1952, receiving the Bronze Star w/Combat "V" and the Purple Heart.
On May 31, 1953, Paul and Jeanie were married at the First Baptist Church in Filer. They lived in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, until Paul was honorably discharged. Embarking on a shared journey that spanned decades, they settled in Idaho where they purchased a farm on the Salmon Tract, pouring their hearts and souls into its transformation.
Paul and Jeanie were truly best friends who adventured through life together. Their family flourished as they welcomed their beloved daughter, Diana, in 1958 and their cherished son, Jerry in 1960. Paul's devotion to his family knew no bounds, and he found joy in being a husband and father.
Paul loved to travel, camp, fish, hunt, water ski and golf. He enjoyed riding motorcycles in the mountains with Diana and Jerry, while Jeanie relaxed at the campsite. He also loved to race at the Magic Valley Speedway. He had a natural talent for bowling, and it quickly became one of his favorite pastimes. What started as a hobby soon turned into a true passion when he and Jeanie bought the Magic Bowl in 1977. Paul took immense pride in Jerry's bowling accomplishments, finding solace in the bond they shared. At the age of 74, Paul achieved his elusive dream, by bowling his first 300 game. Paul not only worked hard, but he played hard.
Paul treasured every moment spent with his loved ones. His life continued to be filled with joy and happiness as he welcomed his grandchildren; Becky, Sarah, Lacy and Megan. From joyful visits to Lagoon with Becky and Sarah, cheering on Lacy and Megan during their basketball games, to road trips with his grandchildren. Paul lit up while meeting his five great-grandchildren and when spending time together.
Paul was preceded in death by his beloved wife; Jeanie, his parents, both brothers; Doyle and Lowell and a granddaughter; Sarah Jones.
Paul's legacy lives on through his daughter; Diana (Doug Jones), his son, Jerry Miller, his granddaughters; Becky (Jake) Webb, Lacy (Mandi) Turner, and Megan (Vaughan) Prow, his great-grandchildren: Jackson and Lilly Webb, Jaydyn Turner, and Amari and Emmy Prow. They carry his spirit, his love, and the profound impact he made on their lives. He will be greatly missed by all of us.
The family wishes to thank staff at Grace Assisted Living and Auburn Crest Hospice for their care, love and support to Paul and his family.
There will be a graveside service honoring Paul on Saturday, June 10, 2023, at 2:30 pm, held at Sunset Memorial Park. There will be a viewing held prior to the service, from 1:00 pm–2:00 pm, held at White- Reynolds Funeral Chapel. | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/obituaries/paul-miller/article_65909525-83a8-5d7b-8018-876aea2d0ce3.html | 2023-06-04T05:27:45 | 1 | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/obituaries/paul-miller/article_65909525-83a8-5d7b-8018-876aea2d0ce3.html |
April 15, 1939 - May 1, 2023
JEROME — Roberta Lynn (Yokley) Johnson Pero of Jerome, Idaho left this earth on May 1, 2023 after a short illness. Roberta was born in Ekalaka, Montana on April 15, 1939 to Robert Yokley, Jr. and Isabelle (Speelmon) Yokley.
She was an active member of the Lutheran Church. She loved to help others and shared her faith through her actions. Showing kindness, compassion, and love in all that she did.
Roberta held a degree in Elementary Education with a certification in Special Education and enjoyed many years teaching 2nd grade in Vernal, Utah and Hayden, Colorado. She also enjoyed quilting and gardening and was an amazing cook.
Her life revolved around her family. She was blessed with four children from her husband, Larry, and three children from her husband, Bill. A total of 16 grandchildren, and 14 great-grandchildren rounded out her perfect family. She took a special interest in each of her family members.
Roberta is survived by Peggy (David) Bourne, Beverly (Bill) Reynolds, Jeanne (Shaun) May, Kirby (Stacey) Johnson, Stephen (Robin) Pero, David (Donna) Pero, and Andrea (Doug) Cress; 16 grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren; her oldest sister, Lolita Cameron of Baker, Montana; and many friends she considered family.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Robert Yokley, Jr. and Isabelle (Speelmon) Yokley North; husbands, Larry G. Johnson and William "Bill" Pero; infant son, Alan Gene Johnson; sister, Laura Morse; and brother, Robert Yokley.
A graveside service will be held at 10:00 am, Saturday, July 15, 2023 at Jerome Cemetery. A Celebration of Roberta's Life will follow at 11:30 am, at Immanuel Lutheran Church, 2055 Filer Ave. E, Twin Falls.
Memories and condolences may be shared with the family on Roberta's memorial webpage at www.farnsworthmortuary.com. | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/obituaries/roberta-lynn-johnson-pero/article_ce54ffe0-c0f8-5124-8133-f05e0e42d7b5.html | 2023-06-04T05:27:51 | 0 | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/obituaries/roberta-lynn-johnson-pero/article_ce54ffe0-c0f8-5124-8133-f05e0e42d7b5.html |
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Images from St. Mark's High School 2023 Commencement
39 PHOTOS | https://www.delawareonline.com/picture-gallery/news/local/2023/06/04/st-marks-high-schools-2023-commencement/11997467002/ | 2023-06-04T06:42:12 | 1 | https://www.delawareonline.com/picture-gallery/news/local/2023/06/04/st-marks-high-schools-2023-commencement/11997467002/ |
A Silver Alert has been canceled for a 13-year-old girl missing from South Bend since Friday morning, Indiana State Police said.
Devyne Lewis was believed to be in extreme danger and possibly needing medical help.
A post on the South Bend Police Department's Facebook page said the teen was found and is safe. | https://www.journalgazette.net/local/indiana/silver-alert-canceled-for-south-bend-teen/article_4ffee08c-0211-11ee-8860-8768caf575fd.html | 2023-06-04T06:44:39 | 0 | https://www.journalgazette.net/local/indiana/silver-alert-canceled-for-south-bend-teen/article_4ffee08c-0211-11ee-8860-8768caf575fd.html |
Rep. Maxwell Frost, who represents Florida’s 10th Congressional District, had some choice words for Gov. Ron DeSantis while appearing on stage at Paramore’s concert Friday night.
Frost posted on Twitter the video of himself singing along to the band’s hit song “Misery Business” during the concert at the Capital One Arena in Washington D.C. with the message “Very grateful for this moment. I’ve been practicing in the shower for YEARS.”
Very grateful for this moment. I’ve been practicing in the shower for YEARS pic.twitter.com/vbXueib9Ec
— Maxwell Alejandro Frost (@MaxwellFrostFL) June 3, 2023
Another video posted to Twitter that Frost retweeted with the words “lol they’re so mad” shows Paramore singer Hayley Williams holding a microphone for Frost as he says, “Expletive Ron DeSantis. Expletive Fascism.”
lol they’re so mad 😂😂 https://t.co/GxPRzWa8SU
— Maxwell Alejandro Frost (@MaxwellFrostFL) June 3, 2023
DeSantis officially announced his presidential candidacy on May 24 via a glitch-plagued Twitter Spaces event with Elon Musk.
DeSantis joined a growing list of Republican hopefuls in the 2024 race, most notably former President Donald Trump. Trump has been quick to attack DeSantis, mocking his Twitter announcement with memes on social media and giving him the nickname, “Rob DeSanctimonious.”
Get today’s headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily: | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2023/06/04/florida-congressman-maxwell-frost-performs-on-stage-with-paramore-slams-desantis/ | 2023-06-04T06:56:19 | 1 | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2023/06/04/florida-congressman-maxwell-frost-performs-on-stage-with-paramore-slams-desantis/ |
ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – A man in his 20s was seriously injured after being stabbed on Saturday afternoon, according to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies said they responded to the stabbing call around 4:20 p.m. in the 3000 block of North Alafaya Trail.
The victim was transported to a local hospital and is listed in serious condition, according to a news release.
[TRENDING: Arlene weakens to tropical depression as it moves into Florida Straits | Dead person found in burning Cape Canaveral apartment | Become a News 6 Insider]
Deputies said they do not have any information on a suspect at this time.
This is a developing story. Check back with News 6 for updates.
Get today’s headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily: | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2023/06/04/man-seriously-injured-in-orange-county-stabbing/ | 2023-06-04T06:56:25 | 1 | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2023/06/04/man-seriously-injured-in-orange-county-stabbing/ |
Virginia Commonwealth University Health engaged in a risky deal.
In a plan to redevelop the Public Safety Building in downtown Richmond, VCU Health would serve as the master tenant. Its monthly rental payment would be lower, but should VCU Health choose to exit the project, the penalty would be stiff, two people familiar with the project said.
At first, the risk was worth taking. VCU Health had pursued the plot of land for years, vetted the proposal and received approval from its board. The health system was all in.
Then its leadership changed. The chief financial officer, who brokered the deal, left for another health system. Her replacements, who assumed their roles during the pandemic, felt the deal was bad for VCU, multiple people said.
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Different leaders displayed “inconsistent priorities and varying levels of preparedness to engage in project programming,” the developer, Capital City Partners, alleged last year in a letter obtained in a Freedom of Information Act request.
Why VCU Health disliked the deal is not completely clear, though the pandemic played a role.
Ultimately, VCU Health decided it wanted out. The health system earlier this year agreed to pay $73 million to exit the project. Having drawn scrutiny, VCU has hired a law firm to investigate the matter. A report is expected later this month.
Low rent, high exit fee
In 2017, VCU began discussing a $350 project with the city of Richmond and Capital City Partners to redevelop the dilapidated Public Safety Building and its 3-acre plot at North 10th and Clay streets.
The city would sell the parcel, and Capital City Partners would erect a nearly 20-story office building, plus space for the Ronald McDonald House and The Doorways. VCU Health would serve as the master tenant.
To finance the deal, VCU made an agreement with a limited liability company tied to a New York private equity real estate firm called Blue Owl Capital. The LLC borrowed $425 million from UMB Bank in Kansas City by issuing a corporate bond.
The health system wanted the least expensive form of financing, said two people familiar with the project, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter.
VCU Health agreed to a lower monthly rent payment — between $1 million and $3 million — as part of a longer, less-flexible 25-year lease. In exchange for the low cost, the health system agreed to pay the landlord handsomely if it chose to exit. A spokesperson for VCU Health declined to discuss the agreement in detail.
The deal got the approval of the VCU Health board, whose members are appointed by the governor and which is overseen by VCU President Michael Rao. It was reviewed by the health system’s lawyers and finance team for more than a year.
“There couldn’t have been something more vetted than this,” the person said.
At the time, it made sense for VCU to pursue such a deal. VCU Health had planned the project for years and the odds the health system would balk were low.
But after COVID, the health system’s priorities changed. By 2021, the pandemic had drastically altered office space in cities, and VCU Health no longer needed a tall office building for its employees.
“The original project plans were developed before the pandemic,” said Dr. Marlon Levy, interim CEO of the health system, in a statement last month. “While they were well-intentioned, by late 2021, construction and other challenges made it simply impossible to build the original project.”
Noting the lack of progress, the city questioned whether Capital City Partners was being honest about the development’s challenges.
Leadership changed
Priorities were not the only thing changing at VCU Health. In 2021, the health system’s chief financial officer, Melinda Hancock, resigned and took a job at another health system. She did not respond to a request for comment.
Leading the deal next for VCU was Brian Jenkins, who had recently joined the health system as chief real estate officer, and then-CEO Dr. Art Kellermann. Jenkins did not respond to messages seeking comment, and Kellermann declined to be interviewed.
Jenkins and Kellermann did not like the deal as much as their predecessors, multiple people aware of the inner workings said. The health system’s new leadership scrutinized the agreement and found problems with it, one person added. Development projects with public entities are sometimes derailed after a change in leadership, said another, but not after so much progress has been made.
At the time, VCU Health faced several other hurdles. The pandemic put pressure on the medical center, which at times was bursting at the seams with sick patients. Nurses felt strung out. Some quit, and others asked for raises.
The health system moved forward with other significant projects, including the Adult Outpatient Pavilion, the Children’s Hospital of Richmond and a new electronic patient record system, Epic.
By early 2022, there were hopes the project would be revived. Capital City Partners proposed a scaled-down, seven-story research building for VCU Health and space for the Ronald McDonald House and The Doorways. The city balked at this proposal, saying it did not meet the city’s original expectations.
But Capital City Partners believed the city would have come around eventually, it said in its letter. Further, the developers claimed VCU Health had kept the city out of the loop. A spokesperson for Richmond did not respond to a request for comment. Capital City Partners, led by Susan Eastridge and Michael Hallmark, declined to comment.
In the summer of 2022, VCU Health made the decision to exit the project. By the end of the year, Jenkins and Kellermann had resigned.
High interest rates lowered exit cost
Before the deal broke down, VCU Health claimed there were problems with the foundation — that the ground beneath the Public Safety Building was too soft to allow for every underground parking spot planned.
In its letter, Capital City Partners denied site conditions had anything to do with the deal falling apart. The state of the ground was not “a deterrent to realizing a meaningful project on the site,” the group wrote, pointing out that VCU Health was in the midst of building the 17-story Adult Outpatient Pavilion across the street and the 16-story Children’s Hospital one block away. And those buildings had similar site conditions, the group claimed.
Ultimately, VCU Health decided to buy itself out of the deal, an action called defeasance. The health system paid the landlord $73 million, which represents about nine days’ days worth of cash on hand for the health system, the current chief financial officer said.
The cost was originally projected at $100 million but came down because of high interest rates, one person said. Capital City Partners earned about half of the $17 million it was owed. With the project beyond resuscitation, the city reclaimed the land earlier this year.
VCU Health still wants to occupy the plot — it plans to build a new $415 million dental school there. It’s unclear who would own the building, and the university still needs approval from lawmakers to move forward. That approval could come this month in the state budget.
And VCU Health still wants a new research building, but the health system has not identified a location. | https://richmond.com/news/local/business/development/vcu-health-public-safety-building/article_f536127e-015c-11ee-8a65-8bdce1b1c682.html | 2023-06-04T09:18:57 | 1 | https://richmond.com/news/local/business/development/vcu-health-public-safety-building/article_f536127e-015c-11ee-8a65-8bdce1b1c682.html |
After a record year for farm income in 2022, the recent yo-yo of weather has Ohio farmers concerned and the U.S. Department of Agriculture forecasting lower profits for this growing season.
Cold temperatures and frequent precipitation kept farmers out of fields earlier this spring. And now a lack of rain after crops were planted is causing some hand-wringing among area farmers.
“We could use some rain. Most farmers have their crops in the ground, but because we haven’t had rain in several weeks I see some farmers replanting soybeans,” said Greg McGlinch, a Darke County farmer.
McGlinch said the last rain he had on his farm near Versailles was an inch on May. 19.
“There’s still some moisture in the ground and the corn looks pretty good right now, but we’re going to need some rain in the next few weeks or we’re going to have problems,” said McGlinch, who added his corn was 3 to 8 inches high last week.
Credit: Bill Lackey
Credit: Bill Lackey
May ended with 1.89 inches of precipitation, which is less than half of the normal amount. The Dayton area last saw recorded precipitation on May 20 and hasn’t had more than an inch of rain in 61 days.
Total precipitation this year through May of 17.23 inches is the lowest since 2015.
McGlinch said the weather has been perfect for the hay crop.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Ohio Crop Weather Report issued Tuesday, May 30, corn and soybean planting by Ohio farmers reached 89% to 87%, respectively. In 2022, the Ohio soybean and corn crop was around 60% planted in this same week.
“We’ve made decent progress,” said Ty Higgins, Ohio Farm Bureau spokesman. “Planters are in the fields. The equipment is bigger which makes planting faster. Technology is certainly our friend.”
Higgins said the philosophy of planting has also changed as farmers are now planting soybeans first because they are more resilient to colder and wet soil. After the soybeans are in, corn is being planted.
Farm income down
In its Feb. 7 report, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service said farm sector income is forecast to fall this year following two years of strong growth.
Net farm income, a broad measure of profits, is forecast to decrease by $25.9 billion or 15.9% from 2022 to $136.9 billion in calendar year 2023. This expected decrease follows an annual increase of $46.5 billion or 49.2% in 2021 and a forecast increase of $21.9 billion or 15.5% in 2022, according to the report.
Net cash farm income is forecast to decrease by $39.4 billion or 20.7% from 2022 to $150.6 billion in 2023, after an annual increase of $32.7 billion or 28% in 2021 and a forecast increase of $40.4 billion or 27% in 2022.
In inflation-adjusted dollars, net farm income is forecast to decrease by $30.5 billion or 18.2% in 2023 and net cash farm income is forecast to decrease by $44.7 billion or 22.9% compared with the previous year. If realized, both income measures would remain above their 2020 level and 2002-2021 average in inflation-adjusted dollars, according to the report.
Nationally, corn receipts are forecast to fall by $4.1 billion or 4.5%, as higher quantities sold are not expected to offset lower expected prices, according to the report. Soybean receipts are expected to decline $5.2 billion or 8.1%, mainly due to lower forecasted prices. Expected growth in quantities sold should result in a gain in wheat receipts; they are forecast up $0.6 billion or 4% higher in 2022.
The report also forecast total production expenses, including those associated with operator dwellings, are forecast to increase by $18.2 billion or 4.1% in 2023 to $459.5 billion this year. Interest expenses and livestock/poultry purchases are expected to increase in 2023 while spending on feed and fuels/oils is expected to decline relative to 2022.
‘Supply and demand’
As of May 16, the USDA weekly National Agricultural Summary said producers had planted 65% of the nation’s corn crop, 20 percentage points ahead of last year and 6 points ahead of the 5-year average. Thirty percent of the nation’s corn acreage had emerged by May 14, 17 points ahead of the previous year and 5 points ahead of average.
That same USDA report said 49% of the nation’s soybean acreage was planted by May 14, 22 percentage points ahead of last year and 13 points ahead of the 5-year average. It also said 20% of the nation’s soybean acreage had emerged by May 14, 12 percentage points ahead of last year and 9 points ahead of average.
“Fertilizer prices are down and supply chain issues have eased and are not as bad as before,” said Craig Corry, who farms about 500 acres in Greene County. “We try to look for buying opportunities to lock in bulk prices for food because of the fuel fluctuations.”
Corry said farm income is based on grain prices.
“If we don’t have any issues that lower crop yields or weather issues and we all have a good crop, supply and demand could lower prices,” he said.
Corry said inflation and interest rates will have an impact on farm income as it becomes more expensive to borrow money for an operations loan and inputs such as seed and fertilizer are costing more.
“That affects the bottom line every year and requires farmers to sharpen their pencils,” Corry said.
Brian Harbage operates a mid-sized farm in Clark County where he grows hay, corn, wheat, soybeans and raises cattle.
“We were way behind last year. I’m not sure if we planted yet this time last year,” Harbage said in mid-May.
Harbage said the price of input costs and fuel are easing up, but that it’s still tough to get parts. In addition, interest rates for operation loans and lines of credit will increase costs for people wanting to buy more land and/or make capital investments for machinery.
“If we have lower pricing for commodities, the higher interest rates will affect us,” he said.
Another area of concern is global stability as China has cancelled some soybean orders which means fewer exports, Harbage said.
Credit: Bill Lackey
Credit: Bill Lackey
McGlinch said input costs have levelled off this year but has not heard much on crop futures.
“It’s hard to say with the economic and global issues,” he said. “Crop prices are holding steady but are trending down.”
‘So many variables’
A fifth-generation farmer with his father, Gary, McGlinch’s family has been farming for more than 100 years. They farm corn, soybeans, wheat, cereal rye, oats, clover, and raise pasture chickens on about 450 acres near Versailles. He said they have been diversifying the farm by trying different crops and selling seed on the side.
He said last year was “a fairly decent year” and added, “once we get it planted, we let Mother Nature take over.”
Dean Thompson, another Darke County farmer, retired last year after his brother retired a few years ago. He said he’s helping his two grandsons who took over the 1,400-acre family farm. He said they did well with the prices and yields with their soybean crop last year.
Thompson said they expected to finish their planting in the next week or so, depending on the weather.
Thompson said 2023 has a good chance of declining income based on global events, adding that affects local prices, not U.S. news.
He also said the costs of fertilizer and other chemical inputs have gone up and price of gas and diesel have fluctuated.
“A lot of guys got out early to plant corn and beans in April with the warm weather before the cold and rain,” he said. “We worked our ground. It’s a hard thing to predict because there are so many variables in the farm game. Who knows what tomorrow will bring. It’s been that way since 1962 when I started farming.”
Staff Writer Rich Gillette contributed to this report.
About the Author | https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/local/dry-weather-market-factors-pushing-down-projected-farm-incomes/7OP4MXHIHNBNVC4NBZBGTARSY4/ | 2023-06-04T09:38:45 | 0 | https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/local/dry-weather-market-factors-pushing-down-projected-farm-incomes/7OP4MXHIHNBNVC4NBZBGTARSY4/ |
Surfing group finds almost 1 in 5 recreational water samples test "poor" for bacteria
Volunteers went looking nationwide for bacteria in the waters where we most prefer to surf, swim and wade. They found almost one in five water samples exceeded safe bacteria levels.
The Surfrider Foundation's volunteer water quality monitoring program tapped a record 9,095 water samples from nearly 500 beaches across the country to generate its recent Clean Water Report.
They measured enterococcus bacteria in what's known as "most probable number" — equivalent to colony-forming units of bacteria — per 100 milliliters of marine water. A reading of more than 70 is considered "poor."
Here were their key findings in Brevard County:
- Ballard Park in Melbourne: more than half the samples had high levels of enterococcus bacteria. Samples came back "poor" on Jan. 12 this year and on Dec. 8 and Dec. 21 of last year. They found medium levels there on April 27.
- Indian River Lagoon (southeast side of Eau Gallie Causeway): "poor" bacteria levels were found in the on May 23, April 13 and March 14.
- Sebastian Inlet: The tidal cove (where many children swim) at north end of Sebastian Inlet showed "poor" results on May 23.
Enterococcus bacteria can come from animals or humans. State health and environmental officials say the levels can spike after rain washes bacteria from bird droppings off the pier.
In Florida, Surfrider point to "explosive growth and poorly-planned development," as well as overburdened and eroding sewers and more than 2.6 million septic tanks as contributing to the problem.
They also point to funding cuts of state health departments that reslulted in less frequent water testing.
Surfrider hopes to secure more state funding for the Florida Healthy Beaches water quality testing program. They also want to improve public notifications used to inform beachgoers of elevated bacteria levels and sewage spills.
Health departments pull water samples from the beach surf zone during summer months, but the results aren't ready for a few days. So surfers and swimmers often don't know how much bacteria was in the water until after the fact.
"That's the biggest problem with the program," said Evan Orellana, Surfrider Foundation’s regional manager for Florida & Puerto Rico. "And it's not every week .. so you wouldn't even know."
Contact Waymer at 321-261-5903 or jwaymer@floridatoday.com. Or find him on Twitter: @JWayEnviro or on Facebook: www.facebook.com/jim.waymer | https://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/local/environment/2023/06/04/nonprofit-finds-19-of-recreational-water-samples-with-high-bacteria/70281883007/ | 2023-06-04T09:41:42 | 0 | https://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/local/environment/2023/06/04/nonprofit-finds-19-of-recreational-water-samples-with-high-bacteria/70281883007/ |
WATERLOO — At the height of the 1980s farm crisis, as Waterloo’s population took a nosedive amid a crashing economy, the common refrain was that the last person to leave the city should “turn the lights off.”
Mayor Quentin Hart recalled that anecdote Thursday while flipping the switch on the city’s newest attraction, which turns such pessimism on its head.
Downtown’s most recognizable structure – the Fourth Street Bridge – was bathed in bright, colorful light as a celebration was held to showcase what the city has been working on for almost a year.
Two lighting sculptures, comprised of three towers of different heights, bookend the bridge near Anton’s Garden and Veterans Memorial Hall.
Inside the pedestrian bridge, arches of light illuminate the covered walkway and can be seen from its exterior.
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Underneath the bridge, lights matching the colors of the walkway shine on the Cedar River toward the Park Avenue Bridge.
Mary Robinson, bridge lighting community chairperson, said the colorful lights were a sight to behold due to the bridge’s previous longtime negative connotations.
“From the time I was 2-1/2, this bridge – east side, west side – stood for disunity,” Robinson said, expressing a wish that her parents and grandparents could see the bridge now lit up. “We were told that we belonged on the east side and, on the west side, that’s where others belonged. And now, to see these lights, to see this bridge become a uniting factor, I am so excited.”
Emily Hanson, executive director of the Black Hawk County Gaming Association, also spoke to the past divisiveness.
“We hope that this bridge continues to be a symbol of understanding and togetherness for our community,” Hanson said. “We want it to show that, while the river may have divided us in the past, we are stronger when we’re together.”
The gaming association was one of the major donors to support the project, along with MidAmerican Energy and the Waterloo Industrial Development Corporation. No city money was spent on the project.
The artist behind the project is Rob Shakespeare. Mayor Hart said when he visited South Bend, Indiana, he was impressed by its bridge lighting project, which was designed by Shakespeare.
Shakespeare has done more than 225 theater, opera and dance lighting designs. His work can be seen at the Theatre Royal in England, the St. Lawrence Center in Canada, the Lyric Theatre in Hong Kong, the Randall Theatre in Utah and the Indiana Repertory Theatre.
“I envisioned a complete transformation of (the bridge’s) features into a beautiful, and I will say, world class, nighttime destination,” Shakespeare said. “The canopy of the Fourth Street Bridge and the river below would become my palette for some dynamic flows of colored light.”
At the top of every hour, the lights will be red, white and blue to honor veterans and military service members. The bridge is part of the Veterans Way project that spans a large portion of Fourth Street downtown.
Other light combinations will complement holidays, each of the four seasons, and celebrations such as Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, Pride Month, Halloween, Black History Month, Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and Cinco de Mayo.
Light shows will begin a half hour before dusk each evening through midnight. | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/fourth-street-bridge-lights-up-the-night-in-downtown-waterloo/article_c3c5d0a0-0164-11ee-a439-47bc27fc99d7.html | 2023-06-04T10:16:17 | 1 | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/fourth-street-bridge-lights-up-the-night-in-downtown-waterloo/article_c3c5d0a0-0164-11ee-a439-47bc27fc99d7.html |
Meet Julia Gossett: Star softball player headed to Purdue University
As a senior at Jackson High School and part of the girls’ softball team, Julia Gossett was fortunate enough to receive some recognition as the 8th ranked player in Ohio.
“It’s quite an honor because there are many good quality players in the state," said Gossett, who played pitcher and first base before graduating.
She has been playing softball for about 12 years and plans to play while attending Purdue University. One of her favorite professional players is Adley Rutschman who is a catcher with the Baltimore Orioles.
“I started playing when I was in elementary school," she said. "I eventually joined some travel teams which allowed me to play with and against many talented players. I realized that I was able to compete at those levels. I am constantly working to get better and stay competitive with the top talent in the country. I’ve had many coaches and instructors in my softball career. Each one has provided insight and instruction that have helped me along the way.
“I would enjoy the opportunity to play softball after college. I think that the opportunities are growing for softball players after college, so I see it as a possibility. I also enjoy all types of activities and will continue playing some sport after college.”
Gossett lives in Jackson Township and her parents are Heather and Tom. She has two older brothers, Tommy and Stevie. Plus, she has a loving Shih Tzu named Gizmo.
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When and how did you first know you wanted to play sports, especially softball?
Growing up I would always go to my older brothers’ baseball games. I would always want to spend time with them and they spent their time doing baseball so I did as well.
Then as I got older, I got more competitive and got to start playing softball.
How many hours do you practice when preparing for a season?
It varies depending on whether I am in season or in the off season. Other than team practices, I practice at home and also have been working with multiple instructors for agility and strength training.
I also have a personal hitting and a pitching coach.
I’ve read that you have pitched a few almost perfect games. What does it feel like when you are playing when you strike out almost every opposing player?
When I’m playing, I don’t think about all of the batters as a whole. I take it batter by batter and break down each at bat and pitch.
I battle to win each at bat and each battle adds up to each victory. After it’s over, I like to review the game and see what went well and what didn’t and what I can improve on. Then I expand from there.
What/who are three of your favorite professional teams/players?
Adley Rutschman, Riley Sartain, and Grace Lyons. These are some of the best baseball and softball players in the world, but on top of that they also play with humility and integrity and are good role models off the field, which I think trumps talent on any given day.
Do you know what your major will be in college?
I plan to major in animal science and minor in psychology, and I will play softball at Purdue University.
My grandparents own a farm in Tennessee, and I grew up going there feeding the animals, so I think my love for animals originated through them. Now I want to turn that love into a career.
I also think psychology is interesting as it can provide an alternative to being a veterinarian.
Editor's note: Five questions with ... is a Sunday feature that showcases a member of the Stark County community. If you'd like to recommend someone to participate, send an email to newsroom@cantonrep.com. | https://www.cantonrep.com/story/news/local/jackson/2023/06/04/5-questions-with-julia-gossett-star-softball-player-headed-to-purdue/70174784007/ | 2023-06-04T10:27:43 | 0 | https://www.cantonrep.com/story/news/local/jackson/2023/06/04/5-questions-with-julia-gossett-star-softball-player-headed-to-purdue/70174784007/ |
Traffic alert: Resurfacing will reduce U.S. Route 62 traffic
More roadway along U.S. Route 62 east of Canton is on the way.
Ohio Department of Transportation resurfacing will reduce Route 62 to one lane in each direction from California Avenue in Louisville to State Street in Lexington Township.
The lane reduction will begin Monday and is expected to last until late June, ODOT spokesman Ray Marsch said.
Kirby Avenue NE north of the highway also closed last week and won't reopen until late June. The detour is Rebar Avenue NE and Progress Street NE.
More:Orange barrels ahead! ODOT has 16 Stark County projects for 2023
"It is currently closed for a culvert replacement, and also we are adding a turn lane onto Kirby Avenue from 62 West," Marsch said.
ODOT also will continue to work on the Interstate 77 and U.S. Route 30 interchange throughout the summer. That includes the replacement of the I-77 bridge north of Route 30 and the ramp from Route 30 to I-77 northbound.
Fifteenth Street SW under the interstate will be closed through late June for bridge painting. Drivers can detour on Cleveland and Market avenues.
Marsch said the closed I-77 and Route 30 ramps will reopen in late summer and then the last part of the project is a final layer of asphalt.
"That will be huge for Stark County and certainly Northeast Ohio for getting around," he said.
Reach Kelly at 330-580-8323 or kelly.byer@cantonrep.comOn Twitter: @kbyerREP | https://www.cantonrep.com/story/news/local/stark-county/2023/06/04/resurfacing-will-reduce-u-s-route-62-traffic/70258620007/ | 2023-06-04T10:27:49 | 0 | https://www.cantonrep.com/story/news/local/stark-county/2023/06/04/resurfacing-will-reduce-u-s-route-62-traffic/70258620007/ |
Stark County roundup: News from around the Canton region
Stark parks offer activities
CANTON − Stark Parks will offer the following events this week:
- Summer Serenades Series in partnership with the Canton Symphony Orchestra from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Fry Family Park, 2533 Farber St. SE, Pike Township.
- Woodland Wildlife Encounters from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday at the Wildlife Conservation Center, 800 Genoa Ave. NW, Perry Township.
- Children and Senior Fishing Derby at 8 a.m. Saturday at Cook’s Lagoon, 1819 Mahoning Road NE.
Through Labor Day, Sippo Lake and Walborn Reservoir marinas will be open seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Services provided include watercraft rentals, live bait, snacks and beverages.
Open pontoon boat rides are available first-come, first-served at Sippo Lake Marina on weekends in June, July and August from noon until 7 p.m. Cost is $10 per person per ride, $5 per child. Ages 2 and younger are free. To reserve a private pontoon boat ride at either Sippo Lake or Walborn marinas, call 330-477-3552 with two weeks advance notice.
Movie at Centennial Plaza is ‘Lightyear’
CANTON − The Centennial Plaza Movie Series begins Wednesday at 7 p.m. and continues Wednesdays through Aug. 9 outdoors at downtown’s Centennial Plaza, 330 Court Ave. NW.
This week’s movie is “Lightyear.” Admission is free. Arrive early to get your picture taken with Buzz Lightyear before the movie. Movies are held rain or shine. In case of extreme weather, the movie showing will be canceled. For more information, call 330-454-8172.
Greek Fest this week
CANTON − Canton Greek Fest will be on the church grounds of St. Haralambos Greek Orthodox Church, 251 25th St. NW, from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Thursday through Saturday.
The event includes indoor and outdoor dining options, Greek pastries, traditional Greek dancing, live music, wine-sampling room, Greek cooking demonstrations, silent auction, gift shop, and a playground for children.
New this year is a free comedy show featuring comedian Ellen Karis at 9:15 p.m. Thursday outside under the main tent. Friday night features the Hall of Fame City Greek Night with DJ Puff spinning the best in Greek and non-Greek music. A professional fireworks show will be on Saturday evening. The complete schedule and menu for all dining options is at www.cantongreekfest.com.
McKinley Museum Soup at Six program is June 15
CANTON − The McKinley Museum, 800 McKinley Monument Drive NW, will host “Mentioning the Unmentionables: The History of Women’s Underwear,” the next program in the Soup at Six series, on June 15. Executive Director Kim Kenney will look at the history of what we wear under our clothes.
This program is $25 per person and includes soup, bread, and dessert. Pre-paid reservations are required and can be purchased at https://tinyurl.com/2mwtr25c or by calling the museum at 330-455-7043. Registration deadline is Wednesday.
Heart of Ohio Diaper Bank adds to available products
CANTON − The Heart of Ohio Diaper Bank, a nonprofit, volunteer organization that provides support to families experiencing diaper needs, now offers menstruation products.
Menstruation supplies are purchased, collected, and prepared by Heart of Ohio Diaper Bank volunteers and distributed through Community Distribution Partners in six counties – Stark, Tuscarawas, Carroll, Wayne, Medina, and Harrison. These partners include food pantries, family service agencies, and faith-based organizations. A list of distribution partners is at www.heartofohiodiaperbank.org/distribution-partners. Each agency has its own set of requirements for qualifications to receive support.
For more information, visit www.heartofohiodiaperbank.org.
East Canton Rotary Festival this week
EAST CANTON − The East Canton Rotary Festival will be from 4 to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday on the Foltz Community Center grounds. There will be a car cruise-in on Friday, food vendors, inflatables, games, crafts, raffles and a mechanical bull. Bands will perform from 6 to 9:30 p.m.
Animals, music at Jackson Amphitheater
JACKSON TWP. − Outback Ray and his Amazing Animals will be at the Nash Family Jackson Amphitheater, 7454 Community Parkway NW, from 3 to 4 p.m. Friday. The show is free.
The Elton John tribute band Elton Rohn will perform from 5:30 to 10 p.m. Saturday at the amphitheater. Tickets, $10 to $20, are available at www.jacksonamphitheater.com.
Book sale at Lake Library
LAKE TWP. − The Friends of the Lake Library will hold its annual book sale in the Lake High School cafeteria, 565 Market Ave. SW, from June 14 through 17. Used books, games, CDs, vinyl records, DVDs and jigsaw puzzles will be available. Cash or check only. Enter at door 35. Proceeds of the sale to go to assist Lake Community Library programs. Hours for the sale are as follows:
- June 14, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., Members’ Night
- June 15, 9 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
- June 16, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- June 17, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., grocery-sized bag/bag sale
Stark County Artists Exhibition submission deadline is July 17
MASSILLON − Entries for the Massillon Museum’s 2023 Stark County Artists Exhibition will be accepted until July 17. The exhibition will open Nov. 30, with a reception from 5:30 to 8 p.m. The exhibition will continue through Jan. 14.
The annual exhibition is open to current and former Stark County residents and to those working in Stark County, 18 and older. Each artist may submit up to three digital images of artwork completed within the past two years. Artwork in any medium will be considered.
Jurors will select artwork to be included in the exhibition and the prizes: Best in Show, $300; second place, $200; and third place, $100. Visitors throughout the exhibition will vote for the People’s Choice Award, $100.
For complete artist guidelines and the online entry form, visit massillonmuseum.org/scae. To receive a form by mail, email submissions@massillonmuseum.org or call 330.833.4061. A nonrefundable $15 per artwork or $30 for three is due when entries are submitted. Artwork may be for sale; Massillon Museum will retain a 30% commission on work sold.
Artists who need help photographing their artwork for submission may contact photographer Mandy Altimus Stahl, the museum’s archivist, at 330-833-4061, ext. 113, or mastahl@massillonmuseum.org for an appointment. The fee will be $5 per photo.
Duck Derby is Saturday
NORTH CANTON − Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health is sponsoring the third annual Q-92 Duck Derby from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at Eastwoods Park, 1129 Sprucewood St. SE. The race is at noon. The prevention team will have a table of activities for children, spectators can enjoy ice cream from Ro’s, community partners will provide other fun activities.
Individuals or families may adopt and name a duck for $10 or purchase a quack pack of ducks for $40 (five ducks). The winner receives $500, second place wins $150, third place earns $50. Sponsorship opportunities are available for individuals and businesses. The Duck Derby is presented by Ron and Ruthanne Wilkof. For more information, contact Dan Mucci at 330-454-7917, ext. 145, or dmucci@childandadolescent.org.
Music and food trucks Thursday
NORTH CANTON − The North Canton Public Library Summer Series continues with Blue Hour performing live music from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday on the City Hall portico. Food trucks will be on site.
DORA drinks can be purchased at the Howlin Bird. The series, held each Thursday in June and July, is offered in partnership with CSB Bank, the City of North Canton and Howlin Bird.
Touch-a-Truck event Saturday
PERRY TWP. – The second annual Touch-a-Truck Extravaganza runs from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at Central Catholic High School, 4824 Tuscarawas St. W. Kids can climb into a firetruck, vintage car, or other vehicles. The event is a major fundraiser for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.
Families can buy raffle tickets for a variety of prizes, including kids’ ride-on battery-operated cars. Food and drinks will be sold, families can pet and feed farm animals, and many community mascots will be there to greet young fans.
For more information about the event, as well as Stark County’s Imagination Library, visit: https://www.starklibrary.org/touch-a-truck/. | https://www.cantonrep.com/story/news/local/stark-county/2023/06/04/stark-county-roundup-news-from-around-the-canton-region/70253191007/ | 2023-06-04T10:27:55 | 0 | https://www.cantonrep.com/story/news/local/stark-county/2023/06/04/stark-county-roundup-news-from-around-the-canton-region/70253191007/ |
PLEASANTVILLE — With few competitive races in Atlantic County, eyes are focused on a contest between an experienced politician and businesswoman and a local activist.
City Councilwoman Joanne Famularo will face a Democratic primary challenge next week from Irvin Moreno-Rodriguez for her seat representing the 2nd Ward.
The race comes as the city grapples with a sewer system and roads in need of repair, along with rising taxes.
Famularo, 67, has been involved in city politics and government for much of the past 16 years. She was first elected to the Board of Education in 2007, saying she came in as “a complete outsider” to the political scene. She served for six years in the position, with two years as board vice president, before leaving the board in 2013 and was appointed to the city Planning Board around 2015. She was elected to City Council in 2020.
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She is also a businesswoman, having run Deli du Jour in the city for 23 years.
Famularo has centered her campaign on how her career in politics and business has made her a familiar and trusted figure around whom the city could unify. She cites her support for events such as the city’s National Night Out and a series of votes she took on controversial topics over the past year.
“My campaign message is one of inclusiveness,” Famularo said. “And people know me, and for 20-some years they’ve known me and they know what I’m about.”
Moreno-Rodriguez, 29, is a community organizer who has taken on a series of leadership roles among area activist groups. He is the board president of El Pueblo Unido of Atlantic City, an immigrant-rights group that has taken a lead in advocacy work in the city. Previously, Moreno-Rodriguez served as the secretary and advocacy chair of the Hispanic Association of Atlantic County and as the education co-chair for the Atlantic City branch of the NAACP. Over the past 16 months, he has used El Pueblo Unido to organize massive demonstrations following the death of 19-year-old Irving Mayren-Guzman outside a city strip club.
PLEASANTVILLE — Large tax increases are likely on the horizon due to an onslaught of state-m…
Moreno-Rodriguez is also the assistant director of the Sara & Sam Schoffer Holocaust Resource Center at Stockton University. In 2021, Gov. Phil Murphy appointed Moreno-Rodriguez to serve on the New Jersey Commission on Holocaust Education.
Famularo has said she wanted to focus on efforts to cooperate more deeply with organizations in Atlantic County and South Jersey to promote Pleasantville as a place hospitable to business.
“There’s a perception people have of Pleasantville, and that’s where we have to make a change,” Famularo said.
Moreno-Rodriguez said he is focused on making city government more transparent and facilitating community engagement. He said residents were broadly dejected, frustrated by poor roads, high taxes and poor communication from City Hall. He has vowed to hold regular town hall meetings and to work to gather more community input as a member of council.
“I think that the people of Pleasantville deserve better,” Moreno-Rodriguez said. “People have lost hope here in Pleasantville, and I am working hard to bring our community together.”
Moreno-Rodriguez has argued that the city needs to make its resources and the democratic process more accessible to immigrants who have moved to the city and do not speak English as a first language. He has pushed for more multilingual notices and agendas to be published by the city and for the city to conduct more immigrant outreach. According to statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau, half of city residents are Hispanic, half speak a language other than English at home and nearly 28% are immigrants.
“It’s a large part of Pleasantville that feels disconnected,” Moreno-Rodriguez said. “And we need to do a better job of reaching out to these residents. We can move Pleasantville forward, but we do it together as a united community.”
Famularo has also endorsed efforts to make the city more accessible, suggesting that recordings of council meetings be dubbed or subtitled in Spanish. She cited her work over her tenure to seeks community input and unite residents to improve the city, regardless of ethnic background.
PLEASANTVILLE — City Council on Monday will consider issuing up to $2.48 million in new debt…
“I am here for everybody in this city,” Famularo said. “My community is everyone who lives in the 2nd Ward, without exception.”
Famularo said the city was on a sustainable path to achieve its goals, collecting state grants for road repairs, bonding as necessary and using the profits that the sewer system currently yields.
Moreno-Rodriguez has said he would push the city to be more aggressive in its grant-writing efforts, suggesting it hire a full-time grant writer and ensure it has explored all funding opportunities.
The priority for fixing roads, Moreno-Rodriguez said, was having City Hall and police respond promptly to urgent traffic concerns. He said residents were often left confused by sudden street closures, missing traffic signs and other mishaps. While cautioning street repairs could take time, some problems could be addressed immediately.
“We’re not overpromising or promising anybody the world, but these are simple things that can improve the lives of people in Pleasantville, and that’s what this campaign’s about,” Moreno-Rodriguez said.
Moreno-Rodriguez has also said he wants to better connect residents with education and health care resources through contact with social service organizations and other nonprofits, and has expressed interest in growing and rehabilitating park space for families.
He also wants to improve criminal-justice responses in the city, noting some residents with whom he spoke felt the city needed to do more to respond to crime and secure justice in the city’s marginalized communities.
“They feel they have no voice, that no one’s listening to them,” Moreno-Rodriguez said. “This is all about justice.”
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The race follows two years that have seen the city grapple with a series of political controversies that have ultimately seen Famularo and Moreno-Rodriguez take the same positions.
Moreno-Rodriguez remains an adamant opponent of a proposed trash and recycling transfer station.
“It’s not a tax ratable issue, it’s an environmental justice issue,” he said.
Both incumbent and challenger have argued the transfer station would be aesthetically and environmentally detrimental to the city, as well as in opposition to the spirit of a new state environmental equity law.
“We don’t need that kind of revenue. We don’t want to be known as the city that now has the dump,” Famularo said.
They both have dismissed payment-in-lieu-of-taxes programs as unfair tax breaks to rich developers who would not have to pay for new burdens their residential developments are said to place on public services. Both have endorsed expanding the state Urban Enterprise Zone, which provides discounts on sales tax for participating businesses.
Still, there is some debate over Famularo’s record. Moreno-Rodriguez has cited her vote in favor of a July 2021 resolution amending a redevelopment agreement to support the transfer station project.
Famularo said a month later the vote had been a mistake and has since been a leading critic of the project on council.
“That was a mistake, I own up to that mistake and I’m telling you I am against it,” Famularo said. | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/pleasantville-councilwoman-to-face-off-against-community-organizer/article_c8b5599a-0093-11ee-ae12-933e5b538cdd.html | 2023-06-04T11:02:33 | 1 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/pleasantville-councilwoman-to-face-off-against-community-organizer/article_c8b5599a-0093-11ee-ae12-933e5b538cdd.html |
EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP — An at times controversial affordable-housing mandate has brought new development and diversity to the township, according to a recent report.
The Fair Share Housing Center, a nonprofit based in Cherry Hill that monitors affordable-housing development in the state, issued a report last month about the recent impacts of the Mount Laurel doctrine — the constitutional obligation of local governments in New Jersey to provide affordable housing.
Taking Egg Harbor Township as a case study, the report said the doctrine has helped grow the housing supply and increase racial and economic diversity there.
Fair Share Executive Director Adam Gordon said affordable housing mandates make municipalities like Egg Harbor Township accessible to new communities with varying income levels.
“There’s a range of different housing needs, and having more choices at a variety of price points just creates more opportunities,” Gordon said. “That’s a lot of people’s lives that have been impacted by this.”
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Mayor Laura Pfrommer said the township was glad to embrace more diversity and provide more affordable housing but said she wanted to carefully manage population growth and its effect on township resources.
“You want to see everybody have a good place to lay their head down at night,” Pfrommer said.
The report compares demographic changes from 2010 to 2020 in two tracts in the township where developments associated with Mount Laurel obligations were built to demographic changes in the rest of the township over that same 10-year period. One of the Mount Laurel tracts contains the Egg Harbor Township Family Apartments, an affordable-housing development with 136 residential units. The other is the Atrium Apartments at Egg Harbor, an affordable-housing development with 183 units.
UPPER TOWNSHIP — On Sunday, the last services will take place at the Union Chapel by the Sea…
In the whole of Egg Harbor Township, minus the two tracts with Mount Laurel developments, the population grew by 8% to 38,294. The number of Asian, Black and Hispanic residents likewise grew by 15%, 5% and 35%, respectively; while the number of white residents declined 2%. The diversity-index score, a metric of integration measured on a scale from 0 to 1, was 0.62, which amounted to a decennial increase of 6%.
In the tracts with affordable housing, demographic shifts were considerably sharper, according to the report.
The total population in the two tracts grew by 18% to 9,340. The Asian, Black and Hispanic populations grew by 29%, 23% and 86%, respectively, while the white population in the tracts decreased 8%. The diversity score rose 10% over the decade to 0.83.
“It really is this place that has a lot of the diversity of our state in a fairly small area,” Gordon said. “What this is really showing is that the growth from the Mount Laurel housing is really reflecting that diversity of the area as a whole.”
Overall, the two Mount Laurel tracts drove about a third of total population growth in the township between 2010 and 2020, according to the report.
Gordon said the affordable-housing mandates caused municipalities like Egg Harbor Township to relax “exclusionary zoning” policies he said limit “economic potential” throughout the state.
The housing center report maintains that reserving tracts in a municipality for single-family homes artificially suppresses multifamily developments and in turn makes housing more scarce and expensive.
Gordon said the township has leveraged the redevelopment process to meet its Mount Laurel obligations, meaning that affordable-housing development was bringing activity to what had been economically barren areas. He also cited studies indicating “transformational” changes affordable housing and economic integration can have on education and mental health.
Dear Franny The Shopaholic: Richards’ Sharpening Service in Northfield has closed. Do you kn…
“These developments represent significant investment in Egg Harbor Township,” Gordon said.
Township Committeeman Joe O’Donoghue celebrated the growing diversity the report evidenced. A child of Irish American and Japanese American parents, O’Donoghue has often pointed to his own diverse family background when campaigning and discussing his vision for the township’s future.
“Diversity is of the utmost importance, not just to Egg Harbor Township, but to the entire country,” O’Donoghue said. “We can’t be a nation divided. … It comes down to the heart of what Egg Harbor Township is.”
The report indicates accelerated development in the township reflects housing growth that happened elsewhere in the state. In the seven years between 2015 and 2022, the housing center reports that 21,891 affordable-housing units were created in the state through Mount Laurel developments to house an estimated 51,663 people with very low to moderate incomes.
Also during that period, a total of 69,516 housing units, both market-rate and affordable, were created through multifamily properties that towns had developed to satisfy Mount Laurel obligations, housing an estimated 183,522 people across all income levels. Eighty-one percent of all multifamily developments in the state during that period were tied to Mount Laurel obligations.
“A lot of the homes that are created are really mixed income, and there’s obviously a lot of benefits to that,” Gordon said.
The work to increase affordable housing, however, comes after a long period in which the housing center and the township feuded over those obligations.
James “Sonny” McCullough, who served as mayor for about 30 years before opting not to run for reelection in 2018, said he had long been an opponent of the state housing regulations.
ATLANTIC CITY — Profits should be strong this summer, but issues like high prices and labor …
He said state-mandated affordable housing and associated population growth have placed an undue burden on the township and school district, without matching state aid. These came in tandem with Pinelands regulations McCullough said generated additional development in the township.
“I was always in disagreement with it, the unfairness of it,” McCullough said. “The township was treated so unfairly.”
McCullough said the township had always been a melting pot, with officials celebrating the multiple languages spoken in its schools. He said he was skeptical that Mount Laurel developments had significantly changed its demographics.
The township’s resistance eventually saw the housing center sue the township in 2008. Gordon said the township was exceptional among municipalities in that it had not even developed an affordable-housing plan. The suit forced the township into compliance.
After it was created by the New Jersey Supreme Court in 1975, the state Legislature codified the Mount Laurel doctrine with the 1985 Fair Housing Act. This created the Council on Affordable Housing, a body to compel municipalities to meet their housing obligations. Over the decades, COAH proved dysfunctional, and the body became essentially defunct by the 2000s.
Due to COAH’s apparent dereliction, the New Jersey Supreme Court deputized the Fair Share Housing Center in 2015 to help set affordable-housing obligations and enforce the Mount Laurel doctrine throughout the state.
A municipality’s affordable-housing obligations are currently determined by expected population of low- and moderate-income residents in one of six affordable-housing regions; existing housing prices and vacancies in a municipality; and expected job growth in a municipality.
Gordon said weak affordable-housing enforcement under COAH in the 2000s had also led to a significant rise in housing costs. The report shows an 86% increase in annual affordable housing production in the state after the court ruling in 2015.
GALLOWAY TOWNSHIP — The Township Council voted unanimously Tuesday to authorize the acquisit…
“Part of the challenge is that we’re still digging out of that hole,” Gordon said.
There is an effort to return to the pre-2015 status quo. Egg Harbor Township is one of a dozen municipalities that has sued Gov. Phil Murphy, saying he has an obligation to reconvene COAH, which could strip authority over affordable-housing matters from the courts.
Asked about the litigation, Gordon said he feared it was a way to skirt affordable-housing obligations. | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/report-analyzes-affordable-housing-and-diversity-in-egg-harbor-township/article_ec0003a0-00b1-11ee-810c-cbd6cf8aa1c1.html | 2023-06-04T11:02:40 | 1 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/report-analyzes-affordable-housing-and-diversity-in-egg-harbor-township/article_ec0003a0-00b1-11ee-810c-cbd6cf8aa1c1.html |
Truly Valued nonprofit advancing youth initiative in Sarasota, Manatee and DeSoto counties
Truly Valued, a nonprofit that provides learning and mentorship for at-risk youth in Sarasota, Manatee and DeSoto counties, is advancing its initiative thanks to recent funding from the Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation.
Funds from the Barancik Foundation will be allotted for staff positions, program enhancements, and increased services and resources for community members who need it most, according to CEO Shavonne Sams, who founded the organization in 2014.
“The generosity of the Barancik Foundation is a testament of true collaboration designed for the betterment of our children, families, schools, and community. We are truly grateful and honored,” Sams said.
Truly Valued’s I AM Academy mentoring program has been available to students on the campuses of Sarasota and Manatee schools. The organization has made it a priority to stress the significance of converting actions into measurable results that empower youth and adults in the community.
“This opportunity has been seven years in the making," Sams said. "We wouldn’t have this level of transformation in our youth without the ongoing support of our partners and investors."
Sams holds a master’s degree in management and is pursuing a diploma in Divinity from Christian Leaders College. She is a member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, the School Advisory Council at Booker Middle School, the Youth Empowerment Services (YES) Team comprised of local law enforcement agencies, and Teen Court.
Truly Valued works with local churches, schools, and other organizations to create a mentoring partnership that supports youth development and promotes self-esteem, education, confidence and character among youth and families. According to the organization's impact report in May:
· 95% of students could identify two things they learned from the pillars of building character, confidence, education opportunities, self-esteem, and awareness.
· 84% of students said that they respect themselves more and are better aware of their surroundings.
· 53% of students reported that they felt the program was inclusive and topics were relevant.
For more information, visit trulyvalued.org or call 941-222-0645.
Submitted by Truly Valued | https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/local/2023/06/04/truly-valued-receives-funding-to-expand-youth-mentoring-initiative/70266887007/ | 2023-06-04T11:17:24 | 0 | https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/local/2023/06/04/truly-valued-receives-funding-to-expand-youth-mentoring-initiative/70266887007/ |
VIN'S PEOPLE: A big salute for Parrish Community High School’s softball state champions
Big ups to Parrish Community High’s softball state champions!
Led by head coach Erin Spivey, the Class 5A champion Bulls are Alex Call, Grace Crestani, Karsyn France, Julia Girk, Lily Grimes, Carsyn Kull, Jade Kruse, Hannah Lewis, Rylee Little, Sophia Mandarine, Allie Messina, Ella Romano, Brooke Strickland, Ella Torres, Isabella Vega, Lindsey Watson, Grace Woodring and Bella Yazzetti.
Their coaches are Ali Yawn, Buddy Yawn, Perry Patella, Kristy Hebert and Shayne Kull.
The Bulls, who went 23-4, shut out River Ridge 1-0 in the state semifinal and then Deltona 5-0 for the school’s first state title.
And to think PCHS is just four years old!
· Speaking of PCHS, well done to its honorees at the Broadway Star of the Future Awards for Tampa Bay area high school theater productions, programs and students.
Recognized recently at Tampa’s Straz Center for the PCHS production of “Frozen” were Mars Woelfel as “Elsa” (Top 10 Leading Role Performer); Jaxon Gaddis as “Kristoff” (Outstanding Leading Role Performer); Thaddeus Aiken as “Oaken/Pabbie” (Supporting Role); Kendall Vondran (Outstanding Dancer); Conductor Kendall Carrier (Outstanding Orchestra); and Director Olga Peña (Outstanding Costume Design).
Woelfel is now a contender for the Jimmy Award presented by the National High School Musical Theatre Awards program.
· Congrats to Dr. Lauren Pierce. With commencement ceremonies for St. George’s University School of Medicine (Grenada) being held today in Flushing Meadows, N.Y., she is now a doctor of veterinary medicine.
· A bow to Bruce and Linda Braithwaite on their Golden Anniversary.
· And Laural and Jonathan Sabin on their Silver Anniversary.
· Manatee Memorial Hospital’s bi-annual CARES Award, signifying outstanding service and dedication, went to Michael Charbenau (Food and Nutrition Cook), Diego Curto (Registered Nurse, Chest Pain Coordinator), Keri Dombek (Case Manager), Shannon Faulkner (RN-Stroke Unit), and Jackie Pedraza (Charge Nurse-Medical Surgical Unit).
· Tom “Slip” Markiewicz is 66 years young.
· And Martha Thomas is 39. Again.
· Respect to new Manatee High grads Breya Sauls and Oryel Salazar, who volunteered a combined 575 hours at Blake Medical Center. Breya will major in nursing at Baylor University while Oryel heads to the University of Florida with a goal of attending medical school.
· A bow to Sharon Danna – 20 years as a Manatee County Sheriff’s Office school crossing guard.
· And props to Jack Cantwell, retired member of New York City’s Finest, for his singing of the national anthem and “God Bless America” at LECOM Park during last Saturday night’s Marauders game.
Vin’s People runs Sundays. Email Vin Mannix at vinspeople@gmail.com. Or call 941-962-5944. Twitter: @vinmannix. | https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/local/2023/06/04/vin-mannix/70266907007/ | 2023-06-04T11:17:30 | 0 | https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/local/2023/06/04/vin-mannix/70266907007/ |
Jacaranda Trace expansion revealed; 78 independent and 64 assisted living homes planned
Complex currently consists of 245 independent living homes and 55 healthcare apartments
VENICE − Convivial Life, a Florida not-for-profit senior living organization headquartered at Jacaranda Trace, recently announced plans to expand the retirement community by building two mid-rise towers that will contain a total of 78 new independent living apartments and a five-story tower that would add 64 residential-style assisted living apartments.
Convivial Life CEO Joel Anderson revealed the plans to residents, neighbors, and future members of Convivial Jacaranda Trace late last month.
Related:Expansion planned for Jacaranda Trace senior living community
Convivial Life acquired a substantial portion of the retirement community at 3600 William Penn Way in June 2022.
Jacaranda Trace currently consists of 245 independent living apartment homes and villas, 55 healthcare apartments and suites, a private duty home health agency, an 85,000-square-foot clubhouse with fitness center, heated outdoor pool and jacuzzi, multiple dining venues, billiards, activity rooms, woodworking shop and library.
Convivial also purchased the additional 2.2 acres for the two 39-unit mid-rise residential towers.
“Our members and neighbors at Jacaranda Trace were pleased with the initial plans and are excited about sharing ideas and considerations for the future of this beautiful community,” Anderson said in a prepared statement. “They are accomplished retirees that desire and deserve elevated experiences for retirement living.
More:Sarasota County approves plan for apartments, office/retail space despite opposition
“They are also progressive thinkers who understand the importance of establishing a sound plan to receive priority access to quality healthcare, and tailored care and support, as their needs may change in the future.”
Here are details about the expansion:
- Floor plans will include one-, two-, and three-bedroom designs with up to 2,200 square feet, each with a private outdoor terrace.
- The new assisted living building is expected to neighbor the current assisted living and memory support cottages, known as Cadbury Park, which will offer 18 private suites for member-exclusive skilled nursing services.
- The towers will provide under-building parking and elevator access to each residence, an active courtyard for outdoor entertainment and recreation, the addition of a heated leisure and activity pool for year-round use, a pavilion for cookouts and seasonal events and a covered breezeway to access a fully renovated member’s clubhouse.
- The multi-year improvement plan is expected to be completed by the end of 2027. For more information visit https://www.jacarandatrace.com. | https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/local/venice/2023/06/04/jacaranda-trace-expansion-would-add-new-homes-to-retirement-community/70276471007/ | 2023-06-04T11:17:36 | 0 | https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/local/venice/2023/06/04/jacaranda-trace-expansion-would-add-new-homes-to-retirement-community/70276471007/ |
June 4 is National Cheese Day, but isn’t the EVERY DAY here in America’s Dairyland.
The Outta Sight Kite Flight is 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. today in Kennedy Park, 40th Street and the lakefront. New this year: IKEA, a festival sponsor, will set up its IKEA Lounge under a tent, with coloring activities, free cookies and IKEA outdoor furniture to try. Admission is free. Food and kites will be available to purchase.
The Kenosha Art Association’s Good Old Summertime Art Fair is 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. today in Civic Center Park, on Sheridan Road between 56th and 57th streets. The fair features about 70 artists and crafters in media including paintings, jewelry, mosaics, collages, ceramics, yard decorations, stained glass and photography. There will also be food vendors.
The Kenosha Yacht Club’s annual Blessing of the Fleet ceremony is 10:30 a.m. today at the Yacht Club, 5130 Fourth Ave. at the Kenosha harbor. The public is welcome at the free ceremony. This is the club’s 65th annual Blessing of the Fleet. A wreath will be placed at the flagpole, and the Vietnam Veterans Honor Guard will take part in the ceremony.
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Something fishy: Grab your fishing pole for Wisconsin’s Free Fishing Weekend. Anglers of all ages and experience levels are encouraged by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to participate. Residents and non-residents will not be required to have a fishing license or trout/salmon stamps. (All other fishing regulations apply, including bag and length limits.) As a bonus: Admission to all state parks, state forests and state trails is FREE all weekend!
Road trip: Milwaukee’s PrideFest wraps up today at Henry W. Maier Festival Park, 200 N. Harbor Drive on Milwaukee’s lakefront. The festival features live music on several stages. pridefest.com | https://kenoshanews.com/news/local/kenosha-area-events-for-sunday-june-4/article_66160d54-0154-11ee-8262-2f26c9a9d704.html | 2023-06-04T11:28:46 | 0 | https://kenoshanews.com/news/local/kenosha-area-events-for-sunday-june-4/article_66160d54-0154-11ee-8262-2f26c9a9d704.html |
WGTD (91.1 FM) is owned and operated as a public service of Gateway Technical College and is an affiliate of Wisconsin Public Radio.
For an updated schedule, go online to wgtd.org. WGTD 91.1-FM’s “Morning Show” airs 8:10 to 9 a.m. weekdays.
Guests this week include:
Monday, June 5: Allen Barra, “The Last Coach: A Life of Paul ‘Bear’ Bryant.”
Tuesday, June 6: James D. Stein, “How math explains the world: a guide to the power of numbers from car repair to modern physics.”
Wednesday, June 7: Flint Whitlock, author of “GIven up for Dead: American POWs in the Nazi Concentration Camp at Berga.”
Thursday, June 8: Nan Calvert, with Dave Giordano, Executive Director of Root Pike WIN, talking about the Campbell’s Wood acquisition and project.
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Friday, June 9: Alan Klinenberg, author of “Heat Wave: A Social Autopsy of Disaster in Chicago.” | https://kenoshanews.com/news/local/wgtd-announces-morning-show-schedule-for-this-week/article_8536adfa-016e-11ee-924b-034d98df0885.html | 2023-06-04T11:28:52 | 1 | https://kenoshanews.com/news/local/wgtd-announces-morning-show-schedule-for-this-week/article_8536adfa-016e-11ee-924b-034d98df0885.html |
No matter what’s happening in the world, readers read.
And thank goodness they do.
We all need an escape, if only for an hour, from whatever crisis of the day is raging.
As Thom Sczygielski of Zion, Ill., a retired Whittier Elementary School teacher, tells us, “Reading takes time, but it’s priceless.”
So true, Thom.
While summer is often a time for traveling, you can visit the whole world — and alien worlds and worlds that only exist in the writer’s imagination — between the covers of a good book.
Sczygielski and the other members of this year’s edition of Liz’s Book Club share their suggestions here for books that will capture your own imagination or, if only for a few hours, allow you to play detective from the comfort of a sunny backyard deck.
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It’s a long list, with everything from John Grisham legal thrillers to World War II histories.
Or, for some of these avid readers, just enough to keep them busy until the end of summer.
Read on to fill out your own reading list:
Sczygielski, a regular Liz’s Book Club contributor, recommends “John Grisham’s new book ‘The Boys from Biloxi’ (always a winner). Circle your calendar for Oct. 17 to read Grisham’s ‘The Exchange,’ a sequel to ‘The Firm.’
“I have three books by George F. Will, a political commentator and Pulitzer Prize winner. His columns were regularly featured in the Washington Post and Newsweek. ‘The Pursuit of Happiness, and Other Sobering Thoughts’ was his first book. ‘American Happiness and Discontents’ features Will’s columns from 2008-2020. Sports fans will like Will’s book ‘Men at Work: The Craft of Baseball.’ He writes of the basics in managing, pitching, hitting and fielding, suffering through the joy of being a Cubs fan.”
He also recommends “James Peterson’s ‘Miracle at St. Andrews.’ For any golfer, ‘Miracle on the 17 Green’ is a must read!”
Adrienne Pfarr has “two books that I’d like to endorse for your annual book club. Both are works of nonfiction. ‘The Tiger,’ by John Vaillant, transports the reader to a remote corner of Russia’s Far East, where, in 1997 an Amur tiger went on a murderous rampage. It was the job of the area’s tiger tracking squad to find him. While the story of hunting the tiger is intriguing in itself, Vaillant brings many other aspects of Russian life into this true story: history, geography, economics, politics, culture, climate, etc. It is a fascinating book.
Another work of nonfiction, “Mudlark: In Search of London’s Past Along the River Thames” by Lara Maiklem, “is not unlike ‘The Tiger,’” Praff said. “In a similar vein, Maiklem takes the reader with her as she scours the banks of the River Thames at low tide. The relics and objects she finds are sometimes remnants from hundreds of years ago. Maiklem explains what these are in great detail and in doing so, the reader is treated to a vast lesson of history, culture, and traditions from London’s past. Some incredible stories emerged (pardon the pun) from her finds.”
Leslie Leader tells us about “the books I’ve read over the past year that most impressed me. They’re in no particular order.”
“The Echo Chamber” by Irish author John Boyne “is about the Cleverlys, an upper-middle-class Dublin family with three children who become split apart and nearly destroyed by social media and then very slowly put themselves back together. It’s a very funny look at the times we live in, with some often hilarious dialogue.”
“Elizabeth Strout is a wonderful and unique author who wrote about Olive Kitteridge in an earlier novel. ‘Olive Again’ is an update of Olive’s life, a woman who was a former math teacher in a small Maine coastal town. We see her now at age 71, newly widowed. As she continues her life journey into old age, we learn more about not only her but other Strout characters because that’s how Strout writes. The reader gets to know her characters slowly, from the outside in, as we often do with people in real life. ‘Oh, William’ and ‘Lucy by the Sea’ are two separate Strout novels, but ‘Lucy by the Sea’ is a continuation of ‘Oh, William.’ We see this divorced couple, parents of two, come together again so William can face his past and then later how they both face and cope with COVID and realize the different ways other people reacted to it. In Lucy’s words, ‘We are all on lockdown, all of the time. We just don’t know it. But we do the best we can. Most of us are just trying to get through.’”
Leader also enjoyed “Lincoln Highway,” by Amor Towles, which she calls “a wonderful, mesmerizing, picaresque novel that is carefully plotted and filled with unforgettable characters as well as much wisdom.”
“Set in 1954, it’s the story of 18-year-old Emmett and his 8-year-old brother Billie who, after their father dies, leaving them a Nebraska farm with lots of debt as well as a car in great shape with $2,000 in its trunk, decide to drive west to San Francisco to start a new life. Nothing goes as planned, of course. They end up going east to New York City on a 10-day journey instead.
“Told from many points of view with many twists and turns and an array of strange characters, this novel is a page turner that never loses its humanity.”
Leader also “read books by Irish author Tana French, who is billed as a mystery writer, but ‘The Witch Elm’ and ‘The Searcher’ are much more than that. They are richly layered and beautifully written, complex studies of human beings and the worlds they inhabit. She is a writer to be watched.”
“Finally,” Leader says, “I recommend the three-volume story of the Cazalet family before, during, and after World War II by Elizabeth Jane Howard, written in the early 1990s. They are ‘The Light Years,’ just before the war, ‘Marking Time,’ during the war, and ‘Confusion,’ both during and after the war.
“This family is an upper-middle-class British family of four children, their parents, spouses, offspring and servants, who live in London but spend holidays in Sussex near the English Channel in a sprawling complex called Home Place. The war means they must leave London for Home Place and is told from the point of view of both grownups, kids and servants. It’s so realistic, it wouldn’t be surprising if Howard herself was one of those kids during the war. We watch them struggle and applaud some of them, while becoming upset with others. This is no ‘Downton Abby,’ but it’s a quite wonderful reading experience.”
Dianna Hodges recommends her “favorite book this year, ‘Horse’ by Geraldine Brooks. The author’s meticulous research created a compelling novel around a historically famous antebellum racehorse named Lexington. She cleverly connected threads of the past with the present. The issue of race is a powerful force in the book, from both the mid-19th century and contemporary perspectives.”
Robert W. Murphy‘s book pick for 2023 is “Transformation in Christ” by Dietrich Von Hildebrand. “As I am sure you can tell by the title,” he says, “this book would fall into a more religious category, although I would say it could even be a general self-improvement type book.
“The author writes from a Catholic perspective but could be applied, I feel, to all Christian denominations and as I mentioned could even be a general self-improvement type of book. It also has an interesting story. The author is German and was active in writing and speaking out against the Nazi government during World War II. As I understand it, he was actively wanted by the Nazi government at the time and he had to move to a few different countries to evade capture. Because of their pursuit of him when the book was first published in Germany, it was done so under a different name until after the war when it was rereleased under his actual name.
“The only other thing I will say about the book is, because it is more of a philosophical type of book, it’s usually best read in smaller chunks, giving yourself time to think about, ponder and understand the things that he is talking about.”
Peggy Molloy of Pleasant Prairie “just finished reading a very good historical fiction book, ‘The Lost English Girl’ by Julia Kelly. To summarize the plot, a good Catholic girl from a rigid family in 1930s Liverpool gets pregnant after brief relationship with a Jewish saxophone player. They are forced into marriage, and her family pays him off to leave to pursue his musical dreams, leaving Viv to raise child by herself.
“The child is evacuated out of Liverpool at the beginning of World War II, and when her temporary home is bombed, is presumed dead. Viv accidentally finds out her daughter is alive and begins search for her, eventually including the previously absent husband/father in search.
“What I liked about this book,” Molloy said, “besides my love of historical fiction (second only to mysteries), the plot was engrossing, and the ending, while satisfying, was NOT sappy.” For more historical fiction, she also recommends “anything by Jennifer Chiaverini or Marie Benedict.”
Jan Iselin recommends “some of the books I have enjoyed this past year. ‘Someone Else’s Shoes’ by Jojo Moses was a fun read. The story is about women who have nothing in common. Another wonderful book is ‘Remarkedly Bright Creatures’ by Shelby Van Pelt: A story about an octopus and and older woman. I loved ‘The Book of Longings’ by Sue Monk Kidd. It is biblical fiction about the wife of Jesus.”
Judith Leanna — who says she look forward to the Book Club entries each year — recommends some mystery series. “If you like a little French history, dogs, horses and some French cooking along with mystery, you may enjoy the series by Martin Walker. Start with ‘Bruno, Chief of Police.’ M.L. Longworth also has a series based in a different area of France. ‘Death in the Vines’ is a good start there.
“If you enjoy the American Revolution era, Heidi Chiavaroli’s ‘The Tea Chest’ is a good read. Gabrielle Meyer’s ‘When the Day Comes’ is also set in American Revolution history but includes time travel.
“I also liked Parini Shirofi’s ‘The Bandit Queens,’ with the tagline: ‘She didn’t kill her husband but why not let everyone believe she did.’ Colleen Coble is an author I always like. Andrew Grant writes a good mystery, try hi ‘Die Twice.’”
Leanna also likes “Bee time: Lessons from the Hive” by Mark L. Winston, which she calls “an interesting read if you are concerned about our pollinators. Happy reading, everyone.”
Former Kenosha News reporter Heather Poyner tells us about a book she “found as a ‘Staff Pick’ at the Kenosha Public Library. ‘Stuff You Should Know; an incomplete compendium of very/mostly interesting things,’ written by podcasters John Clark and Chuck Byrant , published in 2020.
“What I liked about this 27-chapter nonfiction survey of trivia: A fine blend of accurate information and side comments seasoned with the occasional bit of snark. A fine beach (or bedtime) read,” Poyner said.
She lists some chapter titles from the book: “How to Get Lost: And seven ways to stay like that”; “Mr. Potato Head: America’s toy”; “Well-Witching: The ancient art of guessing with a stick”; “Trichotillomania and BFRB’s.”
Poyner said “a couple chapters didn’t grab my interest, but as you may be able to ascertain from the above, list there’s something here for everybody.”
Hope all is going well for you and Rex professionally and personally!
Donella Elsen says “all of my 2023 Liz’s Book Club choices were written by authors who were new to me. Admittedly, I was drawn in by their titles.”
“Do You Know Luis Velez?” and “So Long, Chester Wheeler” were both written by Catherine Ryan Hyde. Elsen calls both “be the change you want to see in the world” books.
“Luis Velez” features a 17-year-old male “who rises above lousy home and school lives after befriending an elderly neighbor woman,” Elsen said. “The teen transforms his, his new friend’s and his neighbors’ lives through his many acts of kindness. In ‘Chester Wheeler,’ you’ll be introduced to Lewis Madigan, a young, gay, out-of-work man who turns to end-of-life care out of desperation in order to pay his bills. Chester, and later Estelle, are both cantankerous clients other caregivers have given up on, but not Lewis. Their lives are transformed during the course of their unexpected and rocky friendships. There’s lots of humor in this uplifting novel.”
Her third pick is “The Love Song of Miss Queenie Hennessy” by Rachel Joyce. “I got this little gem at a library book sale,” Elsen said. “’Miss Queenie’ is a parallel story to ‘The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry’ (an Oprah pick and international bestseller). She writes from a hospice to say goodbye to her friend, Harold. This is “a wonderful book about loss, redemption and joy.”
Candy Peterson of Elmwood Park, Wis., tells her “favorite book this past year has been one which is a selection of our Banned Book Club. It is ‘Out of Darkness’ by Ashley Hope Perez. It’s a young adult book, as many banned books are, and it is an important one. It is based on a true historical event , the deadliest school disaster in the United States. Besides the historical content it raises issues of racism, segregation, racial and sexual violence, and sex abuse of a child. Extremely moving, I promise it will challenge and change you.”
Peterson is talking about the Banned Book Club, which meets the third Sunday of each month at Blue House Books, 5915 Sixth Ave. The club is open to everyone. Find more details at blue-house-books.com or call 262-612-5525.
Catherine McConnell — whose mother was a librarian “and I literally grew up in the stacks” — shares some of her favorite books from the last six months:
“How to Sell a Haunted House” by Grady Hendrix: “What a crazy premise for a book: Stephen King horror mixed with David Sedaris humor and Ann Patchett family relationships. Scary, hilarious and occasionally touching.”
“The Sentence” and “The Night Watchman” by Louise Erdrich: “I’m sure you’ve often heard all about these amazing stories of resilience so my recommendation here is more about the medium. I’m not usually a book on tape kinda gal, but these are even better borrowed in Hoopla (library app) and read by the author.”
“Lone Women” by Victor LaValle: “It’s a coincidence that I have two horror novels on this list. It’s not usual my thing (except for Stephen King) but this was not really a classic horror novel. More of an historical fiction allegory set in early 1900s Montana.”
The Warden Bowdritch series by Paul Doiron: “Better than watching a series on Netflix. They go down easy and you’ll just be sad that there aren’t more.”
Norma Lundstrom sends us “my list of favorite books”: “The House in The Cerulean Sea” and “In the Lives of Puppets” by T.J. Klune, “Where the Crawdads Sing” by Delia Owens, “The Dictionary of Lost Words” by Pip Williams, “Fire Keeper’s Daughter” by Angeline Bouley, “Hello Transcriber” and “The Widowmaker” by Hannah Morrissey, “Someone Else’s Shoes” by JoJo Moyes, “The Last Thing He Told Me” by Laura Dave, and “Happy Place” by Emily Henry.
Celia Sanchez has a very personal book to recommend: “A children’s book written and illustrated by my friend’s daughter, Maureen Poynter. It was recently published and it’s called ‘Mimi and Luis.’ Also, I read ‘November’s Fury’ about the 1913 hurricane on the Great Lakes and ‘Killers of the Flower Moon,’ about which the movie was made.”
Maria Lall sends in “three of my favroite books: ‘Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry, ‘The White Queen’ and ‘Memoirs of a Geisha.’“
Sarah Pederson has quite a list of favorites to recommend: “The Boy in the Striped Pajamas” by John Bolton (and the sequel, “All the Broken Places”); Chanel Cleeton’s “The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba,” “The Last Train to Key West,” “When We left Cuba” and “Next Year in Havana”; “Isacc’s Storm” by Erik Larson; “Home of the Brave” by Katherine Applegate and “The Alice Network” by Kate Quinn. She also recommends “anything from authors Kristin Hannah and Fredrik Backman.”
Barbara Blachowicz — who tells us “Ialways look forward to see what others find interesting” — offers three suggestions “for ‘good reads,’ all with strong women as main characters”: “The Women of Copper Country” by Mary Doria Russell, “Daughters of Teutobod” by Kurt Hansen and “Magic Hour” by Kristin Hannah.
Terri Johnson recommendations “The People We Keep” by Allison Larkin: “This is a novel of great empathy, about connections and coming-of-age, built families and self-acceptance. It contains heartbreak and redemption.” Her second pick” “Verity” by Colleen Hoover: “This psychological thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat and you must keep reading.”
Julie Ferraro also lists “Someone Else’s Shoes” by Jojo Moyes as one of her book picks. “It has a little bit of everything in the book,” she said, “drama, mystery and humor. I enjoyed the personal growth of the two main characters.” She also likes “Dial A for Aunties” by Jesse Q Sutanto (“for a laugh-out-loud, super fun read”) and “The Violin Conspiracy” by Brendan Slocumb, “for a great overall mystery and moving story about a Black classical musician, his coming of age and what happened to his stolen heirloom violin.”
Sue Gifford‘s book list includes: “The Diplomat’s Wife” by Pam Jenoff, “The Husbands” by Chandler Baker, “Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe” by Heather Webber, “The Paper Palace” by Miranda Crowley and “Reminders of Him” by Colleen Hoover.
Gail Burgess of Bristol — a Liz’s Book Club regular contributor — reads “so many good books, it’s really hard to narrow it down,” but shares “a few of my favorites.” She “discovered” two mystery series and recommends them both. “Julia Spencer-Fleming has written nine Claire Fergusson mysteries set in upper New York state. Claire is an Episcopalian priest and former helicopter pilot and ‘helps’ Police Chief Russ Van Alstyne solve mysteries.”
She also recommends Richard Osman’s “Thursday Murder Club” books. “Elizabeth, Joyce, Ron and Ibrahim are residents of a retirement village and select cold cases to solve — then somehow end up in various life-threatening situations. There are four books so far, but No. 5 can’t be too far behind.”
Burgess also enjoyed “Remarkably Bright Creatures” by Shelby Van Pelt, “Lessons in Chemistry” by Bonnie Garmus and “People We Meet on Vacation” by Emily Henry. “All three,” she said, “combine humor with a look at relationships — family and friends — and leave readers with a smile on their faces.”
Avid reader Denise Fox seconds the recomendation of “Lessons in Chemistry” by Bonnie Garmus, which “follows the story of Elizabeth Zott,” Fox said. “When Elizabeth suddenly becomes a young single mother, she chooses to become a famous television chef when, in fact, she is (and wants to be known as) a brilliant scientist. This book reflects upon sexism in the workplace; motherhood and the choices moms must make when it comes to work life balance; and also what it means to be a family. The book covers these topics and is at the same time very humorous.”
She also “could not put down ‘Remarkably Bright Creatures’ by Shelby Van Pelt. If follows the friendship between Tova, a lonely widow; Cameron, a young man trying to find his place in this world; and a giant, intelligent Pacific octopus (Marcellus). Yes, an octopus! This book is unconventional and heartwarming and is the first book written by this author, who resides in Chicago and was raised in the Pacific Northwest, where this book’s location takes place.”
“I can’t wait to see what other readers recommend,” Fox said.
Mary Philips “enjoyed Anna Quindlen’s ‘Lots of Candles, Plenty of Cake: A Memoir of a Woman’s Life,’ which any woman could relate to concerning one’s own childhood memories, through to what we find in our closets, to aging. While C.J. Box’s Joe Pickett series can be speckled with violence, his description of occurrences in nature or descriptions of western USA make for page-turners. Elizabeth Berg brings out her Midwest life through any of her books, especially ‘The Story of Arthur Truluv,’ which is the first in that heartwarming series.”
Bob Cisler recommends Lou Berney’s crime novel “November Road,” which he says “you will not be able to put down.”
The book focuses on “a loyal member to a New Orleans mob boss, who may know too much about the assassination of John F. Kennedy, and needs to ‘keep moving,’ drives past a housewife on the run as well with her two daughters, a dog and broken down car. Frank Guidry knows hit men are after him and what better cover than a ‘wife’ with two daughters?”
Cisler also enjoyed another Berney novel, “The Long and Faraway Gone,” an “exploration of memory and what it means to be a survivor. A mystery that is deep and wounded.”
Finally Cisler tells us about Peter Robinson’s DCI Banks series, starting with “Gallows View” in 1987.
“Robinson crafted 20-plus DCI Banks books before he passed away in 2022. Why read them? Complex and flawed characters, starting with Banks and including the DI’s he works with and the villains in each book. Solid, realistic storylines that often deal with social commentary on issues such as poverty, racism and homophobia. Besides, who can resist a character that refers often to music in the novels, classical and contemporary and enjoys a good Laphroaig Whisky. Alan Banks is one intriguing character. The books build upon each, so it may be best to begin with Gallows View.’ I have skipped around and enjoyed every book.” (Note: There is also an excellent British TV series based on the books.)
Donna Juzwik “would like to share three books that I have read and enjoyed: ‘Mad Honey’ by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan and ‘West With Giraffes, by Linda Rutledge, which are both fiction, and ‘Bomb Shelter. Love. Time & Other Explosives’ by Mary Laura Philpott, a biography about middle-aged women. I liked the honesty and humor in this book,” Juzwik said. “West with Giraffes” is based on a real event in 1938 as a young boy immersed in tragedy travels across the country to deliver the giraffes to the San Diego Zoo.
Jillian Craig, a Kenosha News reporter who joined our staff last summer, recommends “The Butcher and the Wren” by Alaina Urquhart. The story is about a methodical killer with a penchant for medical experimentation, who lurks in the Louisiana bayou and taunts law enforcement who attempt to catch him for his viscous crimes. Forensic pathologist Dr. Wren Muller is the best there is and hasn’t come across a case she couldn’t solve — until now. As cases pile up on her examination table, Muller is sucked into a cat-and-mouse chase with a brutal murderer who becomes more brazen by the day.
“Although the story does contain some very graphic details of violence” Craig said., “the story is quite captivating and will leave you on the edge of your seat. Anyone who is a fan of horror or true crime genres would enjoy this book. Author Alaina Urquhart is also the co-host of the popular podcast ‘Morbid,’ so I enjoyed hearing her voice through her writing.”
Norm Gentry — another Liz’s Book Club regular — recommends two books this year: “Brave Men, Gentle Heroes: American Fathers and Sons in World War II and Vietnam” by Michael Takiff
“Michael Takiff presents an honest, dramatic and oral history of both wars,” Gentry said. “Each war defined a generation. His book demonstrates ordinary men, offering extraordinary insights into what it means to be a warrior, an American, a father and a son.”
The book features “many touching stories from both wars. One such reflection is seen through the eyes of Sandy Walmsky a Navy corpsman for a Marine Platoon in Vietnam. He showed the bravery of one corpsman who survived the war but never forgot the memories of this conflict. Approximately 1,300 Army medics and 690 Navy corpsmen were killed in Vietnam.”
Walmsky sums it up at the end, saying, “I only wish we could find a different way of coming to grips with things rather than armed conflict.”
Gentry’s second recommendation is “Johnny Carson,” a biography by Henry Bushkin. “To those of you like me who grew up watching ‘The Tonight Show’ hosted by Johnny Carson from 1962 until 1992, this book gives a significant insight into Carson,” Gentry said. “This is a revealing account of ‘The King of Late Night’ at the height of his fame and power, written by his lawyer, fixer and closest confidant for 18 years.
“What makes this book a great read is how Henry Bushkin Shows Johnny’s life with a clarity and depth that nobody else could do.”
Elizabeth Denman, who tells us “I will be 92 on my next birthday, and I am never without a book,” recommends picking up two books by of humorous stories and essays by the mother-and-daughter writing team of Lisa Scottoline and Francesca Serritella: “Does This Beach Make Me Look Fat” and “I’ve Got Sand in all the Wrong Places.” Denam calls both “good reads for nighttime.” She also recommends the John Grisham courtroom drama “A Time for Mercy” (though she does not recommend reading that right before you go to sleep).
Ann Engelstad of Winthrop harbor, Ill., describes herself as “an English lit major, writer, poet and artist” who enjoys reading “many genres.”
Here are some of her favorites: “Strangers on a Train” and “The Tremor of Forgery,” both by writer Patricia Highsmith; Michael Connelly’s Harry Bosch series of crime novels, including “Echo Park,” and his “Lincoln Lawyer” books; the “Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” trilogy of thrillers by the late Stieg Larsson; and the classic 1875 Leo Tolstoy novel “Anna Karenina.” Her other picks are Marcel Proust’s “Swann’s Way,” in a new translation by Lydia Davis. The first volume is “In Search of Lost Time.” | https://kenoshanews.com/news/local/lizs-book-club-kenosha-news-readers-share-good-reads/article_87bde842-eabf-11ed-8b29-4757c1c8438d.html | 2023-06-04T11:37:22 | 0 | https://kenoshanews.com/news/local/lizs-book-club-kenosha-news-readers-share-good-reads/article_87bde842-eabf-11ed-8b29-4757c1c8438d.html |
How Time Flies is a daily feature looking back at Pantagraph archives to revisit what was happening in our community and region.
100 years ago
June 4, 1923: Yesterday was a real summer day, and many people took advantage of the comforts afforded in Miller Park. Boating was popular for many. All 42 boats were kept in use during the afternoon and evening, and there was a line of persons wanting their turn. Twenty more boats have been ordered and will arrive shortly.
75 years ago
June 4, 1948: Bloomington-Normal began the 21st consecutive rainless day, thereby establishing a new spring record for Central Illinois. The last rain stopped falling at 5:30 a.m. May 15. Records show no duplication of the lengthy dry siege.
50 years ago
June 4, 1973: A permit was issued for the first building in a $2 million Brandtville Shopping Center at the southwest corner of U.S. 66 and U.S. 150. The $123,300 building permit was for a new Bob Johnson's Brandtville Cafe. It will contain more than 12,000 square feet and be about the size of the present restaurant.
25 years ago
June 4, 1998: The Russians are coming — and they'll be moving very fast. Prairie Air Show '98, to be held Aug. 21-23 at the Central Illinois Regional Airport at Bloomington-Normal, will have a distinctly foreign flavor this year with the appearance of 12 Russian aircraft, including several versions of the high-powered Russian MiG fighter. "They're big, noisy, after-burning fast mamas," said Dave Keim, executive director of the air show.
101 years ago: See vintage Pantagraph ads from 1922
Gerthart's
Union Gas and Electric Co.
Hoover
Dr. J.A. Moore Dentists
Moberly & Klenner
W.P. Garretson
W.H. Roland
Pease's Candy
Thor 32 Electric Washing Machine
The Kaiser's Story of the War
Ike Livingston & Sons
Gossard Corsets
Cat'n Fiddle
'Stolen Moments'
Case Model X
The Johnson Transfer & Fuel Co.
The Pantagraph want ads
Franklin Motor Car Co.
'A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court'
Calumet Baking Powder
Mayer Livingston & Co. Newsmarket
'The Emperor Jones'
'California Fig Syrup'
Compiled by Pantagraph staff | https://pantagraph.com/news/local/history/75-years-ago-21st-day-without-rain-sets-bloomington-record/article_7a887148-fd92-11ed-949d-b70811e374a7.html | 2023-06-04T11:52:50 | 1 | https://pantagraph.com/news/local/history/75-years-ago-21st-day-without-rain-sets-bloomington-record/article_7a887148-fd92-11ed-949d-b70811e374a7.html |
An investigation into a deadly shooting caused I-95 in South Philadelphia to be closed to traffic early Sunday.
According to police, the roadway was closed near highway exit 20, under the Philadelphia Vietnam Veterans Memorial, after one person was killed in a shooting on the roadway.
Officials said the shooting occurred at around 4 a.m. after police had responded to a report of people drag racing in the area.
Early Sunday, a car could be seen taped off along the highway as officers investigated the scene along southbound I-95.
Get Philly local news, weather forecasts, sports and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC Philadelphia newsletters.
As of about 6:45 a.m. officials have not released any further details on the individual who died or what might have led to this shooting.
This is a breaking news story. It will be updated as more information becomes available.
There are additional resources for people or communities that have endured gun violence in Philadelphia. Further information can be found here.
Local
Breaking news and the stories that matter to your neighborhood.
Sign up for our Breaking newsletter to get the most urgent news stories in your inbox. | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/deadly-shooting-closes-i-95-in-south-philly/3578659/ | 2023-06-04T11:57:39 | 0 | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/deadly-shooting-closes-i-95-in-south-philly/3578659/ |
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Contact Us | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/one-dead-in-i-95-shooting/3578660/ | 2023-06-04T11:57:45 | 1 | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/one-dead-in-i-95-shooting/3578660/ |
Lubbock entertainment news in brief
Dance Gallery School presents 'Portrait'
The Dance Gallery School of Dance Arts will host its 42nd Anniversary with a Major Production, “Portrait", at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, June 4, in the Helen Devitt Jones Theater of Buddy Holly Hall.
“Portrait” is a celebration of the arts and the artists who create them. The dancers will explore a gallery of fine arts from Degas’ ballerinas to Van Gogh’s Starry Night, portray fashion icons like Audrey Hepburn and Marilyn Monroe, and honor spiritual leaders like Mother Theresa.
Audiences will be enchanted by the art of Cinderella and the magic of fairytales and captivated by the art of literary greats such as F. Scott Fitzgerald and Bram Stoker. Enjoy the music of the Beatles, Elvis, David Bowie and more as the dancers pay tribute to some of music’s greatest artists.
Dancers consist of preschool through high school aged students performing pieces in the styles of tap, ballet, jazz, contemporary, pointe and hip hop.
Reserved seat tickets for this production range from $16 to $33 (plus taxes and fees), depending on seating. For more information or to purchase tickets, visithttps://www.buddyhollyhall.com/
Tinseltown to show 'Raiders' on big screen
Cinemark Tinseltown Lubbock and XD, 2535 82nd St., is hosting a special big screen showing of "Raiders of the Lost Ark" at 4 and 7 p.m. June 4 and 7 p.m. June 7.
Indy (Harrison Ford) and his feisty ex-flame Marion Ravenwood (Karen Allen) dodge booby-traps, fight Nazis and stare down snakes in their incredible worldwide quest for the mystical Ark of the Covenant.
Tickets for this special event are $12.45 and available in advance online at www.fathomevents.com.
Cinemark presents 'The God Man'
Cinemark Movies 16 and XD 5721 58th St., will host a special screening of "The God Man" at 7 p.m. on June 6.
In "The God Man", filmmaker Darren Wilson turns his focus on the most famous person in history, Jesus Christ. Led by a series of dreams, chance encounters, and impossible timing, Wilson follows a spiritual rabbit trail that eventually leads to a remarkable conclusion about the nature and character of Jesus.
From the wilds of Alaska, to the slums of Rio, to the tropical beauty of the Caribbean, this sweeping film chases a Jesus who is not bound by rituals and religious dogma, but who is real, alive, and active in the world today. He is not church. He is not religion. He is not hypocrisy. He is Jesus, and he is far better than you can ever imagine.
"The God Man" is the final chapter in Wilson’s 15-year, six-film saga that includes "Finger of God", "Furious Love", "Father of Lights", "Holy Ghost", and "Holy Ghost Reborn".
Tickets for this special screening are $12.45 and available online in advance at https://www.fathomevents.com/
Alamo screening 'Purple Rain'
Alamo Drafthouse Lubbock is hosting a special screening of 1980s Prince film "Purple Rain" at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 6.
"Purple Rain" is the semi-autobiographical tale of The Kid, a Minneapolis musician navigating the club scene while dealing with a romantic rival and a difficult family life.
A massive hit upon release, it's a showcase for the Purple One’s otherworldly musical, visual, and sartorial stylings, and introduced the world to the glory of "When Doves Cry," "Let's Go Crazy," and of course, "Purple Rain."
As the man himself once sang, “U better live now.” Words 2 live by.
Tickets for this special screening are $7 and available in advance online at drafthouse.com/lubbock
Moonlight Musicals hosting season kickoff event
Moonlight Musicals is hosting a 2023 season opener celebration dubbed "Hello Moonlight" on Wednesday, June 7, at the Moonlight Musicals Amphitheater, 413 E. Broadway. There will be a 6 p.m. dinner al fresco followed by an 8 p.m. private performance.
There are different ticket levels including:
Irene Molloy: $50 per person. Includes a special preview of "Hello Dolly!" Bring your own picnic dinner and chairs of your choice.
Dolly Levi: $150 per person. Includes individual seating for the el fresco dinner. Bring a seating of your choice for the performance.
Horance Vandergelder: $2,000 per table. Includes four tickets for the 2023 season. As a table of 8, enjoy all the benefits including two bottles of complimentary wine and a private after-part on stage. It also features preferred seating for dinner and chairs for the performance will be provided.
For more information or to purchase tickets, visit https://moonlightmusicals.com/shows/
Alamo Film Club screens 'Pink Flamingos'
Still filthy, 50 years later, Alamo Drafthouse Film Club presents "Pink Flamingos" at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 7.
John Waters' "Pink Flamingos" follows megalomaniacal matriarch Babs Johnson (Divine) and her twisted family of miscreants as they vie for the title of "the filthiest people alive" with the Marbles (David Lochary and Mink Stole).
It's a colorful, raunchy, tasteless tour of tacky interiors, gaudy fashion, and the private lives of people so outrageously bad that you can't help but love them.
Alamo Drafthouse Film Club is a reflection a continuing commitment to sharing the independent, classic and international films we love with audiences everywhere.
Tickets for this special screening are $10 and available for purchase in advance online at drafthouse.com/lubbock
Moonlight Musicals opens season with 'Hello Dolly'
Moonlight Musicals Lubbock kicks off its summer 2023 season with "Hello Dolly" at 8 p.m. on June 8-10, 15-17, and 22-24, at the Moonlight Musicals Amphitheater, 413 E Broadway.
Say “Hello!” to a great summer with "Hello Dolly." This musical adaptation of Thornton Wilder’s hit play "The Matchmaker" bursts with humor, romance, energetic dance and some of the greatest songs in musical theatre history.
The romantic and comic exploits of Dolly Gallagher-Levi, turn-of-the-century matchmaker and “woman who arranges things,” are certain to thrill and entertain audiences again and again.
Tickets for the show are $25, which include Select-A-Seat fees. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit https://moonlightmusicals.com/shows/
Carole King tribute coming to Cactus
Tapestry: The Carole King Songbook featuring Suzanne O Davis is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Thursday, June 8, at the Cactus Theater.
This show recreates the sound and vibe of a 1970s Carole King concert experience following her legendary album, "Tapestry".
Fans will be transported back to the iconic image of her multiple-Grammy-winning album of 1971.
The concert performance will also bring to life many hits from the Broadway musical smash, "Beautiful".
Tickets for this show are $35 for first six floor rows; $32.50 for remaining floor rows; $30 for standard balcony; and $65 for balcony box seats, which include concessions.
For more information or to purchase tickets, visit cactustheater.com
Sistine Chapel: The Exhibition coming to Amarillo
The internationally acclaimed Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel: The Exhibition is coming to Amarillo on June 9 and runs through July 23. It will be the inaugural exhibit at the newly renovated Sunset Center in Amarillo, now called Arts in the Sunset.
This globally successful exhibit has been all around the world from Shanghai to Chicago, Phoenix, Berlin, Vienna and more. Tickets are on sale today and can be purchased online at artsinthesunset.org.
Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel: The Exhibition is a collection of the artist’s renowned ceiling frescoes from the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel, reproduced in a format allowing viewers to be faceto-face with the masterpieces. Through artfully displayed reproductions, this innovative presentation brings the audience just a few feet away from world-renowned pieces like The Creation of Adam and The Last Judgment.
Arts in the Sunset is located at 3701 Plains Blvd. The exhibit will be open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. until 7:30 p.m., with the last entry at 6 p.m. On Sundays, the exhibit will be open from 1-5:30 p.m., with the last entry at 4 p.m. The exhibit is wheelchair accessible. Viewing time is estimated between 60 and 90 minutes. Tickets rangefrom $19 to $26.50, based on age and time of day.
Proceeds from the exhibit will benefit the Downtown Women’s Center (DWC), Catholic Charities of the Texas Panhandle (CCTXP), the Amarillo Art Institute and the Amarillo Cultural District of the Texas Commission on the Arts.
Madagascar Live coming to Holly Hall
Get ready to move it, move it! Join Alex, Marty, Melman and Gloria as they escape New York Central Park Zoo and onto the stage in a live musical spectacular. Madagascar the Musical Live is scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday, June 9, in the Helen Devitt Jones Theater of Buddy Holly Hall.
Based on the Dreamworks® movie, Madagascar The Musical Live! will have audiences of all-ages cheering and dancing as the crack-a-lackin’ friends find themselves on an unexpected journey to the madcap world of King Julien’s Madagascar.
Featuring new songs written for the stage, a bevy of dancing menageries and even some puppets, Madagascar The Musical Live! is an out-of-this zoo fun experience of friendship and more.
Tickets for this production range from $34 to $100 (plus taxes and fees) depending on seating. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit https://www.buddyhollyhall.com/
Bollywood star coming to Holly Hall
Mika Singh, a famous Indian singer, composer, music director, and movie artist of Bollywood fame, is coming to West Texas for the first time at 7 p.m. Sunday, June 11, at Buddy Holly Hall.
Singh is one of the most popular singers in India, with many hit songs and compositions.
He has enthralled audiences worldwide with full-house live performances. Accompanied by his orchestra team and chorus singers, audiences will enjoy an electrifying, colorful, multi-cultural show, with popular songs and dance tunes. Talented Lubbock dance artists will perform along with Singh, singing and dancing with his band.
Reserved seat tickets range from $59 to $249 (plus taxes and fees) depending on seating and VIP features.
For more information or to purchase tickets, visit https://www.buddyhollyhall.com/
'Hairspray' marks 35th anniversary
Cinemark Movies 16 and XD, 5721 58th St., presents Fathom's Big Screen Classics showing of "Hairspray" for its 35th anniversary. The movie will be shown at 4 and 7 p.m. June 11 and at 7 p.m. June 14.
"Hairspray": It's Baltimore, 1962, and a rebellious teenager with the biggest bouffant on the block attempts to win the coveted "Miss Auto Show" crown as she fights against racial discrimination in this film created and directed by John Waters and featuring Divine in his/her last role.
Tickets for this special anniversary screening are $12.45 and available online in advance at www.fathomevents.com
Cactus features 80s rock tribute
Caldwell Entertainment presents A tribute to Motley Crue, AC/DC, and Metallica at 7:30 p.m. Friday, June 9, at the Cactus Theater.
These heavy metal legends rocked the nations with their chart-topping hits “Kickstart My Heart,” “Thunderstruck” and “Master of Puppets!’ Come take a ride through space and time with this incredible salute to these metal legends.
The Caldwell Collective band and singers will blow you away with their tribute to these iconic bands.
Tickets are $25 for all floor and standard balcony seating; and $50 for balcony box seats, which includes concessions.
For more information or to purchase tickets, visit cactustheater.com
Seger touring tribute comes to Cactus
Cactus Theater brings to the stage Seger System, the ultimate Bob Seger touring tribute at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, June 10.
Highly experienced musicians with over 75 years of combined touring and studio careers formed the Seger System tribute band to honor the music of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Bob Seger and his Silver Bullet Band.
Seger System has re-created the sound, look, and feel of the legendary rocker who gave us songs like “Old Time Rock And Roll”, “Night Moves”, “Against The Wind”, “Turn The Page”, “Mainstreet”, “Fire Down Below”, and many other chart-topping hits.
Tickets for this show are $27.50 for the first six rows, A-F; $25 for rows G-M; $22.50 for standard balcony seats; and $50 for balcony box seats, which includes concessions.
For more information or to purchase tickets, visit cactustheater.com
Alamo hosts 'Dirty Dancing' movie party
Champagne Cinema presents a "Dirty Dancing" movie party at 6 p.m. Sunday, June 11, at Alamo Drafthouse Lubbock.
When "Dirty Dancing" came out in 1987, it changed lives. Baby and Johnny showed the world the power of dance, the power of love, and most importantly, the power of a shirtless and swingin' Patrick Swayze.
This film set the standard not only for dance movies but for romance in general – and more than 30 years later, we still dream of nailing that lift. And here at Alamo Drafthouse, there's no better place to celebrate Baby and Johnny, where you're encouraged to quote, sing, and dance along at this Movie Party screening. You'll also receive themed props, like your own "Staff Quarters" keychain, watermelon beach balls, and pink glow necklaces.
Tickets for this special movie party are $15.15 and available in advance online at drafthouse.com/lubbock/
Valli rescheduled for June 16
The original Jersey boy himself, Frankie Valli is coming to Buddy Holly Hall at 7 p.m. Friday, June, 16, for a rescheduled date from January. Tickets for the January performance will be honored.
Valli's career with the Four Seasons, as well as his solo success, have spawned countless hit singles. With unforgettable tunes like “Sherry,” “Walk Like A Man,” “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” “Rag Doll,” “December ‘63 – Oh What A Night,” “Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You,” and of course, “Grease.”
His songs have been omnipresent in other iconic movies such as "The Deer Hunter", "Dirty Dancing", "Mrs. Doubtfire", "Conspiracy Theory" and "The Wanderers".
Valli and the Four Seasons have sold more than 100 million records worldwide. They continue to tour throughout the U.S. and abroad to packed houses receiving nightly standing ovations from thrilled fans of multiple generations.
Reserved seat tickets for this show range from $54 to $175 (plus taxes and fees) depending on seating and VIP features.
For more information or to purchase tickets, visit https://www.buddyhollyhall.com/
Comic Con hosting Father's Day Edition
Celebrate Dad at West Texas Comic Con, Father's Day Edition, set for June 16-18 at the Lubbock Memorial Civic Center banquet hall.
The goal is to renew the comic con experience for fans and vendors to be fun, memorable, and exciting by uniting the elite of the pop culture -- showcasing the best in comics, toys, collectibles, artists, celebrities, cosplay and fandom.
There are multiple tickets types available for the weekend to fit your needs including adult and child single-day passes, and three-day passes (Friday, Saturday and Sunday); military three-day passes; local hero’s three-day Pass, $30 (includes police, EMS, firefighters, teachers, healthcare workers and public servants); local hero’s family weekend Pass: $75, includes two (2) adults and up to (4) four children full access to WTCC on June 16-18; and military family weekend pass: $75, includes two (2) adults and up to (4) four children full access to WTCC on June 16-18.
To buy tickets, call the Select-a-Seat Box Office: Monday-Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at (806) 770-2000. Tickets are also available online at selectaseatlubbock.com
Dad Jokes Comedy rings in Father's Day weekend
Just in time for Father's Day, take dad to the Dad Jokes Comedy Show at the Cactus Theater at 7:30 p.m. Friday, June 16. The comedy show features Daryl Felsberg, Aaron Aryanpur and Brandon Davidson.
Felsberg (XM Comedy, NBC’s Last Comic Standing), Aryanpur (Comedy Central, iTunes) and Davidson (XM Comedy, Keenan Thompson Presents) will keep you in stitches when they share their stories and jokes of fatherhood and life as they kick off Father’s Day Weekend.
Tickets for this show are $27.50 for rows A-C; $25 for rows D-M; $20 for standard balcony; and $50 for balcony box seats, which include concessions.
For more information or to purchase tickets, visit cactustheater.com
Hot Club of Cowtown brings Western Swing to Cactus
Hot Club of Cowtown celebrates 25 years of Western Swing at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, June 17, at the Cactus Theater.
Award-winning Austin, Texas-based Hot Club of Cowtown may be the world’s most globe-trotting, effervescent string trio, who’s joyful sound blends the traditional Western swing of the 1940s American southwest with European hot jazz influences of the same era.
The Hot Club of Cowtown writes its own original songs and reinterprets everything from hoedowns to American songbook standards in its own, original style. The band is guitarist Whit Smith, fiddler Elana James, and upright bassist Zack Sapunor.
Reserved seat tickets are $27..50 for rows A-F; $25 for rows G-M; $25 for standard balcony; and $50 for balcony box seats, which include concessions.
For more information or to purchase tickets, visit cactustheater.com
Tucker to perform at Buddy Holly Hall
West Texas native Tanya Tucker is set to perform at 8 p.m. Friday, June 23, at Buddy Holly Hall.
Born in Seminole, Tucker had her first country hit, the classic “Delta Dawn,” at the age of 13 in 1972. Since that beginning, she has become one of the most admired and influential artists in country music history, amassing 23 Top 40 albums and a stellar string of 56 Top 40 singles, ten of which reached the No. 1 spot on the Billboard country charts.
Tucker's songs include some of country music’s biggest hits such as “Soon,” “Two Sparrows in a Hurricane,” “It’s a Little Too Late,” “Trouble,” “Texas (When I Die),” “If It Don’t Come Easy” and “Strong Enough To Bend.”
Reserved seat tickets for this show range from $39 to $129 (plus taxes and fees), depending on seating, and are available online at https://www.buddyhollyhall.com/
Tucker is donating $1 per ticket to support Farm Aid and its work to cultivate a vibrant, just and resilient family farm-centered system of agriculture in America.
LTC presents 'Liberty Valance'
Dawmi Entertainment and Lubbock Theater Company present "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance" at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, June 30 and July 1, and at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, July 2, at Buddy Holly Hall.
"The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance" is a classic story of good versus evil, law versus the gun, one man versus Liberty Valance. A tale of love, hope and revenge set against the vicious backdrop of a lawless society in the American West.
Reserved seat tickets range from $25 to $40 (plus taxes & fees), depending on seating. There is a special offer of $5 off for students and seniors (60 and older), with proof of valid ID.
For more information or to purchase tickets, visit https://www.buddyhollyhall.com/
Bryan brings Country on Tour 2023 to USA
Country music superstar Luke Bryan will be taking the stage on July 27 at the United Supermarkets Arena as he brings Country on Tour 2023 to the Hub City.
Special guests will be Tyler Braden, Ashley Cooke and Jackson Dean.
Bryan has been named Entertainer of the Year five times, awarded by the Academy of Country Music and the Country Music Association. In 2019, his 2013 album "Crash My Party" received the first Album of the Decade award from the ACM. Worldwide, he has sold more than 75 million records.
Some of Bryan's biggest hits include "Do I" "Rain is a Good Thing" "Someone Else Calling You Baby" "Country Girl (Shake it for Me)" and "Drunk On You", among many others. He has had nearly 30 No. 1 hits.
Tickets for this concert range start at $35 and up depending on seating and VIP package features.For more information or to purchase tickets, visit selectaseatlubbock.com
Ranching Heritage Center to host inaugural Ranch Verse
Join cowboy songster Andy Hedges and special guests, Boots O’Neal, Randy Rieman, Dave Stamey, Red Steagall, and Andy Wilkinson, for a day of Western storytelling, song and poetry at the inaugural Ranch Verse on Saturday, Aug. 5.
"Ranch Verse will feature a variety of programming that will include working cowboy stories, cowboy poetry, western music, and discussions of ranch culture,” host Andy Hedges shared.
Daytime events will be free to the public and take place from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the National Ranching Heritage Center (NRHC) in Lubbock. A special welcome performance of cowboy poetry, range ballads, and storytelling by Red Steagall, Andy Wilkinson, Randy Rieman, and Dave Stamey will kick off the day from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.
From 1 to 2 p.m., visitors will have the opportunity to hear a live, onstage interview with Four Sixes Ranch cowboy and Ranching Heritage Association Working Cowboy Award recipient Boots O’Neal for broadcast on the Cowboy Crossroads podcast with Andy Hedges.
Randy Reiman will take the stage from 2:15 to 3:15 p.m. to present the illustrated letters of cowboy artist Charles M. Russell through slides, commentary, and the spoken word.
Daytime events will conclude with a discussion from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. featuring Red Steagall, Andy Hedges and Dave Stamey on the poetry, music, and art emerging out of Western culture.
An evening performance will follow from 7:30 to 10 p.m. at the historic Cactus Theater with cowboy songster Andy Hedges, western songwriter Dave Stamey, and the legendary Red Steagall. Tickets for the evening performance start at $25 and are on sale on the Cactus Theater website.
To learn more about Ranch Verse, visit bit.ly/ranchverse. For questions, contact (806) 742-0498.
Jelly Roll coming to USA
Jelly Roll has announced a 44-date headlining tour and will be taking the stage at the United Supermarkets Arena at 7 p.m. on Aug. 29, with his Backroad Baptism Tour 2023.
Jason Bradley DeFord, known professionally as Jelly Roll, is an American singer, rapper, and songwriter known for his collaborations with Lil Wyte, Struggle Jennings, and Tech N9ne In 2023, he won three CMT Music Awards for the song "Son of a Sinner".
Before his transition into country music with 2023's Whitsitt Chapel album, Jelly Roll launched his career in hip hop.
Tickets for this show range from $21 to $650 (plus taxes and fees), depending on seating and VIP package features.
For more information or to purchase tickets, visit selectaseatlubbock.com | https://www.lubbockonline.com/story/entertainment/local/2023/06/04/lubbock-entertainment-news-in-brief/70275819007/ | 2023-06-04T12:01:31 | 0 | https://www.lubbockonline.com/story/entertainment/local/2023/06/04/lubbock-entertainment-news-in-brief/70275819007/ |
Moonlight Musicals opens season with 'Hello, Dolly!'
Lubbock Moonlight Musicals kicks off its 2023 season with the classic "Hello, Dolly!"
Performances are scheduled for 8 p.m. on June 8-10, 15-17, and 22-24, at the Moonlight Musicals Amphitheater, 413 E. Broadway.
According to a synopsis from imdb.com, its the 1890s in New York City and the bold and enchanting widow Dolly Levi (portrayed by Amy Laney and Kelsie Curry-Rendon) is a socialite-turned-matchmaker.
Her latest clients seeking assistance are the cantankerous "half-a-millionaire" Horace Vandergelder (Shane Strawbridge) and a young artist named Ambrose (Harrison Black), who is in love with Horace's niece, Ermengarde (Signe Elder).
Dolly's scheming soon involves Horace's employees as well as a New York hatmaker, as she tries to cover up her own secret romantic designs for Horace.
Other local performers starring in this performance include Zach Judah as Cornelius Hackl, David Postlewate as Barnaby Tucker, Lynnli Wiseman as Irene Molloy, Hannah Holtz as Minnie Fay, Julis Schenk as the judge, Heidi Winkler at Ernestina Money, Connor Gerhart as Rudolph Weisenseber and Mimi Pappas as Mrs. Rose.
Classic musical numbers from the production include "Put On Your Sunday Clothes", "Ribbons Down My Back", "Before the Parade Passes By", "Elegance", "It Only Takes A Moment" and "So Long, Dearie".
The production is directed by Casey Keenan-Joiner with musical direction by Shayna Isaacs, and choreography by Claire Newey.
Scene design is provided by Sandra Lopez with lighting by Bill West-Davis and costumes by Brooklyn Johnson. Hair and makeup design are by Connor Gerhart with prop design by Kelsie Curry-Rendon.
Sound designer is Frank Rendon, with technical direction, photography and videography by Tom Laney III, and orchestra liaison is Mimi Pappas.
Other upcoming productions this season include "Disney's "The Little Mermaid Jr." in July; Rodgers and Hammerstein's "Oklahoma!" in August; and "Matilda" in October.
General admission tickets for "Hello, Dolly!" are $21 (plus taxes and fees) and available at selectaseatlubbock.com or through the Select-a-Seat box office by calling (806) 770-2000, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. Season tickets for all four productions are also available.
For more information, visit moonlightmusicals.com/ | https://www.lubbockonline.com/story/entertainment/local/2023/06/04/moonlight-musicals-opens-season-with-hello-dolly/70275698007/ | 2023-06-04T12:01:37 | 1 | https://www.lubbockonline.com/story/entertainment/local/2023/06/04/moonlight-musicals-opens-season-with-hello-dolly/70275698007/ |
WATERLOO — Donna Nelson’s relentless drive helped to preserve historic downtown structures, the Black’s Building and the old YMCA among them.
Those buildings and the businesses that inhabit them secured her legacy.
Family members and associates are remembering Nelson, who died Tuesday at age 89. They say she inherited that drive from her father, Irv Warren, who founded the trucking company Warren Transport.
Nelson decided to make her own name with Vern Nelson, her husband of 70 years, founding Nelson Properties and Nelson Insurance in 1953.
“She was just like a force that you wanted to follow, and her father was the same way,” said her daughter, Lisa Nelson Mitrovich. “And they just really had a vision of things for the future that other people, for whatever reason, can’t see. She could open your eyes to possibilities, and it was really beautiful.”
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Their mission became protecting the history and viability of downtown Waterloo. According to Mitrovich and grandson Vern Nelson III, it was a visit from Lloyd’s of London Insurance that got her going, when a representative told her Waterloo was dying.
The closing and demolition of the Paramount Theater in 1972, a building famed for its beauty, was a factor, too.
“She tried so hard to save that, and it did not happen,” Mitrovich said. “But that was her first (time) trying to do this, to save Waterloo.”
Mitrovich said the efforts to save the historic theater were a family affair, and it was their first and hardest lesson about preserving their city’s history.
“We used to roam the neighborhoods with petition pads to get people to sign a petition to save the Paramount building, and it was the saddest day when they tore that down,” Mitrovich said. “I mean, we were young kids … and all our friends were involved, too, and everybody was crying about this.”
Nelson was determined not to let that happen again, and over the course of nearly 50 years, the Nelsons became heavily involved in redevelopment and renovation. As businesses started flocking to the Crossroads Center on the west side of town, Nelson was fighting to keep them downtown.
In the late 1990s, other developers stepped up, but it was the Nelsons who got the ball the rolling.
“I think she inspired some of these other groups. … I believe that she was a catalyst for these developments that are happening down there,” said Vern Nelson III.
Perhaps their most notable work was the procurement and revival of the Black’s Building, where Nelson once worked as a waitress in the tea room on the eighth floor.
One of her tenants in the Black’s Building was David Nagle, a former Democratic congressman, who saw firsthand the work she put into preserving the city.
Diversity underrepresentation in policing
Data gathered from October 2022 to May 2023 from nearly 120 law enforcement agencies in 14 states shows frequent disparity in the racial and ethnic makeup of the agencies compared to the communities they are hired to protect and serve.“I’ve been in Donna’s office, and there could not have been in the last 50 years a bigger supporter of Waterloo than Donna Nelson,” Nagle said. “And it didn’t matter if the cause in the community was for the richest or the poorest – if she believed in it, she supported it.”
Mitrovich said the Nelsons’ drive came from a love for the city, wanting to ensure it could be enjoyed by future generations.
“She didn’t want that for Waterloo, where they just tear everything down and put up industrial parks or strip malls ... she wanted it to stay beautiful like it was and appreciate the past,” Mitrovich said. “In Europe, they would never tear down a beautiful building — that’s what we do here.”
“She marched to her own drum in life, which was to have a big heart, and she never beat that drum loudly or to call attention to herself.”
Nelson’s funeral will be 2 p.m. Friday at First Baptist Church in Waterloo with burial at Waterloo Memorial Park Cemetery. Visitation will be 5-8 p.m. Thursday at Locke Tower Park.
5 smart strategies to lower your air conditioning bill this summer
1) Optimize your thermostat settings.
Optimizing your thermostat settings can keep you cool without major changes to your comfort level. Experiment with setting your thermostat a few degrees higher than you normally would during the day. You might find you’re unnecessarily blasting the AC. Turning your thermostat down during cooler nighttime temperatures can also add up to major savings.
A programmable smart thermostat can also help you track your cooling costs, reduce unnecessary energy usage, and adjust your settings when you’re away from home.
2) Use natural ventilation.
Maximizing natural ventilation is an effective and eco-friendly way to cool your home. During cool morning and evening hours, open your windows to let in a fresh breeze. Then, once temperatures rise during the middle of the day, close windows and doors to keep the indoor temperature low. Ceiling and window fans also use less energy than HVAC units while increasing air circulation to keep you cool and comfortable.
3) Maintain your HVAC system.
If you can’t remember the last time you had your HVAC system serviced, you’re probably paying more than you need to in cooling costs. To optimize your HVAC, clean and replace any filters every few months, and schedule a professional maintenance visit once a year. An HVAC specialist can ensure your system has proper airflow and check for issues that make your air conditioner less efficient.
4) Increase insulation to block outside heat.
Upgrading your home’s attic or wall insulation can be costly, but keeping the heat out could be as simple as installing energy-efficient window treatments. Adding blinds, blackout curtains, or reflective film will block out sunlight during the hottest parts of the day and keep your home’s internal temperature cooler.
5) Skip the mid-day chores and cooking.
Modifying your routine could help you reduce your cooling costs. Instead of cooking lunch in the oven, opt for sandwiches or salads while the sun is up. You can also line dry clothing or wait until the evening to use your dryer. A few simple changes to your habits could add up to some fun-money savings for your summer vacation. | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/donna-nelson-remembered-for-her-legacy-of-preserving-historic-buildings/article_f2e6fdc0-1b0f-5abf-8787-b233bad64145.html | 2023-06-04T12:04:59 | 1 | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/donna-nelson-remembered-for-her-legacy-of-preserving-historic-buildings/article_f2e6fdc0-1b0f-5abf-8787-b233bad64145.html |
WATERLOO — Bargaining and non-bargaining city employees could see bigger paychecks starting July 1.
The City Council will consider proposed wage hikes during its 5:30 p.m. Monday meeting in the council chambers of City Hall.
Various raises are on the table for city employees covered by collective bargaining agreements. These groups are planners and engineers; clerks, secretaries, evidence technician and animal control employees; laborers; library workers; code enforcement employees and police lieutenants; police officers and sergeants; and employees at the fire department, including firefighters.
Police officers in the Waterloo Police Department have the largest proposed wage increase. In the first year, starting July 1, those employees would see an across-the-board raise of 4.5%. Starting July 1, 2024, they would receive a 4.75% across-the-board increase. In the third year, starting July 1, 2025, they would receive a 5% across-the-board increase. In years four and five, 2026-27 and 2027-28, wages and insurance negotiations would reopen.
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Non-bargaining city employees could get a pay boost as well for next year, with all of them looking at a 3% salary increase. These positions are often administrative positions.
If approved, the employees with the top salaries would be Police Chief Joe Leibold at $168,563; Fire Chief William Beck at $144,206; and Police Captains Robert Duncan, Jason Feaker and Aaron McClelland at $134,846.
Other items on Monday’s agenda include:
- A resolution supporting an application by Baltimore Fields LLC, to construct 18 new single-family homes located near 1003 Vermont St.
- A resolution supporting an application from the Fire Department for $250,000 in Opioid Allocation Funds from the Black Hawk County Board of Supervisors for the purchase of a new ambulance.
- A resolution approving two development agreements with Babic Properties, LLC, for the construction of both a new duplex on an infill lot as well as the construction of a four unit residential building located on Ravenwood Circle.
- A resolution approving an agreement for a traffic safety improvement program funding grant with the Iowa Department of Transportation in the amount of $500,000 for the construction of a roundabout at Hammond Avenue and Shaulis Road. | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/government-and-politics/employee-salaries-come-before-the-waterloo-city-council/article_1477ffd0-0167-11ee-8340-2388c2e05f51.html | 2023-06-04T12:05:05 | 0 | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/government-and-politics/employee-salaries-come-before-the-waterloo-city-council/article_1477ffd0-0167-11ee-8340-2388c2e05f51.html |
WATERLOO — My Waterloo Days will take over downtown next weekend from Anton’s Garden to Lincoln Park.
The festival will begin Thursday night and continue through early evening next Sunday. For the first time in recent years, the city’s celebration will have no admission cost.
After running it since 2011, Main Street Waterloo passed the torch to Experience Waterloo to plan the event. The revamped fest, now in its 41st year, will have old traditions as well as new activities.
“We wanted to hold onto traditions that were popular that people had some nostalgia around, and we wanted to keep what worked,” Experience Waterloo Executive Director Tavis Hall said. “We wanted to make things fresh, as well, and pivot from taking My Waterloo Days from a community celebration to a community-based festival.”
Hall described the move from a celebration to a festival as having a heavier emphasis on musical acts. On Friday and Saturday, there will be three nationally recognized recording artists — rap and R&B artists Ginuwine and Ying Yang Twins on Friday and alternative rock band Blessid Union of Souls on Saturday.
Hall also said there will be many curated experiences for event-goers.
“There’s just really cool experiences and nuggets in (Lincoln) Park that when folks walk in and walk through, there’s a lot of different points to engage with the event and give it that festival vibe,” he said.
Around Lincoln Park there will be new attractions such as a ferris wheel, a beer garden and a silent DJ for teens, while food booths and Saturday’s street vendors will be returning.
Anton’s Garden at Fourth and Sycamore streets on Saturday will host a “McFun Zone” sponsored by the Soifer Family McDonald’s. There will be free childrens’ games, animal demonstrations by Des Moines’ Blank Park Zoo and a child-friendly carnival. There will also be a kids-only parade at noon following the returning kids’ bike races. Children are encouraged to decorate their bike, scooter or themselves.
The annual My Waterloo Days parade will take place at 6 p.m. Friday. The route will begin at Fourth and Washington streets and end across the Cedar River on the north side of downtown at Fourth and Mulberry streets.
The route has shifted during recent years because of road construction. Part of Park Avenue is closed for bridge replacement.
Hall said the new additions, as well as the free admission, were made possible by multiple sponsorships and partnerships.
He said sponsorships began at $1,000 but did not provide the highest dollar amount. Major sponsors include Veridian Credit Union, the Gallagher-Bluedorn Performing Arts Center, Tyson Fresh Meats, Lincoln Savings Bank, CUNA Mutual, the University of Northern Iowa, MercyOne Northeast Iowa and Dupaco Community Credit Union.
Lincoln Savings Bank is the admissions sponsor, and made it possible for admission to the event to be free.
“Getting rid of admissions can be a pinch for a festival, but we knew there was value in making this event as accessible as possible,” Hall said, stating in previous years admission was $5 per person. ”If we could minimize that financial burden on our end to residents and attendees, we felt it was important to go ahead and take that step.”
Veridian Credit Union is the presenting sponsor, one of the higher-level patrons, according to Julie Gage, a public relations strategist for the company. She said Veridian believed it could help make the festival “really successful this year.”
“The partnership between My Waterloo Days and Veridian having strong roots in the community and bringing the festival for people to enjoy is what we strive to do when we do sponsorships,” Gage said. “I think this will be a very good event for the Waterloo area this summer.”
Hall said he’s felt a lot of excitement from the community about the event and heard many people are taking off work Friday night to enjoy the festivities.
“I’m a Waterloo kid born and raised here, and I remember it being a real point to come down to My Waterloo Days,” Hall said. “We’re excited to be part of the equation to restore that interest and pride in this event.”
My Waterloo Days schedule
Thursday, June 8
Movies on the Cedar – Riverloop Amphitheater 9 p.m.
Friday, June 9
6 p.m.: My Waterloo Days Parade – Fourth Street, downtown Waterloo from Washington Street to Mulberry Street.
6 p.m.: Food vendors and beer garden opens at Lincoln Park.
7 p.m.: Music begins at Lincoln Park and Anton’s Garden.
2 to 11 p.m.: Ferris wheel ($5 per cart). Free from 2 to 4 p.m.
4 to 9 p.m.: Carnival rides at Anton’s Garden (purchase required.)
7 to 10 p.m.: Teen stage and silent DJ – Corner of East Fourth and Mulberry Streets.
Saturday, June 10
Youth activities at Anton’s Garden
9 a.m. to 1 p.m.: McFun Zone – Free games, Blank Park Zoo to You stage show and kids only parade at noon. Decorate your bike or scooter or you.
10 a.m. to noon: Kids bike races.
Noon to 5 p.m.: Pedal cars (purchase required.)
11 a.m. to 9 p.m.: Carnival rides (purchase required.)
Lincoln Park
All day until 11:30 p.m.: Food vendors and beer garden.
11 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Bill Riley Talent Youth Talent Search at Lincoln Park Stage
Noon to 5 p.m.: Bags tournament
11 a.m. to 6 p.m.: Street vendors located on East Fourth Street between Mulberry and Lafayette Streets.
2 p.m.: Music begins at Lincoln Park and Anton’s Garden
7 to 10 p.m.: Teen stage and silent DJ on the corner of East Fourth and Mulberry Streets.
Last week I attended the two meet and greets with the Cedar Falls fire chief finalists. I learned a lot about the process and who the candidates had met with. I thank the city for the opportunity to meet the candidates.
I can respect the process of civil service interviews, the public safety director making a recommendation to the mayor, etc., but it seems highly questionable that a governing body, the City Council, charged with approving said appointment has played almost zero role in the process. Only two council members even took time to meet with the finalists. Yet, all will cast a vote on the matter. Talk about making a decision without doing your homework.
Imagine a Supreme Court or cabinet secretary nomination being sent by the president to the Senate and the Senate not holding nomination hearings or taking time to meet with the nominees on Capitol Hill prior to a confirmation vote.
Cedar Falls has a recent history of drama surrounding the public safety department, and the departure of the former chief was less than transparent. The lack of involvement from council members is shocking to me and seems like a dereliction of duty.
One fears that our youth are being taught from kindergarten through graduate school that in the words of Vladimir Lenin, Christianity is a a "medieval mildew." He explained in 1905 how the true revolutionary needed cleansing from the medieval spirit: "The revolutionary proletariat will succeeding in making religion a really private affair, so far as the state is concerned. And in this political system, cleansed of medieval mildew, the proletariat will wage a broad and open struggle for the elimination of economic slavery, the true source of the religious humbugging of mankind."
That was how the early 20th century Bolsheviks viewed religion: medieval mildew, Karl Marx's "opiate of the masses," what Lenin called "spiritual booze."
Monitor discretely any classroom in any government school and don't be surprised or shocked if you encounter echoes of those revolutionists and their followers/successors.
And advocates of government school monopolies are shocked when responsible parents cheer for Iowa's school vouchers. Get over it. The parents are back in charge -- at least for now.
There is one very important question not being asked, or explained for that matter, in regard to the proposed carbon pipelines currently being debated in the state. If these pipelines are allowed to be built and allowed to transport the biproduct of the ethanol industry to sequestration sites in Illinois and North Dakota, what happens to the carbon product after it is delivered to these facilities? This product is delivered under pressure so what type of materials are these facilities made of to withstand that pressure and not leach back into the environment? Are these pipeline proposals really a viable plan to protect the environment and enhance the ethanol processors, or are they really just an elaborate hoax to funnel government subsidies into the bank accounts of these companies? Seriously, what happens to all that pressurized gas once it is pumped into these facilities? Will it leach back into the earth? Will it explode from too much pressure? Is there some sort of vent system to control the pressure, and if there is a vent system where does that gas vent to? Does anyone have answers to these questions? Just curious!
Let's don't forget our friends in Jerusalem. With Israel just celebrating Jerusalem Day, we have to remember Abraham and Sarah were given the keys to watch over Jerusalem for the world. It's Israel's job to make sure all of us on Sarah's side of the family have access to our Temple Mount. I have been fortunate to go up there, so I know Temple Mount's importance for all us on Sarah's side of the family. Without Israel, Jerusalem would not exist. I sign my name as a friend of Israel.
I am compelled to talk about the free-lance shooting massacres in our nation. I am especially keyed on the Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. I understand there were 91 police officers in the building, and none were trained to enter a room with an active shooter. As an Army private in 1956, during my 20 weeks of of advanced training, we spent an afternoon training for entering a room with an active shooter.
If our nation had enough money to give this “typewriter jockey” soldier this training in 1956, where is the money now to give something similar to every police force in America, now in our desperate need?
Last week I attended the two meet and greets with the Cedar Falls fire chief finalists. I learned a lot about the process and who the candidates had met with. I thank the city for the opportunity to meet the candidates.
I can respect the process of civil service interviews, the public safety director making a recommendation to the mayor, etc., but it seems highly questionable that a governing body, the City Council, charged with approving said appointment has played almost zero role in the process. Only two council members even took time to meet with the finalists. Yet, all will cast a vote on the matter. Talk about making a decision without doing your homework.
Imagine a Supreme Court or cabinet secretary nomination being sent by the president to the Senate and the Senate not holding nomination hearings or taking time to meet with the nominees on Capitol Hill prior to a confirmation vote.
Cedar Falls has a recent history of drama surrounding the public safety department, and the departure of the former chief was less than transparent. The lack of involvement from council members is shocking to me and seems like a dereliction of duty.
One fears that our youth are being taught from kindergarten through graduate school that in the words of Vladimir Lenin, Christianity is a a "medieval mildew." He explained in 1905 how the true revolutionary needed cleansing from the medieval spirit: "The revolutionary proletariat will succeeding in making religion a really private affair, so far as the state is concerned. And in this political system, cleansed of medieval mildew, the proletariat will wage a broad and open struggle for the elimination of economic slavery, the true source of the religious humbugging of mankind."
That was how the early 20th century Bolsheviks viewed religion: medieval mildew, Karl Marx's "opiate of the masses," what Lenin called "spiritual booze."
Monitor discretely any classroom in any government school and don't be surprised or shocked if you encounter echoes of those revolutionists and their followers/successors.
And advocates of government school monopolies are shocked when responsible parents cheer for Iowa's school vouchers. Get over it. The parents are back in charge -- at least for now.
There is one very important question not being asked, or explained for that matter, in regard to the proposed carbon pipelines currently being debated in the state. If these pipelines are allowed to be built and allowed to transport the biproduct of the ethanol industry to sequestration sites in Illinois and North Dakota, what happens to the carbon product after it is delivered to these facilities? This product is delivered under pressure so what type of materials are these facilities made of to withstand that pressure and not leach back into the environment? Are these pipeline proposals really a viable plan to protect the environment and enhance the ethanol processors, or are they really just an elaborate hoax to funnel government subsidies into the bank accounts of these companies? Seriously, what happens to all that pressurized gas once it is pumped into these facilities? Will it leach back into the earth? Will it explode from too much pressure? Is there some sort of vent system to control the pressure, and if there is a vent system where does that gas vent to? Does anyone have answers to these questions? Just curious!
Let's don't forget our friends in Jerusalem. With Israel just celebrating Jerusalem Day, we have to remember Abraham and Sarah were given the keys to watch over Jerusalem for the world. It's Israel's job to make sure all of us on Sarah's side of the family have access to our Temple Mount. I have been fortunate to go up there, so I know Temple Mount's importance for all us on Sarah's side of the family. Without Israel, Jerusalem would not exist. I sign my name as a friend of Israel.
I am compelled to talk about the free-lance shooting massacres in our nation. I am especially keyed on the Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. I understand there were 91 police officers in the building, and none were trained to enter a room with an active shooter. As an Army private in 1956, during my 20 weeks of of advanced training, we spent an afternoon training for entering a room with an active shooter.
If our nation had enough money to give this “typewriter jockey” soldier this training in 1956, where is the money now to give something similar to every police force in America, now in our desperate need?
William Teaford, Cedar Falls
My Waterloo Days schedule
Thursday, June 8
Movies on the Cedar – Riverloop Amphitheater 9 p.m.
Friday, June 9
6 p.m.: My Waterloo Days Parade – Fourth Street, downtown Waterloo from Washington Street to Mulberry Street.
6 p.m.: Food vendors and beer garden opens at Lincoln Park.
7 p.m.: Music begins at Lincoln Park and Anton’s Garden.
2 to 11 p.m.: Ferris wheel ($5 per cart). Free from 2 to 4 p.m.
4 to 9 p.m.: Carnival rides at Anton’s Garden (purchase required.)
7 to 10 p.m.: Teen stage and silent DJ – Corner of East Fourth and Mulberry Streets.
Saturday, June 10
Youth activities at Anton’s Garden
9 a.m. to 1 p.m.: McFun Zone – Free games, Blank Park Zoo to You stage show and kids only parade at noon. Decorate your bike or scooter or you.
10 a.m. to noon: Kids bike races.
Noon to 5 p.m.: Pedal cars (purchase required.)
11 a.m. to 9 p.m.: Carnival rides (purchase required.)
Lincoln Park
All day until 11:30 p.m.: Food vendors and beer garden.
11 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Bill Riley Talent Youth Talent Search at Lincoln Park Stage
Noon to 5 p.m.: Bags tournament
11 a.m. to 6 p.m.: Street vendors located on East Fourth Street between Mulberry and Lafayette Streets.
2 p.m.: Music begins at Lincoln Park and Anton’s Garden
7 to 10 p.m.: Teen stage and silent DJ on the corner of East Fourth and Mulberry Streets. | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/my-waterloo-days-ready-to-take-over-downtown/article_dda2fd1c-0165-11ee-a51c-03f590b86aae.html | 2023-06-04T12:05:12 | 1 | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/my-waterloo-days-ready-to-take-over-downtown/article_dda2fd1c-0165-11ee-a51c-03f590b86aae.html |
Gary Levine had always admired the sandwich boards often stationed outside small cafes and restaurants, heralding the ever-changing daily specials, perhaps offering a fun message, all the while beckoning passersby to stop in.
“I’ve always felt that when you see these boards ... when it’s cold outside they’re warm and inviting,” Levine said. “I’ve always wanted to do something to create that warmth for myself.”
Gary Levine has been placing a sandwich board with different questions on the sidewalk in front of his house in the Fan District every day since 2020.
Daniel Sangjib Min, TIMES-DISPATCH
So, soon after he moved into his home in the 2400 block of Floyd Avenue in the Fan District in early 2020, he set out a sandwich chalkboard on the sidewalk in front of his house. On it, he wrote a simple question — he forgets now exactly what it was — and left a box of chalk, an invitation for passersby to write responses.
He didn’t quite know what to expect, but there was a nagging feeling things might not go well.
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“I thought, ‘My neighbors are going to hate me, the thing is going to be vandalized, and it’s going to be stolen,’” Levine recalled.
In more than three years, none of those things has happened.
Instead, much to Levine’s delight, after a couple of months the sandwich board began to catch on and has become a popular attraction, as people have filled the board many days with funny, poignant and almost always thoughtful replies to the questions.
In the Fan on Friday, Gary Levine, left, helps Lanny Anderson as Anderson writes his answer to Levine's question, "What memorable event is happening for you this month?" on the sandwich board Levine places on the sidewalk in front of his house with different questions every day.
Daniel Sangjib Min, TIMES-DISPATCH
“It’s just really renewed my faith in humanity,” Levine said last week, sitting on his front porch, a place he rarely occupies during the day so as not to seem like he’s hovering as the chalkboard is only a few feet away.
There’s been virtually no abusive language or efforts to stir the pot by unnecessarily injecting hot topics — “people just self-policing,” he says — and he is amazed “how more broadly people think than I do,” even when just using a few words.
Levine began setting out the sandwich board at the beginning of COVID-19. Though the pandemic had nothing to do with why or when he started, he said it’s probably helped make it something of a neighborhood phenomenon as people started walking more and craved connection with others while usual outlets of interaction were shut down.
Going on 3 ½ years, Levine still puts the sandwich board out every day, weather permitting.
Gary Levine, 61, a certified public accountant who works from home, has been placing a sandwich board with different questions on the sidewalk in front of his house every day since 2020.
Daniel Sangjib Min, TIMES-DISPATCH
People stop to read the question of the day and the replies and sometimes write their own (the chalk has been replaced by liquid markers, and rope lights draped around the edges of the board add a nice touch, particularly for evening passersby). Some pause even longer to leaf through the notebooks containing pictures of the previous days’ boards. At the end of each day, Levine shoots photos of both sides of the board before erasing what’s been written so as to start the next day with a different question and a clean slate.
He also posts daily pictures on Instagram, which he started doing only after asking for the opinion of participants — by posting a question on the board, of course. Should he or shouldn’t he?
“Everybody said ‘yes,’” Levine said, “’but don't remove the notebooks.’”
On the day I visited, the prompt of the day was, ”The last thing delivered to your house.” Nearby resident Morrie Piersol happened by that day, as he often does, and wrote, “R.T.D.” (as in Richmond Times-Dispatch). Good answer!
Piersol is, in fact, the person who told me about the sandwich board and how he’s been seeing it — and writing on it — for years on his daily walks.
“I walk on Floyd all the time, and it just appeared one day, and I thought it was great,” Piersol said. “It’s the sweetest thing.”
He enjoys reading what others write, which comes from “different places,” and makes him think, “Who are these people?”
“It tells you a little bit about them, but the rest of it is a mystery,” he said.
Piersol doesn’t write on the board every time he passes by, but when he does, he often takes a photo of the entire board, and texts it to his family along with, “Which one?”
“They can usually tell which one is mine,” Piersol said.
Levine, 61, a certified public accountant who works from home, lived in the suburbs before moving to Floyd, where he knew not a soul. That’s not why he started doing the board — “people tell me I am the least likely person to be a CPA because I do stuff like this,” he said with a laugh — but it’s certainly served as quite a good icebreaker as far as letting neighbors know he’s there. He’ll look out in the evening and notice a small group of people gathered around the board, chatting about the replies.
Coming up with worthy questions is the most challenging part of the whole deal, he said. The question on Sundays is always, “What are you most grateful for?” On the first of each month, he’ll ask, “What memorable event is happening for you this month?” Otherwise, the questions are all over the place.
A couple of weeks ago, he asked people to identify the oldest piece of technology in their home.
“I got to see how old people were by the question,” he said. “Mine is a 1934 cash register. Other people wrote, ‘Nintendo.’”
The questions often reveal something more. Sometimes he writes, “How are you doing today?” or “How’s your mental health today?” The answers, which are never accompanied by names, can be honest — and empathetic.
If someone writes, “I’m not doing well,” others will follow with, “Hang in there” and “You’re going to be OK.”
“People sort of support each other on the board, depending on what kind of question that’s out there,” Levine said.
Some mornings, Levine says he wakes up and doesn’t much feel like putting out the board, but then he thinks of the people who tell him they look forward to it every day, and he comes up with a new question and does it all over again. He says with a laugh he’s come to view the board as “service work” in the community “so I need to do it.”
Which is not to say there’s nothing in it for him. There’s something gratifying about the board filling up with thoughtful replies.
“It’s really been very spiritual for me,” he said. “I truly believe that in a weird way, this is my life’s calling. For everything else that I do and try to help people ... this is what my higher power has brought me here to do at this moment. I truly believe that.
So, he has no plans to stop. If he were to ever sell the house, he joked, he might have to include a clause in the contract that the new owner would have to continue setting out the sandwich board. Then they, too, might know the “warmth” Levine has found, as he said with a laugh, “without having to go into the restaurant business.”
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The Times-Dispatch's 'Photo of the Day' 📷
Jan. 1, 2023
Cleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb (24) carries the ball as Washington Commanders cornerback Danny Johnson (36) tries to stop him during the first half of a NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and the Washington Commanders on Sunday, January 1, 2023 in Landover, MD.
Shaban Athuman/ RICHMOND TIMES-D
Jan. 2, 2023
Sharon MacKenzie of Mechanicsville walked with her friend Cindy Nunnally and her golden retriever, Sunny, during a GardenFest for Fidos at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden on Jan. 2.
Eva Russo, Times-Dispatch
Jan. 3, 2023
People remember 8-year-old P’Aris Moore during a vigil in Hopewell on Jan. 3. The girl was shot and killed while playing in her neighborhood.
ALEXA WELCH EDLUND, TIMES-DISPATCH
Jan. 4, 2023
UR's Jason Nelson presses down court as George Washington's Brendan Adams, left, and Hunter Dean defend in the Robins Center Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2023.
ALEXA WELCH EDLUND/TIMES-DISPATCH
Jan. 5, 2023
Manchester's Olivia Wright reaches in on James River's Alisha Whirley at James River Thursday, Jan. 5, 2023.
ALEXA WELCH EDLUND/TIMES-DISPATCH
Jan. 6, 2023
Daron Pearson plays basketball at Smith Peters Park in the Carver neighborhood on Friday, January 6, 2023 in Richmond, Va.
Shaban Athuman/ RICHMOND TIMES-DISPATCH
Jan. 7, 2023
UR's Tyler Burton takes a shot as Duquesne's Joe Reece defends Saturday, Jan. 7, 2023.
ALEXA WELCH EDLUND/TIMES-DISPATCH
Jan. 8, 2023
Park ranger Bert Dunkerly leads a walking tour of Revolutionary Richmond on the grounds of the Chimborazo Medical Museum in Richmond on Jan. 8. The tour was part of a multiday annual event interpreting Richmond’s Revolutionary history, including the capture of the city by British General Benedict Arnold on Jan. 5, 1781.
EVA RUSSO, TIMES-DISPATCH
Jan. 10, 2023
Bon Secours Richmond Community Hospital COO Joey Trapani and Richmond City Councilwoman Cynthia Newbille react after cutting the ribbon to commemorate the opening of the East End Medical Office Building on Tuesday. Bon Secours Richmond Market President Mike Lutes (left) and Del. Delores McQuinn, D-Richmond, were also part of the festivities.
EVA RUSSO/TIMES-DISPATCH
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Jan. 11, 2023
Pages are introduced at the Senate chamber during the first day of Virginia General Assembly at Virginia State Capitol in Richmond, Va., on Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2023.
Daniel Sangjib Min/TIMES-DISPATCH
Jan. 12, 2023
Sen. Scott Surovell, D-Fairfax, worked at his desk at the Virginia State Capitol on Thursday. Above him is a portrait of former Lt. Gov. Don Beyer, now a congressman representing the 8th District in Northern Virginia.
Daniel Sangjib Min/TIMES-DISPATCH
Jan. 13, 2023
Elizabeth Leggett is photographed with her pup Pallas, 10, in her neighborhood in Richmond's business district on January 13, 2023. EVA RUSSO/TIMES-DISPATCH
Eva Russo
Jan. 14, 2023
Aubrey Nguyen, age 5, and Andrew Nguyen, age 8, eye the dragon as it comes by during the Tet celebration at Vien Giac Buddhist Temple Saturday, Jan. 14, 2023. Jow Ga Kung Fu, of Virginia Beach, performed the Dragon Dance.
ALEXA WELCH EDLUND/TIMES-DISPATCH
Jan. 15, 2023
The St. James's West Gallery Choir sings during "Evensong, A Celebration of the Life and Work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr." at St. James Episcopal Church Sunday, Jan. 15, 2023.
ALEXA WELCH EDLUND/TIMES-DISPATCH
Jan. 16, 2023
James "States" Manship of Thornburg came to the gun rights rally at the Bell Tower in Capitol Square on Lobby Day, Monday, Jan. 16, 2023, dressed as President George Washington.
ALEXA WELCH EDLUND/TIMES-DISPATCH
Jan. 17, 2023
Del. Emily Brewer, R-Suffolk, confers with Del. Sam Rasoul, D-Roanoke, at the state Capitol on Jan. 17. Brewer sponsored the bill on state purchasing, House Bill 2385.
EVA RUSSO, TIMES-DISPATCH
Jan. 18, 2023
Aaliyah Rouse, 9, and Jennifer Rouse stand by as Aaron Rouse is sworn in in the Senate by Clerk of the Senate Susan Clarke Schaar during a general assembly session at the Virginia State Capitol in Richmond, Va., on Wednesday, January 18, 2023. EVA RUSSO/TIMES-DISPATCH
Eva Russo
Jan. 19, 2023
Gov. Glenn Youngkin talks to the media at George W. Carver Elementary School on Jan. 19.
ALEXA WELCH EDLUND, TIMES-DISPATCH
Jan. 20, 2023
VCU's fans cheer for the team against Richmond during the second half of the NCAA men's basketball game at University of Richmond, Richmond, Va., on Friday, January 20, 2023.
Daniel Sangjib Min/TIMES-DISPATCH
Jan. 21, 2023
Jacqueline Dziuba, bottom left, and Steven Godwin, who live in Greenville, N.C., and other visitors check out the exhibits at the Poe Museum in Richmond in January as the museum celebrates Edgar Allan Poe’s 214th birthday and its own 100-year anniversary.
Daniel Sangjib Min, TIMES-DISPATCH
Jan. 22, 2023
Paul McLean (left), founder of the Virginia Minority Cannabis Coalition, listens alongside Mark Cannady during the “Is Social Equity in Off the Table in 2023?” portion of the program on Sunday on the second full day of the Virginia Cannabis Conference presented by Virginia NORML at Delta Hotels Richmond Downtown. Lobby Day takes place Monday.
SHABAN ATHUMAN photos, TIMES-DISPATCH
Jan. 23, 2023
The flags at the Executive Mansion are at half-staff to honor those killed and injured in Monterey Park, California last weekend. Photo was taken on Monday, Jan. 23, 2023.
ALEXA WELCH EDLUND/TIMES-DISPATCH
Jan. 24, 2023
Sen. Steve Newman, R-Lynchburg, listens to debate during a Senate floor session in the state Capitol on a bill to make Daylight Savings Time year-round.
ALEXA WELCH EDLUND, TIMES-DISPATCH
Jan. 25, 2023
Gov. Glenn Youngkin listens to George Daniel as he tries some Brunswick stew on Brunswick Stew Day at the Capitol Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2023. Next to Daniel are (L-R) Dylan Pair, stewmaster Kevin Pair and Austin Pair. The yearly event returned to the Capitol for the first time since the pandemic.
ALEXA WELCH EDLUND/TIMES-DISPATCH
Jan. 26, 2023
Meghan Vandette is photographed with her dogs, Pepper, a deaf mini Australian shepherd, and Finn on Thursday, January 26, 2023 at Ruff Canine Club in Richmond, Virginia.
SHABAN ATHUMAN/TIMES-DISPATCH
Jan. 27, 2023
Three-year-old London Oshinkoya (from left) and 3-year-old twins Messiah and Malkia Finley go through the toys brought by Crystal Holbrook-Gazoni near the Gilpin Resource Center in Richmond on Friday.
EVA RUSSO, TIMES-DISPATCH
Jan. 28, 2023
Dance instructor Paul Dandridge (foreground) works with youngsters as he teaches a theater dance during the “Genworth Lights Up! Youth Series: On the Road” at the Center for the Arts at Henrico High School on Saturday. The series offers free workshops and performances throughout the year for youth of all ages.
Daniel Sangjib Min/TIMES-DISPATCH
Jan. 29, 2023
Ronnie Jenkins II of Chesterfield County sits inside a Barefoot Spas hot tub with his 11-year-old son, Connor, and his wife, Amber, during the RVA Home Show at The Meadow Event Park in Caroline County.
Daniel Sangjib Min photos, TIMES-DISPATCH
Jan. 30, 2023
Frank Saucier listens as elected officials give remarks during a vigil for Tyre Nichols on Monday at Abner Clay Park in Richmond. Nichols died from the injuries he sustained after being beaten by police officers in Memphis.
SHABAN ATHUMAN/TIMES-DISPATCH
Jan. 31, 2023
Mayor Levar Stoney gets ready to deliver his State of the City on Tuesday, January 31, 2023 at the Richmond Main Street Station in Richmond, Virginia.
SHABAN ATHUMAN/TIMES-DISPATCH
Feb. 1, 2023
Gov. Glenn Youngkin attends the Virginia March for Life in Richmond, VA on February 1, 2023. EVA RUSSO/TIMES-DISPATCH
Eva Russo
Feb. 2, 2023
Petersburg High School's basketball standout Chris Fields Jr. on Thursday, February 2, 2023 at the Petersburg High School in Petersburg, Virginia.
SHABAN ATHUMAN/TIMES-DISPATCH
Feb. 3, 2023
Shawnrell Blackwell, left, a Southside Community Development & Housing Corporation homeowner and board member, watches as Dianna Bowser, president and CEO of SCDHC, shares a moment with Suzanne Youngkin during a ceremony at Virginia Housing in Richmond on Friday after Gov. Glenn Youngkin and the first lady presented the first Spirit of Virginia Award of 2023 to the affordable housing nonprofit.
Eva Russo, Times-Dispatch
Feb. 4, 2023
Members of the Break it Down RVA Line Dancing group perform during a Black History Month Celebration at Virginia State University on Feb. 4.
SHABAN ATHUMAN, TIMES-DISPATCH
Feb. 5, 2023
Wide receiver Terry McLaurin (17) of the Washington Commanders, right, look on before the flag football event at the NFL Pro Bowl on Sunday in Las Vegas. With him are, from left, NFC wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14) of the Detroit Lions, NFC wide receiver CeeDee Lamb (88) of the Dallas Cowboys and NFC wide receiver Justin Jefferson (18) of the Minnesota Vikings.
John Locher, Associated PRess
Feb. 6, 2023
(From left) U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine, U.S. Rep. Rob Wittman, and Sethuraman Panchanathan, Ph.D., director of the National Science Foundation, arrive for a tour of VCU's Nanomaterials Core Characterization Facility with lab director and physics professor Massimo Bertino, Ph.D. (right) on Monday, Feb. 6. EVA RUSSO/TIMES-DISPATCH
Eva Russo
Feb. 7, 2023
Sen. Dick Saslaw, D-Fairfax, is seen 4 1/2 hours into Tuesday's crossover session at the state Capitol.
Eva Russo, Times-Dispatch
Feb. 8, 2023
Chef Patrick Phelan works with his staff on Wednesday, February 8, 2023 at Lost Letter in Richmond, Virginia.
SHABAN ATHUMAN/TIMES-DISPATCH
Feb. 9, 2023
Onlookers stand near a shattered window on East Broad Street following a shooting on Thursday. One person was killed and another wounded.
Eva Russo, Times-Dispatch
Feb. 10, 2023
Colonial Williamsburg moves a 260-year-old building, originally called the Bray School, on a truck to a new location a mile away, where it will be put on public display, in Williamsburg, Va., on Friday, Feb. 10, 2023. The Bray School is believed to be the oldest building in the US dedicated to the education of Black children.
Daniel Sangjib Min/TIMES-DISPATCH
Feb 11, 2023
Randolph-Macon celebrate after beating Roanoke College during a NCAA Division III Basketball game on Saturday, February 11, 2023 at Randolph Macon Crenshaw Gym in Ashland, Virginia. With today's win, the Yellow Jackets hold the longest home winning steak in NCAA Division III history.
SHABAN ATHUMAN/TIMES-DISPATCH
Feb. 12, 2023
The Science Museum of Virginia hosted a competition for student engineers during a commemoration of Celebrate Engineering Ingenuity Day. A packed crowd watches Sunday as a team of “Bridge Breakers” from the American Society of Civil Engineers puts students’ inventions to the test.
Lyndon German
Feb. 13, 2023
A crew from Walter D. Witt Roofing installs a new roof for Melvin Washington, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, as part of the Owens Corning National Roof Deployment Project in Richmond, VA on February 13, 2023. EVA RUSSO/TIMES-DISPATCH
Eva Russo
Feb. 14, 2023
Richmond City Council member Cynthia Newbille pulls the winning raffle ticket as Marc Edwards, from InnovAge Virginia PACE, holds the basket during the 9th annual "For the Love of Our Seniors" event at Main Street Station in Richmond, VA on February 14, 2023. The event is a resource fair for senior residents and caregivers in Church Hill. EVA RUSSO/TIMES-DISPATCH
Eva Russo
Feb. 15, 2023
A crew from the Richmond-based company Cut Cut installs the new art installation "McLean" by Navine G. Dossos on the façade of the Institute for Contemporary Art in Richmond, VA on February 15, 2023. The installation is part of the exhibit "So it appears" opening February 24th. The vinyl pieces being used are adapted from a series of paintings. EVA RUSSO/TIMES-DISPATCH
Eva Russo
Feb. 16, 2023
Giov. Glenn Youngkin meets with the community at Westwood Fountain in Richmond, VA on Thursday, February 16, 2023. EVA RUSSO/TIMES-DISPATCH
Eva Russo
Feb. 17, 2023
Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney Alison Linas, left, and Franklin greet Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney Jennifer Guiliano and attorney Alex Clarke at the Henrico County Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court building on Friday.
Eva Russo, Times-Dispatch
Feb. 18, 2023
Fans take pictures during the All-alumni Block Party before VCU’s game against Fordham on Saturday.
SHABAN ATHUMAN, TIMES-DISPATCH
Feb. 19, 2023
Virginia Tech's Georgia Amoore, left, waits for a pass from Elizabeth Kitley (33) during the first half of the team's NCAA college basketball game against North Carolina State on Sunday, Feb. 19, 2023, in Blacksburg.
Matt Gentry, The Roanoke Times
Feb. 20, 2023
Richmond resident David Scates filed an appeal with the VEC last summer four days after the state agency notified him that he had been overpaid unemployment benefits after catching COVID-19 and losing his job. Now, Scates is one of almost 17,000 Virginians at risk of having their appeals dismissed because the VEC contends they filed too late.
EVA RUSSO, TIMES-DISPATCH
Feb. 21, 2023
State Sen. Jennifer McClellan, D-Richmond, greets chief election officer and college friend Sheryl Johnson (right) at the Tabernacle Baptist Church polling station in Richmond, VA on Tuesday, February 21, 2023 as (from left) election workers Katie Johnson and Eric Johnson look on. McClellan is running to succeed Rep. Donald McEachin, D-4th. McClellan would be the first African American woman to represent Virginia in Congress and would give Virginia a record four women in its congressional delegation. EVA RUSSO/TIMES-DISPATCH
Eva Russo
Feb. 22, 2023
Members of the media tour Fox Elementary School in Richmond, VA after Richmond Public Schools Chief Operating Officer Dana Fox provided an update on construction plans to rebuild the school on Wednesday, February 22. The building, which dates to 1911, was heavily damaged in a three-alarm fire on the night of Feb. 11, 2022. EVA RUSSO/TIMES-DISPATCH
Eva Russo
Feb. 23, 2023
Marley Ferraro and her boyfriend, Zack Bannister, both VCU freshmen, spend time together between classes at Monroe Park as Thursday weather reaches around 80s in Richmond, Va., on Feb. 23, 2023.
Daniel Sangjib Min/TIMES-DISPATCH
Feb. 24, 2023
Sen. Aaron Rouse, left, D-Virginia Beach, talks with Sen. Jennifer McClellan, D-Richmond, before a general assembly session at the Virginia State Capitol in Richmond, Va., on Friday, Feb. 24, 2023.
Daniel Sangjib Min/TIMES-DISPATCH
Feb. 25, 2023
Jenna Anderson of Cosby High shows her medal to her dad, Waylon Anderson, after winning the 112-pound weight class during the VHSL Girls State Open Championships at Unity Reed High in Manassas on Saturday.
SHABAN ATHUMAN, TIMES-DISPATCH
Feb. 26, 2023
Contestants in a duathlon race (run-bike-run competition) dash from the starting line in the first event of the West Creek Endurance Festival at the West Creek Business Park in Goochland County on Sunday.
Mark Bowes
Feb. 27, 2023
Eric and Linda Oakes speak to a small crowd before unveiling a plaque and bench dedicated to their son, Adam Oakes, in the VCU Student Commons building near the office of Fraternity and Sorority Life on February 27, 2023. The date marks the two-year anniversary of Oakes' death in a hazing incident, and VCU is calling this an annual hazing prevention day and day of remembrance for Oakes. EVA RUSSO/TIMES-DISPATCH
Eva Russo
Feb. 28, 2023
Jess Tanner (center) looks on as her daughters Aubrey (left), 10, and Charleigh, 8, deliver Girl Scout cookies to school counselor Michelle Nothnagel (right) and the other teachers and staff members at Manchester High School on February 28, 2023. With help from groups of retired teachers and others in the community, the girls, who are members of Girl Scout Troop 3654, raised over $1,000 to purchase the cookies for the staff. Jess Tanner, is an art teacher at Manchester and also a co-leader of their troop. EVA RUSSO/TIMES-DISPATCH
Eva Russo
March 1, 2023
Shirley Wiest, left, and Wilma Bowman, center, show a blanket for a veteran with the help of Julie Wiest, daughter of Shirley Wiest, at Sunrise of Richmond in Henrico, Va., on Wednesday, March 1, 2023. Shirley Wiest and Wilma Bowman sewed over 3000 blankets for people at the VA Hospital, the Children’s Hospital and Moments of Hope Outreach among others.
Daniel Sangjib Min/TIMES-DISPATCH
March 2, 2023
Carl Gupton, president of Greenswell Growers, is shown at the greenhouse of the company in Goochland, Va., on Thursday, March 2, 2023. Greenswell Growers, an automated indoor farming, can produce 28 times more greens per acre than traditional farming. They just sealed a deal with Ukrops and will start selling on Kroger shelves all across the mid-Atlantic.
Daniel Sangjib Min/TIMES-DISPATCH
March 3, 2023
Highland Springs walks off the court after beating Stone Bridge during the Class 5 boys basketball quarterfinal on Friday, March 3, 2023 at J.R. Tucker High School in Henrico, Virginia.
SHABAN ATHUMAN/TIMES-DISPATCH
March 4, 2023
Nutzy plays with Shane Paris-Kennedy,9, during the Richmond Flying Squirrels Nutzy's Block Party on Saturday, March 4, 2023 at The Diamond in Richmond, Virginia.
SHABAN ATHUMAN/TIMES-DISPATCH
March 5, 2023
Patrons wait in line for Caribbean soul food from Mobile Yum Yum, one of the food trucks participating in Mobile Soul Sunday in Monroe Park. The event kicked off the Richmond Black Restaurant Experience, a weeklong celebration of Richmond’s Black-owned restaurants.
Sean McGoey
March 6, 2023
Henrico County officials celebrate the start of renovations at Cheswick Park in Henrico's Three Chopt District on March 6, 2023. The 24.5-acre park, Henrico's oldest official park, will receive $2.1 million in improvements, including a new open fitness area and upgrades to its trails, playground, restroom facilities, pedestrian bridges, parking lot, main entrance, stormwater management infrastructure and signage. EVA RUSSO/TIMES-DISPATCH
Eva Russo
March 7, 2023
Congresswoman-elect Jennifer McClellan heads into the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC for orientation on March 7, 2023 in preparation for her swearing in as the first Black Congresswoman from Virginia. EVA RUSSO/TIMES-DISPATCH
Eva Russo
March 8, 2023
Kate Chenery Tweedy shows the exhibition of Secretariat at Ashland Museum in Ashland, Va., on Wednesday, March 8, 2023. Kate Chenery Tweedy is spearheading an effort to bring a monument of Secretariat to Ashland.
Daniel Sangjib Min/TIMES-DISPATCH
March 9, 2023
John Marano of Top Trumps USA speaks to the media next to Mr. Monopoly at Maggie Walker Plaza in Richmond, Va., on March 9, 2023. Top Trumps USA, under license from HASBRO, will design a Richmond-specific board that highlights the region’s favorite historic landmarks.
Daniel Sangjib Min/TIMES-DISPATCH
March 10, 2023
The U.S. Postal Service commemorate the history and romance of train travel with the unveiling of its Railroad Stations Forever stamps during a ceremony at the Main Street Station in Richmond, Va.
Lyndon German
March 11, 2023
Susie Williams of Richmond gets a makeover at the Shamrock the Block Festival in Richmond on Saturday. The festival was relocated to Leigh Street this year.
Daniel Sangjib Min, TIMES-DISPATCH
March 12, 2023
A procession of Fifes and Drums moves down Duke of Gloucester Street in Colonial Williamsburg on Sunday. It traveled from old Colonial Williamsburg Courthouse to the Raleigh Tavern, where Thomas Jefferson and other leaders formed a Committee of Correspondence in 1773.
Sean Jones photos, Times-Dispatch
March 13, 2023
Cuong Luu, foreground, a volunteer of Feed More, prepares boxes of meals with other volunteers and staff at the food bank in Richmond, Va., on Monday, March 13, 2023.
Daniel Sangjib Min/TIMES-DISPATCH
March 14, 2023
Bill Barksdale, technical director of Virginia Video Network, works with Kelli Lemon, director of digital programming, at the video studio of Richmond Times-Dispatch in Richmond, Va., on March 14, 2023.
Daniel Sangjib Min/TIMES-DISPATCH
March 15, 2023
Del. Eileen Filler-Corn, D-Fairfax, looks on a portrait after unveiling it as former Speaker of the House at the house chamber of the State Capitol in Richmond, Va., on Wednesday, March 15, 2023. Filler-Corn made history as the first woman and first Jewish Speaker in Virginia.
Daniel Sangjib Min/TIMES-DISPATCH
March 16, 2023
MIKE KROPF, THE DAILY PROGRESS Virginia's Isaac McKneely (11) becomes emotional after an NCAA Tournament first round game against Furman in Orlando, Fl., Thursday, March 16, 2023.
Mike Kropf
March 17, 2023
Brian Erbe, center, a pipe manager, and other members of Greater Richmond Pipes and Drums perform to celebrate St. Patrick's Day at Rosie Connolly's Pub Restaurant in Richmond, Va., on Friday, March 17, 2023.
Daniel Sangjib Min/TIMES-DISPATCH
March 18, 2023
Virginia Tech's Mekhi Lewis takes down Oklahoma State's Dustin Plott during the consolation semifinals at the NCAA Division I wrestling championships, Saturday, March 18, 2023, in Tulsa, Okla. (Ian Maule/Tulsa World via AP)
Ian Maule
March 19, 2023
Virginia Tech's Kayana Traylor (23) is congratulated by teammates after scoring just before halftime of a second-round college basketball game in the women's NCAA Tournament, Sunday, March 19, 2023, in Blacksburg, Va. (AP Photo/Matt Gentry)
Matt Gentry
March 20, 2023
Hannah and Ty Bilodeau of Lynchburg visit the recently completed Richmond Virginia Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints with their children, Blythe, 5, Goldie, 4, and Graham, 2, in Glen Allen in Henrico, Va., on Monday, March 20, 2023.
Daniel Sangjib Min/TIMES-DISPATCH
March 21, 2023
Doug Ramseur, center left, and Emilee Hasbrouck, center right, defense lawyers for Wavie Jones, one of three Central State Hospital employees , who was charged in death of Irvo Otieno, speak to the media at Dinwiddie Courthouse in Dinwiddie, Va., on Tuesday, March 21, 2023.
Daniel Sangjib Min/TIMES-DISPATCH
March 22, 2023
WRANGLD's, from left, senior customer success manager Trevor Lee, chief business officer Andy Sitison and CEO Jonathan "JD" Dyke work at their office of the 1717 Innovation Center in Richmond, Va., on Wednesday, March 22, 2023.
Daniel Sangjib Min/TIMES-DISPATCH
March 23, 2023
New Bon Secours Community Health Clinic is open in Manchester, Richmond, Va., on Thursday, March 23, 2023. The clinic will serve scheduled appointments and same day call-in appointments for the uninsured. The 8,000 square foot building is also home to the Bon Secours Care-A-Van, a mobile health clinic.
Daniel Sangjib Min/TIMES-DISPATCH
March 24, 2023
Liz Kincaid, CEO of RVA Hospitality and owner of Max's On Broad, is photographed at the restaurant in Richmond, VA on March 24, 2023. Max's On Broad will be closing April 1 and will relaunch as a new concept in the summer. Kincaid also owns Tarrant's & Bar Solita. EVA RUSSO/TIMES-DISPATCH
Eva Russo
March 25, 2023
Henrico County families gather at Deep Run Park & Recreation Center on Saturday to celebrate all things agriculture during the county's second annual Farm Graze event. Children went booth to booth learning about the wonders of agriculture while participating in fun activities and scavenger hunts.
Lyndon German
March 26, 2023
Church Hill resident Alex Gerofsky finishes the Hill Topper 5K at the Church Hill Irish Festival with a time of 20 minutes, 26.8 seconds.
Thad Green
March 27, 2023
Wyatt Kingston, center, conducts a strength training session with Marshall Crenshaw, left, and Kevin Wright, right, at Hickory Hill Community Center in Richmond, Va., on Monday, March 27, 2023. Kingston, 71, has been working with the parks department for nearly 40 years on all kinds of initiatives, particularly those aimed at children in public housing communities.
Daniel Sangjib Min/TIMES-DISPATCH
March 28, 2023
Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney, center, talks about the ongoing housing crisis in the city during a news conference on March 28.
Daniel Sangjib Min, TIMES-DISPATCH
March 29, 2023
From left, Caroline Ouko and Leon Ochieng, mother and older brother of Irvo Otieno, react near the casket during the celebration of life for Irvo Otieno at First Baptist Church of South Richmond in North Chesterfield on March 29.
Eva Russo
March 30, 2023
Senior students in Charlottesville-Albemarle Technical Education Center's culinary program presented Taj Mahsala: an Indian fusion menu.
SYDNEY SHULER, THE DAILY PROGRESS
March 31, 2023
Richmond Police address onlookers Friday, March 31, 2023 at the intersection of North Avenue and Moss Side Avenue, near Washington Park. Richmond police shot a man who was suspected of shooting a woman earlier in the day in the 1100 block of Evergreen Avenue on Richmond's Southside.
April 1, 2023
Sculptor Jocelyn Russell takes photos of the crowd after the unveiling of her statue of Secretariat at Ashland Town Hall Pavilion on Saturday.
Michael Martz photos, TImes-Dispatch
April 2, 2023
Drivers race in the Toyota Owners 400 at the Richmond Raceway in Richmond, VA on April 2, 2023.. EVA RUSSO/TIMES-DISPATCH
Eva Russo
April 3, 2023
Dinwiddie County Commonwealth’s Attorney Ann Cabell Baskervill plans to resign from her post to attend graduate school in Paris, where she will start a master’s program in international governance and diplomacy at the Paris Institute of Political Studies, colloquially known as SciencesPo.
EVA RUSSO, TIMES-DISPATCH
April 4, 2023
From left, Judy and Ron Singleton pose for a photo on Tuesday, April 4, 2023. MIKE KROPF/TIMES-DISPATCH
Mike Kropf
April 5, 2023
Beatrix Smith dips her matzah in salt water as she enjoys a Pasover Seder with her classmates (from left) Helen Corallo, Camp Maxwell, and Amara Ellen at the Weinstein JCC Preschool Program in Richmond, VA on April 5, 2023. EVA RUSSO/TIMES-DISPATCH
Eva Russo
April 6, 2023
Virginia Community College System Chancellor David Doré speaks with students at Piedmont Virginia Community College on Thursday.
SYDNEY SHULER, THE DAILY PROGRESS
April 7, 2023
A worker pushed water off a tarp on the field at The Diamond Friday, when the Flying Squirrels were scheduled to open their season against Reading.
MIKE KROPF/TIMES-DISPATCH
April 8, 2023
Ember O’Connell-Evans, 1, plays with hula hoops during the Dominion Energy Family Easter event at Maymont on Saturday.
Mike Kropf, TIMES-DISPATCH
April 9, 2023
Mike Kearney plays an early form of badminton with grandkids Savannah and Ashton on the lawn of Montpelier during “We, the Kids” Day.
ANDRA LANDI, FOR THE ORANGE COUNTY REVIEW
April 10, 2023
Gov. Glenn Youngkin, center left, tours Richmond Marine Terminal with W. Sheppard Miller III , Virginia Secretary of Transportation , center right, as Stephen A. Edwards, left, Virginia Port Authority CEO, and Christina Saunders, manager of Richmond Marine Terminal, give them the tour on Monday, April 10, 2023.
Daniel Sangjib Min/TIMES-DISPATCH
April 11, 2023
Inaara Woodards, 5, of Henrico, visits Italian Garden at Maymont with her mother, Victoria Crawley Woodards, and three brothers, Kai, 13, Zion, 12, and Avion Woodards, 11, during their home-school field trip to the park in Richmond, VA., on Tuesday, April 11, 2023. "It’s gorgeous!" Victoria Crawley Woodards said of Tuesday weather. She said it was the perfect weather for the field trip and other activities.
Daniel Sangjib Min/TIMES-DISPATCH
April 13, 2023
Clarence Thweatt, right, a lead trainer for Chesterfield Public Schools, works on marking points during a transportation road-e-o event, which is friendly competition of school bus drivers demonstrating their driving skills and knowledge of laws, at Chesterfield County Fairgrounds on Wednesday, April 12, 2023.
Daniel Sangjib Min/TIMES-DISPATCH
April 14, 2023
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks at Liberty University.
PROVIDED BY LIBERTY UNIVERSITY
April 15, 2023
Tyson Foods workers attend a job fair at Wesley Memorial United Methodist Church on Mechanicsville Turnpike. The Glen Allen plant is closing, displacing about 700 employees.
Em Holter
April 16, 2023
A display of 32 white balloons were raised and a 32-second moment of silence was observed in honor of the victims of the April 16, 2007, tragedy at the start of the 2023 3.2-mile Run in Remembrance on the Virginia Tech campus.
MATT GENTRY, The Roanoke Times
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April 17, 2023
Albert Hill Middle School sixth-grader Drew Sirpis looks for birds during the educational boat trip on the James River on Monday.
Eva Russo, Times-Dispatch
April 18, 2023
Richmond Flying Squirrels Luis Matos steals the second base against Erie SeaWolves shortstop Gage Workman in the 3rd inning at The Diamond, Richmond, VA., on Tuesday, April 18, 2023.
Daniel Sangjib Min/TIMES-DISPATCH
April 19, 2023
Children participate in Little Feet Meets at Matoaca High School in Chesterfield, VA on April 19, 2023. A total of 1,400 Special Olympic athletes from grades PK-5 throughout Chesterfield County Public Schools competed in Little Feet Meets between two dates, April 12 at James River High and April 19 at Matoaca High. EVA RUSSO/TIMES-DISPATCH
Eva Russo
April 20, 2023
Mike Blau, center, a line cook, and others work on preparing a soft opening of The Veil's new taproom, located in Scott’s Addition at 1509 Belleville St., on Thursday, April 20, 2023.
Daniel Sangjib Min/TIMES-DISPATCH
April 21, 2023
(From left) VCU sophomore Caroline May, of Pittsburgh, PA, and senior Lee Finch, of Norfolk, VA carry a coffin with a blow-up Earth ball during a VCU Student Climate Protest in Richmond, VA on April 21, 2023. The small crowd walked from the James Branch Cabell Library, though Monroe Park, to the office of VCU President Michael Rao in a mock funeral procession. EVA RUSSO/TIMES-DISPATCH
Eva Russo
April 22, 2023
Anthony Clary gestures as he runs through confetti during the Ukrop's Monument Avenue 10k on Saturday.
Mike Kropf, TIMES-DISPATCH
April 23, 2023
A volunteer picks up an old wooden palate and brings it to a trash pile during Friends of Fonticello Park's community cleanup on Sunday.
Sean Jones, Times-Dispatch
April 24, 2023
Kay Ford spends time with her cat, Patches, at her home in Mechanicsville, VA., on Monday, April 24, 2023. Ford recently adopted Patches, a 40-pound cat, from Richmond Animal Care and Control. The story of Patches went viral after RACC publicized the cat.
Daniel Sangjib Min/TIMES-DISPATCH
April 25, 2023
Emily Cover, a project manager with DPR Construction, is shown at Children's Hospital of Richmond at VCU, left top, in Richmond, VA., on Tuesday, April 25, 2023. DPR is the team that built the hospital.
Daniel Sangjib Min/TIMES-DISPATCH
April 26, 2023
Guests tour the Anthropology Lab at the new College of Humanities and Sciences STEM building on West Franklin Street in Richmond, VA on April 26, 2023. EVA RUSSO/TIMES-DISPATCH
Eva Russo
April 27, 2023
Police tape marks the scene outside George Wythe High School.
ANNA BRYSON/TIMES-DISPATCH
April 28, 2023
Sculptor Kate Raudenbush takes in her finished piece "Breaking Point" in the Flagler Garden Near the Monet Bridge at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden on April 28, 2023. The garden is set to debut "Incanto: An Oasis of Lyrical Sculpture" on Saturday, April 29, 2023. Incanto features five designed, allegorical sculptures, accompanied by poetry, throughout the garden. The exhibition is the work of Raudenbush and poet Sha Michele. EVA RUSSO/TIMES-DISPATCH
Eva Russo
April 29, 2023
Pharrell Williams performs during the Pharrell's Phriends set at Something in the Water in Virginia Beach on Saturday.
Kendall Warner
May 1, 2023
A man carries a piece of furniture through a neighborhood in Virginia Beach, Va. on Monday May 1, 2023. The City of Virginia Beach declared a state of emergency after a tornado moved through the area and damaged dozens of homes, downed trees and caused gas leaks. (AP Photo/Ben Finley)
Ben Finley
May 2, 2023
Sports Backers Stadium is shown next to The Diamond in this drone photo, in Richmond, VA., on Tuesday, May 2, 2023.
Daniel Sangjib Min/TIMES-DISPATCH
May 3, 2023
CAL CARY, THE DAILY PROGRESS UVa cheerleader, Madison DeLoach, in front of other UVa cheerleaders tour the The Avelo Airlines Boeing 737 after landing at Charlottesville Albemarle Airport coming from Orlando on May 3, 2023. Avelo Airlines launched its first Charlottesville to Orlando flight line at the Charlottesville Albemarle Airport on May 3, 2023. The inaugural event consisted of a returning flight from Orlando to Charlottesville Albemarle Airport, a firetruck water salute upon arrival and a tour of the airplane.
Cal Cary
May 4, 2023
(From left) Maryann Macomber, of Mechanicsville, VA, leads a small group prayer with Gloria Randolph, of Richmond, VA, Randolph's great-grandson Xavier Jones, also of Richmond, and John Macomber, of Mechanicsville, during a National Day of Prayer event at the Bell Tower in Capitol Square in Richmond, VA on May 4, 2023. EVA RUSSO/TIMES-DISPATCH
Eva Russo
May 5, 2023
Steffiun Stanley preps dishes at Birdie's in Richmond, VA on May 5, 2023. EVA RUSSO/TIMES-DISPATCH
Eva Russo
May 6, 2023
People at the ¿Qué Pasa? Festival sit on the grass and enjoy the weather on Brown’s Island on Saturday.
Mike Kropf/TIMES-DISPATCH
May 7, 2023
Arts in the Park saw thousands pass through Byrd Park over the weekend. The festival is sponsored by the Carilion Civic Association.
Charlotte Rene Woods, Times-Dispatch
May 8, 2023
Gov. Glenn Youngkin shares a quiet moment with Holocaust survivor Halina Zimm on Monday afternoon before ceremonially signing a bill that adds a definition of antisemitism to Virginia law.
David Ress, Times-Dispatch
May 9, 2023
The Molcajete Sinaloa at Mariscos Mazatlan in Henrico, VA on May 9, 2023. Mariscos Mazatlan focuses on traditional Mexican cuisine from the city of Mazatlan and all along the Mexican coast. EVA RUSSO/TIMES-DISPATCH
Eva Russo
May 10, 2023
A goose, seen here on May 10, 2023, has built a nest in a median of the parking lot near Dilliards at Short Pump Town Center. The mall has put out orange cones to keep cars away and Jerome Golfman, assistant manager at Fink's Jewelers, said he regularly brings it water, cracked corn and other grains.
Eva Russo, TIMES-DISPATCH
May 11, 2023
Mary Finley-Brook, a professor of environmental studies at the University of Richmond and an expert on American gas infrastructure, says repairing the pipes no longer makes sense as gas prices continue to rise.
Mike Kropf, TIMES-DISPATCH
May 12, 2023
(From left) Sam Amoaka, a freshman at Virginia State University, helps his girlfriend, Tamia Charles, a freshman at Virginia Commonwealth University, move out of her dorm along with her dad, Thomas Charles, of Fredericksburg, VA, in downtown Richmond, VA on May 12, 2023. EVA RUSSO/TIMES-DISPATCH
Eva Russo
May 13, 2023
Virginia’s Thomas McConvey (left) defends the ball from Richmond’s Jake Kapp during an NCAA Tournament game at Klockner Stadium in Charlottesville on Saturday.
Mike Kropf/TIMES-DISPATCH
May 14, 2023
University of Richmond outfielder Christian Beal made a catch on the run during the Friday game of Spiders-VCU series at The Diamond.
MIKE KROPF, TIMES-DISPATCH
May 15, 2023
The flags at Virginia Workers’ Compensation Commission building are flown at half-staff on Monday. Governor Youngkin announced that flags would fly half-staff in honor of Peace Officers' Remembrance Day.
Mike Kropf/TIMES-DISPATCH
May 16, 2023
Ukrop's crumb cake has been picked up by Kroger and is being sold nationwide. Here, fresh cinnamon crumb cakes are packaged at the Ukrop's bakery in Richmond, VA on May 16, 2023. EVA RUSSO/TIMES-DISPATCH
Eva Russo
May 17, 2023
Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney officially proclaims May as Jewish American Heritage Month during a celebration held in collaboration with the Jewish Community Federation of Richmond and the Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM) at Richmond City Hall in Richmond, VA on May 17, 2023. EVA RUSSO/TIMES-DISPATCH
Eva Russo
May 18, 2023
Acting Police Chief Richard Edwards stands by as Penn and Victoria Burke places a flower in honor of Sergeant J. Harvey Burke in the wreath at the memorial stone at the Richmond Police Training Academy in Richmond, VA during the Richmond Police Department Police Officers' Memorial Service on May 18, 2023. The ceremony, which took place during National Police Week, paid homage to Richmond's fallen officers. EVA RUSSO/TIMES-DISPATCH
Eva Russo
May 19, 2023
Doumit Bouhaidarat fries falafel balls to order during the St. Anthony Lebanese Food Festival on Friday.
Mike Kropf, TIMES-DISPATCH
May 20, 2023
Dogs compete in the Subaru Ultimate Air Dogs — Splash Qualifier #4 event on the second day of Dominion Energy Riverrock on Saturday.
Eva Russo, Times-Dispatch
May 21, 2023
The Virginia men’s tennis team celebrates after winning the national championship on Sunday in Orlando.
Courtesy UVa athletics photos
May 22, 2023
Vietnam War veteran Stuart Blankenship is photographed at the Virginia War Memorial in Richmond, VA on Monday, May 22, 2023. Blankenship is one of 50 Vietnam War Veterans from throughout the Commonwealth featured in the exhibit “50 Years Beyond: The Vietnam Veteran Experience” which opened at the Virginia War Memorial on January 28, 2023. EVA RUSSO/TIMES-DISPATCH
Eva Russo
May 23, 2023
Wilbert Hobson poses for a portrait at the Virginia War Memorial in Richmond, Va, on May 23, 2023. Hobson was part of the 101st Airborne unit of the U.S. Army during the Vietnam war. Hobson is very active in his chapter of the American Legion and helped found the Friends of Dupont, and organization. Graduating from an all-Black high school, Vietnam was Hobson’s first real experience with integration. MARGO WAGNER/TIMES-DISPATCH
Margo Wagner
May 24, 2023
Powhatan Owen, shown at the Virginia War Memorial, volunteered for a Burial Honor Guard company in Washington state to commemorate the service of fellow veterans and has further connected with veterans while attending powwows across the U.S.
Eva Russo, Times-Dispatch
May 25, 2023
Madi Mabry laughs with other members of Mango Salon at the 2023 Top Workplaces awards in Richmond on Thursday.
Margo Wagner, Times-Dispatch
May 26, 2023
A solar cell receives light at the Agecroft Hall and Gardens on May 26, 2023, in Richmond, Va. MARGO WAGNER/TIMES-DISPATCH
Margo Wagner
May 27, 2023
Julia Hunter, a shawl dancer, participates in the Upper Mattaponi Indian Tribe’s powwow on Saturday.
Mike Kropf, TIMES-DISPATCH
May 28, 2023
Festival organizers Pete LeBlanc, left, and Zavi Harman enjoy the second installation of Daydream Fest in front of the Main Line Brewery stage on Sunday.
Gabriela De Camargo Goncalves
May 30, 2023
Gov. Glenn Youngkin speaks during the Commonwealth’s Memorial Day Ceremony at the Virginia War Memorial on Monday.
Margo Wagner, Times-Dispatch
May 31, 2023
Earl Gary, owner of YME Landscape, used a compact tractor to move topsoil for a temporary landscaping at the former site of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee's statue on Monument Ave. in Richmond, Va., on Wednesday, May 31, 2023.
Daniel Sangjib Min/TIMES-DISPATCH
June 1, 2023
Jorge Figueroa leads tenants and New Virginia Majority organizers in a rally at Southwood Apartments, in Richmond, VA on June 1, 2023 to protest rent increases. EVA RUSSO/TIMES-DISPATCH
Eva Russo
June 2, 2023
This screenshot from the Virginia Department of Transportation's real-time traffic cameras shows multiple southbound lanes of Interstate 95 closed after a crash near the Belvidere Street exit the morning of Friday, June 2, 2023.
Virginia Department of Transportation | https://richmond.com/news/local/lohmann-creating-community-with-a-sidewalk-chalkboard-in-the-fan/article_1f2c2a9a-014a-11ee-8218-731b6f99fe7d.html | 2023-06-04T12:26:00 | 0 | https://richmond.com/news/local/lohmann-creating-community-with-a-sidewalk-chalkboard-in-the-fan/article_1f2c2a9a-014a-11ee-8218-731b6f99fe7d.html |
VALPARAISO — Ten years since the miraculous rescue of Nathan Woessner, 6, at Mount Baldy, scientists have learned a lot about the geology there.
Indiana University professor Erin Argyilan was there that day, studying the dune, and witnessed the rescue efforts.
Woessner fell into a hole that we now know was created by a decayed tree. Rescuers worked frantically to excavate the hole, even bringing in heavy equipment to move sand faster.
It took hours for rescuers to reach Woessner, buried 11 feet under the surface of the dune, and he was in bad shape. He’s fully recovered.
“But there's so, so much more to the story,” Argyilan told the Northwest Indiana Green Drinks meeting last week. “It was miraculous, the first responders never ever gave up.
People are also reading…
“But there were also so many things that I saw by being there that day that also came together to make this possible and to make understanding why this happened possible.”
The first was having a geologist, Argyilan, at the scene, noticing that the family was digging frantically and going to them to see what happened.
“My mind could not compute that. There never should be an open void,” she said.
Having a literature major for an intern also was critical in solving the mystery.
There wasn’t anything in the scientific literature Argyilan searched that would explain the phenomenon. However, a book by Ken Kesey, “Sometimes a Great Notion,” provided a vital clue. The book is set in Florence, Oregon, where a similar type of dune movement is happening, burying trees in the path.
“Basically, the young boy falls into a hole. He's cold and he's scared. They can't find him. And it turns out that the characters say he fell into a double stovepipe. And what that was, was when the dunes moved around trees,” Argyilan said. The dune buried the trees and they eventually rotted out, leaving the hollows.
Just like what happened July 12, 2013, on Mount Baldy.
“I was out there that day because I realized the shape of the dune was changing,” Argyilan said. Typically, young dunes are horseshoe-shaped. Vegetation anchors the edges of the dune while blowing wind pushes the middle of the dune away. Mount Baldy, however, is flattening out. “It’s not as tall as it used to be.”
Understanding Mount Baldy fully requires a lesson in geology. For one thing, the dune isn’t “the” dune. “It’s a dune on top of a dune.”
Until Woessner’s accident, that wasn’t fully understood.
The older, bottom dune is about 3,500 years old. LIDAR scans show the older dune capped by a layer that holds it in place. So does the vegetation that grew on it as it stabilized.
The younger dune is placed there because the pier at Washington Park, built about 150 years ago, has interrupted the flow of sand along the southern edge of Lake Michigan. It’s what makes Mount Baldy bald, unlike most of the dunes in Northwest Indiana.
Hoosier Slide, once the tallest dune in Northwest Indiana, was adjacent to Mount Baldy. It was a popular tourist attraction until it was mined for Ball Corp. jars, giving them a unique blue tint. NIPSCO’s Michigan City Generating Station sits on that site. Were it not removed to make glass jars, Hoosier Slide would experience phenomena similar to Mount Baldy, Argyilan said.
When the National Park Service designated Mount Baldy as “impaired” in 2011, efforts began to try to stabilize the dune. Marram plugs were planted, fences and similar wind blocks were put in place and more.
Argyilan showed an old photo with a water tower in the background. “We don’t understand how this is changing in three dimensions,” she said.
As a result of Woessner’s accident, scientists know more about how oak trees decay and create the holes in the sand. The trunk leaves a tall, vertical shaft when it decays. The holes don’t open for long before sand fills them in. Woessner just was in the wrong place at the wrong time.
The decayed material feels like mulch, Argyilan said.
As the dune marches to the south, trees buried 20 years or so are emerging.
Using a variety of data, Argyilan can determine the biggest risk areas for unstable ground on Mount Baldy.
That’s not the only area where this could happen, though. “I’m getting awfully worried about Porter Beach right now,” she said. | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/porter/valparaiso/it-s-not-as-tall-as-it-used-to-be-10-years-after-the-mount/article_2d2ad98e-024e-11ee-b0d9-5fd4aa2824da.html | 2023-06-04T12:40:53 | 1 | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/porter/valparaiso/it-s-not-as-tall-as-it-used-to-be-10-years-after-the-mount/article_2d2ad98e-024e-11ee-b0d9-5fd4aa2824da.html |
WINTER HAVEN, Fla. — A 29-year-old driver hit a man standing outside a Winter Haven motel before crashing into the motel's lobby Saturday afternoon, according to Polk County Sheriff's Office.
Around 4:21 p.m., Andrew Hensley was going east on Cypress Gardens Boulevard before his 2018 black Ford Focus left the roadway and crashed into Standall Brooks, 33, and then into the Economy Inn Suites, at 1901 Cypress Gardens Blvd., deputies say.
Brooks had been standing outside of the motel office when he was struck. Deputies say he was taken to a nearby hospital where he later died.
A preliminary investigation appears to show the driver may have suffered a medical episode, which led to the crash, deputies wrote in a statement. Hensley was also taken to a nearby hospital with minor injuries and he was later released.
The investigation into this crash is still ongoing. | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/polkcounty/driver-hits-kills-man-then-drives-into-motel/67-7e9e0d94-50f9-4ff6-8f57-0310c71b7f18 | 2023-06-04T13:24:21 | 1 | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/polkcounty/driver-hits-kills-man-then-drives-into-motel/67-7e9e0d94-50f9-4ff6-8f57-0310c71b7f18 |
RICHMOND, Va. — The symbolism of the moment and the task ahead of him is not lost on Earl Gary.
Gary’s YME Landscape, a Black-owned Richmond company, has been chosen to revitalize the circle on Monument and North Allen avenues where the Robert E. Lee statue once stood. His company’s involvement in the project marks another symbol in the lessening of the city’s Confederate presence with a Black crew working to reimagine the space once inhabited by the general.
The controversial bronze statue was taken down in 2021, after activists called for its removal in the wake of George Floyd’s murder. The empty pedestal was leveled in February 2022. The statue was transferred to the Black History Museum & Cultural Center of Virginia.
YME and the Department of Public Works recently began site work at the circle. The plan calls for the grounds of the former monument to be spruced up with 6,000 plants and 28 trees.
“I’ve been doing landscaping for a long time, but I don’t think I had too many jobs where I had to plant 6,000 plants,” Gary said.
The city approved the temporary landscaping plan in September to revitalize the empty space until a long-term solution is reached.
Prior to starting YME in 2007, Gary, 47, had an engineering background, graduating with an electrical engineering technology degree from Old Dominion and working on industrial projects and energy audits for such places as UPS, Courtyard by Marriott and the Minnesota Air National Guard.
But Gary wanted to start his own firm due to the uphill climb of finding job opportunities and receiving promotions.
A lot of times when I was working in engineering, I was pretty much the only minority working there,” he said. “I learned really quickly, ‘Am I ever going to get that junior executive position or senior executive position?’ I’m not saying I couldn’t, but the landscape didn’t look the same to me as someone that’s not in the minority.”
Gary saw similar things with his grandfather and father while growing up in Richmond, as they worked at Allied Signal and Honeywell, former names of what is now AdvanSix. They were often the only minorities on their teams.
After Gary met a Black electrical engineer who worked with his dad, he gained interest in doing that line of work. Gary also developed a vision of creating space for more minority engineers.
“I got to see that lineage, and I’m like, ‘Well, I’m gonna take what I saw and maybe try to transfer it a little bit differently in this generation,’” he said. “Instead of me being that only minority in that function, maybe I can create a minority function.”
Gary established YME partly due to his interest in landscaping, but also as a way to raise money to further his engineering career.
“My granddad, he always worked on lawn mowers, stuff like that, so I knew how to cut grass,” Gary said. “I just figured if I can get enough landscaping work, I probably can build my own engineering firm.”
Gary eventually got his own firm, founding Fulcrum Engineering Solutions more than six years ago. The company’s civil engineers prepare sites for construction and development.
Gary said it’s important to have more Black and minority-owned businesses, particularly in cities like Richmond that are majority-minority.
“I think it’s really important,” he said. “I think a lot of the Black-owned businesses we do have, it takes awhile for them to be more of a corporation. I don’t want to say they’re all sole proprietors, but they often end up being the main person working the entire time until they get to retirement; if somebody doesn’t take it over, then it’s one-dimensional.”
As YME begins the early stages of working on the landscaping plan, Gary hopes the work will be completed by mid- to late July.
Second District City Council member Katherine Jordan said the fencing and barriers surrounding the former Lee Circle will not be removed until the project is completed to ensure staff safety.
Brothers Alfred Brown Jr. and Alex Brown are working at YME for the summer while attending Virginia Commonwealth University and Old Dominion University, respectively. Both say the project is a good opportunity to create a nice visual space for Richmonders.
“It’s nice to be able to turn it into something everyone can enjoy,” Alfred Brown Jr. said. “It won’t be just patch and dirt when we’re done. We’re just happy to help out with changing the city environment.” | https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/2023/06/04/exchange-former-confederate-monument-site/fb56b1b4-02d7-11ee-b74a-5bdd335d4fa2_story.html | 2023-06-04T13:33:59 | 0 | https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/2023/06/04/exchange-former-confederate-monument-site/fb56b1b4-02d7-11ee-b74a-5bdd335d4fa2_story.html |
Child, when I testified before you last July, I noted that, while the growth of Tooth Fairy activity over the first half of the year had been spurred importantly by a swing from rapid inventory drawdown to modest inventory accumulation in incisors, molars and bicuspids, that source of impetus would surely wind down in subsequent quarters, as it did. We at the Federal Reserve recognized that a strengthening of tooth exchanges for hard currency was an essential element of putting the expansion on a firm and sustainable track.
Pillow findings continued to grow only modestly, and cash-for-teeth outlays remained soft. Concerns about dentate governance, which intensified for a time, were compounded over the late summer and into the fall by growing geopolitical tensions. In particular worries about the situation in Ukraine contributed to an appreciable decrease in Tooth Fairy compensation.
One notable feature of the Tooth Fairy landscape over the past half-century has been the limited movement in the ratio of unified Tooth Fairy outlays to nominal GDP. But that pattern of relative stability over the longer term has masked a pronounced rise in the share of spending committed to extractions, deliberate or inadvertent.
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The increase in the share of expenditures that is on automatic pilot has complicated the task of making dental policy by effectively necessitating an extension of the Tooth Fairy horizon.
It is not surprising, therefore, that much controversy over basic questions surrounds the current debate over Tooth Fairy policy.
Do Tooth Fairy deficits and debt significantly affect interest rates and, hence, Tooth Fairy activity? To what extent do tax increases inhibit investment and Tooth Fairy growth or, by raising the national saving, have the opposite effect? And to what extent does parental spending on extracted teeth raise the growth of GDP, or is its effect to offset by a crowding out of private spending?
Substantial efforts are being made to develop analytical tools that, one hopes, will enable us to answer such questions with greater precision than we can now. However, there should be little disagreement about the need to reestablish Tooth Fairy discipline. A Tooth Fairy framework along the lines of the one that provided significant and effective discipline in the past needs, in my judgment, to be reinstated without delay.
Faster Tooth Fairy growth, doubtless, would make deficits far easier to contain. But faster Tooth Fairy growth alone is not likely to be the full solution to currently projected long-term deficits. By the same token, in setting Tooth Fairy priorities and policies, attention must be paid to the attendant consequences for the real economy. Achieving Tooth Fairy balance, for example, through actions that hinder Tooth Fairy growth is scarcely a measure of success.
These are challenging times. Considerable uncertainties surround the Tooth Fairy outlook, especially in the period immediately ahead. Sound Tooth Fairy policies should help to foster a return to vigorous growth of the U.S. economy to the benefit of all our citizens.
That is why you will continue to receive from the Tooth Fairy 50 cents for each tooth found under your pillow. | https://azdailysun.com/news/local/carpenters-column-the-fed-chairman-explains-inflation-to-his-grandson/article_96cbceb8-023d-11ee-8a18-532870332376.html | 2023-06-04T13:37:17 | 1 | https://azdailysun.com/news/local/carpenters-column-the-fed-chairman-explains-inflation-to-his-grandson/article_96cbceb8-023d-11ee-8a18-532870332376.html |
Adult probation departments across the country face a critical staffing shortage.
In November, Coconino County was one dot on the nation’s map where the crisis was playing out. This week, Sarah Douthit, the chief probation officer for Adult Probation in Coconino County, revisited the topic with the Arizona Daily Sun. She said if the situation was critical then, it’s only gotten worse.
Right now, she has 13 fewer employees in the Adult Probation Department than she had in 2020. Four of the 13 unoccupied positions have been dissolved altogether.
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At its core, probation is an alternative or adjunct to incarceration. It’s a way for a community member to atone for a crime without being behind bars.
“We are active champions of behavior change that results in safer communities. There’s a lot of detail behind that. There’s a lot of law behind that, but the idea is we work with people to help improve their lives. When they do that, they turn into providers for their families. They’re tax-paying citizens. They’re employed. They can be raising their own children,” Douthit said. “That’s why we’re here. That’s what fills my cup and what has for 25 years, knowing that the work contributes to the betterment of our community and the folks we’re working with.”
The job of a probation officer, Douthit added, isn’t necessarily glamorous.
For one thing, the work is relationship based. While occasionally a probation officer can be a cheerleader, goal setter or helper in a probationer’s journey through the criminal justice system, they’re also in the position of correcting misbehavior or holding probationers accountable according to state statute.
Douthit said it can be an awkward job holding someone accountable. The key to success, she said, is training and hiring the right people. People who are compassionate, and understand that true behavioral change is difficult. People who see their probationers as members of the community.
“My experience, almost my first day on the job, was that these [probationers] are our family members. These are our neighbors. These are our colleagues that we’ve met. These are people we shop at Safeway with,” she said. “They’re not them, they’re us. We’re them. If we can understand that, we can understand that change is hard for anyone.”
Hiring the right people is becoming more difficult, Douthit said.
In order to attract the right candidates, an agency needs to offer competitive pay.
She said balancing fair wages, fair workloads and the cost of living in Flagstaff can feel impossible on her budget.
“If we’re asking folks with a college degree to come and work for our department and they are looking at how to live, I have people come to me weekly and say, ‘Sarah, I don’t know how much longer I can stay here. I really love working here, but I can’t afford to stay here,’” she said.
For the officers already on the county payroll, incentives to stay in the career feel thin, Douthit said. Existing officers have to contend with relatively low wages and limited compensation while doing a job that can be emotionally burdensome and outwardly thankless.
“We’re really trying to promote [a positive culture], really honing in on self-care, honing in on the best ways to protect my staff from the impacts of inflation, COVID, and the scrutiny of criminal justice in which we sometimes find ourselves. In general, now, working in the criminal justice field is not as publicly received as it had been in the past. It’s not always viewed as an honorable profession by all involved,” she said. “You add the pay and the workload and the stress, fewer and fewer people are deciding to make this a profession.”
As more people burn out and leave, the workload for existing employees grows heavier. Douthit is worried her department will collapse under the weight.
“I have frankly never seen our profession so fragile," she said. "It’s scary because I know how we work in the background to help support our communities. We’re quiet about it. We don’t make a big fuss, we’re not kicking down doors. The work that we’re doing is important and meaningful and it’s in jeopardy.”
She argues that to get at the issue of pay, and ultimately staffing, adult probation’s funding structure needs to be re-imagined.
Right now, the department relies primarily on probation fees. Those fees are paid by probationers. When the probationers feel the squeeze of inflation and an increasingly unstable economy, they are less likely to be able to pay what’s due.
“It’s one of our most challenged populations when it comes to bringing in a decent income. We’re already talking about folks that are spread incredibly thin just to make it by. They’re the ones who are responsible for funding a good deal of the probation system in Arizona,” she said.
In May, the Coconino County Adult Probation Department received more than $342,000 in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds. The county also allocated $250,000 from the general fund to support Douthit’s department.
“On paper, it looks like a gigantic infusion of money. 'What are you going to do, Sarah, with all that money?' Well, I’m going to pay people for the next three years,” she said.
The funds have to last until 2026.
In order to make ends meet, Douthit has already had to downsize significantly. Pre-trial services were some of the first on the chopping block.
“I don’t have a state mandate to provide that service. It was something that we’ve done for a very long time because it’s the right thing to do and because it saves the community money,” she said, adding that there’s more than four decades' worth of research that supports the value of pre-trial services. “We actually know that if we keep people in jail pre-trial too long, we’re actually increasing the likelihood of them committing future crimes. Because of what I had to do as a department head, I am knowingly contributing to things that are so fundamentally against the core of who I am."
She describes the experience as a moral injury.
“Moral injury is this idea that you know in your head there’s the right thing to do. We not only know it, we have 40 years of research to tell you how to do it. You want to do the right thing, but you’re prevented because of outside things that are beyond your control,” she said.
When it comes time to perform budget cuts, Douthit knows she’ll have to let some of the more trauma-informed, system-reformed aspects of the job go. She finds that unacceptable.
“When we have this huge public outcry for reforms of various situations, really restoring humanity to the system. I don’t know that the system ever had humanity to restore. We are trying to build humanity into our criminal justice system. I’m not saying that as a diss to what we’ve done in the past, but we know better now,” Douthit said.
She hopes county probation departments like hers can take a hard look at the way they do their jobs and find tactics and tasks that are used as a matter of habit. By filtering out work that isn’t evidence-based, she argues, departments can be made more efficient.
Ultimately, Douthit believes the biggest change that needs to be made is to the funding structure. Departments can no longer depend heavily on fees. The job now is to find alternative ways to pay for the service of officers -- which ultimately diverts people from incarceration and aims at fighting recidivism (or the likelihood that someone convicted of a crime will offend again).
In the meantime, Douthit said the people in her department are doing their best.
She said the first thing that needs to happen for the probation system to course correct is for counties
“If you were to just look at our stats on paper, you would say, ‘Sarah, I don’t see the problem.’ If you were to come spend the day with our folks who are so invested in helping people make good choices, choosing a different path. That’s hard work. It requires a lot of empathy, but also boundaries, coaching, mentoring, and cheerleading. Occasionally we have to come in with a little bit of correction,” Douthit said. “Truthfully, the vast majority of the people that we work with respond very well to our services, respond very well to our human connection. That is in jeopardy because of the way that we’re looking at funding the system.”
Gallery: Rain can't stop fun at Hullabaloo in Flagstaff
The 14th annual Flagstaff Hullabaloo began Saturday in Wheeler Park.
Dancing in the Rain
The crowd gathered to listen and dance to Bush League play at Flagstaff Hullabaloo Saturday afternoon in Wheeler Park aren't afraid of a few r…
Dancing the Day Away
Lusine Hairapetian dances to the music at the main stage Saturday afternoon during the 14th annual Hullabaloo at Wheeler Park.
Browsing the Merch
Sunflower Sky browses through various necklaces Saturday afternoon at one of the booths at the 14th annual Flagstaff Hullabaloo in Wheeler Park.
Jumping For Joy
Hazel King jumps high into the air with the assistance of a trampoline and bungee cords Saturday afternoon during the 14th annual Flagstaff Hu…
14th Annual Flagstaff Hullabaloo
Bush League takes the stage Saturday afternoon during the 14th annual Flagstaff Hullabaloo at Wheeler Park.
Mesmerizing Mermaids
Naomi Taylor mesmerizes the crowd with her Circus Americana performance Saturday afternoon at the 14th annual Flagstaff Hullabaloo at Wheeler Park.
Balancing Act
Ozzy Taylor balances a sword on his chin Saturday afternoon during the Circus Americana show at the 14th annual Flagstaff Hullabaloo at Wheeler Park.
Test of Trust
Martin Taylor holds out a small card as Liam Taylor uses his whip to break it in half Saturday afternoon during a show put on by Circus Americ…
A Close Kept Secret
John Maeder of the Desert Lace Studio shows off the inside of a fully stripped prickly pear cactus leaf Saturday afternoon inside his booth at…
Dancing the Day Away
Cari McClellan dances to the music at the main stage Saturday afternoon during the 14th annual Hullabaloo at Wheeler Park.
Bubble Party
Peter Hollingsworth blows bubbles Saturday afternoon during the 14th annual Flagstaff Hullabaloo at Wheeler Park.
Cotton Candy Party
Lyv Eckhoff (left) and Eleanor Branksy (right) share cotton candy beneath the shade of an umbrella Saturday afternoon during the 14th annual F… | https://azdailysun.com/news/local/coconino-county-adult-probation-department-continues-to-face-critical-staffing-shortage/article_a19883dc-00c0-11ee-9560-3f72f9df9265.html | 2023-06-04T13:37:23 | 1 | https://azdailysun.com/news/local/coconino-county-adult-probation-department-continues-to-face-critical-staffing-shortage/article_a19883dc-00c0-11ee-9560-3f72f9df9265.html |
This week saw the end of Flagstaff’s 20th annual bike month, celebrating local bike culture and promoting transportation outside of motor vehicles.
But for many advocates pushing for a less car-centric city, progress within Flagstaff has been slow, despite decades of plans and advocacy.
Indeed, it was just last month that the city considered removing protected bike lanes on Butler Avenue and Beaver Street, installed after a deadly collision between a bike parade and a vehicle in 2021.
The discussion came as the city looks to decrease the number of vehicle trips throughout Flagstaff as part of its climate goals, and after the city approved the Active Transportation Master Plan last year.
Both those plans aim to achieve a rate of 54% of trips within Flagstaff taken by biking, walking or public transit within the next two decades. But while the Flagstaff leads other peer cities in trips made by walking, it lags far behind other cities in terms of biking.
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Adam Shimoni, a former member of city council, has dedicated much of his career to pushing for better infrastructure to support and protect pedestrians and cyclists. After departing the Flagstaff City Council last year, Shimoni now sits on the board of Flagstaff Biking Organization.
But for Shimoni, as with many other advocates, the pace of progress has been slow.
“We have a very enthused community of cyclists, people are excited about riding, they want to ride, they do ride. But we do not have the infrastructure to actually make it safe for people to ride and comfortable to ride,” said Shimoni, who came to Flagstaff in 2005 to attend Northern Arizona University. “From my perspective, nothing has changed for the most part over the years.”
The city has a long history of pining for better infrastructure for cyclists and pedestrians.
Since the 1960s and '70s, the city has created several comprehensive plans laying out needed changes and improvements to bike infrastructure, said Sam Meier, a local bike advocate and archivist.
Such plans have called for everything from traditional painted bike lanes to dedicated bikeways, separate but alongside some thoroughfares through the city, even as far back as 1979.
But through the years, those plans have generally languished, Meier said. And plans produced by the city have also noted the lack of change to infrastructure.
“In the early plans especially, there's a lot of like, ‘Hey, we've been talking about this for a while, but we haven't really built out as much as we could,’” Meier said.
Last year, the city approved the Active Transportation Master Plan, yet another comprehensive plan outlining ways to improve bicycle and pedestrian connectivity and safety, and needed infrastructure and policy changes to achieve those goals.
Bike advocates are hoping that with the new plan, which was eight years in the making, this time will be different.
City senior transportation planner Martin Ince was in large part responsible for the writing of the new active transportation plan. Ince said he and city staff were certainly aware of the slow progress on bike infrastructure over the years, and the phenomenon of the city creating plans but not following through on them.
“We've had plans before, and when you finish a plan, that's the start of things, not the end of something. Otherwise it will just sit on a shelf,” he said. “But we were pretty acutely aware that we have to start moving on some of these things after it was adopted.”
Ince said one aspect of the active transportation plan that differentiates it from past plans is that, this time, the city does have a pot of money for bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure. When voters approved the renewal of the transportation tax in 2018, it was determined that $29 million of the money would be dedicated toward such improvements.
“So as much as anything, the plan was sort of talking about how we're going to spend that money,” he said.
But when it comes to infrastructure, Ince acknowledged that $29 million doesn’t go far. A proposed project to create grade-separated bike paths along Butler Avenue, for example, is estimated at $10 million. The city is currently seeking a federal grant to help pay for that project.
“When you look at what we have missing, what our needs are, what our priorities are, it doesn't go as far as we want it to. So that's one part of it. Like we could use twice that, three times that, easily,” Ince said “But the flip side of it is that it's much better to have $29 million than nothing, to have a plan and then have to go searching for money for it.”
And Ince said there are lots of opportunities for the city to get grant money to support those efforts. Supporting alternative forms of transportation has been a priority for the Biden administration providing a plethora of federal grant opportunities.
He added that there are also many less expensive ways the city is looking to improve alternative transportation, such as changing engineering standards or changing city code. And the city is already working to enact some of those changes.
Estella Hollander, a member of Flagstaff’s bicycle advisory committee, was similarly optimistic. Hollander said she sees progress being made, even if it has not yet taken the form of concrete infrastructure.
“I do think at least how people are talking about bicycle infrastructure has shifted. Council's talking about protected bike lanes and better infrastructure and reducing vehicle lanes to make this more of a balanced approach,” Hollander said. “So I think that has shifted a lot and we are moving in the right direction.”
Indeed, issues surrounding bike safety and promoting alternative kinds of transportation have been at the forefront for several years.
In 2018, controversy erupted over the renewal of the city’s transportation tax about how much of the money would be dedicated to motor vehicle infrastructure versus improvements for cyclists and pedestrians.
The city’s climate plan also put renewed emphasis on alternative forms of transportation, and safety concerns for cyclists were once again highlighted after the 2021 collision where Flagstaff resident Joanna Wheaton died.
Flagstaff’s first bike lanes
As in many cities, Flagstaff’s current accommodations for cyclists got their start decades ago, said Meier, who in 2021 presented to the city council on the history of bike-related efforts in Flagstaff.
At that time, painted bike lanes were non-existent and the urban trail system had not yet been developed.
But during the '60s, two separate groups of residents began calling for the creation of more bike facilities in concert: a group of local cyclists called the Ponderosa Peddlers, and students at Northern Arizona University.
“What happened on campus in the 1960s that led for students at NAU to be interested in pushing for bicycle infrastructure was that South Campus was constructed,” she said.
The expansion of that campus suddenly meant students had to travel much further for classes, but at the time, the transportation network on campus was lacking. Students on campus began advocating for bike lanes and paths between north and south campus, while students living off campus pushed for better connectivity between campus and the rest of the city.
The Ponderosa Peddlers, a group of local bicycle street racers, also began pushing the city for better bike infrastructure throughout the city.
“They were the ones who first went to the city to say, ‘Hey, you should do an assessment of what's happening here and we should build dedicated infrastructure for cyclists in the city,’” Meier said.
Under pressure, the city proposed its first bike lanes on Beaver Street with a project that planned to create a two-way bike lane along the road, in place of parking. But she said the effort was halted by local business interests that worried the elimination of parking along the street would impact business, and the effort languished in court for years.
“At the same time at NAU, people continued to be interested in having these bike lanes constructed on campus. And because NAU can control its own land differently than the city, there's actually some progress made by students and others pushing to have bike paths constructed,” Meier said.
Those early efforts for bike infrastructure coincided with larger national trends in the same direction, encouraged by the nascent environmental movement and geopolitical events such as the 1973 oil crisis.
In 1973 and 1978, the state produced two reports on bikeways within Arizona communities, outlining a series of bicycle infrastructure improvements that could be made within Flagstaff and other cities.
Then, throughout the late '80s and '90s, the city produced reports on what could be done to create better bike networks throughout Flagstaff, related both to the urban trail system and within wider community vision plans.
“What's really interesting, if you look at the early plans, is they identify mostly the same roadways over and over. Like Beaver Street is continually identified as a really important street for people to get to campus, or Route 66, previously called Santa Fe Avenue, is also identified as an important corridor to get across town,” Meier said. “The Beaver-Butler intersection in particular has been a sort of like known entry point to campus for a long time. Back in the '70s, that was one of the first routes that NAU students wanted built: a route on Beaver Street, because it's a major way to get to campus. So I think that's an aspect that's frustrating to me."
But one challenge throughout the years has been a generally accepted view that those using bikes to travel are somewhat of an aberration.
In the '60s and '70s, many believed the only residents traveling on bikes were either hardcore street racers or children getting to and from school, Meier said.
And Meier said much of those sentiments toward those who use a bike to get around have survived to this day with the stereotype of a white, male, middle-class cyclist.
“I certainly see people who fit that stereotype, but if you're riding your bike in winter, in the rain, in the wind or in certain parts of town out towards the mall, that's not who you see on the road on their bikes,” Meier said. | https://azdailysun.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/for-advocates-of-bike-friendly-infrastructure-changes-the-gears-of-government-turn-slowly/article_8f827022-0174-11ee-87de-6b5c880b1307.html | 2023-06-04T13:37:29 | 0 | https://azdailysun.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/for-advocates-of-bike-friendly-infrastructure-changes-the-gears-of-government-turn-slowly/article_8f827022-0174-11ee-87de-6b5c880b1307.html |
It was three years ago that I rushed my husband, Flagstaff endurance athlete Tommy Rivers Puzey, to the Flagstaff Medical Center in acute respiratory failure at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. An awning of monsoon clouds stretched across a pastel sky when I left him in the care of a hazmat-suited nurse before quickly saying goodbye.
It was another three weeks after his admission to the ICU before he was diagnosed with NK/T-cell lymphoma -- a rare and aggressive form of lung cancer. By the time we received his dire diagnosis and even grimmer prognosis, he was already sedated and on a ventilator.
Over our 12 years of marriage, I had been a witness to Rivs’s mental fortitude and grit. He never wavered once he fixated on a goal, whether it was racing 100 miles along unforgiving Colorado ridgelines, crossing the Grand Canyon on a hot summer night or running up Humphreys Peak in time to catch the sunrise over a distant Painted Desert.
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And now here he was, lying alone in a hospital bed, catatonic and helpless.
As the weeks progressed and his condition deteriorated, I was flooded with memories of my father’s own lung cancer battle. But rather than be swept back into the current of grief that had defined my adolescence, something beautiful happened over the course of Rivs’s illness.
Carried by the Flagstaff community that rallied around our family during the most difficult time of our lives, I was free to allow the sadness I had been trying to bury for two decades. And within that allowance, I learned how to hope. I learned how to love. I learned that the pain inside of me was not something to be conquered, but rather something to be accepted. Something to be loved.
Due to the tireless work of an already overwhelmed hospital staff, Rivs remains in remission of disease today. By all accounts he is a medical miracle, though we are acutely aware that our collective survival is a byproduct of the community that united around us during that time.
While our future remains unsure, we know one thing for certain: Love is ubiquitous and redemptive, renewable and transformative.
Flagstaff, I was saved and changed by your love.
Steph Catudal is the author of “Everything All At Once,” an adjunct professor in Media and Peacebuilding and a trained interpersonal mediator.
Send your running news and stories to coordinating editor Julie Hammonds (runner@juliehammonds.com) to be featured in High Country Running. | https://azdailysun.com/sports/local/high-country-running-saved-and-changed-by-love/article_b01175c4-023f-11ee-a91a-331230d4ffa8.html | 2023-06-04T13:37:35 | 1 | https://azdailysun.com/sports/local/high-country-running-saved-and-changed-by-love/article_b01175c4-023f-11ee-a91a-331230d4ffa8.html |
Penn has given the Ivy League a team in an NCAA Tournament regional final for the second straight year and another surprise, Oral Roberts, extended its nation-best winning streak to 20 games Saturday night to move a step closer to the super regionals.
No. 2 national seed Florida, meanwhile, is a loss away from getting eliminated on its home field for a third straight year. The Gators are among seven national seeds that entered Sunday in the loser’s bracket, and two others have been knocked out.
Penn held off Samford 5-4 thanks to a reliever who hadn’t pitched in three weeks and a game-ending play in which the tying run was thrown out at third base.
Oral Roberts, the pride of the Summit League, wiped out an early 8-0 deficit and matched its season high with 24 hits in a 15-12 victory over Washington.
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Florida will need to win three games to make it out of its regional after losing 5-4 to Texas Tech. The Red Raiders, looking to make the super regionals for the fourth time since 2018, got a tiebreaking, two-run homer from Gavin Kash in the eighth inning and Brandon Beckel got Gators star Jac Caglianone to pop out with a man on base to end the game.
“We are disappointed, but have to flush it,” Florida coach Kevin O’Sullivan said. “We put ourselves in this position, but it’s certainly doable. We have enough pitching to do it.”
No. 1 Wake Forest beat Maryland 21-6 after a nearly five-hour weather delay, with Rhett Lowder retiring the first 11 batters he faced and striking out 11 in six innings. No. 3 Arkansas’ game against TCU and No. 5 LSU’s game against Oregon State were postponed because of weather.
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Tennessee reached the final at No. 4 Clemson, beating the Tigers 6-5 in 14 innings to end their 17-game win streak. The Volunteers will play Clemson or Charlotte for a third straight trip to super regionals.
No. 14 Indiana State, hosting a regional for the first time, moved within a win of its first super regional with a 7-4 win over Iowa.
But it's Penn that's turned into the darling of the tournament. The Quakers, in a regional for the first time since 1995, won a tournament game for the first time since 1990 when they upset No. 13 Auburn on Friday.
They looked to be in full control against Samford with Cole Zaffiro holding the Bulldogs to four hits and striking out eight before leaving after the eighth with a 5-2 lead.
David Shoemaker came on with the bases loaded in the ninth for just his 10th appearance of the season, and first since May 13. Sarti got three groundballs, the last leading to an off-target throw that pulled first baseman Ben Miller off the bag. But Miller threw to third to get Aaron Walton, who dived trying to get back to the base. Walton was called out, and the game ended with the play upheld on video review.
Last year, Columbia of the Ivy League made the regional final at Virginia Tech. Samford or Southern Mississippi would have to beat Penn twice in order to deny the Quakers a spot in super regionals.
Oral Roberts, which made its only super regional in 2006, got a home run and six RBIs from Jonah Cox and prevailed in a slugfest with Washington that saw the teams combine for 38 hits, including eight home runs.
Penn and Oral Roberts are both No. 4 regional seeds. South Florida, in 2021, was the last team seeded so low to make a regional final.
The first two national seeds were knocked out of the tournament. Dallas Baptist got three home runs and nine RBIs from Miguel Santos while eliminating No. 11 Oklahoma State 18-4. Southern Mississippi got out to a big lead early and knocked out No. 13 Auburn 7-2.
CLEMSON PLAYER EJECTED
Clemson's Cam Cannarella was ejected in the middle of the 13th inning for something he said to Tennessee baserunner Zane Denton as he was running in from center field following a double play.
By rule, Cannarella would be suspended one game Sunday. The Tigers' leadoff man and ACC freshman of the year had a homer and two doubles Saturday and is batting a team-best .388.
ONE-HIT WONDERS
North Carolina's Max Carlson and Dalton Pence combined on a one-hitter in a 5-0 win over Wright State. It was the first one-hitter in the tournament since Mississippi State's Will Bednar and Landon Sims teamed up for one in the national title-clinching win over Vanderbilt in the 2021 College World Series.
BIG BATS
Jacob Walsh's three-run double in the fifth helped Oregon beat No. 6 Vanderbilt 8-7. ... Indiana State wiped out a 4-2 deficit against Iowa with a five-run eighth inning. The Sycamores wiped out a 4-2 deficit against Iowa in the eighth inning on two-run doubles by Miguel Rivera and Grant Magill. ... Serruto's home run for Indiana was his third of the season and fourth in 86 career games. ... Dallas Baptist's Santos had one home run in his previous 14 games before going deep three times against Oklahoma State. His nine RBIs were fourth-most in a tournament game.
MOUND MARVELS
Lebarron Johnson struck out eight in his first career complete game in Texas' 4-1 win over No. 9 Miami. ... No. 7 Virginia beat East Carolina 2-1 largely because of Nick Parker, who improved to 8-0 after scattering five hits over seven innings. ... Ethan Bosacker pitched a four-hit shutout to lead Xavier past Eastern Illinois 7-0. ... Five Duke pitchers, none working more than two innings, limited Rider to four hits in a 2-1 win. ... Riley Eikhoff threw Coastal Carolina's first complete game since March 2017. Eikhoff needed just 98 pitches, throwing 75 for strikes.
AROUND THE HORN
Texas A&M beat No. 8 Stanford 8-5 and has won seven straight regional and super regional games since last year. ... Indiana took control in Lexington with a 5-3 win over No. 12 Kentucky. Peter Serruto’s three-run homer gave the Hoosiers the lead in the seventh inning, and they went on to avenge a 12-2 loss on the same field in March. ... No. 15 South Carolina, awarded a regional despite entering the tournament off losses in 11 of 14 games, beat North Carolina State 6-3 to record back-to-back wins for the first time in a month. ... Connecticut beat Florida A&M 9-6 for coach Jim Penders' 700th career win.
___
More AP college sports: https://apnews.com/hub/college-sports and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25 | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/penn-gives-ivy-league-an-ncaa-regional-finalist-for-2nd-year-in-row-no-2-florida-faces-tall-task/3578644/ | 2023-06-04T13:37:56 | 0 | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/penn-gives-ivy-league-an-ncaa-regional-finalist-for-2nd-year-in-row-no-2-florida-faces-tall-task/3578644/ |
GILES COUNTY, VA. – After constant rain, there was flooding in Giles County from Memorial Day Weekend.
Drone footage from by Melanie Vaught of the flooding shows effected the area earlier last week.
Some areas of Giles have standing water.
Emergency leaders say Wolf Creek crest around 2 monday afternoon; Walker Creek around 8:15 Monday evening and the New River around 3 a.m. Tuesday.
Giles leaders said Walker Creek crests at 14 feet, before moderate flood stage.
“Was more than a complicated factor, since it was holiday weekend busier call volume and 50 more related to the storm, made it bit difficult to handle but nothing compared to our neighbors,” Jon Butler, Emergency Operations with Giles County said.
The water receded earlies last week around Wednesday. | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2023/06/04/check-out-this-video-giles-county-flooding-memorial-day-weekend/ | 2023-06-04T13:48:08 | 1 | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2023/06/04/check-out-this-video-giles-county-flooding-memorial-day-weekend/ |
DUBLIN, Va. – Pulaski County leaders are seeking donations to help rebuild the pool-house at Randolph Park.
They say the pool house is considered a total loss and are asking for the public’s assistance to donate money to the site.
The reason, June marks Give local New River Valley.
“We do have insurance, we’re going to put every dime back into rebuilding the pool it may cost more than what insurance may provide, so any nickel raised will be reinvested back into building the pool facilities,” Jonathan Sweet, Pulaski County Administrator.
The goal is to raise $10,000.
If you would like to donate, check out this link.
https://www.givelocalnrv.org/organization/Randolph-Park-Pool | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2023/06/04/pulaski-county-leaders-begin-fundraising-efforts-for-randolph-park-pool/ | 2023-06-04T13:48:14 | 1 | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2023/06/04/pulaski-county-leaders-begin-fundraising-efforts-for-randolph-park-pool/ |
Name: Jalyn Green
School: Bradford High School
Nickname: Jay
Parents: Jeffery and Coretta Green
Most memorable high school moment: When I was playing sports and when I was running for Homecoming court
Most influential teacher: I can’t choose one person that influenced me the most because I had so many people that influenced me over my entire high school experience; I can’t choose one because ever since I was a freshman I had teachers steering me in the right direction to where they helped me become the person I am today
School activities/clubs: Academic Skills Challenge/Decathlon, DECA, Link Crew. AAMI
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School athletics: Basketball, football, track
Honors, letters or awards: I have a varsity letter from Football and a Coaches award, multiple student of the month awards, and a Academic letter for my GPA
Out-of-school activities/hobbies: Out of school I like to hangout with friends and be able to get outside, if I can’t get outside I play my game
College choice: Carthage College in Kenosha
Intended major/field of study: Computer Network Specialist
Role model: My Family because they motivated me to do anything I put my mind to
Three words that best describe my role model: Caring, devoted, intelligent
What I hope to accomplish in my lifetime: I wish to become successful in whatever I end up doing when college is done for me. I wish to be able to live on my own and start my own business in the future | https://kenoshanews.com/news/local/todays-teen-2023-jalyn-green-of-bradford-high-school/article_cd4c25d8-016f-11ee-9cb4-5b6afbd7bb6d.html | 2023-06-04T13:48:25 | 0 | https://kenoshanews.com/news/local/todays-teen-2023-jalyn-green-of-bradford-high-school/article_cd4c25d8-016f-11ee-9cb4-5b6afbd7bb6d.html |
WATERLOO – The Dave and Sharon Juon Memorial Fund is a Community Fund established at the Waterloo Community Foundation to honor and continue the legacy of community leader, Sharon Juon.
Sharon Juon was a dedicated community leader and demonstrated her love for Waterloo in both her professional and personal life. She served as the executive director of the Iowa Northland Regional Council of Governments for more than 25 years and held positions at the Waterloo Downtown Council and Waterloo Chamber of Commerce. She was also an active community volunteer serving over 75 organizations and associations, including the Waterloo City Council as an at-large councilor from 2017-2021.
After Sharon’s passing in 2022, memorial gifts were sent to the Waterloo Community Foundation. Dave and Sharon’s daughters decided to direct those gifts into a Community Fund to continue their parent’s legacy in Waterloo. The fund supports the foundation’s discretionary grantmaking programs that provide funding to local organizations meeting current needs in Waterloo.
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Learn more and give to the Dave and Sharon Juon Memorial Fund at https://wloocf.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/create/fund?funit_id=1792. | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/community-fund-honors-legacy-of-waterloo-leader-sharon-juon/article_e42bdf74-00c9-11ee-88f1-53c4a40d1a99.html | 2023-06-04T13:49:21 | 0 | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/community-fund-honors-legacy-of-waterloo-leader-sharon-juon/article_e42bdf74-00c9-11ee-88f1-53c4a40d1a99.html |
COURIER STAFF
CEDAR FALLS – The Zach and Janelle Fischels Scholarship Fund has awarded its first scholarship after the fund was established in May 2022 with the Community Foundation of Northeast Iowa.
The need-based scholarship is for graduating seniors from high schools located in Benton, Black Hawk, Bremer, Buchanan, Butler, Grundy and Tama counties. Recipients must plan to attend the University of Northern Iowa to pursue a degree in the College of Business with a preference for those focusing on Finance.
“Scholarships helped me significantly to get started in my professional life, and I want others to have the opportunity for the same,” Zach Fischels said.
Fischels graduated from Independence High School in 2016. He went on to attend the University of Northern Iowa’s College of Business and graduated in 2019 with a degree in finance with an emphasis in personal wealth management. At UNI he met his wife, Janelle Fischels, formerly Saucer, who grew up in Marion. She attended the University of Northern Iowa and earned her nursing degree from Allen College in 2020 and works as a nurse at Allen Hospital in Waterloo.
Financial gifts of cash/check and stock are accepted through the Community Foundation of Northeast Iowa, 3117 Greenhill Circle, Cedar Falls, 50613. Checks to the endowment fund should be made payable to the Zach and Janelle Fischels Scholarship Fund. Gifts can also be made on the Community Foundation’s secure website at fund.cfneia.org/fischelsscholarship . Gifts to the endowment fund are eligible to receive a 25% state tax credit through the Endow Iowa program. Learn more about the program at www.cfneia.org/endowiowa .
Questions about giving to the fund may be directed to Laurie Everhardt, director of development with the Community Foundation of Northeast Iowa, at (319) 243-1352 or leverhardt@cfneia.org . More information about CFNEIA can be found at www.cfneia.org .
Cooking steak on a grill gives it a delicious crust and smoky flavor, but not all of us have a grill, or a backyard to do it in. So what are we supposed to do? Fortunately, we can achieve similar results in the kitchen.
Photos: Memorial Day commemorations across the US
Krista Meinert touches the headstone of her son U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Jacob Alexander Meinert as she visits his grave in Section 60 at Arlington National Cemetery on Memorial Day, Monday, May 29, 2023, in Arlington, Va. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Alex Brandon
President Joe Biden speaks at the Memorial Amphitheater of Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va., on Memorial Day, Monday, May 29, 2023. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
Susan Walsh
President Joe Biden stands with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin as the national anthem is played at the Memorial Amphitheater of Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va., on Memorial Day, Monday, May 29, 2023. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
Susan Walsh
President Joe Biden lays a wreath at The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va., on Memorial Day, Monday, May 29, 2023. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
Susan Walsh
Members of the Hinsdale, N.H. Firefighters salute during a small memorial service as part of the annual Hinsdale Memorial Day Parade on Monday, May 29, 2023. (Kristopher Radder /The Brattleboro Reformer via AP)
Kristopher Radder
U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Jason Bowers, of Fairfax, Va., talks with his daughter Georgia, 7, as they visit Section 60 at Arlington National Cemetery on Memorial Day, Monday, May 29, 2023, in Arlington, Va. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Alex Brandon
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin visits Section 60 of Arlington National Cemetery on Memorial Day, Monday, May 29, 2023, in Arlington, Va. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Alex Brandon
U.S. flags stand at grave sites during a Memorial Day service held at the Veterans' Memorial Cross at Crystal Springs Cemetery in Benton Harbor, Mich., on Monday, May 29, 2023. (Don Campbell/The Herald-Palladium via AP)
Don Campbell
Kathy Jillson, of Berrien Springs, Mich., walks among graves following a Memorial Day service held at the Veterans' Memorial Cross at Crystal Springs Cemetery in Benton Harbor, Mich., on Monday, May 29, 2023. (Don Campbell/The Herald-Palladium via AP)
Don Campbell
Vadim Gunyan, of Washington, visits the grave of U.S. Army Sgt. John D. Linde, who he served with, in Section 60 of Arlington National Cemetery on Memorial Day, Monday, May 29, 2023, in Arlington, Va. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Alex Brandon
A large American flag is displayed during the Star-Spangled Banner before a baseball game between the Tampa Bay Rays and Chicago Cubs on Memorial Day, Monday, May 29, 2023, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)
Erin Hooley
Members of a Conneaut Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 150 provide a salute during a Conneaut Memorial Day ceremony at City Cemetery in Conneaut, Ohio, on Monday, May 29, 2023. (Warren Dillaway/The Star-Beacon via AP)
Warren Dillaway
Members of the Geneva High School band march in the Geneva Memorial Day Parade on Monday, May 29, 2023, in Geneva, Ohio. (Warren Dillaway/The Star-Beacon via AP)
Warren Dillaway
American Legion Color Guard prepare to raise the U.S. flag to half-staff in tribute to the fallen men and women of the U.S. armed forces in Brownsville, Texas, during the 24th Annual Memorial Day Silent March on Monday, May 29, 2023. (Miguel Roberts/The Brownsville Herald via AP)
Miguel Roberts
People pay tribute to the fallen men and women of the U.S. armed forces in Brownsville, Texas during the 24th Annual Memorial Day Silent March on Monday, May 29, 2023. (Miguel Roberts/The Brownsville Herald via AP)
Miguel Roberts
People pay tribute to the fallen men and women of the U.S. armed forces in Brownsville, Texas during the 24th Annual Memorial Day Silent March on Monday, May 29, 2023. (Miguel Roberts/The Brownsville Herald via AP)
Miguel Roberts
People pay tribute at Veterans Park to the fallen men and women of the U.S. armed forces in Brownsville, Texas during the 24th Annual Memorial Day Silent March on Monday, May 29, 2023. (Miguel Roberts/The Brownsville Herald via AP)
Miguel Roberts
Melody Turiello lays her head against the headstone of her mother, Army veteran Debra Turner during a Memorial Day visit at the Sacramento Valley National Cemetery in Dixon, Calif, Monday, May 29, 2023. (Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)
Rich Pedroncelli
Carmen Williams visits the grave of her father, Air Force veteran Oscar Williams, on Memorial Day at the Sacramento Valley National Cemetery in Dixon, Calif, Monday, May 29, 2023. (Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)
Rich Pedroncelli
Gary Black visits the grave of his brother, Air Force veteran Owen Black who passed away on May 29, 2017, at the Sacramento Valley National Cemetery in Dixon, Calif, on Memorial Day, Monday, May 29, 2023. (Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)
Rich Pedroncelli
The colors are raised and then lowered to half-staff by members of Vietnam Veterans Inc. at the start of La Porte's Memorial Day service in Fox Park on Monday, May 29, 2023, in La Porte, Ind. Flags were directed to be flown at half-staff from sunrise to noon. (Amanda Haverstick/La Porte County Herald-Dispatch via AP)
Amanda Haverstick
Miniature flags are seen placed by graves at the San Francisco National Cemetery during a Memorial Day ceremony, Monday, May 29, 2023. (Santiago Mejia/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)
Santiago Mejia
The 63D Readiness Division in a rifle salute during a Memorial Day ceremony at the San Francisco National Cemetery, Monday, May 29, 2023. (Santiago Mejia/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)
Santiago Mejia
The 63D Readiness Division rehearse their rifle salute at the San Francisco National Cemetery ahead of a Memorial Day ceremony, Monday, May 29, 2023. (Santiago Mejia/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)
Santiago Mejia
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Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/fischels-scholarship-fund-awards-first-scholarship/article_70c1631c-00c7-11ee-a333-e7d8754e4d41.html | 2023-06-04T13:49:27 | 1 | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/fischels-scholarship-fund-awards-first-scholarship/article_70c1631c-00c7-11ee-a333-e7d8754e4d41.html |
CEDAR FALLS — The City Council will consider an agreement Monday with developer Brent Dahlstrom that could lead to construction of street connections to Bess Streeter Aldrich Elementary School.
A priority of Councilmember Dave Sires, the agreement with Dahlstrom’s company Panther Farms would set terms for the connection of segments of Ashworth Drive eastward from the school, as well as Arbors Drive north to Greenhill Road, to alleviate concerns about traffic and safety through the undeveloped subdivisions.
The agreement also includes a smaller road segment connecting Ironwood Drive to the future Arbors Drive extension to the north as well as another new road to be named Elizabeth Drive from Vera Drive to the future Ashworth Drive extension.
The 7 p.m. meeting is at City Hall, 220 Clay St.
The work lines up with a recently approved contract for the $1.25 million construction of the Ashworth Drive westward extension from Hudson Road to Kara Drive, allowing eventually for traffic to reach the school from the main thoroughfare without interruption.
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Dahlstrom would reimburse the city for 50% of the cost for the road projects. The lone exception would be Elizabeth Drive, which is considered optional. It would be built – at the development’s cost – the same time the city is constructing the other roads.
He’s required to submit the preliminary plats for each of the subdivisions with plans for the new roads by the end of the year.
Prior to the regular meeting, the council will meet at 5:35 p.m. in committee to discuss a number of subjects. One is the council policy on city proclamations, following the handling of the controversial LGBTQIA+ Month that Mayor Rob Green initially said he wouldn’t sign and then changed his mind following an outcry from supporters of the declaration.
Additionally, parking permits in downtown municipal lots will be a topic of conversation following a park attendant’s decision to tow and impound the vehicle of Vintage Iron owner and Cedar Falls resident Julie Shimek from Second Street East Lot. Her case was dismissed after she appealed because city lawyers said there was no violation.
Open or park space policies in subdivisions is another subject to be brought up in committee as part of a general push for more green space to be included in plans for future development.
In other business at 7 p.m., the council will consider approving:
- John Zolondek, a veteran of Cedar Falls public safety since 2007, as the next fire chief, replacing retired chief John Bostwick.
- Conveyance of 2.15 acres of city-owned land, at the corner of Production Drive and Technology Parkway, in its industrial park to Adam Haynes, owner of Simple Mining, a Bitcoin mining company, for the construction of a new 9,600 square foot building, after outgrowing the space leased by the company at 2412 Waterloo Road.
- Reappointments of Donna Mallin and Julie Kliegl to the Human Rights Commission as well as Alan Stalnaker and Erik Blanchard to the Parks & Recreation Commission.
- Resignation of Kendra Wohlert from the Art & Culture Board.
- An agreement with Peters Construction Corporation for $40,958 to rebuild the damaged wall at Pheasant Ridge Golf Course Pro Shop on the southwestern end of the building by Oct. 21. | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/government-and-politics/aldrich-elementary-road-connections-part-of-proposed-agreement-to-come-before-cf-council/article_0d1eff3a-ff47-11ed-83a7-27e9012c8314.html | 2023-06-04T13:49:33 | 0 | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/government-and-politics/aldrich-elementary-road-connections-part-of-proposed-agreement-to-come-before-cf-council/article_0d1eff3a-ff47-11ed-83a7-27e9012c8314.html |
The Arizona Daily Star Sportsmen’s Fund raises money so children from low-income households and military families can attend summer camp at little or no cost to their families.
Since 1947, the Sportsmen’s Fund has helped pay for 43,468 children to go to camp. We’re one of the oldest 501©(3) charities in Arizona and one of the most efficient, with 97 cents from every dollar going to send kids to camp.
We send local kids to weeklong YMCA, Boy Scout and Girl Scout overnight camps, as well as overnight camping at Camp Tatiyee for school-age children and teens with special needs.
Our goal is to raise $238,000 to send up to 700 kids to camp. So far, we’ve received 668 donations totaling $117,511 or just under half of that with camps underway. Last month we raised the goal by $13,000 so 13 Tucson-area kids with special needs who were on a waitlist for Camp Tatiyee could attend.
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Your contribution qualifies for the Arizona tax credit of up to $800 for donations to qualifying charitable organizations. Our code is 20450. We do not share or sell our donor information. Donations are welcome throughout the year.
Recent donations include:
Arthur J. and Diane Abbott, $100.
John Benet, $500.
Burghard Family Memorial Fund, $100.
Edward Espinoza, $100.
Delma Felton, $25.
Ruben and Irene Fernandez, $250.
Lenny Fieber, $100.
Franklin Family Fund, $500.
Kelly T. and Chris M. Goldsmith, $150.
Ellen Hartline, in memory of Marion and Kenneth Triem, $52.37.
Craig D. Horton, in memory of Harry F. Brauer, $50.
Michele Jerde, $100.
Burt and Nancy Kinerk, in memory of former camper Danny Kinerk, $100.
Dr. Lim Davis Lee, in memory of Helen Sundeen Rishel, $200.
Margaret R. Loghry, $200.
Gypsy and David Lyle, $208.54.
Jerome Moss, $100.
William Murray, $312.65.
Napier family, in loving memory of Marvin Napier, $200.
K. Annette Renner, $100.
Walt and Mary Louise Roberson, $200.
Carolyn G. Stewart, $50.
Caroline Tompkins, in memory of Abe Chanin, $208.54.
Drs. Wanda and James J. Torrey, in memory of Marilyn Billups and Irma Laskowski, $250.
Linda and Luis Vasquez, $100.
Joan Webb, $100.
One anonymous donation of $50. | https://tucson.com/news/local/your-send-a-kid-to-camp-donation-helps-you-on-your-taxes-tucson-area-kids/article_3ddcc93c-01a3-11ee-badf-274b6b7163de.html | 2023-06-04T13:55:10 | 0 | https://tucson.com/news/local/your-send-a-kid-to-camp-donation-helps-you-on-your-taxes-tucson-area-kids/article_3ddcc93c-01a3-11ee-badf-274b6b7163de.html |
A historic investment in public education appropriated $330 million for Idaho schools this year. There would be pay increases for teachers and additional funding to solve staffing shortages and better address the complicated needs of students in a post-COVID world.
It looked like an A+ for the Gem State.
But when the numbers were added up on the white board, they totaled $215 million, not $330 million, leaving nearly every school district across Idaho — including in the Magic Valley — facing a shortfall and scrambling to find funding to avoid losing positions.
There’s also this question left unanswered: Where’s the other $115 million?
“We’re not delivering on our promise,” Rep. Greg Lanting, R-Twin Falls, told the Times-News during a phone interview. “We promised $330 million, and districts like Twin Falls are having to lay people off. That’s not the objective I was hoping for.”
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Teachers won’t get their apple, either. At least not all of them. A Legislative Service Office budget analysis shows fewer teachers will receive long-sought raises — in Kimberly, for example, teachers voted against accepting more money to save positions that otherwise would be lost.
During a special session in September 2022, the Idaho Legislature passed House Bill 1, which included $330 million in new money for education and, in November, 80% of Idaho voters approved what would be the largest boost to education funding in state history.
Here’s the catch: The state has returned school funding to an attendance-based formula, ending almost three years of using an enrollment-based calculation, resulting in the reduced allocation of $215 million based on statewide staffing.
Idaho Superintendent of Public Instruction Debbie Critchfield made a statewide tour following the legislative session to meet with school administrations and talk about the funding disparity.
Enrollment would not be extended, she told them. But, conversations were ongoing to try and find a fix by June.
IDAHO DEMOCRATIC PARTY: While the nuances of school funding are complex, the bottom line is that schools deserve reliable adequate funding.
Districts were hopeful the State Board of Education would pass a rolling average rule to limit the reduction in average daily attendance to 97%.
That didn’t happen, and district budgets were required to be set.
According to a report from the Legislative Services Office Budget and Policy Analysis Division, 1,002 units across Idaho have been cut based on the new funding formula. Each teacher or counselor equals roughly 1.1 units, which means statewide, over 900 positions that were funded last year were not funded for the coming academic year.
Districts must decide now whether to pull money from other sources to keep those positions, or eliminate them.
The numbers released in the LSO report are estimates and could change as attendance numbers grow or shrink in each district or charter school.
Idaho House Speaker Mike Moyle and Rep. Wendy Horman, R-Idaho Falls, a member of the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee, did not respond to interview requests from the Times-News.
How will the funding shortfall impact school districts in the Magic Valley? Here’s what four superintendents told the Times-News.
Twin Falls
Twin Falls had 472 units funded by the state last year. That number will be 445 next year, leaving about 30 unfunded staff positions.
Of those positions, the district plans to cover between 15 to 20 by dipping into federal rainy day funds — but the others will go dark.
“Our class sizes are going to be bigger, our students will receive less individualized instruction and receive less support, because we just don’t have the funding from the state to fund all those positions that are so critical,” Eva Craner, the district’s public relations director, told the Times-News.
Much of the frustration for superintendents who spoke to the Times-News was, after HB1 authorized $330 million, that money was appropriated based on enrollment. But when it came time to distribute funding, the formula changed to be based on attendance.
“In a year with historic surpluses, we’re actually going to fund 1,000 fewer teachers and counselors in the state,” Twin Falls Superintendent Brady Dickinson told the Times-News. “They’ve made this historic investment in education, they’ve allocated the funds, but we can’t get to them, because of the switch back from enrollment to (attendance).”
While Dickinson is thankful for the $215 million that landed with schools, pointing out that the district’s increase in classified staff pay will help it address hard-to-fill positions, he’s concerned that fewer teachers and counselors are being funded during a time of growth in the state.
“During the legislative session, basically the message was, ’We’re going to fix this after the session,’” Dickinson said. “This money was promised, but it feels like there’s games being played.”
He added, “This falls on House leadership, in terms of not supporting the State Board in an effort to mitigate the losses due to the change back from enrollment to attendance.”
Kimberly
Down the road at the Kimberly School District, which includes about 2,000 students, Superintendent Luke Schroeder joined the other superintendents in expressing gratitude for the increase in teacher and classified staff pay.
“This was a reset that was needed. And the state has done yeoman’s work to increase teachers’ salaries,” Schroeder told the Times-News in a phone call. “In my 30 years, we have never seen salaries increasing at the level they are increasing.”
But ...
According to the LSO estimate, Kimberly will be funded for six fewer units next year and Schroeder said teachers and staff have voted to reduce promised pay increases to avoid losing those positions.
They are also spending one-time money out of reserves that was being saved as a hedge against rising insurance costs. With that money gone, Kimberly will have no option for next year, and no way to respond if its insurance company increases premiums.
“Like a lot of districts, we’ve kicked the can down the road,” Schroeder said. “If the state does not come through and provide us the $330 million like they said they would, we’re going to be at a cliff a year from now.”
Like Dickinson, Schroeder said he was given cause to believe the discrepancy would be addressed after the legislative session to minimize losses from a switch to average daily attendance.
If things had turned out as promised, with the full $330 million available to schools, Schroeder said the district could have added positions it had deemed to be urgently needed.
“These gains in education would have helped kids,” Schroeder said. “It’s not about helping the adults, this is about helping kids. If I have smaller class sizes, that’s going to help kids. If I have more support staff, that’s going to help kids. If I can actually hire somebody to drive the bus, that’s going to help kids.”
Like many districts post-pandemic, Kimberly has seen student behavior issues at unprecedented levels, Schroeder said. If not for the funding discrepancy, he said the district would have hired staff to deal specifically with behavior.
“At the end of the day, the state didn’t come through with what they not only said they were going to do, but what the voters approved … That’s what chaps me,” Schroeder said. “It’s not like the money’s not there, it’s not like there’s not a fix to this. They could fix it.”
Cassia County
The Cassia County Joint School District has a unique range of large and small schools, from 4A Burley to a number of small, rural schools in places such as Malta, Oakley and Declo.
The district has already drawn on discretionary money to fund school staff over what is paid for by the state. Superintendent Sandra Miller told the Times-News that helps them attract and retain teachers and staff for their rural settings.
This year’s funding formula puts even more pressure on the district to make staffing as lean as possible while still meeting goals for teacher-student ratio and providing adequate instructional opportunities.
“It is a substantial loss in funding for us,” Miller told the Times-News in a phone call. “As a result, we have really taken a hard look at our staffing.”
Despite state funding dropping by about 17 units from last year, the district has so far avoided workforce reductions, Miller said. But the district will not be filling positions left vacant “through retirement, attrition, movement.”
Miller had also gotten the impression that a fix would help smooth the shift from enrollment to average daily attendance, suggesting that even splitting the transition over two years would be better than getting it all at once.
Still, Miller commended Gov. Brad Little and the Legislature for putting schools at the top of their to-do list and increasing funding for teachers, classified staff and administrators.
“That helps us tremendously in the recruiting and retention of qualified excellent teachers,” she said. “But on the flip side, it has posed some challenges in budgeting for us, and the conversations at times have been painful.”
“I am confident they will fix it — I do believe the legislators individually are going to see the impact this is having on the whole state — I believe they’re going to see that and say, ‘We absolutely have to do something,’” Miller said. “Because I do believe they care deeply about the education of our students. And that makes all the difference in the world — a strong education system is going to create strong, healthy citizens — along with families.”
Wendell
Wendell School District Superintendent Tim Perrigot has a more sanguine take on the unanswered questions.
“We were all cognizant of the cards that are dealt to us, and we just had to figure out a way to make it work,” Perrigot told the Times-News.
Perrigot said the Wendell School Board voted to use money from the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund to cover the 4.61 units left unfunded by the state and will not have to make any reductions to personnel this year. The district will also be fully funding the state-approved pay raises for teachers and staff, and Perrigot is hopeful that come January, the Legislature will take supportive action.
Like other superintendents, Perrigot expressed gratitude for increased pay for teachers and classified staff, something most educators agree has been a long time coming.
“It seems like every year there’s a lot of stress put on finance folks in school districts, but things always seem to work out,” Perrigot said. “I think it’s because people recognize the importance of public education in Idaho and we have to find a way to fund our schools.” | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/idaho-set-aside-330m-for-schools-so-why-are-districts-short-on-cash-for-next/article_9d6401ba-00b1-11ee-a2a1-4f70f29c1cce.html | 2023-06-04T13:59:31 | 0 | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/idaho-set-aside-330m-for-schools-so-why-are-districts-short-on-cash-for-next/article_9d6401ba-00b1-11ee-a2a1-4f70f29c1cce.html |
TWIN FALLS — A five-minute-long video taken from inside the Twin Falls County Jail was in the spotlight of a Friday preliminary hearing involving three inmates accused of aggravated battery.
A point of contention was what it showed — and what it didn’t.
Prosecutors say people accused of the crime — Jose Ramirez, 35; Zachary Maestas, 26; and McKinnen Fuller, 22 — injured fellow inmate Charles Vaughn, kicking and stomping at him Feb. 12 while he was on the ground, and then cleaning the floor and walls to hide any evidence of blood caused by the fight.
In the end, Magistrate Judge Thomas Kershaw determined there was probable cause to have the defendants bound over to district court. Two other inmates face charges in the incident, but they didn’t have their hearings Friday.
The Friday hearing was a consolidated case. On the defendants’ side of the courtroom sat public defenders Clayne Zollinger, Preston Franzen and Michael Crawford, who each represented one of the defendants.
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Defense attorneys contended that Vaughn could have instigated the jail fight and pointed out that because of the security camera’s angle, the video doesn’t show Vaughn’s body that was presumably on the ground while inmates gathered around.
The 45-year-old Vaughn, looking dazed, is seen standing up at the end of the video.
Vaughn, who is awaiting an August trial on the charge of aggravated battery, testified that he couldn’t remember the incident, or how he got the bruises on his head or the cut lip that required stitches.
“I have no memory of what took place,” he said, and, upon further questioning said he doesn’t remember if he wanted to be involved in the fight.
The affidavit of probable cause completed when the criminal complaint was filed in February said that Vaughn didn’t want to talk to police after the fight, possibly because he was afraid for his safety, and the fight might have been gang-related, but those things were not brought up during the preliminary hearing.
Franzen said, however, that Vaughn might be saying he couldn’t remember the incident because he was afraid he would be disciplined for his involvement.
The fight went unnoticed for about six hours until another inmate told a jailer about it because he was concerned about Vaughn, Detention Deputy Jacob Malinka said.
Malinka reviewed security camera footage and discovered video of the incident.
Vaughn ended up being taken to the hospital.
Public defenders pointed out that Vaughn didn’t cry out for help during the incident.
But deputy prosecutor Sean Wynn said it “defies any logic” to believe Vaughn wasn’t hurt during the incident shown on video.
“They were stomping right where he was thrown,” Wynn said.
Even if Vaughn did start the fight, the actions of the defendants went far beyond self defense, he said.
To be found guilty of aggravated battery, Wynn said, it requires “great bodily injury,” and a jury will have to decide whether the injuries to Vaughn meet that standard.
Ramirez and Fuller were seen cleaning up the scene with rags after the fight. They were also charged with destruction of evidence. Maestas might also have that charge added, Wynn said.
But the video does not show what was on the floor and walls.
While Wynn said they were likely cleaning up possible blood from the fight, Franzen said it could have been something unrelated. | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/jail-fight-video-at-center-of-twin-falls-court-case/article_b7007d2a-0245-11ee-b580-a7f262f43a40.html | 2023-06-04T13:59:37 | 1 | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/jail-fight-video-at-center-of-twin-falls-court-case/article_b7007d2a-0245-11ee-b580-a7f262f43a40.html |
Cliff Lockhart attends a Memorial Day Ceremony on Monday at Sunset Memorial in Twin Falls.
DREW NASH, TIMES-NEWS
Warren "Shorty" Hinton listens to a prayer during a Memorial Day Ceremony on Monday at Sunset Memorial Cemetery in Twin Falls.
DREW NASH, TIMES-NEWS
Magic Valley High School graduate Kasey Hinton holds onto his tassel before changing for his graduation ceremony May 24 at Roper Auditorium in Twin Falls.
DREW NASH, TIMES-NEWS
Jerome's Audrey Farnsworth hangs out before graduation May 26 at Jerome High School.
DREW NASH, TIMES-NEWS
Jerome graduates attend their graduation ceremony May 26 at Jerome High School.
DREW NASH, TIMES-NEWS
Magic Valley High School graduates attend their graduation ceremony May 24 at Roper Auditorium in Twin Falls.
DREW NASH, TIMES-NEWS
Burley High School graduates wave to family and friends as they head to their seats during their graduation ceremony May 25 at Burley High School.
DREW NASH, TIMES-NEWS
Kimberly's Jace Hall pauses for a photo May 26 in front of Kimberly High School.
DREW NASH, TIMES-NEWS
Burley High School graduates attend their graduation ceremony May 25 at Burley High School.
DREW NASH, TIMES-NEWS
Jerome graduates attend their graduation ceremony May 26 at Jerome High School.
Magic Valley High School graduate Kasey Hinton holds onto his tassel before changing for his graduation ceremony May 24 at Roper Auditorium in Twin Falls. | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/memorial-day-and-graduations/article_d0a7ca9e-ffd4-11ed-ae14-7f28e463ceb7.html | 2023-06-04T13:59:43 | 1 | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/memorial-day-and-graduations/article_d0a7ca9e-ffd4-11ed-ae14-7f28e463ceb7.html |
CUMBERLAND COUNTY, Pa. — One person is dead after a multi-vehicle crash in Middlesex Township on Saturday evening.
Kody Tidd, 28, of Newville was pronounced dead at the scene by the Cumberland County Coroner.
Officials say Tidd was driving west on Route 944 when he lost control of his vehicle while coming up the hill at the intersection with Deer Lane.
After losing control of his vehicle, Tidd hit three other vehicles.
Police say Tidd was driving at a high speed at the time of the crash.
None of the other people involved in the crash were injured.
Middlesex Township Police Department is still investigating the crash. | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/cumberland-county/multi-vehicle-crash-leaves-1-dead-cumberland-county/521-1bb4e2bb-ed6b-48f8-a730-6e62a8ca6767 | 2023-06-04T14:04:43 | 1 | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/cumberland-county/multi-vehicle-crash-leaves-1-dead-cumberland-county/521-1bb4e2bb-ed6b-48f8-a730-6e62a8ca6767 |
INDIANAPOLIS — Becoming a homeowner is a dream for many Hoosiers.
However, some people worry that the dream will turn into a nightmare or may not even come true if property taxes don't get under control.
"It's driving people out of their homes," said Avon resident Rick Barr. "We've seen property taxes increase by 15 to 20%. I had a 12% increase in my property taxes. It went up almost $1,000 a year."
13News recently reported that some property taxes went up because the homes' assesses values rose.
But homeowners attending a rally at the Indiana Statehouse Saturday said state lawmakers need to do more to keep the costs down.
"The problem with Indiana Legislature is they're not taking this seriously and they don't seem to care. It's a real burden on the Indiana property taxpayer," Barr said.
A large portion of property taxes fund public schools, police and fire services, roads, courts and local government. But the Hoosiers in attendance said they need help, too.
"This is economic distress being put on people, especially people drawing social security living on a limited income," Barr said. "You can't plan. You can't afford to continue to pay the kind of increases we've been seeing. There needs to be some real tax relief for all people, especially for senior citizens."
Barr and others in attendance said they worry about what will happen if they don't get the relief they're looking for.
"You're never going to be comfortable because you're always going to have to worry about if you're going to have to move out of your home," said Barr.
More than a dozen bills relating to property tax relief were introduced in this year's state legislative session, but none made it to a committee vote.
When it comes to property tax bills in Marion and Madison counties, homeowners have until June 15 to appeal their home's assessed value with their county auditor. | https://www.wthr.com/article/news/local/group-concerned-rising-property-taxes-holds-indiana-statehouse-rally/531-9d38411d-17ba-414e-8dd7-f1b062b2f7e1 | 2023-06-04T14:24:41 | 1 | https://www.wthr.com/article/news/local/group-concerned-rising-property-taxes-holds-indiana-statehouse-rally/531-9d38411d-17ba-414e-8dd7-f1b062b2f7e1 |
CAPE MAY — The East Lynne Theater Company has started raising money to begin renovations at the former AME Church on Franklin Street, with hopes of opening for the 2024 season.
The theater company on Monday announced a 25-year lease with the city for the building, which dates to the 1850s. The former church already needed renovation after a fire damaged the interior, steeple and bell tower.
The estimated cost is $700,000.
The city purchased the former church in 2021, reportedly with the support of members of the congregation of the historically Black church, one of several properties significant to Cape May’s Black history in that neighborhood.
The church is close to the former Franklin Street School, once the city’s segregated school that is now slated to become the new local branch of the Cape May County Library, and around the corner from the Harriet Tubman Museum on Lafayette Street, which had been in serious disrepair. That building had been the home of the pastor of the Macedonia Baptist Church for decades, set in a block that was a center of abolitionist activity before the Civil War.
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The theater company plans to renovate the building and use it as a theater. For more than 20 years, the company has performed in the First Presbyterian Church of Cape May. Susan Tischler, president of the theater’s board of trustees, told City Council the theater company loves the church but has to take down the sets each week to make way for Sunday services and has to be ready for the church to be used for funerals and weddings.
The new site will allow the theater company more freedom in set design and more options in the plays it chooses.
Founded in 1980, East Lynne Theater specializes in presenting historic or forgotten American plays.
CAPE MAY — A final vote is planned for a deal to put the long-vacant Allen AME church on Fra…
Another theater company, Cape May Stage, also operates under a long-term lease in a former church owned by the city. The Lafayette Street property was renovated after a fundraising campaign brought in more than $1 million, after signing a 25-year lease in 2004.
Mayor Zack Mullock has pointed out in public discussions of the East Lynne plan that some of the city’s iconic organizations have long-term agreements for city property, giving nonprofits an affordable place to work while offering programs the city could not afford to present.
That includes the Nature Center of Cape May, a New Jersey Audubon location overlooking Cape May Harbor at 1600 Delaware Ave., and Cape May MAC, which restored the Emlen Physick Estate, originally built in 1879.
“East Lynne has been offered an incredible opportunity to expand our performance space, as well as our audiences, through use of this beautiful building,” said Craig Fols, artistic director. “However, the real privilege is being trusted with protecting and sustaining the historical significance of this great building and the Black community in Cape May.”
The church is listed as a national historic landmark, according to the theater company.
As part of the agreement with the city, East Lynne obliged to maintain the building and allow public access when theater productions are not scheduled. That could include city-sponsored events, officials said when the contract was discussed this month.
“We are tremendously thrilled and proud to have been entrusted with preserving this great building,” said Fols. “We look forward to its reopening and showing residents and tourists just what this structure means to Cape May.”
After the renovations are complete, the theater hopes to renovate the church organ, and to incorporate it into future productions.
The employment history of actress, director and playwright Gayle Stahlhuth has included ever…
Not everyone supports the plan. As council considered an ordinance approving the long-term lease at a recent meeting, resident Jules Rauch said the agreement differed from other leases in that it requires the city to cover some expenses and contribute to others.
“I don’t believe that obligation should be put on the city,” he said.
Other residents raised questions about a proposed expansion of the building. Mullock said the proposal would go through the same approval process as other construction projects, and that the theater company would pay for it.
City attorney Christopher Gillin-Schwartz said the agreement would allow the building to be restored while providing space for the theater company.
“When this was presented to me, it wasn’t Universal Studies or Paramount Pictures with boatloads of money. This is a local nonprofit that was looking for a home, emphasis on nonprofit,” he told council.
This year, East Lynne will continue its season at the First Presbyterian Church of Cape May at 500 Hughes St. and work over the winter to open the 2024 season at AME at 717 Franklin St.
For more information, visit eastlynnetheater.org. | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/cape-may-theater-company-raising-funds-to-renovate-former-church/article_5ace4ee6-00b1-11ee-8630-43cc862cfc42.html | 2023-06-04T14:40:14 | 0 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/cape-may-theater-company-raising-funds-to-renovate-former-church/article_5ace4ee6-00b1-11ee-8630-43cc862cfc42.html |
23-year-old man drowns at Monroe County beach
Myesha Johnson
The Detroit News
A 23-year-old Toledo man drowned at a Monroe County beach Saturday evening.
The Monroe County Sheriff's Office received a call around 6 p.m. reporting a man had disappeared under water at Milan Beach on Cone Road in Milan Township.
The Monroe County Sheriff's Office Dive Team searched for the man and recovered the body from the water shortly after 8 p.m.
mjohnson@detroitnews.com | https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan/2023/06/04/23-year-old-drowns-at-monroe-county-beach/70286138007/ | 2023-06-04T15:05:15 | 0 | https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan/2023/06/04/23-year-old-drowns-at-monroe-county-beach/70286138007/ |
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The Texas Tech Centennial Celebration Mobile Tour wrapped up its road-trip around Texas in Midland recently at The Tailgate.
Permian Basin alumni and fans showed up wearing their Texas Tech gear to take pictures with the 80-foot scarlet and black 100 “billboard” on wheels that was parked in the open field.
Plenty of Texas Tech swag was also on hand for those in attendance to take home. Midland was the last stop on the Mobile Tour that traveled all over the state, including stops in front of the Texas Capitol, the Houston rodeo, and the TTU School of Veterinarian Medicine in Amarillo. The event was hosted by the Texas Tech Alumni association. | https://www.mrt.com/news/local/article/texas-tech-centennial-celebration-midland-18131431.php | 2023-06-04T15:08:28 | 0 | https://www.mrt.com/news/local/article/texas-tech-centennial-celebration-midland-18131431.php |
ORLANDO, Fla. – After a brutal one-two punch last year, Central Florida is hoping for the best as the 2023 hurricane season gets underway.
From catastrophic flooding to severe beach erosion, people are still dealing with the impacts and damage caused by hurricanes Ian and Nicole.
News 6 Chief Meteorologist Tom Sorrells joined anchor Justin Warmoth on “The Weekly” to reflect on the lessons learned from last season and what an El Niño weather pattern could mean for potential hurricanes over the next six months.
“Any time we get the El Niño going in the Pacific, the wind shear across the Gulf and across North America slows down development,” Sorrells said. “That’s because it rips off the tops of the storms and keeps them from developing. That’s all well and good, but it doesn’t stop every storm.”
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One storm that El Niño didn’t stop was Hurricane Andrew in 1992 — a hurricane season that had just seven named storms.
That’s why, even though it’s a cliché, we often use the phrase “it only takes one” during hurricane season.
“It’s a cliché because it’s true,” Sorrells said.
As Sorrells embarks on his 23rd hurricane season in Central Florida, he says messaging will be a major focus. While important tools in forecasting a storm’s projected path, viewers — and journalists alike — often get too caught up with the forecast cone and spaghetti models.
“Just because the cone doesn’t take you in, doesn’t mean you’re not going to have impacts,” Sorrells said. “And just because the black line goes north of you, doesn’t guarantee your roof isn’t going to be damaged or come off.”
The category of a hurricane is also a popular barometer for how seriously someone takes a storm and whether they plan to evacuate or take the necessary precautions, but Sorrells wants to stress wind speeds don’t reveal the full scope of what a storm will bring.
“Almost always, and this was driven home last season, it’s the water — not the wind — that takes you away,” he said. “If you get a foot of water moving at 3 to 5 mph, it has the impact of, like, an F5 tornado. It’ll rip your house right off the foundation and carry it away. It’ll take your car away. It’ll take you away. Flowing water is the scary thing.”
Whether it’s an active season or a slow one, Sorrells says the bottom line in keeping yourself safe is preparation.
“Prepare for the worst and you ought to be able to make it,” he said. “It’s not like an earthquake that hits out of the blue. It’s not like a tornado that strikes, and you don’t get enough warning. You will know a couple of days or three or five days out that you’re at risk. Get your water ready. Get your medicines ready. Have your plan set.”
Watch the full interview in the video player above.
You can listen to every episode of Florida’s Fourth Estate in the media player below: | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2023/06/04/news-6-chief-meteorologist-tom-sorrells-talks-2023-hurricane-season-lessons-learned-from-last-year/ | 2023-06-04T15:21:25 | 1 | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2023/06/04/news-6-chief-meteorologist-tom-sorrells-talks-2023-hurricane-season-lessons-learned-from-last-year/ |
SAN ANTONIO — A victim in a car accident was pinned inside their vehicle following the crash near downtown.
It happened around 2:40 a.m. Sunday on I-37 at Cesar Chavez Boulevard.
According to the patrol officer, a single vehicle was traveling south on IH-37 when it crashed. Firefighters had to cut one person from the vehicle and they were taken to the hospital in serious condition.
No information was provided as to whether it was a man or a woman.
We do know there was at least one other person inside the car, and they were not injured.
No other Injuries were reported and no other details were provided.
Police had the area blocked off while crews worked the incident.
This is a developing story.
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Want to get in touch with someone at KENS 5? You can send a message using our Contacts page or email one of our team members. | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/victim-in-serious-condition-after-being-pinned-inside-vehicle-following-crash-sapd-safd-san-antonio-texas/273-1532374c-c7c9-4d08-a84f-ceeae8483cc0 | 2023-06-04T15:24:20 | 0 | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/victim-in-serious-condition-after-being-pinned-inside-vehicle-following-crash-sapd-safd-san-antonio-texas/273-1532374c-c7c9-4d08-a84f-ceeae8483cc0 |
CEDAR FALLS — Tickets are on sale for The Courier’s annual Eight Over 80 Awards event.
For the 13th year, The Courier will honor eight remarkable individuals who are 80 or older and who in their own way have spent their lives demonstrating leadership. These honorees have made a difference and set examples in their careers and lives, continuing to contribute now and in the past to our community’s well-being.
This year’s honorees are:
- Rex Boatman, 97, Waterloo
- David Buck, 80, Waterloo
- Mary Ann Burk, 80, Waterloo
- Herstine Ferguson, 85, Waterloo
- Jerry & Joann Kramer, 85 and 80 respectively, Cedar Falls
- Chuck Lane, 81, Waterloo
- Catherine Wieck, 92, Dysart
- Barbara Zemke, 86, Waverly
The recognition ceremony and luncheon take place June 28 at the Diamond Event Center, 5307 Caraway Lane, Cedar Falls.
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Tickets are $20 and are available online at go.wcfcourier.com/8over80. Deadline for ordering tickets is June 18.
Sponsors are Western Home Communities, the Community Foundation of Northeast Iowa and Cedar Valley Hospice. | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/2023-eight-over-80-honorees-announced-event-tickets-now-available/article_e91c13dc-0092-11ee-87e8-d3f137f4f44a.html | 2023-06-04T15:29:32 | 0 | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/2023-eight-over-80-honorees-announced-event-tickets-now-available/article_e91c13dc-0092-11ee-87e8-d3f137f4f44a.html |
WATERLOO — A funding boost from the Environmental Protection Agency for cleanup of a former Rath meatpacking property will be marked Thursday while a business holds a ribbon cutting for an expansion project nearby.
EPA Region 7 will present a $642,400 ceremonial grant check to the city at 10:30 a.m. near the Crystal Cold Storage site at 1656 Sycamore St. In conjunction, the company will be celebrating the opening of its new refrigerated facility, designed in part to replace the aging Rath building.
By moving into this 100,000-square-foot cold storage warehouse on the former Rath site, the company continues to become more state-of-the-art and can operate the facility on one level. This $21 million investment is the latest in a number of expansions for Crystal Cold.
“We’ve had a really good partnership with the city since 1985 when we first moved into the Rath building, and with the help of the city we’ve been able to continually expand and are looking forward to future growth,” Tom Poe, Crystal Cold president, said in a news release.
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The EPA selected the city of Waterloo for cleanup at the former Rath buildings property at 1442 Sycamore St., a site that is contaminated with metals, polychlorinated biphenyls, and inorganic contaminants.
The federal grant is supported by President Joe Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which provides a total of $1.5 billion to advance environmental justice, spur economic revitalization, and create jobs by cleaning up contaminated, polluted, or hazardous brownfield properties.
“We are strongly encouraged by the partnership between the EPA and the city of Waterloo to impact business growth and development through this sizeable grant, said Mayor Quentin Hart in the release. “To see renewed activity in the historic Rath neighborhood will help ensure the area is environmentally sound, produce more jobs and expand Crystal’s business footprint. A win for all involved.”
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Chinese state media recently reported a rare event in China's Sichuan province: surveillance cameras captured footage of a unique giant panda … | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/government-and-politics/federal-grant-expansion-of-crystal-cold-storage-marked-thursday/article_97b97ee8-0232-11ee-a84f-bf2be88e7890.html | 2023-06-04T15:29:39 | 1 | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/government-and-politics/federal-grant-expansion-of-crystal-cold-storage-marked-thursday/article_97b97ee8-0232-11ee-a84f-bf2be88e7890.html |
100 years ago
1923: Upon returning from the exercises Decoration day, the old veterans gathered at the hospitable home of Sheriff and Mrs. W.A. Campbell. They were the surviving members of Ransom Post, G.A.R., and had with them as their honored guest Dr. G.F. Manning, Sr. Here greetings and anecdotes were exchanged and remembrances of the days of '61 to '65 were indulged in, as they can only be on such rare occasions. Soon they were invited into the dining room for good things to eat, winding up with strawberry sherbet and cake. Covers were laid for Dr. G.F. Manning, Sr., Judge S.B. Gilliland, Messrs. W.H. Pierce, J.C. Milligan, Tom Lockett and Ben Doney. After the social hour many expressions of thanks were offered the hostess for the enjoyable entertainment and as the goodbyes were said, each was presented with a white lily as a favor.
A real estate deal of more than usual importance was made a few days ago, Mrs. L.R. Hall having bought the four lots at the corner of Leroux and Aspen, directly across the street west of the Arizona Central bank. This is one of the most valuable corners in Flagstaff. Mrs. Hall is not quite ready to announce how the property will be improved, but it will be, and very soon, at the rate not later than next year. Mrs. Hall will either build a modern hotel or modern apartment building on the corner, covering the entire four lots. She is at present managing the Weatherford hotel, which she leases from John W. Weatherford, and has made it a mighty comfortable, home-like and popular place.
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75 years ago
1948: The Blue Cross Hospital Plan is now available at Flagstaff Hospital to residents of this area, Dr. C.W. Sechrist said this week. Membership may be secured through employment-groups, such as a group of the employees of a store or other business.
Flagstaff’s city water is being falsely accused of causing outbreaks of gastroenteritis and other intestinal diseases, W.E. Stanfill, sanitarian of the Coconino County health service, stated today. Residents here received water from certified sources, subject to exhaustive state laboratory testing, and in every test local water has been declared absolutely safe for human consumption. The health service has made studies that indicate most of the trouble comes during the warmer spring and summer months, which bring with them flies and other sources of the disease (coli-aerogenes bacteria.) Rather than blaming the water supply, residents should make certain that all food is handled under only the cleanest, most sanitary conditions, especially during the danger period now at hand.
50 years ago
1973: Coconino County’s population could nearly double in the next seven years. This is the projection of a recent population study done by the Battelle Memorial Institute and the Arizona Department of Economic Planning. It projects a county population of 70,000 by 1980. If the figures hold up, this would mean a 43.8% gain. Coconino County’s 1970 population of 43,326 represented a gain of 6,469 residents over a census taken in 1960.
Flagstaff must be ready to meet the challenges despite its temporary “lame duck” administration. The city’s manager resigned last week on the heels of the departure of his assistant and city clerk. As such, some officials might be ready to accept the “first names on the line” as possible replacements for the two vacancies. This must not be allowed to happen. City council should conduct its search nationwide to find the two executives who can best meet the challenges that Flagstaff offers. Now is the time for a strong, positive and forward-thinking administration. There is a need for a stronger coordination of all city operations. Flagstaff is no longer the small town of yesteryear. It is rather a vibrant and growing community operating under a budget which this year will exceed $9 million. The new manager and his assistant must be ready to help direct this growth. They must exhibit teamwork to get the job done.
25 years ago
1998: The stylized gas pumps didn’t make the cut. But two other outdoor art projects to be installed along Route 66 at a cost of $100,000 won the greenlight from the Flagstaff City Council last night on a surprise 4-2 vote. “Of course, we’re extremely excited,” said Dolly Spalding, head of Flagstaff Public Arts Advisory Committee. The swing vote came from Councilmember John Cavolo, who at the council’s Monday night work session had indicated he opposed the public art as too expensive in a lean budget year.
Several public art supporters spoke Monday in favor of approving the two pieces: 12 monoliths that represent the months and seasons of the year, and three freestanding bronze sculptures from 10 to 14 feet high. A handful more appeared at the city council meeting Tuesday night, with most people urging Council to move forward.
In deep-hued velvet blouses and pleated silk skirts, soft-brown moccasins and turquoise conch belts, about 75 Navajo people walked about 1 ½ miles Monday in memory of the 300-mile Long Walk their ancestors made in 1864. The commemorative walk along Butler Avenue was part of a daylong ceremony to mark the 130th anniversary of the signing of the Navajo-U.S. Treaty of 1868 and the first day the original document was on display at Northern Arizona University. Most of the walkers, some of whom were non-Indians, said they felt favorable about the treaty’s return to Arizona and were upbeat during the event, talking easily among themselves and waving at people on the sidelines. But some questioned what the treaty had actually done for the Navajo.
(Full text of United States-Navajo Treaty of 1868 printed in June 02, 1998 Daily Sun; page 6.)
Susan Johnson has lived in Flagstaff for over 30 years and loves to delve into her adopted hometown’s past. She has written two books for the History Press, Haunted Flagstaff and Flagstaff’s Walkup Family Murders, and, with her son Nick, manages Freaky Foot Tours. You’ll find her hiking the trails with her corgi, Shimmer.
All events were taken from issues of the Arizona Daily Sun and its predecessors, the Coconino Weekly Sun and the Coconino Sun. | https://azdailysun.com/news/local/flagstaff-history-city-water-declared-safe-for-residents-after-false-accusations/article_91d89bd2-00e6-11ee-98b2-af0d9b2acfac.html | 2023-06-04T15:30:13 | 0 | https://azdailysun.com/news/local/flagstaff-history-city-water-declared-safe-for-residents-after-false-accusations/article_91d89bd2-00e6-11ee-98b2-af0d9b2acfac.html |
MICHIGAN CITY — Michigan City Area Schools is participating in the Summer Food Service Program.
Free meals will be made available to all children 18 and under and to persons over 18 years who are enrolled in a state-approved educational program for the mentally or physically disabled.
Free meals will be provided to all children without charge and are the same for all children. Children must be present to receive their meals. There will be no discrimination in the course of the meal service.
Free meals will be provided at the sites and times as follows:
OPEN SITES – (Meals available to all children 18 years of age and younger)
Cleveland Park (300 Cleveland Ave.) June 5 – July 21: No breakfast; lunch 12-12:20 p.m. Closed July 4.
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Garden Estates West (909 Pine Tree Court) June 5 – July 21: No breakfast; lunch 10:45 – 11:05 a.m. Closed July 4.
Green Acres (Ind. 212) June 5 – July 21: No breakfast; lunch 12:20–12:40 p.m. Closed July 4.
Joe Hawkins Park (1501 W 8th St., June 5 – July 21: No breakfast; lunch 11-11:20 a.m. Closed July 4.
Knapp Elementary School (321 Bolka Ave.) June 5 – July 21: breakfast 8:30 – 9 a.m.; lunch 12-12:30 p.m. Closed June 19 and July 4.
Lake Hills Elementary School (201 Ferguson) June 1 – June 30: breakfast 8-8:45 a.m.; lunch 12-12:30 p.m. Closed June 19 and July 4.
Michigan City High School (8466 Pahs Road) June 1 – June 30: breakfast 7:15 – 7:45 a.m.; lunch 11:30 – 12 p.m. Closed June 19 and July 4.
Tall Timbers (3065 Springland Ave.) June 5 – July 21: No breakfast; lunch 11:45 – 12:05 p.m. Closed July 4.
Weatherstone Village (1100 W US 20) June 5 – July 21: No breakfast; lunch 11:20 – 11:40 a.m. Closed July 4.
Woodland Crossing (300 Woods Edge Drive.) June 5 – July 21: No breakfast; lunch 12:35 – 12:55 p.m. Closed July 4.
YMCA (1202 Spring St., Door L) June 5 – July 21: breakfast 8:30 – 9 a.m.; lunch 11:45 – 12:15 p.m. Closed July 4.
ENROLLED SITES – (Meals available to children 18 years of age or younger who are enrolled in programs at these sites)
A.K. Smith Career Center (817 Lafayette St.) June 5 – June 9: breakfast 8–8:30 a.m.; lunch 11:15 – 11:45 a.m.
Boys & Girls Club (321 Detroit St.) June 12 – July 21: breakfast 8-9 a.m.; lunch 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Closed July 4.
Knapp Elementary (321 Bolka Ave.) June 5 – July 14: breakfast 8-8:30 a.m.; lunch 11:30 – 12 p.m. Closed June 19 and July 4.
Lake Hills Elementary School, MC Parks & Rec; City Kids Day Camp (201 Ferguson), June 5 – July 28: Breakfast 8-8:45 a.m.,; lunch 11:30 a.m.- 12 p.m. Closed June 19 and July 4, 2023
Madeline Smrt Center (301 Grant St.), June 5 – July 14: Breakfast 8-8:15 a.m.; lunch 11-11:30 a.m. Closed June 19 and July 4.
Michigan City Police Department (1201 E. Michigan Blvd.) June 19 – June 23: Breakfast 8:30- 9 a.m.; lunch 12:15 – 12:45 p.m.
Pentecostal Temple (2722 Wabash St.) June 19 – June 23: Breakfast 8- 8:15 a.m.; lunch 11:30 a.m. – 12 p.m.
For further information contact Nicole Santana, Director of Food Service Operations, at 219- 873-2131, or 1100 S. Woodland Avenue, Michigan City, IN 46360.
In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.
Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at 202- 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at 800-877-8339.
To file a program discrimination complaint, a complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ad-3027.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling 866-632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA.
The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation.
The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by mail to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; fax at 833-256-1665 or 202-690-7442; or email at Program.Intake@usda.gov | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/michigan-city-schools-announce-food-service-area-sites/article_f168878c-0097-11ee-95d8-9b0ebb20fd74.html | 2023-06-04T15:43:53 | 1 | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/michigan-city-schools-announce-food-service-area-sites/article_f168878c-0097-11ee-95d8-9b0ebb20fd74.html |
PORTAGE — Over the past year, Robert Parkhurst has seen demand for electric vehicles at Garber Chevrolet "skyrocket."
Parkhurst, Garber's commercial fleet manager, said the Highland car dealership is trying to "get ahead of the curve," making sure they have enough EVs on the lot and installing an EV charging station.
"We have demand for them, people are ordering them, people are asking about them, but has been very, very slow to get the batteries."
Garber said the entire EV supply chain is gummed up. He has been working to install a charging station for eight months, but delayed materials has kept progress slow.
With billions of dollars of federal funding going toward establishing EV infrastructure in the coming years, EV materials will likely become even more of a hot commodity.
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With a future that's looking more and more electric, Carl Lisek wants the Region to be ready.
"We want to get ahead of the game because we know that there's a lot of build-out already taking place without these federal funds," the executive director of Drive Clean Indiana said. "We want to see our area facilitate electric mobility and electric charging."
Of the 750,000 light-duty vehicles sporting Indiana plates, Lisek said 0.1% are electric. However, electric vehicles are steadily growing in popularity. According to the International Energy Agency, sales of electric cars reached a record high in 2021, bringing the number of electric vehicles on the road to 16.5 million. The IEA also estimated that in 2022, 13% of new cars sold would be electric, although that prediction has not been confirmed.
The Net Zero Emissions by 2050 Scenario, which shows the global energy sector achieving net-zero CO2 emissions by 2050, would require electric vehicles to make up 60% of new-car sales by 2030, according to the IEA.
In an effort to reach this goal, the U.S. Department of Energy will invest $5 billion in EV infrastructure through the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula Program. The goal is to create a nationwide network of 500,000 EV chargers by 2030.
In addition, Indiana won $40.9 million through the federal Volkswagen Environmental Mitigation Trust. The trust is the result of a $2.9 billion settlement made by Volkswagen, which admitted violating the Clean Air Act by cheating on federal emissions tests.
So far, Lisek estimated that 70% of Indiana's Volkswagen settlement money has gone to Northwest Indiana because of the Green Fleet Program. It helps local municipalities transition to alternative fuels and it administered by South Shore Clean Cities and the Northwest Indiana Regional Planning Commission.
There are 412 public charging stations scattered across Indiana. LaPorte County is home to 12, Porter County has 13, and Lake County has 47. Before the end of the year, Lipsek said several new stations will be installed by NIPSCO.
As the "Crossroads of America," the Hoosier state will play a key role in creating a reliable alternative-fuel corridor. Charging stations will continue to be installed along many of the state's major highways.
"We're being told 'Electric is coming,' we're seeing all these commitments from all the major auto manufacturers, so how do we get ready for this onslaught?" Lisek asked. "How do we plan for the future?"
Crafting an effective plan was the goal of an EV boot camp hosted Wednesday by Drive Clean Indiana and NIRPC. Residents, electricians, car dealers, business owners and city officials gathered to learn more about available resources and to discuss EV regulations.
One of the biggest issues with EV standards and zoning regulations is that "there just aren't many," Lisek explained.
Because the EV industry is advancing so quickly, most local governments have not adopted uniform ordinances addressing things like required signage at charging stations, EV etiquette and stormwater requirements around chargers.
Lisek raised several questions, among them: What is the maximum amount of time a car should be allowed to charge? What should standard charging fees be? Who is liable if a charging station is damaged? What local codes to charging stations have to meet?
Participants were asked to share their thoughts on proposed EV charging station ordinance by the end of June. Drive Clean Indiana hopes to create a blueprint with different EV standards and regulations by this fall.
“We want to lead by example," Lisek said. "We want to lead Northwest Indiana and lead the rest of our state."
Going electric could make a big difference in the Region, where a recent inventory on greenhouse gas revealed that transportation accounts for much of Northwest Indiana's emissions.
The majority, 83.5%, of the Region's emissions come from industry, but transportation makes up 12.3% of the remainder. Without industry, transportation accounts for 74% of Northwest Indiana's greenhouse gas emissions.
Nationally, transportation accounted for 27% of greenhouse gas emissions in 2020, while industry made up 25%.
Lowering transportation emissions would improve quality of life and reduce health disparities.
“We need to think big, we need to think about the future of our communities," Lisek said. | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/porter/portage/crossroads-of-green-america-drive-clean-indiana-wants-region-to-be-a-leader-in-electric/article_f329edb4-0159-11ee-aafd-7f800a47a0d8.html | 2023-06-04T15:43:59 | 0 | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/porter/portage/crossroads-of-green-america-drive-clean-indiana-wants-region-to-be-a-leader-in-electric/article_f329edb4-0159-11ee-aafd-7f800a47a0d8.html |
Words Matter is one of the mottos at the child language center and preschool, Wings On Words. When walking through the midtown Tucson school, each classroom gets a little louder as the children get older. The “crescendo of noise” is what the staff wants to hear, Director Carole Wymer Jensen said.
Scottish Rite-UA Wings On Words Preschool at the Child Language Center (WOW/CLC) is a unique program with a research center, preschool and clinician’s office all directed toward helping children with speech delays and disorders acquire language. The program started more than 30 years ago at the Scottish Rite Cathedral, where it grew from a summer camp to a preschool. In 2000, with the help of their continued collaborator, the Scottish Rite Charitable Foundation, they turned a former Cluck U Chicken building into one of the top-rated preschools in the state.
Many children come to the program with few words or completely nonverbal, Wymer Jensen said, and by the time a child is 2½ years old they should have substantially more words.
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“Parents are coming and saying, ‘Oh my gosh, they told me I love you and I understood it, it was clear,’" Wymer Jensen said. “That matters to people, it matters to us.”
Early childhood education is important; most of a child’s brain development happens from birth to 5 years old. According to the National Education Association, children enrolled in early childhood education programs are less likely to repeat a grade, more academically prepared for later grades, more likely to graduate high school and become higher earners in the workforce.
Dropout rates have steadily decreased since 1970, according to an Institute of Education Sciences report. However, it found that in 2016, students in the lowest income quartile had the highest dropout rate at about 10% compared to the highest income quartile at about 3%. In 2021, Pima County had a graduation rate of 70.7%, the lowest in the state. Studies show that early childhood education can help raise those numbers.
Developmental language disorders are prevalent, Wymer Jensen said. It’s estimated that one in 15 children have developmental language disorders and most of them go undiagnosed.
While the school also accepts children without speech deficits, about 60% of WOW students require speech-language therapy sessions. These services are provided in individual and group sessions by speech therapists and University of Arizona graduate students through the preschool’s affiliation with the university’s Department of Speech Language and Hearing Sciences. In the fall, the program will also become a lab school for Pima Community College’s early childhood educators.
Additionally, the trained teaching staff and speech-language pathologist assistants implement speech-language focused lesson plans throughout the school day.
When Sabrina Chapman, a WOW/CLC parent, realized her son wasn’t speaking she enrolled him in weekly speech therapy sessions but said he wasn’t progressing the way she hoped. As she searched for other options, Chapman found WOW/CLC. He was 2½ at the time and completely nonverbal but Chapman said after five months at the school he was saying and stringing words together.
“I feel like he’s going to get to kindergarten and be, you know, he’ll be teaching the teachers," Chapman said. “I think he’s absolutely more prepared above and beyond than I ever could have hoped for.”
Chapman drives almost 30 minutes to WOW/CLC, at 202 E. Speedway Blvd., for her son but says it’s worth it in part because of the program’s curriculum and community of teachers.
'Tools to succeed'
Candy Kennelly has worked at WOW/CLC for 22 years. In an industry with a high turnover rate, she said she’s stayed with WOW because her heart is with this population of kids.
Kennelly said she’s observed changes in students' language abilities firsthand as a result of WOW/CLC’s teaching strategies. Language is incorporated into every subject, she said, including math and science. The teachers also engage in dialogic reading, where they ask questions and have conversations with the children, making them think analytically and talk as they read.
“You say, 'tell me about your picture.' So, at the beginning of the year, some kids will give you one word because expressive language is so low,” Kennelly said. “And at the end of the year, now, I was getting paragraphs."
Kennelly said she’s stayed connected with many of her students and their families over the years, she even hikes with a former student once a month. The former president of the WOW/CLC board, Peter Reinthal’s son Reed Reinthal, is one of those students.
Reinthal’s son was diagnosed with a severe speech delay when he was a toddler. Frustrated with services provided within the school system, Reinthal took him to a specialist at UCLA who told him his son would never speak. When they found WOW/CLC his son thrived, Reinthal said. He is now 27 years old and a college graduate.
“You really see the development so much more quickly from all of the attention and all the work here, but it also gives them the tools to succeed," Reinthal said. “That’s what you really want as a parent, is your kids to be happy and successful, and without words, it’s hard to do either one.”
Improving access
As foundational as early childhood education is, it’s not accessible to everyone. In Arizona, public school eligibility starts at age 5, and although Tucson offers some free and reduced-priced programs, the average private preschool costs up to $10,800 a year. This leaves the burden of finding and paying for school to parents, putting many low-income children at a disadvantage.
WOW/CLC wants to increase its equity, diversity and inclusivity, Reinthal said, and offering financial aid and support is an important part of the program. Seventy percent of the students at Wings On Words receive some sort of scholarship and 30% of that 70% receive a full scholarship, director Wymer Jensen said. She and the board raise money for scholarships and write grants; the program has received support from the state, Pima County, Scottish Rite and First Things First through their five-star Quality First Arizona ranking and from the community to provide scholarships.
“We want to get more community involvement,” Reinthal said. “It’s often kids who come from more difficult family situations, they don’t know about the school, they don’t know about the resources that are available.”
To maintain their five-star status rating the school needs to be regimented. Julia Chavez Sullivan found the program through Quality First Arizona. Her son attends WOW/CLC and although he does not have speech delays, Sullivan said she’s liked their high standards and research-based curriculum. However, she said some of their rigid policies, like a strict start time where a child can’t be brought in anytime after 8:40 a.m., are not always parent-friendly. Sullivan said while she’s been happy at the school and understands the importance of structure, the rigidity of the program may not be for every family.
Wymer Jensen said WOW/CLC is a small program that can fill a small need. Forty percent of the program’s revenue comes from individual donors and grants, Wymer Jensen said they would love to expand the program but are currently at capacity. In the meantime, they’re part of a grant where they train other preschool programs and teachers on language facilitation techniques so that all programs can do the things they do.
“If you intentionally teach speech and language and early literacy skills, children are successful,” Wymer Jesen said.
To learn more about Wings On Words at the Child Language Center visit clctucson.org.
Contact reporter Christine Holtgreive at choltgreiv@tucson.com. On twitter: @christineholtgr | https://tucson.com/news/local/education/this-tucson-preschool-helps-children-with-speech-disorders-thrive/article_a6d4e68a-0172-11ee-b0fd-8342141be113.html | 2023-06-04T15:52:32 | 0 | https://tucson.com/news/local/education/this-tucson-preschool-helps-children-with-speech-disorders-thrive/article_a6d4e68a-0172-11ee-b0fd-8342141be113.html |
The following is the opinion and analysis of the writer:
Each summer, my family takes advantage of our children's break from school to embark on a road trip. As much as I look forward to this tradition, an unwelcome visitor often sneaks along for the ride: workplace stress. I try everything in my power to leave it behind, but some years it sucks the joy right out of what should be a time of restful connection.
I first experienced this phenomenon years ago while teaching at an alternative school for 17- to 21-year-olds. Our unique student body often faced challenges like homelessness, substance abuse, and community violence. I treated each obstacle like a stone, asking students how I could help carry their load, then dutifully scooping that stone into my arms.
By the time May rolled around, the accumulated weight of these traumas was immense and exhausting. Then, on the night before graduation, I received news that a beloved former student had been killed. This wasn’t just another stone; it was a boulder, and I was utterly crushed. When my husband and I left for our road trip the following week, I couldn’t stop thinking about this devastating news and the difficult school year. I finally admitted the truth. I was struggling.
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At the time, I didn’t know there was a name for this experience: secondary traumatic stress (STS). Also known as “compassion fatigue,” it is defined as “the emotional duress that results when an individual hears about the firsthand trauma experiences of another.” While this term often applies to first responders and others who work with clients in crisis, I learned that STS can also impact educators in neighborhoods experiencing high levels of poverty and crime.
Over the past few years, however, it is not just select groups of workers who have witnessed repeated traumas. All of our communities have been affected by the pandemic, not to mention global conflicts, political and racial reckonings, and economic instability. In fact, since 2020, the World Health Organization reported a 25% increase in worldwide depression and anxiety. It’s no wonder some of us struggle to untangle ourselves from stress and take the breaks we so desperately need. So how do we begin?
After my difficult school year, it was days into our trip before I finally confronted my own emotions. While walking through the forest, I stumbled across a wooden staircase leading down to a stream. I descended the steps, closed my eyes, and imagined the stones I’d accumulated, each one associated with a particular student or event. With care, I mentally laid each stone down and said a few words of reflection and closure. When I finally climbed out of the ravine, my mind felt a bit clearer, my heart a bit lighter. This small act was the first step toward healing.
Many mental health professionals encourage similar ceremonies or rituals to process difficult periods. A person might choose to write about an experience, then bury the paper to symbolize leaving the event behind. Others might seek ceremonies from their culture or religion to process grief. Some may find it helpful to sort overwhelming thoughts into two categories: those that are within their locus of control and those outside of it. Then, they can focus on the areas they’re able to influence in order to feel empowered and regain stability.
Whatever the method, what’s most important is that we acknowledge the complicated emotions we carry and give ourselves permission to let them go. That's because all humans deserve to step away, rest, and recover from the stresses of everyday life. So whether your summer plans include travel, time with family, or simply quiet moments of reflection, I invite you to usher in the season by laying down the stones that you have carried for too long. Choosing what to embrace with your newly outstretched arms is where the real journey begins.
Heather Mace is a contributor to the Arizona Daily Star and a teacher mentor in Tucson. | https://tucson.com/opinion/local/heather-mace-as-summer-vacation-begins-stress-lingers/article_e3f1eb34-ffcf-11ed-9995-37b46160fc8a.html | 2023-06-04T15:52:45 | 0 | https://tucson.com/opinion/local/heather-mace-as-summer-vacation-begins-stress-lingers/article_e3f1eb34-ffcf-11ed-9995-37b46160fc8a.html |
The following is the opinion and analysis of the writer:
It is vitally important that citizens are able to address elected officials to share their concerns and opinions. Those of us privileged to serve in office need to hear from the people we represent so that we can better act in their interest. In Arizona, any elected body can add a segment for public comment to their meeting agendas.
The Pima County Board of Supervisors has included time for our constituents to address us in our meetings for many years. The rules and regulations governing our public comment period simply say this:
On Call to the Public, a person desiring to speak will address the Chair. Upon being recognized, the person will advance to the podium, state his/her full name, whom he/she represents, and state the subject matter.
The Board places no limits on the total amount of time allotted for public comment. In this regard, we differ from every other elected body in our area. The cities and towns, school districts and Pima Community College have policies that define the amount of time devoted to public comments.
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At our June 6 meeting, I will be asking my colleagues to change our policies for public comment as follows:
Call to the Public shall be scheduled for one hour each meeting unless extended by majority vote of the Board of Supervisors. Speakers shall have three minutes to speak. However, for any meeting where 20 or more individuals have submitted speaker cards, each speaker’s time shall be limited to two minutes.
Although not listed in our current policies, the three-minute time limit for each speaker has been the standard for our board and previous boards. We have not previously limited the total amount of time, nor have we cut individual time based on a large number of speakers. Recent conduct by those signing up to speak at our meetings has demonstrated the need for these proposed rules.
One of our local political parties has actively encouraged their members to sign up to speak at our meetings. Their county chair speaks at every meeting, as do many of his officers and precinct leaders. They coordinate their messaging, prepare signs to display and sometimes wear the same clothing. At recent meetings, they have constituted the majority of public speakers. Sometimes they address agenda items we will be considering, but they also comment on state and national issues.
These activists are free to carry on as they have, but the public comment period should not serve primarily as a venue for orchestrated partisan behavior. It is set up so that all citizens can express their concerns to the supervisors about issues of importance to them. If a political party seeks to use this time to make its talking points, it can do so, but it cannot have free rein to dominate this public forum.
This sort of organized use of Call to the Public is not new. The previous board, when it was considering taking Operation Stonegarden grant funds, often saw their public comment periods dominated by opponents of the county taking these monies. Again, groups have the right to speak to the Board in large numbers, but we have the right to restrict the efforts of any one group to monopolize this time. We also have the right, as all other local elected bodies already do, to limit the amount of time devoted to public comments.
I hope that the other four supervisors will join me in embracing these reasonable reforms. Devoting an hour each meeting to public comments and limiting individual speaker time when we have large numbers sign up to speak shows our commitment to hearing from our citizens, but mitigates against one group hogging the floor to further their own ends. This logic should especially apply to political parties, who certainly have the means to advance their partisan arguments in places other than within a public meeting.
Rex Scott represents District 1 on the Pima County Board of Supervisors | https://tucson.com/opinion/local/local-opinion-board-of-supervisors-call-to-the-public/article_814ac6c6-ffd0-11ed-89e2-cb42a2c56f70.html | 2023-06-04T15:52:51 | 1 | https://tucson.com/opinion/local/local-opinion-board-of-supervisors-call-to-the-public/article_814ac6c6-ffd0-11ed-89e2-cb42a2c56f70.html |
The following is the opinion and analysis of the writer:
June 6, this year, will be the 79th anniversary of D-Day, the largest seaborne invasion in history. Several years ago, I attended the heroic ceremony in France commemorating "Operation Overlord" and witnessed living history. This is my story.
Low-hanging steel blue clouds pushed inland along the coast of Normandy on Wednesday, June 5, as final preparations for the anniversary of D-Day were underway. An inhospitable layer of marine breeze met my face as I looked at the choppy English Channel in the early dawn. A pale impatient morning glow obsessed on the horizon. Lights winked on in small towns and villages up and down the French coast. Locals went about their business as people from around the world gathered for the many memorials. It was eerily quiet as this writer gathered thoughts, wishes, and prayers for such a grand historic occasion.
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Old warriors from the past in wheelchairs, walkers, and canes saluted each other with gnarled, trembling hands. The assemblage dedicatedly presented relics of uniforms from long ago with great decency. Tears were abundant as they gazed out to the sea, minds full of memories recalling their experiences in this place so long ago. D-Day's last living military heroes realized they might never come this way again. It was indeed a legion of honor. I was humbled by their sacrifice, spirit, and the very soul of their existence.
The following day, the actual day of the invasion, morning clouds gave way to a mostly sunny sky and warmer temperatures. It was God's gift to humanity. The old, valiant combatants were allowed to recall the grandeur of their very being in peace and sunshine.
In the villages and fields dotting the Normandy coast, antiquated, narrow roads were jammed with people and vehicles. Folks parked where they could and walked the rest of the way to the cliffs overlooking the vast landing beaches. They crossed in the very footsteps of fleeing German soldiers as they retreated from their former stronghold shore defense line many years ago. That was when the war turned as the Allied invasion forces pushed them back, scattering across the countryside. The Nazis were forced out of France and back toward Berlin.
Observances included a 21-cannon salute. There were flyovers with antique, vintage, and contemporary aircraft, some trailing red, white, and blue contrails. Parachutists jumped from WWII Airborne aircraft filling the sky with splendid round blanched chutes dimpling across the countryside. Flags from participating countries snapped in the breeze, and beautiful floral wreaths were abundant.
At COLLEVILLE-SUR-MER, France, the American cemetery, the day's formal ceremony was held with heads of state, most of who did not serve in the military. The speakers provided commentary on their view of history, honor, duty, and the value of sacrifice. Current military men and women in uniform attended to the old veterans who had returned to this killing field, likely for the last time for the most glorious of glory days.
Behind this seated group were the iconic 9,300 white crosses in perfect rows, splayed out for acres overlooking the beach below and the bright blue water. Men were kneeling in the green grass next to the stone markers, citing prayers and moments of a personal note. The two most beautiful, stately white flag poles were on each side of the cemetery, with immense American flags casting an ever-loving eye upon the lads interred below.
They turned the tide of war, these gallant men after a continent lost its freedom. One hopes we, as a society of humankind, may never be forced to do it again. Standing silently, I listened to the stories, the personal memories of combat from these remarkably uncommon Americans. I realized how small I was in their stead. I felt an astonishing virtuoso of dignity well beyond my humble self.
Jerry Wilkerson is a former press secretary for two members of Congress and a prior CBS Chicago NewsRadio correspondent. He is a retired police commissioner and Navy veteran living in SaddleBrooke. franchise@att.net | https://tucson.com/opinion/local/local-opinion-the-most-glorious-of-glory-days/article_ff20167a-f5ec-11ed-9432-43b70d627791.html | 2023-06-04T15:52:57 | 0 | https://tucson.com/opinion/local/local-opinion-the-most-glorious-of-glory-days/article_ff20167a-f5ec-11ed-9432-43b70d627791.html |
BLOOMINGTON — On a quiet and sunny Sunday afternoon, more than 100 Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts and Scout leaders jammed into Bloomington's Second Presbyterian Church for a special award ceremony.
On May 21, Rose Tylor Kunkes, 7, of Cub Scout Pack 3905, was awarded the Spirit of the Eagle.
But Rose wasn't there.
The Spirit of the Eagle is presented to the families of Scouts who have died early in life.
Rose's family — her father Nick, mother Teresa, 14-year-old brother Jonathan and 7-year-old twin sister River — received the award in her stead.
The family printed T-shirts with Rose's face on them and handed out bags and badges with Rose's motto on them: "Do your best! Be you."
Choking on tears, mixing grief and gratitude for the Scouting community, her father asked everyone in the room to "take her with you."
A short time
The Friday before the ceremony, the Kunkes family sat at their dining room table in Bloomington, remembering Rose.
As they described their daughter to a reporter, Rose's mother was pressing T-shirts, and her father was helping River fill giveaway bags for the ceremony. Jonathan hadn't come home from school yet.
There was a static silence, a thread far too bare, yet still holding together.
Rose's parents recounted how she had gotten sick in January with a common childhood illness, strep throat.
"Just normal kid stuff," her father said.
Teresa Kunkes said they took her to the doctor, got antibiotics, and things went back to normal.
Then, on Feb. 19, Rose started feeling sick again.
Rose's father said she presented the same symptoms of strep throat: "She was kind of lethargic, just kind of laying around."
The following Monday, the Kunkeses took Rose back to the doctor, where she got another strep diagnosis and stronger antibiotics. They assumed everything would be fine.
But she had a rough night, and by the following morning, Rose was dehydrated and needed to go to the emergency room.
"They'll just hook her up to an IV at the ER," Nick Kunkes recalled thinking.
His wife finished the thought: "We'll be home in a couple of hours, and everything will be fine."
However, Nick Kunkes said, as soon as the doctors started treating his daughter at OSF HealthCare St. Joseph Medical Center in Bloomington, "They immediately knew, they immediately said she had toxic shock syndrome from the strep, and that her body was shutting down."
Sobbing, Teresa Kunkes recounted how the doctors wanted to airlift Rose to a larger facility, OSF St. Francis in Peoria, and put her on oxygen.
"She was talking the whole time ... 'Mom, don't leave me. I don't want to go on the flight by myself,'" she said.
Teresa Kunkes said Rose's oxygen was being administered through nasal cannula, a pair of tubes inserted into the nose.
"She kept saying, 'Mom, it hurts, and I don't want to wear it,'" she said.
Then, she said, the doctors decided to sedate Rose so she could be intubated.
"They were ready to do the X-ray to make sure the tube was in place," she said. The doctors asked her to leave the room.
Seated at the dining room table, Nick Kunkes's eyes were raw, cheeks flooded with tears; River had stepped away for a moment.
Wracked by emotions, Rose's mother said next, "As soon as I came out, then she coded."
Rose's heart had stopped.
'Invasive'
Dr. Aaron Traeger is a seasoned pediatrician at Carle BroMenn Medical Center in Normal.
"Strep is a bacterial infection that you get from the community," he said. "It's out in the environment."
Traeger said strep throat is transferred through close contact: people sharing drinks, breathing on each other.
"Normally, what it is, is it's a sore throat, some headaches, some belly aches. Things like that," he said.
It's what most parents, like Rose's, would classify as "normal kid stuff."
Traeger said strep, like the flu and the common cold, comes and goes in waves.
"We know that there are typically peaks of this thing," he said. "And it seems like last year, and the data does support this, that strep came and it stuck around a lot longer."
While there are a plethora of vaccines available for a myriad of diseases, there isn't one for strep, and the best way to prevent it is to wash your hands and stay distanced from sick people.
"Strep is caused by a bacteria that there is not a vaccine for," Traeger said. "We have lots of vaccines that protect against other types of bacteria, but there is not one that has been effective in preventing (the bacteria) that we commonly see that causes strep throat."
He said, normally, when patients present with symptoms of strep throat, "you come in to the doctor. We'll check you out, take a look at you and see what's going on. If the test is positive for the bacteria, then we give you some antibiotics, and that usually takes care of it."
That's exactly what the Kunkeses did.
However, Traeger said, "There are some percentage of patients, and this is an incredibly small number of people, where things get worse."
He said the sore throat can get worse, it can become difficult to talk and the fever doesn't break.
That's when "it's time to escalate care," Traeger said. "That's when it's time to seek back with your physician, or present to the emergency department.
"But, again, this is a really uncommon thing."
Matt Sheehan, a media relations coordinator with OSF HealthCare, wrote an article in March about the potential severity of strep throat.
In fact, OSF published the article because of the severity of strep cases this year and partially in response to Rose's death.
"Dr. Brian Curtis, vice president of the clinical specialty services at OSF HealthCare, says the throat isn’t the only place to keep an eye on when looking for strep infection," Sheehan wrote.
"'Group A strep can also cause skin infections," Curtis says. "It can cause necrotizing fasciitis (where the body's soft tissue, like muscle, dies) and then it can also cause an erysipelas, which are very fast-spreading skin and soft tissue infections which people can get very sick very quickly from."'
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, such severe cases are called "invasive group A strep (iGas) infections."
Per the CDC, "Invasive disease means that germs invade parts of the body that are normally free from germs. When this happens, disease is usually very severe, requiring care in a hospital and even causing death in some cases. Necrotizing fasciitis and streptococcal toxic shock syndrome are examples of iGAS infections."
Rose's parents said that may be what happened to their daughter.
The number of invasive infections decreased during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the CDC.
Traeger said that may be because of behavioral changes in the general population — like masking, social distancing and increased hand-washing.
Now that those practices have been relaxed, Traeger stressed that the best way to avoid infection is preventative care.
"The best things that you can do are really hand-washing and staying away from sick people, and you staying away when you're sick as well," he said. "But the hand-washing is crazy effective."
Buying time to heal
Back at the St. Joe's ER, Rose was stabilized after her heart stopped, but her mother said that took nearly 20 minutes.
She said the team needed to rush Rose to Peoria, where she would be put on an ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation) machine, which pumps blood outside of the body to a machine that removes carbon dioxide and sends the blood back to the body filled with oxygen.
"The ECMO would basically be her life support," Teresa Kunkes said. "And it would do everything for her so that all of her could heal."
Rose was flown to the hospital in Peoria, where she was given a room with an ECMO machine. Unfortunately, Rose's parents said, that wasn't enough.
Rose's family was told that her heart had stopped again on the helicopter.
Doctors were able to stabilize her again, but that wasn't the worst of it.
Eventually, the family was told, "The strep had invaded her body," Rose's mother said. "For whatever reason, we're still trying to find out, her body couldn't handle the way it was attacking her."
Teresa Kunkes said doctors told her that, instead of Rose's white blood cells attacking the disease, "they started throwing blood clots at it. And so, they weren't actually fighting it, they were basically helping it.
"And it was shutting down her body faster."
Unapologetically herself
The Kunkeses said they have trouble remembering the first year they had with Rose and her sister, River.
They said everything was doubled when they had twins, trying to get one baby to sleep just in time for the other to wake up.
They'd already had one child, Jonathan, who was involved with Cub Scouts, and their day jobs also kept them busy.
But, despite the challenges, they said Rose was "amazing."
"She didn't care what other people thought of her," her father said. "She did whatever she wanted to, pretty much whenever. Made her a challenging kid to raise," he chuckled.
"But you couldn't help but be proud of her."
They said Rose was an inventor and a creator. One time, Rose didn't like that her dollhouse had a bath tub, they said.
"She thought they should have a shower," her mother said, scrolling through photos on her phone.
"She took a McDonald's cup, and she cut the bottom out of it. And then, she took cardboard and she folded it for the sides. Then she used a toothpick and (her father) helped her sew a piece of ribbon. And that became the shower curtain."
Nick Kunkes said his daughter tended to be more interested in creating stories than reading them. When other kids were buying story books, Rose was buying blank pages.
"It never failed — book fair time, she would get a journal. She would get two journals," Nick Kunkes laughed, face still stung red with emotion.
"She made me a book," her mother said. "Her favorite thing would always be to get paper out of the printer, staple it together and make it into a book."
That book, safely tucked away inside the Kunkes' family home, is about a princess, Rose's mother said.
"It was the most amazing book ever ... I think she just wanted to tell her own story, and she didn't care what anybody else thought."
Nick Kunkes said his daughter, always the "biggest presence" in the room, was "unapologetically herself."
Goodbye
Rose's condition in Peoria was so critical, her father said, "She was going to lose her arms and her legs if she would have survived. They turned black."
Unbelievably, the news got worse.
"They finally got her stable enough to take her to a CT scan," her father said, his voice trailing to a whisper. "And that's when we found out that she wasn't there anymore."
"She was brain dead from coding in Bloomington," her mother said.
A silence like a heavy blanket covered the family dining room.
"They did everything," she said. "They were amazing in Peoria, and they were amazing here ... I think they just weren't equipped to handle it.
"They told us that she wasn't going to come back. So her life would have been on a machine, and that would have been it. And, if the machine failed, or when the battery died on the machine, they didn't know if she would be able to stand being moved to a new machine."
Rose's father said, "And the machine had already been past all its safety limits."
His wife said, "It was about ready to fail."
Having to make an unthinkable choice, a choice no parent should have to make, they decided to let their daughter die.
"We let them give her the morphine and take her out slowly," her mother said. "And then, that was it.
"And so, on the 23rd, we had to say goodbye to our baby girl who was healthy and fine on Monday, and instantly not."
The right character
Ben Blumenberg is the Scout executive for the Boy Scouts of America's W.D. Boyce Council, which covers much of Central Illinois.
He oversees all Scout activities for the area, including Cub Scout Pack 3905, Rose's and River's group.
He said the Spirit of the Eagle, while certainly offering some comfort and closure to a grieving family, is meant for Scouts they believe would have succeeded at the highest level.
"When a young person embodies that Scout Oath and Scout Law, like Rose did, we know they've got the right character," he said.
"Rose had the right level of perseverance and commitment that we believe there's no way, there's no way she wouldn't have become an Eagle Scout," Blumenberg said.
Eagle Scout is the highest rank in the Scouts.
Famous Eagle Scouts include news anchor Walter Cronkite, baseball hall-of-famer Hank Aaron and the first man on the moon, Neil Armstrong.
"In Rose's case, she had all of that character mix, but she did it with her own flair," Blumenberg said.
Rose's parents said, with all that flair and her unique character, Rose loved helping people, going so far as to create a "gang" of kids on scooters, roaming the neighborhood and helping people with little things here and there.
"Rose loved service," her father said. "That was one of her favorite things to do."
But, he said, "she was more of a foreman kind of person."
Rose's mother said, "She would love to be there to help, but her help was talking to everyone and telling them what to do ... she loved to visit and tell stories and entertain everyone."
Some time after their daughter died, the Kunkeses were going through Rose's desk.
"They (the Scouts) had a day where it was, right around Valentine's Day, write a note to yourself and send yourself a Valentine," her mother said.
"The Cub Scout Motto is 'Do your best.' We've said it so many times and we try to engrain that in everybody ... we found this note in her desk," she said, laying out a heart-shaped piece of paper with Rose's handwriting.
"This was supposed to be a note to yourself," her father said.
It reads, "Do your best! Be you."
Rose's mother said, "When we found that note, we were just in awe of how much she loved it and lived it."
That's when they decided seek the Spirit of the Eagle award for Rose.
So, they prepared a presentation for the next Scout leader meeting.
Nick Kunkes said, "We were ready to present, and we waited for all of the rest of the business ... " he paused, emotions rising to the surface once more, "They stopped us in the middle of our presentation and said, 'It was already done.'"
In his interview, Blumenberg said he had been preparing to reach out to Meghan Hillebrandt, a pack leader for Rose's Scout pack, about getting the Spirit of the Eagle for Rose.
"I said, 'Hey, the Boy Scouts has this award. If it's something that you feel like the Kunkes family would appreciate, then we'll absolutely do it, just let me know.'
"And, at the same time, they (the pack leaders) were looking at, 'How do we (apply for the Spirit of the Eagle)?'" Blumenberg said.
He said the Scouts group, all the packs and troops, have been "exceptional at supporting the Kunkes family, and modeling exactly what we would expect Scouters to do, and the Scouting family to do."
On May 21, with warm sunlight pouring in through the windows, Blumenberg stood in front of over 100 Scouts and their families and presented the Kunkes family with Rose's award.
Then, he gave out pins to each one of them. In an Eagle Scout ceremony, the parents are awarded their own pins, the mother and father pins, and the Scout's mentor gets one as well.
Blumenberg chose to pin two people who, he believes, would have undoubtedly been Rose's mentors: her brother Jonathan, and her twin sister River.
River, rock
That Friday in the Kunkes' dining room, after Jonathan got home from school, he sat at the end of the table, fiddling with a cup.
His parents sat on either side, reminiscing about Rose's guitar that she never quite learned how to play.
Jonathan was the first one in Scouts. He's been the big brother, watching his sisters grow. But now, he said, it's different.
"It was rough, at first, having to deal with the loss of my sister. Because I've been with her for seven years of my life," he said, composing his thoughts.
"She was an awesome sister. I miss her, but now I've ... I still miss her, but I've learned to, I guess, like, go through the house without her."
His father said the extended family has to adjust, too. He said this past Christmas, they finally started seeing the twins as "two different people."
"(Rose) would focus on unicorns and rainbows, and (River) would focus on Mario and Pokémon," he said.
His wife said, "I think the hardest part now is that things are too easy. Things have never been easy, two babies and two toddlers."
Luckily, though, they've got some help.
Throughout the afternoon, River took plenty of time showing off her sister's Pinewood Derby cars, some of her inventions for their cat, and all of the dollhouses they gave Rose over the years, including some that aren't finished.
She explained how Rose would beg to borrow her toys for the dollhouses, how they just needed more characters.
Their mother said, "She's (River) a very strong girl, to deal with what she's dealt with. Most of the time I feel like she's probably stronger than us."
She called River their "rock."
Without missing a beat, River explained what she does best.
"I learned in school that water can make cracks in rocks and concrete and stuff," River said. "Let's say you had a rock, and you got cracks. I would just heal you up and make you in one piece again." | https://pantagraph.com/news/local/bloomington-girl-who-died-from-strep-honored-for-her-spirit-character/article_fc94f672-00b0-11ee-a022-6fd14e78f0f1.html | 2023-06-04T15:59:29 | 1 | https://pantagraph.com/news/local/bloomington-girl-who-died-from-strep-honored-for-her-spirit-character/article_fc94f672-00b0-11ee-a022-6fd14e78f0f1.html |
DULUTH — It may come as no small surprise that given the city’s hills and often-formidable winter weather, Duluth goes through a lot of road salt each year, with a five-year average annual consumption of nearly 15,600 tons. But some local officials are suggesting the city had best consider switching to a lower-sodium diet.
“We have the ability to change our current state that we are in for the better for the environment and for the people in our community,” said Geoff Vukelich, operations coordinator for Duluth’s street maintenance department.
Ryan Granlund, Duluth’s stormwater coordinator, noted that road salt is far and away the biggest contributor to three local designated trout streams being designated as “impaired” waterways. Those streams include Miller, Kingsbury and Keene creeks.
We have the ability to change this.
And additional local trout streams also are on the cusp of impairment, according to Granlund, who said Duluth’s Coffee, Merritt, Chester and Tischer creeks stand “at high risk of impairment,” unless the city changes its ways.
“We need to understand that we’re having a big environmental impact, and we’re getting to the point where we’re going to be putting the next red marks on the map,” Vukelich said.
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It doesn’t need to be that way, however, according to Vukelich.
“We have the ability to change this. I personally believe we could easily cut our use of road salt by 20 to 30%. But we need help. We need funding, and we need support from you folks,” he told the Duluth City Council at a May 18 presentation.
Vukelich suggested Duluth should be a regional leader, but is instead being “left behind in the dust” by St. Louis County, following its $11.5 million investment in new equipment. He explained that the updated snow plow fleet has enabled the county to branch out into applying different types of sodium solutions that reduce salt consumption and runoff, compared with the granular salt and sand mixture that Duluth primarily uses.
While Duluth, as a port, benefits from some of the lowest-cost salt prices to be found, Vukelich said the city still spends about $1 million on salt and sand each winter.
With its current fleet of plows, Vukelich said Duluth remains unable to effectively change course.
“Currently, we have almost 50% of our units that are over their life cycle. We averaged five units out of service every day all winter long, and we still did a great job,” he said.
Granlund said it takes just one teaspoon of salt to permanently pollute five gallons of freshwater, noting that the mineral can’t be removed effectively and does not naturally degrade. He said salt-laden water molecules are heavier and often sink to the bottom of a water body, impairing water quality, damaging vegetation and even disrupting natural cycles. He pointed to studies of some particularly salt-laden lakes in the Twin Cities metro area that have been found to no longer turn over with the seasons, as would be the norm in unimpaired waters.
Vukelich suggested the city of Duluth could be more strategic in its use of salt, applying it when conditions make such treatment most effective. He said the city also could consider a chloride-management ordinance that would regulate the use of salt by others, including big-box retailers intent on clearing massive parking lots of snow and ice.
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He advised that the city likely will need to make some significant investments to up its own game, however.
“Our equipment is old and outdated, and we’re doing the best we can with it. But if we can get new equipment, then we can start branching out to hose additives which would overall lower our sodium chloride use. So, that’s where we need to concentrate,” Vukelich said.
Vukelich and Granlund’s May 18 presentation was meant to bring their concerns to the City Council’s attention and to educate the public about the issue. They intend to revisit the council at a later date to discuss possible next steps, the likely costs involved and the benefits, including cost savings, that could arise from investing in new equipment.
“I think it was really important to have this educational piece preceding any policy discussion,” said 2nd District City Councilor Mike Mayou, of the presentation. “We’re still trying to figure out how we can do a better job of keeping our streets safe while taking care of the environment.” | https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/news/local/duluth-may-look-to-wean-itself-off-road-salt | 2023-06-04T16:07:14 | 1 | https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/news/local/duluth-may-look-to-wean-itself-off-road-salt |
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — If you plan on attending Ray High School's graduation Friday, among the names that will be called is Jace Sandoval.
When Sandoval was just a baby, his parents didn't know whether his graduation day would ever come.
He was just 2 years old when he was diagnosed with brain cancer.
When Sandoval began his cancer battle, the tumor in his head was the size of a baseball. Doctors at the time only gave him two months to live.
Thursday, some 16 years later, Sandoval is now cancer free and is focused on the future in front of him.
The last time 3NEWS spoke with him was back in December of 2007. Like any other 2-year-old, he was curious about the world and full of energy.
Sandoval's mother Jamie said his graduation will be the culmination of many years of hard work.
"Every moment, every obstacle, every success, every everything just means so much," she said.
After 16 years, 3NEWS spoke with Jace Thursday outside of Ray High School. He spoke about the joys of being an older brother, his love of video games, along with finding his passion for music. Playing not just one, but several instruments in his high school band.
"I was in the band for my 4 years here. I played xylophone, a drum set, and a marimba, and in the battery I played snare and base," he said.
Sandoval's father Josh said that while he is proud of his son for graduating, he's also thankful for the simple things in life.
"As any parent you want your child to be successful and most of all happy," he said.
Jace attended Kostoryz Elementary School, Hamlin Middle School and then Ray High School -- with an army of support every step of the way. Ray High School counselor Leticia Leal told 3NEWS that Jace's story is only just beginning.
"It means a lot he's conquered the world and he will continue to conquer the world," she said.
Another person Jace has left a lasting impression on is his band director Nancy Hesch.
"He has such a good sweet approach to everything he doesn't seem to be taking the approach of poor me, he goes through life and he make it what he want's for himself," she said.
Jace told 3NEWS that he has always had memories of people reminding him to do his best. He said that he is going to continue to take that advice with him to Del Mar College.
"I want to go into digital media," he said.
Jace's parents said they've cherished every moment of his life.
"Jace is a miracle to us, he's our baby, he's graduating," Jamie said.
The graduation ceremony for Ray High School will begin at 6 p.m. Friday at the American Bank Center.
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Email tell3@kiiitv.com so we can get in touch with you about your story should we have questions or need more information. We realize some stories are sensitive in nature. Let us know if you'd like to remain anonymous. | https://www.12news.com/article/news/local/miracle-survivor-beats-brain-cancer-graduates/503-af4d5e11-f1d3-4726-8a56-e928e32ae10c | 2023-06-04T16:16:02 | 1 | https://www.12news.com/article/news/local/miracle-survivor-beats-brain-cancer-graduates/503-af4d5e11-f1d3-4726-8a56-e928e32ae10c |
FREDERICK COUNTY — The Frederick County Sheriff's Office is on scene after a vehicle was discovered at the bottom of a quarry early Sunday morning.
The call came after 8:30 a.m. at Lehigh Road and Peter Shriner Road.
Police confirmed that three people have died.
A heavy police presence is expected for a while.
This is a developing story and will be updated when more information becomes available. | https://www.wmar2news.com/local/three-confirmed-dead-after-car-is-found-at-bottom-of-quarry-in-frederick-county | 2023-06-04T16:27:43 | 1 | https://www.wmar2news.com/local/three-confirmed-dead-after-car-is-found-at-bottom-of-quarry-in-frederick-county |
SARASOTA
Sarasota police investigate shooting that injures one on Saturday
Staff report
Sarasota Police said they are investigating a shooting that occurred early Saturday morning.
The shooting happened in the 700 block of Central Ave, Sarasota shortly after 2:30 a.m. on Saturday, a news release stated. There was one victim with minor injuries, but the person is not cooperating with detectives, the release said..
Investigators are working to identify suspects, witnesses, and any other possible victims. Police said the public was not considered to be in danger.
Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Cox with the Sarasota Police Department Criminal Investigations Division at 941-263-6075 or leave an anonymous tip with CrimeStoppers of Sarasota at 941-366-TIPS or http://www.sarasotacrimestoppers.com | https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/local/sarasota/2023/06/04/sarasota-police-investigating-early-morning-shooting-that-inures-one/70286344007/ | 2023-06-04T16:48:10 | 1 | https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/local/sarasota/2023/06/04/sarasota-police-investigating-early-morning-shooting-that-inures-one/70286344007/ |
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – Multnomah County Commissioner Sharon Meieran says the Joint Office of Homeless Services — a partnership between Multnomah County and the City of Portland — has no plan to address homelessness, citing a lack of coordination between the government agencies and lawmakers focusing on talking points rather than solutions to the crisis.
In late May, The City of Portland said it will extend its contract with Multnomah County to fund the Joint Office of Homeless Services, which aims to provide housing, shelter, health and job placement services for people facing homelessness.
The one-year contract extension comes after talk of splitting up the joint office. However, city leaders said they would give $43 million to the county, with strings attached — including guidelines in the contract for how that money would be spent and proof that homelessness is reduced.
Multnomah County runs the joint office while the City of Portland supplies the funding.
Commissioner Meieran is calling for the county and the city to come up with a coordinated plan to address homelessness and unspent funds that could be going towards homeless services.
“A lot of people would reasonably expect the Joint Office of Homeless Services to truly be a Joint Office of Homeless Services. In reality, the Joint Office of Homeless Services is a county department — the county chair oversees it, and the city just gives a bunch of money without any authority to the joint office,” Meieran said.
“So, these decisions being made are not prioritizing a lot of the city’s priorities and that’s been since its inception. So, there’s a contract that governs the joint office, don’t know why the city signed on to it in the first place, but that contract is up for renewal, it’s been pushed back a couple of times. But the city is rightfully angry because they’re paying the money but don’t have the authority,” Meieran said.
The commissioner says the county and the city need to work in unison on homelessness and says with $43 million on the line, the office has no plans in place.
“I wrote an op-ed a couple of months ago that highlighted the fact that there is no actual plan to address homelessness between Multnomah County and the city,” Meieran said.
“The joint office, if it was truly joint and coordinated, would be the entity that comes up with its plan. But because there’s this disconnect, it’s like all of these leaders are governing by press release. So, coming up with one random thing, another thing, but it doesn’t fit into a whole,” Meieran said.
“By coordinating, we can come up with an agreement of shared accountability, or shared responsibility and a shared plan for ending homelessness,” the commissioner stated. “There’s not been the interest or appetite of leadership, I would say, to address that.”
Meirean says the county should be supporting the city’s efforts to address homelessness but wants to see more collaboration between the county and city.
“I personally believe we should be supporting the city. There should be mutual support for a plan but we get caught up in these individual approaches – so, it’s Safe Rest Villages, urban camping, camping ban, Housing Multnomah Now – and these are all just sort of talking points that are not coordinated,” Meieran said.
Meieran, who lost to Jessica Vega Pederson for the county chair position in 2022 — says it is part of Vega Pederson’s role to develop and help implement a plan to address homelessness.
“Right now, it is up to the county chair — who is in charge of homelessness — and the mayor and the Portland Housing Bureau director to come together and reach consensus on a plan,” Meieran said.
According to the commissioner, Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler’s homeless camping ban proposal, which he announced on May 25, is a political talking point and doesn’t involve her desired coordination with the county.
The potential changes to the city code come after the 2021 adoption of Oregon House Bill 3115, which requires cities to update camping ordinances by July 1, 2023 “to ensure they are objectively reasonable with respect to time, place, and manner restrictions on unsanctioned camping,” according to the mayor’s office.
Wheeler’s proposal would ban camping from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and would not allow camping near parks, schools or construction zones and states that campers cannot block home or business entry.
The ordinance requires written warnings before any penalty and that two documented warnings can lead to criminal penalties. After two prior warnings for not following the ordinance, campers can get a fine of up to $100 and/or imprisonment for up to 30 days.
If approved by Portland City Council, the ordinance will be phased in starting July 1, 2023.
“These are sort of talking point to get elected and not full on policies supporting a holistic plan. Meieran said. “When we don’t think holistically, we do a camping ban. Where are people going to go during the day? What are they going to suffer … what are we doing to help people so they don’t have to camp?”
She says a big part of the county’s homelessness crisis is behavioral health and addiction issues.
“A camping ban alone isn’t going to solve the issues,” Meieran said. “I don’t know where people think people are going to go. It’s not going to be jails. I honestly don’t know. That’s why we need to be getting together and thinking about the approach in general.”
As the city sits on an approximate $46 million in Metro Supportive Services taxes, the commissioner says it is “shameful” and unconscionable” that those funds are not going towards solutions to the homelessness crisis. She says it is up to Chair Vega-Pederson to get the money out the door.
“I have been discussing this, calling this out at our public board meetings for years, sitting next to my four colleagues on the board and not being able to get the attention. I had to resort to writing an op-ed to the public saying, ‘Hey, look, what are we doing?’ Still, no attention,” Meieran said.
For starters, Meieran says the joint office needs to measure the scope of how many people are facing homelessness in the county to get an idea of needed resources.
The latest Point in Time Count, conducted Jan. 25-31, in Multnomah County found that 6,297 people were considered homeless — a 21% increase from last year — with 3,944 of them unsheltered, 1,821 in shelter and 532 in transitional housing.
In Meieran’s view, the federally-required survey likely doesn’t reflect the extent of how many homeless people there are in the county.
Meieran says within six months, Multnomah County could deploy teams to understand the needs of the its homeless population then invest in those identified needs.
“It’s the chair’s responsibility to come up with a plan and address it and it’s not an excuse to say we have a new Joint Office of Homeless Services director and I’ve directed him to come up with a plan. You don’t blame your subordinates,” Meieran said.
During her interview on Eye on Northwest Politics in March, Vega Pederson said she was “optimistic” about addressing homelessness and emphasized the importance of the county and the city partnering for the JOHS “to really have the system work better together between investments the city was already making, and the county was already making.”
“I came into this office knowing that housing and homelessness was going to be the number one priority that I wanted to work on, and I was committed to working in partnership with the city, with metro, with the state in addressing the issue,” Vega Pederson said.
Meanwhile, Meieran’s calls to address the homeless crisis come as the Portland Business Alliance wrote a letter to Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson, Washington County Chair Kathryn Harrington and Clackamas County Chair Tootie Smith on May 31 — urging the leaders to increase homelessness outreach pay to retain workers. PBA also called for a more streamlined process to get funding into the hands of homeless services rather than having the funds be caught in red tape. | https://www.koin.com/local/multnomah-county/commissioner-multco-portland-have-no-actual-plan-to-address-homelessness/ | 2023-06-04T16:48:45 | 0 | https://www.koin.com/local/multnomah-county/commissioner-multco-portland-have-no-actual-plan-to-address-homelessness/ |
A group that fought in court to keep a statue of Christopher Columbus in a south Philadelphia park and to have a wooden box covering it removed has now filed suit against Mayor Jim Kenney and members of the city's historical commission over their roles in the effort to remove the statue.
The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that the Friends of Marconi Plaza allege in the complaint filed late last month that officials conspired to abuse the legal process in trying to remove the 146-year-old statue from Marconi Plaza after it became the scene of tense standoffs during demonstrations and unrest over racial injustice in the summer of 2020.
George Bochetto, the lead attorney for the group, said he sees the suit as holding government officials accountable.
“Frankly, it’s shocking what took place here, and it’s a shocking disregard for their responsibilities,” Bochetto said.
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Representatives of the mayor and the historical commission declined comment last week on the lawsuit.
The 1876 statue was presented to the city by the Italian American community to commemorate the nation’s centennial. Many Italian Americans have embraced the 15th century explorer — once hailed as the discoverer of America — as a cultural hero and emblem of the city’s deep Italian heritage. But Kenney has said that despite centuries of veneration, Columbus had a “much more infamous” history, enslaving Indigenous people and imposing harsh punishments.
In May 2020, during protests across the nation in the wake of George Floyd’s murder, some in Philadelphia turned their focus to the Columbus statue, arguing the explorer should not be celebrated. In response, supporters of the statue began gathering around it — some carrying guns or baseball bats — and said they intended to protect it from vandals. Around that time, statues of the Italian explorer were removed in nearby Camden, New Jersey, and Wilmington, Delaware, while protesters in Richmond, Virginia, tore down a Columbus statue, set it on fire and threw it into a lake.
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Kenney called for the Philadelphia statue’s removal, arguing it was a matter of public safety. A city arts panel and historical commission both agreed and a plywood box was erected to cover the statue. A judge, however, reversed the city’s decision, saying it had failed to provide evidence that the statue’s removal was necessary to protect the public.
In December, the plywood box covering the statue was removed at the order of a state judge who said that if the city disagrees with its “message” officials can add a plaque with their message. Before its removal, the box had been painted in the green, white and red bands of the Italian flag at the request of the city council member who represents the district.
The Friends of Marconi Plaza also filed a lawsuit over the mayor's renaming of the city’s Columbus Day holiday to Indigenous Peoples’ Day, something the suit alleges discriminated against Italian Americans. A court dismissed the suit and a federal appeals court upheld that dismissal; Bochetto’s firm has appealed the U.S. Supreme Court. | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/group-sues-mayor-officials-over-columbus-statue-removal-efforts/3578716/ | 2023-06-04T16:50:01 | 0 | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/group-sues-mayor-officials-over-columbus-statue-removal-efforts/3578716/ |
MODESTO, Calif. — Authorities are investigating after a police officer was involved in a shooting in South East Modesto. According to the Modesto Police Department, the shooting happened in the area of Miller Avenue and San Juan Drive.
It's unclear whether any injuries were reported. Around 11:40 p.m. Saturday, officers told the public in a Facebook post to expect heavy police presence during the investigation.
Officials have not yet released any more information surrounding the shooting.
Watch more from ABC10: Deputies arrest motorcyclist after chase through San Joaquin, Calaveras Counties | Top 10 | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/modesto/officer-involved-in-shooting/103-3b415b99-6834-4a0c-a7d5-f852953b2b96 | 2023-06-04T16:51:51 | 1 | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/modesto/officer-involved-in-shooting/103-3b415b99-6834-4a0c-a7d5-f852953b2b96 |
TAMPA, Fla. — One man is dead after a shooting Saturday evening at a Tampa apartment complex, according to a news release.
The shooting happened around 5:44 p.m. in the River Oaks Apartment Complex, located in the 6700 block of Woodville Street, police wrote in a statement.
Police said when they arrived at the scene, they found a black man, who appeared to be in his early 30s, dead inside a silver Nissan in the parking lot.
The investigation into this shooting is still ongoing. Police do not believe this was a random incident. | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/hillsboroughcounty/1-dead-after-shooting-in-tampa/67-ea5b6202-da5e-47c0-989f-7b3cf6b552ce | 2023-06-04T17:06:36 | 1 | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/hillsboroughcounty/1-dead-after-shooting-in-tampa/67-ea5b6202-da5e-47c0-989f-7b3cf6b552ce |
ZEPHYRHILLS, Fla. — One person is dead after a house fire early Sunday morning in Zephyrhills, according to a news release.
The fire happened around 6:45 a.m. in the area of Eiland Boulevard and Champions Gate Boulevard.
Authorities say when firefighters arrived at the scene, a two-story home had smoke coming from the second floor and were told a person was still inside.
Firefighters attempted to rescue the person, but were unsuccessful, Pasco County officials wrote in a statement.
"Regrettably, it is with a heavy heart that we convey the news that the person has passed away," officials said.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation. | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/pascocounty/person-dead-after-house-fire-in-zephyrhills/67-997ce212-3755-4b84-acf7-a2b3a6b21529 | 2023-06-04T17:06:40 | 0 | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/pascocounty/person-dead-after-house-fire-in-zephyrhills/67-997ce212-3755-4b84-acf7-a2b3a6b21529 |
Art Carnahan's official pilot's license, dated May 24, 1930, and signed by Orville Wright, is on display in the McLean County Museum of History's exhibit "Challenges, Choices, & Change: Working for a Living."
MCLEAN COUNTY MUSEUM OF HISTORY
This image shows Bloomington’s first airport, located north of Normal, circa 1930.
Art spent his youth in his father’s garage, becoming an expert mechanic — a skill that would connect him to pilots and ignite his passion for flying.
Art was interested in flying and had his first opportunity in 1925 when a barn-storming troupe known as the Gates Flying Circus came to Bloomington. They performed aerial stunts on an airstrip six miles east of town on Route 9 known as Sweeney’s pasture.
This aerial circus was notable for its perfection of the $1 ride and its record of flying 980 passengers in a single day. With an estimated million served, one could only imagine how many went on to become pilots.
Fatefully one of the Gates Circus pilots needed some mechanical work on his plane and Art did the labor in exchange for a flight. A member of the act, Basil Simms, stayed in Bloomington after the show to train new pilots and Art was ready to go.
Soon after that he made his first solo flight piloting a Waco 9 — a three-seat open cockpit plane — the first steel-tubed fuselage aircraft built by the Advance Aircraft Co.
Carnahan did not join any of the notable Flying circus acts, but in the era of barnstorming, he sometimes flew to regional airshows to participate in the stunts. This enabled him to hone his acrobatic skills, while staying close to home as he and his wife Myrtle had a young son, Ray, to care for.
Despite not yet having a pilot’s license (first required in 1926) Carnahan provided flight instruction to members of the Bloomington Flying club. Member fees paid for the instruction as well as airport costs and maintenance of the aircraft used.
Art also piloted for half a dozen local airplane owners who stored their planes at this airport. In 1929 Carnahan obtained a commercial pilot and transport license, signed by none other than aviation leader Orville Wright. That same year he and Jack Bell (who piloted The Pantagraph’s airplane, the “Scoop”) opened the Carnahan-Bell Aviation school at the Bloomington Airport.
In 1930 a glider club was formed within the Bloomington Flyer Club. According to Carnahan, “It was quite a novelty at the time, and presented a new interest in aviation.”
Carnahan supervised the group and piloted the plane that towed the glider and its pilot into the air before releasing it to soar/coast on the air currents.Twenty individuals joined this short-lived group, which likely folded due to aviation regulations that made it very difficult to get permission for glider flights.
The fact that Carnahan was busier than ever may have also reduced the club’s ability to get the glider into the air.
In 1930 Art became the Scoop’s pilot, previously flown by his business partner Jack Bell, who died in a crash during a program to dedicate the first airport in Mattoon, Illinois. The death served as a reminder of how dangerous flying still was, but it did not stop Carnahan from competing in acrobatic competitions.
A year later Carnahan won first place in a regional precision acrobatics competition.
The following year (1932) he began his racing career piloting G.J. Mecherle’s Monocoach, taking third place in a field of 170 competitors in a cross-country race from Los Angeles to Cleveland. He also raced the Monocoach in the1932 Miami All American Air races, winning the Italian Trophy.
That same year Williams-Oil-O-Matic engineer, Owen Tilbury, began working on a racing plane that he designed around Carnahan, who was small in stature. Tilbury’s goal was to make the plane as small and light as possible.
In 1933, with the help of Clarence Fundy and Clarence Rosey, they succeeded in getting the plane, which was 12 feet, 5 inches long with a wingspan of 17 feet, 10 inches and powered by a Henderson motorcycle engine, off the ground.
The Tilbury Flash was piloted by Carnahan when it participated in its first competition, the Chicago Air Races of 1933. In its first heat, consisting of five laps around a 5-mile course, Carnahan finished second.
In the second heat, Carnahan used a new strategy that would keep him out of the prop wash of the larger competing planes. He flew under all the other racers instead of flying alongside or behind them.
The strategy worked and the Carnahan won the Polish Trophy.
During the race, he flew as fast as 120 mph — a new speed record for that race class. His early years of barnstorming undoubtedly equipped him with the skills needed to maneuver this win.
Carnahan’s ability as a pilot took him to locations that, at the time, would be considered exotic.
In 1933 he flew Davis Merwin and his sister Hester on a month-long trip through Mexico and Central America in Davis’s Scoop III — a Waco 225 single engine airplane. Aeronautical charts were unheard of at that time and some of the maps he used were drawn on the back of envelopes by Mexican pilots who were familiar with the territory.
Art continued to fly the scoop until 1941, when Merwin discontinued the use of the plane.
Art was involved in the planning of the airport and was named manager when it was completed.
During World War II, Art was contracted to train pilots for the Federal Civil Aeronautic program and operated the Navy’s V5 and V12 Ground School at the Bloomington Municipal airport, training over 1,000 Navy pilots.
After the war Art set up the first regular flights to Detroit, New York, and Mexico City via Chicago on Ozark Airlines. Carnahan retired as manager of the airport in 1956 and bought a Beechcraft Bonanza, which he used to charter flights for executives at State Farm, Funk Bros. Seed Co., Biddle Advertising, and several other companies.
By the end of his career, Carnahan was fondly referred to as “Mr. Aviation.” It was a long career in which he spent hundreds of hours encouraging young people interested in aviation. Poor health ended his flying career, but he continued his mentoring efforts until his death in 1974.
Art Carnahan's official pilot's license, dated May 24, 1930, and signed by Orville Wright, is on display in the McLean County Museum of History's exhibit "Challenges, Choices, & Change: Working for a Living." | https://pantagraph.com/news/local/history/art-carnahan-bloomingtons-own-mr-aviation/article_75a58156-000e-11ee-976f-a7a70ef75b04.html | 2023-06-04T17:23:13 | 1 | https://pantagraph.com/news/local/history/art-carnahan-bloomingtons-own-mr-aviation/article_75a58156-000e-11ee-976f-a7a70ef75b04.html |
An environmental group has petitioned the Environmental Protection Agency to adopt water quality standards for five pollutants in Idaho waters that have previously been determined to jeopardize endangered species.
An environmental group on Thursday petitioned the Environmental Protection Agency to adopt water quality standards for five pollutants in Idaho waters that have previously been determined to jeopardize endangered species such as the Snake River salmon and steelhead, Kootenai River white sturgeon and bull trout.
Northwest Environmental Advocates (NWEA), based in Portland, Oregon, submitted the petition based on findings from other federal agencies about the hazards of cyanide, lead, arsenic, nickel and zinc to fish and snails in Idaho waters, according to a press release.
“When you have particularly threatened and endangered species or species that are caught and consumed by people, particularly people who eat a lot of fish such as tribal members, these water quality standards are the means by which the fish and people are protected, so getting them right is kind of essential,” NWEA Executive Director Nina Bell said in an interview.
The standards are used for issuing permits to discharge pollution and they’re also used when data on the quality of water is measured against the standards, and if levels are too high, cleanup plans are developed.
These toxic heavy metals are often associated with mines in Idaho, said Will Tiedemann, conservation associate with the Idaho Conservation League. Historic and active mining in the Silver Valley area in North Idaho or phosphate mines in East Idaho are well-known sources of some of these pollutants, he said. The Idaho Conservation League is not a part of the lawsuit.
The current standards being used for these toxins are too high and are jeopardizing endangered species, the petition argues, citing findings from the National Marine Fisheries Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
The organization is claiming that the standards set by the state agency the Department of Environmental Quality are not adequately protecting these species, and therefore it’s the EPA’s job to step in, which it has not done.
Nearly 10 years ago, the National Marine Fisheries Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recommended the EPA to adopt new standards from the pollutants. In their formal opinions, the agencies set dates ranging from 2017 to 2023 for EPA to complete the work. The opinions were made as a result of previous legal action made by the NWEA, Bell said.
The environmental organization has also been involved in litigation in Oregon and Washington for the same species and toxins that are also in Idaho; and many of the same fish are traveling through Idaho into the Columbia River Basin, Bell said.
“We want to make sure that all of the states in this region are basically all pulling together to protect threatened and endangered species in particular, as well as public health,” Bell said.
The 31-page petition cites studies showing that the levels of these toxins that the EPA is allowing are threatening these species. For instance, it cites a National Marine Fisheries Service determination that high zinc levels for trout “can result in damage to gills, liver, kidney, and skeletal muscle and cause a physiological shift to occur, making gas exchange more difficult”
Bull trout, salmonids and white sturgeon have all been found to have high sensitivity to zinc at early life stages, according to the petition; there’s also a likely adverse effect of the toxin on sturgeon’s prey.
Trout exposure to arsenic is associated with liver and other organ damage, reduced growth in salmonid juveniles and adverse physiological effects, it said. For the Kootenai River white sturgeon, arsenic exposure can cause altered feeding behavior, and reduced body weight, prey availability, reproductive success and survival, the petition said.
Water quality standards and applications of the Clean Water Act are complicated, and involve a lot of moving parts, Bell and Tiedemann both noted. There also may be changes coming to Idaho’s standards; the Legislature this year approved different human health standards for arsenic, which may overlap with aquatic health standards, Tiedemann said. Idaho is also slated to review its water quality standards this year, he said.
The petition filed Thursday is not a lawsuit, but if the EPA doesn’t respond, legal action may be the next step, Bell said.
While the states have authority to set their own water quality standards, Bell is arguing the EPA must take a policing role when necessary to protect these endangered species.
“We have a problem in this region, where the states don’t do things or they drag their feet, and EPA is obligated to step in and take the actions that Congress told it to through the Clean Water Act and the Endangered Species Act, and they don’t do it,” Bell said. “... We should not have to file something like this, this is a level of babysitting the EPA that is fairly ridiculous.” | https://www.idahopress.com/news/local/group-petitions-epa-to-improve-idahos-water-quality-standards-to-protect-endangered-fish/article_af32f994-0180-11ee-873d-d79350431df6.html | 2023-06-04T17:36:32 | 1 | https://www.idahopress.com/news/local/group-petitions-epa-to-improve-idahos-water-quality-standards-to-protect-endangered-fish/article_af32f994-0180-11ee-873d-d79350431df6.html |
CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. — Chambersburg police say a child was flown to the hospital after they were hit by a vehicle while riding a scooter.
On Saturday, around 2:30 p.m. first responders were called to the 100 block of North Franklin Street for a person struck by a vehicle.
Police say the child was riding a scooter in an alley and then turned onto North Franklin Street where they were hit.
According to witnesses at the scene, the driver of the vehicle had no time to react.
The child was flown to the hospital with a leg injury.
There is no word on their current condition. | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/franklin-county/child-riding-scooter-hit-vehicle-franklin-county/521-7c185516-9ee7-43a5-ab6c-5c588996e673 | 2023-06-04T17:36:34 | 0 | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/franklin-county/child-riding-scooter-hit-vehicle-franklin-county/521-7c185516-9ee7-43a5-ab6c-5c588996e673 |
LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. — Police are asking the public for help to locate a man reported missing from East Earl Township.
Family members last heard from Jason P. Beverly II on May 16 when he called to tell them he was leaving the treatment center Revelations of Freedom Ministry and was now homeless.
Beverly is 19 years old, 5 feet 10 inches tall, and weighs 165 pounds. He has brown hair and blue eyes.
Beverly's family, in North Carolina, informed authorities he's on the autism spectrum.
Police say he has been registered with the National Crime Information Center as a missing person.
Anyone who sees Beverly should call 911. | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/lancaster-county/police-lancaster-county-missing-man-jason-beverly/521-67491980-fe47-4e7a-a27b-c7f28c5dbc39 | 2023-06-04T17:36:40 | 0 | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/lancaster-county/police-lancaster-county-missing-man-jason-beverly/521-67491980-fe47-4e7a-a27b-c7f28c5dbc39 |
MITCHELL — The Mitchell City Council will consider accepting a $1 million grant on Monday that would cover a significant portion of a new recycling transfer facility.
The $1 million grant was awarded to the city by the South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources’ solid waste management grant program. If the council accepts the grant, it would cover roughly 37.4% of the costs to build a new recycling facility next to the city’s landfill.
The estimated cost of the entire project is roughly $2.68 million, which the city has budgeted. The council will consider accepting the grant during Monday's meeting that will begin at 6 p.m., located at City Hall.
Public Works Director Joe Schroeder explained the new recycling facility would make for a more efficient operation and could cut costs from the current setup. In addition, the existing building that the city currently uses as its recycling transfer station and facility at the old landfill site is in “poor condition,” Schroeder previously explained to the council during the fall budget work sessions.
The city's recycling facility is located several miles from the landfill. Under the existing setup, the city’s recycling crew have to sort the recycled material at the facility and haul any items that are not considered recyclable to the landfill at a different location, adding expenses.
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It’s been three years since the city revamped its recycling program, which entailed switching from a private contractor to the city taking on Mitchell’s recycling responsibilities.
The change rolled out a new single-stream mixed recycling format, which allowed paper products, cardboard, plastic bottles and jugs, metal cans and glass jars and bottles to all be placed together in a bin, provided they are empty and rinsed. City residents also got larger containers in which they could place recyclables. Before rolling out the larger bins equipped with wheels, city residents had much smaller bins provided by Dependable Sanitation — the company the city utilized prior to the switch in 2020.
City officials have been monitoring the success of the new recycling program, which has led to an increase in collection for residential tonnage. However, commercial collection amounts have lagged behind previous numbers.
As part of the switch, it required the city to utilize a facility for sorting recyclables. When the crews sort through the recycled items at the facility, loads are then hauled to Millennium Recycling in Sioux Falls — a company the city has a contract with to take the city’s recycled waste.
Since the city rolled out a new recycling program in 2020, crews have been using the facility on the southeast corner of Mitchell to sort through residents’ recyclable collections. | https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/council-to-consider-accepting-1-million-grant-for-new-recycling-facility | 2023-06-04T17:45:49 | 0 | https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/council-to-consider-accepting-1-million-grant-for-new-recycling-facility |
Haythorn to Receive National Golden Spur Award
Craig Haythorn, one of the most respected ranchers and horsemen in the nation, will receive the National Golden Spur Award at the Buddy Holly Hall of Performing Arts & Sciences in Lubbock, during the annual National Golden Spur Award Honors on Friday, Nov. 3.
Haythorn, of Haythorn Land and Cattle Co. in the sandhills of Arthur, Nebraska, will be the 45th recipient of the National Golden Spur Award for accomplishments by a single individual in the ranching and livestock industries, according to a news release from the National Ranching Heritage Center.
“The National Golden Spur Award is the most prestigious national honor given to one person by both the ranching and livestock industries,” said Jim Bret Campbell, executive director of the Ranching Heritage Association and NRHC.
Presentation of the National Golden Spur Award is a joint annual recognition historically given by six of the leading state and national ranching and livestock organizations: the American Quarter Horse Association, National Cattlemen’s Foundation, Ranching Heritage Association, Texas Cattle Feeders Association, Texas Farm Bureau, and Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association.
Haythorn is the fourth generation of Haythorns to own and operate Haythorn Land and Cattle Co. after his great-grandfather immigrated from England as a 16-year-old stowaway on a ship headed to America. After being discovered by the captain, the young Englishman earned his passage by caring for a load of Hereford bulls being shipped from England to Texas. Later he went to work for the Texas rancher who owned the bulls.
Cattle drives took the Englishman from Texas to the sandhills of Nebraska where he married, became a wagon boss and took his wages in cattle. In 1884 he filed on a land grant section four miles east of Arthur and founded what would become an American ranching dynasty. The Haythorn operation covers 100 square miles of a geographic region commonly known as “the Sandhills.”
Moving four generations into the future, Craig was four years old when he went on his first cattle drive and 13 when he was put in charge of the hay crew. Today the 76-year-old rancher leads the fourth, fifth and sixth generations of the storied Haythorn Land and Cattle Co. They still take the wagon out for two weeks in the spring, rope and drag calves to the fire and sleep in tepees.
Horses have played a pivotal role in survival of the ranch ever since the first Haythorn in America loaded his saddle on a train and headed for Baker, Ore. He gathered 500 head of horses and trailed them back to Nebraska with only one helper. The Haythorn name since then has been synonymous with good working horses.
Craig’s grandfather had the first registered American Quarter Horse Association stud in Nebraska, and the Haythorns were awarded the first-ever AQHA Remuda Award in 1992. Their company is one of the largest and most respected breeders of American Quarter Horses in America. The Haythorns also raise Belgian/Percheron draft horses.
Horses sporting the Haythorn Figure Four brand have appeared in thousands of professional, collegiate, high school and amateur rodeos across the country, many ridden by Haythorns. With a deep respect for Western traditions and cowboy values, Craig earned the 2008 Western Horseman Award and was presented the 2019 Foy Proctor Memorial Cowman’s Award of Honor by the Haley Memorial Library and History Center in Midland, Texas.
Haythorn has received numerous rodeo honors, including the 1979 World Champion Amateur Team Roper, two Nebraska Calf Roping Championships, Six Heeling Championships, and many state and national rodeo championships.
Tickets for the National Golden Spur Award Honors will go on sale to the public July 28. For details and reservations visit goldenspurhonors.com. | https://www.lubbockonline.com/story/news/local/2023/06/04/haythorn-to-receive-national-golden-spur-award/70275765007/ | 2023-06-04T17:47:51 | 1 | https://www.lubbockonline.com/story/news/local/2023/06/04/haythorn-to-receive-national-golden-spur-award/70275765007/ |
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QUESTION: My spouse and daughter are both natural blondes, and their fair skin burns and blisters easily in the sun. About 15 years ago, they began taking an aspirin if they started to turn pink from being in the sun. They’ve had no blistering or bad burns since we have used aspirin.
We usually take only one aspirin tablet. (My daughter is 30 now; we knew children should not take aspirin.) I have mentioned this approach to people, even nurses, and no one seems to know about it.
ANSWER: Sun exposure (ultraviolet radiation) damages the skin in several ways. These include inflammation, oxidative stress and DNA damage.
Dermatological researchers have found that aspirin can help protect skin from inflammation caused by ultraviolet radiation (Journal of Investigative Dermatology, January 2021).
Scientists are figuring out the details of exactly how aspirin provides this protection (Journal of Investigative Dermatology, January 2023).
Even though aspirin helps protect against sunburn and possibly skin cancer, dermatologists urge everyone to use sunscreen as well.
QUESTION: I developed terrible swollen gums that required surgery after taking amlodipine for high blood pressure. My periodontist advised me to switch to another blood pressure medication as soon as I could, as he has seen this condition in other patients who used amlodipine.
I’d welcome a suggestion about medicines that would not cause this problem. It would be better, in my opinion, not to need this surgery again.
ANSWER: Let your primary care provider know about this complication (gingival hyperplasia). It is a known side effect of amlodipine and other calcium antagonists, such as verapamil and nifedipine. There are several other options that your doctor could choose that would not cause gum overgrowth.
QUESTION: I had a number of skin tags on my neck. My children liked to play with them, but I found that annoying.
I did an in-home A1c test and found I was mildly insulin resistant (5.9-6.0). I changed my diet (lower carbs, no sugar) and dropped my A1c to 4.9!
Then I noticed that the skin tags had totally disappeared. Now when I get off my diet for too long, I notice a small skin tag, but it goes away when I am faithful to my eating plan. I thought you would be interested in the observation that my skin tags are diet sensitive.
ANSWER: The technical term for skin tag is acrochordon. These benign growths may be associated with metabolic syndrome (increased blood sugar, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, large waistline) (Journal of Advanced Medical and Dental Sciences Research, May 2021). We are delighted to hear that a diet designed to lower your blood sugar has also gotten rid of your skin tags.
Readers of this column have also reported some success by “smothering” skin tags with a liquid bandage. Here is one testimonial:
“A liquid bandage removed my skin tags easily and quickly. And none of them have returned. I told my dermatologist, and she was intrigued.”
In May 1953, students at the York County Training School for Negroes had to attend class in school buses after a fire that week destroyed the school’s 11-room main building near Yorktown. Five classes were held on buses and three in small buildings that were saved from the flames.
In November 1982, a crowd filled Regency Square mall for the first day of Sunday store openings in Henrico County. Before the Sunday closing law, or so-called blue law, was formally repealed by the Board of Supervisors, Henrico residents — who in a referendum that month voted in favor of repeal — had to travel to surrounding localities to shop on a Sunday.
In March 1959, visitors at the Richmond Boat Show inspected a new cruiser, a sort of floating camper, during the five-day event at the State Fairgrounds in Henrico County. It was considered to be the first strictly marine show to be held in Richmond.
In August 1971, members of Camp Willow Run gathered outside their dormitories, which were former train boxcars. The railroad-themed camp, on a Lake Gaston peninsula in Littleton, N.C., is still run by Youth Camps for Christ Inc. The dining hall, modeled after an 1890 train depot and built from plans furnished by the Southern Railway Co., was the focal point of activities.
In July 1963, John Adam, director of talking books for the Royal National Institute for the Blind in London, visited Richmond and showed Virginia Library for the Blind employee Mrs. Richard V. Carter a new cassette system for recording and reproducing audio tapes of books. Using a federal grant and tapping into British expertise, the Virginia library was testing the system, whose cassettes offered more capacity and lasted longer than old discs used by blind patrons.
This September 1953 image shows the canal locks in downtown Richmond between 14th and Pear streets. After their installation and later refurbishment in the mid-19th century, the locks increased boat traffic and allowed for easier transport of goods to and from the city.
In September 1935, a small group of men, part of a larger army of workers and 70 trucks, reinforced dikes with sandbags to protect the 5-mile area controlled by Richmond’s Shockoe Creek Pumping Station from flooding caused by a severe storm.
In July 1977, Christine Bunce, a student at Manchester High School in Chesterfield County, worked in the Chippenham Hospital gift shop in Richmond as a volunteer. The nickname “candy striper” came from the red-and-white striped aprons worn traditionally by volunteers.
In April 1976, men tended to the roasting planks at the 28th annualshad planking in Wakefield, an event in Sussex County that lured politicians, reporters, campaign workers and others to kick off the electoral season. Sponsored by the Wakefield Ruritan Club, the event historically was a function of the state’s Democrats, but it evolved into a bipartisan tradition.
In October 1941, babies slept in the nursery at Brookfield, located on West Broad Street in Henrico County. The home for unwed mothers was the successor to Spring Street Home in Richmond’s Oregon Hill area, which was established in 1874 by the Magdalen Association to help single women and their children.
In April 1979, the St. Mary’s Hospital Orchestra rehearsed in the hospital auditorium in Henrico County. The orchestra, which formed in 1966 and initially consisted of staff doctors and hospital employees, performed several public concerts a year at the hospital.
In May 1950, motorcyclists raced in the 10-Mile National Motorcycle Championship at the Atlantic Rural Exposition grounds in Henrico County. The winner was “Little Joe” Weatherly of Norfolk, who later turned to stock car racing and won NASCAR titles in the 1960s before being killed in a race accident in Riverside, Calif., in 1964.
In July 1954, Kitty Liles performed with her band. Liles had played the drums for years, starting when she was a student at Varina High School in the 1940s. In 1954, Liles was using money from her gigs around Richmond to pay for her pursuit of a social work degree at Richmond Professional Institute.
In September 1948, Richmond actress, singer and national radio show host Patsy Garrett greeted a friend downtown during her visit here. Garrett was known for her time on Fred Waring’s “Pleasure Time” radio show in the 1940s and for her recurring film and television roles in “Nanny and the Professor,” “Room 222” and the “Benji” movie series.
In September 1985, NASCAR Cup driver Kyle Petty inspected his wrecked Ford Thunderbird after a practice session at the half-mile Richmond Fairgrounds Raceway during the Wrangler 400. Petty’s car hit Dale Earnhardt’s, with Petty getting the worst of it.
In March 1969, balmy weather drew a large crowd to Monroe Park in downtown Richmond. A small band joined the gathering, serenading visitors as spring arrived.
In April 1968, David Long manned the bar at an exhibit at a Virginia Restaurant Association convention, and Barbara Ann Brigel took a spot along the brass rail. That year, the General Assembly allowed liquor by the drink to become a local option in Virginia.
In June 1941, Patrick Henry’s “Give me liberty or give me death” speech was re-enacted at St. John’s Episcopal Church on Church Hill in Richmond as part of its bicentennial celebration. Construction of the church, built on land donated by city founder William Byrd II, was completed in June 1741.
In May 1942, actress-singers Dorothy Lamour (center), Patsy Garrett (at left) and actor Bert Lytell (at right) visited Richmond as part of a rally to stimulate sales of war bonds and stamps. They stood under a “Welcome to Richmond” sign and were flanked by Malcolm Bridges (left), the executive secretary of the Richmond Chamber of Commerce, and Ship Ahoy Girls Jetsy Parker and Dorothy Schoemer. The rally drew more than 5,000 people.
This 1966 image of a quiet night on Franklin Street in downtown Richmond was captured by Times-Dispatch photographer David Harvey, who became renowned for his National Geographic magazine work and has received national awards. His photographs have been exhibited nationwide, including at the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts locally.
In June 1977, John Stevens and his long-eared assistant performed a magic trick. Known as Nabis the Magician, Stevens was among the Richmonders in the International Brotherhood of Magicians. The local chapter had 25 members who met regularly to discuss their craft.
In January 1970, Virginia Gov. Mills E. Godwin Jr. received his final salute from state police as he and his wife, Katherine, left the Executive Mansion in Richmond en route to the inauguration of A. Linwood Holton Jr. Godwin, then a Democrat, returned as governor four years later as a Republican.
In June 1968, Toru Yanagida (left) and Ken Seguchi posed at Hillcrest Dairy in Crewe, in Nottoway County. They were learning American farming techniques from the dairy farm’s owners, Mr. and Mrs. Victor Johnson, who were their sponsors. Seguchi was a dairy farmer from Gifu, Japan, and Yanagida was a student in a college horticulture program in Hokkaido.
In May 1973, local Scouts assembled their tents amid exhibits at the daylong Scout-O-Rama at the State Fairgrounds in Henrico County. In addition to traditional skills of woodcraft, wilderness survival, camping and cooking, the event highlighted Scouting’s growing attention to archaeology, seamanship, aviation, metal detection, TV and space technology, among other topics. More than 2,000 Cub and Boy Scouts attended the event that year.
In June 1977, a crowd lined up for drinks and barbecue chicken at the Virginia Chicken Festival in Crewe, a town in Nottoway County southwest of Richmond. Held on the pavilion grounds of the Southside Electric Cooperative, the annual affair was sponsored by the Burkeville Ruritan Club and the Crewe Kiwanis Club. It attracted state and local politicians — including gubernatorial nominees John Dalton and Henry Howell — among the more than 3,500 attendees that year.
In February 1973, prisoners at the Virginia State Penitentiary made and stacked license plates. The pen was along Spring Street at Second Street in downtown Richmond. A print shop, metal shop, textile plant, leather shop and woodworking area offered vocational training to prisoners. Today the site is largely occupied by Afton Chemical Corp., a unit of NewMarket Corp.
In November 1951, workers constructed a new lane on Monument Avenue in Henrico County. The truck was occupying what used to be the front yard of a house in the 6500 block. The road was being widened for divided lane traffic in the block between Bevridge Road and Roxbury Road.
In May 1953, students at the York County Training School for Negroes had to attend class in school buses after a fire that week destroyed the school’s 11-room main building near Yorktown. Five classes were held on buses and three in small buildings that were saved from the flames.
times-dispatch
In November 1982, a crowd filled Regency Square mall for the first day of Sunday store openings in Henrico County. Before the Sunday closing law, or so-called blue law, was formally repealed by the Board of Supervisors, Henrico residents — who in a referendum that month voted in favor of repeal — had to travel to surrounding localities to shop on a Sunday.
times-dispatch
In March 1959, visitors at the Richmond Boat Show inspected a new cruiser, a sort of floating camper, during the five-day event at the State Fairgrounds in Henrico County. It was considered to be the first strictly marine show to be held in Richmond.
TIMES-DISPATCH
In August 1971, members of Camp Willow Run gathered outside their dormitories, which were former train boxcars. The railroad-themed camp, on a Lake Gaston peninsula in Littleton, N.C., is still run by Youth Camps for Christ Inc. The dining hall, modeled after an 1890 train depot and built from plans furnished by the Southern Railway Co., was the focal point of activities.
TIMES-DISPATCH
In July 1963, John Adam, director of talking books for the Royal National Institute for the Blind in London, visited Richmond and showed Virginia Library for the Blind employee Mrs. Richard V. Carter a new cassette system for recording and reproducing audio tapes of books. Using a federal grant and tapping into British expertise, the Virginia library was testing the system, whose cassettes offered more capacity and lasted longer than old discs used by blind patrons.
Times-Dispatch
This September 1953 image shows the canal locks in downtown Richmond between 14th and Pear streets. After their installation and later refurbishment in the mid-19th century, the locks increased boat traffic and allowed for easier transport of goods to and from the city.
Times-Dispatch
In September 1935, a small group of men, part of a larger army of workers and 70 trucks, reinforced dikes with sandbags to protect the 5-mile area controlled by Richmond’s Shockoe Creek Pumping Station from flooding caused by a severe storm.
Times-Dispatch
In July 1977, Christine Bunce, a student at Manchester High School in Chesterfield County, worked in the Chippenham Hospital gift shop in Richmond as a volunteer. The nickname “candy striper” came from the red-and-white striped aprons worn traditionally by volunteers.
Times-Dispatch
In April 1976, men tended to the roasting planks at the 28th annualshad planking in Wakefield, an event in Sussex County that lured politicians, reporters, campaign workers and others to kick off the electoral season. Sponsored by the Wakefield Ruritan Club, the event historically was a function of the state’s Democrats, but it evolved into a bipartisan tradition.
TIMES-DISPATCH
In October 1941, babies slept in the nursery at Brookfield, located on West Broad Street in Henrico County. The home for unwed mothers was the successor to Spring Street Home in Richmond’s Oregon Hill area, which was established in 1874 by the Magdalen Association to help single women and their children.
Times-dispatch
In April 1979, the St. Mary’s Hospital Orchestra rehearsed in the hospital auditorium in Henrico County. The orchestra, which formed in 1966 and initially consisted of staff doctors and hospital employees, performed several public concerts a year at the hospital.
Times-dispatch
In May 1950, motorcyclists raced in the 10-Mile National Motorcycle Championship at the Atlantic Rural Exposition grounds in Henrico County. The winner was “Little Joe” Weatherly of Norfolk, who later turned to stock car racing and won NASCAR titles in the 1960s before being killed in a race accident in Riverside, Calif., in 1964.
Times-Dispatch
In July 1954, Kitty Liles performed with her band. Liles had played the drums for years, starting when she was a student at Varina High School in the 1940s. In 1954, Liles was using money from her gigs around Richmond to pay for her pursuit of a social work degree at Richmond Professional Institute.
times-dispatch
In September 1948, Richmond actress, singer and national radio show host Patsy Garrett greeted a friend downtown during her visit here. Garrett was known for her time on Fred Waring’s “Pleasure Time” radio show in the 1940s and for her recurring film and television roles in “Nanny and the Professor,” “Room 222” and the “Benji” movie series.
Times-Dispatch
In September 1985, NASCAR Cup driver Kyle Petty inspected his wrecked Ford Thunderbird after a practice session at the half-mile Richmond Fairgrounds Raceway during the Wrangler 400. Petty’s car hit Dale Earnhardt’s, with Petty getting the worst of it.
1985, Times-Dispatch
In March 1969, balmy weather drew a large crowd to Monroe Park in downtown Richmond. A small band joined the gathering, serenading visitors as spring arrived.
Bob Brown
In April 1968, David Long manned the bar at an exhibit at a Virginia Restaurant Association convention, and Barbara Ann Brigel took a spot along the brass rail. That year, the General Assembly allowed liquor by the drink to become a local option in Virginia.
Times-dispatch
In June 1941, Patrick Henry’s “Give me liberty or give me death” speech was re-enacted at St. John’s Episcopal Church on Church Hill in Richmond as part of its bicentennial celebration. Construction of the church, built on land donated by city founder William Byrd II, was completed in June 1741.
times-dispatch
In July 1979, two boys walked along the rocks in the James River near the Lee Bridge in Richmond.
times-dispatch
In May 1942, actress-singers Dorothy Lamour (center), Patsy Garrett (at left) and actor Bert Lytell (at right) visited Richmond as part of a rally to stimulate sales of war bonds and stamps. They stood under a “Welcome to Richmond” sign and were flanked by Malcolm Bridges (left), the executive secretary of the Richmond Chamber of Commerce, and Ship Ahoy Girls Jetsy Parker and Dorothy Schoemer. The rally drew more than 5,000 people.
Times-Dispatch
This 1966 image of a quiet night on Franklin Street in downtown Richmond was captured by Times-Dispatch photographer David Harvey, who became renowned for his National Geographic magazine work and has received national awards. His photographs have been exhibited nationwide, including at the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts locally.
Times-Dispatch
In June 1977, John Stevens and his long-eared assistant performed a magic trick. Known as Nabis the Magician, Stevens was among the Richmonders in the International Brotherhood of Magicians. The local chapter had 25 members who met regularly to discuss their craft.
times-dispatch
In January 1970, Virginia Gov. Mills E. Godwin Jr. received his final salute from state police as he and his wife, Katherine, left the Executive Mansion in Richmond en route to the inauguration of A. Linwood Holton Jr. Godwin, then a Democrat, returned as governor four years later as a Republican.
Times-dispatch
In July 1961, two men fished for bluegills in Chickahominy Lake, a large water-supply reservoir along the New Kent-Charles City county line.
Times-dispatch
In June 1968, Toru Yanagida (left) and Ken Seguchi posed at Hillcrest Dairy in Crewe, in Nottoway County. They were learning American farming techniques from the dairy farm’s owners, Mr. and Mrs. Victor Johnson, who were their sponsors. Seguchi was a dairy farmer from Gifu, Japan, and Yanagida was a student in a college horticulture program in Hokkaido.
TIMES-DISPATCH
In May 1973, local Scouts assembled their tents amid exhibits at the daylong Scout-O-Rama at the State Fairgrounds in Henrico County. In addition to traditional skills of woodcraft, wilderness survival, camping and cooking, the event highlighted Scouting’s growing attention to archaeology, seamanship, aviation, metal detection, TV and space technology, among other topics. More than 2,000 Cub and Boy Scouts attended the event that year.
TIMES-DISPATCH
In June 1977, a crowd lined up for drinks and barbecue chicken at the Virginia Chicken Festival in Crewe, a town in Nottoway County southwest of Richmond. Held on the pavilion grounds of the Southside Electric Cooperative, the annual affair was sponsored by the Burkeville Ruritan Club and the Crewe Kiwanis Club. It attracted state and local politicians — including gubernatorial nominees John Dalton and Henry Howell — among the more than 3,500 attendees that year.
times-dispatch
In February 1973, prisoners at the Virginia State Penitentiary made and stacked license plates. The pen was along Spring Street at Second Street in downtown Richmond. A print shop, metal shop, textile plant, leather shop and woodworking area offered vocational training to prisoners. Today the site is largely occupied by Afton Chemical Corp., a unit of NewMarket Corp.
TIMES-DISPATCH
In November 1951, workers constructed a new lane on Monument Avenue in Henrico County. The truck was occupying what used to be the front yard of a house in the 6500 block. The road was being widened for divided lane traffic in the block between Bevridge Road and Roxbury Road.
Times-Dispatch
In their column, Joe and Teresa Graedon answer letters from readers. You can email them via their website at | https://richmond.com/news/local/business/health-care/the-peoples-pharmacy-can-aspirin-really-help-protect-against-sunburn/article_c9eb66ac-0097-11ee-a7f1-43d4e3271fec.html | 2023-06-04T17:49:37 | 0 | https://richmond.com/news/local/business/health-care/the-peoples-pharmacy-can-aspirin-really-help-protect-against-sunburn/article_c9eb66ac-0097-11ee-a7f1-43d4e3271fec.html |
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — Westbound traffic on W Kellogg Dr is blocked off before the S Dugan Rd exit due to a crash Sunday afternoon.
Sedgwick County dispatch says the crash happened just before noon and involved four to five cars. One of the cars did catch fire.
Sedgwick County dispatch says there are injuries but could not report the extent of them yet.
KSN will provide more information as it becomes available. | https://www.ksn.com/news/local/westbound-kellogg-before-dugan-exit-blocked-off-due-to-fiery-crash/ | 2023-06-04T17:54:32 | 0 | https://www.ksn.com/news/local/westbound-kellogg-before-dugan-exit-blocked-off-due-to-fiery-crash/ |
The first thing a person notices when spending time with chef David Utterback is that he’s constantly in motion.
He rearranges the bottles behind the counter at his new six-seat high-end sushi counter, Ota, which sits next to his wildly popular Omaha sushi restaurant, Yoshitomo. He stacks and re-stacks boxes of ingredients. He paces. He tears open and sifts several bags of flour that he’s planning to use for a new dish, his version of tempura, something he’s hoping to add to the chefs tasting menu he’s become known for.
The movement is the same when he’s preparing for a night of service or running the sushi counter at Yoshitomo. And it’s appropriate, because Utterback’s career as a chef has also been one of constant movement – building his knowledge of the best sushi, mastering it, then breaking those rules and starting all over again.
Not so long ago, Utterback was a corporate chef, near the top of one of Omaha’s largest restaurant groups. Now, he runs Yoshi, a decidedly non-corporate spot with a menu unlike any other in Nebraska.
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He was one of the first chefs to introduce omakase, a chef-driven, multi-course sushi tasting, to the state. He’s the first person in Nebraska to open a restaurant, Koji, focused on Japanese yakitori, grilled meat served on skewers. Now, with Ota, he’s running arguably the most exclusive dining spot in the state.
And this spring, Utterback, a one-time video game salesman, earned another first: He became Nebraska’s first-ever James Beard finalist for best chef in the Midwest.
The James Beard winners – the food world’s equivalent to the Oscars – will be announced Monday. Utterback will be buying his first real suit and getting on a plane to Chicago to be at the awards in person.
His journey to get here, which included a pink slip resulting from his own creativity and a risky bet on his own talent, has twisted and turned for more than a decade. He’s taking diners along for the ride.
“Getting rid of the familiar trappings of a sushi bar, like we did at Yoshitomo, forced guests into an uncomfortable place,” he said. “I rolled the dice, and I bet that we were too midwestern nice to get up and leave.”
The gamble worked.
Utterback had returned from a 2009 trip to Tokyo and was working as a chef at Blue Sushi Sake Grill, part of the Omaha-based Flagship Restaurant Group, when he decided he was going to have his own omakase.
He set up a corner of a counter at Blue in Omaha’s Old Market, with four seats, and he sent out some emails to let people know they could walk in.
Two people showed up: Utterback’s friend and tattoo artist, Devin Ferguson, and his wife, Sarah Ferguson.
“We got there at 9 p.m. on Sunday,” Ferguson remembers, “and Dave said ‘Thank God! I have been here for 72 hours doing nothing’.”
Ferguson remembers it differently than Utterback. “I know that from his perspective he shakes his head with embarrassment, but I became an instant superfan.”
Ferguson remembers the experience of having a chef’s total attention, something he’d never felt. Utterback had already begun building his knowledge base of where all the ingredients came from and what made them special. Ferguson knew other people in Omaha would want the same experience.
Utterback kept running those dinners at Blue, even as he ascended to corporate sushi chef.
Then he started running a steady side gig of pop-up omakase dinners at restaurants his friends ran: Le Bouillon; Au Courant; Hook and Lime; the now-closed Ugly Duck Ramen.
Then Blue let him go, after 12 years. The reason? Too much time spent on pop-up dinners.
“I was blindsided, hurt and terrified,” he said. “Looking back it was the right business decision at the time. I wanted to go left and the ship was headed to the right.” (For the record, Utterback said he’s “still quite friendly” with the owners of Flagship.)
He kept his pop-up dinners going because they were now his sole source of income. And because he knew he needed to get better.
“I knew that the fish and the techniques, they were just not there,” he said.
He had a realization during that period: He didn’t want to work for someone else. He wrote a business plan, and started shopping it around.
“No one bit on it, until my buddy, who is also the guitar player in my band, put his parents' house up against a small bank loan,” Utterback said. “Then I found the closed Subway in Benson.”
The shuttered sandwich shop was a mess, he said. “The basement was flooded. Wires were hanging from the ceiling. They had just left all the Subway sauces in the walk-in cooler and turned it off.”
That night, Utterback said he signed up for five zero-percent interest credit cards.
Yoshitomo opened its doors in October 2017. Utterback didn’t have a sign, a staff or an inch of wiggle room.
“At any given time I’d have a couple hundred dollars in the bank account,” he said. “It was really scary.”
Guests came in with an idea of what a sushi restaurant is, because most American sushi restaurants do things the same way.
“We have ritualistic eating habits,” he said. “You know, rubbing chopsticks together, wasabi in the soy sauce, miso soup. I just, I hated that. I wanted to be the opposite of that.”
First he took the bottles of soy sauce off the tables. Then he took away the pickled ginger and balls of wasabi. He thought people would be mad.
Nothing happened.
They got rid of the traditional, well known sushi rolls and replaced them with rolls Utterback created. It forced diners to ask questions, change their expectations, become adventurous.
All that time, Utterback was scouring Instagram, looking at other sushi counters and glimpsing the products they used. He started ordering from some of the higher-end producers he found online or learned of through other sushi chefs.
“It’s come from lots of long, drawn out intense investigative work,” he said. “No one taught me. As I started doing my own omakase, and learning how to do actual Tokyo-style sushi techniques, those translated into the restaurant.”
Eventually he took those omakase dinners on the road to St. Louis and Kansas City, where he met chef Nick Goellner, who runs The Antler Room. Goellner recently hosted a pop-up izakaya night with Utterback in Kansas City. He also traveled to Omaha specifically to eat at one of Utterback’s omakase nights.
The Kansas City chef says it’s hard to source ingredients, like some vegetables, in the Midwest. He can’t imagine what it’s like to source the main ingredients in sushi.
“The main product he’s using is seafood … that can go bad very fast and needs to be treated very delicately,” Goellner said. “To open a place like that with the quality of ingredients he uses is a big gamble.”
During an interview as the Beard Awards neared, Utterback said he’s supposed to be working on some new dishes for Yoshitomo. But instead, he can’t stop thinking about the tempura he wanted to make for the omakase menu. He worries aloud about skyrocketing fish costs that have forced him to raise his prices. He’s been spending a lot of time, he says, thinking about “Yoshi 2.0.”
Yes, Dave Utterback is thinking about breaking the restaurant that helped him become a James Beard finalist.
“I get bored very easily. And once I get bored of it, I think that everyone else is, too. So I need to break it,” he said.
The newest idea? No more sushi rolls, at all, on the Yoshitomo menu. It hasn't happened yet, but he’s thinking about it.
Goellner said what makes Yoshitomo great is that every time a diner visits, it’s consistent, and Utterback never seems to get caught up in his own environment.
Often – too often, Goellner thinks – chefs say they can’t do something creative, something singular, in a city like Omaha. Utterback doesn’t think that, Goellner said. Instead, he thinks: How do I make an awesome sushi restaurant?
“To be able to forget all the noise about who lives where and how hard it is to get this or that, that takes a lot of guts,” Goellner said. “That is what makes it spectacular.”
The Flatwater Free Press is Nebraska’s first independent, nonprofit newsroom focused on investigations and feature stories that matter. | https://journalstar.com/life-entertainment/local/food-drink/omaha-chef-ditched-familiar-trappings-in-his-restaurants-now-he-s-a-james-beard-award/article_4bedc92e-fb52-11ed-a17c-a3747962b32a.html | 2023-06-04T18:01:40 | 0 | https://journalstar.com/life-entertainment/local/food-drink/omaha-chef-ditched-familiar-trappings-in-his-restaurants-now-he-s-a-james-beard-award/article_4bedc92e-fb52-11ed-a17c-a3747962b32a.html |
Lincoln Police are searching for a missing Lincoln girl last seen Saturday in the Havelock neighborhood.
Ariah Duoth is 12 years old, 5 feet, 1 inch tall, and weighs approximately 105 pounds.
She was last seen wearing a maroon tank top and light-brown sweatpants, police said in a tweet Sunday morning. The back of her hair is dyed red.
The tweet did not specify the last time Duoth was seen Saturday.
Police are asking anyone with information to call its non-emergency dispatch number at 402-441-6000.
What you missed this week in notable Southeast Nebraska crimes and court cases
This week's local crime and court updates from The Lincoln Journal Star.
Joshua Salazar received more than 30 years in prison Wednesday for assaulting a woman and kidnapping her and her 2-year-old child during a methamphetamine-induced psychotic episode.
The state of Iowa is challenging a ruling that it violated prison workers’ right to be heard on issues of personal safety and assaults on the staff committed by inmates.
Protesters gathered at the site of the collapse in downtown Davenport, saying more people are still missing and could be inside.
🎧 Reporter Karen Robinson-Jacobs discusses the racial makeup of police departments in relation to the communities they serve. | https://journalstar.com/news/local/crime-courts/lincoln-police-searching-for-12-year-old-missing-girl/article_525577fa-02e9-11ee-a3d3-7352ecb512a2.html | 2023-06-04T18:01:46 | 1 | https://journalstar.com/news/local/crime-courts/lincoln-police-searching-for-12-year-old-missing-girl/article_525577fa-02e9-11ee-a3d3-7352ecb512a2.html |
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