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LACKAWANNA COUNTY, Pa. — "I've never seen anything like this in person it's chaos it's insanity," said Jayden Lillie of Scranton.
A wall of smoke left much of Scranton in a haze. This was the scene when looking down from the overlook along Route 307.
Adam Zenker had been cutting grass nearby when they pulled over to take a look.
"It's pretty crazy I started to notice it when I was looking at the sun 'cause it was red out and stuff like that," said Zenker. "It's really crazy I've never seen anything like it before."
"I just think it's absolutely insane, I mean I've never seen anything like this before Scranton is just completely covered in the smoke and it takes away from the beautiful scene here," Gabriella DeCesare from Moscow. She says the smoke can not only be seen for miles but also smelled. This aggravated her severe allergies.
"I have asthma I have very bad allergies and just smelling this right now. You know it really is just affecting my lungs and I feel bad for those people who are struggling with those health risks right now," said DeCesare.
It started getting hazy here Tuesday afternoon and by about 2 o'clock the smoke completely covered the sky, giving the sun an orange tint.
At the same time, Jason Crambo and members of the Jefferson Township Volunteer Fire Company were preparing to kick off their largest fundraiser of the year.
"I think a lot of people not seeing the weather or watching the news and seeing that it's actually smoke. They're going outside and looking up in the air I think there's going to be a thunderstorm today when we all know from watching the weather that that's not the case," said Crambo.
With smoke in the forecast for the next few days, Crambo says he's remaining optimistic that crowds will still come out. | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/smoke-pennsylvanians-react-to-air-quality-caused-canadian-wildfires/523-8d6ffb8b-540f-4578-87d8-b8b15779a022 | 2023-06-07T04:09:16 | 0 | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/smoke-pennsylvanians-react-to-air-quality-caused-canadian-wildfires/523-8d6ffb8b-540f-4578-87d8-b8b15779a022 |
PLUMAS COUNTY, Calif. — One person died in a house fire in Plumas County.
According to a release from officials, the fire happened in the 5300 block of Chandler Road in Quincy, California.
Officials say around 11 a.m. Tuesday, burned human remains were found in what was left of the home.
The person has not been identified.
Officials did point out that they conducted an investigation into the cause of the fire and spoke with neighbors and friends of the occupant of the home.
They said those they spoke to were unable to find the occupant.
The remains were removed and the cause of death is under investigation. | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/deadly-plumas-county-house-fire/103-d1027f2a-2d71-4227-9b88-54b79a4fc032 | 2023-06-07T04:09:48 | 0 | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/deadly-plumas-county-house-fire/103-d1027f2a-2d71-4227-9b88-54b79a4fc032 |
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office is investigating a two-vessel crash that happened on Memorial Day in the area of the Skyway Bridge channel.
Jeffery Newburg of Clearwater was driving one of the boats involved in the crash and tells 10 Tampa Bay the incident has stripped him of his peace of mind.
"I saw a flash out of the side of my eye, and he came in and just hit us head-on into the rear port side of the boat," Newburg said. "The impact was pretty violent."
Newburg said a smaller boat suddenly drove into his 29-foot fishing vessel, sending people from the other boat flying.
"I jumped up and I grabbed the throttle to stop the boat, and I saw a kid in the back of my boat that wasn't on my boat before," Newburg explained.
He said the other driver and another passenger in the other boat were also thrown overboard. Some of Newburg's nine passengers were treated for injuries and remain shaken physically and emotionally, he said.
"I was concerned, obviously, with my pregnant daughter being on the boat and my grandkids," Newburg explained. "It makes you think about what you love doing and it puts doubt in your mind."
The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office said an off-duty deputy was among the first to respond to the crash. It's now the agency leading the investigation. While the incident report is still sealed, they confirm several people were treated for minor injuries.
"The situation could have been much more dangerous if he was driving a larger boat," Newburg said. "It actually made me think to if I ever want to go on the water again, because it's not worth, you know, losing a life over it."
With his boat now seriously damaged, Newburg won't be behind the wheel any time soon but hopes others prioritize boating education this summer.
"Everybody that's on the water should go take a Coast Guard safety course. Know the rules on the water, what to do, and what not to do," Newburg said. "Safety has to be paramount."
The incident is still under investigation. It's unclear whether any charges have been filed. | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/memorial-day-boat-collision-sunshine-skyway-bridge-safety-concerns/67-ca7b5fad-0bc9-4489-a590-b8162584c740 | 2023-06-07T04:14:53 | 1 | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/memorial-day-boat-collision-sunshine-skyway-bridge-safety-concerns/67-ca7b5fad-0bc9-4489-a590-b8162584c740 |
BARTOW, Fla. — It's an intersection no stranger to crashes. Drivers in Bartow came to 10 Tampa Bay expressing safety concerns, and we took those to the Florida Department of Transportation officials finding out a deadly intersection will soon see safe change.
It's located at Lyle Parkway and U.S. 98. It’s an intersection Steve Giglio drives several times a day. He explained every day he sees close calls involving car accidents and has witnessed dozens of car accidents.
"When you see a motorcyclist get launched 20 feet, it stays with you," Giglio said.
Giglio brought his safety concerns to state, county and city officials years ago. Nothing came out of pushing for change. He explained the intersection has too much going on when it comes to cars turning. He believes a stoplight would provide the necessary direction and slow drivers down.
"It would give traffic a better chance to flow easier," he said.
A traffic engineer with FDOT told 10 Tampa Bay that state officials are considering a stoplight for the long-term solution, but their quick fix could be directional.
"We are looking at the possibility of installing a directional," FDOT's Traffic Services Program Engineer Walter Breuggeman said.
Breuggeman said a directional would be a temporary solution and what it would do is make it so drivers can't turn left from Lyle Parkway onto U.S. 98. Instead, drivers would need to go to the nearest red light and make a U-turn.
"By doing this, your reducing the conflict points of intersection," Giglio said.
As far as a stoplight is concerned, FDOT officials explained that could take years. Residents want to see it sooner than later.
"We need it now," Giglio said when he heard it wouldn't be an immediate installation.
FDOT explained drivers and commissioners have expressed Giglio's same safety concerns, adding speeding is an issue too.
"The speed limit just north of here is 55 mph and it drops to 45 mph," Breuggeman explained. "Cars don't seem to slow down when they pass through the intersection."
FDOT keeps records of fatal and serious crashes. FDOT's records show since 2018, there have been four serious crashes. One of those was a fatal crash where one person died in 2020.
The Bartow Police Department respond to crashes in that area since it is a city road as well, saying since 2020, they have responded to 27 crashes here. A majority involved left turns, which a directional would temporarily stop if approved.
FDOT officials said they plan to have public input meetings before anything is decided. One could happen in the next few months. | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/polkcounty/intersection-bartow-safety-changes/67-2020dfc5-0e23-427e-95d7-30526e848b72 | 2023-06-07T04:14:53 | 0 | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/polkcounty/intersection-bartow-safety-changes/67-2020dfc5-0e23-427e-95d7-30526e848b72 |
TAMPA, Fla. — A family now forced to deal with an unthinkable pain as they mourn their youngest son and sibling.
Tavares Demeico Benjamin Jr., 'TJ', was just 21-years-old when his life was taken on Memorial Day afternoon. Speaking exclusively to 10 Tampa Bay's Angelina Salcedo, his mother says her baby boy was taken senselessly.
"He always had a big heart, always made sure everyone was taken care of," Michele Mosley said. "He just wanted so bad to just make everything was better."
TJ was her loving and goofy baby. He was the youngest of 5 siblings. For Mosley, finding out about his death was a shock, but finding out who shot him and what happened was even worse.
"All he wanted to do get a pair of shorts to go swim at this AirBnb because his friend graduated," the mother said. "His friend that was with him said he even got out of the car and gave his dad a hug, then it was like, 'Where's my money?' and he pushed him off."
That afternoon, Mosley knew he was going to his father's home on North 20th Street in Tampa before heading to his friend's graduation celebration. When he got there, she received a video from him that showed an argument between TJ and his dad.
Tavares Demeico Benjamin told his son and friend "neither one of you are giving me anything, so get your punk a-- out," and is seen yelling from the bottom of the stairs. Twenty minutes later things took a turn.
"Apparently they got into an argument and his dad was mad because he wanted $25," Mosley said. "I get that video and then 20 minutes later his dad called and left me a message on the phone."
Mosley played the message during the interview. You can hear Benjamin yelling, "Michele you need to come, I just shot TJ. I don't know if he's dead or not, but I just shot him and I don't give a f---."
The friend who was with TJ at the time took a picture of him on the ground being treated by Hillsborough County Deputies minutes after TJ tried to run to get help.
"I thought it was crazy. I thought it was some kind of sick joke," Mosley said. "I couldn't believe it. I still don't believe it."
Now she wants answers after being left hurt and confused. She says she doesn't understand how a parent can do that to their own child.
"You're the adult," she said. "What the heck did he do that was so bad? He is always a happy go lucky kid with a huge heart. He would always say, 'You know pop's ain't going to hurt me, he's just crazy.' I never thought this would happen. He was never in fear of him."
TJ died at the hospital after doctors say the bullet went in through his shoulder, into his chest. Surgery couldn't save him.
"Justice? Well he's in a much better place, I know he's saved. I know he's with the Lord," Mosley said. "I just hope his dad gets what he deserves because this is so unfair."
Her loving boy gone in minutes, she just wants to know why.
"You worry about your kid on the street or any time they leave the house or whatever, you would never think their own parent would do that," Mosley said.
Records show TJ's dad, Tavares Demeico Benjamin, is being held on a $50,000 bond and is currently charged with felon in possession of a firearm. Right now, he is not charged in TJ's death.
While the sheriff's office continues investigating, TJ's family is looking to have a service for him on June 24. If you'd like to support them, you can here. | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/tampa-21-year-old-son-mother-says-was-shot-killed-by-his-father-over-money/67-47865d85-d884-43b2-b1fb-2b231fab7331 | 2023-06-07T04:14:54 | 1 | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/tampa-21-year-old-son-mother-says-was-shot-killed-by-his-father-over-money/67-47865d85-d884-43b2-b1fb-2b231fab7331 |
Two men were shot and killed outside the Altria Theater Tuesday evening following the Huguenot High School graduation, locking down a large section of the VCU campus and prompting fresh outrage about gun violence in the community.
One of the men killed was an 18-year-old who was graduating on Tuesday afternoon, and the other was a 36-year-old man. Another five people also sustained gunshot wounds.
Richmond’s Acting Police Chief Rick Edwards said a 19-year-old suspect is in custody and police, in consultation with Richmond prosecutors, expect to seek charges on two counts of second-degree murder, plus additional charges. Police detained another person with a firearm, but do not believe he was involved with the shooting, Edwards said.
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Police believe the suspect knew at least one of the victims, said Edwards, who said he was unsure whether the suspect is a student.
As for the other shooting victims, Edwards said a 31-year-old victim sustained a life-threatening wound.
Four others suffered gunshot wounds that were not life-threatening: a 14-year-old boy, a 32-year-old man, a 55-year-old man and a 58-year-old man.
A 9-year-old girl who was struck by a car in the resulting commotion was treated at the scene, released and later went to a local hospital. She did not sustain a life-threatening injury, Edwards said.
“At this time I’d like to just express my concerns and my sympathies for those who lost their lives today and those whose lives were forever changed by the events today,” said Edwards, who also thanked an array of local, state and federal law enforcement partners who also rushed to assist.
Panic as gunshots are heard
A gunman opened fire at 5:13 p.m. as Huguenot High School was ending its graduation ceremony and Thomas Jefferson was preparing to begin its commencement.
A panic erupted on Main Street as the shots went off. High school seniors dressed in their graduation robes ran from the scene, along with their friends and families who came to watch the ceremonies.
School Board member Jonathan Young, who was at the scene, said he saw “a lot of shock. A lot of people that injured themselves in the melee, the stampede … All running as fast as they can, no shoes, people tripping over themselves, falling on top of (one) other, crying and yelling.”
A woman who said she is related to one of the graduates said, “As soon as we got out there, we were trying to find my brother, and then all I heard was boom boom boom. They were shooting and we all ran.” She asked not to be identified.
VCU student Saadat Bahrami said he was on his way to the library when he heard gunshots.
“I heard these shots going off and I didn’t really think much of it,” Bahrami said. “And then I saw a bunch of cops racing down the road.”
“Honestly, I think it’s a wake up call,” Bahrami said. “And the fact that there’s no changes being done whatsoever anywhere across the nation that are making a profound effect…I think that just speaks about where the priorities lie in our government, and it’s really not for the safety of the people.”
Richmond Schools Superintendent Jason Kamras, who was attending the graduation ceremonies, somberly pleaded with the community for an end to the violence.
“This is supposed to be a joyous day when our kids walk the stage and get their diploma, which is what they all did here for Huguenot today,” Kamras said. They “walked out the doors into their families’ and friends’ arms, taking pictures, and then this tragedy occurred.”
“I’m just tired of seeing people get shot and I beg of the entire community to stop – to just stop,” Kamras said.
He said the students can’t take it, “the teachers can’t take it, our families can’t take it anymore. I beg of you to stop.”
Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney said, “we are going to do everything we can to bring the individuals involved in this to justice.”
“This is tragic, but also traumatic because this is their graduation,” Stoney said at a press conference. “The question that comes to mind right now is: Is nothing sacred any longer?”
'Who is in charge?'
Following the news conference, Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears addressed reporters and appeared to hold Richmond leaders accountable for stopping the violence. Democrats pushed back on Twitter, noting that Earle-Sears, a U.S. Marines veteran, had toted an assault-style rifle in an image she used in her 2021 campaign.
“The people that I represent are not safe – they’re not safe in this city, and we have to figure out why that is,” Earle-Sears said near the Altria Theater. “This is not about law-abiding gun owners, this is about gangs,” she said.
“Who is in charge – is that the mayor, is that the chief, who is that? I mean, let’s start naming names,” Earle-Sears said. “Because otherwise, if no one is accountable, if all we do is come in front of a camera… and keep talking about, ‘oh, this shouldn’t happen, and that shouldn’t happen.’ Well, you’re the one in charge. You’re the one responsible. So let’s cut it.”
All RPS schools & offices will be closed tomorrow, June 7. All high school graduations have also been canceled. Further updates regarding rescheduling will be shared soon. pic.twitter.com/AAFum2TdcB
— Richmond Public Schools (@RPS_Schools) June 7, 2023
House Minority Leader Don Scott Jr., D-Portsmouth, tweeted in response: “This gaslighting and political pandering by a LT. GOVERNOR who LITERALLY campaigned holding a picture of an assault rifle is lecturing others on preventing gun violence. She runs out to the scene with no empathy for the victims just thinking of how to appeal to MAGA,” Scott said, referring to former President Donald Trump’s slogan of “Make America Great Again.”
Gov. Glenn Youngkin said in a statement on Twitter: “My administration continues monitoring the terrible shooting in the heart of Richmond tonight. State law enforcement are fully supporting the Richmond Police Department as this investigation moves forward.”
All Richmond Public Schools classes are canceled Wednesday, the division announced in an email to families on Tuesday evening. The school system said counselors are available.
“For someone to commit this evil heinous act to show zero regard for anyone.. that’s just evil,” Young said. “And it’s long overdue for everyone who resides here, irrespective of their position or title to call it what it is, and that’s evil. If you commit evil acts, you need to pay the consequences.” | https://richmond.com/news/local/crime-courts/graduation-shooting-seven-shot-two-dead/article_6466f5b6-04c6-11ee-9190-6b5d4870d02e.html | 2023-06-07T04:27:53 | 0 | https://richmond.com/news/local/crime-courts/graduation-shooting-seven-shot-two-dead/article_6466f5b6-04c6-11ee-9190-6b5d4870d02e.html |
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — We've shared complaints and violations at Big Country Chateau for the past year.
Out of 151 units, only about 30 residents still live in the apartment complex.
No one new can move in; residents say no one's collecting rent and they don't know what's next.
Stacie Swiggins, one of the tenants, said she's lived for months without a working fridge or stove.
"We need help," Swiggins said. "Some of us don't have the proper funds to relocate."
Now she is covered in bruises and has an eye infection from cockroach bites.
"I have to fight roaches off my bed before I even get in it," Swiggins said.
After a year-long process of code enforcement checks, court dates and temporary housing help from the city— the final residents feel left behind.
"I'm in a ghost town," Big Country Chateau Resident Mark Behnfeldt said. "But you know what? The people that are here and the people in this community have that good hearts."
In a meeting Tuesday, the City of Little Rock said they met with court-ordered management, Tarantino Properties, and the mortgage company to figure out the next steps for relocating residents and closing down Big Country Chateau.
The city made it clear that tenants are not getting evicted.
Once all residents leave the property, there will be strict guidelines for any future management.
"Once it becomes vacant, we can make it an unsafe and vacant structure," said Kevin Howard with the city's housing program. "They have to bring the property back up to code."
However, there are some roadblocks to the transition process.
"It is hard right now because we do have a shortage of affordable housing here in the City of Little Rock," Howard said. "We're going to do our best to try to assist those individuals to find placement for them."
The city is working with local nonprofits like Arkansas Renters United for help on the ground.
"We're trying to get them out of here and find better resources for them to connect to get the help they need," Arkansas Renters United Organizer Crystal Alexander said. "The city is doing as much as they can."
While residents appreciate the city and new management's help, they said more communication is needed regarding their futures.
"For us, it's a major priority," Behnfeldt said. "We need this. You know, we're just as important as anybody else."
As people live in a complex that's falling apart,
"I have no other choice," Swiggins said. | https://www.thv11.com/article/news/local/little-rock-big-country-chateau/91-63b57a8a-4927-4c79-87f1-214c382899f4 | 2023-06-07T04:30:55 | 1 | https://www.thv11.com/article/news/local/little-rock-big-country-chateau/91-63b57a8a-4927-4c79-87f1-214c382899f4 |
MITCHELL — Voters in the Mitchell School District spoke at the ballot box Tuesday and approved a $17 million bond issue that will pave the way to complete proposed new athletic facilities as part of the new Mitchell High School construction.
District patrons strongly approved the measure by a vote of 2,888 to 634, or 82% to 18%. That was enough to easily surpass the 60% threshold needed to pass a bond issue of this type.
“I am so pleased to see the community support this,” said Deb Olson, president of the Mitchell Board of Education, which authorized the bond issue vote back in March. “To know how many people worked very hard to have this happen — it is so rewarding to see a community get behind education and the activities of its students. Mitchell is a great place to live.”
The improvements call for three new gymnasiums of varying sizes, a new wrestling/competitive dance room, new locker rooms and a weight room facility. In all, there will be nearly 55,000 square feet of additional space for MHS activities, nearly doubling what MHS has available now across 29,500 square feet. The largest gym, which is set to seat up to 2,300 people, will replace the current MHS gym’s functions as a home site for volleyball, wrestling and gymnastics. A second auxiliary gym can hold additional practices and games and seat up to 1,200 spectators.
The board authorized a vote on the issue when initial plans for the new Mitchell High School building, which at the time included several sections of improved athletic and activities facilities, came in approximately $20 million higher than expected. Though the board did work to make cuts to the plans in order to bring the estimate more in line with funds set aside for the project, the high estimate threatened to stall the athletics portion of the construction indefinitely unless voters approved a bond issue for $17 million, which district leaders believed would be enough to finish the work.
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Approving the bond issue would be a way to get the whole job done in a timely manner with less risk of higher costs down the road.
“It was discouraging when prices continued to rise. Initially the board thought that we could do it all at one time, but as prices continued to rise with inflation it began to be troublesome. It was hard to know what was the right thing to do,” Olson said. “I do believe it would have been more expensive if we waited five or 10 years to do the whole thing.”
She praised members of the public who campaigned for passage for the bond issue, including the group Vote Yes For Kids.
“The people who worked so hard to get this passed deserve a lot of credit for the work they did. They deserve so much credit. They got the information out there for the public so they could make their decision,” Olson said.
The school portion of the election, which also saw district voters select Deb Everson over Matt Christiansen in a tight race for a seat on the Mitchell Board of Education by a vote of 1,713 to 1,629, or 51.26% to 48.74%, saw a strong turnout of 27%. Also on the combined city and school ballot were two seats on the Mitchell City Council and a ballot issue concerning the sale of lots along Lake Mitchell.
Cory Aadland, activities director for the Mitchell School District, said he was thrilled with the vote outcome.
"Obviously, I'm happy for our kids and happy for our community. But mostly I'm grateful that the community had the opportunity to show their support for what we're going for our kids and our school," Aadland said. "We've always been very blessed with the support we have had from the community and this drives it home to a whole new level."
With the bond issue approved, the Mitchell Board of Education will now get down to the work of completing the athletics portion of the new high school complex. Construction work on the new high school building is already underway on Capital Street across the street from the current high school, which was built in 1962.
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Olson said the matter will likely be taken up at the next meeting of the Mitchell Board of Education. She expects that Puetz Design and Build of Mitchell, which is handling construction management for the high school project, will reach out to those who previously bid on portions of the athletic facilities to see if they will hold their original bids on the project.
“If they will, then we’ll be able to move forward. If they need to raise their bids for whatever reason, then we’ll go and re-advertise to make sure we get the lowest bids,” Olson said.
If everything proceeds smoothly from this point, the new athletic facilities, which include an updated competition gym, locker rooms and practice and training areas, could be completed as soon as in time for the 2025-26 school year.
Aadland said at least 600 Mitchell students a year will be affected by the improved facilities, along with many in youth sports as well as visiting athletes and both home and away spectators.
The community support, from organized campaigners to those who got out to vote Tuesday, made that happen, he said.
"It's just got such a wide-ranging impact. To be able to give our kids something that can be proud of? We haven't been able to say that for a long time when we talk about indoor facilities. It's a complete game-changer," Aadland said. "It's something that won't be lost on us, the support we have in the community. I appreciate and am thankful for them putting their trust in us to do that, and we'll do everything we can do to make them proud."
The bond will increase taxes by 44 cents per $1,000 in taxable value. The example the school district has used is $3.67 per month or $44 per year on a home that has a taxable value of $100,000.
The Mitchell Board of Education meets next at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, June 12 in Room 110 at the Mitchell Career and Technical Education Academy. Olson said she expects the subject of moving forward with plans for the athletic facilities will receive discussion at that meeting. | https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/mitchell-school-district-voters-resoundingly-approve-17-million-athletic-facility-bond | 2023-06-07T04:32:19 | 1 | https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/mitchell-school-district-voters-resoundingly-approve-17-million-athletic-facility-bond |
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INDIANAPOLIS — Just days into Pride Month, on Tuesday the Human Rights Campaign declared a national state of emergency for LGBTQ Americans.
The move comes after a wave of anti-LGBTQ bills proposed this year around the country, including in Indiana.
Advocates in Indianapolis say that's why it's more important than ever to stand up and stay strong.
"Anytime we have to explain to people steps they have to take to keep themselves safe, it's jarring. But it's necessary, it's the call that had to be made," said Zoe O'Haillin-Berne, director of engagement at Indiana Youth Group.
O'Haillin-Berne said she was concerned but not surprised to see the Human Rights Campaign declaring a national state of emergency Tuesday for LGBTQ people.
This shines a light on LGBTQ people being targeted, O'Haillin-Berne said, and it's an increase she's seen firsthand in her work at Indiana Youth Group.
"In recent weeks, we've been getting a lot of hate mail, phone calls, emails, people threatening to come out to our youth carnival to try and intimidate the kids so they'll leave," O'Haillin-Berne said. "They're trying to scare the kids off from coming to our center and that's terrifying. So we're doing everything we can to try and mitigate that and stop that in its tracks because kids need safe spaces."
Indiana lawmakers passed a number of anti-LGBTQ bills this session, including a ban on gender-affirming care. Nationally, more than 400 anti-LGBTQ bills were introduced in the first few months of the year, according to ACLU data.
O'Haillin-Berne said she believes it's emboldening people.
"It's bred an environment, a culture where people feel like they can lash out at the community because these laws have told them it's OK," O'Haillin-Berne said.
Along with the declaration, the group released a guidebook for LGBTQ travelers and residents as well as a summary of laws state-by-state. That information can be critical for LGBTQ people.
"Anytime I travel anywhere, I look and see what the policies are. It used to be this is just something we had to do when we were going internationally. But now, the fact that I have to worry if I drive to see my in-laws in Ohio, I need to know, am I allowed to use the bathroom at a gas station on the interstate? It's really wild that it's come to this," O'Haillin-Berne said.
Just days away from the Pride parade and festival in downtown Indianapolis, O'Haillin-Berne said standing up and taking the time to celebrate is one way they can push back.
“The best form of protest is joy. We have to stand up, we have to remind people that we’re here, we’re human beings, we deserve rights, we deserve dignity. People often ask why do we need pride, why does this month have to happen? And people are proving the point," O'Haillin-Berne said. "When people are threatening your life, your livelihood, your safety, you have to do something to say I'm not going to back down, I'm not going to be scared back into a closet."
13News reached out to Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb and House Speaker Todd Huston about the emergency declaration and Indiana's recent legislative moves. So far, neither has responded. | https://www.wthr.com/article/news/local/hoosiers-concerned-unsurprised-after-human-rights-campaign-declares-state-of-emergency-for-lgbtq-americans/531-5e4ec633-6579-48cb-9ee5-6cf0bce35443 | 2023-06-07T04:49:33 | 0 | https://www.wthr.com/article/news/local/hoosiers-concerned-unsurprised-after-human-rights-campaign-declares-state-of-emergency-for-lgbtq-americans/531-5e4ec633-6579-48cb-9ee5-6cf0bce35443 |
BALTIMORE — Since May, many parts of Canada have seen the largest number of wildfires on record, and with the weather patterns this year, all of the smoke has been traveling down into the U.S.
"We're hopeful that there is an improvement by the end of the week in the direction that smoke is going, but as long as those fires are burning, smoke is going to keep going into the atmosphere and well have to keep a close eye on what direction it comes it could still come back to our area," said WMAR meterologist Chris Swaim.
Many parts of the upper east coast, including Maryland, are noticing poor air quality.
Doctors say the amount of smoke in the air can be very harmful for sensitive groups.
"Inhaling bad quality air every day is like inhaling cigarette smoke. The smoke will cause a bad lung problem for you including lung cancer," said Dr. Ferentz, GBMC.
The smoke in the air is also bad for people who spend a lot of time outdoors. Doctors advise against exercising outside until the air quality improves.
"You'd like to think 'oh well it's just the trees that are burning or the ground that's burning,' but hey if people threw out garbage in there that's burning. Also, if there are batteries that may be burning also, so there certainly may be toxic chemicals," said Dr. Ferentz.
Experts say the best way to protect yourself is to limit time outdoors; if you can't, they suggest wearing N-95 masks.
You can use the WMAR Weather app to monitor and get updates about the air quality in your area. | https://www.wmar2news.com/local/poor-air-quality-in-maryland-caused-by-canadian-wildfires | 2023-06-07T04:55:39 | 1 | https://www.wmar2news.com/local/poor-air-quality-in-maryland-caused-by-canadian-wildfires |
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These Mesa hotels provide refuge and housing for people experiencing homelessness
4 PHOTOS | https://www.azcentral.com/picture-gallery/news/local/mesa/2023/06/07/mesa-hotels-provide-housing-for-homeless/12052966002/ | 2023-06-07T05:17:41 | 1 | https://www.azcentral.com/picture-gallery/news/local/mesa/2023/06/07/mesa-hotels-provide-housing-for-homeless/12052966002/ |
4 hawk attacks lead to minor injuries in Tucson
Four hawk attacks have led to minor injuries since late May in Oro Valley and Vail in Tucson, according to the Arizona Game and Fish Department Tucson's Facebook account.
The department warns people to be aware of nesting hawks that defensively swoop by and urges Tucsonans to alert one another if they see these nesting hawks by setting up safety tape, traffic barricades or signs.
Nesting raptors are predatory birds that should also be considered when walking around nearby trees as they are sensitive to disturbances such as loud noises or being too close to them, especially in nesting season, which takes place in the spring.
Opening an umbrella is advised if one was to go near a tree where a nesting hawk lives. These swoops are typically from younger hawks who have not fully learned to fly, according to Game and Fish.
People may not harm these hawks as they are protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, according to Game and Fish. | https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona/2023/06/06/4-hawk-attacks-lead-to-minor-injuries-in-tucson/70296038007/ | 2023-06-07T05:17:47 | 1 | https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona/2023/06/06/4-hawk-attacks-lead-to-minor-injuries-in-tucson/70296038007/ |
Angelic Health Hospice Care, which serves Atlantic, Cape May, and Cumberland counites, has named Tracy Fooks administrator for the West Atlantic City office in Egg Harbor Township.
Fooks oversees the day-to-day functioning of the office and ensures the hospice team is effectively serving patients and their families. She has 38 years of health care experience at facilities such as Shore Medical Center, Cape Regional Medical Center and Holy Redeemer Hospice, and served in a previous role at Angelic Health as director of professional services.
Fooks lives in Somers Point with her husband and two children.
“Tracy’s experience and dedication to quality patient care are second to none,” Angelic Health CEO Dan Mikus said in a news release. “She is dedicated to uphold the standards of service to our hospice patients and their families.”
People are also reading…
Angelic Health provides hospice, palliative, memory care and telehealth services. For more information, visit angelic.health. | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/angelic-health-hospice-care-names-new-administrator/article_9af935b0-0473-11ee-b90d-b3eb9b36b3d9.html | 2023-06-07T05:18:18 | 1 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/angelic-health-hospice-care-names-new-administrator/article_9af935b0-0473-11ee-b90d-b3eb9b36b3d9.html |
Events
Wednesday, June 7
34TH ANNUAL CAPE MAY MUSIC FESTIVAL: BACH’S LUNCH AT THE WASHINGTON INN: 12:30 to 2 p.m.; classical music and lunch; Washington Inn & Wine Bar, 801 Washington St., Cape May; $50. 609-884-5404 or capemaymac.org.
ADULT BOARD GAME NIGHT: 5:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesdays, June 7, 21, July 5, 19, Aug. 2, 16; Egg Harbor Township/Atlantic County Library System, 1 Swift Drive, Egg Harbor Township. 609-927-8664 or atlanticlibrary.org.
BLACK EXCELLENCE: ART BY MELVIN LEE SMITH: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 7 through 11; self-taught artist Melvin Lee returns to AAHMSNJ with a new exhibit; The Noyes Arts Garage of Stockton University, 2200 Fairmount Ave., Atlantic City. northtoshore.com.
People are also reading…
'BOND BETWEEN HUMANS AND ANIMALS': 6 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays through June 28; for ages 18 and older; join Cherie Scheurich, from Absecon Veterinary Hospital, for a 4-week course where you will learn all about the human-animal bond; Mays Landing Branch/Atlantic County Library System, 40 Farragut Ave., Hamilton. 609-625-2776 or atlanticlibrary.org.
BORED? GAMES!: 6 to 7 p.m. Wednesdays through Aug. 31; for ages 10 to adult; games are family-friendly classic board games meant for at least two players; Ventnor City Branch/Atlantic County Library System, 6500 Atlantic Ave., Ventnor; registration required. 609-823-4614 or atlanticlibrary.org.
HERB DISH GARDEN WORKSHOP WITH JOE ALVAREZ: noon to 2 p.m.; Cape May County Library/Sea Isle City Branch, 4800 Central Ave., Sea Isle City; free, registration required. 609-463-6350 or events.cmclibrary.org.
MURDER MYSTERY DINNER - 'THE PLOT THICKENS': 7 to 8:30 p.m.; enjoy a three-course dinner and watch as the mystery and drama unfold; The Chalfonte Hotel, 301 Howard St., Cape May; $75. 609-884-5404 or capemaymac.org.
NORTH TO SHORE JERSEY FESTIVAL: STORY SLAM WITH MURPHY WRITING: 7 to 8 p.m.; join the Murphy Writing Center of Stockton University for a special Poetry Slam; live storytelling competition in the vein of poetry slams with a DJ, food and prizes; The Noyes Arts Garage of Stockton University, 2200 Fairmount Ave., Atlantic City. 609-626-3420 or noyesmuseum.org.
QUIZZO: 8 to 10 p.m.; Tennessee Avenue Beer Hall, 133 S. Tennessee Ave., Atlantic City. northtoshore.com.
'SISTERS': AN ART EXHIBIT WITH SPOKEN WORD AND LIVE MUSIC: 5 to 9 p.m.; Atlantic City Tours presents "Sisters," an art exhibit with spoken word, music performances, and candid conversations about women; The Noyes Arts Garage of Stockton University, 2200 Fairmount Ave, Atlantic City; free. northtoshore.com.
SUSTAINABLE LANDSCAPING: 6 to 8:30 p.m.; hosted by the Atlantic Cape May Sustainable Jersey Hub; learn how to adopt green landscaping practices that can save time, energy and money; Egg Harbor Township Recreation Department, 5045 English Creek Ave., Egg Harbor Township. 609-272-6934 or eventbrite.com.
WEDNESDAY FAMILY GAME NIGHT: 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays through Aug. 30; for all ages; board games provided; Pleasantville Branch/Atlantic County Library System, 33 Martin Luther King Junior Ave., Pleasantville; registration required. 609-641-1778 or atlanticlibrary.org.
Thursday, June 8
AVALON HISTORICAL SOCIETY PHOTOGRAPHY CONTEST EXHIBIT: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.; view this year's Historical Society Photo Contest entries and winners; photos will be displayed through June 30; Avalon History Center, 215 39th St., Avalon. 609-967-7155 or avalonfreelibrary.org.
CLASSIC AMERICAN TALES PRESENTS 'TALES AT THE DORMER HOUSE': 4 to 5 p.m.; guests are treated to tea and treats on the porch, while listening to stories by American authors read by experienced storytellers; Dormer House, 800 Columbia Ave., Cape May; $12. 609-884-5898 or classicamericantales.org.
CYBER THURSDAYS: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursdays through Aug. 31; Pleasantville Branch/Atlantic County Library System, 33 Martin Luther King Junior Ave., Pleasantville. 609-641-1778 or atlanticlibrary.org.
GAME ON!: 5:30 to 7 p.m. June 8, July 13, Aug. 17; for adults; disconnect from the screen and connect over board games; Brigantine Branch/Atlantic County Library System, 201 15th St. S., Brigantine; registration required. 609-266-0110 or atlanticlibrary.org.
HERB DISH GARDEN (DEMO ONLY) WITH JOE ALVAREZ: 1 to 2 p.m.; Cape May County Library/Lower Cape Branch, 2600 Bayshore Road, Lower Township; free, registration required. 609-463-6350 or events.cmclibrary.org.
'HOW TO HUNT THE JERSEY DEVIL' PROGRAM: 5:30 to 7 p.m.; guest speaker and author of The Pineys, Tony DiGerolamo; Public Library, 1058 E. Landis Ave., Vineland. 856-794-4244 or vinelandlibrary.org.
NORTH TO SHORE ATLANTIC CITY EVENTS: June 8-11; live musical performances, open mic, spoken word, food, dance performance, move screenings, art, and more; various locations including Noyes Arts Garage of Stockton University, Dante Hall, Tennessee Avenue Beer Hall, Chicken Bone Beach, Absecon Lighthouse, Stockton University and more; prices vary. northtoshore.com/atlantic-city.
PARKMOBILE TUTORIAL: 1 to 2 p.m. June 8, July 6; learn the parking system used in Ventnor; Ventnor City Branch/Atlantic County Library System, 6500 Atlantic Ave., Ventnor. 609-823-4614 or atlanticlibrary.org.
RAISING HONEY BEES: 6 to 7 p.m.; join Jerry Futrell, owner of Golden Boy Honey in Rio Grande for a presentation about honey bees and beekeeping; learn about how to maintain a colony and how bees are the powerful pollinators of crops; Public Library, 235 32nd St., Avalon. 609-967-7155 or avalonfreelibrary.org.
SENIOR CRAFT AND ACTIVITIES: 10 a.m. to noon Thursdays through June 29; Pleasantville Branch/Atlantic County Library System, 33 Martin Luther King Junior Ave., Pleasantville. 609-641-1778 or atlanticlibrary.org.
For kids
Wednesday, June 7
PLAYDATE AT THE LIBRARY: 10 to 11 a.m. Wednesdays through Aug. 9; for ages 6-36 months; enjoy stories, rhymes and songs designed to develop early literacy skills; Mays Landing Branch/Atlantic County Library System, 40 Farragut Ave., Hamilton; registration required. 609-625-2776 or atlanticlibrary.org.
Thursday, June 8
123 READ & SING: 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Thursdays through Aug. 10; for ages 1 1/2 to 5 and their caregivers; Galloway Township Branch/Atlantic County Library System, 306 E. Jimmie Leeds Road, Galloway Township. 609-652-2352 or atlanticlibrary.org.
Groups
Wednesday, June 7
'TOO MUCH STUFF?' MEETINGS: 1 to 2 p.m. first and third Wednesdays; hosted by the Mental Health Association in Atlantic County; online or call-in support for those with clutter challenges, collecting behaviors, or hoarding tendency. 609-652-3800 or MHAAC.info.
Thursday, June 8
AL-ANON MEETING: 11 a.m. to noon Thursdays through December; by Al-Anon Family Groups; Cape May County Library/Lower Cape Branch, 2600 Bayshore Road, Lower Township. 609-463-6350 or events.cmclibrary.org.
CROCHET GROUP: 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursdays through Aug. 31; learn and practice your craft in a fun and welcoming environment; Egg Harbor City Branch/Atlantic County Library System, 134 Philadelphia Ave., Egg Harbor City. 609-804-1063 or atlanticlibrary.org.
EHT BOOK CLUB: 6:30 to 8 p.m. Thursdays, monthly book club; Egg Harbor Township/Atlantic County Library System, 1 Swift Drive, Egg Harbor Township. 609-927-8664 or atlanticlibrary.org.
FAMILY MEETING SUPPORT GROUP: 10 a.m. to noon second and fourth Thursdays; support group for family members of individuals who live with a mental health concern. 609-652-3800 or MHAAC.info.
MEETINGS FOR FAMILY MEMBERS OF INDIVIDUALS AFFECTED BY MENTAL ILLNESS AND/OR SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER: 10:30 a.m. second and fourth Thursdays; 7 p.m. third Thursdays; choose from daytime or evening meeting times; online-only; workshop-style meeting among peers with a new topic each group; offered by the Mental Health Association in Atlantic County through the Intensive Family Support Services program. 609-517-8614 or mhaac.info.
SHELF INDULGENCE BOOK CLUB: 6 to 7 p.m. second Thursdays; Egg Harbor City Branch/Atlantic County Library System, 134 Philadelphia Ave., Egg Harbor City. 609-804-1063 or atlanticlibrary.org.
SOMERS POINT POETRY SOCIETY: 6 to 7:30 p.m. second Thursdays; poetry club open to all; each meeting will have a theme and two poems to be used for criticism and conversation; Somers Point Senior Center, 22 N. Ambler Road, Somers Point. somersptarts.weebly.com.
Health, fitness
Wednesday, June 7
BARRE STAR: 9:15 to 10:15 a.m. Wednesdays through May; combination of ballet, flexibility, yoga/balance and strength training; Wildwood Crest Branch, 6300 Atlantic Ave., Wildwood Crest. 609-463-6350 or events.cmclibrary.org.
EXPLORING SPIRITUALITY ONLINE WELLNESS GROUP: noon to 1 p.m. Wednesdays; hosted by the Mental Health Association in Atlantic County; wellness group exploring themes of faith, hope, sense of purpose, and fulfilment. 609-652-3800 or MHAAC.info.
MEDITATION MEET-UP WITH TED COSTA: 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. and 5 to 6 p.m. Wednesdays through December; Woodbine Community Center, 812 Longfellow St., Woodbine. 609-463-6350 or events.cmclibrary.org.
MIND AND BODY VIRTUAL WORKSHOP: 11 a.m. to noon Wednesdays; workshop is provided to individuals who live with a disability; participants discuss topics such as adapting, goal setting, refocusing and more; offered by the Mental Health Association in Atlantic County. 609-652-3800, ext. 308 or MHAAC.info.
STRETCH & BURN - WITH KELLIE WOOD: 10 to 11 a.m. Wednesdays; hosted by Cape May County Library; virtual event; no registration required. 609-463-6350 or events.cmclibrary.org.
TAI CHI & QIGONG: 10 and 11:30 a.m. Wednesdays; with Cheryl Crews and Denise Jones; Lower Cape Branch, 2600 Bayshore Road, Lower Township. 609-463-6350 or events.cmclibrary.org.
ZUMBA - WITH JANET SPADA: 6 to 7 p.m. Wednesdays at Wildwood Crest Library, and Thursdays at Lower Township Library; no meetings July 12, 26, Nov. 22, 23. 609-463-6350 or events.cmclibrary.org.
ZUMBA - WITH KELLIE: 5 to 6 p.m. Wednesdays; Sea Isle City Branch, 4800 Central Ave., Sea Isle City. 609-463-6350 or Events.CMCLibrary.org.
Thursday, June 8
GENTLE YOGA - WITH ELIZABETH KILCOURSE: 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Thursdays; bring a yoga mat; Upper Township Branch, 2050 Tuckahoe Road, Woodbine. 609-463-6350 or events.cmclibrary.org.
'RISING MINDS' ONLINE MEETING: 6 to 7:30 p.m. Thursdays; offered by the Mental Health Association in Atlantic County; peer-led meeting for individuals age 18 to 30; participants discuss mental health, share experiences, develop tools for self-care and connect to others. 609-652-3800 or MHAAC.info.
YOGA AT THE LIBRARY: 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. June 8, July 13, Aug. 10; Egg Harbor Township/Atlantic County Library System, 1 Swift Drive, Egg Harbor Township. 609-927-8664. | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/community-calendar/article_bc692fe8-03bf-11ee-a8a9-1bda8b8607f5.html | 2023-06-07T05:18:25 | 1 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/community-calendar/article_bc692fe8-03bf-11ee-a8a9-1bda8b8607f5.html |
EGG HARBOR CITY — The PSEG Foundation recently awarded a $2,000 Sustainable Jersey grant to the city's green team, SustainableEHC.
The city was one of 75 New Jersey municipalities to receive funding, along with Port Republic and Galloway Township.
SustainableEHC plans to use the funds to create an e-newsletter to keep residents informed, update its inventory of contaminated land sites and address animals in the community by partnering with the Atlantic County Humane Society.
PSEG and Sustainable Jersey awarded five $20,000 grants, twelve $10,000 grants and forty $2,000 grants for sustainability projects in 17 counties.
“These sustainability projects will strengthen New Jersey by helping local communities become more livable, environmentally friendly and prosperous,” Sustainable Jersey Executive Director Randall Solomon said in a news release.
People are also reading…
For more information, call 609-965-5681 or visit sustainableehc.org. | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/egg-harbor-city-green-team-gets-grant-from-pseg-foundation/article_ab382f8c-0476-11ee-b8eb-bb405b27a70d.html | 2023-06-07T05:18:31 | 1 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/egg-harbor-city-green-team-gets-grant-from-pseg-foundation/article_ab382f8c-0476-11ee-b8eb-bb405b27a70d.html |
Mike Trout, 31, a 2009 Millville High School graduate, is a center fielder with the Los Angeles Angels and was the 2014, 2016 and 2019 American League MVP.
Monday: An off day for the Angels.
Tuesday: Went 1 for 2, walked twice, drove in two runs and scored one in a 7-4 win over the visiting Cubs in their series opener. Trout batted third, down one spot from his customary place in the lineup, and played center field.
Wednesday: Jameson Taillon (1-3, 7.05) is scheduled to start the 9:38 p.m. game for the Cubs. Trout is 0 for 4 against him.
Stats: Trout is hitting .266 (59 for 222) with 13 home runs, 34 RBIs and 37 runs scored in 58 games. He has walked 29 times and struck out 70 times. His on-base percentage is .364, his OPS .855. | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/sports/local/daily-mike-trout-report-helps-angels-beat-cubs/article_1cba7aa2-047c-11ee-bb92-7f993fe7490f.html | 2023-06-07T05:18:37 | 1 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/sports/local/daily-mike-trout-report-helps-angels-beat-cubs/article_1cba7aa2-047c-11ee-bb92-7f993fe7490f.html |
Town of Plainfield, N.Y. -- Several fire departments battled a garage fire that spread to the adjoining home late Tuesday afternoon.
Crews responded just before 5 p.m. to a home on Route 20 in Plainfield. The homeowner was home at the time and made it out safely.
The fire was under control in under an hour but the fire spread to the home and part of the roof collapsed. The home is not livable at this time.
No one was hurt. The cause is under investigation. | https://www.wktv.com/news/local/firefighters-battle-house-fire-in-plainfield/article_d83465ee-04cd-11ee-b079-bb4a046001cb.html | 2023-06-07T05:23:13 | 1 | https://www.wktv.com/news/local/firefighters-battle-house-fire-in-plainfield/article_d83465ee-04cd-11ee-b079-bb4a046001cb.html |
Blood drive at Parkview Field
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Fort Wayne Community Schools Career Fair
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Man in life-threatening condition after moped crash in southwest Fort Wayne | https://www.journalgazette.net/local/fort-wayne-community-schools-career-fair/article_b6250bc2-04bc-11ee-92e7-5f81df61e841.html | 2023-06-07T05:30:59 | 0 | https://www.journalgazette.net/local/fort-wayne-community-schools-career-fair/article_b6250bc2-04bc-11ee-92e7-5f81df61e841.html |
July 26, 1938 - May 23, 2023
OAKLEY — Alice Loraine Hansen, 84 years old, passed away on Tuesday, May 23, 2023 at her home in Oakley, Idaho.
Alice was born July 26, 1938, in Salt Lake City, Utah. She was the first of seven children born to Benjamin Rains and Loraine Lewis. After graduating high school she became a Licensed Practical Nurse, working in the nursery at the LDS Hospital. She served a full-time proselyting mission in Texas. On April 13, 1965, Alice was married to Hubert L. Hansen in the SLC Temple. They adopted two infant sons, Brent, in 1969, and David, in 1972. They intentionally moved from Kearns, Utah, to Oakley, Idaho, in 1974 to raise their family.
Alice has been active in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints her entire life, having served diligently in several callings. She was a devoted wife, mother and grandmother, living an exemplary life of service and support in their behalf. She committed many years of her life to serving the youth of Oakley through scouting and primary.
Alice is survived by 2 sons: Brent (Melinda) Hansen of Oakley, ID; David (Jennifer) Hansen of Jerome, ID; 10 grandchildren: Josiah (Cindy) Hansen, Oakley, ID; Christopher (Natalie) Hansen, Meridian, ID; Jessica (Alex) Paz, Oakley, ID; Elizabeth (Amy) Wild, Vancouver, WA; Katie (Bailey) Liptrap, Jerome, ID; Julianna (Noah) Masoner, Burley, ID; Brynlee, Matthew and Ryann Hansen, Jerome, ID; Jodelle Hansen, Oakley, ID; 5 great-grandchildren: Anders, Alice, and Calum Hansen, Meridian, ID; Alison Hansen and Ethan Paz, Oakley, ID; 6 siblings and numerous nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by her husband and parents.
Funeral services will commence at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, June 10, 2023 at the Oakley Stake Center in Oakley, Idaho, burial will follow in the Oakley Cemetery. The family will welcome friends on Friday evening, June 9, from 5:00-7:00 p.m. at the Oakley Stake Center and from 1:00 until 1:45 p.m. Saturday afternoon at the Church prior to the funeral. Arrangements are under the direction of Morrison Funeral Home, 188 South Hwy. 24 in Rupert.
A live webcast of the Funeral Service will be available and maintained at the following link: https://youtu.be/FRPhJYWYHLU. | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/obituaries/alice-loraine-hansen/article_91b5747b-b291-510c-8f25-648467f6f4c4.html | 2023-06-07T05:31:57 | 0 | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/obituaries/alice-loraine-hansen/article_91b5747b-b291-510c-8f25-648467f6f4c4.html |
Sept. 14, 1958 - May 27, 2023
Here's to fair skies and tailwinds!
Gregory Scott Thain passed away suddenly at St. Luke's Magic Valley Medical Center on May 27, 2023.
Born September 14, 1958, in Logan, Utah, to John T. and Mildred Ann Thain, he was the third of four sons. Having a younger brother meant lots of mischief, wrestling, and motorcycle riding with Alan. Additionally, having older brothers meant someone to look up to. John and Greg spent many years collaborating on their farming operations and respecting each other's opinions. As a fourth generation dairyman, he took great pride in his work and was known for his hard work, dedication, and attention to detail.
Greg and Dianne were married on July 1, 1981. They, along with son, Cory Scott, welcomed three more children into their family. Brandi in 1986, Allie Megan in 1990, and Jace Teague in 1995. The four of them learned the value of hard work and play.
Although he worked hard, Greg always found time through the years to coach little league All Stars, participate in snow and competition water skiing, tennis, motorcycle road trips, family trips (Yellowstone, always a favorite), and hiking.
He was a man of many passions and a true lover of life, who touched the hearts of all who knew him. With a love for animals, he found solace in their company and dedicated his life to their well-being.
Greg was frequently seen riding the roads of Minidoka County on his motorcycle with his dog, Bazinga, on board. But what truly set Greg apart was his charisma and caring personality—he had a way of drawing people to him and making everyone feel valued and loved. Greg's quick wit and charming demeanor made him a joy to be around. He always knew how to lighten the mood with a well-timed joke or clever remark. It's no wonder everyone loved spending time with him. Greg was also full of goodness, helping many anonymously when he saw a need.
In addition to his other passions, Greg was an accomplished pilot who loved nothing more than taking to the skies and feeling the wind beneath his wings. He was a skilled aviator who earned his pilot's license at a young age and spent countless hours in the air, exploring from a unique perspective. Whether he was flying solo, or with friends and family, he always felt at home in the cockpit and relished the freedom and exhilaration of flight. Greg's love of flying was a testament to his adventurous spirit and his willingness to embrace new challenges.
His passing leaves a void that will be felt by all who knew him.
Greg was preceded in death by his parents, John and Millie Thain; and a brother, Larry Smith.
He is survived by his wife, Dianne Thain, of Rupert; children, Cory (Jenny Peterson) Thain, of Rupert; Brandi (Cole) Meiners, of Twin Falls; Allie (Colten) Alexander, of Twin Falls; Jace (Tyanna) Thain, of Rupert; a granddaughter, Georgia Quinn Meiners; brothers, John (Sherie) Thain, of Declo; Alan (Pamela) of Salt Lake City; and Jen's children, Gracie and Matt Peterson.
Please come join us for a gathering of family, friends, and all who knew him, on Sunday, June 11, 2023, from 6:00-8:00 pm, at Morrison Funeral Home,188 South Hwy 24, Rupert, Idaho. A private family memorial will be held on June 14, 2023.
In lieu of flowers, the family is suggesting that you make donations to your local animal shelter. That will make Greg smile! | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/obituaries/gregory-scott-thain/article_765b775a-083e-5d61-9f2b-d6cd612fd3cd.html | 2023-06-07T05:32:03 | 1 | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/obituaries/gregory-scott-thain/article_765b775a-083e-5d61-9f2b-d6cd612fd3cd.html |
May 8, 1972 - May 28, 2023
FILER — Jason Todd Schlund, 51, of Filer, Idaho, passed away surrounded by loved ones on May 28, 2023 from a fierce battle with cancer.
Jason was born in Twin Falls on May 8, 1972 to Jim and Carol Schlund. He graduated from Jerome High School in 1990 and the College of Southern Idaho in 1994. He married April, the girl of his dreams, in 1995 and they have three children: Cooper, Luke, and Bailey.
Jason was a Journeyman Electrician since 2003. For 15 years, he worked for Lytle Signs, most recently as Field Operations Manager and Chief Culture Officer.
Jason is survived by his wife, April, of 28 years; his children: Cooper, Luke, and Bailey; his mother, Carol Schlund; his sister, Kim (Tom) Edelmayer; his brother, Brett (Heather) Schlund; and many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. He is preceded in death by his father, Jim Schlund.
A memorial service will be held at the Twin Falls Reformed Church on Saturday, June 10, 2023 at 1:00 PM MST. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Schlund Family Fund at First Federal Bank. For a complete obituary, visit https://www.rosenaufuneralhome.com/obituaries.
Jason will be dearly missed by all who knew and loved him. He was a blessing to many and a light in this world. He is now in the presence of his Savior and singing with the angels. We love you, Jason. You will always be in our hearts. | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/obituaries/jason-todd-schlund/article_95b83799-bc8a-565b-a3b1-3176da03b4db.html | 2023-06-07T05:32:09 | 1 | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/obituaries/jason-todd-schlund/article_95b83799-bc8a-565b-a3b1-3176da03b4db.html |
Dec. 29, 1946 - May 31, 2023
BURLEY — Jean Stelly, a 76-year-old resident of Burley, passed away Wednesday, May 31, 2023, from health complications, at Highland Estates Assisted Living in Burley.
Jean was born Dec. 29, 1946, in Brigham City, Utah, to Edward Stelly and Geneva Ellerman Stelly. After completing her education at Minico High School, she went to work at Ore-Ida Foods and then McCain's, both potato processing plants.
She worked there for 44 years before she retired. While there she met Nancy Howard and they became great friends. They traveled and did everything together. They enjoyed doing wood crafts, making stocking hats for the Senior Center and Christmas Council, and made Christmas stockings for all the relatives. They also enjoyed doing ceramics.
They belonged to the Rebekah's of Idaho, where they traveled doing many service projects and Christmas parties for families giving gifts with Santa Claus. Every year they made gifts for all of their family members. They would get up early in the morning to open gifts with Nancy's family. They loved life and did a lot with their families. Nancy sadly passed away from cancer in 2014.
Jean is survived by her brothers, Merlin (Connie) Stelly of Rupert, Blain (Deana) Stelly of Caldwell, and her sister, Barbara Stelly Gilliam Docksteader of Burley; as well as ten nephews, five nieces; and their families.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Ed (Geneva) Stelly of Rupert; her sister, Marie Stelly Morrison of Yakima, WA in 2022; her niece, Tamera Marie Morrison; her nephew, Darren Stelly of Rupert in 2019; as well as her grandparents, aunts and uncles.
Her family will miss her.
There will be no formal service. Arrangements have been entrusted to the care of Rasmussen-Wilson Funeral Home of Burley. | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/obituaries/jean-stelly/article_74d4ea27-571f-52e6-bf06-82efbab735f9.html | 2023-06-07T05:32:15 | 0 | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/obituaries/jean-stelly/article_74d4ea27-571f-52e6-bf06-82efbab735f9.html |
Sept. 16, 1938 - May 31, 2023
BURLEY — JoAnn (Larson) Masoner, our 84-year-old, beloved mom, grandma, and great-grandma, passed away peacefully from natural causes at home in Burley, Idaho, on May 31, 2023, just in time to share her 63rd Anniversary with her husband in heaven.
JoAnn began her earthly journey on September 16, 1938. She was born at the old hospital in Rupert, Idaho. Her parents, Melba Lillie Broadhead and Melvin Isaac Larson, were thrilled to have a girl join their family. Her siblings are, Gene, Carol and Bob. She had many treasured memories growing up on the Springdale farm playing with her brothers, sister, cousins, the kittens in the haystack, and learning the value of hard work.
The love of music was instilled in her heart at an early age as she began piano lessons. She attended schools in Burley and after graduation she moved to Salt Lake City, Utah, to continue piano studies with Dr. Oscar Wagner, former Dean of The Juilliard School of Music.
In 1959 she met her eternal love, Gary Neal Masoner. On June 1, 1960, they were sealed for time and all eternity in the Salt Lake Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Throughout their life together they lived in Moran, Wyoming, Provo, Utah, Burley, Rupert and Heyburn.
JoAnn and Gary were wonderful parents to their three children, Julie, Annette and Michael. They shared fond memories of homemade sugar cookies, holiday traditions, family home evenings, camping and motorcycle trips, snow skiing, and beautiful piano music filling their home.
JoAnn's gift of being an accomplished classical concert pianist has been a major part of her life. Hundreds of piano students have been blessed to have her as their teacher and mentor. She has blessed countless lives as she shared her talent performing in concerts, church services, with symphony orchestras, and in community events. Through her last days here on earth she was still sharing her musical gift.
Through her life, as an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, JoAnn served faithfully in many organizations. Family was always the most important. She taught us how to love others, be responsible, do your best, the joy of working hard, and never skip dessert – in fact, start with it! Her 21 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren – with two on the way – were the joy of her life. When they walked into the room her face would light up.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Gary Neal Masoner; her parents; and a brother, Gene.
She is survived by her sister, Carol Hancock; one brother, Bob (Wendy) Larson; her three children, Julie (Douglas) Ward, Annette (Adam) Christensen, and Michael (Adria) Masoner; her treasured grandchildren; great-grandchildren; nieces; nephews; and cousins.
The funeral will be held at 2:00 p.m. Friday, June 9, 2023 at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints - Burley Idaho West Stake Center, located at 2420 Parke Ave., in Burley. Burial will be at Riverside Cemetery in Heyburn.
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 1:00 until 1:45 p.m. Friday, prior to the service, at the church.
A webcast of the funeral service will be available and maintained at rasmussenwilson.com. | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/obituaries/joann-larson-masoner/article_18f6f9d5-c66d-5962-bcdd-7706a37821d8.html | 2023-06-07T05:32:22 | 0 | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/obituaries/joann-larson-masoner/article_18f6f9d5-c66d-5962-bcdd-7706a37821d8.html |
Nov. 5, 1928 - June 4, 2023
Lud Samuel Mahler passed away peacefully at home on June 4, 2023, surrounded by family. Lud was born November 5, 1928 in Kimama, Idaho to Ludwig and Maria (Rott) Mahler.
Lud was the tenth of fourteen children, twelve siblings deceased, survived by John Mahler the youngest. Lud and Ella Mae "Molly" (Storey) were married on February 9, 1948 in Elko, NV, celebrating 71 years of marriage on February 9, 2019.
Lud and Molly lived in Kellogg, Idaho for several years in the 1950's and Rupert, Idaho and at their current residence, the farm in Rupert for 62 years. Lud and Molly had four children, Herbert Samuel (Sam) Mahler (deceased), Mike Mahler, Ann Mahler Duncan and Trina (Jill) Mahler Dunn.
Lud is well known for his work ethic, love of family and musical talent. Anyone that has known Lud knows he is the first to show up and help others.
Lud started working at an early age, topping beets, pitching hay and coyote pelts. Lud courted Molly in 1947 and they were married in 1948. Lud and Molly moved to Kellogg, ID, where Lud worked for Bunker Hill Mining Corp. While in Kellogg, Lud and Molly had their two son's Herbert Samuel Mahler (deceased) and Michael Lee Mahler.
In 1954 Lud and Molly moved back to Rupert, ID. Lud started two Milk Routes haul milk cans, picking up milk around the Oakley Basin for several decades. Lud farmed not only their 80-acre farm but also Molly's father's 60 acres and two other farms adjacent to their farm.
Lud enjoyed fishing, hunting and playing the guitar. Lud enjoyed card games, pinnacle and poker. Lud was always up for a good joke and a funny picture. His sense of humor was beyond measure.
Lud played countless benefit dances to raise funds to assist families in need. Lud played at the Blue Room in Rupert, and the Trophy Club in Eden for many decades. The most treasured events were the jam sessions at friends homes, the main event being the 4th of July Jam Session and potluck held at Lud and Molly farm for over 30 years.
Lud was proceeded in death by his parents, brothers, sisters, son, and his loving wife, Molly of 71 years, 3 months and 11 days. Lud is survived by his son, Mike Mahler (Jan), daughters, Ann Mahler Duncan (Patti) and Trina (Jill) Mahler Dunn, brother, John Mahler, grandchildren, Jody Mahler Weir, Thayne Mahler, Susan Mahler DuCote, Sarah Mahler Reece, Dennis Mahler, Kelly Mahler Martinez and Elizabeth Mahler Hall and 12 great-grandchildren and 1 great-great-grandchild. Numerous cousins, nieces, nephews, and friends that are considered family.
Services are being held at 2:00 pm on Friday, June 9, 2023 at Hansen Mortuary, 710 6th Street, Rupert, Idaho 83350, with burial services following at Rupert Cemetery.
Please join the family for a meal and to share memories at the McGregor Building at Minidoka County Fairgrounds, 85 E. Baseline Road, Rupert, Idaho, following the funeral. | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/obituaries/lud-samuel-mahler/article_c309dadd-9046-5a11-a222-4cf0d278f250.html | 2023-06-07T05:32:28 | 0 | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/obituaries/lud-samuel-mahler/article_c309dadd-9046-5a11-a222-4cf0d278f250.html |
BOTHELL, Wash. — A meeting for parents was held at Moorlands Elementary School Tuesday night.
The purpose of the meeting was to allow parents to ask questions and voice their concerns about a police interaction involving two principals in April.
Michael Griffin, the principal at Sunrise Elementary, and his wife, Meghan Griffin, the principal at Moorlands Elementary, are both on paid administrative leave.
According to police, Michael Griffin was in a paranoid state and likely under the influence of cocaine. He allegedly had a white powdered substance on his lips and a loaded gun in his sweatshirt pocket that officers removed. The petition states that he said his wife was in danger and possibly being trafficked. Police say he was transported to a hospital for an evaluation.
His wife provided police with a statement that said her husband's mental state and paranoia began worsening because of cocaine, explaining that the couple's recreational drug use started about a year ago and increased recently.
The district says Michael Griffin was placed on leave as soon as school leaders became aware of the April 30 police report.
“I’m a little disappointed in how it’s been handled I don’t think we were given any information. My daughter goes here I live right here,” said Louise Vangeffen, a mother with kids in the district. “I just hope that they’re going to get the help that they need and that we can continue to support our children and move forward in their best interest.”
Jessica Parker also has kids who go to school in the district. She said the only reason parents were informed about the incident was because one parent complained.
“What if someone didn’t raise their hand, someone didn’t use their voice," Parker said. "Would they still be working there today?”
The school district sent KING 5 a statement that read:
"These school community meetings will support two-way dialogue between families, staff, and District leadership and help build a shared understanding of school community needs, district-required processes, and how to best move forward in support of our students.
The two administrators remain on leave. Northshore can’t provide any additional information since we are conducting internal investigations, and these are personnel matters." | https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/northshore-school-district-meeting-address-principals-on-leave/281-bb1a3333-d73d-4ad8-a68f-68e93df2b711 | 2023-06-07T05:37:22 | 1 | https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/northshore-school-district-meeting-address-principals-on-leave/281-bb1a3333-d73d-4ad8-a68f-68e93df2b711 |
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — After hours of discussion, the Fayetteville City Council voted to table the ordinance to create a black historic district for three months. During that time the city is set to collaborate with NWA Black Heritage and the Black Historic Preservation Committee.
Half of the council members wanted the ordinance to pass in honor of the federal holiday Juneteenth, celebrated this month. The other half says that the way the resolution is written is unconstitutional.
“The story has to be told, and the story has to be told by those who have been impacted. I'm not originally from Fayetteville, but it's so good to know that we have individuals who are descendants of those who experienced slavery [here], they have experienced oppression, and they had their homes taken away,” said Council Member D'andre Jones.
The location of the proposed district is in south Fayetteville, off of South Willow Avenue and Rock Street. Supporters of the ordinance say the district would advance the Black diaspora into a vibrant and thriving district.
“We plan on building a district that brings generational wealth back into the community with some of the families of people who were actually here in 1865,” said the President of NWA Black Heritage Sharon Killian.
The land was expected to cost the city $540,000 dollars, and a few council members had concerns about timing, and who determines how the property will be used. However, all council members agree on preserving Black history in Fayetteville.
“I do appreciate the opportunity to collaborate with Sharon Killian. The work that she's done, the history, telling the history in an impactful way, in a way that leads to good results... So I do encourage the Fayetteville City Council to realize the power of racial diversity, the power of racial equity, the power of economic opportunities for African Americans,” said Jones.
The city administration will collaborate with those historic organizations and the city attorney to create a new plan and strategy in a timely manner that’s constitutional for the city.
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To report a typo or grammatical error, please email KFSMDigitalTeam@tegna.com and detail which story you're referring to. | https://www.5newsonline.com/article/news/local/the-city-fayetteville-tabled-plans-historic-black-district/527-d31a002c-c921-4eaa-833a-7e395cd1ffd7 | 2023-06-07T05:44:51 | 0 | https://www.5newsonline.com/article/news/local/the-city-fayetteville-tabled-plans-historic-black-district/527-d31a002c-c921-4eaa-833a-7e395cd1ffd7 |
STOCKTON, Calif. — Dr. Michelle Rodriguez will be taking the helm at the Stockton Unified School District as the new superintendent, officials announced Tuesday.
The school board voted on the contract at Tuesday's board meeting. The contract begins July 1.
“I am excited and optimistic about the change and good work to come,” said SUSD Board President AngelAnn Flores.
Rodriguez previously served as a superintendent for the Pajaro Valley Unified School District. She has a bachelors degree in Liberal Studies/Spanish from California State University, Chico in 1993 and her Ed.D. in Education Psychology from the University of Southern California in 2012.
Rodriguez also has credentials in Teaching and Administration and completed the School Business Management Certificate Program at University of Sothern California.
The Stockton Unified School District Fall Semester begins in August.
WATCH ALSO: | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/stockton/stockton-unified-new-superintendent/103-2aed02c1-2ce1-459b-a975-149d4035826f | 2023-06-07T05:49:45 | 1 | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/stockton/stockton-unified-new-superintendent/103-2aed02c1-2ce1-459b-a975-149d4035826f |
Ride malfunctions at St. John the Beloved Carnival, leaving people trapped
A carnival ride malfunctioned at St. John the Beloved's annual carnival Tuesday night, leaving people trapped on the Zipper ride for hours.
First responders were notified of the incident at the church just before 9:30 p.m. Tuesday when someone who was at the carnival radioed in about the accident in Milltown.
“One of the area rides broke, there’s two cars stuck together about 30 feet off the ground,” the man radioed. He added that a hack saw would be needed, but wasn't immediately sure if there were any injuries.
One of the cages appeared to break off its hinge, falling down past three other ride cages into the center of the ride and leaving those in the cages trapped.
The ride was immediately shut down and first responders rushed to the scene with various ways to try and reach the riders, including a large, extendable fire truck ladder, which some children were walked down to safety. At least one person was taken away on a stretcher, though the extent of injuries was immediately unclear Tuesday night.
By about 10 p.m., more than a dozen fire and EMS units from several different agencies were on the scene, according to first responder radio communications. At least four ambulances were also called to the scene for precautionary measures.
The carnival, held at the church at 905 Milltown Road, opened Monday and was slated to run through Saturday, June 10. Tuesday was designated as "Family Night."
It's immediately unclear if it will reopen Wednesday. | https://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/local/2023/06/07/st-john-the-beloved-carnival-ride-malfunctions-trapping-people/70296275007/ | 2023-06-07T05:57:36 | 0 | https://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/local/2023/06/07/st-john-the-beloved-carnival-ride-malfunctions-trapping-people/70296275007/ |
Lynn A. Cooke, 63, of Runnells, formerly of Belmond, died Friday, June 2, 2023. Arrangements: Ewing Funeral Home in Belmond.
Margo Kuhn, 52, of Northwood, formerly of Charles City, died Sunday, June 4, 2023, at the University of Iowa Hospital in Iowa City. Arrangements: Hauser Weishaar Funeral Home, Charles City.
Lorene Anne Nicol, 87, of Osage, died Tuesday, June 6, 2023, at the Mitchell County Regional Health Center in Osage. Arrangements: Hauser Weishaar Funeral Home, Charles City.
Garth E. Willis, 89, of Dows, died Sunday, June 4, 2023, at Rehabilitation Center of Hampton. Arrangements: Ewing Funeral Home, Dows. | https://globegazette.com/news/local/obituaries/death-notices/globe-death-notices/article_a5a8df33-5ba3-57df-952d-d8ba3ee37548.html | 2023-06-07T06:21:50 | 1 | https://globegazette.com/news/local/obituaries/death-notices/globe-death-notices/article_a5a8df33-5ba3-57df-952d-d8ba3ee37548.html |
Donald Glenn Thomas
October 6, 1937-May 31, 2023
Born October 6, 1937, in Charles City, Iowa, to Glenn Francis and Hazel Marie (nee' Jung/Young) Thomas. Graduated from Charles City High School in 1955 and from Hamilton Business College 1956. Don enlisted and served in the US Army; Finance team, stationed in Verdun, France from 1956 – 1959. Married Verlaine Jean Harms, May 21, 1961, in Charles City, IA.
In May of 1962, the couple purchased The Lakeview Motel on Hwy 18 in Clear Lake, IA which they operated until 1969.
Don began selling real-estate and in 1972, starting T-K Realty with Butch Kohl where they co-developed the Pine Tree Park Home Addition and T-K Plaza. He was proud of the fact that through real estate he was able to help numerous people start their own business in the Clear Lake area.
Over 30 years in Clear Lake the couple owned and Clear Lake Coin Laundry on North 8th Street, the car wash on HWY 18 and the Gas Lite Apartments.
The couple retired to Estero, FL in 2002
Don was an affable man, who when asked, could be counted on for his frank opinion. He was a wonderful father – supporting the wanderlust of his daughter to the fullest. A fan of any movie with John Wayne or Julia Roberts, he enjoyed boating, fishing, bicycling, and always looked forward to a good happy hour with his friends. Many years were spent traveling the country with his wife Verlaine and the poodles in their motorhome (he drove anywhere she told him to).
He was proceeded in death by his parents and his in-laws Lorenz and Lula (nee' Mummelthei) Harms. He is survived by his wife of 62 years Verlaine and their daughter Susan.
Remembrances can be directed to https://www.floridapoodlerescue.org/. | https://globegazette.com/news/local/obituaries/donald-glenn-thomas/article_d77924b7-9bb3-58ca-a676-1352382483a9.html | 2023-06-07T06:21:56 | 0 | https://globegazette.com/news/local/obituaries/donald-glenn-thomas/article_d77924b7-9bb3-58ca-a676-1352382483a9.html |
Richard "Dick" Earl Dombrowski
February 29, 1948-April 29, 2023
Richard "Dick" Earl Dombrowski, 75, of Esko, MN, died Saturday, April 29, 2023. A Celebration of Life will be held at Epiphany Parish Holy Family Catholic Church, 722 North Adams Ave, Mason City, IA. Visitation: 10:00 a.m. until the Celebration of Life begins at 11:00 a.m., Friday, June 9, 2023. Arrangements entrusted to Atkins Northland Funeral Home, 801 14th Street, Cloquet, MN 55720. To sign the guest book and leave an online tribute, see www.atkinsnorthlandfuneralhome.com., and Hogan-Bremer-Moore Colonial Chapels, in Mason City, IA. | https://globegazette.com/news/local/obituaries/richard-dick-earl-dombrowski/article_89806abb-b416-50e4-aa39-4f8af8aa3b6a.html | 2023-06-07T06:22:02 | 1 | https://globegazette.com/news/local/obituaries/richard-dick-earl-dombrowski/article_89806abb-b416-50e4-aa39-4f8af8aa3b6a.html |
Sally Ann Pritchard
July 11, 1933-May 23, 2023
Sally Ann Pritchard passed away on May 23, 2023, at the age of 89 in Little Hospice in Edina, MN.
Born on July 11, 1933, in Mason City, Iowa, Sally was the first child of John and Dorothy Pritchard. Sal graduated from Britt High School and attended Iowa State University obtaining BA and MA degrees in psychology and applied science. Sally spent most of her career as a respected and beloved guidance counselor for the Roseville School District at Kellogg High School before retiring in 1993. Sally served as chairperson of the guidance department, was active in the REA, RFT and North Suburban Counselor Associations as well as serving as President of the State of MN Personnel and Guidance Board. She was so proud of the fact that she received the distinguished Paul Harris Award. Sal was active in many local organizations and volunteered for many different local groups and St. Odilia's Catholic Church following retirement. Her Cherrywood community became a place for Sal to flourish, enjoying being an active member of the book club and the advisory council.
Sally is survived by her brother, Bill (Viv), many nieces, nephews and great/great-great nieces/nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents, John/Dorothy, siblings Jane and Mary/Keith Sillman, and her longtime friend and companion, Dave Wilke.
Services were held. There will be a graveside burial service at 11:00 AM on June 10, 2023 at St. Patrick's Catholic Cemetery in Britt, Iowa. | https://globegazette.com/news/local/obituaries/sally-ann-pritchard/article_625b191a-c0d4-50b9-8704-b0f834822203.html | 2023-06-07T06:22:09 | 1 | https://globegazette.com/news/local/obituaries/sally-ann-pritchard/article_625b191a-c0d4-50b9-8704-b0f834822203.html |
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Gresham City Council is currently facing an $8.6 million budget gap after voters said no to a public safety levy that would have funded police, fire and homeless services.
Because their property taxes are far lower than neighboring cities its size, Gresham has long struggled to sustain its needs. That’s why officials proposed the recent public safety levy to hire more officers and firefighters and handle homeless services. But at this point, it is failing by a slim margin as the July 1 budget adoption deadline looms, so city leaders are now making tough budget decisions.
“Our budget is substantially smaller than any similar-sized city, upwards to $40 million,” said Gresham Mayor Travis Stovall. “That’s a substantial difference. And we have to provide all the same services.”
To make up for most of the deficit, Stovall says they’ll keep the police, fire and parks fees at $15 per month. But they’ll have to slim down city services by leaving unfilled positions and no longer investing in mobile emergency care.
“We’ve got to balance the budget,” he said.
As for the rest of the $3 million shortfall, Assistant City Manager Elizabeth Coffey says they’re fortunate to have money from the Federal American Rescue to float them this time around.
“This is a temporary solution. And so we will need to continue to have these difficult conversations about a permanent solution to put into place,” she said. “When we came to voters and said, ‘hey, we are really in trouble and we need more money,’ it was a surprise to them.”
Voters who supported the public safety levy are hoping it can be put back on a future ballot.
“I think that at some point we really can’t be any leaner. But again, that goes to the city and the leadership of the city being really transparent about what they’re doing. We have to ask the citizens what their no was about,” said Gresham voter Kathy Keathley.
While tough talks took place Tuesday between council members, city leaders tell KOIN 6 they’re committed to listening to a community and understanding what it will take to pass a public safety levy in the future.
While the council is committed to bringing the public safety levy back to a vote, there is no consensus on when that would be. Whether that would be this November, next May, or the general election.
Voters haven’t passed a levy in the City of Gresham since 1992. | https://www.koin.com/local/multnomah-county/city-of-gresham-faces-8-6-million-budget-gap-after-public-safety-levy-failure/ | 2023-06-07T06:28:35 | 0 | https://www.koin.com/local/multnomah-county/city-of-gresham-faces-8-6-million-budget-gap-after-public-safety-levy-failure/ |
FEDERAL WAY, Wash. — On Tuesday, Shughla Mashwani showed every sign of being a typical happy 10-year-old; you wouldn’t expect that two days ago she had spent the night alone, lost in the wilderness north of Cle Elum.
I was thinking, I will find my dad and keep walking in the forest to find my dad,” Shughla said.
The Mashwani family came to the U.S. from Afghanistan two years ago. The family spent Sunday outdoors, telling the Kittitas County Sheriff’s Office they wanted to spend the day in a place that reminded them of their home country.
When the family crossed a footbridge across the Cle Elum River near Cathedral Rock trailhead, they noticed Shughla wasn’t there.
“It happened in ten minutes and then she was gone,” said Shir Mohammed Mashwani, Shughla’s father. “We didn’t think she would be alive in 24 hours.”
Shir and the rest of Shughla’s family spent hours searching for her, with no cellphone service to call for help. A passerby on a UTV came across the family and called for help on a satellite phone.
The Kittitas County Sheriff’s Office and half a dozen search and rescue teams from across western Washington began an extensive search.
“Within very short order, we had ground searchers, drones, canines, communications people and logistics people and swiftwater rescue people here,” said Chris Whitsett, the Kittitas County inspector. “Our first terrible instinct was, ‘Oh no, this little girl’s gonna be found in that river.”
As search and rescue teams searched around the clock, Shughla hiked downstream and slept the cold night between two trees.
“I was thinking I would go to sleep and wake up and find my mom and dad in the forest,” she said.
Monday morning the search continued. The Kittitas County Sheriff's Office said her father recorded a message that was broadcasted by the helicopter so she would know the rescue team was there to help her.
After more than 24 hours she was found with only a few scrapes and reunited with her father.
“I was happy when I saw them,” Shughla said.
Her family is grateful to the search and rescue teams and everyone who helped find their little girl.
“Everyone is proud of her that she is brave and takes care of herself on the mountain,” said Shir Mashwani.
Shughla said she wasn’t scared and when asked what made her brave, she said Allah.
“The prospect of a little girl being out there alone in the woods is terrifying," Whitsett said. "She was a remarkably composed and resilient little girl. We're ecstatic that we were able to find the result that we did instead of the result that we feared." | https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/girl-lost-kittitas-county-wilderness-cle-elum/281-47ae3c6f-9112-4703-96f9-345e1c030e84 | 2023-06-07T07:17:25 | 0 | https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/girl-lost-kittitas-county-wilderness-cle-elum/281-47ae3c6f-9112-4703-96f9-345e1c030e84 |
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The City of Sacramento is making a million dollars in grant money available for organizations helping start-ups in the city.
“Sacramento’s future depends on our ability to grow the next generation of companies in growth industries like life sciences, clean mobility or Ag tech,” said Mayor Darrell Steinberg. “A modest investment from the City can help our entrepreneurs reach the next level.”
There are two types of grants. One is the Innovation Event Grant, which is worth as much as $15,000. The money can be used to fund one-time or a series of events focused on ideas and knowledge that inspire entrepreneurship and growth of innovative businesses and programs.
Ecosystem Building Grants are the second type. These range between $20,000 and $250,000. The goal is to spark innovation among startups and help set up entrepreneurs for success sooner.
“Sacramento is full of entrepreneurs and small businesses with great ideas looking for opportunities to make them a reality,” said Assistant City Manager Michael Jasso. “The grants will support programs and events to help these change-makers innovate and thrive.”
The City is taking applications through July 17.
For more details, click HERE.
WATCH ALSO: | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/sacramento/sacramento-offering-1-million-grants-support-start-ups/103-f545f4b0-52d3-4ec0-ba6c-0e503366aa80 | 2023-06-07T07:25:30 | 0 | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/sacramento/sacramento-offering-1-million-grants-support-start-ups/103-f545f4b0-52d3-4ec0-ba6c-0e503366aa80 |
NORTH FORT MYERS, Fla. — A family heirloom traveled a pretty far way from its owner in North Fort Myers.
It landed outside of Price Cutters Furniture when Hurricane Ian made landfall. Now the community is determined to find the rightful owner and wrist it belongs on.
“It was in the water for over 24 hours because he was able to come here after the storm,” Katie Bohanon said.
She and her business are regulars at Price Cutters Furniture.
“The majority of this area was flooded pretty bad,” she said.
She was there recently talking with the owner, Sean, when she saw this gold charm bracelet tucked away.
“There are pictures of adorable babies on here, someone’s children I’m assuming,” she said. “There are some birthstones on it one of those little bits is hard to tell but it looks like a July birthstone in August, birthstone, and maybe November.”
Sean could not go on camera but said he found it in the parking lot after Hurricane Ian.
It was fully submerged but in pretty good shape with all things considered.
“He didn’t have the heart to get rid of,” Bohanon said. “He was really hoping that I could help find the owner.”
He has been asking customers if they recognized it ever since.
“There’s also a silhouette of a young boy on it that has the name ‘Todd’ and a birthday that is September 16, 1964.”
With no luck, even eight months later, Bohanon stepped in and posted pictures of the charms across her social media.
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“I think it’s nothing short of a small little miracle on the fact that people are still on each other’s side and holding onto things, hoping that someone will find it,” she said.
After a devastating storm, she said something as small as a charm bracelet could be the light in someone’s darkness.
“Being able to get something back, and something that was so tragic that a lot of people went through, clearly this piece has a lot of sentimental value,” she said.
If you are the owner, you can reach out to Price Cutters Furniture here, or contact NBC2 here. | https://nbc-2.com/news/local/2023/06/07/north-fort-myers-community-seeks-owner-of-heirloom-bracelet-lost-during-hurricane-ian/ | 2023-06-07T07:47:52 | 1 | https://nbc-2.com/news/local/2023/06/07/north-fort-myers-community-seeks-owner-of-heirloom-bracelet-lost-during-hurricane-ian/ |
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The latest news from around North Texas. | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/allen-mall-shooting-victim-speaks-out-about-his-journey-after-being-hospitalized/3272128/ | 2023-06-07T08:11:52 | 0 | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/allen-mall-shooting-victim-speaks-out-about-his-journey-after-being-hospitalized/3272128/ |
A man is in custody after Tarrant County authorities say he tried to kidnap a child and led deputies on a pursuit.
Steven Bayse, 62, faces charges of kidnapping, evading arrest with a vehicle, and aggravated assault against a public servant. Carlos Ortiz of Crowley said his two-year-old daughter is the child Bayse allegedly tried to kidnap on Monday evening.
Ortiz said he was returning home Monday evening with his wife and child from the Walmart near their home on Lansman Drive when he noticed a blue truck following them. At first, Ortiz said he didn’t think much of it and thought it could potentially be a neighbor they didn’t recognize.
“That’s when we were like, ‘Okay. It’s [car] turning with us.’ We start pulling in our driveway. The truck parked across the street,” Ortiz said.
His wife took the groceries inside the house, while their daughter began playing in the flower bed outside their house. Ortiz spoke with the suspect, who asked about Ortiz’s truck and whether he was interested in selling it.
Ortiz recalled the suspect and then asked about his daughter.
“He started seeing my daughter out in the front yard. He was like, oh that’s your daughter? I was like, ‘Yes. It is,’” he said. “He said, ‘She’s cute. That could be like my Shelby.’ That’s when I thought to myself, ‘Okay. He’s probably talking about a relative, daughter, granddaughter of his.’”
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Ortiz said he kept an eye on his daughter while Bayse was still in his truck.
“He started saying some other things that threw red flags up to me,” he said. “He starts saying things like, ‘That could be like Shelby. Oh, that’s my truck.’ Probably because he had a similar truck to mine. Just a different year, make, and model,” he said.
The suspect then got out of his truck.
“I didn’t think much of it, because he’s probably just trying to say hi. Out of nowhere, he just scoops her up and starts heading back to his truck,” Ortiz said.
He was able to get a hold of the suspect. Ortiz’s wife then came running outside with a knife, he said.
“I was holding his arm then my wife, she had one arm on our kid. The other arm with the knife to his neck. Eventually, she was able to pull her out of his arms and runs inside,” he recalled. “I couldn’t think of anything else. I just was like, I need to hold him off and my wife needs to pull her off and go.”
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According to the Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office, Ortiz’s wife was able to give deputies the make, model and tag number of the Bayse’s vehicle. Deputies went to his Crowley home, found the vehicle and attempted to stop and talk to him.
Bayse refused to stop when deputies tried to pull him over, which led to a chase. Authorities say he stopped several times, acting as if he would surrender and then continue running from deputies.
“At one point during the chase, deputies attempted to conduct a high-risk stop, when Bayse was stopped at a red light. Again, he drove off and struck three patrol vehicles and almost struck a TCSO deputy. Bayse eventually pulled into the parking lot of a grocery store and was taken into custody,” a press release from the Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office reads.
Ortiz said he is thankful his family is safe and urges everyone to remain vigilant.
“If something looks suspicious towards you, you have that feeling as a parent and you have kids with you…don’t let that go,” he said.
As of Tuesday, Bayse remains in jail. The bond has been set at $125,000. | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/crowley-couple-fights-off-attempted-kidnapping-suspect/3272234/ | 2023-06-07T08:11:58 | 1 | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/crowley-couple-fights-off-attempted-kidnapping-suspect/3272234/ |
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The latest news from around North Texas. | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/crowley-couple-fights-off-attempted-kidnapping-suspect/3272257/ | 2023-06-07T08:12:04 | 0 | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/crowley-couple-fights-off-attempted-kidnapping-suspect/3272257/ |
The Dallas City Council District 3 run-off Saturday between Joe Tave and Zarin Gracey is the only seat yet to be decided after the May 2023 Dallas elections.
The last day for early voting was Tuesday.
The run-off will replace term-limited City Councilman Casey Thomas.
In May, Kathy Stewart won the District 10 seat being vacated by City Councilman Adam McGough, who was also term-limited.
Mayor Eric Johnson was unopposed in May voting, along with North Dallas Council Member Cara Mendelsohn. All the other incumbents were re-elected.
Thomas held an appreciation event Tuesday at a senior wellness center on Camp Wisdom Road.
Thomas said opening that center is one accomplishment of which he is most proud, along with an equity policy he championed, that he said will benefit future leaders.
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“I think District 3 is better now than it was eight years ago. We’ve got foundational things in place. We’ve got policy focused on equity and that policy is going to create more opportunity, especially about economic development and growth,” Thomas said.
Far Southwest Dallas District 3 includes big new warehouses along Interstate 20 along with new residential areas and established neighborhoods in the Red Bird area.
It is one part of Dallas that still has room to grow.
“But what happens is the leadership will begin to pay more attention to the money people and the developments,” Tave said.
Tave was defeated by Thomas in past elections. He said he has been busy doing things like taking voters to polling places.
Tave has far less campaign money than his opponent but said he was asked to run by supporters who count on him to stand by residents and not big contributors.
“I don’t have the luxury of tens of thousands of dollars and all these big-time politicians. I’ve got to hit the pavement and work and convince people I am the best choice and I will do the best job for the citizens,” Tave said.
Candidate Zarin Gracey said his work as an executive pastor at Concord Church would combine well with public service as a city council member.
“In many cases, I’m doing ministry work still. I just have a larger congregation,” Gracey said.
But Gracey also enjoys the endorsement of Thomas after Gracey’s work as a city employee and Thomas's advisor.
“I’ve worked in City Hall for 16 years in areas of purchasing, economic development, the budget office, the controller’s office,” Gracey said. “From day one I can actually get to work and get going.”
Thomas said that is one of the reasons he supports Gracey to take his place.
“We need someone who can hit the ground, move forward. And Zarin Gracey can do that,” Thomas said.
Tave said he is still a better choice.
“It’s a David and Goliath type situation,” Tave said.
Election Day voting centers are open Saturday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/dallas-city-council-district-3-run-off-campaign-winds-down/3272122/ | 2023-06-07T08:12:11 | 0 | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/dallas-city-council-district-3-run-off-campaign-winds-down/3272122/ |
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The latest news from around North Texas. | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/dallas-public-safety-departments-seek-730-million-from-potential-bond-package/3271619/ | 2023-06-07T08:12:17 | 0 | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/dallas-public-safety-departments-seek-730-million-from-potential-bond-package/3271619/ |
On Tuesday afternoon, TxDOT was awarded $17 million for a project to alleviate headaches for drivers in a Fort Worth traffic hot spot.
In a partnership with the City of Fort Worth and BNSF Railway, the TxDOT project will build a railroad crossing over Bonds Ranch Road near the US 81 and US 287 interchanges.
Gabrielle Burgess is a resident of Tarrant County.
“I moved to Saginaw about a year and a half ago. It's expanding,” Burgess said.
She frequently loses time waiting in the constant train traffic.
“It's always coming. I want to say maybe every hour or so,” Burgess said. “It's just a lot of traffic. It's making me late for wherever I have to go."
Currently, Bods Ranch Road is a rural two-lane road that has an at-grade rail crossing. The standstill traffic, according to Fort Worth city officials, is partly due to the spike in population.
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“District 7 has seen a tremendous amount of growth," Macy Hill, Councilwoman for District 7 said. "People are coming in and developers are developing not just residential, but commercial areas as well. And Fort Worth has not had the infrastructure in place to keep up with the growth. And that's been a major issue for all of our residents across the city."
Hill said she understands the issue her constituents and those commuting through the area face.
"I've sat and waited for the train to pass," Hill said. "It affects their everyday lives, everything from going to the grocery store, taking their kids to school, and for the public safety issue as well with the police and fire."
However, the backup is also due to high train volume.
According to TxDOT's project summary, the Bonds Ranch Road crossing, "is blocked multiple times per day due to high train volume and rail operations in the nearby BNSF Alliance Intermodal Facility and faced with closures due to flooding during heavy rain events."
The proposed project, which is projected to cost nearly $23 million, would go over Bonds Ranch Road to prevent crashes and alleviate traffic. The Federal Railroad Administration reports 2,000 collisions and 200 casualties happen each year at railroad grade crossings.
“The grade separation will mean there is no possibility of collision between trains and vehicles and no waiting for a train to pass,” Amit Bose said. Bose is the Administrator for the FRA.
The FRA awarded a total of $17 million to TxDOT for the Bonds Ranch Road Grade Separation Project which includes an ADA-accessible sidewalk for pedestrians and cyclists.
“That means safer travel for growing communities along the Haslet, Fort Worth corridor, lots of time back in people's lives, no delays to get to school, faster response times for emergency services, and a higher quality of life,” Bose said.
TxDOT estimates construction would begin in 2026 with the Bonds Ranch Road grade separation to be in use in 2028. | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/federal-railroad-administration-awards-17-million-for-txdot-fort-worth-project/3272007/ | 2023-06-07T08:12:23 | 0 | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/federal-railroad-administration-awards-17-million-for-txdot-fort-worth-project/3272007/ |
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The latest news from around North Texas. | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/federal-railroad-administration-awards-17-million-for-txdot-fort-worth-project/3272087/ | 2023-06-07T08:12:29 | 1 | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/federal-railroad-administration-awards-17-million-for-txdot-fort-worth-project/3272087/ |
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The latest news from around North Texas. | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/god-protected-me-allen-mall-shooting-survivor-speaks-out/3272134/ | 2023-06-07T08:12:36 | 1 | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/god-protected-me-allen-mall-shooting-survivor-speaks-out/3272134/ |
The last few years have presented a lot of challenges for the Asian-American community with increased racism during the pandemic and targeted violence against Asian Americans.
On Tuesday, a part of the AAPI community showed their appreciation to those who have helped guide them through it all.
The Greater Dallas Korean American Chamber of Commerce hosted an appreciation luncheon for Dallas Police at Sura Korean restaurant in the heart of Dallas’ Koreatown on Royal Lane. The group also awarded scholarships to several high school graduates of Dallas Police employees.
"As a community, we cannot simply meet in moments of crisis. This is an example of us meeting together and breaking bread,” said Dallas Police Chief Eddie Garcia.
Since 2020, the pandemic brought a rise in racist attacks against Asian Americans across Texas and beyond.
Last year, a man was indicted on a hate crime charge after a shooting spree that targeted Asian-owned businesses in Dallas, injuring three Korean women in a shooting attack at a hair salon in Koreatown.
The Allen mass shooting brought more fear when a Korean-American family was killed – only their 6-year-old survived. A memorial ceremony was held at the GDKACC to honor the parents and their 3-year-old son who were all killed in the attack.
Throughout everything, the community said their bond with local police has been made stronger. Tuesday’s event signified that.
"Our lives would have been more shattered and our society would have suffered a greater impact from those heinous crimes, if not for our brave law enforcement officers,” said M.J. Kim of the Dallas consulate office for the Republic of Korea.
Sr. Cpl. David Kim is one of 124 Asian-American officers and staff on the Dallas Police Department's force. He said that representation and fostering relationships with the community are important.
"It's hard to teach culture unless you grow up in it, and speaking the same language does help. It opens up to the community much faster,” he said.
Kim was born and raised in South Korea but spent most of his life in Texas. He’s served with the Dallas Police for 14 years. He said he’s worked hard in educating the Asian community on trusting officers and calling them when they need help.
“A lot of Asian communities try to take care within themselves and not report incidents to the police. I always tell them and emphasize that you need to make a report because if you’re not part of the data or crime stats, we’re not going to deploy any resources,” he said. “I’m preaching to them the importance of calling the police.”
Tuesday’s luncheon also celebrated the recent designation of Dallas' Koreatown by the state legislature this session.
"Hwan-yeong hamnida to Koreatown,” said Omar Narvaez, councilmember for Dallas City Council District 6, extending greetings in newly-learned Korean to the luncheon. "Koreatown is something that many of you in this room worked on for decades but this year, it's a reality."
Dual language signs already identify the streets in both English and Korean along Royal Lane, with more signage to come.
"Together we will get there to make Koreatown the most vibrant community and business district here in Dallas," Narvaez, said. | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/korean-american-community-hosts-appreciation-luncheon-for-dallas-pd/3272038/ | 2023-06-07T08:12:42 | 0 | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/korean-american-community-hosts-appreciation-luncheon-for-dallas-pd/3272038/ |
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The latest news from around North Texas. | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/korean-american-community-hosts-appreciation-luncheon-for-dallas-pd/3272076/ | 2023-06-07T08:12:48 | 1 | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/korean-american-community-hosts-appreciation-luncheon-for-dallas-pd/3272076/ |
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The latest news from around North Texas. | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/last-day-of-early-voting-for-city-and-school-district-run-off-elections-around-north-texas/3272075/ | 2023-06-07T08:12:54 | 0 | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/last-day-of-early-voting-for-city-and-school-district-run-off-elections-around-north-texas/3272075/ |
It has been a month since a gunman opened fire on shoppers at the Allen Premium Outlets on May 6, killing eight and injuring seven others. One of the victims who survived the attack is Irvin Walker.
Walker, 46, spent two weeks in the hospital at Medical City McKinney after being shot multiple times and sustaining injuries from bullet fragments and glass to his chest, shoulder, neck and head.
He dropped off his girlfriend at a store and went to park when the gunman encountered his car sending dozens of bullets through his front windshield.
The last time Walker spoke with reporters was on May 16, when he was brought out in a wheelchair at the hospital. Despite the situation, he had a big smile on his face, a testament to his positive outlook on life even in the worst of times.
Walker was released from the hospital on May 23 and has spent about two weeks home, adjusting to his new normal.
"I've had some good days and some really bad days," said Walker from his attorney's downtown Dallas office on Tuesday.
He said he's still adjusting to being home, compared to the hospital where he was awakened every couple of hours to be checked on.
Walker said physically, he has a high tolerance for pain but is still dealing with the effects of being shot and the surgeries that followed.
"I have awkward times sleeping, resting on my back when I turn. When the medicine wears off, I feel certain sensations in my chest, my neck. So, you know some days I'm good, and some days I'm not. I'm just I'm just looking forward to the day that I can sleep a whole night straight through. That would be a blessing," explained Walker.
He said he's taking it one day at a time and that it's an uphill battle as he deals with the physical and emotional trauma of what he experienced. Walker says while he's grateful to have another day with his daughter, family, friends and fraternity brothers, he knows that there's a lot of work to do mentally.
"I know I have to work towards a sound mind, I need a healthy mind and I'm working on that I'm going through some trauma counseling to manage that process of healing," said Walker.
Walker explained that having constant support is very important as friends, families and even strangers check in on him daily. He said it means the world to him and is needed as he navigates through this unchartered territory and on days where he hasn't had much contact with other people, he felt a difference.
Walker is a faithful man and believes in the power of prayer and says he's grateful God gave him a second chance and continues to reflect on it.
“It's one thing to be grateful, it’s another thing to do something with it. Right? You know, you have another chance what are you going to do the same old things? No, you have to be prompted to embrace change," said Walker.
“I have a purpose here on Earth, right because ever could have something. It could have went a different way. All right. So I'm just seeking out what that direction is from God, on how I can bring smiles to people's faces, encourage them during other traumatic situations. It's the early stages that determine, you know how wide God is going to take me through this. But you know, I'm open to being used as a positive aid to those that are suffering," said Walker.
He said while he was in the hospital, another victim told Walker he saved his life. Walker wouldn't go into detail how, but said, "he was a positive thinker through this tragedy, just as I am, and we connected in that in that way and he wanted to invite me over to his rehab room and thanked me for helping him you know through this."
Walker, originally from Louisiana, said he hasn't been able to go back to work given his physical and mental state. He said it is something that is on the back of his mind since he has no income coming in, but is listening to those in his close circle to focus on healing himself.
"So I have to tackle that sometime soon," said Walker who knows the medical bills will be astronomical. "I just don't know when that's going to be, I think my mental health is going to be my priority as my body heals.”
Walker said to protect his mental health, he's staying away from watching any news and doesn't want to know who the person was who gunned down innocent people.
"I just want to overcome the adversity with the tools that I have and the resources that I have to move forward. I don't want to go backward," said Walker.
There is a picture of his car, which was riddled with dozens of bullet holes. He has seen that and knows it's a miracle he survived.
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"God protected me, He sent the Holy Spirit to comfort me and protect me from harm and danger. Now yes, I did have several holes in my body that I'm overcoming and he's given me the power and the strength in my mind to overcome that eventually," said Walker.
It does run through his mind the 'what if' his girlfriend was in the front seat. Walker's attorney, Daryl K. Washington, said originally Walker's girlfriend wanted to stay with him as he parked the car, but he insisted on dropping her off.
"When you look at the bullet holes in that car, there's no question had she been in that car, I don't think she would have made it," said Washington. "That is something that has been tough for not only Irvin to process, but for her to process as well."
Washington said his office is looking into the amount of security that was present at the Allen Premium Outlets. He said all they are currently aware of is of Christian LaCour, who was killed while trying to protect shoppers.
"We know that thousands of people were at that shopping mall on that particular day and we have not through my investigation and if it does exist I have not received any notice whether there was more than one security officer with thousands of people shopping," said Washington.
The gunman was shot and killed by an Allen Police officer who happened to be at the outlets responding to another call.
"We know had there not been an Allen Police Officer responding to an unrelated call, that person would have probably killed even more individuals and more people would have been injured," said Washington.
He said while his office is looking to see how much security was present that day, Washington's office is looking into the gunman, who was expelled from the military for mental health concerns.
"We believe that's an issue if the military didn't do properly reporting where you have someone in the military less than 6 months and put out, why was this information not given to gun dealers. These are issues I think we need to get under control because I think there are people who are being put out of the military daily, we need to know there are individuals who are not fit to have a gun and protect this country, why would that same person be fit to legally purchase guns and put people at risk," said Washington. | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/my-mental-health-is-going-to-be-my-priority-as-my-body-heals-says-man-who-survived-allen-premium-outlet-shooting/3272088/ | 2023-06-07T08:13:01 | 0 | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/my-mental-health-is-going-to-be-my-priority-as-my-body-heals-says-man-who-survived-allen-premium-outlet-shooting/3272088/ |
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The latest news from around North Texas. | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/plano-set-to-install-license-plate-reader-cameras/3271608/ | 2023-06-07T08:13:07 | 1 | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/plano-set-to-install-license-plate-reader-cameras/3271608/ |
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The latest news from around North Texas. | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/protestors-demand-denton-council-members-decriminalize-marijuana/3272261/ | 2023-06-07T08:13:13 | 1 | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/protestors-demand-denton-council-members-decriminalize-marijuana/3272261/ |
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The latest news from around North Texas. | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/rain-chances-linger-the-connection/3271869/ | 2023-06-07T08:13:19 | 0 | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/rain-chances-linger-the-connection/3271869/ |
Every morning, NBC 5 Today is dedicated to delivering you positive local stories of people doing good, giving back and making a real change in our community. | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/something-good/brain-injury-network-clubhouse-in-plano-gets-an-upgrade/3271628/ | 2023-06-07T08:13:26 | 0 | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/something-good/brain-injury-network-clubhouse-in-plano-gets-an-upgrade/3271628/ |
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) held a bill signing for critical public safety legislation passed during the 88th regular legislative Tuesday afternoon.
The governor was joined at the Texas Capitol by bill authors and sponsors, as well as other legislative members and public safety officials.
Check back and refresh this article for the latest update. | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/texas-news/coming-up-gov-abbott-to-sign-critical-public-safety-legislation-tuesday/3271919/ | 2023-06-07T08:13:32 | 0 | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/texas-news/coming-up-gov-abbott-to-sign-critical-public-safety-legislation-tuesday/3271919/ |
When will Texans see a break in property taxes? The holdup in Austin continues with the state's top Republican leaders at odds over two plans.
Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick (R) called on the Texas House to return to Austin Tuesday and continue working with the Senate on special session legislation.
Patrick, who leads the Texas Senate, criticized the House for gaveling out of the session last week after putting up a property tax bill that only includes compression and not the previously passed increased homestead exemption. He added a chamber isn't allowed to sine die without approval from the other chamber and that the House left the session without Senate approval.
"The Senate continues to work and the House stays home," Patrick said.
Patrick has been embroiled in a Twitter spat with Gov. Greg Abbott (R) since last week after the governor said the House had the best plan for lowering property taxes.
The Senate plan to lower property taxes for homeowners uses both compression of the school M&O tax and also includes increasing the homestead exemption to $100,000. The House plan does not include any additional homestead exemption and spreads the $17.6 billion of relief across both residential and commercial property owners.
"Our plan is the fairest to every homeowner," Patrick said, adding his plan would save homeowners more money and the homestead exemption was previously passed by the House by a vote of 147-0.
Abbott responded to Patrick's remarks at a bill signing Tuesday afternoon saying, "I'll call special session after special session until a solution is reached."
Abbott did not directly respond to questions regarding what he would do if a bill including homestead exemption landed on his desk.
In a statement to NBC 5, a spokesperson for House Speaker Dade Phelan released the following:
"The Texas Senate is the only chamber that has not passed property tax reform and border security legislation in a way that is germane to Governor Abbott’s special session call. The House has passed the largest property tax cut in state history three times this year. In the special session, the House came to work, passed its bills with bipartisan support, and adjourned -- the Senate is keeping Texans waiting. We encourage the Senate to follow the House’s lead so that Texans can have the property tax relief and the secure border they deserve.”
PROPERTY TAX LEGISLATION
NBC 5 asked SMU Cox School of Business economics professor Mike Davis for his insight.
"The Senate plan would give homeowners slightly more of a tax break," Davis said. "But remember there would be other groups – businesses, landlords and tenants who would probably get slightly less of an immediate break."
Davis said arguments could be made for both plans and predicting what's best long term is challenging.
“These taxes are like cockroaches. You put them down in one place and they go hide everywhere,” Davis said. “A tax break on homes can sometimes actually translate itself into higher home prices. When you put taxes on businesses, businesses pass those taxes on to their customers. So the point is taxes don’t stay in one place.”
During Tuesday's briefing, Patrick said the governor's plan to eliminate property taxes by funding the state government solely on sales taxes is unsustainable because of the potential for lower tax receipts should the state economy take a downturn.
"It's a long and pot-holed-filled road between now and having no property taxes eliminated here in the state of Texas," Davis said. "There's a lot to be said of that as an ideal, but given how our taxes in this state work it's a long way to get there." | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/texas-news/coming-up-lt-gov-dan-patrick-expected-to-address-property-tax-legislation/3271838/ | 2023-06-07T08:13:38 | 0 | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/texas-news/coming-up-lt-gov-dan-patrick-expected-to-address-property-tax-legislation/3271838/ |
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The latest news from around North Texas. | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/texas-womans-battle-to-get-her-pug-back-is-a-cautionary-tale-for-pet-owners/3272150/ | 2023-06-07T08:13:44 | 0 | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/texas-womans-battle-to-get-her-pug-back-is-a-cautionary-tale-for-pet-owners/3272150/ |
A young woman hopes her story will raise awareness, sparing other dog owners the hassle and heartache she recently endured trying to recover her lost dog.
Valeria Torres, of Mesquite, reached out to NBC 5 last week asking for help in getting her dog back from a local rescue group dedicated to saving dogs that end up in animal shelters.
The task of retrieving her beloved pug Benny was almost impossible because the teen had not microchipped her pet.
“I really do regret not doing it,” admitted Torres.
The back and forth left both Torres and the owner of the dog rescue group in tears before the dog was given back to Torres on Friday.
“We’re so happy to reunite the owner with the dog,” said an emotional Tina Austin, owner of Cody’s Rescue which adopted the dog. “Everyone’s saying we stole the dog. We didn’t. It was our dog, but we’re so happy and so grateful that we got the dog, we saved the dog and the rightful owner has it.”
Torres said Benny got out of his kennel and ran out of an open door of their Mesquite home on May 20. Her father, she said, was unable to find the pug by the day's end.
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Torres checked with the Mesquite Animal Shelter but was told her dog was not there. She said she had no idea Sunnyvale, near her home, has its own animal shelter.
By the time she realized the dog was indeed at the Sunnyvale Animal Shelter, it was too late.
“They ended up telling me ‘We’re not allowed to give you information. Your dog went off to a rescue. We’re not allowed to give you that,’” she said.
NBC 5 asked the city of Sunnyvale to provide information about the case. A spokesperson for the city said an animal control officer picked up the pug on May 20. The animal did not have a collar and was not microchipped and the shelter held the stray for four days.
Since the owner never called, the pug was posted online to be adopted.
Tina Austin owns Cody’s Rescue in Addison and said she was surprised the pug had not already been adopted and went through with the process two days later.
“The ownership changes to Cody’s at that point,” said Austin. “We got the dog, neutered, microchipped, heartworm tested and completely vetted and put it up for adoption. We even found a home for it.”
Meanwhile, Torres desperately took to social media to try to find Benny and finally heard from someone who spotted a pug on Cody’s website.
She was elated and immediately recognized the white mouth and how the dog lay on the ground in photographs online.
Torres went to the shelter in hopes of getting Benny back.
“I was like, 'Hey, like, you have my dog,'” she said. “She was nice at first, but then she started catching an attitude telling me that dog was no longer mine. She took it from the shelter so she had legal paperwork. She also took him to the vet and spent $600 on him.”
Torres said she offered to pay the cost to no avail. She said she was told the dog had already been adopted, although it still appeared on the group’s website.
Austin disputed hearing the teen’s willingness to pay the costs and said Torres would not immediately provide documents proving the dog had belonged to her.
Austin admitted she has always been ‘ferociously passionate’ about saving dogs, strays, or those that end up in area animal shelters.
Her group’s focus is also spaying, neutering and preventing potentially deadly diseases like heartworms or parvo.
In a conservation with NBC 5 last week, Austin said she would be willing to help Torres get the dog back if she could educate the teen about the importance of keeping up with shots and neutering. Austin said she could "guarantee" the teen did not know any of it before.
Austin said Torres would have to apply to adopt the dog from Cody’s Rescue and a decision would be made by their board.
Asked why she felt it was her place to "educate" any dog owner, Austin said, “It’s not easy being a parent to a dog, a cat, or a child if you don’t know what you’re doing. I feel like that’s my responsibility and I certainly didn’t mean to come across like I was her educator.”
After NBC 5’s involvement and after Torres provided proof the dog was hers, Austin opted to give Benny back at no cost and invited NBC 5 to the happy reunion last Friday.
A weary Torres drove to Addison with her little brother for the reunion and sprinted toward her dog as soon as she saw him.
Austin also provided Torres a gift basket full of items for the pug and a year’s worth of heartworm prevention medication.
Torres also agreed to walk back negative social media posts about the rescue group and offered to pay some of the costs associated with the pug’s care.
“I’m really happy because he’ll be able to attend my graduation,” said Torres as she put a bow tie on her pup.
It was a happy homecoming and a lesson for all.
“I haven’t slept in three nights. I’m so glad it’s over,” said Austin after Torres drove away with her dog. “Spay and neutering, microchipping is the most important because this would’ve never taken place.” | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/the-battle-over-benny-why-microchipping-your-dog-could-spare-you-a-hassle-and-heartache/3272114/ | 2023-06-07T08:13:50 | 0 | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/the-battle-over-benny-why-microchipping-your-dog-could-spare-you-a-hassle-and-heartache/3272114/ |
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The latest news from around North Texas. | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/update-expected-from-the-1300-gendy-task-force-about-the-future-of-fort-worth-community-arts-center/3271623/ | 2023-06-07T08:13:56 | 0 | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/update-expected-from-the-1300-gendy-task-force-about-the-future-of-fort-worth-community-arts-center/3271623/ |
The City of Greensboro has fired Capt. Dustin Jones of the Greensboro Fire Department, citing a history of social media posts criticizing transgender people and Black Lives Matter along with an unwillingness to accept training and heed warnings from his supervisors.
Jones was fired on May 12, according to the city. On Tuesday night, citizens packed the council meeting, which was punctuated by loud outbursts as some protested Jones' firing and others supported it.
North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, a politician known for his anti-transgender and anti-LGBTQ+ positions had weeks earlier urged "normal people" to "take a stand and absolutely flood this hall" in an interview shared on Jones' Facebook page.
Jones had gone to Facebook to protest his termination in a video in which he claimed he was fired because of a "Straight Pride" meme post made on April 16.
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The image, covered with pink and white stripes, featured a white, heterosexual couple being married with the title "Straight Pride" and the caption "It’s natural, it’s worked for thousands of years and you can make babies."
After Jones appealed his termination by the Greensboro Fire Department, City Manager Taiwo Jaiyeoba upheld the decision in a letter obtained by the News & Record in a records request. In his response, Jaiyeoba defended the termination, citing Jones' "misuse of social media" and "disrespectful behavior." Jaiyeoba wrote that Jones had "grown defiant" after numerous coaching sessions and warnings from supervisors.
The response letter includes other instances of posts and re-posts attributed to Jones included one that stated: "You know what’s insane... A white person can paint their face black and be accused of being a racist. Yet a man can dress as a woman and be called a hero… [shrug emoji]".
In one post, a meme displayed a picture of Rachel Levine, a transgender woman and the U.S. Assistant Secretary for Health, with an image of an assault rifle and this caption in all caps: "IF THIS IS A WOMAN, THIS IS A FISHING POLE."
Jones' social media posts date back to 2021, when he took pictures of hoarding conditions in a home while he was responding to a structure fire and posted them on Facebook. On Jan. 27, 2022, Jones posted a picture of a news article about the killing of Tyree Nichols with a caption that read "Mmmmmmm... will we see another George Floyd reaction? Will city’s burn??? ALL LIVES MATTER….."
Noisy reactions on both sides
All sides of the political spectrum flocked to the Greensboro City Hall to make their voices heard, and more than 40 people signed up to speak during the public comment period.
Members of Guilford For All, an organization advocating for the rights of the LGBTQ+ community, wore green shirts and packed the inside of the assembly room. Outside the building, the Communist Party of America flew Pride flags and displayed a sign that read "FASCIST FIREMAN, YOU'RE FIRED."
Jennifer Ruppe, the executive director of the Guilford Green Foundation and LGBTQ Center, addressed the room: "The true test of your commitment to creating a diverse, equitable and inclusive city is how you all show up when it's not all rainbows and parades. Because freedom of speech is not freedom of consequences."
Steve Wall, who identified himself as a friend of Jones, looked out angrily at the crowd during his speech.
"How many of you would come to my house and save my 5-year-old if it's on fire, knowing that you might lose your life?" he said. "Stand up!"
About a dozen protestors rose from their seats as Wall stared at them silently.
After a moment, an earlier speaker broke into the assembly room and shouted, "F--- you, Fascist!" In the corner of the room, Jones sat quietly among the public, watching as others rose to affirm the city's decision to terminate him.
When Wall left the room, he was greeted by furious chants of "F--- you, Fascist" from the overflow seating.
As the period for public comment concluded, many members of the protestors from both sides filed out of the building.
Standing outside, members of Guilford For All gathered in a circle and reflected on the day, while Dustin Jones remained inside. | https://greensboro.com/news/local/after-greensboro-firefighter-fired-over-straight-pride-and-other-facebook-posts-crowd-erupts-at-city/article_2a1fe822-04c6-11ee-8f48-078ab7addc66.html | 2023-06-07T08:19:44 | 0 | https://greensboro.com/news/local/after-greensboro-firefighter-fired-over-straight-pride-and-other-facebook-posts-crowd-erupts-at-city/article_2a1fe822-04c6-11ee-8f48-078ab7addc66.html |
RICHMOND, Va. — Seven people were shot -- and two of them have died -- after gunfire rang out near Virginia Commonwealth University in downtown Richmond following a high school graduation ceremony Tuesday, according to police and school district officials.
NBC12 is reporting that the two people killed were a Huguenot HS graduate and his father.
Two suspects were taken into custody after the incident, Interim Richmond Police Chief Rick Edwards said at a news conference. It was later reported that one of them, who was held because they were in possession of a firearm, was subsequently cleared of having any involvement.
They currently have a 19-year-old man in custody and he will be charged with 2 counts of Second Degree Murder. Police recovered multiple handguns.
Police said they believe the suspect knew at least one of the victims.
Of the five other people who were shot, a 31-year-old man is in critical condition, and four others, ages 14, 32, 55, and 58 - all males - are being treated for "non-life threatening" wounds.
Officers inside Altria Theater, where the graduation took place, heard gunfire outside around 5:15 p.m. and radioed to police stationed outside, who found multiple victims, Edwards said.
Police did not believe there was any ongoing threat to the community. The identities of those in custody and those injured were not immediately released.
"We're going to do everything we can to bring the individuals involved in this to justice," Mayor Levar Stoney said at the news conference. "This should not be happening anywhere."
In addition to the seven wounded by gunfire, at least 12 others were injured or treated for anxiety due to the mayhem, according to police.
Police said one was a 9-year-old child had been hit by a car while trying to flee, but the child is expected to be OK.
“My administration continues monitoring the terrible shooting in the heart of Richmond tonight,” Gov. Glenn Youngkin said on Twitter. “State law enforcement are fully supporting the Richmond Police Department as this investigation moves forward.”
Richmond Public Schools said in a message on its website that the shooting took place in Monroe Park, which is near the college campus, after a graduation ceremony for Huguenot High School.
School board member Jonathan Young told NBC12 that graduates and other attendees were exiting the theater when they heard about 20 gunshots in rapid succession.
“That prompted, as you would expect, hundreds of persons in an effort to flee the gunfire to return to the building,” Young said. “It materialized in a stampede.”
Richmond Public Schools Superintendent Jason Kamras said the new graduates were outside taking photos with families and friends when the shooting broke out.
“I don’t have any more words on this,” Kamras said. “I’m just tired of seeing people get shot, our kids get shot. And I beg of the entire community to stop, to just stop.”
As he heard the gunshots and then sirens, neighbor John Willard, 69, stepped onto the balcony of his 18th-floor apartment. Below, he saw students fleeing in their graduation outfits and parents hugging children.
“There was one poor woman in front of the apartment block next to ours who was wailing and crying,” Willard said, adding that the scene left him deeply saddened.
Edythe Payne was helping her daughter sell flowers outside the theater to students as they left the ceremony. She told the Richmond Times-Dispatch that the shooting caused a panic on nearby Main Street, which was packed with people at the time.
“I felt bad because some elderly people were at the graduation and they got knocked down to the ground,” Payne said.
The school district said a different graduation scheduled for later Tuesday had been canceled “out of an abundance of caution" and that schools would be closed Wednesday.
The Richmond branch of the NAACP issues this statement regarding the shooting:
Our condolences go out to all the families in the past and recent homicides in the RVA region. We are praying for all victims affected by this plague of violence and praying for a speedy recovery of the surviving victims and their families. | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/active-shooter-reported-vcu-monroe-park-richmond/291-52c1ec8c-f072-4a99-ba5c-253de7417c32 | 2023-06-07T08:27:13 | 1 | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/active-shooter-reported-vcu-monroe-park-richmond/291-52c1ec8c-f072-4a99-ba5c-253de7417c32 |
ELYSBURG, Pa. — On a warm day, the log flume is a popular ride at Knoebels Amusement Resort. The flume will also take center stage this weekend as the setting for the Salvation Army of Sunbury and Shamokin's 10th Duck Drop.
"The first ten ducks across the finish line in each of the races get a gift certificate, a $25 gift certificate, to some merchant here in the area," Buddy Knoebel explained.
This year the group is partnering with the five school districts it serves. There will be five races, each symbolizing Mount Carmel, Shikellamy, Shamokin, Line Mountain, and Southern Columbia Area School Districts.
"We'll have an Indian race, an eagle race, a tornado race, a tiger. There will be more prizes to be won and more fun to be had here at the log flume," said Judy Orner from the Salvation Army
Ducks are $10 each. This year's goal is to raise $25,000, and they are looking for more sponsors.
All proceeds from the Duck Drop go directly to the Salvation Army in Sunbury and Shamokin.
"All of the money goes completely into the social services that we offer in Northumberland County. So, it will serve about 80 percent of Northumberland County's population."
Orner and Knoebel first organized the event in 2012. They've held it almost every year except twice during the pandemic.
"It's fun, and it gives us an opportunity to help visually. We try to help the Salvation Army in many ways, but this is a fun event, and it has grown every year," Knoebel said.
The Duck Drop is this Saturday at 10 a.m. at Knoebels Amusement Resort. Click here to sponsor a duck. | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/duck-drop-fundraiser-at-knoebels-to-help-salvation-army-amusement-resort-elysburg-sunbury-shamokin/523-55dba18e-7857-41c9-8a1d-c4e8d01b5cb5 | 2023-06-07T08:27:19 | 0 | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/duck-drop-fundraiser-at-knoebels-to-help-salvation-army-amusement-resort-elysburg-sunbury-shamokin/523-55dba18e-7857-41c9-8a1d-c4e8d01b5cb5 |
DEER LAKE, Pa. — The sound of the bell.
That's what boxing champion Muhammad Ali heard after every winning match. But to earn his nickname 'The Greatest' in professional heavyweight boxing, he trained for years here in Schuylkill County. Calling his training camp Fighter’s Heaven.
Now, the training facility in deer lake near Orwigsburg features a Pennsylvania historical marker.
Newswatch 16 spoke with the current owner of the property, Mike Madden, who says this commemorates Ali's accomplishments as an athlete and activist for racial justice.
“I think our site should be celebrated by sports historians to world historians to civil rights historians and African American historians,”
Muhammad Ali built the Deer Lake training camp in 1972. And now 51 years later, it's being recognized as a part of history not only in Schuylkill County but in the state of Pennsylvania.
“Muhammad Ali actually trained in this building, lived on these grounds and was here for a lot of his biggest fights. But what he did after boxing was probably one of the greatest achievements by anyone alive,” explained Mick Stefanek, Fighter's Heaven General Manager.
Since Ali passed away in 2016, the training camp has been fully restored to its former glory.
Including photographs from Reading photographer, Jeff Julian.
He says capturing Muhammad Ali in the boxing ring was the catalyst of his photography career.
“It was incredible just to be around him. He just had such a spirit and vitality about him, it was hard to take a bad photo,” Julian mentioned.
Julian says the best way to learn about Muhammad Ali's life is by visiting Fighter's Heaven.
“People got to come see it. I mean I try to help out here as much as I can. But people say you can still feel the spirit of Muhammad Ali here,” he added.
Fighter's Heaven is open to visitors every weekend throughout the summer. | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/pennsylvania-recognizes-muhammad-ali-training-camp/523-a9803e1c-47cb-4ac7-b8b9-a92d69ba35a8 | 2023-06-07T08:27:25 | 0 | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/pennsylvania-recognizes-muhammad-ali-training-camp/523-a9803e1c-47cb-4ac7-b8b9-a92d69ba35a8 |
LACKAWANNA COUNTY, Pa. — "I've never seen anything like this in person it's chaos it's insanity," said Jayden Lillie of Scranton.
A wall of smoke left much of Scranton in a haze. This was the scene when looking down from the overlook along Route 307.
Adam Zenker had been cutting grass nearby when they pulled over to take a look.
"It's pretty crazy I started to notice it when I was looking at the sun 'cause it was red out and stuff like that," said Zenker. "It's really crazy I've never seen anything like it before."
"I just think it's absolutely insane, I mean I've never seen anything like this before Scranton is just completely covered in the smoke and it takes away from the beautiful scene here," Gabriella DeCesare from Moscow. She says the smoke can not only be seen for miles but also smelled. This aggravated her severe allergies.
"I have asthma I have very bad allergies and just smelling this right now. You know it really is just affecting my lungs and I feel bad for those people who are struggling with those health risks right now," said DeCesare.
It started getting hazy here Tuesday afternoon and by about 2 o'clock the smoke completely covered the sky, giving the sun an orange tint.
At the same time, Jason Crambo and members of the Jefferson Township Volunteer Fire Company were preparing to kick off their largest fundraiser of the year.
"I think a lot of people not seeing the weather or watching the news and seeing that it's actually smoke. They're going outside and looking up in the air I think there's going to be a thunderstorm today when we all know from watching the weather that that's not the case," said Crambo.
With smoke in the forecast for the next few days, Crambo says he's remaining optimistic that crowds will still come out. | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/smoke-pennsylvanians-react-to-air-quality-caused-canadian-wildfires/523-8d6ffb8b-540f-4578-87d8-b8b15779a022 | 2023-06-07T08:27:31 | 0 | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/smoke-pennsylvanians-react-to-air-quality-caused-canadian-wildfires/523-8d6ffb8b-540f-4578-87d8-b8b15779a022 |
INDIANAPOLIS — Police are investigating after a man was shot and killed late Tuesday on the far east side of Indianapolis.
IMPD officers responded to The Reserves at Warren Park apartments in the 9100 block of East 10th Street, which is east of Post Road, shortly before midnight.
A man with an apparent gunshot wound(s) was found in a hallway in the apartment complex and pronounced dead at the scene, police said.
Homicide detectives responded to the scene to begin an investigation, and IMPD told 13News the shooting appeared to be targeted and the victim does not live at the apartment complex.
No additional information on the circumstances of the shooting, including possible suspect information or a motive, were immediately known. Police said they do not believe there is an ongoing threat to the public.
The man's identity will be released by the Marion County Coroner's Office once family has been notified.
This is a breaking story. Check back for updates. | https://www.wthr.com/article/news/local/impd-investigates-deadly-shooting-far-east-indianapolis-aparment-complex-10th-street-post-road/531-dad605e9-0a27-4d0d-a26d-517a51dd9463 | 2023-06-07T08:44:39 | 0 | https://www.wthr.com/article/news/local/impd-investigates-deadly-shooting-far-east-indianapolis-aparment-complex-10th-street-post-road/531-dad605e9-0a27-4d0d-a26d-517a51dd9463 |
Three Stockton University lacrosse players — Aubrey Giordano, Drew Coxson and Luc Swedlund — were given postseason honors by the Eastern College Athletic Conference on Tuesday.
Giordano, a freshman attack, was selected the women’s Co-Rookie of the Year. Coxson was chosen to the women’s All-ECAC team. Swedlund made the men’s All-ECAC team.
The Eastern College Athletic Conference is an 82-year-old organization with more than 200 member schools across all three NCAA Divisions. The ECAC sponsors championships, tournaments and postseason awards for colleges throughout the Northeast.
Giordano was selected the New Jersey Athletic Conference Rookie of the Year and NJAC First Team earlier this spring. She scored a team-high 43 goals and added eight assists to finish second for Stockton with 51 points. Giordano, who played in all of the Ospreys’ 17 games and started 15, also contributed 17 ground balls and 11 caused turnovers.
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She finished fifth in the NJAC in goals (2.69 per game) and 10th in points (3.19 per game). Giordano tied the school record of seven goals in a game three times, and her 43 goals were the fourth-highest single-season total in the program’s 10 seasons.
Swedlund, a senior attack, received a U.S. Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association All-America honorable mention this year, having earned that honor for the fourth time. He was the Coastal Lacrosse Conference Scholar Athlete of the Year, and CLC First Team and received ann Intercollegiate Men’s Lacrosse Coaches Association All-Region honorable mention. He finished fifth in the NCAA Division III in goals (75) and goals per game (4.17).
Swedlund finished his 90-game Stockton career with school records of 354 goals and 427 points. He ranks third in NCAA Division III history in career goals and sixth in career points. He’s tied for ninth place in goals per game (3.93).
Coxson, a defender, was chosen to the NJAC First Team this spring. She started all 17 games and totaled 34 caused turnovers, which was second on the team and tied for the second highest total in program history. She was also second for Stockton with 41 ground balls. She scored one goal and had one assist.
Coxson was second in the NJAC in caused turnovers per game (2.00) and sixth in ground balls (2.41 per game). Her six caused turnovers against Ramapo on April 8 (a 21-5 win) set a school record. | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/sports/local/ecac-honors-stockton-lacrosse-players-giordano-coxson-swedlund/article_8c010432-04c5-11ee-8347-9f3f6290d431.html | 2023-06-07T09:08:36 | 0 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/sports/local/ecac-honors-stockton-lacrosse-players-giordano-coxson-swedlund/article_8c010432-04c5-11ee-8347-9f3f6290d431.html |
Motivational speaker, therapist, social worker and now filmmaker Angela Harvey got the inspiration to produce her debut film "Black Rainbow Love" after watching a program and wondering, “Where are our stories?”
"Black Rainbow Love" is a documentary that features dozens of interviews with members of the Black LGBTQ+ community with the goal of unmuting their often overlooked stories, Harvey said.
A self-proclaimed “acronym Queen,” Harvey created "STORY" to represent what she hopes people will take away from the film. STORY means people will Seek an understanding, Taste what is presented as well as be Open to, Recognize and Yield to the stories presented.
Eric Hause, a long-time LGBTQ+ activist and president of OutWire 757 , said he shared Harvey’s sentiment when deciding to found the inaugural Virginia Queer Film Festival . Focusing on films only by, for and about members of the LGBTQ+ communities, Hause said the film festival is the first of its kind in Virginia and will take place June 14-16 at Old Dominion University’s campus in Norfolk.
"Black Rainbow Love" is one of the 21 films by filmmakers from across the world that will be shown at the festival. Along with a wide variety of films, there will also be workshops and Q&A sessions with seasoned film professionals. The festival will culminate with an awards ceremony.
Stills from films that will be featured at the Virginia Queer Film Festival
Courtesy of Priya Vashist
Hause, who is originally from North Carolina and currently lives in Norfolk, said he decided to launch the film festival after noticing other similar film festivals taking place across the country, but none in Virginia.
“The queer experience in the South is fairly unique … though I had supportive parents, there were still experiences I had outside of the house that were abusive and bullying, I’ve been called all the names and it’s isolating,” Hause said. “I wanted to open that conversation up for filmmakers to show their perspectives on the queer experience as well.”
One film that captures local voices is Maryland resident Marlon Wallace’s feature "Peer," which follows the story of a Black queer college student, Harold, who goes on a beach vacation where he falls in love with a lifeguard who helps him overcome his fear of the water. Actor Eli Johnson of Fredericksburg, Virginia plays Harold, who Wallace said is meant to represent a version of himself he has not seen on the silver screen before.
“Growing up, I always tried to search for stories that reflected myself and they were hard to find … I wanted to provide something that hopefully people in this area can maybe see themselves in,” Wallace said.
As a fellow member of the Black LBGTQ+ community, Johnson said he was particularly drawn to "Peer" because it was a rare opportunity to play a role where he could incorporate his personal experiences. He added that he is excited to be part of VAQFF.
“Having a local film festival, with things people can identify with like the universal feeling of overcoming fears or falling in love, regardless of whether or not they identify as queer is really important,” Johnson said.
Though Hause has never managed a film festival before, he said the planning process went very smoothly thanks to the VAQFF board of directors.
One of the members of the VAQFF board of directors is Priya Vashist, an assistant professor of film at ODU with extensive background in filmmaking and judging at film festivals. As someone who is passionate about queer storytelling, Vashist said she was enthusiastic to be part of the VAQFF.
Vashist said the VAQFF will help foster a stronger sense of community for members within the local and regional queer community.
“(LGBTQ+ community members) will have a place to go and watch films that represent them on screen,” Vashist said. “That’s really important and something that this festival will add to the queer experience in this part of Virginia and this part of the South.”
James Millner, director of VA Pride , agreed with Vashist and emphasized that the VAQFF is important, not only for allies and members of the LGBTQ+ community, but also for educating those who may not understand the queer community.
“It is vitally important to have this now to increase visibility of LGBTQ+ issues and challenges,” Millner said. “I hope this will help dispel some misconceptions for people not totally comfortable with the LGBTQ+ community.”
One ally whose film, "Parrot," is featured at VAQFF is Kyle Thompson. Inspired by real events, "Parrot" is about a drag queen who protects a child during an active shooter threat at a drag queen story hour, Thompson said.
This is Thompson’s first time creating an LGBTQ+ specific film, and Thompson said he learned how to be a better ally throughout the process of making the film.
“I’ve learned about the hate that goes along with the community and a lot of being an ally is just listening and trying to understand,” Thompson said. “The core of the film is just acceptance, we want people to have a better understanding of that acceptance and what it means to respect people’s differences.”
Hause emphasized that, along with being educated, he hopes people will have fun watching some of the light-hearted films.
One example is Justin Garascia’s short film "Trip Upstate!" which is comedic horror movie about a group of friends who come across an unexpected guest during their "psychedelic vacation," Garascia said. Garascia hopes his film will shine a light on the joyful and fun sides of the LGBTQ+ community while also opening viewers' minds about discovering sexuality and what it means to be queer, he said.
While Hause said he has received support from allies and members of the LGBTQ+ community, there has been discrimination online and there will be boosted security at the VAQFF.
Overall, Hause hopes people will enjoy themselves and come away from the festival with a deeper understanding and appreciation for the LGBTQ+ community.
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
June 3, 2023
Richmond Kickers defender Simon Fitch shoots the ball defended by Chattanooga Red Wolves forward Walter Varela at City Stadium on Saturday.
Mike Kropf, TIMES-DISPATCH
June 4, 2023
Mark Whitfield and Ciara Dickson watch Samaya Dickson throw the ceremonial first pitch at the Flying Squirrels game on Sunday.
Gabriela de Camargo Gonçalves, Times-Dispatch
June 5, 2023
People bow their heads before eating as Dr. Stepfanie Ramsey gives the invocation at the 2023 Times-Dispatch/Sports Backer Scholar Athlete Awards Ceremony on June 5, 2023 at the Jefferson Hotel. MARGO WAGNER/TIMES-DISPATCH
Margo Wagner
June 6, 2023
A radar measure the speed of passing cars on Main Street on June 6, 2023, in Richmond, Va. MARGO WAGNER/TIMES-DISPATCH
Margo Wagner | https://richmond.com/life-entertainment/local/movies-tv/virginia-lgbtq-film-festival-first/article_62fd8f6a-047a-11ee-98b3-77cd29c093aa.html | 2023-06-07T09:14:45 | 1 | https://richmond.com/life-entertainment/local/movies-tv/virginia-lgbtq-film-festival-first/article_62fd8f6a-047a-11ee-98b3-77cd29c093aa.html |
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Hanover school board members appear to have softened their position on one of the most provocative portions of the rewrite of its book policy. Critics of the measure said it would allow any parent to remove any book at any time without any checks or balances.
After debate at a Tuesday morning work session, school board members appeared to come to a consensus, saying that book challenges brought to the school for “pervasive vulgarity” should be filtered through a librarian and school principle before a book is removed.
A draft policy unveiled in early May deemed that any book challenged for pervasive vulgarity was to be taken off of school shelves immediately if a complaint is made to the school. After being removed, the book would go through typical challenge channels.
“Almost every email I got on the subject says that they don’t agree that one person should be able to make the determination of removing a book,” said John Redd, Mechanicsville District school board member. “..I just don’t like the idea of one person being able to remove a book.”
Redd added that it could lead to an influx of people challenging books, either as a prank or in retaliation to challenges from other people who have differing views.
“I just see this opening a can of worms for anybody to come along and say I don’t like [any book] and that has some sexual connation to it,” he said.
Redd was followed in that logic by school board members Steven Ikenberry (Cold Harbor), Robert Hundley (Chickahominy) and Bob May (South Anna), who advocated for a brief review before books are removed.
The board decided that a librarian and principal would be given seven business days to decide if a challenged book meets the definition of “pervasive vulgarity” and should be removed immediately.
The rewrite of the school board’s book banning procedure has focused on books with sexual content, which board members say are currently on shelves in schools.
In May, Ikenberry unveiled a list of 17 books that he says have “zero” educational value and should be removed once the policy is finalized.
The list includes “This Book is Gay,” Juno Dawson’s young adult nonfiction book about sexuality and gender, and George M. Johnson’s “All Boys Aren’t Blue,” a series of personal essays about growing up Black and queer.
Hanover is just one of many school districts across the country working on new policies that govern what books belong in schools. Many of books being removed center on LGBTQ+ and minority-focused characters and themes.
Redd and School Board Chair John Axselle III say they are not specifically trying to root out LGBTQ-themed books, but that they could be removed if they also have sexual themes included. The school board also maintains that it is not “banning” books, and that students are still allowed to own, possess and talk about these books in schools.
Outgoing school board Chair John Axselle III (Beaverdam) appeared to be the only school board member who advocated to keep the process for “immediate” removal without evaluation by a librarian or principal. He said it would get sexual content off of the shelves faster, and lead to quicker decisions over books’ suitability.
“A serious community member is going to challenge seriously,” Axselle said. “I don’t think we should try to write a policy for 1% of pranksters.”
Critics also worried about the term “pervasive vulgarity,” which is not defined under state or federal law, saying that it leaves too wide a window for interpretation. Some critics said the policy should instead use “sexually explicit content,” which is defined in the state code.
Tuesday’s updated draft included a definition for “sexually explicit content,” but continued to include the term “pervasive vulgarity.”
Another point of contention has come from suggestions that the Bible could be removed under the pervasively vulgar or sexually explicit standard. Axselle was adamant that it would not meet the standards for being removed, though Redd said he believed it could meet those standards.
“I think somebody could challenge it and then it would have to be removed,” Redd said. “That’s what I don’t agree with. Somebody’s going to test the system.”
While Redd said that he does not think the Bible would come close to being removed permanently, it does have some passages that some people could argue are sexual in nature.
At the time of writing, revisions from the school board policy were yet to be finalized based on the school board’s discussion. The policy is scheduled to come to a vote at the board’s meeting on Tuesday, June 13.
The draft used Tuesday morning also adds several instances where school board approval would be needed while selecting and acquiring new books.
The policy being considered also includes updates to the school’s routine procurement and selection of books. It has a provision that would govern how school board members themselves could bring challenges against particular books. The full policy is expected to be published Thursday with the June 13 meeting agenda.
PHOTOS: Recognize anyone? 30 photos from the Times-Dispatch archives | https://richmond.com/news/local/education/hanover-school-book-ban-debate/article_a58542a6-04ac-11ee-b7a2-5f751bfe7ece.html | 2023-06-07T09:14:51 | 0 | https://richmond.com/news/local/education/hanover-school-book-ban-debate/article_a58542a6-04ac-11ee-b7a2-5f751bfe7ece.html |
Miami commissioners and staff will have to redraw district boundaries after a group of organizers sued the city for using race as a determining factor in its previous map.
The plaintiffs – including Grove Rights and Community Equity Inc. (GRACE), Engage Miami, the South Dade and Miami-Dade branches of the NAACP, as well as four individual residents – secured an injunction from U.S. District Judge Kevin Michael Moore May 23 that blocks the city from using a 2022 redistricted map in the upcoming November election.
Plaintiffs gathered at a press conference June 2 outside the Wilkie Ferguson U.S. Courthouse to express their gratitude for the lawsuit’s success. It was first filed in December 2022.
“Miami’s Black and Hispanic residents, who are basically the most underserved and least regarded members of society, would be severely impacted if this map remained in effect,” said Clarice Cooper, a resident of Coconut Grove and board treasurer for GRACE.
The map, which was approved in March 2022, was labeled as a product of racial gerrymandering, drawn with “race [as] the predominant factor in maintaining arbitrary racial quotas for certain districts” and “packing certain districts with as many Hispanic and Black residents as possible,” according to the lawsuit.
In fact, commissioners have defended the map’s boundaries as a way of ensuring that at least one district is predominantly Black, one is predominantly white non-Hispanic and three are predominantly Hispanic – especially as previous elections had repeatedly left the commission without a single Black member. In the city’s view, the map guarantees diversity rather than dilutes it.
On the other hand, a Supreme Court decision cited in Moore’s opinion as precedent explicitly states that “the harms that flow from racial sorting include being personally subjected to a racial classification as well as being represented by a legislator who believes his primary obligation is to represent only the members of a particular racial group.”
Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla used the same argument defending the city’s efforts to ensure diversity when he threatened last month that the city could potentially return to having at-large districts.
The plaintiffs debunked that notion, however, reminding the public that such a move would require an amendment to the city’s charter.
“The city did the wrong thing,” said American Civil Liberties Union attorney Nicholas Warren. “The city violated the rights of the residents of the city of Miami. The commission divided the city along racial lines, broke up neighborhoods, divided communities, instead of listening to the people, listening to the citizens and drawing a district map that best effectuates the representation of the people in city hall.”
The map came under fire as it was being deliberated early last year by residents of Coconut Grove and particularly those living in the historic Black Grove, who protested the splitting of their neighborhood between districts. Although the move was indicative of the plaintiff’s insistence that neighborhoods should be kept together instead of arbitrarily or racially separated, they also ensured that it is not the only issue at stake.
“The truth is that every citizen and every resident in the city of Miami deserves meaningful and equitable representation within our city limits,” said Rev. Nathaniel Robinson III, a pastor at Greater St. Paul AME Church in Coconut Grove and a board director for GRACE. “So our case is not just about one community or one neighborhood. Our case is about the totality of the city of Miami and all of its residents.”
Warren concurs that the matter runs much deeper, accusing commissioners of trying to keep more desirable and attractive areas in their districts while dismissing the rest. He pointed to a moment when Commissioner Joe Carollo referred to some areas as “sirloin,” comparing others to nothing but “bone.”
“This is a really reprehensible way in which elected officials were openly talking about their constituents like cuts of meat that we’re trying to move past,” said Warren.
The city and plaintiffs now have until Aug. 1 to implement a newly drawn map to be used in the November election, during which de la Portilla and Commissioners Manolo Reyes and Sabina Covo are up for reelection.
Plaintiffs have already submitted two maps to be considered during mediation, which Warren says are drawn along natural, existing neighborhood lines that keep communities intact and make sense to the residents living near each other.
Commission Chair Christine King has already criticized one of the maps that moves Overtown out of District 5, which she represents, into District 1.
“Overtown is part of a larger community of interests which includes Liberty City, Little Haiti, Wynwood and the Upper East Side,” she wrote in a public statement on Instagram May 26. “We share the same needs for affordable and workforce housing, infrastructure improvements and economic development.”
Warren responded to that statement at the press conference last week, suggesting King may prefer the second map that plaintiffs proposed, which keeps more of Overtown in District 5.
In any case, he said, the maps were submitted as a “conversation starter” in the “spirit of dialogue and collaboration.”
Plaintiffs also expressed an interest in adding more districts to the city of Miami to increase representation for a growing population and otherwise neglected communities. That effort cannot, however, be addressed through the existing lawsuit. | https://www.miamitimesonline.com/news/local/activists-propose-new-miami-voting-maps/article_c9e2b912-0510-11ee-b58f-4feae98e1c04.html | 2023-06-07T09:42:54 | 0 | https://www.miamitimesonline.com/news/local/activists-propose-new-miami-voting-maps/article_c9e2b912-0510-11ee-b58f-4feae98e1c04.html |
The School Board of Broward County is moving to the final round of its search to fill the superintendent position with three candidates, leaving popular in-house applicant Valerie Wanza out.
Wanza has worked with the school district for more than 30 years, as a longtime educator and later as chief of the office of school performance and accountability, a role she assumed in 2015.
She briefly served as a “task assigned superintendent” after former Superintendent Vickie Cartwright received a hefty severance payout of nearly $268,000. Earlean Smiley served in the interim position following Wanza.
“Dr. Wanza has been a steady encyclopedia for the school district and a steady hand for the district,” said Torey Alston, District 2 board member since August 2022.
Wanza had support from community members, local organizations and colleagues such as Smiley and Alston, among others.
“For me, it was apparent there were two candidates who really stood out. Dr. Wanza absolutely met all the qualifications, in my opinion, and did a superb job with the public video when each candidate responded to a series of questions,” said Alston. “During her time as superintendent, she kept the ship steady after Cartwright and provided stability until Dr. Smiley came on board. She did a great job during that time period.”
The three official finalists include Peter Licata, regional superintendent at Palm Beach County Schools and the only white candidate; Sito Narcisse, superintendent of the East Baton Rouge School District in Louisiana; and Luis Solano, deputy superintendent of labor for the Detroit Public Schools Community District.
While Narcisse has the opportunity to serve one of the nation’s top 10 largest school districts, in an email he sent to all faculty and staff about his Broward County application, he stated that he was willing to remain in Louisiana. His contract expires in June 2024, and his supporters hope to keep him where he is. The East Baton Rouge Parish School Board isn’t eager to discuss renewing Narcisse’s contract and isn’t obligated to do so until six months before its expiration date.
District 1 Broward County Schools board member Daniel Foganholi moved to include four finalists when Wanza placed fourth after only receiving four votes but the motion failed, with only Alston agreeing with him. Narcisse received five votes compared to the six each of his opponents received.
Other board members stated during the May meeting that an outside applicant is necessary to change the culture of its district. Broward County has a turbulent history, with several past superintendents forced out. Cartwright experienced an unruly firing, rehiring and firing again over six months, while former Superintendent Robert Runcie was arrested on perjury charges in 2021. Wanza’s supporters say that legacy is holding her back.
The board will choose the future superintendent by June 15. | https://www.miamitimesonline.com/news/local/black-finalists-on-short-list-for-broward-superintendent/article_e1339bb6-050d-11ee-8e94-93f1dcc74e89.html | 2023-06-07T09:43:00 | 0 | https://www.miamitimesonline.com/news/local/black-finalists-on-short-list-for-broward-superintendent/article_e1339bb6-050d-11ee-8e94-93f1dcc74e89.html |
Now that North Miami Beach Mayor Anthony DeFillipo has been removed from office by Gov. Ron DeSantis just a week after his arrest, all eyes are on whether former Commissioner Michael Joseph will be reinstated to the seat he was ousted from last month.
Just as the city awaited a judge’s ruling on Joseph’s political fate, DeFillipo was criminally charged with three counts of illegal voting as an “unqualified elector” and subsequently suspended by the governor. The question now is whether the commission will have to grapple with two vacancies or just one.
Vice Mayor Jay Chernoff has led efforts to remove both Joseph and Commissioner McKenzie Fleurimond from office for boycotting meetings amid legal concerns that DeFillipo lived outside the city and was no longer legally mayor. Chernoff succeeded when he and his peers voted 3-1 to oust Joseph May 16. Soon after, Chernoff dropped litigation against Fleurimond.
Now, after months of halted business and what many have been referring to as “political hits,” Fleurimond says he just wants to get back to work.
“While this issue makes its way through the judicial system and the governor’s office, my colleagues and I must come together to continue serving our residents,” Fleurimond said in a statement. “The advancement of the city remains my priority.”
Whether Joseph will be party to that is up to Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Peter Lopez, who held an eight-hour hearing on the matter May 26 but has yet to issue a written order with his decision. Joseph’s attorneys have meanwhile filed the affidavit of DeFillipo’s arrest for the judge’s consideration.
At a press conference last Wednesday, State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle said evidence gathered through subpoenaed cell phone tracking data shows the former mayor left his Davie home to vote in three separate elections in North Miami Beach and then returned to Davie each time. Those elections took place in August, October and November 2022, nearly a year after records showed that he sold the North Miami Beach home listed on his voter registration.
DeFillipo was thrice charged with third-degree felonies, each carrying a maximum five-year prison term which could put him away for 15 years if convicted. An arraignment hearing is set for June 30.
DeSantis’ executive order issuing the former mayor’s suspension will last “until a further executive order is issued or as otherwise provided by the law.”
DeFillipo’s attorney, Michael Pizzi, is denying the validity of the charges. He said he and his client were both shocked to discover that the state attorney would use her power to further what Pizzi is continually referring to as nothing but “a political hit.”
“It’s another distraction for the mayor, and certainly for everybody else, from the public service they really want to focus on,” Pizzi told The Miami Times. “Obviously, for the mayor, the community and the commission, it’s an unwanted and very stressful distraction from the things they dedicate themselves to.”
According to the North Miami Beach city charter, a special election must be held within 35 to 90 days following the time of a commission vacancy in order to fill each seat. City attorney John Herin, however, already said following Joseph’s removal that the Miami-Dade County Elections Department is unable to satisfy those requirements.
The city charter also states that its vice mayor – in this case, Chernoff – must fulfill mayoral duties if that seat becomes vacant until a new mayor is elected, but will not permanently fill the role.
Both DeFillipo’s and Joseph’s seats were originally going to be up for grabs in November 2024. Even before the vacancies had occurred, each election had already attracted one candidate – former Commissioner Barbara Kramer for the former and former state Rep. candidate Lynn Su Sutjapojnukul for the latter.
North Miami Beach has been no stranger to turmoil ever since an ethics complaint was first filed against DeFillipo in December. Since then, the commission has been divided along racial lines – the relevance of which many deny. A city manager was fired, and a city attorney resigned before he was about to be fired.
Meanwhile, nearly every commission move – from DeFillipo’s residency allegation to Joseph’s removal – has been stamped with the same accusation: political retribution. DeFillipo’s arrest is surely to be similarly digested with differing opinions.
The next city commission meeting is scheduled for June 20. | https://www.miamitimesonline.com/news/local/desantis-ousts-north-miami-beach-mayor-defillipo-while-michael-joseph-remains-in-limbo/article_6097fe74-0513-11ee-85a9-d79b96f3e3cf.html | 2023-06-07T09:43:06 | 0 | https://www.miamitimesonline.com/news/local/desantis-ousts-north-miami-beach-mayor-defillipo-while-michael-joseph-remains-in-limbo/article_6097fe74-0513-11ee-85a9-d79b96f3e3cf.html |
Local organizations Mothers Fighting for Justice and Moms Demand Action gathered in Perrine in south Miami-Dade last Saturday for NationalGun Violence Awareness Day. The giveaway event encouraged participants to wear orange in honor of Miami’s children and youth whose lives have been lost to bullets over the years. Romania Dukes, founder of Mothers Fighting for Justice, partnered with local leaders to distribute food, diapers and gun locks during the weekend event
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South Dade wears orange to end gun violence
- The Miami Times
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May 31-June 6, 2023
Recent Obituaries
72, retired clerk II for Miami-Dade Police… Read moreFRANK LEE WASHINGTON
82, died May 22. Viewing 4 - 7 p.m., Frida… Read moreMARTHA TAYLOR
70, died May 18. Viewing 4 - 7 p.m., Frida… Read moreWILEY ALLEN
77, molder, died at Mount Sinai Hospital. … Read moreKETRICK BARTLEY
Recent Headlines
- Black mother fatally shot by white neighbor
- DeSantis ousts North Miami Beach Mayor DeFillipo while Michael Joseph remains in limbo
- Activists propose new Miami voting maps
- Black finalists on short list for Broward superintendent
- State audit gives Miami-Dade public schools failing grade
- Cameras coming to school zones
- Brown v. Board of Education name change proposal draws ire
- South Dade wears orange to end gun violence | https://www.miamitimesonline.com/news/local/south-dade-wears-orange-to-end-gun-violence/article_986ab478-0508-11ee-ad34-7bb4951daa7b.html | 2023-06-07T09:43:12 | 0 | https://www.miamitimesonline.com/news/local/south-dade-wears-orange-to-end-gun-violence/article_986ab478-0508-11ee-ad34-7bb4951daa7b.html |
The Miami-Dade County school district had numerous safety and security improvements to make going into the current school year, according to a recently published state audit.
A May 2023 report from Florida Auditor General Sherill Norman’s office lists nine issues that needed to be addressed, from school safety and security problems to bookkeeping issues and vendor procurement concerns.
At the top of the list was the discovery that the district – which is overseen by a nine-member school board – largely failed to comply with youth mental health awareness and assistance training requirements during the 2021-22 fiscal year.
That year, when Miami-Dade students returned to full-time, in-person learning for the first time since the pandemic’s onset, the district received a $13.3 million state allocation to establish or expand school-based mental health care services and training. And while Miami-Dade designated a state-mandated school safety specialist, just 37% of the district’s more than 18,200 employees completed the required mental health assistance training.
The audit states that district personnel blame the deficit on class size limits. Without documentation showing all school staff have completed the training, the report said, “the district cannot demonstrate compliance with state law.”
Another related issue involves school safety officers. State statute requires district school boards and superintendents to partner with a law enforcement or security agency to post at least one safe-school officer at each facility the districts operate. Every officer must be certified and complete mental health crisis intervention training, including a 144-hour program conducted by a sheriff.
An examination Norman’s office conducted of a sample of 31 district schools and 12 charter schools – less than a tenth of the total number in the district – found that nearly 30% had safe-school officers who could not provide documentation proving they’d received the training.
Miami-Dade also may have violated state law by not fully implementing a vital panic alert system in the 2021-22 academic year, the year that saw the rollout of “Alyssa’s Alert,” a silent alarm named for Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting victim Alyssa Alhadeff that links directly to police and first responder agencies.
Miami-Dade opted to use a mobile app to implement the system, entering into a $417,000 agreement with a vendor for all of its schools. But the audit found that only school principals had the app installed on their phones “and, in a school principal’s absence, a vice principal or other responsible official had no access to the system.”
The audit states that district personnel explained principals initially were the only ones with access to the app while school sites underwent testing with local 911 centers, and that the superintendent and county police director informed all employees of the app’s availability and use once testing concluded in June 2022.
That may be true, Norman’s report said, but Miami-Dade records “did not demonstrate that vice principals and other responsible officials had access to the system.”
Facility safety issues persisted, too. The audit examined just four of Miami-Dade’s 388 educational and ancillary facilities. At them, auditor general staff led by CPA Barbara Coleman found 147 deficiencies or maintenance needs that remained unresolved for two or more years, including rooms without smoke detectors, classrooms with missing or broken handles or emergency windows, unsafe electrical installation on smart boards, and a lack of exhaust systems in shop or lab classrooms where chemicals are used.
The audit states that when confronted with the issues, district personnel cited staff shortages, COVID-19 effects and effective costs as reasons for the delays. They said the district “would address most deficiencies” during the 2022-23 fiscal year, though “certain capital deficiencies required more time given the scope, available funds and complexity of the deficiencies.”
There were several glitches in Miami-Dade’s financial operations in 2021 when it submitted station costs totaling $41.4 million to the Florida Department of Education – nearly half a year late.
That same year, the audit found, Miami-Dade Public Schools spent $4,000 in performance funding on four technical students studying aviation mechanics and surgical technology. At the time, none of the students had completed the industry training that merited the funding – an error the district chalked up to staff who “did not always understand the industry certification reporting requirements.”
The audit lists multiple incidences in which district personnel did not prepare or review and approve bank account reconciliations in a timely manner, as well as several cases where vendor procurement and payment were suboptimal.
Further, district IT security controls related to user authentication “continue to need improvement.”
“We are not disclosing specific details of the issues in this report to avoid the possibility of compromising district data and IT resources,” the report states. “However, we have notified appropriate district management of the specified issues.”
Miami-Dade Public Schools operated 330 elementary, middle and high schools; 12 virtual and specialized schools; and sponsored 139 charter schools, including three virtual charter schools, during the 2021-22 fiscal year. It reported 341,141 full-time equivalent students during that time.
The issues noted in the audit arose under the watch of former Superintendent Alberto Carvalho. His successor, Jose Dotres – whom Miami-Dade school board members voted 6-3 to appoint in January 2022 – is tasked with addressing them. | https://www.miamitimesonline.com/news/local/state-audit-gives-miami-dade-public-schools-failing-grade/article_8d3da53e-050c-11ee-9856-b706e8f34437.html | 2023-06-07T09:43:18 | 1 | https://www.miamitimesonline.com/news/local/state-audit-gives-miami-dade-public-schools-failing-grade/article_8d3da53e-050c-11ee-9856-b706e8f34437.html |
Allen Byers secures a light bar to the chain lift on June 6, 2023, as he and others ready the stage for this year's Tupelo Elvis Festival. The festival, which celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, kicks off on Wednesday night.
Allen Byers secures a light bar to the chain lift on June 6, 2023, as he and others ready the stage for this year's Tupelo Elvis Festival. The festival, which celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, kicks off on Wednesday night.
Thomas Wells | Daily Journal
Tyler Burge runs wires for one of the light bars on June 6, 2023, as on-stage work begins ahead of the 25th anniversary of the Tupelo Elvis Festival.
TUPELO - It’s time again for the king of celebrations for the king of rock ‘n’ roll.
Tupelo Elvis Festival, the hometown celebration for the legendary rock icon, officially kicks off for its 25th anniversary tonight with a sold-out gala event and after-party at the Tupelo Cotton Mill. The festival will continue through the weekend with plenty to see and do, including lots of live music and the return of the popular Tupelo Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Competition.
Festival organizers say this year’s event could draw its largest crowds since before the pandemic. Past festivals have attracted thousands of Elvis fans to the king of rock ‘n’ roll’s hometown, but the COVID outbreak in early 2020 forced the event to go virtual that year. Although in-person events returned the next year, organizers sold tickets in small groups to control numbers and allow for distancing.
Along with the ETA competition, which brings together some of the finest Elvis performers from around the world and serves as a preliminary competition to the Ultimate Tribute Artist competition in Memphis, the highlight of this year’s festival is undoubtedly Saturday night’s Silver Jubilee Concert at the Cadence Bank Arena.
The Silver Jubilee Concert, which opens at 7 p.m., will feature festival host Tom Brown, Pat Dunn and Elvis Tribute Artists Ben Thompson, Brandon Bennett, Dean Z and Jay Dupuis. The North Mississippi Symphony Orchestra and the T.I.C. Band will perform music.
Lucia Randle, executive director of the Downtown Tupelo Main Street Association, which organizes the festival, said the concert will be one to remember.
“I think Saturday night’s symphony performance is going to be outstanding,” she told the Daily Journal in May. “It’s going to be a magical night. They’ve really worked really hard on the production of this show.”
Other events will include the annual Run with the King 5K, TCB Fights “Decked Out,” music with Jeff Lewis & Friends at the Silver Moon Club and a Sunday afternoon gospel concert to wrap things up.
For more information about the festival or purchase tickets for any of the ticketed events, visit http://www.tupeloelvisfestival.com or call the Tupelo Elvis Festival offices at 662-841-6598.
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Error! There was an error processing your request. | https://www.djournal.com/news/local/tupelo-elvis-fest-returns-wednesday-night-for-25th-anniversary-celebration-of-the-king/article_a81f57fa-0483-11ee-8f42-938fba057911.html | 2023-06-07T10:02:00 | 1 | https://www.djournal.com/news/local/tupelo-elvis-fest-returns-wednesday-night-for-25th-anniversary-celebration-of-the-king/article_a81f57fa-0483-11ee-8f42-938fba057911.html |
DENTON, Texas — Law enforcement in Denton didn't have a cow when they responded to reports of a bull walking through a neighborhood over the weekend.
Police said they began receiving calls at about 8:50 p.m. Saturday regarding the animal walking through yards on Malone Street, off West University Drive.
According to police, it appeared that the bull became loose after it escaped from its owner while parked at a nearby restaurant.
Police described the bull as being "quite agitated" and said that it was refusing to get back onto the cattle trailer.
Body camera footage from police showed the bull mooooving through the street as authorities worked to get him onto the trailer.
A local rancher who was called by the Denton County Sheriff's Office used a tranquilizer dart to subdue the bull near Panhandle Street, police said. The animal was then loaded onto the trailer.
"We appreciate the help of DCSO, Animal Services, and the rancher in ensuring the bull was safely returned to his owners after a three-hour ordeal," police said in a statement. | https://www.kcentv.com/article/news/local/denton-texas-authorities-help-wrangle-bull-escaped-into-neighborhood/287-7c8b2e6e-3cf6-4b9f-a28f-19728c798348 | 2023-06-07T10:02:44 | 0 | https://www.kcentv.com/article/news/local/denton-texas-authorities-help-wrangle-bull-escaped-into-neighborhood/287-7c8b2e6e-3cf6-4b9f-a28f-19728c798348 |
ORLANDO, Fla. – A 15-year-old boy was found shot Tuesday night in Orlando, police said.
The shooting happened around 11:25 p.m. in the parking lot of the Citrus Square Apartments off South Semoran Boulevard near Pershing Avenue.
The teen was taken to Arnold Palmer Hospital, but his condition is not known.
Details about the shooting, including information about the shooter, have not been released.
Check back for updates. | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2023/06/07/15-year-old-found-shot-in-orlando/ | 2023-06-07T10:16:32 | 0 | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2023/06/07/15-year-old-found-shot-in-orlando/ |
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🦖Enter to win 4 tickets to Dinosaurs at Leu GardensContest runs June 7 - June 12Crystal MoyerPublished: June 7, 2023, 5:00 AMTags: Insider, ContestsDinosaurs at Leu Gardens (Copyright 2023 by WKMG ClickOrlando - All rights reserved.) Copyright 2023 by WKMG ClickOrlando - All rights reserved. | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2023/06/07/enter-to-win-4-tickets-to-dinosaurs-at-leu-gardens/ | 2023-06-07T10:16:38 | 0 | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2023/06/07/enter-to-win-4-tickets-to-dinosaurs-at-leu-gardens/ |
LEE COUNTY, Fla. – State Road 31 from Palm Beach Boulevard to Bayshore Road is shut down as crews repair a gas leak.
A construction worker hit an eight-inch natural gas line early Wednesday morning, officials told NBC2.
The northbound and southbound lanes are shut on Palm Beach Blvd at SR-31, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office tweeted. Shortly later, they tweeted the lane closures on SR-31 extend to Bayshore Road.
It’s unknown at this time how long the roads will be shut down for.
It is important to note that Palm Beach Blvd is still open.
According to the Fort Myers Shore Fire Department, this is a TECO gas line.
Please avoid the area and seek an alternate route if possible.
Count on NBC2 to bring you the latest updates when they become available. | https://nbc-2.com/news/local/lee-county/2023/06/07/gas-leak-shuts-down-state-road-31-in-lee-county/ | 2023-06-07T10:24:28 | 1 | https://nbc-2.com/news/local/lee-county/2023/06/07/gas-leak-shuts-down-state-road-31-in-lee-county/ |
CEDAR FALLS — The City Council offered its full confidence in John Zolondek while appointing him as the city’s next fire chief Monday.
The council unanimously confirmed the recommendation of Mayor Rob Green, City Administrator Ron Gaines and Public Safety Director Craig Berte to name Zolondek the next chief over Chris Ledeker, former fire and emergency medical services chief of the Arkansas City Fire Department in Kansas.
They rose to the top from an initial pool of 11 applications.
The city first hired Zolondek as a police officer in 2007. He quickly became a part-time, on-call firefighter as well, but wasn’t solely assigned to fire and rescue as a public safety officer until 2018.
He moved up the ranks to lieutenant, captain and eventually acting chief. He replaces the retired John Bostwick and will be paid $133,000 per year.
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Previously, he had been a military police officer in the United States Marine Corps Reserve from 2002 to 2008, and was with the Winona Fire Department in Minnesota, where he grew up and became a firefighter in 2006.
The hiring marks the start of a new era in Cedar Falls public safety: The three top leadership positions have changed in the last year. The public safety director and police chief also were filled with internal promotions after a lengthy hiring process was conducted.
“I believe the city is very much honored to have someone of your caliber apply for this,” said Councilmember Gil Schultz. “I don’t want to take it for granted that you were brought up in this organization.”
“In my opinion, you’re the best person for this position. You have the background. You have the training. You’ve got the vision. You’ve got the commitment. You have the whole package,” he added.
Praise for Zolondek mixed with hints of dissatisfaction with the process.
“I love that you’re a Marine. I wish the council was a little bit more involved in picking you. … Now that you’re here, I wanted to separate you out and vote for you separately, so that you know we’re behind you.”
Zolondek was surprised and grateful for the support.
“I’m honored and humbled to be in this position,” Zolondek told the council. “I’ve worked hard to get to this position.
“With the time and effort you guys have invested into this program and the department, I want to progressively and positively keep that going in a good direction. I’m willing to roll up my sleeves and do the hard work, and just want to get some new fresh programs coming in.”
Is it too hot to walk your dog? 5 safety tips for summer weather
How hot is too hot to walk my dog?
Summer can bring scorching temperatures that leave responsible dog owners wondering when it’s too hot to take their pup on a walk. Dogs tend to overheat more quickly than humans, so paying careful attention to the temperature and your dog’s body language is essential.
As a general rule, if the temperatures are over 90 degrees, you’ll likely want to wait until the cooler evening for a walk. You can also place the back of your hand on the sidewalk or pavement and hold it there for seven seconds. If that’s too hot for your hand, it’s also too hot for your dog’s paws.
How can I prevent my dog from overheating on walks?
Following a few simple safety tips can make long summer strolls just as fun for your dog as they are for you. Here’s what you need to know as the temperatures rise.
1. Timing is everything.
When the sun is at its peak, pavement can become scorching hot. It’s best to save walks for early mornings or late evenings when the temperature is cooler. Skip mid-day walks when the sun is blazing unless you can stroll in a wooded area where the ground gets plenty of shade.
2. Stay hydrated.
Just as it’s important for people to get plenty of water on hot days, it’s also important for dogs. When walking in the summer, grab a cold water bottle and a collapsible dog bowl. If you notice excessive panting or salivation, take a break and give your dog time to hydrate. Freezing low-sodium broth in an ice cube tray is also a great way to get your dog more fluids in the summer.
3. Stay in the shade.
Staying in shady wooded areas is ideal, but for city-dwellers, it’s best to cross to the shady side of the street. Plan your dog's walking routes in areas with more tree or building coverage to keep your dog’s paws cooler. As a bonus, it might help you avoid your next sunburn.
4. Protect their paws.
As mentioned before, if the sidewalk is too hot for the back of your hand, it’s also too hot for your dog’s paws. Stick to grassy areas, or get some breathable dog booties to protect their paws from hot pavement.
5. Watch for signs of overheating.
Dogs produce far less sweat than people, so they’ll need your help to stay cool in the summer.
Watch for common signs of your dog overheating which include:
Excessive panting
Difficulty breathing
Drooling
Weakness
Fatigue
Collapsing
If you notice any of these symptoms, get to a shady spot and offer your dog plenty of water. Wetting your dog’s paws, belly, and ears with cool water can also help bring down their body temperature. You can even store some dog ice cream in the freezer for a special treat when you get home.
Is it safe to walk my dog in the summer?
When walking your dog in the summer, it’s important to keep the warning signs of overheating in mind, especially with dog breeds that have short noses or thick coats. If you follow a few simple safety tips, your dog can enjoy the long summer days and all the extra evening walks that come with the season. | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/zolondek-confirmed-cedar-falls-fire-chief/article_f59451fa-0471-11ee-bad2-e3b714a5c527.html | 2023-06-07T10:37:38 | 1 | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/zolondek-confirmed-cedar-falls-fire-chief/article_f59451fa-0471-11ee-bad2-e3b714a5c527.html |
SEA ISLE CITY — If there was any doubt where Cape May County’s governing body stood on plans for wind farms producing energy off its coast, a recent resolution should clear that up.
Approved in a unanimous vote, the resolution “directs all available resources of the county toward the goal of stopping Ørsted’s Ocean Wind 1 and Ocean Wind 2 offshore wind development for the protection of our local environment and economy.”
The resolution goes on for eight pages, detailing the county’s interaction with the offshore wind farm developer furthest along in the process of creating a new wind power industry off the coast.
That could mean new jobs, county officials concede, but they fear the potential damage it could bring to the area’s two largest existing industries: tourism and fishing.
“At first, the County of Cape May was interested in trying to work with Ørsted to find a way forward, perhaps with some modifications to the project to reduce visual, environmental and economic impacts,” said Len Desiderio, director of the county Board of Commissioners. “We would like to see land-based offshore wind facilities and supply chain infrastructure built here in New Jersey, since that would create good opportunities for trade workers and others. But we cannot sit quietly by as hundreds of windmills are installed off our beaches as state and federal government agencies ignore our legitimate and serious concerns.”
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The county alleges the company bulldozed over local objections, including turning to the state for approvals that would otherwise come from local officials.
“As time went by, it became clear that Ørsted was not interested in finding any compromise,” Desiderio said. “It is clear to us now that the approach among this foreign corporation and their partners in the state and federal governments is to build these things as fast as they can despite the potential for devastating environmental and economic impacts. On behalf of the people of Cape May County, we will not let that happen without a fight.”
The Danish energy company is the sole owner of the Ocean Wind 1 offshore energy project, after buying out the quarter share owned by PSEG in a deal finalized early this year. The company divested of oil and gas production in 2017 and now has wind and solar farms in multiple nations. The company says it has about 650 employees in the United States and a business plan focused on renewable energy.
OCEAN CITY — Opponents of plans for offshore wind power development showed their opposition …
Plans are for Ocean Wind 1 to begin generating power in 2024.
According to Cape May County, if built as proposed, with 98 huge wind turbines starting 15 miles off the coast, the wind farm will be visible from every beach community in the county. As proposed, any one of the turbines would be taller than the tallest manmade structures in the state, taller at 900 feet than Ocean Casino Resort, taller than any of the region’s Ferris wheels or lighthouses, and taller than the smokestack at the former B.L. England power plant, which is expected to be demolished soon.
Local opposition to the project has solidified after a winter marred by multiple marine mammal deaths in the region, and many wind power skeptics remain unconvinced by assurances from the wind power companies and the federal government that offshore work in preparation for the projects could not have contributed to the whale deaths.
Local officials hope to win over visitors and second homeowners to oppose wind energy development. Over Memorial Day weekend, county signs directed the visitors pouring into beach towns to the website capewindinfo.com, and called for opposition to the projects.
The county has engaged Virginia-based law firm Cultural Heritage Partners and environmental consulting group Warwick Consulting of Washington, D.C., to help oppose the wind power projects, and for the past two years has had former county Administrator and former Superior Court Judge Michael J. Donohue serving as special counsel and coordinator for offshore wind issues.
“Along with the city of Ocean City, the County of Cape May is fighting in the Appellate Division of the Superior Court,” Donohue said.
They argued that the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities deprived the county and Ocean City of required due process when it ruled in favor of Ocean Wind 1’s request that a plan to run cable across Ocean City and along county roads be found reasonably necessary for the project to move forward.
Donohue said the BPU “acted in an indefensibly biased and unfair fashion in ruling in favor of the Danish wind company and against the duly elected officials of Ocean City and the county.”
GLASSBORO — State officials and industry representatives emphasized the potential of a new o…
In its petition to the BPU, Ocean Wind 1 indicated it was Cape May County and Ocean City who refused to cooperate, detailing a lengthy process of trying to secure consent from the county and city. That included offers of compensation, according to the filed motion.
“After all the discussions, meetings, and letters exchanged by Ocean Wind and Cape May County, there has been no indication that the county will voluntarily provide Ocean Wind with any of the necessary approvals or consents for environmental permitting, or the required easements,” reads a statement to the BPU filed last year. “While the project will continue to engage in good faith discussions with Cape May County, as of the filing of this petition, Ocean Wind has been unable to reach an agreement to obtain the necessary easements and consents.” | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/cape-may-county-resolution-opposes-wind-power/article_bb5739d0-04ad-11ee-8d02-bb317341c383.html | 2023-06-07T10:48:42 | 1 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/cape-may-county-resolution-opposes-wind-power/article_bb5739d0-04ad-11ee-8d02-bb317341c383.html |
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Breaking news and the stories that matter to your neighborhood. | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/man-woman-shot-on-west-philadelphia-street/3580618/ | 2023-06-07T10:50:35 | 0 | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/man-woman-shot-on-west-philadelphia-street/3580618/ |
A man ran up the street after he and a woman were shot in West Philadelphia late Tuesday night.
Police officers rushed to the 800 block of Brooklyn Street -- near Brown Street -- around 10:30 p.m. to find a man in his 30s who was shot twice in the back, Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small said. They then found an unresponsive woman in her 30s bleeding from a gunshot wound to her head nearby.
"Unknown whether or not she is going to survive the gunshot wound to her head," Small said.
The woman and the man were both listed in critical condition while undergoing surgery, Small said.
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Investigators found evidence that three shots were fired near the woman, Small said. Police believe the man fled after being shot -- making it about a block up the street before collapsing.
Investigators didn't have a motive for the shooting or any description of a suspect. Small said that surveillance video shows a masked man fleeing the scene, "but we're not certain at this time if that was the shooter."
Local
Breaking news and the stories that matter to your neighborhood.
There are additional resources for people or communities that have endured gun violence in Philadelphia. Further information can be found here. | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/woman-shot-in-head-man-shot-in-back-on-west-philadelphia-street/3580616/ | 2023-06-07T10:50:41 | 0 | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/woman-shot-in-head-man-shot-in-back-on-west-philadelphia-street/3580616/ |
After three years of running a popular smash burger pop-up, chef Michael Marshall is getting ready to open the brick-and-mortar for Smashed RVA on Richmond’s North Side at 1600 Brook Road.
Marshall launched the Smashed RVA pop-up during the pandemic while he was working as a chef at Lemaire.
“We started doing Smashed RVA as a pop-up at The Jasper once a week. They were looking for a food option,” Marshall said. Then Smashed RVA started popping up at The Veil Brewing Co., Starr Hill, Strangeways Brewing, Hatch Local and many others. Smashed RVA has hosted over 100 pop-ups, often selling out.
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“Everybody loves a good cheeseburger. It’s very approachable. That’s why we do so well at the breweries. Burgers and beer. It’s classic and delicious,” Marshall said.
Smash burgers have been around for a while. It is a technique wherein a loosely packed beef patty is smashed and seared on a hot grill to lock in the burger’s flavor, turning the edges crispy and caramelized.
Smashed RVA gets its burger patties from Seven Hills Food Co. in Lynchburg and the buns — “a mix between a potato bun and a brioche” — from an in-house recipe baked at Richmond’s The Flour Garden Bakery.
The menu features four main burgers, including the OG Smash, with American cheese, onions, Smash sauce ($10) and the Plain Jane with lettuce, tomatoes, onions and Dukes mayo ($10).
The Smash Sauce blends mustard, mayo, pickles, pickled jalapenos and spices. “It’s really mustardy and pickley. You don’t realize how good mustard is on a burger until you have the Smash sauce,” Marshall said.
Marshall worked at Lemaire for two years while launching the pop-up. Before that, he worked at The Caboose Market & Cafe in Ashland. The biggest lesson he learned at Lemaire was how to season properly: a lesson he has taken to Smashed RVA, where the burgers are seasoned aggressively.
Smashed RVA is hoping to open sometime this summer in the former Brooks Diner space at 1600 Brook Road. While the spot is fairly turn-key, Smashed RVA dressed up the front with a new coat of paint; Cut & Bleed print shop designed the windows with a new logo and Richmond artist Earl Mack created the “Pull Up & Get Smashed” street art mural inside.
Expect fast-casual dining with seating for 30 in the 2,100 square foot space.
Smashed RVA will boost its menu with rotating specials. It has drawn a cult-like following for its themed burgers, such as a riff on the West Coast chain In-N-Out Burgers and Wisconsin’s butter burgers. When Smashed RVA teamed up with Jiji’s Frozen Custard and 1115 Mobile Kitchen for a smashed burger take on McDonald’s earlier this year, the line was 80 people long and sold out quickly.
“We’ve done a McRib, bacon cheeseburgers, a kimchi smash burger with kimchi, bulgogi patties and bulgogi mayo. We go all over the place and push the narrative with different styles,” Marshall said.
The menu will also include loaded smash fries and seasoned fries with malt and vinegar. Richmond breweries will also be represented as soon as the liquor license is approved.
“We built our brand with at The Veil, Starr Hill, Vasen and other Richmond breweries. We plan to support them as they’ve supported us,” Marshall said.
Slay Burgers, another new smash burger spot, opened in May in Brookland Park at 22 W. Brookland Park Blvd.
Smashed RVA will be hosting pop-ups, with several scheduled at Hatch Local Food Hall, until the Brook Road location opens. Follow on Instagram at @smashedrva for updates. | https://richmond.com/life-entertainment/local/food-drink/smashed-rva-to-open-smash-burger-restaurant-on-north-side/article_b54c4502-03c8-11ee-a500-c395a4d11fe7.html | 2023-06-07T10:50:50 | 1 | https://richmond.com/life-entertainment/local/food-drink/smashed-rva-to-open-smash-burger-restaurant-on-north-side/article_b54c4502-03c8-11ee-a500-c395a4d11fe7.html |
Fountain Inn's Bobby's BBQ picked for national fellowship. How owners 'preserve the pit'
Octavius "Tay" Nelson knows how to cook up a party in the hearts of customers at Fountain Inn's Bobby's BBQ, along with the backyards of family and friends.
As a minority restaurant owner, he also strives to preserve his cultural roots.
One way that he does this is by reflecting on BBQ's history on slave plantations in the South.
"If they [the slaves] were given food to eat, it would be the cuts of meat that nobody else wanted," said Sarah Nelson, Tay's wife and Bobby's BBQ co-owner. "It wasn't like the Prime Rib or the more desirable cut. They were given the parts that were tough and hard to cook that were the throwaway pieces, basically. They had to learn to take those pieces and cook it right so that it could be edible. They learned how to cook it low and slow, bringing the tenderness out of those pieces of meat."
At the restaurant, Tay and Sarah preserve this historical cooking method using their 1,000-gallon offset Moberg smokers named "Grace and Mercy." Their brisket can take up to 16 hours to cook, making it juicy and tender.
"The Indians were the first ones doing smoking, but as for American BBQ, a lot of it came from the plantations." Tay said. "You think about all the old BBQ restaurants back in the day, and in the pictures, all of them had Black Pitmasters back there."
For those efforts and that deep-rooted commitment, the Nelsons and Bobby's BBQ were selected to Kingsford's prestigious, Preserve the Pit program, which aims to "preserve the culture and history of Black barbecue in America and invest in its future."
Here's what to know about Preserve the Pit
The program, in its third year, guides BBQ entrepreneurs through Kingsford's fellowship program. Preserve the Pit has received over 3,500 applications for consideration. Tay said he has applied for the program several times. The Nelsons were grateful when they were one-of-six entrepreneurs selected for the 2023 edition.
Bobby's BBQ will receive mentorship from Amy Mills, owner of 17th Street BBQ in Murphysboro, Illinois. On Friday, May 19, Tay and Sarah ventured to the Memphis in May and Kingsford BBQ Culinary Tour as part of the mentorship.
They experienced BBQ history by meeting BBQ legends like Jim Neely, founder of the Neely BBQ dynasty and owner of Jim Neely's Interstate Bar-B-Que in Memphis.
The Nelsons also fellowshipped with other mentors and fellows from the program. Sarah can be seen sharing photos and videos of the experience on Bobby's BBQ's social media posts.
The Nelsons expect the fellowship to help their business, especially in digital and social media. Tay wants his contributions to BBQ to be passed on and remembered.
"I don't want to say that it feels like the torch has been passed to us, but it feels like we are lighting the flame," Tay said. "We've already had the flame going, but we're really lighting it now so that we can light someone else's flame."
How Tay and Sarah Nelson, Bobby's BBQ 'preserve the pit'
At Bobby's BBQ, being inclusive is important for business growth and building up the community. The Nelsons want their thirteen staff members and customers to feel welcome and like family.
"We want to have something that is long-lasting," Tay said. "Having a place with high-quality food and where people feel at home and welcome ... We will be feeding your body and your soul."
Tay and Sarah have five children who are enthusiastic about their parents' business.
"From the time they [the children] were itty bitty, their hands and footprints were in the concrete of the building," she said. "They've been able to see us build something together and grow it. They have a sense of ownership, and pride of ownership, like 'this is our business.' It's not just, Daddy going off to work and it's his thing."
Bobby's BBQ is in the middle of an SC barbecue hotbed ― with established favorites and acclaimed newcomers. While Tay encourages friendly competition and iron sharpening iron, he warns against having too much pride. At the end of the race, businesses may isolate themselves.
"The close-knit Pitmasters stay together because you're going to run into some problems," he said. "You might run out of cups, you might run out of change. Your wood might mess up, you might need a smoker. It's a give and take because the problems your fellow Pitmaster's restaurant is having, you might have."
Tay also hosts Bobby's BBQ Master Class to give back and teach aspiring Pitmasters. This year's class is from July 21-22.
National recognition:Greenville staple earns spot on Food Network list of Top 4 BBQ restaurants in SC
Here's how Bobby's BBQ began
For many years, Tay, a Fountain Inn native, watched his father, Bobby Louis Nelson Sr., work hard to run various Greenville restaurants. At 12, Tay began working with him. He started out washing dishes, eventually working his way up to managing during lunch hours during his high school summers.
Tay and his brother, Bobby Jr., once promised each other they would never work in the restaurant industry due to the strenuous work, Sarah said.
In a matter of just two years, in 2008 and 2009, both Bobby Sr. and Bobby Jr. died.
One year later, Tay created Bobby's Seasoning to keep their memories alive. The shake blends together spices his father used in his recipes, as well as his own preferred natural ingredients.
"His dad used to make his own custom blends and seasonings for all of his restaurants," Sarah said. "So he [Tay] would try to recreate stuff his dad would make."
Available at local grocery stores, the seasoning has expanded to include three different blends: Bobby's all-purpose seasoning, a citrus blend and a BBQ rub. On top of honoring the family's legacy, the seasonings also contain no additives, preservatives, or MSG. They are also low-sodium and gluten-free.
Later that year, Tay used his seasoning to launch a BBQ catering business, making beef brisket, pulled pork, ribs, turkey, house-made sausage and homemade sides, All, of course, topped off with Bobby's seasoning blends.
In 2014, Tay's interest sparked in Central Texas-style BBQ.
"I want to know why this works, how this works. I'm a learner. I'm curious." Tay said.
Tay continued to feel called back into the BBQ world. His peers noticed his talent, but Tay shrugged it off.
"I was good at it, but I didn't think nothing about it. I was like, 'Oh, this is something to do.'" Tay said. "A lot of people were like 'Man, you've got a real talent. You need to think about pursuing this.'"
In the fall of 2018, Bobby's BBQ opened.
Bobby's BBQ gains local, national recognition
The restaurant is beloved by locals and has been featured in Time Magazine, the Wall Street Journal and the Tamron Hall Show.
The Nelsons are currently working on rolling out their BBQ sauces, a mustard-flavored "OG," and the "Hot OG." The sauces will be available in local grocery stores and online.
Sarah is currently working on a children's book.
"It's a story about my mom who has early onset Alzheimer's, and because baked beans are her recipe, it has a part about her and the baked beans," Sarah said. "At the end of the book, it has the recipe for her baked beans."
Ellie's Baked Beans are on Bobby's BBQ menu.
"It's like going to grandmama's house on Sunday. Like I said, we feed the body and soul," he said. "We just love on people. A lot of the people that work here, they have the same DNA, and if not, they get loved on more than they have before and just pass it on."
Nina Tran covers trending topics for the Greenville News. Reach her via email at ntran@gannett.com | https://www.greenvilleonline.com/story/news/local/greenville/2023/06/07/fountain-inn-bobbys-bbq-selected-for-preserve-the-pit-fellowship-foodies-dining-restaurants-eating/70273880007/ | 2023-06-07T10:57:47 | 0 | https://www.greenvilleonline.com/story/news/local/greenville/2023/06/07/fountain-inn-bobbys-bbq-selected-for-preserve-the-pit-fellowship-foodies-dining-restaurants-eating/70273880007/ |
Credit scores, past evictions, criminal history pose barriers for renters, report finds
Stringent tenant screening policies are compounding the housing crisis and making it harder for Indianapolis residents, especially Black renters, women and families with children, to find safe and affordable homes, according to a new report from the Fair Housing Center of Central Indiana.
Tenant screening is a report on a potential renter's financial, criminal and rental history. Landlords run these reports and use them to determine whether to rent to the applicant and how much to charge for the security deposit. These reports are usually run by an outside consumer reporting organization, according to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
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Here are some takeaways from the report:
Credit score minimums
Most apartment application processes come with a credit check. But the report found that screening out tenants based on low credit has a disproportionate impact on Black and Hispanic renters, who often have lower or insufficient credit scores due to lack of generational wealth.
The Fair Housing Center's report found that some Indianapolis-area apartment complexes have minimum credit scores of 650. One apartment complex, which was not named, charged extra, nonrefundable fees to renters with average credit scores below 700.
Policies like this, the report said, will penalize 80% of Black households and half the rental market writ large.
The report also argues that a focus on credit can have an adverse effect on domestic violence survivors.
Some mortgage lenders have already started lessening the focus on credit scores. Applying a similar policy to low-credit score renters would make housing more accessible and affordable to vulnerable communities, the report said.
Previous evictions
In Marion County, majority-Black neighborhoods have a higher average incidence of eviction filings than in surrounding communities and the nation as a whole.
Black renters are particularly vulnerable to eviction, making up over 32% of eviction filings but just under 20% of renters overall.
Families with children are at triple risk for eviction as compared individuals without children, the report said, even if the two families are in similar economic situations.
Some renters can be penalized by screening services if they had an eviction filed against them even that did not turn into a eviction order, the report found.
Criminal history
Based on anecdotal evidence, FHCCI said many Indianapolis-area apartment complexes have a blanket ban on renters with criminal histories, even some with misdemeanors, despite HUD guidance that states that these policies should not have a discriminatory effect.
Black residents of Marion County are jailed at twice the rate of white residents and imprisoned at four times the rate, which can make it more difficult to find safe and affordable housing.
Landlords say that taking criminal history into consideration on renters' reports helps create a safer environment. But that information is often outdated or inaccurate, the report said.
"What we're seeing and we identify in this report is just all the barriers that people have to navigate," Fair Housing Center Executive Director Amy Nelson told IndyStar. "This can be when they have a blemish or when they don't; when they have an inaccuracy, and the struggles they go through to try to get that fixed."
More:IndyStar investigated more than 11,000 eviction filings. This is what we found.
Financial barriers
Apartment application fees in Marion County, according to Fair Housing Center research, average $50 per apartment and can go up to $100, not including additional administrative fees. These fees are usually nonrefundable even if the application is denied.
Screening processes that unfairly and disproportionately impact Black renters, families and women can lead to unsafe living situations and even increased rates of homelessness among vulnerable populations, the report said.
The Fair Housing Center argues that the solution lies in stronger enforcement of existing laws, such as the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act, and making sure that data used by the screening companies is current and accurate. But, the report said, it's also important to hold state and local governments accountable in strengthening tenant protections in legislation.
Contact the reporter at 317-617-3402. | https://www.indystar.com/story/news/local/2023/06/07/tenant-screening-hurts-black-renters-families-fair-housing-center-of-central-indiana-finds/70273071007/ | 2023-06-07T10:59:58 | 0 | https://www.indystar.com/story/news/local/2023/06/07/tenant-screening-hurts-black-renters-families-fair-housing-center-of-central-indiana-finds/70273071007/ |
Thinking of buying an electric car in Delaware? How to save money with rebates, credits
As Delaware gears up for more electric and hybrid vehicles to hit the road in the coming years, the state environmental department has extended its Electric Vehicle Rebate Program until April 30, 2024.
And, federal tax credits are also still in place for the purchase of new electric or hybrid vehicles.
Delaware's Climate Action Plan aims to cut greenhouse gas emissions to a quarter of 2005 levels by 2025. The push for electric vehicles is a major part of reducing emissions in the transportation sector, which accounts for 30% of the state's total greenhouse gas emissions.
These credits and rebates apply to select vehicle models only and have several other requirements.
We compiled all of the rules and regulations to follow in Delaware to take advantage of the savings.
More:Delaware hopes to phase out sale of new gas-powered cars. What to know about the proposal.
What is the rebate?
The state's cash rebate program offers $2,500 for battery electric vehicles worth $50,000 or less and up to $1,000 for plug-in electric hybrid vehicles. There are also additional rebates available for propane, natural gas and bi-fuel vehicles.
New electric vehicles have a battery that is charged with special equipment and operate in all-electric mode. They can drive anywhere from 150-400 miles.
A plug-in hybrid vehicle can operate in all-electric mode for around 20-40 miles and then operate on gasoline until it is recharged.
Dedicated propane vehicles run on propane only and are mostly used with heavier-duty vehicles like trucks or buses.
Dedicated natural gas vehicles run only on, you guessed it, natural gas and are typically best suited for high mileage.
And bi-fuel vehicles use either gasoline or an alternative fuel (in this case either propane or natural gas), with separate fuel tanks and lines that can be switched by the driver.
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The state environmental website has a list of over three dozen vehicle makes and models that the rebate can be used on, including Tesla, Audi, Ford, Hyundai and Kia.
The Biden administration is continuing to offer a federal tax credit (not a cash rebate), of up to $7,500 for all electric, plug-in hybrid and fuel cell electric vehicles purchased new this year. The vehicle will need to meet mineral and battery component requirements to claim the maximum amount.
Used electric vehicles are also eligible for a credit of up to $4,000, or 30% of the purchase price, provided that the car is less than $25,000, more than 2 years old and is being sold by its original owner.
What are the criteria?
The requirements for both the state rebate and the federal tax credit are slightly different.
Delaware's Electric Vehicle Rebate Program:
- The total vehicle price, including any fees, cannot exceed $50,000.
- Applications must be submitted within 90 days of the vehicle's purchase date.
- The vehicle must be new and purchased / leased in Delaware before April 30, 2024.
- Any lease must be for at least three years.
- You are eligible for only two rebates during the lifetime of the program. Businesses, nonprofit organizations, governments, educational institutions and other eligible entities may not receive more than six rebates.
- Proof of purchase and proof of Delaware residency must be included in the application.
More:Delaware's Tesla dealership restrictions overturned by state Supreme Court
Federal tax credit:
- Adjusted gross income must not exceed $300,000 for married couples, $225,000 for heads of households and $150,000 for all other filers.
- Qualified vehicles must have a battery capacity of at least 7 kilowatt hours and must weigh less than 14,000 pounds.
- The vehicle must undergo final assembly in North America. You can enter a vehicle identification number to check.
- Sale price cannot exceed $80,000 for vans, sport utility vehicles and pickup trucks and $55,000 for other vehicles.
How do I submit an application?
Steps to apply for a cash rebate with the state:
- Register as a "supplier" with the state of Delaware using the appropriate portal; you will need to keep the supplier ID number provided after this process. There are instructions available for this process.
- Put together your application package as one PDF file.
- Send the application package in one PDF file to DNREC.Transportation@delaware.gov.
- Wait 8-10 weeks to receive your rebate.
The rebate may be considered taxable income by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service and the Delaware Department of Revenue, so try and speak with a tax professional to determine what that means for you.
To claim the federal tax credit, file Form 8936 with your tax return. You'll need your vehicle identification number when filing.
Some car dealerships in the state will be participating in the rebate program and can handle the paperwork for you. This will result in $1,000-$2,500 off your purchase of an electric or hybrid vehicle.
State environment officials say it's possible the rebate program may be extended past April 2024.
Contact Molly McVety at mmcvety@delawareonline.com. Follow her on Twitter @mollymcvety. | https://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/local/2023/06/07/buying-electric-car-delaware-rebate-tax-credit-deadline-rules/70290502007/ | 2023-06-07T11:05:56 | 0 | https://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/local/2023/06/07/buying-electric-car-delaware-rebate-tax-credit-deadline-rules/70290502007/ |
Indiana Geological and Water Survey hosts Limestone Fest on IU Bloomington campus
From the steps of settlers’ cabins to the steeple of the National Cathedral, Indiana-quarried limestone is known nationwide as both a “workhorse of building stones” and a symbol of permanency. “You don’t put up a building with limestone to express anything but permanence,” said sculptor Dale Enochs in “Stories in Stone,” a book by David B. Williams which devotes a chapter to Bloomington’s stone industry.
“The Salem (limestone) isn’t a screaming, sexy material,” Enochs said. “It has humility. I liken it to Indiana. It’s part of us.”
It is also “The Nation’s Building Stone,” trademarked. And because of the stone’s history interbedding with local history, June in Monroe and Lawrence counties is heralded as Limestone Month.
The Indiana Geological and Water Survey (IGWS) will celebrate from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, June 17, at its second annual free, family-friendly Limestone Fest on the campus of Indiana University.
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It’s Todd Schnatzmeyer’s job to celebrate Indiana limestone every day. He’s president of the Indiana Limestone Institute of America (ILIA), an agency which supports the limestone industry and promotes the advantages of using this stone in building projects.
Indiana limestone has been called Bedford Stone, Bloomington Stone, White River Stone, Bedford Marble, Gosport Stone, Indiana Oolitic Stone, Spergen Hill Limestone, and several others, but its geological name is Salem Limestone, after the Salem Limestone Formation which stretches from Owen County southeast to Harrison County on the Ohio River.
The ILIA is headquartered in the limestone-clad geology and geological survey building, on the mostly-limestone IU Bloomington campus. There are a lot of reasons why it’s a popular and sought-after building material, Schnatzmeyer said. “It's consistency, ease of fabrication, availability, and of course, as a natural stone, it has inherent fire resistance.”
Between 1835 and 1904, a series of major fires in large cities inspired new building codes and ushered in a limestone building boom. Many universities built in the late 1800s to mid-1900s — IU among them — chose limestone as canvases for Collegiate Gothic and Art Deco architecture.
Indiana limestone has been used structurally or decoratively on many monuments and iconic buildings — Grand Central Station, Ellis Island, and the Empire State Building in New York City; The Pentagon and the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.; and 27 U.S. state capitol buildings among them — that it’s no wonder it’s known as The Nation's Building Stone. In fact, its prominence led to Indiana leaders being accused of favoritism by senators from other stone-producing states. A federal law passed in 1915 had required post offices with gross receipts between $60,000 and $800,000 to be faced with sandstone or limestone, leading to more than 750 Salem-skinned post offices nationwide, Williams wrote.
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The first commercial limestone quarry in Indiana’s stone belt opened in 1827 in Stinesville. Indiana has been a leading producer of dimension stone ever since, ranking third among all states for tonnage produced, according to a 2022 U.S. Geological Survey report. Limestone sales from Monroe County were estimated at $3 million around 1911 and $175 million in 2011. The industry also attracted talented cutters and carvers from around the globe, helping to grow the area’s population in the early part of the 20th century.
While the building stone industry sees certain grades and colors of limestone to be most valuable, geologists often find the less homogeneous-looking stones to be the most fascinating. Limestone is composed of calcium carbonate, which came from skeletons and shells building up over the millions of years Indiana was covered by a shallow sea. “The limestone itself is essentially a death assemblage of bryozoans and echinoderms with a few other fossils thrown in,” said Todd Thompson, IGWS director, whose research over the past 30 years has been primarily in shoreline behavior. Standing inside a quarry, geologists can see a story in stone; they can point out where ancient sandbars existed and imagine what that environment looked like when it was alive and undulating.
“I like trying to figure out why the deposit is here and why it has the characteristics it does that makes it such a useful building stone,” Thompson said about his fascination with Salem Limestone. “And more recently, with the new saws they use in the industry, they essentially give me a polished outcrop and I get a chance to see features within the limestone that you would normally not see.”
From the industry perspective, Indiana limestone is still an important economic treasure. Its compressive strength is such that it can support bridges and buildings. It can be carved, turned, or planed into artwork. It’s a material that endures for generations, and if repairs or additions are ever needed, matching stone can be found. It’s also among the most cost-efficient of the natural building materials and requires little to no maintenance.
“Though only found in three small Hoosier counties, the supply is virtually limitless,” the ILIA says on its website, “and just like the projects built with the product, is expected to last for several hundred years, through many generations.”
Sara Clifford is managing editor of the Indiana Journal of Earth Sciences at the Indiana Geological and Water Survey, IU-Bloomington.
If you go
What: Limestone Fest
When: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, June 17
Where: Indiana Geological and Water Survey building (1001 E. 10th St.) and outdoors at the Northwest Quad (Forrest and Cottage Grove avenues) on the IU Bloomington campus
Who: IGWS staff and other outdoor- and history-related agencies like the Monroe County History Center, 500 Earth Sciences, Artisan Experience, Sycamore Land Trust, and many more
To do: Limestone carving, climbing wall, fossil crafts, cave critter exploration, historic preservation info, and more
Cost: Free
Other Limestone Month activities: https://www.visitbloomington.com/blog/post/limestone-month-calendar-of-events/
More about Limestone Fest
How do you carve limestone? Where are the best places to hike in the stone belt? How do caves form? Why are so many things built with limestone, and how important is that industry to this region? If you have any desire to know more about Indiana’s official state stone than you already think you do, local experts will fill you in at the Limestone Fest Saturday, June 17, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Hosted by the Indiana Geological and Water Survey (IGWS), this free, family-friendly event is bringing together IGWS geologists and representatives from other science- and outdoor-related entities to celebrate Limestone Month in Indiana.
Activities will be set up mostly behind the IGWS office (1001 E. 10th St.) in the grassy Northwest Quad on Cottage Grove Avenue. Free parking is available in the neighboring Forrest Avenue garage. The IGWS’s Learning Lab, celebrating its one-year anniversary in June, also will be open on the first floor of the IGWS/Geological Sciences building. There, visitors can pull open drawers and handle thousands of rock, mineral, and fossil specimens that had been mostly inaccessible to the public before the Learning Lab was created.
Outside booths and activities at Limestone Fest will include:
- IGWS scientists teaching about the fossils that make up limestone and the geology of Indiana’s stone belt; pointing out hiking attractions on topographic maps; and offering children’s crafts and games;
- Bloomington Parks and Recreation displaying a karst water model and a 3-D-printed cave;
- Sycamore Land Trust teaching about the geology of Monroe County nature preserves and unique flora that favor calcareous soils;
- The Indiana Limestone Institute of America discussing how Indiana limestone is used in buildings;
- Artisan Experience demonstrating basic carving techniques and tools and offering 6- by-6-inch limestone pieces to carve yourself ($25).
Visitors who stop by each booth will be eligible to win a prize. | https://www.heraldtimesonline.com/story/entertainment/local/2023/06/07/limestone-fest-at-iu-bloomington-a-free-family-friendly-event/70289575007/ | 2023-06-07T11:11:31 | 0 | https://www.heraldtimesonline.com/story/entertainment/local/2023/06/07/limestone-fest-at-iu-bloomington-a-free-family-friendly-event/70289575007/ |
A Wright County man has been charged with attempted murder after allegedly assaulting a man with a knife.
According to court records, 57-year-old Jesus Hernandez Jr. is facing up to 25 years in jail.
Jesus Hernandez Jr.
Matthew Rezab
The affidavit states that Hernandez got into an argument with the alleged victim at his residence in Galt around 7 p.m. May 26. He allegedly cut the victim's throat with a knife resulting in a "substantial risk of death."
An arraignment is scheduled for June 21.
Stebens performers wait for direction from Tom Ballmer
Photos: North Iowa history book, 1800s-1930s
North Iowa history: Fire prevention
This photo, provided by the Mason City Public Library Archives, features the Mason City Fire Department shooting massive amounts of water Oct. 12, 1939, at the Foresters building for fire prevention week.
Mason City Public Library Archives
North Iowa history: Grant valentines
In this photo provided by the Mason City Public Library Archives, children are keeping busy by making Valentine’s Day crafts at Grant School in 1938.
Mason City Public Library Archives
North Iowa history: Henkel Construction
This photo provided by the Mason City Public Library Archives features workers next to the Henkel Construction truck, circa 1925.
Mason City Public Library Archives
North Iowa history: House explosion
This photo, provided by the Mason City Public Library Archives, shows the aftermath of an explosion March 21, 1935, at the Meurs household. It was caused by escaping gas, and as a result, the homeowner asked for $20,000 in damages.
Mason City Public Library Archives
North Iowa history: Huxtable Drug
In this photo provided by the Mason City Public Library Archives, cars are parked on a strip that housed a café, a drug store and a theatre in 1937. The movies that are playing are “Confession” and “Kid Galahad.”
Mason City Public Library Archives
North Iowa history: Federal Packing Co.
In this photo provided by Mrs. David Murphy (Phyllis Frances), Tony Zamanek’s car is pulling an advertisement for Federal Packing Co. outside of Chicago Meat Market and Grocery, circa 1930. From left are James Belberoff, Phyllis Zemanek and Mary Zemanek, who’s holding Rose Mary. The Mason City and Clear Lake pictorial book has over 250 photos from the 1800s through the 1930s. Order yours now at MasonCity.PictorialBook.com .
Mrs. David Murphy
North Iowa history: Boy Scouts
In this photo provided by the Mason City Public Library Archives, the Mason City Boy Scouts are learning valuable lessons in first aid on Dec. 12, 1935. The Mason City and Clear Lake pictorial book has over 250 photos from the 1800s through the 1930s. Order yours now at MasonCity.PictorialBook.com .
Mason City Public Library Archives
North Iowa history: Pierce with kids
This photo, provided by the Mason City Public Library Archives, shows patrolman Dick Pierce giving lollipops to an excited group of children on May 31, 1938.
Mason City Public Library Archives
North Iowa history: Woodward Auto
In this photo provided by the Mason City Public Library Archives, people are standing outside of Woodward Auto Company, which was on 124 S. Delaware in 1926. The Mason City and Clear Lake pictorial book has over 250 photos from the 1800s through the 1930s. Order yours now at MasonCity.PictorialBook.com .
Mason City Public Library Archives
Children at telephone office
In this photo provided by the Mason City Public Library Archives, Jackson School children are taking a field trip to a local telephone office in 1939. Eva Scott was the teacher.
Mason City Public Library Archives
North Iowa history: Divers at Clear Lake
This photo, provided by the Mason City Public Library Archives, shows a great dive from athletes Helen Crlenkovich and Marjorie Gestring in Clear Lake, 1939. Gestring won a gold medal in the 1936 Olympics for the 3-meter springboard.
Mason City Public Library Archives
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Get local news delivered to your inbox! | https://globegazette.com/news/local/crime-courts/wright-county-attempted-murder-jesus-hernandez-jr-galt/article_88281f8c-04a0-11ee-9032-db3142c04fdc.html | 2023-06-07T11:13:37 | 1 | https://globegazette.com/news/local/crime-courts/wright-county-attempted-murder-jesus-hernandez-jr-galt/article_88281f8c-04a0-11ee-9032-db3142c04fdc.html |
SCRANTON, Pa. — Based on continued forecasts for Unhealthy-to-Very Unhealthy air quality on Wednesday, the City of Scranton will keep non-emergency staff indoors on Wednesday.
This means refuse and recycling pickup will be suspended on Wednesday, June 7. They hope to be able to resume on Thursday, June 8, and complete the week's full route by Saturday.
The mayor appreciates the public's understanding that this level of smoke in the air is rare and it is our job as an employer to protect our staff from unnecessary exposure.
To see conditions in your area check out www.airnow.gov.
To see how long the smoke will stick around, get the latest weather updates from Stormtracker 16 at www.wnep.com/weather. | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/lackawanna-county/smoke-affects-garbage-pickup-scranton-recycling-air-quality/523-d189b25f-a0f8-49a4-bf2d-802039ebd5aa | 2023-06-07T11:34:24 | 0 | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/lackawanna-county/smoke-affects-garbage-pickup-scranton-recycling-air-quality/523-d189b25f-a0f8-49a4-bf2d-802039ebd5aa |
TAMPA, Fla. — As Tampa continues to grow, so do the needs of the seven neighborhoods that make up the downtown area. That's why the Tampa Downtown Partnership is reaching out directly to the people who live and work there to find out what projects to work on next.
Today they'll be at Lykes Gaslight Square Park at 11:00 a.m. in downtown at the monthly Food Truck Fiesta held there. They are calling it a "Pop In." If you stop by you could get a treat like a cake pop, soda pop, popsicle or popcorn just for giving your feedback.
In the last week, the Partnership has been at events throughout downtown, gathering feedback on what particular neighborhoods really want or need. Rachel Radewec with the Tampa Downtown Partnership says they've had a great response.
"When you get into the Channel District there's a lot of conversation about pet clean up, and then when you're over in the Downtown River Arts neighborhood they want to see activations. They were just up in Encore, and they were wanting to see a little bit more of the transportation side of things."
And it's a chance for the downtown partnership to try to meet the needs of specific areas and neighborhoods that make up downtown while addressing issues as a whole and keeping the continuity and connected feel.
While the projects will more directly affect the people who live and work downtown, they also realize that Tampa has become a tourist destination and needs to meet those needs as well. Radawec says they'll be looking at all the data they've gathered to figure out what to prioritize and present to the city in August and looking to start some of the projects by October.
"We are getting great feedback. It feels good to know people want to be involved in their community and that's all that we're looking for. So we're really excited to implement what people are talking about. Obviously, we want to manage expectations, we aren't superheroes out here but we are going to do everything we can to make this the best downtown possible."
Anyone can give feedback. If you can't make it in person, they will be posting the survey online as well. Click here for more information. | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/tampa-downtown-partnership-pop-in/67-7b75c386-6b62-44df-aa67-098f489b53db | 2023-06-07T11:39:26 | 1 | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/tampa-downtown-partnership-pop-in/67-7b75c386-6b62-44df-aa67-098f489b53db |
OCALA, Fla. – A Florida woman accused of fatally shooting her neighbor last week in the violent culmination of what the sheriff described as a 2½-year feud was arrested Tuesday, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office said.
Susan Louise Lorincz, 58, who is white, was arrested on charges of manslaughter with a firearm, culpable negligence, battery and two counts of assault in the death of Ajike Owens, a Black mother of four, Sheriff Billy Woods said in a statement.
Authorities came under pressure Tuesday to arrest and charge the white woman who fired through her front her door and killed a Black neighbor in a case that has put Florida’s divisive stand your ground law back into the spotlight.
Woods said that this was not a stand your ground case but “simply a killing.”
When interviewed, Lorincz claimed that she acted in self-defense and that Owens had been trying to break down her door prior to her discharging her firearm. Lorincz also claimed that Owens had come after her in the past and had previously attacked her. Through their investigation – including obtaining the statements of eyewitnesses – detectives were able to establish that Lorincz’s actions were not justifiable under Florida law, a statement from the sheriff’s office said.
[STORY CONTINUES BELOW]
We’re following breaking news with an arrest overnight in the killing of an Ocala mother.
— Mark Lehman (@MarkLehman6) June 7, 2023
Susan Lorincz, 58, was booked into jail on manslaughter charges after deputies say she shot Ajike Owens Friday.
It comes after protests calling for justice.https://t.co/734SiolKLI pic.twitter.com/JSrt9XuCSw
About three dozen mostly Black protesters gathered outside the Marion County Judicial Center to demand that the shooter be arrested in the country’s latest flashpoint over race and gun violence. The chief prosecutor, State Attorney William Gladson, met with the protesters and urged patience while the investigation continues.
“If we are going to make a case we need as much time and as much evidence as possible,” Gladson said. “I don’t want to compromise any criminal investigation and I’m not going to do that.”
Owens, 35, was killed in the Friday night shooting, Woods said. The women lived in the rolling hills south of Ocala, a north Florida city that is the heart of the state’s horse country.
Woods had said Monday that detectives were working with the State Attorney’s Office and must investigate possible self-defense claims before they can move forward with any possible criminal charges. The sheriff pointed out that because of the stand your ground law he can’t legally make an arrest unless he can prove the shooter did not act in self-defense.
On Tuesday, a stuffed teddy bear and bouquets marked the area near where Owens was shot. Nearby, children were riding bikes and scooters, and playing basketball. Protesters chanted “No justice, no peace” and “A.J. A.J. A.J” using Owens’ nickname. They carried signs saying: “Say her name Ajike Owens” and “It’s about us.”
Outside, the Rev. Bernard Tuggerson said the Black community in Ocala has suffered injustices for years. “Marion County is suffering and needs to be healed completely,” he said. “If we don’t turn from our wicked ways of the world, it’s going to be an ongoing problem. We want answers.”
The sheriff said Owens was shot moments after going to Lorincz’s apartment, who had yelled at Owens’ children as they played in a nearby lot. He also said Lorincz had thrown a pair of skates that hit one of the children.
[STORY CONTINUES BELOW]
Deputies responding to a trespassing call at the apartment Friday night found Owens suffering from gunshot wounds. She later died at a hospital.
Before the confrontation, Lorincz had been yelling racial slurs at the children, according to a statement from civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who is representing Owens’ family. He also represented Trayvon Martin’s family in 2012, when the Black teenager was killed in a case that drew worldwide attention to the state’s stand your ground law.
The sheriff’s office hasn’t confirmed there were slurs uttered or said whether race was a factor in the shooting.
Lauren Smith, 40, lives across the street from where the shooting happened. She was on her porch that day and saw one of Owens’ young sons pacing, and yelling, “They shot my mama, they shot my mama.”
She ran toward the house, and started chest compressions until a rescue crew arrived. She said there wasn’t an altercation and that Owens didn’t have a weapon.
“She was angry all the time that the children were playing out there,” Smith said. “She would say nasty things to them. Just nasty.” Smith, who is white, described the neighborhood is family friendly.
The sheriff said that since January 2021, deputies responded at least a half-dozen calls in connection with what police described as feuding between Owens and Lorincz.
“There was a lot of aggressiveness from both of them, back and forth,” the sheriff said Lorincz told investigators. “Whether it be banging on the doors, banging on the walls and threats being made. And then at that moment is when Ms. Owens was shot through the door.”
[STORY CONTINUES BELOW]
Happening right now: Residents in Ocala are protesting and say they’re demanding Justice and an arrest after 35-year-old Ajike Owens was killed Friday after a dispute with her neighbor, according to deputies. The sheriff’s office said they’re still investigating the case. pic.twitter.com/7nHLRDkrqo
— Jerry Askin (@JerryAskinNews6) June 6, 2023
“I’m absolutely heartbroken,” Angela Ferrell-Zabala, executive director of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, told The Associated Press. She described the fatal shooting as “so senseless.”
“We’ve seen this again and again across this country,” she said, adding that “it’s really because of lax gun laws and a culture of shoot first.”
Ferrell-Zabala said stand your ground cases, which she refers to as “shoot first laws,” are deemed justifiable five times more frequently when a white shooter kills a Black victim.
In 2017, Florida lawmakers updated the state’s self-defense statute to shift the burden of proof from a person claiming self-defense to prosecutors. That means authorities have to rule out self-defense before bringing charges. Before the change in law, prosecutors could charge someone with a shooting, and then defense attorneys would have to present an affirmative defense for why their client shouldn’t be convicted.
In fact, stand your ground and “castle doctrine” cases — which allow residents to defend themselves either by law or court precedent when threatened — have sparked outrage amid a spate of shootings across the country.
In April, 84-year-old Andrew Lester, a white man, shot and injured 16-year-old Ralph Yarl, a Black teenager who rang his doorbell in Kansas City after mistakenly showing up at the wrong house to pick up his younger siblings. Lester faces charges of first-degree assault and armed criminal action; at trial, he may argue that he thought someone was trying to break into his house, as he told police.
Missouri and Florida are among about 30 states that have stand your ground laws.
The most well-known examples of the stand your ground argument came up in the trial of George Zimmerman, who fatally shot Trayvon Martin.
Zimmerman, who had a white father and Hispanic mother, told police that Martin attacked him, forcing him to use his gun in self-defense. He was allowed to go free, but was arrested about six weeks later after Martin’s parents questioned his version of events and then-Gov. Rick Scott appointed a special prosecutor.
Before trial, Zimmerman’s attorneys chose not to pursue a stand your ground claim, which could have resulted in the dismissal of murder changes as well as immunity from prosecution. But during the trial, the law was essentially used as part of his self-defense argument. Jurors found him not guilty.
At a vigil Monday, Owens’ mother, Pamela Dias, said that she was seeking justice for her daughter and her grandchildren.
“My daughter, my grandchildren’s mother, was shot and killed with her 9-year-old son standing next to her,” Dias said. “She had no weapon. She posed no imminent threat to anyone.” | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2023/06/07/simply-a-killing-florida-woman-who-fatally-shot-neighbor-in-ongoing-feud-arrested/ | 2023-06-07T11:47:54 | 1 | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2023/06/07/simply-a-killing-florida-woman-who-fatally-shot-neighbor-in-ongoing-feud-arrested/ |
25th annual Thunder By The Bay Music & Motorcycle Festival sets record for Suncoast Charities
The 25th annual Thunder By The Bay Music & Motorcycle Festival in February raised an event record $315,000 for Suncoast Charities for Children, surpassing last year’s net revenue of $267,000.
“We are extremely grateful for the generous support received from festival sponsors, individual donors, vendors, dedicated volunteers, and everyone who attended the festival," Suncoast Charities for Children executive director Lucy Nicandri said. "Their combined support allows us to continue with funding allocations to help local children, teens, and adults with special needs and their families.”
In addition to the traditional three-day festival, held in February at the Sarasota Fairgrounds, events included a sporting clay tournament, a “Taste of Thunder” tequila tasting event, and a Thunder By The Bay “Rocks The Runway” Fashion Show.
Nonprofits receiving support included:
· Children First – New adjustable tables and chairs for preschool classrooms and assistance packages for at-risk children.
· Loveland Center – Construction of a new outdoor therapeutic activity area and support for their recreational program in Bradenton.
· Special Olympics Florida/Sarasota County – Equipment and activity materials for the “first-ever” Summer Camp Shriver.
· Florida Center For Early Childhood – Testing materials for occupational therapists and speech/language pathologists.
· The Haven – Therapy scholarships for children requiring speech, occupational, physical, feeding, and/or aquatic therapies.
· Venice Challenger Baseball – New dry-fit uniform shirts and funding support for individuals who are blind attending summer camp.
· Suncoast Foundation – Maintenance and repairs for the agencies listed above.
Special recognition awards included the Big Heart Award, Steve White, S&S Motorsports; Volunteers of the Year, Paul and Barbara Duval; Unsung Hero Award, Linda Carson, ABC7; Community Partnership Award, Rory Martin, Sarasota Fairgrounds; Behind The Scenes Award, Nico Dinca; Helping Hand Award, Chuck Downs; Motorcycle Media Award, Ron and Deb Galletti, Born To Ride TV & Magazine; Overall Volunteer Commitment & Dedication Award, Jim and Helen Reed; Business Development Award, Darrell Turner; Behind The Lens Award, Tim Britt.
Also, Caldwell Trust Company, FCCI Insurance Group, Gold Coast Eagle Distributing/Budweiser, Infinium Spirits, Republic National Distributing, Sarasota Ford, Mullet’s Aluminum, ABC7, iHeart Media Sarasota, Observer Media Group, Sarasota Herald-Tribune Local IQ, SNN, and SRQ Media received Loyalty & Commitment Business Awards.
The 26th Thunder By The Bay is scheduled for Feb. 16-18 at the Fairgrounds. For updates and additional information, thunderbythebay.org
Submitted by Lucy Nicandri | https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/local/2023/06/07/25th-thunder-by-the-bay-sets-record-for-suncoast-charities-for-children/70275158007/ | 2023-06-07T11:52:14 | 1 | https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/local/2023/06/07/25th-thunder-by-the-bay-sets-record-for-suncoast-charities-for-children/70275158007/ |
Manatee County parts ways with HR director
Manatee County has parted ways with Human Resources Director Jennifer Harmon after months of concern over the state of the department.
County officials declined to comment when reached this week with questions about the situation.
Commissioners have scrutinized the county's Human Resources department since early this year when concern rose over the handling of sensitive situations after a sexual harassment claim reported in person multiple times drew little attention until it was eventually reported in writing.
Previously:What to know in Manatee: gun carry for county employees, outside firm to address HR woes
More:Rough week for Manatee Administrator Scott Hopes following botched deputy administrator hire
The claim was never investigated because it was filed against Manatee County School District General Counsel Mitchell Teitelbaum, who was slated to step into a role as a deputy county administrator before he declined the role after the complaint was made. Teitelbaum maintains his innocence and claims his wife was with him at all times during a tour of the office space at the time of the claim.
Commissioners publicly scolded former County Administrator Scott Hopes soon after news of the incident went public, and raised concern about the state of the county's human resources department at the same time.
Also:Hopes responds to resignation, describes separation from Manatee County as 'mutual'
And:Fired Manatee employee says Scott Hopes told him to suppress sexual harassment claim
Hopes resigned from the county in February, although he described the separation as "mutual." Since then records show that former Deputy County Administrator Robert Reinshuttle claims Hopes asked him to suppress the sexual harassment claim.
Commissioners voted unanimously in April to hire a third-party firm to operate Human Resources activities on behalf of Manatee County.
Harmon was hired in July 2022 nearly a year after former HR Director Kim Stroud was terminated under Hope's administration in August 2021.
Commissioners have not addressed the need for a new HR director publicly, although they met for a county meeting on Tuesday. | https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/local/manatee/2023/06/07/harmon-out-as-manatee-county-hr-director/70295320007/ | 2023-06-07T11:52:20 | 0 | https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/local/manatee/2023/06/07/harmon-out-as-manatee-county-hr-director/70295320007/ |
Things to know in Manatee: Gun policy final, animal shelter needs and administrator job
Manatee County staff will be allowed to carry firearms at work starting in July, the exact same day the state is lifting licensing requirements to carry concealed firearms in public.
The measure received its final approval on Tuesday during a public county meeting, where commissioners also discussed a creative solution to the county's animal shelter kennel needs and made progress in the search for a new county administrator.
Previously:What to know in Manatee: gun carry for county employees, outside firm to address HR woes
More:Proposed policy could allow Manatee County staff to carry firearms while at work
County approves gun carry policy for employees
Commissioners unanimously voted to finalize a controversial policy that allows county staff to carry firearms while at work.
The matter has been debated since May of last year when Commissioner James Satcher made the proposal to allow concealed gun carry at work. The matter gained additional interest following the November election, which brought three new Republican commissioners to the board. Commissioner Mike Rahn made the motion to approve the policy, and it was seconded by Commissioner Jason Bearden.
The effort was approved in April but commissioners voted to finalize the final policy at Tuesday's meeting.
"Our employees should be able to protect themselves if a situation should arise… such as somebody trying to cause death or serious bodily harm to any individual," Bearden said. "This is something that is necessary, especially in this day and age when we have certain situations that happen."
Also in Manatee:Police: Tropicana Bradenton employee shot by a coworker; suspect sought
The county will allow staff members to carry concealed firearms, excluding long guns and rifles, in compliance with state law. The Florida Legislature recently approved a new law that eliminates licensing requirements to carry a concealed firearm in most public places. Both measures go into effect on July 1.
Eligible employees must be over the age of 21 and required to not have a disqualifying felony or domestic violence charge on their record. They must also not have an injunction prohibiting them from carrying weapons. The firearm must remain concealed and under the employee's control at all times.
Employees are not allowed to carry the firearms into places of nuisance, law enforcement stations and detention facilities, courthouses, polling locations, government meetings, educational facilities or athletic events, establishments that dispense alcohol, the inside of a passenger terminal of an airport, or any place where carrying firearms is prohibited by law.
Employees are also authorized to carry self-defense chemical spray for personal protection.
Commissioners propose solution for animal shelter kennel needs
Commissioners tabled an agreement for architectural design services for a new building at the Bishop Animal Shelter and instead have decided to research an alternative solution to the county's need for more kennel capacity.
The county has grappled with capacity woes at its animal shelter in Palmetto for years, and stakeholders toiled over expansion options in East Manatee County before the owners of the Bishop Animal Shelter donated the west Bradenton facility to the county.
Commissioners have discussed plans to construct a new building at the Bishop Shelter property, but have raised concerns that plans proposed by staff seem poised to cost well beyond the $8 million budgeted for the effort. The design for the building alone was set to cost just shy of $1.5 million.
In case you missed it:'Overwhelmed by generosity': $18 million animal shelter donated to Manatee County
Also:Nate's Honor Rescue commemorates its founder with new animal spaces, updates to rescue
Instead, commissioners tabled the matter and took interest in a proposal made by Commissioner George Kruse to research the potential use of pre-fabricated kennels similar to those used at Nate's Honor Animal Rescue in Bradenton. He said the effort could save the county millions, take much less time to implement, and could easily be expanded to other parts of the county if necessary.
"They're beautiful, you can get nice wood around the outside, the top ends of these things are fully heated they have full plumbing and they have full air conditioning, they've got everything," Kruse said. "A 16 kennel pre-fab can be done in like 6 weeks and delivered here for $300,000 for 16 kennels. You can get eight of those and have a capacity for over 120 dogs by essentially the end of summer."
Administrator search off to the races
Manatee County has received about a dozen applications in just 10 days for the county administrator role previously held by Scott Hopes.
County Attorney Bill Clague provided an update to commissioners on the start of the nationwide search for a permanent county administrator during Tuesday's meeting. He said more applicants are expected to apply before the June 24 weekend deadline to apply.
The position is currently being held in the interim by Lee Washington, who previously served as the county's Community and Veteran's Services director. | https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/local/manatee/2023/06/07/three-things-to-know-in-manatee-staff-gun-carry-policy-approved/70293263007/ | 2023-06-07T11:52:26 | 1 | https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/local/manatee/2023/06/07/three-things-to-know-in-manatee-staff-gun-carry-policy-approved/70293263007/ |
Helios Horizon, Sarasota pilot, set 2 electric flight records in sky over Lake Tahoe
Records set for plane with two batteries, after faulty switch sidetracks bid for record flight with a six-battery configuration
The Helios Horizon, an electric powered experimental aircraft flown by Sarasota-based test pilot and engineer Miguel Iturmendi, captured two world records for aircraft lighter than 500 kilos on June 2 near Lake Tahoe, Nevada.
Related:Sarasota test pilot hopes to set electric flight altitude record this May in Nevada
Capping several days of test flights, Iturmendi flew a two-battery configuration of the plane to a height of 16,023 feet for the altitude world record, then continued for three minutes of level flight for a second world record on precision flight.
The records were certified by judges from the National Aeronautic Association.
Iturmendi beat the U.S. altitude record he set in November 2022 and exceeded the previous altitude world record – held by a German pilot working with the University of Stuttgart – by 57%.
Iturmendi had hoped the judges would get to witness Helios Horizon get the absolute world record for electric powered flight, which would require the Helios be set up in a six-battery configuration. But he had to change plans because of a malfunction in an automatic switch over from the two-battery pack to an additional four-battery pack.
On earlier test flights with the six-battery configuration, Iturmendi had to make the switch manually.
It would have taken only a few hours to fix the problem, but two weeks to get the needed parts.
“We ran out of time, quite frankly,” Iturmendi said during a phone interview while driving the plane back to Sarasota, along with project manager Javier Merino.
Earlier:The Right Stuff: Sarasota test pilot pushing the envelope of solar flight
Still those earlier flights point to eventual success in the quest for the absolute world record of 32,000 feet, which was set in April 2021 by the Solar Impulse, a $260 million Swiss project.
By comparison, Helios Horizon is on a shoestring budget, with Iturmendi relying on a few investors and volunteers. Prior to this summer, the project had cost roughly $400,000.
A key accomplishment
On one of the test fights in late May, the Helios Horizon reached an altitude of 20,000 feet and used only 38% of its battery power.
“When we did the 20,000 foot flight and we used 38% of the battery, we validated the performance model; it went very well,” Iturmendi said.
Itumendi noted that the calculated altitude for the Helios Horizon when it weighs less than 500 kilograms is 17,000 feet.
The record flight from Minden-Tahoe Airport on June 2 took about 50 minutes, with the Helios Horizon climbing for the first 30 minutes.
The plane climbs at a rate of 390 feet per minute but once Iturmendi eclipsed 16,000, he opted to accomplish the three minutes of precision flight.
“If I would have used those three minutes in climbing, that would have given me the extra 1,000 feet,’ Iturmendi said.
Helios Horizon and other experimental electric aircraft are conducting high altitude research that aviation professionals hope can one day lead to electric passenger aircraft – which produce 4% of all emissions worldwide – or cargo aircraft.
After Iturmendi returns to Sarasota this week, he is taking a family vacation in Europe and after that, working in Argentina with the Airbus Perlan Mission II – an attempt to set a world record of 90,000 feet above the earth for a pressurized engineless glider.
An October return
He and the Sarasota-based members of the Helios Horizon team plan to reunite with the Minden-based team members in late October to set the overall electric-powered flight altitude record.
Once that is accomplished the next step will be to return to Minden and take that aircraft to 43,000 feet and be the first-ever electric aircraft to go into the stratosphere.
The third phase of the Helios Horizon project, envisioned as happening as soon as 2025, would see the Helios Horizon equipped with wings that can capture solar energy and fly into the stratosphere using solar power.
The flight in late May showed that Helios Horizon is on the right course to accomplish that feat.
“The most important part is we validated the performance model with all the batteries,” Iturmendi said.
Data gathered on that flight and the dozen or so other test lights made in Minden will be used to develop the October flight plan.
“It will be very doable with all of the batteries,” Iturmendi said. “We had some technical challenges that slowed us down but in the end we left really happy.” | https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/local/sarasota/2023/06/07/miguel-iturmendi-set-two-electric-flight-records-in-helios-horizon/70288794007/ | 2023-06-07T11:52:32 | 1 | https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/local/sarasota/2023/06/07/miguel-iturmendi-set-two-electric-flight-records-in-helios-horizon/70288794007/ |
Environmental Conservancy of North Port closes on purchase of two lots in the city
Late May donations allow nonprofit to preserve successful fundraising streak
NORTH PORT – Bolstered by several big donations in May, the Environmental Conservancy of North Port closed on the purchase of two lots that will preserve gopher tortoise habitat in the city.
The nonprofit – which buys and preserves land in both Sarasota and Charlotte counties – was behind in its fundraising efforts until published reports raised awareness outside of the city and prompted three large donations from residents in northern Sarasota County, said Barbara Lockhart, president of the nonprofit’s board of directors.
In all, the conservancy received lump-sum donations of $10,000 to buy a lot on Maximo Road in the Cranberry Fields neighborhood for $13,500 and $10,000 from a different benefactor along with a separate $6,000 donation targeted at the purchase of a lot on Munising Terrace in the Skyview neighborhood for $16,500.
All three of the donors told Lockhart they were unhappy with the way development has been occurring near them and wanted to help preservation efforts in North Port.
“This was their passion or their concern,” Lockhart said. “They see what’s happening down here with the development and everything being clear-cut.
“It started there and now everything is coming south.”
In addition, Lockhart said she has learned of other interested donors ready for the next time the conservancy buys land for preservation.
21 properties and counting
Since it was formed in 2020, the Environmental Conservancy of North Port has preserved 21 parcels for animal habitat, at first was primarily targeting areas in the city limits for the endangered Florida Scrub-Jay.
Fourteen of those lots are in North Port, six in the Harbour Heights area of Charlotte County – north of the Peace River and east of Interstate 75 – and one in Port Charlotte.
Three of the lots were donated to the conservancy, while contributions paid for the rest.
Related:Conservancy buys two lots in North Port as habitat for scrub jays and gopher tortoises
Money raised in Charlotte County is only spent on land in Charlotte.
Most of the land purchased in North Port has been in the neighborhoods suitable for scrub-jays but the Maximo Road purchase marked a broadening in philosophy.
"With this purchase on Maximo Road we have finally stepped outside of that neighborhood and gone to a completely different neighborhood on the other side of town,” Lockhart said. “Ultimately we would like to have lots in all of the city’s neighborhoods."
Lockhart said the idea had been to protect the privacy of neighbors, especially since the preserved lots were meant for wildlife habitat and not public recreation areas, though an occasional guided tour has been offered.
Now, Lockhart said, the goal is to note on the nonprofit’s website, https://www.ecnorthport.com, exactly where the preserved land is. For now there’s only a page with a PDF list but eventually there should be hyperlinks to the exact locations.
“We decided that being as open as possible could be beneficial,” she said.
A perfect streak
To date, the Environmental Conservancy of North Port has only hosted successful fundraisers for its targeted parcels, while raising roughly $100,000, using bingo-style fundraisers, silent auctions, concerts and social media appeals to and more recently concerts to raise funds.
That streak has remained intact even as prices for individual lots have more than tripled.
Board members have also brainstormed ways to raise the profile of the effort – including newsletters, displays at the local libraries, information tables at public events and networking at events sponsored by the North Port Area Chamber of Commerce.
In addition to land acquisition, the conservancy must ensure it has money for liability insurance and to pay annual property taxes – at least until it can navigate a state process so the preserves can be exempt.
“What we’re doing is very unusual compared to larger entities that get large pieces of land,” Lockhart said. “We’re still trying to figure out the formula – especially with the economy and after the hurricane, we don’t want to ask too often.
"However the truth is our environment and neighborhood land is being wiped out.” | https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/local/venice/2023/06/07/environmental-conservancy-of-north-port-buys-lots-for-gopher-tortoises/70292845007/ | 2023-06-07T11:52:38 | 1 | https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/local/venice/2023/06/07/environmental-conservancy-of-north-port-buys-lots-for-gopher-tortoises/70292845007/ |
North Canton moves toward allowing right turns on red at five intersections
North Canton Council seeking to drop right turns on red for at least five intersections.
- If legislation introduced passes, motorists could turn right on red for five additional intersections.
- Dogwood Pool has opened about six days later than scheduled after liner repairs.
NORTH CANTON − City Council is discussing eliminating prohibitions against motorists turning right on a red light for at least six intersections.
Under legislation proposed by the city's public policy analyst, Benjamin Young, the intersections that would no longer have all-day prohibitions against turning right on red would be:
- South Main Street and Everhard Road SW.
- Portage Street NW and Pittsburg Road NW.
- North Main Street and Seventh Street NW
- South Main Street and Schneider Street SE
And the intersections that would no longer have current prohibitions against turning right on red from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays would be:
- North Main Street and Charlotte Street NW
- Hillcrest Avenue NW and Charlotte Street NW.
Related:'Parking spaces don't pay taxes.' North Canton looks to end minimal parking requirements
The proposal would maintain the prohibition against right turns on red lights at Main Street and Maple Street at all times as well as Maple Street E and Clearmount Avenue SE and Hillcrest Avenue NW and Maple Street W. from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Young said buildings on the west side of the Main Street and Maple Street intersection limit motorists' view, making it more prudent to maintain a prohibition of right turns on a red light at that intersection. Maple and Clearmount are near Clearmount Elementary while Hillcrest and Maple are near the North Canton Middle School as well as North Canton Schools' to-be-opened pre-kindergarten to second grade building.
Young said intersections on the proposed list have dedicated right turn lanes or they have push button controls for pedestrians to change the traffic light and more safely cross the street.
However, Councilman Daryl Revoldt, At-Large, proposed keeping the prohibition against turning right on red for those going south on South Main Street turning right to go west on Everhard Road NW. Currently, a green right-turn arrow indicates that cars can turn right to go west on Everhard. If a car could turn right to go west on Everhard when the green right-turn arrow isn't on, that could lead to confusion and a collision with a car going north on South Main turning left to go west on Everhard.
Council agreed by voice vote to Revoldt's change and voted to advance the legislation to council's regular meeting agenda.
Separately on Monday, council voted to add to its main meeting June 12 agenda, a proposal to accept the transfer of 0.362 acres of property on Willaman Avenue NW from the Community Improvement Corporation. That will allow the city to proceed with its plans to widen Charlotte Street NW and build a roundabout there.
Also Dogwood Pool opened on Friday, six days later than originally scheduled, said Farina. A pool liner the city bought from Indianapolis-based Renosys in 2016 had failed for a third time, last summer. The city has a 10-year warranty on the liner. Farina said the technician showed up on May 26 and fixed the liner by May 30.
Related:North Canton delays opening Dogwood Pool because of leak | https://www.cantonrep.com/story/news/local/north-canton/2023/06/07/north-canton-council-discusses-dropping-bans-on-right-turns-on-red/70291521007/ | 2023-06-07T12:04:16 | 1 | https://www.cantonrep.com/story/news/local/north-canton/2023/06/07/north-canton-council-discusses-dropping-bans-on-right-turns-on-red/70291521007/ |
The act of having fun raises levels of dopamine, endorphins, and oxygen in a person's body: all essential ingredients for learning.
For educational games to be successful, their creators have to be meticulous about striking a careful balance between education and entertainment. Best Universities compiled a list of how different types of digital games meant for teaching students have evolved over time, ranging from DOS games like Oregon Trail to the latest version of the Scratch programming app for kids.
Twenty years ago, children took computer science classes in school with specific units for programming, typing, and other concepts. Today, students learn these same concepts from playing Minecraft, making their own servers for games, creating and installing "mods" that change the gameplay experience, and learning old-school HTML to create '90s flashback looks on their itch.io pages.
But with any discussion of video games comes the debate around screen time, which has long been a point of contention between parents and children. While educational games served as a compromise, the pandemic pushed most parents to concede screen time for online learning. And without a physical classroom, many educators seized the opportunity to use video games in unconventional ways to teach history, science, and coding during the height of pandemic-induced distance learning.
The world of educational video games has a rich, decades-long history. These games directly tie with analog educational technologies like creative worksheets, classroom role-playing projects, and even educational vinyl albums from previous decades. Developers are constantly iterating to make the latest technology more educational. | https://pantagraph.com/news/local/education/a-look-at-the-latest-central-illinois-scholarship-winners/article_8c54aac4-047f-11ee-868e-470ba6ed6369.html | 2023-06-07T12:11:02 | 1 | https://pantagraph.com/news/local/education/a-look-at-the-latest-central-illinois-scholarship-winners/article_8c54aac4-047f-11ee-868e-470ba6ed6369.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 7, 1923: Quite a number from McLean County and the central portion of the state will graduate from the University of Illinois on Monday, June 11. Ninety-two counties will be represented among the 1,623 students who will receive degrees. This number includes all colleges and departments at both Urbana and Chicago, and represents 225 more degrees than the university conferred last year.
75 years ago
June 7, 1948: Property owners having land among the natural watershed from the Bloomington Municipal airport were reported to be seeking engineering advice, as to the amount of increased draining to be caused by airfield improvements. Area residents report the watershed now occasionally overflows onto farm land.
50 years ago
June 7, 1973: With 1.73 inches of rain recorded in its first six days, June has taken up where May left off. The 3.5 inches of rain recorded for May boosted 1973 precipitation to 18.55 inches. That's 3.84 inches over the 14.71-inch average for the period.
25 years ago
June 7, 1998: District 87 and Unit 5 officials wanted a regional summer school program this summer, but differences in their teaching strategies have delayed the plan until 1999. Gene Jontry, McLean-Livingston-DeWitt Regional superintendent, said more time was needed to develop a curriculum that will help students from both Twin City districts.
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/100-years-ago-region-represented-among-university-of-illinois-graduates/article_90b65d58-03d3-11ee-9343-a3915ae6c3d4.html | 2023-06-07T12:11:09 | 1 | https://pantagraph.com/news/local/history/100-years-ago-region-represented-among-university-of-illinois-graduates/article_90b65d58-03d3-11ee-9343-a3915ae6c3d4.html |
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