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One of the most common questions people asked us after we returned home from Hawaii was: Did you see any lava?
Nope.
We did spend a day in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, home to some of the most active volcanoes in the world, but while we were there in mid-May, nothing spectacular was taking place.
Naturally, a few weeks after we returned home, the Kilauea volcano started erupting on June 7, displaying spectacular fountains of mesmerizing, glowing lava that’s a safe distance from people and structures in the national park on the Big Island.
Word of Kilauea’s lava fountains spread quickly, bringing massive crowds to the park.
Park official Jessica Ferracane said visitors could view the eruption from many overlooks.
“Kilauea overlook was spectacular this morning,” she said of the vast lava lake. “It was molten red lava. There’s several areas of pretty robust fountaining. It’s just really, really pretty.”
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So ... we didn’t see any lava.
But what I can tell you is that if you hike the Crater Rim Trail in the national park, there are some 275 steps to climb, give or take a few.
It’s a silly habit, I know, but whenever I start climbing stairs, I keep a running total in my head. No doubt that’s taking up valuable space better used to mastering, say, how to download all the photos on my phone to “the cloud” or recalling my high school French, but instead I kept track of those stairs.
I was hiking with my sister, Pat, and her husband, Steve, and son, Nick. And none of them share my “passion” for stair counting.
What we did share was disappointment that all was quiet in the national park during our visit.
Next time we’re in the neighborhood, Kilauea, would it kill you to send up a lava fountain? Please? | https://kenoshanews.com/news/local/hawaii-trip-sure-now-you-erupt/article_e4522b56-12a4-11ee-adbc-a332a540ba80.html | 2023-06-25T12:27:13 | 0 | https://kenoshanews.com/news/local/hawaii-trip-sure-now-you-erupt/article_e4522b56-12a4-11ee-adbc-a332a540ba80.html |
When you travel to Hawaii, it’s important to know your ABC’s.
It has nothing to do with the alphabet and everything to do with discount shopping.
The ABC Stores are a Hawaii icon unknown any place else in the U.S. except for an offshoot store in Las Vegas. (Where’s there’s also an Eiffel Tower and canals in “Venice,” so that tracks.)
Inside, you’ll find everything from Hawaiian shirts in all sizes, patterns and fabrics, to tables piled high with $5.95 T-shirts, beach towels, flip flops, sunglasses, and even fake flowers to clip in your hair.
There are not enough pages in this newspaper to list all the stuff you can buy at an ABC Store.
And we haven’t even mentioned the food, from macadamia nuts (“regular” and chocolate-covered) to various snacks, beverages and Spam specialties.
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Don’t worry about trying to find an ABC Store; it will find you.
There are ABC Stores on every street in Honolulu and spread across the islands.
You can’t stroll a full block in Waikiki without passing two or more ABC Stores. I might even have walked into an ABC Store located inside an even bigger ABC Store!
The chain is native to Hawaii, founded in 1964 by Sidney Kosasa, who opened his first store in Waikiki. The stores were originally named “Mister K.”
To make the store name easier to remember, it was changed “ABC Stores.”
And a legend was born.
Kosasa was born in Palolo Valley, Hawaii, in December 1919, and his experience in retail began while working in his parents’ grocery store in Palolo.
Years later, after he was operating pharmacies and was on a business trip to Florida, he noticed all the tourists near large hotels in Miami Beach and had a vision of starting a chain of resort stores in his home state.
Like millions of people before and after us, we came home with a few ABC Stores tote bags. Wherever he is, I think “Mister K” is smiling. | https://kenoshanews.com/news/local/hawaii-trip-the-abcs-of-discount-shopping/article_a75f9c72-12a1-11ee-9249-1360236e1d17.html | 2023-06-25T12:27:19 | 0 | https://kenoshanews.com/news/local/hawaii-trip-the-abcs-of-discount-shopping/article_a75f9c72-12a1-11ee-9249-1360236e1d17.html |
We love this, yeah, yeah yeah: June 25 is Global Beatles Day! We hope you’re dressed like a Yellow Submarine for the holiday.
Studio Moonfall, 5031 Seventh Ave., is hosting “Kenosha Book Festival: Chapter Three” from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. today. The free event includes authors “from a diverse range of genres” and used books on sale for $1. There will also be food from The Lumpia Lady and That’s A Wrap, plus hourly gift card giveaways. For the latest updates, go to KenoshaBookFestival.com.
The Kenosha Car Club is hosting a car show from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. today outside the Fireside Restaurant, 2801 30th Ave. It’s $10 to show a car; free to spectators. There will also be live music, food and drinks, silent auction items, a 50/50 raffle and goodie bags. All makes and models of cars are welcome. Proceeds benefit the Stars and Stripes Honor Flight of Wisconsin.
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The Anderson Arts Center, 6603 Third Ave., hosts a free opening reception from 1 to 4 p.m. today for its new exhibits, including the SE Chapter Wisconsin Visual Artists Showcase 2023. The artworks will be on display through Aug. 13. The Anderson Arts Center is open from 1 to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. Admission is free. For more information, go to kempercenter.com.
Prost! The Petrifying Springs Biergarten is open daily for the season. The Biergarten is open from 4 to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, noon to 9 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and noon to 8 p.m. Sundays. The Biergarten is located near the Highway JR entrance on the south end of Petrifying Springs Park, 5555 Seventh St., in Somers.
“From Curiosity to Science” — a permanent exhibit — can be toured on the second floor of the Kenosha Public Museum, 5500 First Ave. The exhibit offers visitors the chance to “take a journey of discovery from the 1600s through modern museum displays.” Admission is free. The museum is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sundays. For more information, call 262-653-4140 or log on at KenoshaPublicMuseum.org. | https://kenoshanews.com/news/local/kenosha-area-events-for-sunday-june-25/article_de5561ea-1138-11ee-8369-8b750a74990c.html | 2023-06-25T12:27:25 | 0 | https://kenoshanews.com/news/local/kenosha-area-events-for-sunday-june-25/article_de5561ea-1138-11ee-8369-8b750a74990c.html |
This summer’s “Secret Garden Walk” is just that — a pleasant walk through five local gardens.
Four Season Garden Club member Lynda Guy suggests you put on your walking shoes to enjoy the tour.
“The homes on the tour are in very close proximity,” she said. “It’s been a number of years since we have been able to do a true ‘walking tour’ and hope some of our more energetic guests might enjoy a stroll along the lakefront as well.”
Guy organized the garden tour along with fellow committee members Anne Bergquist, Nancy Gibbons, Nan Mellem, Lynn Passino and Karen Taskonis.
The annual tour, which over the years has taken local garden fans to all areas of the Kenosha community, is July 8 near the Downtown lakefront. In fact, the “bonus” stop this year — St. Matthew’s ElderGarten — has a view of Lake Michigan from its spot at 5835 Fourth Ave.
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The ElderGarten is “a recent addition to Kenosha and is billed as a ‘Senior Gardening Community in a Park-like Setting,’” Guy said. “Our club is very pleased to support their efforts and display their successes this year. There is no ticket necessary for that stop on our tour.”
This year’s private gardens on the tour are:
6226 Fifth Ave., the home of Nan Mellem: “A Study in Slow Transition.”
Mellem, a garden club member, has “continuously developed my yard as I learn. The back has a peculiar shape, is very shady and has a few sunny spots that roast in the summer.” Several of her plants have come from the club’s annual plant sale or from friends and relatives.
Mellem doesn’t use lawn fertilizers and calls herself “an infrequent mower — maybe once or twice a month.”
Her lawn, she said, is “also my salad bowl,” and she harvests plants like Purslane, which she freezes in ice cubes and adds to fruit smoothies in the winter.
Mellem shares her yard with her dog and cat, who both “enjoy napping on the sun-warmed stones alongside the pond.”
The yard, she added, “is a sanctuary for all of us. I hope you enjoy it as well.”
6314 Fifth Ave., the home of Caroline Howe and Keith Surroz: “Grand Plans to a Work in Progress”
Howe and Surroz have a master plan for their garden, which now sits in a dusty folder somewhere.
Instead, they take constant inspiration from “a 3-for-1 sale or a neighborhood walk.”
Their garden is a combination of sunny areas — with “an explosion of blooms, fragrances and colors” — and shady spots.
The backyard has three water features and a covered deck where they “splurge with tropical blossoms.”
The sun/shade theme carries over to the front yard, with its mix of houseplants on the shady porch and flowers in the sunny yard.
“Our spaces,” they add, “are always a work in progress, and we are delighted that you could come and share them with us.”
318 69th St., the home of Elizabeth and Tim Garland: “Vignettes”
The front and back landscapes “make two different impressions,” they said, “and yet both harmonize with each other and our 1928 Mediterranean home architecture.”
The front yard has what they call “an understated, formal look,” including a stone wall to “provide a terraced feel in the tradition of the Italian-style garden.”
The backyard has “a less manicured form,” with garden beds providing “a rich tapestry of color, texture and shape.”
Altogether, the diversity of plants “creates a beautiful mosaic,” they said.
Their garden beds are “planted thickly,” allowing weeds “little opportunity to thrive.” Also, the abundance of plants reminds them of Oscar Wilde’s words: “Moderation is a fatal thing. Nothing succeeds like excess.” (“Come see and tell us if you agree,” they add to Wilde’s quote.)
6910 Third Ave., the home of Marsha Caporaso: “Variation on an English Garden”
When Caporaso moved into her Tudor Revival house in 1995, “the backyard was a blank slate.”
Then she took a tour of famous English gardens in the summer of 1996 and has worked to bring “an English garden vibe” to her Kenosha landscape, including “lots of stone and brick, yew and boxwood hedges, high walls, plantings near the center of the lawn or open space, and, of course, roses.”
Each spring, she starts plants from seed in her basement — marigold, zinnia and perennials — and transplants them to the garden “to add bursts of color.”
Managing her garden, she adds, “has been a lot of fun, and there is always something interesting going on.”
217 69th St., the home of Crystal and Steve Miller: “The Horseshoe Garden”
When the Miller family moved to this home in 2019, they “had no idea how much they would enjoy the pleasures of small space gardening.”
Their home has only a “side yard,” which has become “a focal point of daily life” for the family.
Crystal Miller calls this space a “horseshoe,” explaining how she enjoys creating spaces “where people gather, not in circles, but in a horseshoe shape where there is always an open space for an acquaintance to join in.”
Crystal refers to the many evergreens in their yard as a “pinetum,” featuring unusual plants, including a Swiss Stone Pine, Cutty Sark and a Tamarack Larch conifer. By the time the garden tour comes to her home, she said, “there could be more.”
The Millers’ goal is for visitors “to feel the joy that this garden provides.” | https://kenoshanews.com/news/local/kenoshas-secret-garden-walk-is-july-8/article_7cea2546-11d6-11ee-bba3-9b8609428e7a.html | 2023-06-25T12:27:32 | 1 | https://kenoshanews.com/news/local/kenoshas-secret-garden-walk-is-july-8/article_7cea2546-11d6-11ee-bba3-9b8609428e7a.html |
The Lincoln Park Live Music Series is back for its eighth season with four free concerts, starting July 12.
The performances are Wednesday nights in the Lincoln Park flower garden, 6900 18th Ave.
“The City of Kenosha is proud to partner with the Mahone Fund, in collaboration with the Lincoln Park neighborhood, to present another season of free, amazing live music, great food and entertainment for all ages,” said 12th District Ald. Ruth Dyson. “Come join us in Lincoln Park with your dancing shoes. Singing out loud is encouraged.”
At each performance this summer, a local DJ will kick off the show.
Organizers said the new format was developed in response to fan feedback and will “enhance the music experience in the park. Each DJ will bring their own music format that reflects a wide range of music interest.”
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“The addition of our local DJ’s is a creative way to personalize the fan engagement so music aficionados can request their favorite tunes while jamming to the unique mixing styles of each professional DJ,” said Tim Mahone, chairman of the Mahone Fund, which presents the concerts.
The concerts, he added, have “a little bit of something for everyone to enjoy throughout the evening. It’s such an uplifting outdoor vibe for all to experience. That’s the joy of it all.”
On concert nights — July 12 and 19 and Aug. 9 and 23 — the park opens at 5 p.m., with the music starting at 6 p.m.
Admission is free to all performances. Food, soda, water, wine and beer will be available for purchase. Off-street parking is located next to the Lincoln Park baseball diamonds.
Steve Salituro, a former neighborhood resident, said while “growing up in the Lincoln Park neighborhood, I spent countless hours playing baseball, fishing, ice skating, sledding and enjoying all the park had to offer. Because of Lincoln Park Live, I have returned to spend time listening to great music and once again I am able to enjoy what Lincoln Park has to offer.”
Kris Kochman, community relations liaison for the City of Kenosha, said the flower gardens “offer a beautiful venue for some top-notch performers. I encourage everyone to come out and take advantage of this opportunity to enjoy live music at Lincoln Park.”
This year’s schedule brings a wide variety of R&B, reggae, New Orleans brass and jazz music to the flower garden.
Brandon Morris, Lincoln Park Live committee member, said he is looking forward to seeing “how the audience participation energizes the DJ interaction. The concert series was created in partnership with the neighborhood to bring the community back to the park, and we proudly stand by that mission.”
The concerts
Wednesday, July 12
6 p.m.: DJ MR262, who currently co-owns radio station WCQB 99.fm, distributed on iheartRadio. He has been in the music industry for 25 years.
6:45 p.m.: Extra Crispy Brass Band, an eight-piece New Orleans-style brass band performing a variety of music, ranging from jazz standards to contemporary pop tunes, played in the style of a traditional New Orleans street band. The “back line” consists of two drummers and a sousaphone. The drummers play bass drum and snare drum respectively, both with cymbals. The sousaphone plays the role traditionally occupied by a bass player. The “front line” features two trumpets, one tenor saxophone (doubling on soprano) and two trombones. Performances often include an acoustic parade to or from the stage, or around the venue.
Wednesday, July 19
6 p.m.: DJ Tim Hess, a local DJ, specializing in old school, throwbacks and early 2000s Top 40 tunes. He started working in the early ‘90s at local high school dances, weddings, private parties and corporate events. He was the in-house DJ at Coins Sports Bar and is currently hosting the monthly ‘80s Dance Party at 24’s Rumor’s Lounge in Kenosha.
6:45 p.m.: Natty Nation, a Madison-based group, performing reggae music. JAH Boogie (lead vocals and bass) musical director Aaron Konkol lead the group. Natty Nation, with more than two decades of performance experience, has backed up reggae legends Lee “Scratch” Perry, Chaka Demus & Pliers and shared the stage with Ziggy, Damian and Stephen Marley. The group’s overall message is simple: Spreading positive vibration.
Wednesday, Aug. 9
6 p.m.: Ryan “DJ Rino” Guerrero. Born and raised in Kenosha. he is an open format DJ who “can read the crowd and understand the right song to play at the right time.” He has been a DJ for more than 25 years in the Kenosha community, working at countless vents, from weddings to school dances and clubs. Healso hosts karaoke events.
6:45 p.m.: Cigarette Break, a Milwaukee-based band that formed in 2002 and focuses on contemporary music. Tim Ricketts leads the group, which performs at festivals, weddings and clubs around the nation. The band is made up of five musicians, occasionally joined by others: Drummer Olen Franklin, guitarist Darrien Williams, keyboardist Eric Lock, saxophonist Tobias Canon and bassist Timothy Ricketts.
Wednesday, Aug. 23
6 p.m.: DJ Cash, who has more than two decades of experience as a mobile DJ, specializing in weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, sporting events, celebrations, family and high school reunions, awards ceremonies and private parties.
6:45 p.m.: The Kal Bergandahl Project, a six-piece instrumental jazz-funk band. The vibrant unit features some of the area’s most familiar jazz faces. Blending free-flowing funk and memorable melodies; the ensemble is driven by a stellar horn section. The group’s latest release, “Parallels Ch. IV,” is available on all streaming platforms.
Lincoln Park Live is presented by the Mary Lou & Arthur F. Mahone Fund, a component of the Kenosha Community Foundation, in partnership with the City of Kenosha’s Parks Alliance. For more information, go to mahonefund.org/lpl/ | https://kenoshanews.com/news/local/lincoln-park-live-concerts-start-july-12/article_771c8630-11cd-11ee-af40-db36b304894e.html | 2023-06-25T12:27:38 | 0 | https://kenoshanews.com/news/local/lincoln-park-live-concerts-start-july-12/article_771c8630-11cd-11ee-af40-db36b304894e.html |
On every trip we take in the U.S., my husband, Rex, and I try to add a few more stamps to our National Park Passport collection.
This trip to Hawaii in May was extra special, because it brought it all full circle.
Our first National Park Passport stamp came on May 14, 2003, at Pu’Uhonua O’Honaunau National Historical Park on the Big Island. In fact, Rex bought the Passport books because, as he said at the time, “We may never be back here.”
So it was very cool to get a stamp at the same spot on May 10, 2023, almost exactly 20 years later.
I guess the moment was a little TOO exciting for me, because I promptly left our passports at the stamping station.
Yikes.
And I didn’t discover the passports, secured in a zippered bag, were missing until much later that night. By that time, we were sailing on The Pride of America cruise ship toward Kauai.
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We were both crushed, thinking that 20 years of collecting stamps from Maine to Oregon, with several stops in between, was suddenly gone.
Trying to look on the bright side, I said, “Well, now we have to go back to Yellowstone, Glacier National Park and Acadia.”
But it also meant retracing our steps to places like Craters of the Moon National Monument in Idaho. It’s a wonderful place to visit, but getting there is not fun at all, as you drive for hours and hours across flat, empty Plains.
Thanks to a wonderful staff member at Pu’Uhonua O’Honaunau, however, all was not lost.
I looked up the phone number for the park and called from our next port (as soon as we had cell service). It took a few hours for the park employee to call back, but she did find the bright orange bag at the lost-and-found and happily agreed to mail it to Wisconsin.
She didn’t even want any money for postage! Talk about the kindness of strangers.
Pu’Uhonua O’Honaunau National Historical Park celebrates what was a place of refuge for people who had broken the sacred laws, for which the only punishment was death. Their only chance of survival was to reach the Pu’Uhonua, which also protected defeated warriors and civilians during the time of battle. No physical harm could come to those who reached the boundaries of the Pu’Uhonua.
For us, it is also a sacred place, as we received our National Park Passports a few days after we returned home.
Thank the heavens and our National Park Service.
No, on to the next parks! | https://kenoshanews.com/news/local/lost-and-found-our-national-park-passport/article_3742c400-12b0-11ee-9c04-c3c853c1f9bb.html | 2023-06-25T12:27:44 | 1 | https://kenoshanews.com/news/local/lost-and-found-our-national-park-passport/article_3742c400-12b0-11ee-9c04-c3c853c1f9bb.html |
WGTD (91.1 FM) is owned and operated as a public service of Gateway Technical College and is an affiliate of Wisconsin Public Radio.
For an updated schedule, go online to wgtd.org. WGTD 91.1-FM’s “Morning Show” airs 8:10 to 9 a.m. weekdays.
Guests this week include:
Monday, June 26: Postponed from last week — James Kwak, co-author of “The Fear of Too Much Justice: Race, Poverty, and the Persistence of Inequality in the Criminal Courts.”
Tuesday, June 27: Part 1 — Dr. Jordan B. Metzl, author of “The Young Athlete: A Sports Doctor’s Complete Book for Parents.” Part 2 — Jim Platt talks about his book, “Sports Immortals: Stories of Inspiration and Achievement.”
Wednesday, June 28: Hugh E. Evans, author of “The Hidden Campaign: FDR’s Health and the 1944 Election.”
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Thursday, June 29: Carthage College Professor Art Cyr pays his monthly visit to the program to offer his analysis of current events and issues.
Friday, June 30: Part 1 — Christina Sauer, an associate editor with National Geographic, talks about “Why? The Human Body — 99+ Awesome Answers for Curious Kids.” Part 2 — Richard Rapport, author of “Nerve Endings: The Discovery of the Synapse.” Part 3 — Ian Stewart, author of “Why Beauty is Truth: A History of Symmetry.” | https://kenoshanews.com/news/local/wgtd-announces-morning-show-schedule-for-this-week/article_ac6be214-1294-11ee-bc5a-03ca3537c3cf.html | 2023-06-25T12:27:50 | 1 | https://kenoshanews.com/news/local/wgtd-announces-morning-show-schedule-for-this-week/article_ac6be214-1294-11ee-bc5a-03ca3537c3cf.html |
DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — DeKalb County Police are on the lookout for a missing 11-year-old who was last seen leaving home Saturday.
In a Twitter post, police simply referred to the boy as John, adding his home is on Cedar Creek Parkway.
He is described as being five feet tall and was last seen wearing a white shirt and black shorts. Police also said he has a scar on his left cheek.
Anyone who knows of his whereabouts is asked to call 911.
This is a developing story. Check back often for new information.
Also download the 11Alive News app and sign up to receive alerts for the latest on this story and other breaking news in Atlanta and north Georgia. | https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/missing-in-georgia/missing-11-year-old-dekalb-county/85-1825827c-b001-4810-8962-b4da0ef1ff0d | 2023-06-25T12:30:59 | 0 | https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/missing-in-georgia/missing-11-year-old-dekalb-county/85-1825827c-b001-4810-8962-b4da0ef1ff0d |
ORLANDO, Fla. – Whether choosing to resign or being ousted by newly-elected school boards, superintendent turnover continues to grow among Florida school districts.
After three years of leading Volusia County Schools, Scott Fritz was terminated by the school board last year in a 3-to-2 vote.
Fritz, who’s now the CEO of Early Learning Coalition of Orange County, joined anchor Justin Warmoth on “The Weekly” to talk about what he believes is happening in districts across the state.
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“I think we need to check politics at the door,” he said. “I was reading that 61 out of 67 superintendents have been replaced over the last three years for one reason or another. Clearly something’s not working.”
Fritz also discussed the importance of making sure children are kindergarten-ready and why it’s crucial for their overall success later in life.
Watch the full interview in the video player above.
You can listen to every episode of Florida’s Fourth Estate in the media player below: | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2023/06/25/we-need-to-check-politics-at-the-door-central-florida-educator-talks-superintendent-turnover/ | 2023-06-25T12:35:18 | 0 | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2023/06/25/we-need-to-check-politics-at-the-door-central-florida-educator-talks-superintendent-turnover/ |
Cedar Falls Mayor Rob Green presents astronaut Raja Chari with the key to the city during the Sturgis Falls Celebration on June 23, 2023. Credit Andy Milone.
CEDAR FALLS — The Sturgis Falls Celebration continues to be a high point of a lot of families’ summer.
Thousands flocked to the 47th annual festival Friday and Saturday.
Sometimes, it is things unique to the year that cause people to come out. Hometown astronaut Raja Chari – the celebrity grand marshal – got a lot of attention this year. But everyone has their own reasons for making the trip year after year, whether that’s a quick walk to the various attractions or traveling from a distance to return to the place they used to call home.
“Festivals create that community spirit and then maintain that sense of community and keep it strong,” said Ava Koester of Gladbrook, who’s lived in town around Cedar Falls. “Towns aren’t much fun to live in without them, and they are one of the great things about the summers in the Midwest.”
She remembers the days of running around to all the different parks, the flea market, meeting up with friends, listening to Saints All-Star Dixieland Band music, and eating turkey legs.
She’s can’t do as much as she used to do. But Koester, her husband, Paul, and friends continue to find ways to be “kids at heart.”
One of those acquaintances, Connie Malven of Waterloo, came with her husband, Bill, from Maynard. She had a daisy balloon creation from Zounds The Clown tied around her wrist and was playing around with astronaut-themed Raja Chari glasses.
They recollected Saturday about the parade they experienced in the morning and the talent show the night before while sitting under a tent in Overman Park to avoid scattered rain, listening to music, and enjoying various foods like rib sandwiches.
“We haven’t found food we don’t like,” quipped Paul Malven.
Everyone comes for something different. Sue Ruschill grew up in the area and now lives near Burlington. She came for family and the music. In particular, the Marine Corp Band is always entertaining and impressive, she said, and the Cedar Basin Music Festival gave them another reason to come out. Katie and the Honky Tonks, as well as Dry Run Creek, were among the favorite music groups.
It was the more popular 1990s country music that had her family singing along. Among the memorable numbers played was “The Race Is On” by Sawyer Brown, said her daughter, Emily Ruschill, of Des Moines.
The beef and grilled cheese from Cottonwood Canyon was among the food highlights.
“We’re enjoying the food, music and praying the rain stops,” said Sue Ruschill. “It’s something different to do every year. It’s the novelty of it for me at this point. I’m sure for the area though, the revenue is a bonus and it showcases what the area has to offer. In the last 50 years, Cedar Falls has grown by leaps and bounds. The downtown especially is so much different from the 1970s, and is such an improvement.”
And, of course, Sturgis Falls and the Cedar Basin Music Festival is a place for families to create memories.
“It’s one of the highlights of the year for everyone,” said Holly Malm, a Cedar Valley native and University of Northern Iowa graduate whose family travels from Colorado for the annual event. “We like watching the kids have so much fun.”
Malm and Aaron Mangel, another UNI alumnus, brought their three kids. They were enjoying the balloon animals.
Madeline, 6, walked proudly bearing an orange kitten named “Orange.” Audrey, 9, had a long blue snake called “Blueberry.” Their plans included listening to the jazz bands, visiting the Ice House Museum, and stopping for treats like funnel cakes and donuts.
The craft sales are another favorite event. In particular, the girls like checking out the dog clothes, jewelry and art.
“Since I was little, we’ve come back every year,” Malm said.
“Everybody has gone their separate ways over the years,” added Aaron Mangel. “This is the one place where you can catch up with everybody.”
The Sturgis Falls Celebration and the Cedar Basin Music Festival continue Sunday. | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/sturgis-cedar-basin-create-memories/article_bab851f8-1083-11ee-b064-b772e6c92061.html | 2023-06-25T12:36:53 | 0 | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/sturgis-cedar-basin-create-memories/article_bab851f8-1083-11ee-b064-b772e6c92061.html |
Bickel students hold penny drive for food pantryOver the course of the year, the Bickel fourth grade raised money for the Bickel Food Pantry. After discussing a selection from a reading series about a successful penny drive, the class decided to try doing the same thing. The class raised $30.34 in change and challenged others to join in. There were contributions that came in from all over the country (including 12 different states). In total, students raised $1,909.30.
The money was used to resupply the school with tissues and to buy a new freezer for the food pantry.
Rural School Arts GrantsOver 70 Idaho rural public schools, school districts and charter schools are receiving funding to improve arts programs for their students. In the Magic Valley, 11 school districts received over $161,000.
The Expanding Arts Access in Rural Public Schools program, championed by Gov. Brad Little, makes $1 million in grant funds available annually for rural schools, districts and charters. The grants, ranging from $15,000 to just under $2,000, were awarded based on recommendations made by an advisory panel of arts teachers and college professors who reviewed the submitted grants.
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A complete list of the arts grant recipients is posted on the Idaho Commission on the Arts webpage.
The 2023 Magic Valley awardees are as follows:
- Blaine County School District, $15,000.00
- Cassia County School District, $15,000.00
- Castleford Joint School District, $14,889.08
- Counties of Jerome & Lincoln, $15,000.00
- Gooding County School District, 15,000.00
- Twin Falls School District, $15,000.00
- Dietrich School District, $14,229.74
- Filer School District, $14,408.03
- Minidoka County Joint School District, $15,000.00
- Murtaugh School District, $13,100.00
- Wendell School District, $14,830.97
Kimberly honors trustee NieldKimberly School District held a celebration this week in recognition of Myron Nield’s 16 years of service as a trustee of the Kimberly School Board.
In May, Nield announced his resignation from the Kimberly School Board as board chair and trustee for Zone 5. The district honored him during the regularly scheduled meeting with shared stories, mementos and cake.
Trustee Nield was elected in 2007 and has continually served his patrons for 16 years.
A post on the School District’s Facebook page said Nield was often referred to as the voice of reason, a clear head, and a strong voice for the district’s students.
“His heart always has been, and always will be, with Kimberly Schools,” the post said. “He has been a steady influence working tirelessly behind the scenes to make Kimberly Schools GREAT then, now, and in the future. He truly is a Bulldog through and through!”
Nield had seen Kimberly School District through two superintendent changes, multiple bond-building projects, levy elections, growing student enrollments, financial recessions, budget challenges, schedule changes, creation of a charter school and a pandemic.
— From staff reports | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/magic-valley-school-briefs/article_d953009c-11ee-11ee-97a1-03852cca7465.html | 2023-06-25T12:39:29 | 0 | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/magic-valley-school-briefs/article_d953009c-11ee-11ee-97a1-03852cca7465.html |
In each Sunday edition of the Times-News, we highlight our photographers’ best photos from recent stories.
For more photo galleries go to Magicvalley.com/gallery or follow the Times-News Instagram account @magicvalleytn.
In each Sunday edition of the Times-News, we highlight our photographers’ best photos from recent stories.
For more photo galleries go to Magicvalley.com/gallery or follow the Times-News Instagram account @magicvalleytn.
CURIOUS MIND: What are they doing in the median between Twin Falls and Jerome?
Death notices for Tuesday, June 20, 2023.
Death notices for Friday, June 23, 2023.
Four days of music to kick off at Twin Falls County Fairgrounds.
Death notices for Saturday, June 24, 2023.
Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/refugees-music-and-waterfalls/article_3b15dac6-112b-11ee-b015-936397680515.html | 2023-06-25T12:39:33 | 0 | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/refugees-music-and-waterfalls/article_3b15dac6-112b-11ee-b015-936397680515.html |
PITTSBURGH — 2 people were shot in the parking lot of Homewood’s Galaxy Lounge early Sunday morning.
According to Pittsburgh police, the shooting happened in the 7200 block of Kelly Street just before 5 a.m.
Responding officers found two male victims at the scene, police said.
One person was taken to the hospital with critical injuries and the second victim arrived at the hospital by private means and was last listed in critical but stable condition.
Our crew at the scene learned that shots were fired in the parking lot between the Galaxy Lounge and Club Energy. Gunfire also spilled into the street.
There are currently no suspects or arrests in the shooting, police said.
The owner of Club Energy, 412 Fiya, said the shooting doesn’t reflect her business. They have several security guards who have no control of what happens when people leave the club.
The investigation is ongoing.
Our crew at the scene is working to learn more, including how many people were shot. Tune in to Channel 11 Morning News for details as they come in.
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CLAIRTON, Pa. — A man was hospitalized after he was physically assaulted in Clairton early Sunday morning.
According to Allegheny County police, dispatch was notified of a fight in the 800 block of Vankirk Street at around 5:45 a.m.
Emergency crews found a man who had been physically assaulted at the scene, police said.
The man was taken to a local hospital. His condition isn’t known at this time.
Allegheny County police are investigating.
Anyone with information concerning this incident is asked to call the County Police Tip Line 1-833-ALL-TIPS. Callers can remain anonymous.
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PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh police are investigating an overnight aggravated assault where a man was shot.
According to police, officers were called to William Penn Place and Sixth Avenue in Downtown Pittsburgh for reports of a man shot just after 4 a.m.
First responders found bystanders rendering aid to the victim, who had been shot in the hip area.
The victim was taken to a local hospital in stable condition.
According to police, responding officers found a shell casing on Strawberry Way, near where the victim was found.
There are no suspects or arrests at this time, police said.
The investigation is ongoing.
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PITTSBURGH — A person was shot and killed while riding his bike in Pittsburgh’s North Side early Sunday morning.
According to Pittsburgh police, the shooting happened on Federal Street at W. North Avenue at around 7 a.m.
Responding officers found a male victim down on the street who had been shot in the back while riding his bike.
The initial investigation shows that the victim had a brief exchange with a male suspect moments before he was shot, police said
The victim was taken to a local hospital in critical condition but was pronounced dead a short time later.
The Mobile Crime Unit and Violent Crime Unit detectives are investigating.
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The facts of the case are not in dispute. The defendant was the last person to see her husband alive. His disappearance coincided with a weekend do-it-yourself remodeling project that went awry.
The prosecution wants you to believe that the defendant murdered her husband over a botched bathroom-tile project, even though neither body nor evidence of foul play has been presented. The prosecution’s entire case is based on hearsay, circumstantial evidence and a missing spouse.
It has been a lengthy trial with depositions and hundreds of hardware-store receipts. Please, if you will, set aside the facts as the prosecutor has presented them and consider the possibility there is another, less nefarious explanation for the disappearance of the defendant’s husband.
But first, it must be said that the true burden of responsibility should be placed at the feet of the media. Who among us has not been enticed to tackle a home-improvement project based on a television program; one that reveals how professional craftsmen can afford to send their children to private schools.
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“Remodel your bedroom into a replica of the Sistine Chapel, complete with frescoes, in just one weekend. We’ll be back in a minute to show you how.”
Maybe it’s a simpler project, like tiling a bathroom. Those television people look just like you and me, and the defendant, except they are smiling and confident with grout. They are obviously good folks, full of enthusiasm and well-nourished. As we watch them, between commercial breaks, doing all the tile tasks in a cheerful and step-by-step fashion, we begin to realize that our own bathrooms are sub-standard, hardly better than a backwoods outhouse.
There are tasks that men and women can do together — like taking separate vacations — and there are tasks that lead to marital strife — like a home-improvement project.
Every home-improvement show should come with a warning: “May cause a divorce.”
But for the lack of a simple warning label, we wouldn’t be in this courtroom today and the defendant wouldn’t be under suspicion of murdering her devoted husband.
It is a fact that home-improvement projects strain marital relationships. Consider Myron Sterling of Kenosha, Wisconsin. He holds the world record for trips to a hardware store by a single individual undertaking a do-it-yourself project. The installation of a garbage disposal in his kitchen sink required Mr. Sterling to take 87 trips to the hardware store during a holiday weekend. Mr. and Mrs. Sterling have since divorced.
There can be no doubt that had the defendant and her husband not seen that televised tiling demonstration one listless evening, they would never have ventured down the “tile aisle” at the hardware store — only to end up here, in this courtroom.
In conclusion, my client is not guilty of murder. As for the whereabouts of her husband, my private investigator is pursuing a lead in Pahrump, Nevada, that I am confident will confirm that her errant spouse is very much alive and living under an assumed name, and dealing blackjack at a roadside casino. A tile job gone bad will do that to a man.
The defense rests. | https://azdailysun.com/news/local/carpenters-column-ladies-and-gentlemen-of-the-jury/article_89c1716a-12d1-11ee-8fbd-0fbfdb33851a.html | 2023-06-25T13:06:52 | 1 | https://azdailysun.com/news/local/carpenters-column-ladies-and-gentlemen-of-the-jury/article_89c1716a-12d1-11ee-8fbd-0fbfdb33851a.html |
100 years ago
1923: The Great White Father at Washington is displeased with his red-skin children on the Arizona reservation. He believes they play too much; that they cling too closely to ancient, time-honored rites and customs. And his long arm is reaching out to curtail their pleasures; to demolish some of the strange, weird and beautiful ceremonies they in their own superstitiously reverent way believe to be marvelously potent influences in their lives. U.S. Commissioner of Indian Affairs Burke not long ago wrote the Arizona Indian tribes, asking them to give up their tribal dances. He particularly mentioned the famous Hopi snake dance, saying he believed the handling of poisonous reptiles is wrong. He said if his request is not observed it will be followed by executive order.
This action, if such action is taken, as it now seems certain it will be, will be a surprise and disappointment not only to the people of Arizona and the Southwest, but to thousands all over the world. The Hopi snake dance, held in August each year, is probably the most widely featured and popular Indian ceremonial held anywhere. Each year visitors come from all over the world to view it. Many come again and again. Members of the Snake Clan who take part in the dance are specially prepared by a rigorous system of training against death or even serious illness in the event one is bitten.
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75 years ago
1948: To observe interesting behind-the-scenes operations that are of key importance in the administration of a national park, 42 students of geology and principles of natural resource management at Arizona State College at Flagstaff left Thursday for an all-day field trip at Grand Canyon. Agnes Allen, head of the science department and instructor of the two classes, is in charge of the trip. The students will learn of the Grand Canyon water system, sewage system, water reclamation plant, naturalists’ workshop and techniques of properly handling large numbers of visitors. Harold Bryant, superintendent of Grand Canyon National Park, who lectured to the resource management class earlier this week at the college, and his staff will act as lecturers and guides on the trip today.
Sam B. Dunham, of Anderson-Dunham Company, Hollywood firm specializing in boarding and supplying movie location companies, told the Daily Sun through United Press today that the several movie studios have an iron-clad agreement to “stand pat” on refusing to make pictures in Arizona until the state compensation law is changed. Dunham said that the Arizona Supreme Court ruling of yesterday, to the effect that the movie companies may set the amount of insurance at $1,000 per week or less for the highly paid actors, “doesn’t limit the film companies’ liability” in case of serious injury or death.
50 years ago
1973: The Flagstaff City Council will be asked for stricter enforcement of the city’s leash law when representatives of a citizen’s group appear at its regular meeting. The group held a meeting last week and decided to request the council to order a more strict enforcement of the law. The meeting was the result of a severe dog problem that seems to be prevailing in all areas of the city, resulting in dogs roaming at will, attacking people and causing problems in other ways.
Fort Tuthill will become a medieval court Saturday and Sunday. In fact, it will become a rather violent medieval court. About 50 would-be knights from the Kingdom of Atenveldt (Phoenix) will converge on Flagstaff for the first tournament to be held in the history of the city. The kingdom is part of an international organization called the Society for Creative Anachronism, said Robert Munson, a lord and archaeologist for the Museum of Northern Arizona. Munson said the 50 warriors, who will be armed with such weapons as maces, broadswords, spears and lances, will be trying to earn the title of “War Lord.” This, he says, will be given to those who show a great deal of proficiency with all the weapons. “We usually average one serious injury a tournament,” Munson said. “But the most common thing is exhaustion.” He said individual battles have been known to go on for as long as one hour. And that is not easy wearing a full suit of armor and carrying what amounts to a heavy broadsword.
25 years ago
1998: Even after the defeat of anti-tobacco legislation in Congress earlier this week, local efforts to curb tobacco use have not dwindled. We hope this continues. More now than ever we need local, grassroots efforts to stop smoking. U.S. Sen. John McCain’s bill would have raised $516 billion over 25 years, in part by raising the price of a pack of cigarettes by $1.10 over five years. It also would have granted the Food and Drug Administration authority to regulate nicotine and severely limit the industry’s ability to advertise their products, especially to children. To those who objected to the extra $1.10 as too steep for the low-income smoker, we should note that there are taxes and then there are taxes. If the tax on a pack of cigarettes cuts into your grocery bill, cut back on the smokes.
For the time being, though, cigarettes won’t get any more expensive and tobacco companies will once again be able to target minors in their Joe Camel ads. But even though local authorities aren’t quite sure what the benefit of the bill was, because it changed so many times and was so complex, its major aim was one we could all agree on: Stop kids from smoking.
Susan Johnson has lived in Flagstaff for over 30 years and loves to delve into her adopted hometown’s past. She has written two books for the History Press, Haunted Flagstaff and Flagstaff’s Walkup Family Murders, and, with her son Nick, manages Freaky Foot Tours. You’ll find her hiking the trails with her corgi, Shimmer.
All events were taken from issues of the Arizona Daily Sun and its predecessors, the Coconino Weekly Sun and the Coconino Sun. | https://azdailysun.com/news/local/flagstaff-history-hollywood-hit-stop-on-filming-in-arizona/article_8fac498c-1147-11ee-a692-33a384f4475e.html | 2023-06-25T13:06:58 | 0 | https://azdailysun.com/news/local/flagstaff-history-hollywood-hit-stop-on-filming-in-arizona/article_8fac498c-1147-11ee-a692-33a384f4475e.html |
Starting this Tuesday, readers of the Arizona Daily Sun will enjoy an expanded print newspaper with a different publication schedule and delivery model.
Each week, you’ll receive your print edition on three days -- Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays -- with four sections each day and enhanced coverage of local, national and international news, sports, features, comics, puzzles and more. On the days without a print edition, you’ll still be able to find the latest news on our digital platforms, including our new-and-improved app. You’ll also still be able to enjoy the feel of flipping through a daily newspaper by accessing our E-edition, which will provide a newspaper experience seven days a week, 365 days a year.
Also starting this week, your newspaper will be delivered by the U.S. Postal Service each day along with your regular mail.
As always, our commitment to being the strongest local news provider remains steadfast, and your financial support allows us to sustain and grow local journalism in our community.
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Thank you for supporting journalism in northern Arizona, and we hope you enjoy your new print edition. | https://azdailysun.com/news/local/reminder-new-print-edition-schedule-this-week/article_5d77868c-12ac-11ee-a60c-0f554bdcee1b.html | 2023-06-25T13:07:04 | 1 | https://azdailysun.com/news/local/reminder-new-print-edition-schedule-this-week/article_5d77868c-12ac-11ee-a60c-0f554bdcee1b.html |
People are shocked when I tell them this is my first year in the Flagstaff Running Series.
I’m shocked, too.
After all, the series has been going strong since 2005 under the volunteer leadership of organizer Neil Weintraub. I’ve been a Flagstaff runner for more than 10 years. And I’ve coordinated this column since 2019. If anyone is a likely candidate for participating in a racing series that raises money for worthy nonprofits, it’s me.
So what took me so long?
That’s the question I asked myself last Saturday as I warmed up before the 10K in the Northland Hospice Run for Life, the first race in the 2023 five-race series. It was the 25th Run for Life: what a proud tradition, and what an amazing thing to be part of.
At the starting line, the high country running community surrounded me. Some runners wore memorial bibs with the name of a loved one they were running for. Little kids stood beside their parents, eager to experience the thrill when a crowd of runners gets the signal to GO.
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What took me so long? I thought as I ran in a crowd, down Aspen and up Birch.
The easy answer is that for all those years, I had to take out-of-town vacations in the summer. I didn’t want to fit them around a packed racing schedule. Now that I’m no longer tied to the academic year, I can plan vacations around racing without short-changing either.
What took me so long? I wondered as I ran up Thorpe Road and into the suburban maze west of Route 180. The idea of doing five or six races in a summer, plus the Soulstice Mountain Trail Run, was daunting. Racing makes me nervous, and there’s a temptation to push too hard.
Relax and breathe, I told myself as I started to recall the 2015 Tucson Half Marathon. I set my 10K PR there. I also developed a stress fracture in a foot bone. Because of Tucson, I don’t necessarily associate racing with staying healthy.
Around me as we ran along the FUTS trail and around the “Kutch Loop,” runners pushed their limits and volunteers shouted encouragement. On a sunny June day in Flagstaff, any negative thoughts in my mind were easily brushed away by the beautiful surroundings and the camaraderie of shared effort.
Making the left onto Aspen, I was running with two other women whose footsteps were drumbeats, driving me along the course. We crossed the finish line and were welcomed by family and friends.
What took me so long to join the Flagstaff Running Series? It generates funds for stellar local nonprofits and gives us goals to train for and a community with whom to achieve them.
Starting July 29 with the Hopi Footprints 10K and 2 Mile Fun Run and Kid’s Dash, series runners face the challenge of racing on three Saturdays in a row. I’m looking forward to seeing how we do.
Better late than never, right?
Please send your running stories and ideas to coordinating editor Julie Hammonds (runner@juliehammonds.com) to be featured in this column. | https://azdailysun.com/sports/local/high-country-running-running-the-suburban-maze/article_2b1675a0-123d-11ee-b6ae-bb1d9da70d7e.html | 2023-06-25T13:07:10 | 0 | https://azdailysun.com/sports/local/high-country-running-running-the-suburban-maze/article_2b1675a0-123d-11ee-b6ae-bb1d9da70d7e.html |
Scattered showers and storms will continue with another cold front today. Damaging wind and hail can't be ruled out. Get the latest on timing, how much we'll cool down, and an even better chance of rain on Monday in our updated forecast video.
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Don't have an account? Sign Up Today | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/weather/weather-forecast-hammond-valparaiso-crown-point-chicago/article_cb941664-12c3-11ee-8238-7b53666d6167.html | 2023-06-25T13:14:36 | 0 | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/weather/weather-forecast-hammond-valparaiso-crown-point-chicago/article_cb941664-12c3-11ee-8238-7b53666d6167.html |
ORLANDO, Fla. — Editor’s note: This story is available as a result of a content partnership between WFTV and the Orlando Business Journal.
University of North Florida Associate Professor Carolyne Ali-Khan started looking at jobs outside of Florida a year ago, as it became clear that bills restricting diversity, equity and inclusion in education were going to be passed by the state Legislature.
Read: Titanic tourist sub: What is a ‘catastrophic implosion?’
Now, Ali-Khan, who specializes in teaching critical multiculturalism, is leaving to take a job at Molloy University — a private university in New York — in August.
She isn’t the only one.
Click here to read the full story on the Orlando Business Journal’s website.
©2023 Cox Media Group | https://www.wftv.com/news/local/dei-policy-changes-florida-are-impacting-higher-education-business/22BCYWC6E5FR5K56NRCMQC5SNE/ | 2023-06-25T13:19:36 | 0 | https://www.wftv.com/news/local/dei-policy-changes-florida-are-impacting-higher-education-business/22BCYWC6E5FR5K56NRCMQC5SNE/ |
ORLANDO, Fla. — Rain chances will drop slightly for Central Florida today, with only a 30% chance for scattered showers and storms.
>>> STREAM CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS LIVE <<<
Meteorologist Kassandra Crimi said the focus will be on our southern zones.
Meanwhile, temps will be hot, high in the upper 80s and low 90s. Heat index values near 100 degrees again Sunday.
Read: Tropical Storm Cindy marches on, continues to weaken
We’ll continue to see a drier forecast this upcoming week, but it’s getting hotter.
Highs will be in the mid-90s all week, with heat index values expected to hit 100 to 105 degrees.
Follow our Severe Weather team on Twitter for live updates:
Click here to download the free WFTV news and weather apps, click here to download the WFTV Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
©2023 Cox Media Group | https://www.wftv.com/news/local/hot-temps-low-rain-chances-central-florida/IKSX2CBCINAZPCOUW2OAB3OLJ4/ | 2023-06-25T13:19:42 | 1 | https://www.wftv.com/news/local/hot-temps-low-rain-chances-central-florida/IKSX2CBCINAZPCOUW2OAB3OLJ4/ |
ORLANDO, Fla. — The Orange County Sheriff’s Office said a woman has died after a shooting Saturday night.
>>> STREAM CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS LIVE <<<
According to a news release, deputies responded to International Drive near SeaWorld Orlando around 11:40 p.m.
Investigators said they found a woman who had been shot, and after she was taken to the hospital, she died from her injuries.
Deputies: $5K reward offered for information in Orange County banquet hall shooting
Deputies said that all parties involved are cooperating with law enforcement.
Channel 9 will provide updates on this developing story as it becomes available.
See a map of the scene below:
Click here to download the free WFTV news and weather apps, click here to download the WFTV Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
©2023 Cox Media Group | https://www.wftv.com/news/local/woman-dies-shooting-i-drive-orange-county-deputies-say/KL5YCG3EOFCQVN5GENWEVJWPL4/ | 2023-06-25T13:19:48 | 0 | https://www.wftv.com/news/local/woman-dies-shooting-i-drive-orange-county-deputies-say/KL5YCG3EOFCQVN5GENWEVJWPL4/ |
BRIGANTINE — Andrea Sullivan describes the weekend on 20th Street in the city island as “Miami Beach during spring break.”
There’s music blaring from a beach house, people chatting loudly, drinking and partying all night and into the morning, occasionally even sitting on the roofs of three-story houses.
That’s the scenario Sullivan and other 20th Street residents said they feel like they’re dealing with more often due to “party houses” in the neighborhood.
Sullivan acknowledged that not all short-term renters posed a problem.
“People coming for a week or weekend to enjoy our beautiful town and beaches, that’s not a problem,” said Sullivan. “The ones that turn it into a retreat, wedding, bachelor party, frat house ... that’s an issue.”
Sullivan said there are four short-term rentals in the 300 and 400 blocks of 20th Street that the neighborhood was concerned about— two in the 400 block and two in the 300 block.
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As more people use Airbnb, Vrbo and other online short-term rental services to book their trips to the island, residents feel like they’re dealing with rowdy, temporary neighbors more often.
Airbnb has taken several measures recently to reduce disruptive and unauthorized parties.
In August 2020, the company implemented a global party ban and has seen a global 55% decrease in the rate of parties reported to them over the past two years, Airbnb said in a news release.
Airbnb says it also has other party prevention systems, like blocking certain one-night and two-night reservations over Memorial Day and Fourth of July weekends last year.
It deterred more than 300 people from booking in the Garden State over Memorial Day weekend in 2022.
Airbnb also encourages New Jersey residents to get in touch with the company via its 24/7 Neighborhood Support Line with any concerns about short-term rental properties in their neighborhoods.
Mayor Vince Sera said he was well aware of the residents’ concerns, as party houses are a major issue in almost every shore community.
Towns up and down Absecon Island have enacted legislation to try to curtail party houses.
Margate has enacted a 10-day minimum stay for short-term rentals. Longport passed an ordinance earlier this month stating that short-term rental stays could be no less than 14 consecutive days. The borough’s ordinance also requires short-term rentals to register with the city so they can be inspected properly.
Ventnor passed an ordinance May 26 that required a three-day minimum stay for short-term rentals. At one point Ventnor had considered a five-day minimum.
OCEAN CITY — City officials seem likely to move forward with a new transient tax on properti…
“We decreased the minimum stay because we still want to have people come here, especially during the offseason for people that come for a weekend,” Mayor Lance Landgraf said.
While surrounding towns have struggled with the issue, Atlantic City has not, city spokesperson Andrew Kramer said.
“The City of Atlantic City has received next to no recent complaints about parties at short-term rentals,” said Kramer, who noted the city has a 24/7 hotline if anyone ever wanted to report a party house. “If we are receiving complaints, we would immediately reach out to the property owner. But again, based on the amount of complaints coming in, this is not an issue in Atlantic City at this time.”
In 2017, Brigantine passed an ordinance that required short-term rental properties to get a license, undergo inspection and register with the city. This allowed the city to go after owners of nuisance properties and issue fines to those who did not comply.
Sera said the city also formed a subcommittee to handle issues surrounding short-term rentals. Additionally, the city is working on ways to ensure people are building homes for the right reasons, noting “there’s a big difference between someone who builds a big home for their personal enjoyment and somebody who’s building a big home just to make a profit.”
“One of the things we’re doing right now is that we are reviewing all of our current laws and ordinances to see what we can do to enforce things better,” Sera said.
Sera said one of the biggest challenges for the city when it comes to regulating short-term rentals is staffing. The city has a two employees who are tasked with overseeing the rental market.
“We probably have about roughly 2,000 short-term rental properties within Brigantine,” Sera said. “Right now, we have one person who does inspections. And we have one code enforcement official who not only has to pay attention to code enforcement of what’s going on with short-term rental properties, but also have to pay attention to all the code enforcement issues that come up with our construction. It’s too much for one person to handle, so we need to start to look at bringing in staff.”
OCEAN CITY — City officials are exploring the possibility of an additional tax on units rent…
Another challenge for the city is communication between residents. Sera said residents need to file complaints so the city has strong standing to take action against short-term rental owners.
Sullivan said 20th Street residents have called police in the past when it came to parking issues, like blocking resident driveways, and noise complaints. But that usually ended with officers maybe issuing parking tickets or telling people to lower the music.
“There’s two properties that people have had a lot of issues with. I actually asked our police to give me the number on how many complaints were filed against that property. And there were only four filed in the last year and a half,” said Sera, noting some residents don’t want to be a bother to neighbors or police. “There were three parking complaints and one noise complaint. To take an issue before a judge and kind of show that, hey, there was a real nuisance of real harm to our community from a property or properties, we have to have that evidence to show that.”
In 2022, Airbnb said just 0.039% of reservations resulted in an allegation of a party globally.
Sullivan said some of the ways residents wanted the party house issue mitigated were through regulating maximum occupancy, ensuring houses aren’t being used as commercial properties in residential areas to host events, enforcing zoning and code laws, and holding short-term rental property owners or managers accountable.
“Brigantine is going to do everything within its power to correct this,” said Sera. “We’re going to take the time to make sure that we do this correctly.” | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/brigantine-takes-steps-to-address-party-houses/article_54d862d6-11bb-11ee-85d9-0f35fe25f5ec.html | 2023-06-25T13:20:17 | 1 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/brigantine-takes-steps-to-address-party-houses/article_54d862d6-11bb-11ee-85d9-0f35fe25f5ec.html |
SAN ANTONIO — A young man is in critical condition after he was struck by a vehicle just north of downtown overnight.
Police were called out to the 1000 block of San Pedro Avenue near Evergreen by the VIA transit station around 2:15 a.m. for reports of a man being hit by a vehicle.
When police arrived, they found a 19-year-old man with traumatic wounds. SAPD says initially he was not responsive, and was taken to University Hospital in critical condition.
The driver who hit the man did not stop. Police were not able to locate the dark 4-door sedan described by witnesses.
This is an ongoing investigation.
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Learn more about KENS 5:
Since going on the air in 1950, KENS 5 has strived to be the best, most trusted news and entertainment source for generations of San Antonians.
KENS 5 has brought numerous firsts to South Texas television, including being the first local station with a helicopter, the first with its own Doppler radar and the first to air a local morning news program.
Over the years, KENS 5 has worked to transform local news. Our cameras have been the lens bringing history into local viewers' homes. We're proud of our legacy as we serve San Antonians today.
Today, KENS 5 continues to set the standard in local broadcasting and is recognized by its peers for excellence and innovation. The KENS 5 News team focuses on stories that really matter to our community.
You can find KENS 5 in more places than ever before, including KENS5.com, the KENS 5 app, the KENS 5 YouTube channel, KENS 5's Roku and Fire TV apps, and across social media on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and more!
Want to get in touch with someone at KENS 5? You can send a message using our Contacts page or email one of our team members. | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/man-in-critical-condition-after-struck-by-vehicle-just-north-of-downtown-sapd-san-antonio-texas-via/273-9c969378-7d52-433b-98bc-389415cf3d2c | 2023-06-25T13:22:20 | 1 | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/man-in-critical-condition-after-struck-by-vehicle-just-north-of-downtown-sapd-san-antonio-texas-via/273-9c969378-7d52-433b-98bc-389415cf3d2c |
SAN ANTONIO — A man was struck and killed by a driver on the southside overnight, police say.
San Antonio Police responded around 1:06 a.m. to the 2200 block of SW Military Drive for reports of a pedestrian being hit by an SUV.
When officers arrived at the location, tthey found a man in his 50s with severe trauma.
Despite life-saving measures, the man was pronounced dead from his injuries at the scene.
The driver who struck the man remained at the scene and called police. He told officers that he didn't see the man due to the dark-colored clothing he was wearing. He said once he saw him, it was already too late.
The driver isn't expected to face any charges.
MORE LOCAL NEWS
Learn more about KENS 5:
Since going on the air in 1950, KENS 5 has strived to be the best, most trusted news and entertainment source for generations of San Antonians.
KENS 5 has brought numerous firsts to South Texas television, including being the first local station with a helicopter, the first with its own Doppler radar and the first to air a local morning news program.
Over the years, KENS 5 has worked to transform local news. Our cameras have been the lens bringing history into local viewers' homes. We're proud of our legacy as we serve San Antonians today.
Today, KENS 5 continues to set the standard in local broadcasting and is recognized by its peers for excellence and innovation. The KENS 5 News team focuses on stories that really matter to our community.
You can find KENS 5 in more places than ever before, including KENS5.com, the KENS 5 app, the KENS 5 YouTube channel, KENS 5's Roku and Fire TV apps, and across social media on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and more!
Want to get in touch with someone at KENS 5? You can send a message using our Contacts page or email one of our team members. | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/man-struck-by-car-and-killed-on-southside-sapd-san-antonio-texas-pedestrian/273-25011040-7bf6-4963-903a-3eef536ac7db | 2023-06-25T13:22:26 | 1 | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/man-struck-by-car-and-killed-on-southside-sapd-san-antonio-texas-pedestrian/273-25011040-7bf6-4963-903a-3eef536ac7db |
SHORELINE, Wash. — A Shoreline resident celebrated a very special birthday on Friday.
Colette Laico turned 103! Aegis Living threw her a huge birthday celebration that featured an Italian feast and a live band.
She was surrounded by her friends and family and even got to judge an apple pie bake-off, which is her favorite dessert.
"She's healthy, not on medication and just enjoying life. She has always said the reason she made it to 103 is because she likes to be happy and eating Italian food," Colette's daughter Annette Laico said.
Colette is an artist and her handmade paper has been featured in The New York Times and on the Today Show.
Happy birthday, Colette!
Watch KING 5's top stories playlist: | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/shoreline-resident-celebrates-103rd-birthday/281-3ebf3df7-28c5-4392-9d5b-3264a8b9d40b | 2023-06-25T13:22:32 | 0 | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/shoreline-resident-celebrates-103rd-birthday/281-3ebf3df7-28c5-4392-9d5b-3264a8b9d40b |
REEDVILLE, Va. — The emergency call came in shortly before 2 p.m. on April 1, and it was far from a joke: a boat was sinking in the chilly Chesapeake Bay with eight people aboard.
“I carry a radio around with me all the time, and Robert does, too,” said Bill Turville, another duty captain, noting that they keep up with emergency calls from Northumberland County Sheriff’s Department dispatchers. “When I heard the call, I called Robert immediately, and I said, ‘Are you going?’ He said, ‘I’m on my way.’ So, I followed right behind him.”
Other members of Smith Point Sea Rescue heard the radio chatter, too, and headed for the boathouse. Once their crew numbered four, they set out on Rescue 1, a 42-foot deadrise designed to be an all-weather fishing boat, into the Chesapeake Bay; late arrivals stood by for further instructions.
It was a blustery day on the bay, with a bad storm expected later. By the time Rescue 1 reached the scene, the 50-foot boat — which had been headed from Virginia Beach toward New Jersey — had sunk and the eight people were floating in the cold water, all in life jackets and tethered together. Turville estimated the people had been in the 49-degree water for more than 40 minutes. The crew quickly pulled the eight aboard the boat and hurriedly began trying to warm them.
The Coast Guard and Virginia Marine Police also responded to the call, but Smith Point Sea Rescue arrived at the scene first. The Coast Guard boat accompanied Smith Point Sea Rescue to Ingram Bay Marina, while the marine police provided additional blankets for the survivors and stayed behind to clean up debris in the water before following.
Rescue 1 delivered the eight people to Ingram Bay Marina, where Northumberland County Rescue Squad and Emergency Medical Services were waiting. Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources also assisted.
It was a team effort, but it was Smith Point Sea Rescue, a grassroots organization largely made up of retirees, that led the way.
All eight were treated — one was suffering from hypothermia — and all declined transport to Rappahannock General Hospital. If they had spent much longer in the chilly water, the outcome could have been far different.
“There’s no doubt about that at all,” said Northumberland Sheriff John A. Beauchamp, when asked if Smith Point Sea Rescue’s fast response had saved the boaters’ lives. He noted “how fortunate we are being a waterfront community” to have such a group in the area.
“The vast number of boaters just pass by Northumberland and don’t even know Smith Point Sea Rescue exists. Until they need them.”
(asterisk)(asterisk)(asterisk)
Smith Point Sea Rescue is the only volunteer rescue unit on the Chesapeake Bay, and organization leaders believe they are one of only two such organizations on the East Coast. The group has been serving the community for almost 50 years — towing boaters who have broken down or become grounded in shallow waters or delivering fuel to those who have run out. They also tend to more serious matters, such as capsized boats or people who have fallen overboard and have been carried away by the current.
Though Smith Point Sea Rescue is always on call, there are often long gaps between calls, said Buddy Sylvia, who has been involved with the organization for 29 years and is the group’s senior captain. The group generally responds to an average of 60 to 65 calls a year, he said.
The organization was founded in 1974, as part of a community response to a near-tragic incident when a father and his two young children were rescued after spending an autumn night hanging onto the bow of their sunken boat near Reedville.
“Based on that, the locals said, ‘We’ve got to protect each other,’” said Sylvia, 84, a Richmond native who moved to the Northern Neck in 1994 after retiring from federal government.
A nonprofit organization was formed and started enlisting volunteers, who kept in touch in those days by CB radio. They have advanced now to VHF radios and cell phones, and the group has evolved into a combination of rescue squad on the water and the marine version of AAA roadside assistance.
Now, as then, there are other entities that respond to emergencies on the water — the Coast Guard (the nearest station is at Milford Haven in Mathews County), Virginia Marine Police, Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources and for-profit businesses such as TowBoatUS — but they are not always “as readily available by boat as Smith Point Sea Rescue,” said Beauchamp, the Northumberland sheriff.
Smith Point Sea Rescue fills in the gaps, and keeps boats in two locations — Reedville and another near Lottsburg, on the northern edge of the county, to handle calls on the upper Potomac.
“They respond in the way that fire and rescue do,” Beauchamp said.
But without any government funding.
“We are strictly good Samaritans,” Sylvia said.
Remaining financially afloat is always a challenge for the organization. It relies on donations from local residents and boaters and proceeds from an annual oyster roast (which restarted this year after a COVID-19 hiatus), as well as grants from foundations and trust funds. It recently ordered a new 43-foot boat to add to its rescue fleet. Sylvia plans for it to be operating in time for the organization’s 50th anniversary next year.
Smith Point Sea Rescue has a roster of about 40 volunteers, none paid, most retired, because they have the time necessary to devote to the organization. Not only that, said Sylvia, volunteers on the rotating weekly “watch” lists need to live within 15 or 20 minutes of the boats in order to be useful on emergency calls.
The group is always seeking new members.
It helps immensely for volunteers to be familiar, not only with the bay, but also with the numerous rivers and creeks that define the edge of this end of the Northern Neck as Northumberland County has more than 500 miles of shoreline.
Turville and Gwaltney became involved with Smith Point Sea Rescue in the last decade. Turville, 74, a retired Navy pilot, was a weekend resident in the Reedville area for a number of years before retiring and moving there full-time in 2013. Beyond his Navy experience, he was a recreational boater and knew of Smith Point Sea Rescue. When he had the time, he joined.
“You need something to keep yourself busy (in retirement), and we enjoy boating, and we enjoy helping people,” Turville said.
Similarly, Gwaltney, 69, who owned a home inspection business in Northern Virginia, is also boater who has had a home on the Northern Neck since 2004.
“It was always a comfort to me to know (Smith Point Sea Rescue) was available if I got into trouble,” said Gwaltney, who has lived full-time in the Northern Neck since 2017. “So, when the time came that I was fully retired and had the time to find something to do to stay out of trouble, this was a good fit.
“It’s a good way to give back. It’s a niche that nobody was filling here.” | https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/2023/06/25/va-exchange-smith-point-sea-rescue/6d9bf1c2-1358-11ee-9de3-ba1fa29e9bec_story.html | 2023-06-25T13:22:33 | 1 | https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/2023/06/25/va-exchange-smith-point-sea-rescue/6d9bf1c2-1358-11ee-9de3-ba1fa29e9bec_story.html |
SAN ANTONIO — (AP) — The first dinner that Victor Wembanyama had in his new home city was filled with San Antonio royalty. Gregg Popovich was there, of course. So were Tim Duncan, David Robinson, Manu Ginobili and Sean Elliott.
NBA champions, all of them.
Wembanyama now starts his quest to join their club.
Even as the welcomes for Wemby continued Saturday — one at San Antonio's iconic downtown River Walk, another at the arena — the French teen who has been labeled a generational basketball talent already was thinking about what comes next. He's got a visit to Nike headquarters in Oregon in the next few days, appointments to see some houses in San Antonio that he might be calling home for the next few years and then practices for the NBA Summer League.
"I've got a lot to do," Wembanyama said. "But it's all right. It's OK. It's all going to fit in."
He's excited, and rightly so. He put on a Spurs uniform on Saturday for the first time and will play in one for the first time sometime in early July in either Sacramento or Las Vegas; San Antonio plays in both of those summer leagues. He offered high-fives to hundreds of Spurs employees who showed up at the arena on Saturday to welcome him, smiling the whole way.
"These are exciting times," Spurs CEO R.C. Buford said.
They come with the biggest expectations. The morning party on the River Walk took place at the spot where the Spurs' championship celebrations usually are centered. And the news conference that followed at the arena came with Wembanyama seated on a stage that just happened to be at the same end of the court as San Antonio's five NBA championship banners.
"To Victor, I wanted to say to you directly, we're excited to grow with you, support you, challenge you, especially Coach Pop — there'll be a lot of challenging days — on your journey through life and basketball," Spurs general manager Brian Wright said as he sat to Wembanyama's left. "Your talent is obvious, but as we got to know you, the maturity, the approach, the character really showed us how special of a young man you are."
It was part of a whirlwind first 20 hours or so in San Antonio for Wembanyama, who flew in from the NBA draft on Friday and had dinner with Popovich and some former players that night. Wembanyama said he learned more about the NBA in those two hours than he had learned in the last few years.
"Honestly, that was one of the best dinners of my life," Wembanyama said. "And not because of the food. The food was good. But the people was crazy."
Saturday started with Wembanyama enjoying a bag of the city's famed breakfast tacos — bacon and egg, and bean and cheese, he said — before heading to the Arneson River Theater for the day's first introductory event. Robinson was there, sitting in the front row. So was San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg, wearing a Wembanyama jersey.
There's someone driving around San Antonio with a Wemby license plate. There's a burger with foie gras on the menu at a local sports bar, as a tribute to Wembanyama. There's a mural of him on the outside of a business directly across the street of another mural featuring Duncan, Ginobili and Tony Parker. There's even a mariachi band that already has a song about Wembanyama.
"The fans have been the best at their job," Wembanyama said. "I can only hope to be at their level."
The Spurs also introduced second-round pick Sidy Cissoko on Saturday — another player from France who has known Wembanyama for about a decade. Cissoko played in Spain before ending up with the G League Ignite, and he already has endeared himself to San Antonio, a city with a strong Latin influence, by taking questions in English, French and Spanish.
"The hoop gods have been incredibly generous to San Antonio for a long time, and they blessed us again with Victor and Sidy," Buford said.
Wembanyama said he hasn't had much time for sleep, and he's looking forward to things calming down a bit so he can get back into his basketball routine — one that has been understandably disrupted in recent days. But first, there was luggage to unpack, more people to meet, more jerseys to sign.
It was hectic. It's going to be hectic for a while. And Wembanyama says he's enjoying it all.
"This is the life I wanted," Wembanyama said. "This is what I worked for and it's what I've been wanting for a long time. So, it feels normal to me."
___
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/the-welcomes-for-wembanyama-continue-in-san-antonio-as-the-focus-shifts-to-whats-next-spurs-texas-nba-wemby/273-7cf2ad93-3a9d-40ce-a3b6-a1fc50b909bd | 2023-06-25T13:22:38 | 1 | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/the-welcomes-for-wembanyama-continue-in-san-antonio-as-the-focus-shifts-to-whats-next-spurs-texas-nba-wemby/273-7cf2ad93-3a9d-40ce-a3b6-a1fc50b909bd |
ROANOKE, Va. – The 10th Annual Online GiveLocalNRV Giving Day kicks off at noon on Wednesday, June 28, ending on June 29 at noon.
Hosted by The Community Foundation of the New River Valley (CFNRV.)
This community-wide, 24-hour online event engages New River Valley nonprofits in raising funds and awareness for their organizations. This year, 115 organizations are participating. Head to givelocalnrv.org to donate $5 or more to support your favorite organization.
The early giving period started on June 1, so donors can give any time leading up to the giving day itself. Collectively, the goal is to raise at least $500,000.
Part of the fun of the day includes the $25,500 in grants and prizes that the CFRNV is giving away with the help of our sponsors. See below for more details on specific grants and prizes. | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2023/06/25/donate-to-local-organizations-for-give-local-nrv-2023/ | 2023-06-25T13:25:23 | 0 | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2023/06/25/donate-to-local-organizations-for-give-local-nrv-2023/ |
HOUSTON — Twelve people, including several children, were taken to the hospital Saturday after too much chlorine was put into a pool in west Houston, according to firefighters.
This happened just before 5 p.m. at a lazy river pool at 1200 Wilcrest Drive.
The conditions of those who went to the hospital are unknown.
Houston Fire Department Chief Sam Peña said exposure to too much chlorine can provoke asthma, nausea and skin and eye irritation.
We have a crew headed to the scene to get more details on this incident. Check back for updates. | https://www.kvue.com/article/news/local/chlorine-exposure-houston/285-dd11236c-c767-4e3d-8596-de04b7193a25 | 2023-06-25T13:31:56 | 1 | https://www.kvue.com/article/news/local/chlorine-exposure-houston/285-dd11236c-c767-4e3d-8596-de04b7193a25 |
For most Americans, memories of childhood summers conjure images of pool parties, beach outings, long days, and warm starry nights. Even though you can't remember your first summer, based on scientific data, it is safe to say it was most likely one of the coolest of your life, regardless of when you were born.
For millions of people—especially in the western third of the country—the excitement that builds up in spring, while looking forward to vacation months, has turned into apprehensiveness and forethoughts. The imagery of fun outdoor activities has been replaced by recollections of wildfires, dense smoke, arid land, heat waves, and drought.
From West Texas to the Pacific Coast, summer average temperatures have progressively risen anywhere from 2 to 4 degrees Fahrenheit in the last five decades, propelling mid-2021 and 2022 to the top spots of the heat charts.
The rest of the country is experiencing a similar trend, though not as sharp. Average summer temperatures in America's Heartland and the South have increased 1.3 degrees Fahrenheit, while the eastern states—from the Carolinas to Maine—have seen their thermometers go up 1.5 degrees Fahrenheit on average since 1971.
To illustrate what summer weather was like in the U.S. from 1920 to 2022, Stacker consulted data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Summer is defined as the months of June, July, and August. Each metric is ranked relative to the entire timespan, while average comparisons look just at the historical average from 1901 and 2000.
What was the weather like for your very first summer? Take a look, and you may remember more than you think—or learn something new about summers before your time.
You may also like: Windiest states in America | https://pantagraph.com/news/local/weather/weather-forecast-illinois-storms-wind-cold-front/article_b8f18bd3-0000-5c5a-aa4c-62fa576cf10e.html | 2023-06-25T13:53:07 | 1 | https://pantagraph.com/news/local/weather/weather-forecast-illinois-storms-wind-cold-front/article_b8f18bd3-0000-5c5a-aa4c-62fa576cf10e.html |
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office is mourning the death of one of its deputies after he was killed in a car crash Friday, the agency said via social media.
Master Deputy Robert "Bobby" Howard, 53, was off-duty and heading to a planned engagement when the deadly collision occurred, authorities say.
Howard was surrounded by his son — who is also a deputy — named Robert "Bo" Howard II, family and loved ones, the sheriff's office says.
“Master Deputy Howard, with more than 17 years of service, served the citizens of Hillsborough County with distinguishment and the utmost professionalism,” Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister said in a statement. “His dedication to the Sheriff’s Office and commitment to our mission to protect and serve were without question.
"We will hold his family and friends in our hearts as they walk this difficult path. I pray with each of you, that together we will find the strength to persevere through this difficult time and celebrate the life and lasting legacy of Master Deputy Howard.”
The sheriff's office has not yet announced any plans to honor Howard's life. | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/hillsboroughcounty/hillsborough-county-deputy-killed-car-crash/67-0003c29a-722c-4371-9a87-bfa0a3d9afd9 | 2023-06-25T13:58:27 | 1 | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/hillsboroughcounty/hillsborough-county-deputy-killed-car-crash/67-0003c29a-722c-4371-9a87-bfa0a3d9afd9 |
TAMPA, Fla. — Critics accused the city of Tampa of not being vocal enough in its condemnation of recent racist acts being alleged by a Tampa firefighter.
“In this county, in this city, this is not acceptable,” said community activist and pastor Elvis Piggott.
Piggott says city leaders need to speak up and speak out.
“And now, we are demanding results. No more can you sweep it under the rug. We want results now," said Piggott.
The call to say more and do more follows recent allegations of racist behavior at the city’s Fire Station 13.
Andrew Dixon, a firefighter at Station 13, said in February at the beginning of Black History Month that he and another firefighter saw a stuffed monkey hanging by a noose from the rafters inside the firehouse.
Dixon reported the incident but says he was told those who had placed it there claimed they were paying tribute to the nearby Busch Gardens, which the firehouse serves.
“Reported to a superior. In Tampa. At the fire station,” said Piggott. “And they say, technically, we all come from monkeys. Appalling. Outrageous.”
A little over a week ago, Dixon says he found a note in his locker containing a photo of him with the word “monkey” written over his head.
In response, Tampa Fire Rescue released a statement, condemning the alleged acts and says it has passed it along to the Tampa Police Department which this week confirmed an investigation is underway.
“I have assigned my best detectives to that case and we’re taking it very seriously,” Tampa Police Chief Lee Bercaw said on Wednesday.
Still, critics say the city isn’t speaking loud enough when it comes to condemning this sort of alleged behavior.
They are calling upon Tampa Mayor Jane Castor and Tampa Fire Rescue Chief Barbara Tripp to do more.
“And we have a black fire chief, to be clear,” said Piggott. “Which is more appalling, that something like this can happen with no statement, with no apology, with no community being involved.”
Castor was out of town for the weekend, but a spokesperson said she stands by the fire department's statement denouncing racism in all its forms, calling the allegations disturbing and encouraging the city's police department to investigate the matter fully.
The firefighter at the center of the allegations was not present at Saturday’s community event but has said he is considering whether to switch firehouses.
“And at the end of the day,” said Piggott, “Nobody should be comfortable enough to have this kind of accusations going on, and nobody addresses it.” | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/hillsboroughcounty/tampa-racist-acts-alleged-firefighter/67-7f8017b6-96aa-4bcf-ba98-4a52b2f61fdf | 2023-06-25T13:58:33 | 1 | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/hillsboroughcounty/tampa-racist-acts-alleged-firefighter/67-7f8017b6-96aa-4bcf-ba98-4a52b2f61fdf |
BRADENTON, Fla. — A 19-year-old man who had a warrant for second-degree murder and robbery turned himself into the Bradenton police Friday afternoon, a news release said.
Police say Kobe Brooks is connected to a deadly shooting that happened on Jan. 23 at a home near 10th Avenue West and South Tamiami Trail.
Six other people connected to this shooting have been arrested and charged with armed robbery and murder. The following individuals are also in custody:
- Tyreak Allen, 20
- Mekhi Booker, 18
- Dorian Brooks, 24
- Kevion Brooks, 22
- Shamar Mobley, 20
- Jerome Williams, 20
According to Bradenton Police, the seven individuals, including Kobe Brooks, were robbing a home and for some reason began shooting. Police say more than 60 rounds were fired, striking three people.
All three people were initially taken to the hospital, but a 23-year-old man later died from his injuries on Jan. 31.
It was terrifying for neighbors to witness firsthand, one eyewitness told 10 Tampa Bay, “I just heard a lot, a lot of shooting…like a machine gun.”
Police heard the shooting, too. According to Bradenton Police Public Information Officer Meredith Frameli, nearby officers heard the shots and then saw a grey car speeding down the road.
“Officers followed that vehicle which crashed a couple of blocks away at 13th Avenue West,” Frameli said.
Specifically, the grey car crashed into another moving car, but no one inside the other car was injured, police report.
Frameli said three of the four jumped out of the car and ran away from police. However, all were ultimately caught by police with the help of a K-9.
Six weapons were seized, according to police; two were reported stolen out of Manatee County.
The investigation into this shooting is still ongoing. Those with information about this case, are asked to contact the Bradenton Police Department at 941-932-9300.
To remain anonymous and eligible for a cash reward of up to $3,000, submit tips to Crime Stoppers at manateecrimestoppers.com or via the Florida Crime Stoppers app. You can also call Crime Stoppers at 866-634-8477 (TIPS). | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/man-accused-murder-robbery-turns-himself-into-bradenton-police/67-33a09e5c-5981-46b8-8f0a-6640d081b6ad | 2023-06-25T13:58:39 | 0 | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/man-accused-murder-robbery-turns-himself-into-bradenton-police/67-33a09e5c-5981-46b8-8f0a-6640d081b6ad |
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — June is Pride Month, and St. Pete is geared up for another eventful year of hosting Florida's largest LGBTQ+ Pride celebration.
Despite the cancellation of other local pride events over recent Florida laws, this year's St. Pete Pride held a jam-packed schedule of events lined up for the entire month, including a Youth Pride & Family Day, an Idina Menzel concert, and the signature Pride Parade.
The parade ran from Albert Whitted Park to Vinoy Park along Bayshore Drive. Thousands of people lined both sides of the street along the parade route.
10 Tampa Bay's Miranda Parnell emceed the parade, engaging with many people in attendance and introducing each float that passed by.
St. Pete Mayor Ken Welch rode in a car at the head of the parade. Floats followed the mayor with riders throwing treats like beads, gift cards and sweatbands.
The parade began around 6:20 p.m. and concluded just before 8:30 p.m.
There were a variety of local vendors, food trucks, DJs, and a beer garden in North Straub Park for event-goers to enjoy throughout the day.
Organizers said over 300,000 people came out to attend the parade. It's one of the largest in the entire country.
Those who help put the parade on explained it takes 11 months to plan. All the planning in their eyes is worth it when they see people come from all over the state to attend. One couple drove hours from Southwest Florida to attend.
"We came all the way from Ft. Myers. We could not miss St. Pete Pride," Nestor Montoya said.
The St. Pete Pride Parade returned in 2022 after a two-year hiatus caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. With over 175 floats and tens of thousands of attendees, organizers labeled it the largest parade in the event’s 20-year history.
10 Tampa Bay is the proud official TV broadcast partner of St. Pete Pride. Full coverage of the parade can be seen on this article.
10 Tampa Bay's Andrea Chu contributed to this report. | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/pride/2023-st-pete-pride-parade/67-315931c3-85c0-409e-abf5-dc268a662fda | 2023-06-25T13:58:45 | 1 | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/pride/2023-st-pete-pride-parade/67-315931c3-85c0-409e-abf5-dc268a662fda |
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The latest news from around North Texas. | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/heartwarming-swearing-in-ceremony/3284020/ | 2023-06-25T14:05:56 | 1 | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/heartwarming-swearing-in-ceremony/3284020/ |
The National Weather Service says Wednesday's tornado that tore through the small west Texas town of Matador was an EF-3.
NWS survey teams say the preliminary report shows the tornado was on the ground for 18 minutes along a path that was 9.4 miles long and 600 yards wide.
After looking at the damage, the NWS estimates the peak winds clocked 165 mph.
Matador is a town of about 570 people about 70 miles northeast of Lubbock in Motley County.
Four people were killed and 15 injured.
The people reported to have lost their lives were identified as:
- Jo Etta Bumgardner, 85 years of age, female of Matador, Texas
- Randell (Randy) Rolin, 59 years of age, male, Purcell, Oklahoma
- Victor Valenzuela Jr., 43 years of age, male of Austin, Texas
- Troy Hernandez, 23 years of age, male of San Angelo, Texas
The damage of property reported was 29 structures destroyed, 11 with significant damage, and 23 with damage, with 61 properties affected by the storm.
Texas News
News from around the state of Texas.
Wednesday’s tornado outbreak came six days after a tornado left three people dead and more than 100 injured in Perryton in the northern Texas Panhandle.
Gov. Greg Abbott added Motley County and five other counties in the region to a disaster declaration on Thursday. The declaration was first issued June 16 and amended three times in response to severe weather. His statement said the declaration will help state authorities respond swiftly to devastated communities.
On Friday, officials said power has been restored to 80% of the town. | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/texas-news/ef-3-tornado-tore-through-texas-town-of-matador/3283989/ | 2023-06-25T14:06:03 | 1 | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/texas-news/ef-3-tornado-tore-through-texas-town-of-matador/3283989/ |
COLLEGE PARK, Fla. – A fire occurred Saturday night at Incarnation Catholic Church in College Park, according to the Orlando Fire Department.
Crews made quick work of flames coming from the rear end of the building, extinguishing the fire within 22 minutes, the department said in a statement to News 6.
The fire prompted church leaders to arrange for only one Mass on Sunday, according to an update on the church’s website and signage on the door.
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No one was in the church at the time of the fire and no injuries were reported, the department stated.
Cell phone video recorded from the other side of Edgewater Drive, provided to us by Carl Humphrey, shows flames and smoke rising from the church.
The cause of the fire is still being investigated.
No other details have been shared.
Get today’s headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily: | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2023/06/25/church-catches-fire-in-college-park/ | 2023-06-25T14:06:29 | 1 | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2023/06/25/church-catches-fire-in-college-park/ |
ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – A woman died after being shot Saturday night in Orange County, according to the sheriff’s office.
First responders at 11:43 p.m. made their way to an International Drive address near Central Florida Parkway — not far from SeaWorld Orlando — locating the woman and getting her to a hospital where she later died from her injuries, a statement reads.
All those involved reportedly stayed on scene and have cooperated with deputies.
The shooting happened inside of a vehicle near the intersection, according to the sheriff’s office. Deputies, citing witness statements, said “a female passenger” in the vehicle was struck in the accidental discharge of a gun.
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No other details were shared.
This is a developing story. Check back with News 6 for the latest updates.
Note: Due to the information provided to us, this map depicts only the general area of this shooting.
Get today’s headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily: | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2023/06/25/shooting-reported-on-international-drive-leads-to-womans-death-deputies-say/ | 2023-06-25T14:06:35 | 1 | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2023/06/25/shooting-reported-on-international-drive-leads-to-womans-death-deputies-say/ |
Hicks: Growing and declining places have different challenges
MUNCIE, Ind. -- Recently, I was asked what the differences are in economic policy for places that are growing, and those in decline. There’s a fair amount of research on the issue, some of which I’ve authored. I’ll try to summarize and focus on the main differences and similarities.
The first matter is to recognize that this isn’t an academic exercise. Most of Indiana, and indeed most of the Midwest, is in economic decline. The next round of demographic forecasts will be out soon. They’ll project a declining population through 2060 in more than 50 Hoosier counties.
A dozen counties will be projected to grow faster than the nation through 2060. The remaining 30 or so will be projected to grow more slowly than the national rate—a pattern known as relative decline. Indiana and the Midwest will still be prosperous, in a global sense. But, relative to most of the nation, the coming decades will see us slipping farther away from the nation.
Tolstoy’s famous line, “Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way,” is probably the best way to think about regional growth and decline in counties. Growing places almost always have most of the same positive attributes. Their schools are good and attractive to families, they are safe, their residents are better educated than average, and they have growing housing stock with good public infrastructure. Growing places enjoy recreational options, both private and public. And, there are few barriers to employment or starting a business, such as restrictive occupational licensing or heavy regulatory burdens.
Places in decline lack one or more of these characteristics. Indeed, most shrinking places in the Midwest lack most of these attributes. The Midwest came of age at a time when natural amenities and recreational opportunities played only a modest role in prosperity or migration. Our infrastructure is aged, and few places have schools that are good enough to act as magnets for mobile families. Our legacy of heavy industry built many of our cities, but it also left many communities to deal with pollution, excess housing stock and rust.
This will sound familiar to many readers, but we all have a familiarity bias in assessing our own communities. I continue to be amazed at the number of educated folks who live in places that have been shrinking for four, five or six decades yet remain wholly unknowing of those facts. So, the first big challenge of places facing economic decline is to recognize that truth. Cities and counties that are shrinking need to confront facts about themselves before they can make any progress.
American cities are young, and the economic reasons for a Toledo, Muncie or Peoria are different today than a century ago. Acknowledging that fact is often harder than admitting economic decline. Too many places are trying to resurrect the economy of 1978 rather than figuring out what the economy of 2028 will look like. Change is hard and slow, requiring strategic patience.
Declining places have few good options, but they are worthwhile and will, in most places, yield better prosperity. In terms of major, long-term prospects, the only thing that will turn places around is to attract more people, or at least end population decline. During times of fast population growth, that is not a zero sum game. With declining birth rates, aging baby-boomers and slowing immigration, the hunt for people will be a race for economic survival.
It is important to know that business attraction won’t really play any part of economic resurgence in the Midwest. There’s nothing inherently wrong about business attraction efforts. But, no matter how successful a community is at luring new factories and warehouses, unless you can attract their highly paid workers to your town, it will have no lasting effect. If your business attraction efforts make your community less desirable for people, it will actually weaken your local economy. It is a costly business with inherent risks.
In the post-COVID world, people are increasingly mobile, making business attraction less important. Here there is some new policies. Some places are trying to attract remote workers through financial incentives. It is possible someone will figure out a magic incentive. However, the evidence I’ve seen suggests that fundamental conditions such as good schools, safe neighborhoods and recreational opportunities trump financial incentives every time.
As cities or towns shrink, they necessarily lose their most mobile residents. This typically means loss of income from workers and their families. In most states this also means a decline in school funding, and other state transfers. This can seem much like a downward spiral, but there are forces that work against this.
A declining and aging population means the source of income shifts from work to retirement savings and government ‘transfers.’ These transfer payments are Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and related programs. Though these programs pay less than labor income, they are more stable and predictable. They provide a floor beneath which most communities won’t slip below.
Declining places also have housing problems, but they differ from growing places. Housing is a durable investment, and homes remain long after they are vacated. Places that lose population keep their houses, which depresses the price of homes, typically below the cost of building new ones. This is the real housing problem across the Midwest, where population decline effectively prevents the construction of new speculative homes.
This fact sets up the basis for renewal that all communities in decline will have to confront. The main reason today that people aren’t moving to any particular city is that they don’t wish to live there. The primary reason people don’t wish to live in a place is that it doesn’t have the neighborhoods they want. The reasons for not moving to a place are as varied as human interests. But, for the median family, the common factors are that schools aren’t sufficiently good, crime is too high or infrastructure is too decayed.
All of the problems that keep people from a city—blight, crime, school quality, and infrastructure—are problems of local government. Local public services are now the driving force of household location decisions and have been for a generation or longer. For shrinking places, this points to an obvious priority. All growing places are alike. Declining places are doing so for very different causes. But, the key that holds them all together is effective local government services. Therefore, a focus on improving schools, removing blight, reducing crime and paving streets will be the economic development strategy of the 21st century. | https://www.thestarpress.com/story/news/local/2023/06/25/hicks-growing-and-declining-places-have-different-challenges/70347849007/ | 2023-06-25T14:07:40 | 1 | https://www.thestarpress.com/story/news/local/2023/06/25/hicks-growing-and-declining-places-have-different-challenges/70347849007/ |
A 26-year-old man was arrested early Saturday morning after Tucson police say he struck and killed a man crossing the street.
Curtis Anthony Wahl, 65, was crossing North First Avenue mid-block just north of East Fort Lowell Road when he was fatally struck by a northbound 2010 GMC Sierra pickup truck, police said in a news release.
The driver, Josue Andre Larios, immediately stopped, the release said.
Larios was arrested after police say they determined he was impaired. Larios was booked into the Pima County jail on suspicion of felony manslaughter, the release said. | https://tucson.com/news/local/accident-and-incident/tucson-police-arrest-man-in-crash/article_f183b862-1358-11ee-b53e-37d9c82af051.html | 2023-06-25T14:19:42 | 1 | https://tucson.com/news/local/accident-and-incident/tucson-police-arrest-man-in-crash/article_f183b862-1358-11ee-b53e-37d9c82af051.html |
The Arizona Daily Star Sportsmen’s Fund raises money so children from low-income households and military families can attend summer camp at little or no cost to their families.
Since 1947, the Sportsmen’s Fund has helped pay for 43,468 children to go to camp. We’re one of the oldest 501(c )(3) charities in Arizona and one of the most efficient, with 97 cents from every dollar going to send kids to camp.
We send local kids to weeklong YMCA, Boy Scout and Girl Scout overnight camps, as well as overnight camping at Camp Tatiyee for school-age children and teens with special needs.
Our goal is to raise $238,000 to send up to 700 kids to camp. So far, we’ve received 727 donations totaling $133,871 with the first month of camp nearly over. In May, we increased the goal by $13,000, so 13 Tucson-area kids with special needs who were on a waitlist for Camp Tatiyee could attend where the camper-to-counselor ratio is generally 1-1.
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Your contribution qualifies for the Arizona tax credit of up to $800 for donations to qualifying charitable organizations. Our code is 20450. We do not share or sell our donor information. Donations are welcome throughout the year. Recent donations include:
Patricia Berger, $200.
Jennifer Ruth Gordon, $2,000.
E. Patricia Hamilton, in memory of my husband Keith Hamilton and my best friend Shirley Carr, $100.
Jody Mallie, $10.
Dennis Miller, $104.42.
Judy Nugent, $100.
Kathryn Ott, in memory of Frank Ott, $200.
Stephen Reitz, $250.
Pamela Taylor, $52.37
The Salpointe Class of 1967 Lunch Bunchers, $140.
Two anonymous donations totaling $210.59. | https://tucson.com/news/local/help-kids-help-yourself-on-your-taxes-by-donating-to-arizona-daily-star-send-a/article_7d80e77e-0fe7-11ee-b419-2b17f5872946.html | 2023-06-25T14:19:48 | 0 | https://tucson.com/news/local/help-kids-help-yourself-on-your-taxes-by-donating-to-arizona-daily-star-send-a/article_7d80e77e-0fe7-11ee-b419-2b17f5872946.html |
PHOENIX — Gov. Katie Hobbs wants state lawmakers to enact new laws to ensure that the drivers of electric vehicles pay their fair share for road construction and maintenance.
But she said she doesn't have anything specific in mind yet.
Hobbs' willingness to take on the issue could provide some impetus for efforts that go back nearly a decade to equalize the taxes paid by motorists whose fuel comes from a charger with those who pay the state's 18-cents-a-gallon gas tax every time they fill up.
The issue remains unresolved amid arguments ranging from personal privacy to who should bear the costs as people's vehicle choices shift.
Changing trends will put pressure on lawmakers to settle it, though.
The latest figures from the state Motor Vehicle Division show the number of all-electric vehicles registered in Arizona ballooned from fewer than 35,000 in 2020 to more than 58,000 last year.
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None of those owners, who are using state roads, pay a penny toward the $538 million generated last year in gasoline taxes, much of that earmarked for road construction and maintenance.
"We are working on fair solutions,'' Hobbs said when asked about the issue at a press event last week touting "green energy'' in Arizona.
"I recognize this is a huge issue as we look at depletion of highway funds and to make sure that everyone who uses the highways are paying their fair share,'' she continued. "And electric vehicles are a part of that.''
Many alternative and electric vehicles are far heavier, and could be more punishing to streets, than their similar-sized fossil-fueled cousins.
Stalemate in Legislature
Hobbs acknowledged there isn't a simple fix.
"Given the Legislature, that is challenging,'' the Democratic governor said, referring to the Republican-controlled Legislature.
But this hasn't been a partisan issue. In fact, it is a dispute between two Republican lawmakers that resulted in the current stalemate.
And it has been Republicans, who control the state House and Senate — and, until this year, the governor's office — who have been unable for years to come up with a solution.
They have had some success.
Rep. Noel Campbell, a Prescott Republican, spearheaded efforts that repealed laws setting annual registration fees for alternative fuel and electric cars at a rate just a fraction of what a similarly priced gas-fueled vehicle would require. Now the owners of cars and trucks pay registration fees on the same basis: the cost of the new vehicle.
But finding a levy to compensate for the lack of fuel taxes paid for electric vehicles has proven elusive.
Mileage tax proposal
Bob Worsley, then a senator from Mesa, trotted out an idea in 2016 for a "vehicle mileage tax.''
This wouldn't involve cutting-edge technology, Dave Williams, a vice president of Knight Transportation, noted at the time. He said the trucking industry already uses global positioning to track its vehicles.
But the idea failed to gel, partly over whether the method would be foolproof. Williams said it's possible to cheat using a GPS jammer. "So, they could leave the house and drive for four hours and come back to the house, and nobody knows they ever left,'' he said.
Technology aside, Williams questioned whether members of the public would be OK being tracked like truck drivers.
That hurdle remains today, to the dismay of Rep. David Cook, R-Globe, who chairs the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
"We all pay at the pump for the Highway User Revenue Fund,'' he said, referring to the special account into which all gasoline taxes flow.
But that "all'' doesn't include drivers of everything from high-end Teslas and Lucids to all-electric Ford F 150s, the Chevy Bolt and the Nissan Leaf. "Well, they don't go to the pump,'' said Cook.
He said that leaves one option, a mileage fee. He said it wouldn't complicated — or intrusive.
"On my new Ford pickup, I have an app. That app tells me everywhere I've gone, it tells me the mileage on the truck, it tells me when to service it," he said.
Privacy issues cited
But Cook and supporters of a mileage tax have run headlong into the Arizona Freedom Caucus, a group of conservative lawmakers who say they fight government overreach.
Sen. Jake Hoffman, R-Queen Creek, its chairman, proposed legislation that would have made it illegal for any level of government to track someone's movements through things like traffic cameras, license plate readers, or any other data from private sources.
His bill included a specific bar against imposing or collecting any mileage fee or tax, a per-mile charge or anything else based on the miles driven by anyone.
Hoffman said such restrictions on government are justified.
"One thing we know for certain is that taxing and tracking people's movements is a significant infringement on Arizonans' freedom of mobility, something we can all agree is a highly undesirable and anti-freedom outcome,'' he said.
Hoffman's bill cleared the Senate but died in the House when Cook would not provide the required 31st vote.
Cook said one alternative proposed by foes of a vehicle-mile fee that would help capture lost revenues would be a tax on electricity. But he said that is not an option, because it would mean "everybody gets a tax on electricity to pay for electric cars, even if you don't have one. It's not well thought out.''
He said there are options he thinks would be appropriate, without tracking the comings and goings of individual motorists.
One parallels the fact that drivers of most gasoline-fueled cars and trucks need to take them in, at least on a biennial basis, for an emissions test. He said owners of electric vehicles could be required to bring them in to a state-operated facility where mileage on the odometer could be recorded, with a fee assessed based on the miles driven since the last time.
And if that's too intrusive, Cook said the state could compute the average number of miles driven in Arizona, what that would have generated in fuel taxes in a regular car, and then levy a fee that, like the gasoline taxes, would go into the Highway User Revenue Fund.
The bottom line is "how do we get them to pay their fair share," he said.
Find the money elsewhere, senator says
Hoffman, however, said all those ideas are based on what he called a flawed assumption that roads and highways should be built and maintained only with fuel taxes and the like.
Vehicles are becoming more efficient, needing less fuel for every mile traveled, he said. There's also the fact that the state's 18-cent-a-gallon gasoline tax has not been increased since 1991.
So Hoffman said an entirely different paradigm is needed.
"Building and maintaining roads is a foundational responsibility of government,'' he said.
"The simplest and most responsible way to ensure this happens in the least financially oppressive manner possible is for the gas tax to be completely eliminated through innovation and higher efficiency vehicles,'' Hoffman said. That would require governments "to properly reprioritize this important public asset in their baseline expenditures, he said.
But Hoffman offered no suggestions of what other current spending might be cut given the opposition of the Arizona Freedom Caucus to virtually any tax increase.
Howard Fischer is a veteran journalist who has been reporting since 1970 and covering state politics and the Legislature since 1982. Follow him on Twitter at @azcapmedia or email azcapmedia@gmail.com. | https://tucson.com/news/local/subscriber/hobbs-some-lawmakers-want-electric-vehicle-owners-to-pay-fair-tax-share/article_7a1dd9fc-1203-11ee-b1cf-3ff3830bb558.html | 2023-06-25T14:19:54 | 1 | https://tucson.com/news/local/subscriber/hobbs-some-lawmakers-want-electric-vehicle-owners-to-pay-fair-tax-share/article_7a1dd9fc-1203-11ee-b1cf-3ff3830bb558.html |
Two people were injured in a shooting early Sunday, when a drive-by shooter fired randomly into a crowd of hundreds in Fairmount Park, police said.
According to Capt. Anthony Ginaldi of the Philadelphia Police Department, at about 1:20 a.m. on Sunday morning, about 200-300 teenagers were gathered at the Belmont Plateau, at 1800 Belmont Park Drive in Fairmount Park, when a dark-colored sedan pulled up to the group and someone in the car told the group to disburse before they opened fire on the crowd.
"There were anywhere from two hundred to three hundred plus teenagers out here in the park... This is a weekly thing as the weather here gets nicer," he told NBC10.
A 19-year-old girl and a 20-year-old man were both hit in the shooting, and police said.
Get Philly local news, weather forecasts, sports and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC Philadelphia newsletters.
Officials said that the girl showed up at a local hospital, driven by private vehicle, as officers were responding to the scene along Belmont Park Drive. She had been shot in the chest and was placed in stable condition, according to police, not long before the injured man showed up at a separate hospital.
He had been shot in the leg, according to law enforcement officials.
He too was placed in stable condition, police said.
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Breaking news and the stories that matter to your neighborhood.
Asked if there was a curfew at the time, Ginaldi said the park closes at 10 p.m., but, due to the size of Fairmount Park, "to actively enforce it would be a nearly impossible task."
Officials said an investigation into this incident is ongoing.
There are additional resources for people or communities that have endured gun violence in Philadelphia. Further information can be found here.
Sign up for our Breaking newsletter to get the most urgent news stories in your inbox. | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/two-hurt-as-drive-by-shooter-fires-into-crowd-of-hundreds-in-fairmount-park/3592101/ | 2023-06-25T14:32:00 | 0 | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/two-hurt-as-drive-by-shooter-fires-into-crowd-of-hundreds-in-fairmount-park/3592101/ |
BALTIMORE — On Saturday, two significant Supreme Court rulings, the overturning of Roe v. Wade and Dobbs v. Jackson, marked their one-year anniversaries.
Here are what some Maryland officials are saying…
Governor Wes Moore on Dobbs v. Jackson:
“The Supreme Court’s ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson overturned nearly fifty years of precedent and created a detrimental impact on health care access for women around the country. In states where abortion bans are in effect, women experience worse health outcomes, delayed access to care, and unnecessary health complications, while reproductive health care providers face potential criminal consequences. These attacks on women and health care providers will not stand in Maryland. As long as I am governor, our state will be a safe haven for abortion access.
We remain steadfast in our commitment to ensuring that access to reproductive health care is protected now and for generations to come. I am proud to stand in solidarity with other governors, lawmakers, advocates, and citizens across the nation in the unrelenting fight to ensure that women are able to make their own decisions about their health.”
Lieutenant Governor Aruna Miller on Dobbs v. Jackson:
“In a year after the Supreme Court ripped away federal protections for women to have autonomy over their reproductive care, the Moore-Miller Administration has made one thing clear: Not in Maryland.
Since his very first day in office, Gov. Moore has freed up millions in funding for abortion providers and signed legislation that puts Maryland on a path to enshrining reproductive rights into the state's constitution. This administration will continue to fight to ensure that Maryland remains a safe haven for women to make their own decisions regarding their reproductive health care.”
Attorney General Brown on Roe v. Wade
“One year ago, the U.S. Supreme Court delivered a devastating blow to basic rights of Americans by overturning Roe v. Wade in an outrageous and harmful decision that stripped away the fundamental right of individuals to control their own healthcare decisions. This decision set us back 50 years as we continue to witness the erosion of reproductive rights in anti-choice states across the country. The decision increased risks to the health and well-being of people throughout the nation, and erected more barriers to pursuing socioeconomic opportunities, with a disproportionate impact on people of color and those in overburdened communities.
“Make no mistake - Maryland, and other states that recognize and value reproductive freedom, will continue to preserve the right of individuals to make their own reproductive healthcare choices. I will always stand firm in protecting and defending these rights.” | https://www.wmar2news.com/local/maryland-officials-comment-on-the-one-year-anniversaries-of-two-major-supreme-court-decisions | 2023-06-25T14:36:11 | 1 | https://www.wmar2news.com/local/maryland-officials-comment-on-the-one-year-anniversaries-of-two-major-supreme-court-decisions |
TWIN FALLS — When asked how often he wishes the Twin Falls County Sheriff’s Office had either dash cameras or body cameras, Capt. Scott Bishop has a simple response.
“The answer is, ‘daily’,” Bishop said. “Every time we go to court I wish we had them.”
The sheriff’s office has been considering it for years but at present has neither type of camera for patrol deputies.
An informal survey of Magic Valley law enforcement agencies reveals the office appears to be among the only ones that don’t have either.
Cameras would be useful, Bishop said, and not just for serious offenses. Something as simple as a citation written for a motorist running a red light will likely have more probability of success in court if it was caught on video.
As recent as Friday during a preliminary hearing, a public defender asked a Twin Falls County officer whether an incident in which drugs were reportedly found in a vehicle was captured on video or audio. The response was a “no.”
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In a more serious incident, Twin Falls County Sheriff’s deputies didn’t have cameras that might have provided evidence during an officer-involved shooting on Aug. 26 that started off as a high-speed pursuit after a 24-year-old passenger threatened a motorist with a gun.
The passenger, Caleb Tussey, was later shot during a confrontation with the deputies near Buhl.
Man wasn't carrying gun at the time he was killed, but had fired at a deputy's car moments before, investigation concludes
Deputies involved in the incident were cleared after a months-long investigation by the Magic Valley Critical Incident Task Force that was reviewed by a prosecuting attorney.
Another fatal officer-involved shooting happened in mid-May as Twin Falls County deputies and officers from the Twin Falls Police Department attempted to serve a civil protection order on a 45-year-old man in Kimberly.
Twin Falls Police Department officers got body cameras in 2017. The Times-News wasn’t able to determine whether video or audio evidence was collected after the shooting, which is being investigated by the Idaho State Police as part of the critical incident task force.
Jerome County deputies were also involved in a Sept. 20 officer-involved shooting that led to the death of 34-year-old Amos Campbell.
The investigation report of the Campbell incident referenced multiple times when video from the cameras provided evidence into officer’s actions, and microphones recorded the sound of gunfire.
Report said man had discussed plans to kill police officers if they approached him
Body camera footage from a Kimberly Police Department officer was also examined by investigators. No charges were filed against law enforcement officers in the incident.
A costly priority
Bishop says equipping deputies with cameras is high on his priority list. Making that happen, however, will depend on finding enough money. He’s hoping to squeeze something from the sheriff’s office’s $5.5 million budget and perhaps get additional funds from grant money.
Having such a dash-camera system to equip the 50 patrol deputies would cost $500,000 for a 5-year contract, he said. The sum is not just for the cost of the cameras, but for maintenance including data storage.
The cameras are relatively cheap, with the best ones costing almost $2,000. But the cost for storage adds up. There are requirements to have redundancy and in addition, rules require some of the data to be stored for 100 years.
Capt. Dennis Clark of the Jerome Police Department, however, says body-worn cameras provide an invaluable service to law enforcement officers.
“They have worked out absolutely wonderfully,” Clark said of the cameras that were issued in 2016.
Officers wouldn’t want to go back to the time they didn’t have them, he said.
“They tell an accurate picture of what happened,” he said. And officers can review footage from their cameras, helping with reports or when testifying in court.
“In today’s political climate, the body cameras are definitely something you would want on your side,” he said.
Bishop said he leans toward installing dash cameras, which would pick up a wide-angle view and be accompanied with an antenna that would pick up audio around the car.
But he’s faced with tough budget decisions; retaining enough deputies to respond to calls is a bit higher on his priority list.
Hoping for a grant
Grant money, or leftover COVID funds, might be available to at least partially cover that cost, he said.
There’s a July 1 deadline to apply for a Byrne grant, which helps fund police efforts nationwide.
Just across town, the Twin Falls Police Department has body cameras issued to patrol vehicles.
There are five reasons for the body cameras, says the city’s website: professionalism, transparency, accountability, training and evidence.
In October 2015, the Twin Falls Police Department was awarded matching funds in a Department of Justice grant for body-worn cameras (BWC). After a bidding process in 2016, Axon was awarded the bid and officers were wearing the cameras in spring of 2017.
Receiving a grant might be vital for Twin Falls Sheriff’s Office, Bishop said, as it is not a small department, having about 50 deputies.
“We didn’t hesitate,” said Gooding County Shaun Gough when he talked about how his agency secured both body cameras and dash cameras about 10 years ago. He said the footage obtained from the cameras can help deputies when they fill out police reports.
They have worked out well for the office, and he said he hasn’t had a problem with the expense.
The dash cameras are activated when the overhead lights are turned on, and rewind back 30 seconds. The body cameras have been of assistance, too. Although, like any technology, they aren’t foolproof.
An officer-involved shooting occurred Feb. 23 in a physical altercation between a deputy and Roland Silas Brand II. In the struggle, the body camera fell off, but investigators were able to retrieve audio, Gough said. In addition, a bystander took video of the incident. No one was injured.
Gough added that body parts and other objects, such as weapons, can obscure a body camera’s lens, or at times a law enforcement officer is turned away from the action.
But for the most part, body cameras do a good job at picking up important video, Clark said.
Even if five officers are serving a search warrant, Gough says each one needs to have a body camera.
“We don’t want to miss anything,” Gough said.
Complaints against officers
Law enforcement agencies say another benefit to the cameras is that it helps resolve issues when officers are accused of improper conduct.
When someone has a complaint, camera footage is reviewed, but said almost all the time it shows that officers acted properly, Gough said.
Just mentioning video is sometimes enough to dispel complaints, he added.
Lincoln County Sheriff Rene King said 42 minutes of bodycam footage recently quelled a complaint about a deputy. The video showed the deputy acted appropriately in the incident, King said.
King said that, before he was sheriff, he was cleared with the aid of a body camera. Someone accused him of using another deputy’s name, but a review of the video showed he didn’t.
That doesn’t mean that officer’s actions sometimes can’t be improved upon, Clark said.
Clips from body cameras are randomly reviewed, he said, to ensure that officers are abiding by the “professionalism that we expect.” | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/we-dont-want-to-miss-anything-law-enforcement-agencies-tout-bodycams/article_e65d6804-11f8-11ee-8f83-47812db182f4.html | 2023-06-25T14:41:14 | 1 | https://magicvalley.com/news/local/we-dont-want-to-miss-anything-law-enforcement-agencies-tout-bodycams/article_e65d6804-11f8-11ee-8f83-47812db182f4.html |
Coconino County Adult Probation officers are feeling the strains of a state-wide staffing crisis, but they say it’s their probationers and the outcomes generated by their work that keep them motivated and on the road.
Kylee Coons came from a law enforcement family. While pursuing her degree in criminal justice, she worked as a 911 dispatcher for the Flagstaff Police Department. On some level, she always knew she’d want to be in a uniform, but her expectations of the work she’d do behind a badge have shifted a little with time.
On a warm June morning, she approached a modest east Flagstaff home. After a few raps on the door, she was greeted by the occupant — a woman who once relapsed into an addiction to methamphetamines for almost five years, a woman who today is not just sober, but actively striving to build a better life for her family.
That woman’s name is Jessica, and Coons is her probation officer.
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Jessica greets Coons in a manner much warmer than one might initially expect, especially given the nature of a probationer/probation officer relationship.
It’s not hard to imagine a probation officer (PO) as a stiff-jawed enforcer, a person who holds offenders accountable, and works to catch them in the act of violating the terms of their release from jail or prison.
But when Jessica describes Coons, she takes on a tone of gratitude.
“I was depressed. I just kept chasing my tail. I needed out. I needed help. That’s why I say I’m grateful. I got on my knees one day and I prayed. The way God answered my prayers was he threw me in jail,” she said. “I’m appreciative that [probation officers] keep me in line and on track to better my life. It’s been helpful and I’m grateful to be getting another chance at getting it together.”
Coons brings a breathalyzer with her to meet Jessica and asks her about her life and well-being.
Every probation officer is guided by statute; they have to make sure their clients are complying with the law. That means they’re responsible for testing their probationers to see if they’ve used substances or behaved in ways that violate the terms of their probation.
Coons said that in Coconino County, officers have to act according to the law, but that’s the baseline. In many ways, the approach of Coconino Countys Adult Probation goes above and beyond being a mechanism for accountability. In some cases, they’re outright elements of a probationer’s support system.
“With addiction, I don’t know how everybody’s addiction is, but I ran myself ragged. I nearly killed myself several times. My heart stopped several times. Through your addiction, you wear people out. Your family members, your friends, people push you away. Understandably,” said another probationer during Coons' visit.
His name is Aaron, and he’s been living sober for four months. He describes his PO not as an instrument for punishment, but a critical part of his support system.
“My view of the system is not the same. I don’t have a victim mentality anymore. When everyone in my life gave up on me, the system gave me a chance to better my life,” Aaron said.
Coons said working in probation has changed her perspective on the criminal justice system, too.
“I think sometimes, people can get caught up in the fact that this person did this, but you don’t know the full story. You don’t really know,” Coons said. “It is difficult for somebody who is coming out of jail and prison to really get re-integrated and even feel that they have some kind of support anywhere. It could be their first offense, but regardless of it being their first offense, they’re going to come out and all of their stuff could be gone, or they could be homeless or they’ve lost everything. How do you even build up from that? So working in probation did change my perspective.”
'Offense doesn't define them'
Kaitlyn Bednar is a probation supervisor in Coconino County. She said she always thinks of a client as more than their offense.
“You can learn so much from people who are on probation. We have some of the most talented artists, some of the most talented woodworkers or tradesmen. Individuals who have their own impacts, their own companies, their own businesses. It just shows you that they are everyday people and their offense doesn’t define them,” she said. “I think not seeing them as their offense, but seeing them as a human who is absolutely capable of making behavioral changes, not just classifying them as a felon, is important.”
Last week, one of Coons' probationers was approaching a huge achievement. He was preparing to pass a test to become a forensic peer support specialist at Hope Lives.
He’s already working at a local shelter, sharing many of the resources he said he learned about because of his probation.
“When I graduate from peer support, I want to work with the jails. I want to do something like they do.” He paused to point at Coons and her colleague and fellow PO Heather Heath. “I made up my mind.”
That probationer’s name is Brian, and he said in the process of recovering from addiction he’s also found the motivation to give back.
“I don’t know where I would be without Kylee sometimes -- with her words, she helps me a lot,” he said. “They really care about their clients. The caring helps a lot, but there are also a lot of resources here in Flagstaff that I didn’t know about.”
Brian’s words left Coons beaming with a sense of hard-won success. Officers attribute those successes in part to their philosophy.
“We have to realize that we may not know everyone’s story, but we have to assume that everyone does have a story to tell. That could be how we respond, you know? Assume that everyone has some exposure to trauma in their life. We just may not know it, but we treat everyone with that in mind,” Bednar said.
Sometimes officers support their probationers by working to lighten the load they usually have to carry after a period of incarceration.
New paths
Offenders are often released from jail or prison to find they’ve lost their jobs, housing and even some of their community connections. On top of that, they have probation fees and sometimes fines to pay, as well as costs that come with complying with any court orders.
“We give them these requirements to provide UAs [urine analysis] or get to treatment, but we want them to still be able to live with their family and not have to pay thousands of dollars in rent. If you think about somebody coming out of prison or jail and saying, 'Hey, you have to pay at least $800 in rent, good luck. Make sure you make it here, make sure you make it there.’ We’re trying to bridge those gaps,” Bednar said. “I feel like if I got in that position, I couldn’t afford that. It’s insane what they have to go through with this runaround game. We’re hoping in the next few years to offer resources and look at the new ways that probation can be done.”
Bednar said the team at Coconino County Adult Probation doesn’t want to see their probationers jumping through unnecessary hoops. Instead, they want to see each person reach their goals and stay out of the criminal justice system -- permanently.
Probation officers like Coons regularly visit their clients in the field, at their homes or jobs, reducing the need for them to miss work, therapy or pro-social activities in order to arrive at an office visit.
Field visits also help the officers stay in touch with their philosophy of support. Visiting clients in their environment where they’re comfortable isn’t just convenient, Bednar said.
It’s humanizing.
Coons agreed.
“I think it’s really important as a PO to have that face-to-face contact in the field with somebody. It really does show them that you care and you really are there to support them. Sometimes they think you’re just coming out to bust them, but you’re not,” Coons said.
She added that one of the hardest things about the job is getting to know someone and seeing them backslide. She takes no pleasure, she said, in a probationer losing progress.
Not everyone is ready to be receptive to the treatment and resources. That’s part of the job as well.
“We work with the ones that don’t want to change yet, and we work with the ones that do want to change. I think that’s what makes all the difference. The diversity of why we do this career and personally why I got into this career,” Bednar said. “I think there’s nothing more rewarding than seeing someone completely change their life and never come back into the system. That is our goal.”
Officer pinch
Achieving that goal grows more difficult, Bednar said, due to the department’s staffing constraints. Right now, she manages nine probation officers. In Coconino County, around 50 officers supervise all convicted offenders.
“Our officers can only do so much. They’re one person. I think that can be tied in to this overwhelming shortage of POs that we have right now," Bednar said. "Our work does not stop if we don’t have officers. People still come into the system. We’re still going to help them, but is that ideal to have higher numbers where they’re not getting the exact level of care that they probably should be and the interactions that they need? That’s what’s hard with the caseloads right now.”
Coons has 50 probationers to supervise at the moment. Her colleague, Hope Heath, has 62 -- three fewer than the legal limit in Arizona.
Coconino County is the second-largest county in the country by area. That can make it challenging for every client to travel in for office visits or make it to a lab for urine analysis.
Heath supervises people from Flagstaff to the Grand Canyon, in places such as Williams, Ash Fork and parts of Seligman.
“Sometimes I wish there was another person,” she said.
In addition to checking in with clients in the field, she will often drive to Williams to conduct office visits. She spends hours in the car each week on that commute.
Heath said a $20 mandatory urine analysis can cost much more once you factor in drive time and missed work on the part of the probationer. A probationer’s legal obligations, she said, shouldn’t make them less likely to succeed in society.
For rural probationers, field visits are critical, but Heath only has so many hours a week to spend behind the wheel.
The quality of person-first, trauma-informed care that the officers want to provide is always challenged by the sheer amount of work they have to do and the amount of time they can realistically be on the clock.
According to Sarah Douthit, Coconino County’s chief probation officer, on paper the department’s outcomes reflect that effort. What they don’t reflect is the turnover her department sees.
“If you just look on paper, you’re not going to see the constant churn, the effort that goes into recruitment,” she said, adding that the level of care that makes good officers impactful is draining and often the cause of attrition.
Right now there are at least five vacant probation officer positions in Coconino County.
Douthit said that number has potential to grow as officers contend with the strain of the job.
For the officers who are hanging on, the career rewards have to be the main focus.
“Getting into probation has completely been the most rewarding career, to be honest. We get to see the people that we run into at the grocery store, that we see in the community at the park," Bednar said. "To get them re-entered into society and see those goals they want to achieve be achieved. You get to see reunification with kids. You get to see sobriety come to fruition. It’s really really cool to see people change their lives for the better and become productive members of society." | https://azdailysun.com/news/local/coconino-county-probation-officers-strive-for-rehabilitation-overcoming-staffing-crisis-to-support-probationers-success/article_e5dadade-0c57-11ee-8bb6-6beacd55922a.html | 2023-06-25T14:43:02 | 1 | https://azdailysun.com/news/local/coconino-county-probation-officers-strive-for-rehabilitation-overcoming-staffing-crisis-to-support-probationers-success/article_e5dadade-0c57-11ee-8bb6-6beacd55922a.html |
Mental Health Court, a specialty court program operated out of Coconino County Superior Court, is nearing the end of its first year of operations.
Starting in July of 2022, certain felony offenders who faced mental health challenges and/or substance abuse issues became eligible to take part in the brand-new specialty treatment court.
In specialty courts like Mental Health Court, offenders are placed on probation, offered resources, tested for drug and alcohol use, treated in a non-adversarial manner, and in exchange for program completion face lesser charges or reduced sentences.
In some cases, people who plead into Mental Health Court will be able to escape incarceration.
The program in Coconino County is one of many that have gained popularity throughout the country. It’s designed specifically to serve people who can be categorized as “high-risk, high-need” by criminal justice professionals -- signifying they’re likely to re-offend and need supervision and treatment for mental health and substance-use disorders.
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Right now, there are 12 Mental Health Court participants. The limit is 25.
“We get most of our referrals from the public defender’s office. They are the clients they represent that they feel are appropriate or eligible for our program,” explained Sydney Ciarniello, the Mental Health Court coordinator and clinical liaison. “They go through a screening process. If they are screened eligible, they’ll plead and be sentenced to our program. Then they are on probation and supervised by our whole team.”
Participation in Mental Health Court is voluntary -- in no small part because it’s intense.
Mental Health Court is broken into phases. The first phase is between 60 and 90 days long, and it’s designed to immerse the newcomer in the processes and the supports they’ll use in the program to obtain sobriety and stability ideally.
“That’s our most structured phase. So you’re coming to court every single week. You’re seeing probation every single week. There's a lot of communication with treatment. What you’re seeing is very eyes-on and hands-on in the beginning," Ciarniello said. "As people move through the phases with their compliance, all that supervision gets reduced. People will go to court every other week, then way at the end of the program they’ll go once a month. As they gain compliance throughout the program, we’ll see them less and less, but it’s designed to be very intense at the beginning.”
The Arizona Daily Sun spoke to a man who opted into Mental Health Court in September of 2022. His name was Brian, and he’s currently in the third phase of the program.
“I got the paperwork and I was like, 'Wow. That’s a lot. I don’t know if I can do this,'” Brian said.
Ultimately, he said, he decided participating in Mental Health Court was better than going to jail; he braced for the time commitment.
According to Ciarniello, the Coconino County Attorney’s Office’s buy-in and help in negotiating reduced charges has helped to create important incentives for people like Brian.
“That makes it maybe more desirable for people who are saying this may be a lot of work. We try to give them as many carrots to participate, then they generally come around to it more once they’re in the program. Our county attorneys are really great at offering fair plea agreements to the individuals who are going to participate,” Ciarniello said.
As far as coming around to the program goes, Brian is perhaps a prime example. By participating in Mental Health Court, he has a team of people assigned to his case that check in on him and offer him resources and support.
“We have our designated judge who does our calendar every week, we have a designated county attorney from the county attorney’s office, we have a designated public defender. I participate in court. We have our designated probation officer, and then I work with two behavioral health providers and their case managers participate in court with us. We also have participation from Hope Lives, which is a local peer support agency,” Ciarniello said.
As a participant, Brian sees Judge Brent Harris regularly and can see that judge as someone invested in his success and not simply a person in a punitive position. He has a similar relationship with his probation officer and the attorneys on his case.
“As the judge of the Mental Health Court, I have seen the positive impacts the court can have on our communities as a whole. A team approach with tailored support, access to treatment, and compassion for those involved allows us to facilitate healing and empowerment that extends far beyond the courtroom, promoting health, reducing recidivism and victimization, and enhancing community safety,” Harris said.
The structure of Mental Health Court follows national standards for treatment courts, curated by the National Association for Drug Court Professionals. That guidance determined the makeup of the team that works each case.
In Brian’s case, interaction with Hope Lives has been life-altering.
“Going through [Mental Health Court] brought something out of me that I haven’t had when I was a kid -- a joy to help people,” he said.
He said he found his calling working with other people who’ve been where he’s been at shelters and at Hope Lives. He wants to continue to work with people struggling with mental health and substance use disorders once he finishes Mental Health Court.
“My dream is going to be great because that’s going to reward me all the time. It feels good. I am happier with my sobriety working with Mental Health Court and Hope Lives. Working with the homeless and the addicts and the mental health groups, I just want to do my part and share what I have and the knowledge that I have,” Brian said.
Mental Health Court is designed to take about a year and a half to complete, but the timing is flexible.
“We try to have overall guidelines, but we understand that every single person is different, and everybody is going to achieve their goals at different rates,” Ciarniello said
Brian hasn’t graduated yet, but his assigned team of supporters are hopeful that he’ll be among the first success stories for the relatively new specialty court.
Curbing incarceration
“Helping the homeless and addicts kind of keeps me on my toes. I’m not trying to go back to that life. I deal with alcoholics every day and mental health issues. I work every day. I’m tired, but then again, it’s a reward working with them in the peer support program. I have a mission now, to help as many people as I can. Get them into treatment instead of going straight to jail if they get a chance,” Brian said.
According to one study published in 2011 in Justice Quarterly, specialty courts have been found to reduce recidivism — a person’s likelihood to re-offend and become justice-involved again — by 9%. Other studies have found treatment courts can be effective for up to 60% of participants, but methodologies for both the studies and the treatment courts vary widely throughout the country.
The consensus remains, specialty courts generally help curb incarceration rates and keep successful participants more permanently out of the criminal justice system.
“All the research shows that these kinds of treatment courts reduce recidivism. I think it’s very beneficial for the court to employ programs like these — the recovery court, the veterans court. These are the kinds of programs that reduce recidivism among this high-need, high-risk population. It’s extremely beneficial to the court,” Ciarniello said.
Ciarnello started working at the Coconino County Adult Probation Department straight out of college. She spent six years there, supervising a caseload of people who were dealing with serious mental illnesses.
Now she acts as a kind of formal program coordinator, while remaining on the team to support people in recovery from mental illness and substance use.
Her position was created with American Rescue Plan (ARPA) funding.
“We don’t have any additional funding for the mental health court, so these individuals are doing this within their current positions and roles,” said Coconino County Court Administrator Sharon Yates, in reference to people like Judge Harris.
Still, she said she believes the court’s investment of time and resources are ultimately worth it.
“I think it’s beneficial because these individuals are already involved in our criminal justice system, in the court system, so giving them these resources will help them in the long run when they’re not involved in the criminal justice system,” Yates said.
Because the first round of Mental Health Court has not concluded, it’s hard to say whether the team’s hard work is going to pay off.
Not everyone who pleads into Mental Health Court makes it through the program. According to Ciarniello, a few people have already exited Coconino County’s version.
“It works for some people and some people it don’t work for. I really believe you’ve gotta be ready for it, because not everybody is ready for it,” Brian said.
Still, the team in Coconino County remains invested in the people whose lives they hope to change for the better.
“I believe in them. I think they work and I love that we have a court that is giving us the opportunity to run these kinds of programs,” Ciarnello said.
Brian himself is perhaps the most optimistic about the future outcomes of the burgeoning program.
“They’re going to help a lot of people. I hope there’s more people like me,” he said. | https://azdailysun.com/news/local/near-one-year-a-look-inside-mental-health-court-a-specialized-treatment-program-for-felony/article_de5985a4-0fad-11ee-85f5-53f43a663de0.html | 2023-06-25T14:43:08 | 1 | https://azdailysun.com/news/local/near-one-year-a-look-inside-mental-health-court-a-specialized-treatment-program-for-felony/article_de5985a4-0fad-11ee-85f5-53f43a663de0.html |
Alongside its new coach, the Coconino football huddle will be centered by a new leader.
Colton Buckingham will be the starting quarterback for the Panthers in the 2023 season. He has high hopes for his first year as the varsity starter.
“I am trying to step up because in my position you’ve got to be a leader,” the incoming junior said. “We need those on this team, so I want to be part of it.”
After a couple years going through the Panthers JV system and thriving there, it appeared Buckingham was going to be the varsity backup this season. But Enoch Watson, who started the past two seasons and was set to be Coconino’s senior quarterback this year, moved with his family to Queen Creek. Watson, who recently committed to play at BYU, will play his final year of high school football at ALA-Queen Creek.
Rather than see himself as the second choice, Buckingham is thrilled to take on the new role. His goal is to make good on his chance.
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“It opened more opportunity for me,” he said.
Panthers coach Gary Cook, who took over during this offseason after Mike Lapsley stepped down, is excited for Buckingham’s future. Cook feels he can build an offense around his new signal caller.
“I wasn’t happy to see Enoch gone, but the good thing is the quarterback is a junior now. So after a year we’ll have a returning quarterback,” Cook said.
Buckingham also has the chance to surpass the passing statistics put up in the past four or five seasons, given that Cook plans to utilize him differently than quarterbacks have been recently at Coconino.
Simply put, Cook plans to pass more.
Lapsley had plenty of success with a run-heavy game plan. In 2021, the Panthers ran for 2,695 yards in nine games. In 2022 it was 3,035 yards in 10 contests.
Cook is not going fully away from the run; his offense will still have a stable of solid backs and hopefully an effective offensive line. He’ll also potentially use Buckingham -- listed at 6-foot-2 and 175 pounds -- to move around in the pocket and carve out some running yards of his own.
So far, Cook’s been impressed with Buckingham’s abilities in offseason training.
“He’s taken a great attitude towards it and he’s improving all the time. He’s very conscientious about the things he needs to do to get better,” Cook said.
There is still a lot to work on, admittedly.
“He’s got some technique issues that I’m constantly on him about. He has a tendency not to transfer his weight on his follow-through. He’s making really good decisions, but I’d like to see him throw with a little more authority and velocity,” Cook said. “But he’s getting there. It’s really a technical thing. I think this summer is going to be really important for him.”
Buckingham looked productive in a 7-on-7 exhibition competition against Mingus Union at home in Cromer Stadium Tuesday. He was comfortable hitting receivers for long gains and rarely turned the ball over.
Checking out a bit of 7 on 7 as Coconino hosts Mingus pic.twitter.com/zEq2jsqeLE
— Eric Newman (@enewmanwrites) June 21, 2023
He’s grateful for his own opportunity in summer to play pass-heavy games like 7-on-7. But even more so, he has trust in teammates that he believes will carry the Panthers to success.
“It (7-on-7) helps a lot, because I get to read the defense and slow down the game for when the season comes,” Buckingham said. “Our offense is changing, but with the kids we have, I think it’s good for us.”
Coconino will train throughout the summer ahead of its season opener on Aug. 25 against Carl Hayden at home. | https://azdailysun.com/sports/local/buckingham-embracing-opportunity-as-panthers-starting-qb/article_194bf09e-120a-11ee-bb88-fb22a7b6ca15.html | 2023-06-25T14:43:14 | 0 | https://azdailysun.com/sports/local/buckingham-embracing-opportunity-as-panthers-starting-qb/article_194bf09e-120a-11ee-bb88-fb22a7b6ca15.html |
BERLIN, Germany — Editor's note: The above video is from April 23.
Loretta Claiborne has another medal to add to her collection.
On Saturday, Claiborne won her singles tennis match against St. Vincent and the Grenadines' Natasha Doyle, securing the gold.
Claiborne, who is just 51 days shy of her 70th birthday, joined the York County Special Olympics in 1970.
In addition to being an athlete, Claiborne is an accomplished public speaker and serves as the Board Vice Chair and Chief Inspirational Officer for the Special Olympics.
On July 7, the City of York will be celebrating Claiborne's medal and return home. People are invited to line up along the 100 block of West Market Street to welcome her home. More information about the event will be released at a later date. | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/yorks-loretta-claiborne-wins-gold-special-olympics-world-games-berlin/521-a0080895-bbed-4789-9ac6-a9789a1802b3 | 2023-06-25T14:57:45 | 0 | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/yorks-loretta-claiborne-wins-gold-special-olympics-world-games-berlin/521-a0080895-bbed-4789-9ac6-a9789a1802b3 |
VIN'S PEOPLE: For former LSU basketball star LaDazhia Williams, a new opportunity in Israel
ALSO: Former Herald-Tribune opinion editor throws first pitch during Visit Florida Day at Baltimore's Camden Yards; Manatee County Sheriff's Office basketball team wins First Responder Games
You’ve heard the expression, “When one door closes, another opens”?
It’s taken on a real meaning for LaDazhia Williams and she’s in for a cool cultural experience as a result.
A little background first.
The 2017 Lakewood Ranch High alum, who attended Braden River Elementary and Braden River Middle, helped the LSU women’s basketball team win the 2023 NCAA championship in early April. One week later the 6-foot-4 forward was taken 17th overall in the WNBA draft by the Indiana Fever. But she was waived in early May.
Then the other door opened just days later, albeit 6,600 miles away.
The Bradenton prodigy signed to play in Israel for Hapoel Petah Tikva, one of 11 teams in the Israeli Female Basketball Premier League, which begins its 70th season next month.
What bodes well for Williams is the translation of the city’s name.
Patel Tikva means “Door of Hope.”
· That’s 12 years of wedded bliss for Angela and Chris Babroski.
· Tom Tryon’s still got game.
The retired Herald-Tribune opinion editor and lifelong Orioles fan threw out the first pitch at Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore before the O’s 4-2 win over the Blue Jays on June 15.
“It was a slider, down and away …” kidded Tryon, who wore his old baseball glove from his playing days as a Palmetto Tiger.
The occasion was Visit Sarasota Day, a mutual promotional agreement that was part of the Orioles' move to upgraded Ed Smith Stadium in 2010.
On hand were Tryon’s wife Yvonne, grandson Aidan Hebert, his grandson’s girlfriend Caitlyn Salerno and Virginia Haley, president of Visit Sarasota.
By the way, Tryon, who became an O’s fan in 1968 when most of his pals at the Palmetto Boys Club liked the Atlanta Braves, has traveled to 15 MLB ballparks with his grandson.
· Karen and Dan Weaver are 39. Again.
· Big ups to the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office basketball team, gold medal winners at the 2023 First Responder Games in Tampa.
The hoopsters included Melvin Burston, Aaron Bowling, Jamecia Cobb, Jonathan DeLacruz, Donnell Deleon-Thompson, Dwayne Denison, George Evans, Adrian Harrison, Joe Hills, George Molina, Ray Moss, Juan Phillips, Howard Porter, Anthony Rodriguez and Sherrarr Tate.
· Uh, oh! Michael Gallen is one year shy of the Big 5-0!
· A bow to Blake Medical Center Registered Nurse Tanya Bitel, who received the 2023 Clinical Nurse Education Award from the Galen College of Nursing, honoring her as Teacher of the Year in the West Florida Division.
Vin’s People runs Sundays. Email Vin Mannix at vinspeople@gmail.com. Or call 941-962-5944. Twitter: @vinmannix. | https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/local/2023/06/25/mannix-former-lsulakewood-ranch-basketball-star-gets-chance-in-israel/70337128007/ | 2023-06-25T15:11:50 | 0 | https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/local/2023/06/25/mannix-former-lsulakewood-ranch-basketball-star-gets-chance-in-israel/70337128007/ |
Sarasota man, 60, dies after his bike is struck by sedan in Ellenton
A 60-year-old Sarasota man was killed while riding his bicycle Saturday night after being struck by a car in Manatee County.
A 32-year-old Ellenton man was driving a sedan west in the inside lane of U.S. 301 (SR-43), approaching the driveway access of a shopping center at 3410 U.S. 301 in Ellenton, according to a report from the Florida Highway Patrol.
The Sarasota man was riding his bicycle south across the westbound lanes of U.S. 301. He traveled in front of the approaching sedan and the car collided with the bicycle, the report said.
The cyclist sustained critical injuries, was transported to an area hospital, and later pronounced dead. The crash remains under investigation and neither the name of the cyclist nor the driver of the sedan has been released.
Florida is a dangerous place for cyclists: So far this year there have been 3,735 bicycle crashes statewide and 96 bicycle fatalities, according to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. | https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/local/2023/06/25/sarasota-cyclist-dies-after-being-struck-by-sedan-in-ellenton/70354664007/ | 2023-06-25T15:11:56 | 0 | https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/local/2023/06/25/sarasota-cyclist-dies-after-being-struck-by-sedan-in-ellenton/70354664007/ |
New CEO of Gulf Coast Community Foundation in Venice: 'People sealed the deal'
New CEO says Sarasota area 'punches above its weight class' in community investment
VENICE – When Phillip Lanham walked into the Venice office on his first day as president and CEO of the Gulf Coast Community Foundation, he found the staff had decorated his desk with a fluorescent palm tree, a fluorescent flamingo, a Bearcats Boulevard sign – homage to his alma mater and its mascot, the University of Cincinnati Bearcats – as well as a nod to the “Queen City” staple Skyline Chili.
Lanham was born and raised in the Cincinnati area, got a taste of philanthropy while working in the University of Cincinnati alumni office, and spent the past 12 years at the Greater Cincinnati Foundation, which had a total of nearly $1 billion in assets – 52% of that endowed.
He served as chief philanthropy officer before being tapped as the fifth person to ever lead Gulf Coast, a 28-year-old foundation, created in 1995 as the Venice Foundation with seed money from the sale of the community's Venice Hospital to Bon Secours Health Systems.
Since then, Gulf Coast and its donors have invested more than $510 million in the community.
Lanham, 47, formally started June 1, and succeeded Mark Pritchett, who served as CEO for about half of his 14-year tenure in Venice.
Lanham is renting an apartment on Golden Gate Point in Sarasota while he gets to know the area, and traveling frequently to Cincinnati, where his wife Tami and their youngest son Chase will remain until Chase finishes his senior year in high school.
Their older son, Grant, is at the University of Virginia, where he is an offensive lineman on the football team.
Lanham said so far it’s been easy to fly back to Cincinnati, but will also have to fit in trips to Charlottesville to attend home football games.
The family knows the area somewhat – they were vacationing on Anna Maria Island when he signed his contract with Gulf Coast – and Chase has already given two thumbs up to the Skyline Chili restaurant in Lakewood Ranch.
The Herald-Tribune spoke with Lanham about his new role at the Gulf Coast Community Foundation. The questions and responses have been edited for clarity and brevity.
What attracted you to the Gulf Coast Community Foundation job?
“I knew a little bit through Kirstin (Fulkerson, Gulf Coast’s senior vice president for philanthropy) because we were in the same networking group for community foundations,” Lanham said, adding that "the warmth and support I felt from the search committee was the thing that made me take it seriously.
“The leadership approach that this community foundation takes in creating change in the community and partnership with donors is what I think is the power of a community foundation.
“I don’t think the power of a community foundation is just to do transactions – it’s to lead with information from the community on what are the greatest opportunities in that community and that is what this community foundation values.
“It comes back to the people,” he added. “Those are the people on the board, on the staff, the community leaders I met during the recruiting process and the culture of philanthropy that they cherish is what attracted me to the region. The beaches are nice, the climate was nice – all those things – but it was really the people who sealed the deal for me.”
What has the transition been like, working with Mark Pritchett?
“He is one of the nicest human beings, very supportive – it wasn’t anything technical, it was all issue-based and relationship in the community” Lahham said, noting that he has also been able to talk with Pritchett’s predecessor, Teri Hansen, the president and CEO of the Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation.
“I have spent some time with Teri; she’s been nothing but gracious and supportive,” Lanham said. “ She comes from Cleveland Foundation so we both have that in common, coming from Ohio foundations."
While one of Lanham’s roles involved networking with other foundations, he noted that the array of larger foundations in the Sarasota-Manatee area – including Barancik, the Community Foundation of Sarasota County, Manatee Community Foundation, Selby Foundation and The Patterson Foundation – creates a unique situation.
“There’s a lot of foundations in Cincinnati as well but not the size of these,” Lanham said. “”Barancik is just massive compared to foundations in Cincinnati.
“When I talked about the culture of philanthropy having other foundations are part of that, not just the individuals behind them.
“It speaks to how charitable this community is and wants to invest its assets,” Lanham said. “I really believe this entire region punches above its weight class because of that investment – both from the government and philanthropists investing in it.
“That’s why we have the arts scene that we have, things like Selby Gardens and other great anchors that I”m getting to know better, is because of philanthropy.”
What was your signature accomplishment with the Greater Cincinnati Foundation?
“I had been there for almost 12 years, I was responsible for our relationships with our donors, private foundations, professional advisors and some key nonprofits,” Lanham said. “The thing I'm most proud of that is unique is the impact investment program, which is similar to taking a portion of the corpus of the endowment and deploying it into the community through low-interest loans to nonprofits so they can accelerate their missions.
“We were successful in creating an impact investment pool for affordable housing which created, since 2020, over 900 units of affordable housing,” he added. “It’s not just the money we put in, it’s the money donors put in, corporate foundations put in and then the Fed matched some of it, so our $1 million at GCF turned into $13.5 million of additional investment into the community because of the leveraging effect.”
Why low-interest loans instead of grants?
“Grants follow a spending policy,” Lanham said. “We’re prudent in how the resources are deployed because the donors who left the resources for us wanted to create an endowment, which means it will last forever.
“When you are able to make the low-interest loans it’s going to come back and be recycled again or put in the market and create grants again,” he added. “ So you’re still being prudent and following the donor’s wishes without it being gone from the corpus of the endowment.”
What made the Impact Investment Program successful?
“A lot of things made it successful,” Lanham said. “The first and foremost was we had research that showed the issue in the community. It’s an issue across this country, it’s an issue in this community was the need for more affordable housing units and having good partners in the community who knew what they were doing and could leverage and know where to go to get federal money
“So we had proof of concept with our first million,” he added. “And once we started proving it out the money kept flowing and flowing and flowing until it grew into that $13.5 million.”
What do you see as the core mission of the Gulf Coast Community Foundation in the foreseeable future?
“Every community foundation is created to create a better region,” Lanham said. “We’ve taken it a little further than that and really want to focus on creating opportunities for everyone who wants to call this place home and that is what our mission is. What really touches me is to make this a better place for my family now that we call this place home.”
‘Our three core areas from a community investment perspective are affordable housing, environment with a focus on water quality and mental health,” he added. “Those are key areas where we want to focus. We still support the arts, we still support other things but those are the areas where we spend a lot of time and attention.”
What programs do you want to bring to Gulf Coast?
“I am still in learner mode and being a sponge and try to absorb everything until I make a direct recommendation or plan with the board,” Lanham said. “I do want us to explore the possibility of doing impact investing here – it’s just a great way of leveraging endowment and creating a large impact and staying true to the endowment.
“My understanding is Gulf Coast has done it in the past on a smaller scale,” he added. “In Cincinnati there was a full-fledged community impact investment program and it was the first community foundation in the nation to invite donors to join them in their impact investment program – that was in 2011.
“Affordable housing is near and dear to my heart both in Cincinnati and knowing that there are tools and experiences I had that could help bring tools to our tool belt, like the impact investing that I mentioned earlier,” Lanham said. “I just could see how I could add value to the conversation here in Sarasota County.” | https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/local/venice/2023/06/25/phillip-lanham-begins-leadership-at-gulf-coast-community-foundation/70301607007/ | 2023-06-25T15:12:02 | 1 | https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/local/venice/2023/06/25/phillip-lanham-begins-leadership-at-gulf-coast-community-foundation/70301607007/ |
BALTIMORE — On Saturday, Mayor Brandon Scott, along with many city officials, came together at the annual PRIDE parade for a bill signing that expands protections for Baltimore's LGBTQIA+ community.
The bill, titled Unlawful Practices - Discrimination Based on Characteristics or Status, was initially introduced during a City Council hearing by Councilman Kristerfer Burnett, with the assistance of LGBTA Affairs Director Londyn Smith de Richelieu.
It protects against discrimination to an individual regardless of the individual's HIV or AIDS status, other characteristics or status, or association with individuals with a particular characteristic or status.
The bill also prohibits the willful and repeated use of the incorrect name or pronouns of an individual after clearly being informed of an individual's correct name and pronouns in employment, public accommodation, education, health and welfare agency, and housing settings.
“We believe in the inherent dignity and worth of every individual, regardless of their sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression,” Mayor Scott said. “In a time when states and communities across the country are taking the regressive steps to eliminate protections, the City of Baltimore is taking the opposite approach and expanding them. Our city is dedicated to creating a space where LGBTQIA+ individuals are embraced, respected, and afforded the same rights and opportunities that everyone deserves.”
“We have taken progressive strides to eliminate barriers and promote equality for everyone,” said LGBTQ Affairs Director Londyn Smith de Richelieu. “Discrimination, in any shape or form, has no place in our society, or in our city. It undermines the principles of fairness, justice and human rights that are the foundation of a harmonious and progressive society. I appreciate Mayor Scott for recognizing the imperative need to protect and promote equality for all individuals, irrespective of their race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion, disability, or any other characteristic or status.” | https://www.wmar2news.com/local/mayor-scott-signs-bill-to-expand-protections-for-lgbtqia-community | 2023-06-25T15:19:31 | 0 | https://www.wmar2news.com/local/mayor-scott-signs-bill-to-expand-protections-for-lgbtqia-community |
The Hokie Storm Chasers have returned to the Plains for another chase.
An annual event led by David Carroll, a meteorology instructor at Virginia Tech, this year’s chase includes a dozen students and five professional meteorologists, who will intercept severe storms and work to better understand how they form.
Among those on the trip is rising senior Edward Shaw III, a 2020 graduate of Cosby High School in Chesterfield County. The appeal of storm chasing stood out to him as a reason to attend Virginia Tech.
“I saw the different things that the Hokie Storm Chasers were doing, so that was a big part of my decision for college,” Shaw said.
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This is his first chase, and he cautions about reality versus expectations.
“It’s not what a lot of people see on television or on the Twitter-verse. The road situation stands out a little bit more than I expected, and I don’t think that is something that is talked about on television or on Twitter,” he said.
The vast size of the Plains makes it difficult to reach storms without continuous planning for the subsequent chase days. Road conditions and networks vary over such a large area, and there is concern that too many other chasers will follow the same storm, in what has become known as chaser convergence.
It becomes an especially large problem during the peak severe weather season in April and May. Shaw acknowledges, “It’s actually the reason we pushed the chase back to June.”
Shaw and the rest of the students make the key decisions on where to chase, with guidance from Carroll and the other professionals on the trip.
After a long discussion and a weather analysis first thing in the morning, the team decided to head north on Friday morning, from the plains of Colorado into eastern Wyoming, where conditions looked the best for storm development.
Carroll has been leading the chases since 1992, but he wants students to learn by making their own decisions. He adds, “That’s what makes this trip a little bit different from some of the others out there, because the students call the shots.”
He said the presence of him and the professionals serves as a failsafe. “We try to keep ourselves safe in that near-storm environment, which can be a really, really volatile place to be.”
Their success rate over the years is pretty good.
Carroll recalls, “About 90% of the trips we nab at least one tornado. We’ve been out during some really active patterns — we’ve seen anywhere between no tornadoes to a couple of dozen in one trip.”
They do have capacity limits, as the logistics of getting more than a dozen people together on such a trip are challenging. The team takes three minivans, each outfitted with computers and functional radar.
“What we are trying to do is keep the students engaged. Everybody has access to the weather data, they all help navigate, and they all take turns on the hot seat — where they are running the radar on a storm day,” Carroll continued.
So far, they have managed to catch a few storms on this trip, and the chase will likely continue into this week, depending on how the weather pattern evolves.
And they will likely do it all again next year. The Hokie Storm Chasers have a Facebook page for those who want to go along virtually for the ride. | https://richmond.com/news/local/weather/hokie-storm-chasers-intercept-storms-on-the-plains/article_cbaf0cd2-11f9-11ee-b88e-a73878eb3364.html | 2023-06-25T15:19:31 | 1 | https://richmond.com/news/local/weather/hokie-storm-chasers-intercept-storms-on-the-plains/article_cbaf0cd2-11f9-11ee-b88e-a73878eb3364.html |
The removal of a Tucson homeless encampment leaves this community divided
TUCSON — Estevan Park, an expansive grassy area with a playground and a rugby field bordering Barrio Anita, a wedge of a neighborhood between Interstate 10 and the railroad tracks just north of downtown, has been a focal point of Tucson’s homelessness crisis.
Dozens of people living there — the camp's population fluctuated between 30 and 80 people — were told to leave in April after the city deemed it unsafe, dividing Tucsonans. While many nearby residents wanted the park cleared, some said it was a stable option for people living on the edge.
“Encampments aren’t a good solution, but sweeping encampments is worse,” said Natalie Brewster Nguyen, who lives near the park and helped people who lived there. Clearing homeless encampments makes it more difficult for people to access social services, she said.
On April 24, Tucson posted a notice on a fence in the camp telling residents to remove personal items from the property within 72 hours. Three days later, before the sun came up, the encampment's residents woke up to police telling them to get their things and leave.
Shannon Berley, 50, lived at the camp with her partner. The couple had been in Estevan Park for about a year with their two dogs. Berley said she became homeless during the Great Recession after she lost the used car dealership she owned. She has health problems, she said, and disability benefits are not enough to pay the bills.
The couple lost everything in the Estevan Park camp clearout, including a tent, mattress and a generator — some of their most valuable belongings.
"Not only do we have no money to our name — you're taking a $300 tent ... you're taking a $500 generator. We have nothing. We have nothing," Berley said, holding back tears.
She said the city’s notice of the cleaning was unclear. She didn't understand that residents would be forced to move, she said. She thought it was about cleaning up the trash.
“It was about the trash, not vacating the property,” Berley said.
During the clearout, Berley said, the police gave her 10 minutes to collect her things and did not offer to keep them for her.
"They just tore it up. Whatever you don't take — it's gone. It's garbage," she said.
Splinter Collective, a nonprofit Nguyen runs, is paying for Berley to stay in a nearby motel while she looks for housing.
Where did people go?:Phoenix's first 'Zone' homeless encampment cleanup
No camp residents accept shelter during cleanup
The process of removing the camp at Estevan Park began in January when Union Pacific Railroad, which owns neighboring land, said they needed their property cleared, according to Mari Vasquez, a multi-agency resource coordinator and Tucson's project manager for homeless protocol.
As the encampment grew, it became “a danger to encampment residents themselves, the surrounding area, and the environment," Vasquez said.
She said the city worked with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and several nonprofits to conduct outreach in the area for about six weeks prior to the encampment removal.
When the cleanup arrived, however, no one accepted help, Vasquez said, whose team was at the encampment's clearing offering services. People often decline shelter or detox services because they do not want to be in a congregant setting, they do not want to be separated from their partner or pet to accommodate shelter rules, or they are not ready to stop using substances, she said.
On the day of the removal, there were pickup trucks to help people relocate, and the city was willing to hold belongings for up to 30 days, Vasquez said. But, she said, she was told by residents those services were not needed.
Park neighbor tries to help displaced people
Nguyen has spent a lot of time cultivating relationships with people living on the streets in and near Barrio Anita, installing an outdoor shower and a charging station, and providing other resources.
People in the Estevan Park camp had a sense of family and relative stability, Nguyen said.
“It is also a lot more stable than folks being pushed around. Sweeping camps, particularly in the way that Estevan was swept in April is incredibly violent and destabilizing for folks who are barely hanging on,” Nguyen said.
After the April clearout of Estevan Park, Splinter Collective helped get people into temporary housing, raising tens of thousands of dollars to get dozens of people into hotel rooms. Nguyen also offered tents to some people who lost theirs in the cleanup.
“Look, I am not a social worker, but we put a bunch of people in a hotel, and if we were able to give them services there, I’m certain they would stabilize, and things would get better,” Nguyen said.
Scores of people displaced in the park cleanup also ended up camping in a wash on Nguyen's property. But that area is also a city easement, and Nguyen was served with a civil infraction for having an “active campground” without the proper zoning.
The city's notice of violation said Nguyen had to stop people from camping on the property, clean up any trash and put up "no trespassing" signs.
“You’re telling people they can’t camp on public land, they can’t on private land, they can’t camp on railroad land," Nguyen said. "They can’t camp on private property where they have permission to be.”
Since then, the people camped in the wash have scattered to other places, Nguyen said.
Clearing homeless camps makes people "relocate with many fewer resources and more trauma. The only way to actually remove encampments is to move folks into housing,” Nguyen said.
Fatal shootings in encampments:Phoenix area sees string of homeless killings
Some Tucsonans applaud camp removal
Rose Thompson, a retired nurse, has a house just steps away from Estevan Park. The house has been in Thompson’s family for over 100 years. Her daughter and grandchildren live there now.
“Estevan Park, it used to bring families, students from the university to play rugby, people jogging,” she said. “It’s now caged in because there’s needles, stool and all that kind of stuff.”
While she said it was painful to see how people in the camp were suffering, she was also concerned for the safety of her daughter and grandchildren.
Thompson said she was grateful for the Tucson Crime Free Coalition, which worked to get the Estevan Park camp cleared. The coalition is a community organization that advocates for more resources and staffing for law enforcement, drug treatment and the prosecution of criminals, according to its website.
Kevin Daily, one of the founders of the grassroots group, said Barrio Anita residents were concerned about drug activity, theft, violence and fires — Estevan Park's plastic playground equipment was melted earlier this year. People wanted to be able to use the park again, he said.
There are resources in Tucson, including shelters and drug treatment programs, that the people who were living in Estevan Park can use, Daily said.
But it's the coalition's position that more needs to be done to reduce drug use in Tucson. The coalition has been advocating for more ways for people in need to connect with rehabilitation services and has been a proponent of the Pima County Transition Center, which will be near the jail. Set to open this summer, staffers there will help people get treatment, housing and other resources.
The Tucson Crime Free Coalition represents 4,000 or more people, Daily said.
"They all feel the same way about personal safety and quality of life," he said. "That's all we're doing. We just want to feel safe again."
Reach the reporter at sarah.lapidus@gannett.com. The Republic’s coverage of southern Arizona is funded, in part, with a grant from Report for America. To support regional Arizona news coverage like this, make a tax-deductible donation at supportjournalism.azcentral.com. | https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona/2023/06/25/tucson-homeless-camp-cleanup-barrio-anita-divides-community/70347898007/ | 2023-06-25T15:34:39 | 0 | https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona/2023/06/25/tucson-homeless-camp-cleanup-barrio-anita-divides-community/70347898007/ |
'We've overcome what got us in the situation': Maricopa County families celebrate reunification
After a three-year hiatus due to COVID-19, reunited families were able to celebrate the annual Family Reunification Day in person on Saturday. Hugs, laughs and smiles filled up the room at the City of Grace Church in Mesa.
The event aims to highlight the thousands of Arizona families who have achieved permanency after overcoming the challenges that caused their families to be separated. Permanency is the outcome of a dependency case where a parent is able to gain a family relationship that is legally recognized, according to the Juvenile Law Center.
As part of the process to gain back permanency, parents have taken classes, underwent testing for substance abuse when applicable and worked with caseworkers and parent allies.
Former lawyer, judge and commissioner Colleen McNally said during the introduction of the rally that Saturday's event was the biggest Family Reunification Day since it began in 2014.
Throughout the event, several families gathered together with food provided as they watched a children-led dance troupe. Parents were also able to play and connect with their children in carnival games.
In addition to families facing their own personal challenges, officials in the Maricopa County juvenile court system try to acknowledge that reunifying families also often face negative stereotypes related to having their children removed from the home in the first place.
Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Lori Bustamante, who has been involved in many of the permanency decisions, was able to experience the Rally for Reunification in person for the first time on Saturday.
"It's so cool to be able to celebrate so many families who have worked so hard to get to this point," Bustamante said. "When we are able to see families unify and work so hard to get to that point, it means everything to us as judicial officers.
"It's so great to be able to see the families together and to be able to make memories and to ensure that that bond they have continues," Bustamante added.
Bustamante said she attributes the communities' outreach, the Arizona Department of Child Safety and Gov. Katie Hobbs' support for helping to put the Rally to Reunify celebration together.
Reuniting with their children has been a long journey for these parents, Bustamante said, as they previously lost custody of their children to foster care due to a variety of issues that caused them to be considered legally unsafe to have custody of their children.
"It was difficult to first admit that you need help, and then accepting the help," 33-year-old Caitlin Long said.
Long recently reunited with her 2-year-old son, Mason McAfee.
"It's kind of difficult to do it at first, but throughout the whole process, you get more comfortable with it and it turns out for the best, the services help you in the end and you become better parents for your children," Long said.
"Celebrating family reunification (is) an awesome thing to celebrate," Long added. "It's something that we need to recognize as parents that we've accomplished something. (It's) a little bit more than a pat on the back, I think it's a great event to have to support families and encourage them to continue on."
Mason's father, Michael McAfee, 53, viewed the process not only as a way to overcome his challenges but also to shine a light on the idea of knowing his capability of leaping the hurdle in order to reunite with his son.
"It's recognition that we've overcome what got us in the situation," Michael McAfee said. "It's a feeling of accomplishment." | https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/mesa/2023/06/25/parents-children-reconnect-on-family-reunification-day-in-mesa/70352815007/ | 2023-06-25T15:34:45 | 0 | https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/mesa/2023/06/25/parents-children-reconnect-on-family-reunification-day-in-mesa/70352815007/ |
There's a water solution for Rio Verde Foothills. As summer heats up, now's next?
When Rose Carroll bought a home and acreage in Rio Verde Foothills about two-and-a-half years ago, she knew her new property came with a long-defunct well.
It spewed water that looked like chocolate milk, so dirty it was unusable.
Carroll didn't think much of it. She had water hauled in, and she was able to use her land to start the Hangry Donkey Sanctuary, a nonprofit with a shoestring budget. She took in donkeys that had been abused and neglected, adopting some out to new homes and keeping the others.
But then, at the start of the year, Scottsdale cut off her water supply, citing concerns over ongoing drought conditions on the Colorado River.
Ever since, Carroll has gotten creative. She adopted out some of her donkeys. She set up a donation portal so that supporters of the sanctuary could help. And she assembled a water filtration system to make her dirty well water useable. That brings her most recent hauled water bills to about $1,200 each month.
"That's kind of saved me so far," she said. "I can get maybe about 800 gallons a week."
Water worries ahead:Second legislative solution for Rio Verde Foothills water woes heads to Hobbs' desk
Carroll said she can see the light at the end of the tunnel. She and her neighbors found a glimmer of hope when Gov. Katie Hobbs on June 19 signed Senate Bill 1432, which creates a new type of governmental entity, called a standpipe district, with the power to enter into agreements to get water to the Foothills.
Lawmakers were quick to declare victory in a joint statement. Hobbs, a Democrat, said she was happy to "deliver relief" for Rio Verde Foothills residents. Republican Rep. Alexander Kolodin, who represents the Rio Verde Foothills area and wrote the legislation, declared that "the era of kicking the can down the road is over."
But while Carroll is hopeful and "so grateful," she and other community residents said the water drama isn't done. Foothills residents have been on the brink of potential interim solutions to their water woes before, only for them to collapse before reaching fruition.
Even if the new legislation does work, it will take time to set up the standpipe district, residents said. Meanwhile, they still don't have a stable or affordable supply of water.
"This is the best news we've had since last December, and I could not be more thrilled, but I'm hoping that they don't let this go all summer," Carroll said. "I want water — affordable water — for us and for the neighbors."
Numerous Foothills residents told The Republic that they were struggling to afford their water bills.
Those with animals have been particularly hard hit, said Terry Holmes-Stecyk, who runs an equine therapy nonprofit called Tender Little Hearts and serves on the board of the Rio Verde Horsemen's Association. She has a well that usually produces enough water for her family and her miniature horses but said she is worried about her neighbors without easy access to water and what might happen if her well were ever to dry up.
"They've already been making those hard decisions," Holmes-Stecyk said. "I've seen it with a miniature horse breeder out here. She's had to sell some of her horses because she knows that she doesn't have the extra funds to keep that water coming in, coming in, coming in."
New standpipe district brings new hurdles before water flows
The legislation passed with a bipartisan supermajority in both chambers of the Arizona Legislature, making it effective immediately upon Hobbs' signing.
But there are still a few steps that need to happen before water begins flowing to the Foothills again.
First, state leaders must set up a five-person board of directors to lead the standpipe district. The legislation gives Hobbs, Arizona Senate President Warren Petersen, Arizona House Speaker Ben Toma, the commissioner of the state real estate department and the director of the state water resources department two weeks to make their selections. They each get one appointment.
Then, the newly formed board must find a water provider and enter into an agreement to purchase water. To get it to the Foothills, the directors will also need to ally with Scottsdale, which can treat the water at its facilities and transport it to a nearby standpipe. There, water haulers can pick it up to deliver it to the community.
All of the steps pose potential roadblocks. Most immediately, residents are concerned about who might get chosen to lead the standpipe district.
That's because residents are deeply divided on solutions to the community's plight. Some were all in on a proposal to create a water-taxing district that was defeated last year. Others were fiercely opposed to that idea, instead favoring a long-term agreement with private water utility Epcor.
Taxing district supporters, Epcor supporters and neutral residents that The Republic spoke with all said the standpipe district should be made up of diplomatic Foothills residents without loudly stating positions on what solutions they prefer.
"We can't all just dig our heels in," said Dawn Antrim, a resident who supports an Epcor solution.
But Carroll, who has stayed away from strongly supporting one solution over another, said she fears the situation has gotten so contentious that those residents won't step up.
"I wouldn't want that job," she said.
Once the board is set up, it's also unclear exactly where residents might source water.
And while Scottsdale officials released a statement saying they would work with the district to draft an intergovernmental agreement, it'll still need to get past the city's council members.
Three have said they are in support of an agreement with the standpipe district. Several others remain undecided.
Scottsdale Mayor David Ortega, who has long called himself "a hard no" on helping Rio Verde Foothills residents and opposed the legislation establishing a standpipe district, released a statement indicating that he might be willing to approve an agreement as long as it looks similar to a draft he pitched to Maricopa County officials months ago. At the time, county officials were quick to dismiss it, calling it "impractical, inefficient and overly burdensome."
Residents struggling to afford water for themselves, animals
As Antrim looks at her two horses, Rosie and Sundance, she does mental math.
Each horse drinks about 50 gallons per day, she estimates. Between that and the water she and her roommate use, her household consumes roughly 5,000 gallons per month.
Before Scottsdale cut off the community, that totaled about $240 per month. Now, that same amount of water costs $660, which Antrim is struggling to afford.
'It's a strength, not a weakness':Phoenix mayor concerned about 'sensational' reporting of state's groundwater shortage
It's the latest in a series of unfortunate events, she said. Antrim used to work in human resources but lost her job amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Then, her father passed away. Now, she's hoping it won't take longer than a month or two for the new legislation to deliver much-needed relief.
But in the meantime, she's hanging by a thread. She works two jobs — one running her own training and consulting company and another doing Instacart deliveries — to hold on tight to her horses. A few months ago, she received a vet bill that forced her to ask for help from an informal network of neighbors who have banded together to donate water. More recently, she asked again.
"The stress can be pretty intense," Antrim said. "I have a second job just to pay for my water."
Leigh Harris, a resident who supported a water taxing district, said she and her husband are retired and on a fixed income. She also couldn't afford what her water bill would be if she weren't going to great lengths to conserve water, she said.
Currently, friends who live outside the community fill plastic water bottles to bring to her house. She and her husband shower in various Valley cities, thanks to friends' fitness club memberships.
And after a hot, dry summer a few years ago, she invested in roof modifications that allow her to catch rainwater. She intended to use it to water the trees shading her yard in the summer, she said, not to live off of. But now, she keeps jugs of rainwater in her backyard to use for flushing toilets and other non-drinking uses.
That means that her 5,000-gallon underground tank has largely become emergency water for her and her husband.
She said she was elated watching Hobbs sign the standpipe district legislation. She's hoping she might soon be able to stop camping in her house and start living in it again.
But in the meantime, Harris, who lives at the edge of Tonto National Forest, says she fears summer wildfires and the possibility of no water before the end of summer.
"We've really gotten to a point where we're terrified," she said. "If we're not going to have water before August, we're in trouble."
Sasha Hupka covers Maricopa County, Pinal County and regional issues for The Arizona Republic. Do you live on unincorporated land and have a story to tell? Reach her at sasha.hupka@arizonarepublic.com. Follow her on Twitter: @SashaHupka. | https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/scottsdale/2023/06/25/rio-verde-foothills-residents-water-standpipe-district/70332187007/ | 2023-06-25T15:34:51 | 1 | https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/scottsdale/2023/06/25/rio-verde-foothills-residents-water-standpipe-district/70332187007/ |
ATLANTIC CITY — New York Avenue in the 1960s and ‘70s was viewed as a thriving oasis for the LGBTQ community.
The city featured at least 10 gay bars, including the West Side Bar and Brass Rail.
Today the city has a plethora of attractions, including restaurants and casinos — but no gay bars.
“It’s kind of sad,” said Jordan Wooding, a 34-year-old city native. “There used to be the West Side Bar, the Pro Bar in Resorts ... the Rainbow Room was another hole in the wall. If we at least had one location in the city, that would be cool. A lot of us go out.”
As acceptance of the community has increased over time, so have the number of places they feel safe.
“There’s no question that the increased acceptance or perceived acceptance of the LGBTQ lifestyle and LGBTQ people have led to the disappearance of the bars as well, because people will argue, especially younger people, that they can go to a regular bar,” said Laurie Greene, an LGBTQ activist and author of the book “Drag Queens and Beauty Queens: Contesting Femininity in the World’s Playground.” “But that’s not necessarily true for queer people of color, especially gender non-conforming people. They don’t feel safe in straight bars the way that straight white men do. So that creates a real void.”
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In Atlantic City, there were 15 to 20 bars in and around New York Avenue dating to the 1950s, although it was illegal to operate a gay bar or serve gay people, Greene said.
In the ‘50s and ‘60s, bar owners could have their establishments shut down by the New Jersey Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control if they served homosexuals, said John Schultz, a former Atlantic City councilman. That was the case for Val’s Bar on New York Avenue.
MAYS LANDING — Members of the local LGBTQ+ community got to stand in solidarity during Pride…
It wasn’t until 1967 that Val’s and a New Brunswick-based company, One Eleven Wines and Liquors Inc., fought against their shutdowns and won their New Jersey Supreme Court case against the ABC.
“And that was about a year or two before Stonewall,” added Schultz, referring to the 1969 riots in New York surrounding the police raid of a gay bar.
More recently, “in the 1980s there were more than 1,000 gay bars in the country. Now there’s less than 200 and I think something like 18 female bars in the entire country,” Greene said.
Schultz said dating apps like Tinder and Grindr have diminished the need for LGBTQ bars. He and his husband, Gary Hill, owned several gay bars and real estate properties in Atlantic City in the 1970s. Some of those included the Brass Rail on Mount Vernon Avenue, Studio ‘5’ Disco on South Kentucky Avenue and Studio Six.
“Technically why there’s no gay bar in Atlantic City is because the only places with gay bars now are in major cities like San Francisco, New York, Philadelphia — they all have gay bars. And then most of the gay bars are a mixture between straight and gay,” said Schultz. “And so as the Grindr and then the gay dating sites came, these young kids, they don’t need to go to a bar, you know? I mean, in those days, you read where to go in the newspaper.”
Even as acceptance has grown, some still don’t feel comfortable going to many city establishments.
Jeremy Kelly, of Atlantic City, will go to any bar or restaurant in the city to have a good time, but his friend, Jessie Cherlin, who is Black, said he doesn’t feel like he’s allowed to be himself when he goes to places that aren’t his usual safe spots.
“I’m 6 foot tall, but I’m 6-foot-9 in heels,” Cherlin said. “I feel like I’m just being stared at or laughed at.”
ATLANTIC CITY — With the past several years bringing health inequities to the forefront, the…
Cherlin and Kelly both like going to places like Rhythm and Spirits on Tennessee Avenue, the Anchor Rock Club and the former Bourre on New York Avenue. They also said they go to the AC Pride monthly mixers to meet others in the community.
“I’d throw us in as allies,” said Greg Mungan, production manager for Anchor Rock Club. “Having diverse programming is important to us, including pride programming. We’re always interested in making it a comfortable setting for people of all walks of life to come out, including folks in the queer community.”
Mungan said Anchor Rock Club would still be doing all-inclusive events regardless of being the site of the former Chez Paree Night Club. He was honored to occupy the same space as what was a central location for what was a gay neighborhood from the ‘60s to the ‘80s.
“It’s definitely been very helpful for us to connect the dots with the pride/queer community because we occupy the same space, a natural inclination for people that used to go there, on the lookout for their space more,” said Mungan, who has hosted events with Wooding for his monthly drag cabarets, AC Pride and other organizations. “It’s important for us to be an ally and celebrate what is clearly a rich tradition in Atlantic City.”
Judah Dorrington, the city’s LGBTQ+ liaison, said it was important to have different kinds of safe places that facilitate empowerment and entrepreneurship, in addition to providing information, resources and programs for the community.
“Yeah, we need a gay bar, but what we’re also interested in is safety, health, enhancing LGBTQ+ wealth,” said Dorrington. “There are more gay spaces — non-alcoholic or sober spaces, and day spaces — beyond the bar.” | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/atlantic-city-was-once-famous-for-its-gay-bars-now-it-has-none/article_8476893c-11bb-11ee-a76c-fbace74bd9e6.html | 2023-06-25T15:35:12 | 1 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/atlantic-city-was-once-famous-for-its-gay-bars-now-it-has-none/article_8476893c-11bb-11ee-a76c-fbace74bd9e6.html |
OCEAN CITY — The Ocean City Nor'easters' undefeated record looked all but over Saturday night until Nick Pariano's penalty kick in the final half-minute of the game against rival Reading United AC.
The Nor'easters trailed Reading 1-0 at Carey Stadium with less than a minute left in stoppage time and were desperately trying to get the equalizer. Then a Reading defender was whistled for a hand ball in the box. A penalty kick was awarded. and Pariano, a midfielder, took it.
The fans who remained after a two-hour lightning delay were cheering him on as he prepared for the shot, and the Duke University rising senior didn't disappoint.
Pariano fired a quick shot that went just to the right of Reading goalie Tomas Hut and into the net to tie it. Seconds later the final score was 1-1.
"I just stepped up and picked a corner and went with it," said Pariano, a 20-year-old Philadelphia resident. "That's basically it. I hit it with power and made sure it goes in.
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"The game had a dozen flows, but it was really good after the delay that we kept it at 1-0 because we knew we were going to get that chance. We just had to wait for that chance. It was good that we didn't let it get to 2-0, and obviously it paid off in the end.
"Everyone just stayed focused," he added, "and considering the delay, I think it's a point (one point for a tie) well-fought, and we move on. We don't feel too bad about it."
The tie put first-place Ocean City at 6-0-3 (21 points) in the Mid-Atlantic Division of the United Soccer Leagues' League Two. The Nor'easters have now tied Reading twice this season, both time 1-1. United is 2-2-6 (12 points) in the division.
The tie also extended the Nor'easters regular-season unbeaten streak to 24 games.
Reading seemed to have the edge in play in the first half Saturday night, and Nor'easters goalie Stefano Camerlengo made two diving saves to keep it 0-0.
Ocean City forced the action more in the second half, but lightning in the background brought a two-hour delay with 71 minutes, 51 seconds gone in the game.
When play resumed, Reading's Shuma Sasaki scored into the right corner from 8 yards out in the 76th minute.
"I think the delay was a challenge," Ocean City coach Matt Perrella said. "I think we had a really good flow in the second half before the delay. I think the first half was kind of 50-50. But both teams had to come out and play, so it's not an excuse. They say football is a game that's not always fair, but the soccer gods for whatever reason thought we were good enough to earn a draw at the end there.
"So we'll take it, we're still undefeated, we're still hard to beat, and there's something to be said about a team that's had nine games and has not lost a game. When these guys came back after being down, that says a lot about their character as well." | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/sports/local/nick-parianos-late-pk-gives-noreasters-a-1-1-tie-after-2-hour-lightning-delay/article_1b763838-130a-11ee-8973-2b4767fc7313.html | 2023-06-25T15:35:18 | 0 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/sports/local/nick-parianos-late-pk-gives-noreasters-a-1-1-tie-after-2-hour-lightning-delay/article_1b763838-130a-11ee-8973-2b4767fc7313.html |
Bloomington-Normal
Galleries, museums
Some cultural institutions are open or making plans to reopen under current COVID restrictions. Check with each facility for indoor, online or outdoor programming. Open facilities have face covering, distancing and other guidelines in effect; see websites or call for details.
Angel Ambrose Fine Art Studio; 101 W. Monroe St. Suite 201, Bloomington; Open First Fridays 5-8 p.m. and by appointment; 309-825-4655; angelambrose.com.
David Davis Mansion; 1000 Monroe Drive, Bloomington; open for tours, 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Wed.-Sat.; by donation; daviddavismansion.org; 309-828-1084.
Eaton Studio Gallery; 411 N. Center St., Bloomington; 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays; 5-8 p.m. First Fridays, or by appointment or ring bell; eatonstudiogallery.com; 309-828-1575.
The Hangar Art Co.; 105 W. Jefferson St., Bloomington; 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Wednesday through Saturday; hangart.com; 309-319-8672.
Illinois Art Station; 101 E. Vernon Ave., Normal; Gallery open Saturdays 10 a.m.-2 p.m.; illinoisartstation.org; 309-386-1019.
Inside Out: Accessible Art Gallery & Cooperative; 200 W. Monroe St., Bloomington; 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Wednesday-Friday; Saturday 8 a.m.-2 p.m.; by appointment Sunday-Tuesday; and 10 a.m.-8 p.m. First Friday; insideoutartcoop.org; 309-838-2160.
Jan Brandt Gallery; Normandy Village, 1100 Beach St., Building 8, Normal; by appointment; janbrandtgallery.com; 309-287-4700.
Joann Goetzinger Studio and Gallery; 313 N. Main St. Suite A, Bloomington; open first Fridays 5-8 p.m., Saturdays 9 a.m.-4 p.m., also by appointment; masks and social distancing required; 309-826-1193.
Lois Jett Historic Costume Collection; Turner Hall 126E—ISU Campus, Normal; 12-2 p.m., Tuesday, 2-4 p.m., Wednesday, and 10 a.m.-12 p.m., Thursday through Dec. 9; also open 1-4 p.m., Nov. 6; 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Monday by appointment.
Main Gallery 404; 404 N. Main St., Bloomington; 12-5 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays; 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Saturdays; By chance or appointment at 309-590-6779.
McLean County Arts Center; 601 N. East St., Bloomington; open; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Tuesday, 12-4 p.m. Saturday; masks and social distancing required; mcac.org; 309-829-0011.
McLean County Museum of History; 200 N. Main St., Bloomington; 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Tuesday; 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Saturday; closed Sundays, until further notice; reservations at education@mchistory.org or 309-827-0428; mchistory.org; 309-827-0428.
Merwin and Wakeley Galleries; Illinois Wesleyan University; Bloomington; open; 12-4 p.m., Monday through Friday; 7-9 p.m., Tuesday evening; 1-4 p.m., Saturday through Sunday; iwu.edu/art/galleries; 309-556-3391.
Prairie Aviation Museum; 2929 E. Empire St., Bloomington; open Saturdays and Sundays 11 a.m.-3 p.m.; prairieaviationmuseum.org; 309-663-7632.
University Galleries of Illinois State University, Normal; open; 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 9:30 a.m.-8 p.m. Friday, noon-4 p.m. Saturday, Sunday; 309-438-5487; galleries.illinoisstate.edu/about/visit/.
Central Illinois
Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library & Museum; 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily, 212 N. Sixth St., Springfield; advance reservation required; adults $15, seniors $12, under 5 free; presidentlincoln.illinois.gov; 217-558-8844.
Art Center at Greater Livingston County Arts Council; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday; 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday; noon-4 p.m. Sunday; 209 W. Madison St., Pontiac; pcartcenter.com; 815-419-2472.
Contemporary Art Center of Peoria; Riverfront Arts Center, 305 S.W. Water St., Peoria; 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday; peoriacac.org; 309-674-6822.
Dickson Mounds Museum; 10956 N. Dickson Mounds Road, Lewistown; open, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday; free; illinoisstatemuseum.org; 309-547-3721.
Illinois State Museum; 502 S. Spring St., Springfield; open, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday; Monday-Friday, free; illinoisstatemuseum.org; 217-782-7386.
Lincoln Heritage Museum; Lincoln Center at Lincoln College, 300 Keokuk St., Lincoln; 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday-Friday; 1-4 p.m. Saturday, closed Sundays, Mondays and on Lincoln College breaks; $4-7; museum.lincolncollege.edu; 217-735-7399.
Peoria Art Guild; 203 Harrison St., Peoria; open; 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Tuesday-Friday or by appointment; peoriaartguild.org; 309-637-2787.
Peoria Riverfront Museum; downtown riverfront Peoria; open 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Monday and Friday; 9 a.m.-6:30 p.m., Tuesday-Thursday; 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday; and closed Sunday; adults $11, seniors, students $10, ages 3-17 $9; peoriariverfrontmuseum.org; 309-686-7000.
Simpkins Military Museum; 605 E. Cole St., Heyworth; Open 1-5 p.m. Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday or by appointment; Free admission (donations accepted); Private tours, call first; 309-319-3413; simpkinsmuseum@gmail.com.
Time Gallery; 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday-Friday; 9 a.m.-12 p.m., Saturday; Closed Sunday; Clock Tower Place Building, 201 Clock Tower Drive, East Peoria; 309-467-2331.
U of I Krannert Art Museum; 500 E. Peabody Drive, Champaign; open; 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday; Thursdays until 8 p.m. when classes are in session; closed Sunday and Monday; kam.illinois.edu; 217-333-1861.
Exhibits
"Marks by Modern Masters: Selections from the Heintzman Collection"; through summer 2023; "Heart"; Experience Gallery; through fall 2023; "Body Worlds RX"; Experience Gallery; through fall 2023; Peoria Riverfront Museum.
"Growng Up X"; second floor gallery; through Sept. 4; Illinois State Museum.
"Pattern and Process"; through Dec. 22; West Gallery and Light Court; "The Ink Wash of Shozo Sato"; through Dec. 22; Main Level, Contempotary Gallery; Krannert Art Museum.
"Here I have Lived: Home in Illinois"; through Jan. 21, 2024; Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum.
"React to Contact"; Peter Ahart; "Brush to Pallette"; Laurie Moore; June 2023; Peoria Art Guild.
"Edward and Gale McCullough"; Brandt Gallery; "Judy Steffens"; Armstrong Gallery; both through July 29; McLean County Arts Center. | https://pantagraph.com/life-entertainment/local/looking-for-art-culture-see-the-latest-central-illinois-exhibits/article_18661630-0c76-11ee-a5d9-a782aabadb9b.html | 2023-06-25T15:35:47 | 0 | https://pantagraph.com/life-entertainment/local/looking-for-art-culture-see-the-latest-central-illinois-exhibits/article_18661630-0c76-11ee-a5d9-a782aabadb9b.html |
No matter your age, it's good to know how to protect your financial accounts. As you get closer to retiring, you may need to tap into them, whether they're set up specifically for funding retirement or used for other purposes, such as a liquid savings or money market account.
At the same time, you may not necessarily keep up with the latest technologies and related scams that target older Americans. It's important to stay vigilant when it comes to protecting your finances, whether you are a pre-retiree, semi-retired or fully retired.
Older consumers who reported losing money due to fraud had much higher individual losses than younger Americans. Of course, there are incidents of fraud that don't result in a financial loss, but they can still be a huge headache to straighten out. For example, a fraudulent checking account withdrawal may ultimately be resolved, but that amount may be unavailable to you while an investigation takes place.
The good news is just a few proactive habits can help you safeguard your finances and your identity.
1. Monitor your banking and credit accounts regularly. Keeping tabs on your accounts can help you detect any cases of potential fraud as soon as it happens so you can start to mitigate any damage that could happen. If you bank online regularly, you may be more apt to see something that doesn't look right. You can use your bank’s mobile app periodically, as well as set up warning notifications to receive a text when a suspicious transaction occurs. If you see something odd, call the bank or creditor right away.
2. Correspond safely with any institutions you work with. When you need to contact your bank or creditor, it might be better to start with the main hotline on the back of your credit card or bank statement. You can also initiate a chat or send an email, but just make sure if you Google the company’s site (by searching for your bank's name, for example) that you choose the correct one since fraudsters can sometimes create phony pages that look almost like the real ones. Another tip is to look for “https” at the beginning of the web address – the “s” signifies that it’s secure. There might be other signs like minor misspellings that could indicate you're not on the real site.
In addition, most financial institutions have a secure login system, often with two-factor authentication, which is when you must receive a text or email code in order to complete your login. Take advantage of this added layer of security. Once you're logged in, you can conduct transactions without having to worry about sharing sensitive information over the phone or email.
3. Get your affairs in order. Taking care of legal matters regarding your finances and discussing future plans with adult children is always a smart move so that if anything should happen, your plans and wishes are in writing.
Just as you keep tabs on your health as you get older, you may want to make financial checkups with a professional as part of your regular routine as well.
4. Learn how to spot a phone/email scam. If someone claiming to be your electric company, your bank, the IRS or a charity calls or emails you to ask you for a money order or credit card number to clear a debt or make a donation, chances are it’s a scam. Other common calls you may get are for “guaranteed lower rates,” or “extended warranties” on your car. Be mindful of new scams going around by checking out the FTC’s Scam Alert page.
5. Pull your credit reports. Checking your three credit reports on a regular basis, at least once per year via annualcreditreport.com , will help ensure that warning signs of fraud or identity theft don't go unnoticed. These may include an account on your report that you never opened. A quick review will confirm that your accounts are accurate and up to date. In addition, see if any of your banks or creditors provide you with your free credit score, or sign up for a free service. Any sudden fluctuations in score can be another indicator that something is going on.
6. Mind your mail. Throwing away whole bills or credit offers is an invitation to an ID thief to get your personal information. Shred anything that has account numbers or financial information. Along those lines, try requesting paperless billing and statements to cut down on the actual mail that you get. Also, don’t leave mail lying around if you have people in your home doing work or cleaning. And if you travel, put a stop on your mail or have someone trusted pick it up for you so that statements/offers don't end up in the wrong hands.
20 Bloomington-Normal places of the past
20 B–N places of the past
What do you remember from the 90s? The 80s? The 70s and before? This collection takes a look at local businesses and establishments that have closed their doors and stayed in our memories.
Grand Hotel
The Grand Hotel is a landmark among Twin City eateries.
In a 1997 “Best of Pantagraphland” survey the restaurant was ranked as having the best fried chicken. The restaurant, which was located at 1201 E. Emerson St., was torn down in 2002.
Specials throughout the years included fried chicken, domestic rabbit, fish fries and Italian spaghetti. The restaurant held parties on New Year's Eve, Halloween and other holidays.
Pictured: The Grand Hotel is seen in May 2001.
David Proeber
The Jefferson Cafeteria
The Jefferson Cafeteria was located on the east side of the courthouse square in Bloomington from the late 1930s until 1969.
Advertisements boasted "fine foods — deliciously prepared by seven experienced women who like to cook and prepare well seasoned foods." Specials included creamed chicken, deep sea perch, baked chicken, lemon pudding, and pumpkin pie, and cost between 4 and 33 cents.
The Jefferson Cafeteria was closed by Donald Thompson, who took over the businesses in May 1968 from John Grassfield. Grassfield opened the cafeteria in 1933.
College Hills Mall
College Hills Mall was finished two months ahead of schedule and opened on Aug. 14, 1980, with 177,000 square feet of mall area and 75,000 square feet of public area. The 45-acre site cost $21 million to construct. In the 1980s, College Hills Mall and Eastland Mall offered B-N shoppers a combined five major department stores and 117 smaller stores.
From the late 1990s into the early 2000s, stores were closed throughout the mall until it went up for sale in November 2003. Cullinan Properties Ltd. purchased the property and the present-day Shoppes at College Hills opened on Aug. 17, 2005 — almost exactly 25 years after the opening of the original.
Lori Ann Cook-Neisler
University Cinemas
University Cinemas opened in 1971 near the Illinois State University campus, and with its two screens, pioneered the multiplex concept in Bloomington-Normal. The screen count increased to four, and later eight, through subsequent expansions.
In May 2009, the theater closed for a week-long conversion into a "dollar house" cinema. Ticket and concession prices were all lowered. This status has historically marked the last stage in a theater's lifespan.
The theater abruptly closed its doors in July 2010, despite having booked a full slate of films for the upcoming weekend. While the closing was not unexpected, it came without warning, according to Ruth Kreiser, district manager for the theater's owner, Carmike Cinemas.
In place of the theater today are the 1010 Lofts on Main . The 56-apartment complex has a total of 204 bedrooms in a variety of combinations from two-bedroom to four-bedroom styles.
David Proeber
Double Nickel Drive-In
A "unique and exciting restaurant decorated in the era of the 1950s," the Double Nickel Drive-In opened in June 1988. Its name reflected its location on Business Loop 55.
Located at Veterans Parkway and Morrissey Drive, the restaurant had two drive-up windows and inside seating for 54 patrons. It was built on the site of the former Streid's Restaurant and served frozen custard, ice cream, hamburgers, chicken, fish and more.
Pictured above: "Ryan Chambers, 3, left, and Nicole Hilton, 6, don't know anything about the 50s, but the two dined in full '50s style at the Double Nickel Drive-In."
Lori Ann Cook-Neisler
The first Steak ’n Shake
Gus Belt opened the first Steak ’n Shake at Main Street and Virginia Avenue in Normal (now home to Monical’s Pizza), after he added food to a Shell service station lineup of gasoline, tires and turtleburgers. The chain restaurant, which includes a sit-down dining room and drive-thru lanes, was founded in 1934 in the Twin Cities.
PANTAGRAPH FILE PHOTO
The Eureka Co. (later Electrolux)
For a period of time, Bloomington was the North American headquarters for The Eureka Co., which later became Electrolux. From the 1940s until 2000, its vacuums and other products were manufactured in Bloomington-Normal.
Its roots can be traced to 1909, when the Eureka Co. began in Detroit. By 1927, the company sold one-third of all vacuums in the U.S.
The company merged with Williams Oil-O-Matic, a Bloomington company that made heating and refrigeration equipment in 1945, and became the Eureka-Williams Corp.
In 1974, AB Electrolux purchased the company and another name change occurred – this time to The Eureka Co. Over the years, the company had several locations in Bloomington, including 1201 E. Bell St., and its final headquarters at 807 N. Main St. The Eureka name disappeared in 2004, when it became known as Electrolux.
Sadly, after decades as a major employer in the community, Electrolux made a clean sweep out of Bloomington-Normal in 2011. Its final headquarters on Main Street was demolished this month.
David Proeber
Mr. Quick Drive-In
Normal became the site of the first Mr. Quick Drive-In in the summer of 1960. The drive-in boasted a 15 cent "bigger, better, tastier 100% pure government inspected hamburger."
The last location of the Bloomington-based restaurant chain was closed and put up for sale in January 2001.
Pantagraph archives
Old Main
For nearly a century, Illinois State University’s oldest and largest building loomed over the campus grounds and town environs. It was the Watterson Towers of its day, though instead of brutalist concrete, Old Main offered a more pleasing arrangement of brick and Italianate woodwork.
Dedicated in 1861, the administration and classroom building was originally known as Normal Hall because, back then, ISU was called Normal University. Old Main remained the center of campus life well into the 20th century. Yet by 1946, concerns of the structural integrity kind led to the removal of the dome and entire third floor. A new roof was then placed over the second story, and the building continued to welcome students, though in a somewhat diminished state.
On July 17, 1958, the wrecking ball took care of the rest. Today, a memorial to Old Main featuring a bell from the beloved building can be found on the north end of the ISU Quad. Founders Day tradition calls for members of the ISU community to venture out to the quad for a ceremony in which the bell is struck once for each year of ISU's existence. Read more about Old Main in this column by Bill Kemp.
Lori Ann Cook-Neisler
Miller's Hardware
For 68 years, Miller's Hardware served the community.
The Miller True Value Hardware building was located at 200 W. Monroe St. in downtown Bloomington; the company moved there from another downtown site in 1977. The hardware store closed in the summer of 1993, a victim of changing retail trends in the Twin Cities.
In a 1993 letter to the editor, two Normal residents wrote, "We loved the 'old' store with its hardwood floors; at Christmas our children loved the toy department in the 'new' store, upstairs, and at every season would race off to see the fish, and to visit the monkey, who never failed to give them a delicious scare by furiously banging the side of his cage."
David Proeber
Gil's Country Inn
The restaurant was particularly known for its fried chicken — Wednesday nights were chicken-only nights. Gil's Country Inn was located on Mackinaw Road, south of Townline Road, about 20 miles away from Bloomington and a few miles northwest of Minier.
Karen Bressner and her husband, Larry, bought the restaurant in March 1997 from Larry’s father, Ron, who had owned it for 13 years. There’s been a restaurant at that spot for about 40 years. Gil’s was originally opened by Gil Morton in 1978.
In a 1997 "Best of Pantagraphland" survey, Gil’s ranked third in the "best fried chicken" category.
Dana L. Hoback
Cotton's Village Inn
Cotton's Village Inn was located at 401 N. Main St. in downtown Bloomington.
Owned by Melton and Millie McNabney, who went by the names of Mr. and Mrs. Cotton, the restaurant featured specialties such as ham loaf, creamed chicken pie, swiss steak, date nut pudding and pecan pie.
Columnist Steve Vogel wrote in 2013:
"Cotton’s was a unique restaurant in the basement of the building at the northeast corner of Main and Monroe. You walked down covered outside steps (still there) to a small eatery with whitewashed walls decorated with hand-painted ivy and Bavarian scenes.
The menu had simple daily specials crammed onto a single typewritten sheet with humorous thoughts and sayings added along the edges. Owner Cotton McNabney might show you to a table in one of the semi-private alcoves (former coal bins) under the sidewalk. Don’t know when it opened, but Cotton’s was there back when Route 66 passed through downtown. Cotton’s closed around 1976. Reopened as Halfpenny’s Village Inn, it didn’t last long. A unique place to take visitors."
Pictured above in August 1962: Jack Stats, left, a Bloomington native and art teacher, has been doing murals on the walls of Cotton's Village Inn of and on since high school.
Pantagraph archives
The Sinorak
Once the Sinorak ruled.
It was what they called a smorgasbord (or a one-price, all-you-can-eat cafeteria) at the south edge of Bloomington. Pete Karonis owned it and named his place after himself, Sinorak being Karonis spelled backwards.
You could get roast beef, fried chicken, ham, pork chops, salads, steamed vegetables, chunks of watermelon and big ol' scoops of cottage cheese until your eyes changed color. People lined up practically into the parking lot just for the pleasure of passing through those food lines and filling their plates and bowls to overflowing, oohing and aahing over this delectable or that delight. You could get as much as you wanted and it still only cost the same.
Pictured is a serving table at the restaurant. Diners served themselves; lunch was served from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. for 95 cents, and dinner was serve from 5 to 9 p.m. for $1.65.
The site originally was the Phil-Kron drive-in theater and restaurant, which opened in 1947. The restaurant name later was changed to Sinorak. The drive-in was purchased by the Kerasotes theater chain in 1958. It closed in 1984, after being damaged in a fire that destroyed the vacant Sinorak.
F.W. Woolworth
The F.W. Woolworth Company opened for business on March 1, 1918 in the Durley building at the corner of Main and Jefferson streets in downtown Bloomington. In 1939, a fire destroyed the Durley building and damage was estimated at $300,000.
Woolworth left downtown for 30,000-square-foot location in Eastland Mall in 1967. Pictured is the "colonial" storefront in the mall.
After 30 years as an Eastland Mall tenant, the Woolworth location in Bloomington was closed in 1997; it was among the brand's remaining 400 five-and-dime stores nationwide after 118 years of business.
Pantagraph archives
Biasi's Drug Store
In 1922, Edward C. Biasi opened a store on the northeast corner of the courthouse square. For the next 62 years Biasi’s was a fixture on the first floor of the six-story Griesheim Building, with Biasi calling it "probably the very best business location of Bloomington."
Although Edward C. Biasi passed away in June 1963 at the age of 71, the business remained an ongoing concern as Biasi’s Drug Stores, Inc. In 1973, pharmacists John L. "Jack" Ingold and Steven Richter purchased the drug store, though Ingold, who had worked there full-time since 1958, would become the sole owner.
Disaster struck in late August 1984, when the Griesheim Building was lost in one of the more spectacular fires in recent Twin City history.
The blaze proved a complete loss for Ingold, though with the help of John McGinnis he opened a temporary location at the former Color Wheel store at 413 N. Main St. To his credit, Ingold (who died in 2012) never entertained the idea of moving his store to the city’s sprawling east side.
In mid-October 1984, less than two months after the fire, Biasi’s was back on the east side of the courthouse square, now in the Unity Building, a similarly impressive multistory professional building located on the south end of the block. Incredibly, less than four years later, July 3, 1988, a fire destroyed the Unity Building. "Lightning does strike twice," a stunned Ingold said the following day.
Biasi’s reopened that same month on the south side of the courthouse square, and in November 1990, the drug store moved into the newly constructed Snyder Building, which had replaced the Griesheim and Unity buildings as well as those sandwiched in between on the 200 block of North Main Street. After three-quarters of a century in downtown Bloomington, Biasi’s closed for good on Jan. 18, 1997. Read more about Biasi's in this column by Bill Kemp.
McLean County Museum of History
General Electric
When the General Electric plant opened in 1955, it employed more than 1,000 workers. Its then-rural east Bloomington location was part of a post-World War II movement that saw factories leave the core of inner cities for more lush suburban surroundings.
A casualty of a slowing, shifting economy, officials at GE Consumer & Industrial announced plans in 2009 to shutter the Bloomington plant by the end of 2010. While the October 2010 plant closure may not have shocked those with GE ties, its loss was still mourned.
The 56-year-old plant at one time employed 1,600 people, growing Bloomington toward the east. It was also among the first well-paying local companies to employ white workers side-by-side with black peers.
In 2012, Destihl converted an old General Electric warehouse into a brewery facility, ramping up production of many varieties of beer. In 2011, the 420,000-square-foot building was still owned by GE; parts of it were listed as "available for lease" by various agents.
Pantagraph file photo
Livingston's Department Store
Livingston's Department Store on the south side of the square was arguably the premiere downtown shopping store in the 1960s. A close second, perhaps first in women's minds, was Roland's store for women on the north side of the square.
Founded in March 1866 by Sam and Aaron Livingston, the business was originally known as the McLean County Dry Goods Store. It was in the middle of the 100 block of West Washington Street, (the south side of the courthouse square), and there it remained for 113 years.
Livingston’s had 42,350 square feet of floor space, making it one of the larger department stores in downstate Illinois. Today, by way of comparison, some Wal-Mart Supercenters span 223,000 square feet. In 1946, Livingston’s added another floor by excavating a full basement to hold its household appliance department and a fur storage vault.
By the 1970s, downtown Bloomington was in decline. Sears and J.C. Penney’s had left downtown for Eastland Mall in the 1960s, and Montgomery Ward later moved to College Hills Mall around 1980. Roland’s relocated to the brave new world of Veterans Parkway but closed for good in the late 1980s. Locally owned department and clothing stores found it increasingly difficult, if not impossible, to compete against the enormous economies of scale enjoyed by the likes of Sears and other retail behemoths.
Livingston’s never made it out of downtown. Despite an infusion of some $100,000 for redecorating and increased promotion, sales were disappointing, and Livingston’s closed on Jan. 31, 1979. The store held the obligatory "going out of business" sale in its final week, offering up store fixtures, mannequins ("whole and parts"), cash registers and clothes racks. Read more about Livingston's in this column by Bill Kemp.
Pictured: Phoenix Hall, located on the south side of the McLean County courthouse square, is seen here in this 1860 lithograph (the hall spanned the seven uppermost windows on the left). In 1917, Livingston’s razed five of seven Greek Revival buildings (including the two housing Phoenix Hall) to make way for a modern department store. Today, Michael’s Restaurant occupies the street-level floor of that building.
McLean County Museum of History
Bombay Bicycle Club
Bombay Bicycle Club was a hugely popular restaurant and bar in the 1980s. The extensive menu featured foods from around the world: potato skins and fried veggies, chicken, fish, and Cajun fried shrimp, steak, quesadillas, guacamole, and more.
The building originally opened in 1977 as a Smuggler's Inn. It was converted to a Bombay Bicycle Club in 1984. Over the years, new restaurants came to this location. The property was also the home of Oriental Buffet & Grill, Prescott's and the Wildcat Brewery Co.
In 2004, the structure at 305 N. Veterans Parkway was razed. In its place today are three restaurants: Noodles & Co., Chipotle Mexican Grill and Meat Heads.
Pictured is Edward Kruse, the manager of Bombay Bicycle Club, in August 1991.
Red Lion Inn
The Red Lion Inn was downtown Bloomington’s No. 1 live music club of the 1970s, when the brick-front venue at the corner of Market and Center streets was at its peak of nightlife dominance.
It was where the "regulars" list included names like REO Speedwagon, Cheap Trick and Head East (before the rest of the country heard of them). The Bloomington site was the second of three Lions to roar in downstate Illinois, the first being in Champaign, the last in DeKalb.
The Red Lion Inn opened on Feb. 4, 1971, with a still-emerging REO Speedwagon as the debut act.
In order to gain a liquor license seven nights a week, the establishment had to function as a members-only club. Staff came up with a card and a $1 lifetime membership fee, and at one point, there were around 18,000 memberships.
In March 1980, all three Red Lion Inns closed. In October of that year, the Bloomington location was turned into a new, short-lived club called Off Center. Today, the property is the site of the Center for Human Services of McLean County.
Pantagraph archives
Metropole Pool Hall
The Metropole, at 513 N. Main St. in downtown Bloomington, was among the last establishments in the city to offer pool tables for 25 cents per game. The watering hole offered inexpensive draft beer and was described as a "working class bar." It reached the end of its two-decade run in 1993.
Pantagraph archives
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John Ruedi is a regional marketing specialist with Savant Wealth Management in Bloomington.
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Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly. | https://pantagraph.com/news/local/business/ruedi-how-to-protect-yourself-from-financial-fraud/article_d20e971e-123a-11ee-8c0e-ef571f1b0c93.html | 2023-06-25T15:35:59 | 0 | https://pantagraph.com/news/local/business/ruedi-how-to-protect-yourself-from-financial-fraud/article_d20e971e-123a-11ee-8c0e-ef571f1b0c93.html |
The Waverly Chamber of Commerce Main Street Program has been designated as an accredited Main Street America program for meeting “rigorous” performance standards.
Each year, Main Street America and its partners announce the list of accredited programs to recognize their exceptional commitment to preservation-based economic development and community revitalization through the Main Street Approach.
“I am especially proud of Waverly’s investment in its historic Main Street district and our annual accreditation by Main Street America since 1989," said Executive Director Travis Toliver, "This recognition of our organization’s work keeps our community at the forefront of the movement to care for our history and keep Main Streets alive across Iowa and throughout the nation.
"The future only looks brighter as we continue to discover the treasures here in our downtown and partner with business owners and investors to uncover the beauty and history that exists here in Waverly’s historic Main Street district.”
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The Waverly Chamber of Commerce Main Street Program’s performance is annually evaluated by Main Street Iowa, which works in partnership with Main Street America to identify the local programs that meet rigorous national performance standards.
The standards include commitments to building grassroots revitalization programs, fostering strong public-private partnerships, nurturing economic opportunity for small businesses and entrepreneurs, and actively preserving historic places, spaces, and cultural assets.
In 2022, 105 businesses call the downtown Waverly home, according to the chamber of commerce. The nationally accredited Main Street Program in Waverly has amassed over 94,000 volunteer hours since its inception in 1989.
Founded in 1937, the Waverly Chamber of Commerce is a volunteer-driven organization that today encompasses all functions of the Chamber of Commerce, Waverly Main Street Program, and Tourism.
The chamber’s success is made possible through the financial commitment and tireless dedication of hundreds of businesses and individuals working to strengthen the economic vitality and standard of living in the Waverly area.
What you missed this week in notable Waterloo and Cedar Falls crimes and court cases
This week's local crime and court updates from The Courier.
No injuries were reported and officers found spent shell casings at the scene.
Ballistics tests linked the gun to the November shooting.
The vehicle took off, traveling the wrong way on a one-way street before eventually coming to a stop.
The victim suffered an injury to his upper left chest and was taken to a hospital where doctors determined he had a punctured lung.
The insurance carrier alleged she didn’t provide financial records, business documents and other paperwork during the company’s investigation into the claim.
The fleeing vehicle eventually turned south down Oster Parkway, went down a dead-end street and into a bean field.
A charge of dependent neglect was dismissed as part of the plea agreement. The sentence will be added to 10 years in prison for an unrelated robbery case.
WATERLOO — A Waterloo man who fired a gun near children while celebrating the Independence Day holiday has been sentenced to prison.
According to authorities, he shot a woman because the woman was fighting with the mother of his child
A dispute over the purchase followed, and she allegedly entered the tent at the Deerwood Park campground, removed the dog and fled
Doctors discovered head injuries and retinal hemorrhaging, and suspected possible abuse.
Police and crews with Waterloo Fire Rescue responded to the call and found the vehicle was empty.
Annually, about one-third of all traffic fatalities are alcohol/impaired related. In Iowa last year, 57% of the July 4th holiday weekend traffic fatalities were alcohol related. | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/business/waverly-chamber-of-commerce-main-street-program-becomes-accredited/article_303570f4-11d4-11ee-aee1-9312fe1182da.html | 2023-06-25T15:39:33 | 0 | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/business/waverly-chamber-of-commerce-main-street-program-becomes-accredited/article_303570f4-11d4-11ee-aee1-9312fe1182da.html |
WAVERLY -- The summer concert series, Concerts in Kohlmann, will continue with patriotic flare at 6:30 p.m. June 29 at the Shades of Rhythm Amphitheater in Kohlmann Park, 212 First St. N.W.
First Bank will sponsor the event featuring pianist James Aissen, followed by the Greater Waverly Municipal Band performing a variety of patriotic music.
Representatives from First Bank will be on hand serving free popcorn and lemonade for all to enjoy. Food will be available for purchase too.
In case of questionable weather, listen to Y99.3 / KWAY Radio or check www.waverlychamber.com for information regarding a change of location. If moved indoors, the rain site will be the Waverly-Shell Rock Middle School auditorium.
“Concerts in Kohlmann” is put on by the Waverly Chamber of Commerce to provide free, fun, family entertainment. Any questions can be directed to the chamber at 319-352-4526. | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/waverly-summer-concerts-continue/article_fe7fa4ec-11d5-11ee-bc47-d753ebb94340.html | 2023-06-25T15:39:39 | 0 | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/waverly-summer-concerts-continue/article_fe7fa4ec-11d5-11ee-bc47-d753ebb94340.html |
SAN ANTONIO — Military veteran Carlos Antonio Raymond drew a big round of applause from a big crowd when he told the assembled volunteers that even though he is retired, he is still anxious to serve.
Raymond was one of many caring neighbors who gathered at Sam Houston High School for a think tank on community safety.
Saying people need to work together to build a better future, Raymond said, "I am so happy to see now we have a dialogue and communication and how we can improve the city in terms of safety."
Parent volunteer Elida Jimenez spoke emotionally about the need to support kids throughout their school careers, saying she is grateful for everyone who has worked hard to make Sam Houston strong.
"Our school is one in a million because we have each other as parents, community, teachers. Everyone here should show them we support them at any age," Jimenez said.
In a part of town rocked by several violent gun attacks in the last few weeks, violence prevention and grassroots solutions were the focus, as people shared stories and resources to make a difference.
San Antonio Independent School District Board Member Alicia Sebastian opened the event by saying, "We are here in unity! We will ensure there is wrap around support for our community."
Sebastian said after phone calls from concerned community members, she wanted to provide a chance for people to work together.
"As you all know, over the last few weeks, maybe months, we've seen an increase of very concerning behaviors. Violence and shootings and some of that stuff has spilled over to our schools," Sebastian said.
Trouble on the streets, Sebastian said, needs to have multi-faceted solutions.
"Our intention is for public schools to be good neighbors. We extend our hand in partnership to you. And this is a two way relationship," Sebastian said.
Representing District 2, Jolene Garcia said, "It's part of our duty to work together because if we don't collaborate then what happens outside the school comes into the school and we are not prepared," adding, "We're hopeful for what today will start and what we can continue to work on together."
Advocates believe the first step should involve teaching how mental instability and violence stems from childhood trauma.
Rosemary Williams, with the non-profit Big Mama's Safe House, said "That youth or that young adult that is really hypervigilant. They're edgy. They're angry. All of these things. We want to educate starting with adverse childhood experiences."
SAISD Police Chief Johnny Reyes Jr. said his department continues to train and add services to respond to the everyday challenges.
""We are now implementing stand-alone plain clothes mental health officers," Reyes told the crowd, adding that more positive changes are coming when school starts up again.
San Antonio Police Deputy Chief Jesse Salame said he oversees the department's community engagement team.
"Yes they are police officers, but they are looking for a holistic solutions to how we solve these really long-standing, deep issues that lead to the violence we have seen, that we haven't seen in many, many years," Salame said.
Salame said the effort he is most excited about is youth outreach, working inside the schools.
"They work with our Success Through Respect program which gets students used to interacting with police. It gets them to recognize us, that outside of the uniform we are human beings. We are fathers, brothers, sons. We're mothers, sisters and we care about the same thing you do," Salame said.
More police officers isn't always the answer, Salame said, "I think that's why a meeting like this is very important, because we're talking about different ways to make the community feel safe."
Most people in attendance agreed they were delighted by both the turnout and the commitment to turn talk into action.
"Everybody has to do their part. The safest communities are the ones that work together," Salame said. | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/violence-prevention-focus-of-saisd-summit-san-antonio-texas-education-community/273-2c59b497-d01c-49ed-8654-01959a68de53 | 2023-06-25T15:41:29 | 0 | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/violence-prevention-focus-of-saisd-summit-san-antonio-texas-education-community/273-2c59b497-d01c-49ed-8654-01959a68de53 |
KINGSPORT, Tenn. (WJHL) — The Kingsport Amateur Radio Club is hosting its summer field days this weekend at Warriors Path State Park. The club serves as a gathering opportunity for Tri-Cities-based HAM radio enthusiasts.
Along with having amateur radio as a hobby, many club members work to support regional agencies during severe weather events and natural disasters. HAM radio operators are able to listen in on where storms are moving, for example, and relay that information back to weather officials or emergency management crews.
“We do support local authorities with radio backup during natural disasters and emergencies,” said President of Kingsport Amateur Radio Club Gregory Johnson. “As a club or as radio operators, we can report back through the Skywarn network to the National Weather Service from Morristown, which helps provide them with additional information to give the public awareness of which way storms are moving during major thunderstorms, tornado-type activity.”
Johnson said people of any age, even young students, can attend the club meetings if they’re interested in getting into HAM radio.
“We welcome new members or those who are interested in taking part in amateur radio, or HAM radio as it’s most commonly known,” he said. “We meet the second Thursday of every month at the press room at Food City. [300 Clinchfield St.]”
He told News Channel 11 that the club is comprised of many veterans, and some are even cleared to run military-affiliated radio systems (MARS) that communicate with and for the United States Military.
The Kingsport Amateur Radio Club has around 70 members currently, and club leaders said they’re always welcoming more radio enthusiasts. | https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/kingsport-amateur-radio-club-hosts-summer-field-days-at-warriors-path/ | 2023-06-25T15:46:39 | 0 | https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/kingsport-amateur-radio-club-hosts-summer-field-days-at-warriors-path/ |
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AUSTIN, Texas — One person has died after being struck by a vehicle near the intersection of State Highway 71 and US 290 Saturday night, according to ATCEMS.
ATCEMS responded to the scene and obtained a DOA proclamation at 10:26 Saturday night.
There is currently no information on the victim. | https://www.kvue.com/article/news/local/one-dead-hit-by-vehicle/269-0162a568-4124-4adb-b66f-a28d93d731f7 | 2023-06-25T15:47:36 | 0 | https://www.kvue.com/article/news/local/one-dead-hit-by-vehicle/269-0162a568-4124-4adb-b66f-a28d93d731f7 |
HOUSTON — Twelve people, including several children, were taken to the hospital Saturday after too much chlorine was put into a pool in west Houston, according to firefighters.
This happened just before 5 p.m. at a lazy river pool at 1200 Wilcrest Drive.
The conditions of those who went to the hospital are unknown.
Houston Fire Department Chief Sam Peña said exposure to too much chlorine can provoke asthma, nausea and skin and eye irritation.
We have a crew headed to the scene to get more details on this incident. Check back for updates. | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/chlorine-exposure-houston/285-dd11236c-c767-4e3d-8596-de04b7193a25 | 2023-06-25T15:56:59 | 1 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/chlorine-exposure-houston/285-dd11236c-c767-4e3d-8596-de04b7193a25 |
STEPHENVILLE, Texas — A Stephenville water park will be closed on Sunday after police say a child passed away after drowning at the park the day before.
Stephenville police said they got a 911 call at 7:49 p.m. on June 24 about a possible drowning victim at Splashville on South Graham Avenue.
Officers and personnel from the fire department responded to the call and found citizens and lifeguards performing CPR on a child who was found unresponsive in the pool. The child was not named, but police say the victim was four years old.
Police say the child was taken to an emergency room. At 9 p.m., the medical staff told officers that the child had passed away. The 4-year-old was then pronounced deceased by Erath County Judge Brandon Huckabee.
Investigators with Stephenville police, Texas Parks and Wildlife Game Warden, and Texas Department of Public Safety's Texas Ranger Division are looking into the circumstances of the drowning.
"At this time, all indicators are that this is a tragic accident," said police in a statement on social media.
Stephenville Parks and Recreation posted on social media that Splashville will be closed on Sunday, June 25.
No other information is available at this time.
Other news from North Texas:
NOTE: The following video was recorded in April 27, 2022 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/stephenville-texas-splashville-drowning-june-2023/287-80f327df-357c-47d1-b2de-7bcc2984f1fb | 2023-06-25T15:57:05 | 0 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/stephenville-texas-splashville-drowning-june-2023/287-80f327df-357c-47d1-b2de-7bcc2984f1fb |
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — The American Heart Association (AHA) hosted its annual Heart Walk on Saturday morning.
Around one-thousand people showed up at Riverfront Stadium for the event.
The American Heart Association aims to bring awareness to heart disease and strokes, as well as the survivors. They say it is never too late to make a difference.
“It’s an important morning to recognize our survivors of both heart disease and stroke,” Heart Smart, senior director of the American Heart Association, said. “And also, just remind people that making a healthy choice can start just literally by walking.”
Those in attendance had the chance to learn CPR, which could save someone in the event of cardiac arrest. | https://www.ksn.com/news/local/american-heart-association-hosts-annual-heart-walk/ | 2023-06-25T16:05:05 | 0 | https://www.ksn.com/news/local/american-heart-association-hosts-annual-heart-walk/ |
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — As the summer begins to ramp up, flights are going up too.
Wichita’s Eisenhower Airport reports 81,343 passengers flew out of the airport in May, which is 13% higher than May 2022 and the second-highest May on record.
The highest record comes in May 2019, when 85,022 passengers flew out of the airport.
The airport says in May, enplanements reached 95% of 2019’s levels. A total of 157,794 passengers flew in and out of ICT in May, up 17% from 2022.
For more aviation statistics, you can visit the airport’s website by clicking here. | https://www.ksn.com/news/local/eisenhower-airport-reports-second-busiest-may-on-record/ | 2023-06-25T16:05:11 | 1 | https://www.ksn.com/news/local/eisenhower-airport-reports-second-busiest-may-on-record/ |
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — An inmate at El Dorado Correctional Facility was found unresponsive in his cell on Saturday.
A news release from The Kansas Department of Corrections says Nicholas Reimonenq, 31, was found unresponsive and was pronounced dead on June 24.
Reimonenq was serving a sentence for one count of burglary and one count of attempted aggravated burglary from Saline County.
Per protocol, when a resident dies in the custody of the Kansas Department of Corrections, the death is under investigation by the KDOC and the Kansas Bureau of Investigation.
The investigation is currently ongoing. | https://www.ksn.com/news/local/inmate-death-reported-at-el-dorado-correctional-facility-3/ | 2023-06-25T16:05:17 | 1 | https://www.ksn.com/news/local/inmate-death-reported-at-el-dorado-correctional-facility-3/ |
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) held a public meeting Saturday afternoon, where officials talked about next steps for cleanup for the 29th and Grove contamination site.
While both the KDHE and Union Pacific Railroad were on hand to talk about the ongoing cleanup plans to residents, other residents wanted to ask more questions.
The KDHE did talk to KSN about ground water.
“For the ground water, the plan for the cleanup is called a pump-and-treat remedy, basically,” Mary Daily, a project manager for the KDHE, said. “So they are going to extract the ground water, treat it above ground with air stripping technology, and then inject it back into the aquifer over time.”
A spokesperson for Union Pacific said they understand the concerns of residents in the area since the contamination happened, and they continue to work with the KDHE on more cleanup efforts.
“When the site was first identified, Union Pacific’s first steps taken were to safeguard the public health,” Robin Tysver, a spokesperson for Union Pacific, said. “And since that time, all the tests that we have seen have shown that the drinking water, the municipal drinking water is safe. The air is safe. The soil is safe.”
One resident, though, is frustrated with today’s presentation and not being able to ask more questions.
“We always had been a marginalized community, and so subsequently continued that process today,” Terrill Florence said. “You know, they didn’t care about the concerns of people. They came in, they said, ‘this is what we’re going to talk about, listen, shut up, goodbye.'”
Florence said there needs to be accountability for the mental, physical and emotional issues created by not having taken more action sooner.
While most residents in the contamination zone are on safe, city water, the KDHE said it will take ten years or longer to achieve cleanup goals for the aquifer in the area. | https://www.ksn.com/news/local/kdhe-holds-meeting-regarding-29th-and-grove-contamination-site/ | 2023-06-25T16:05:23 | 1 | https://www.ksn.com/news/local/kdhe-holds-meeting-regarding-29th-and-grove-contamination-site/ |
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — June is Pride month, and people celebrated Friday night in downtown Wichita.
Pride In The Park filled Naftzger Park. Organizers described the event as a big dance party.
“I think it’s, visibility is very important,” Marcillene Dover, one of the attendees, said. “I have already seen people that I know that may not have known that would be at something like this. It’s just really good to show that our community values people that are being represented at this activity.”
Pride events continue Saturday at the Sedgwick County Zoo, and Sunday the City’s annual Pride Parade kicks off from the old Sedgwick County Courthouse at 11 a.m. | https://www.ksn.com/news/local/pride-weekend-kicks-off-at-naftzger-park-in-downtown-wichita/ | 2023-06-25T16:05:29 | 1 | https://www.ksn.com/news/local/pride-weekend-kicks-off-at-naftzger-park-in-downtown-wichita/ |
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — A woman has died after a shooting early Sunday morning in west Wichita, according to Wichita police.
It happened just after 5 a.m. in the 2700 block of Parkridge St.
WPD Lieutenant Joe Kennedy said police received reports of a shooting and found the woman in her early 40s dead.
Lieutenant Kennedy said they are working the case as a homicide and there is no threat to the community.
More information is expected later Sunday afternoon. | https://www.ksn.com/news/local/woman-dies-after-shooting-in-west-wichita/ | 2023-06-25T16:05:39 | 1 | https://www.ksn.com/news/local/woman-dies-after-shooting-in-west-wichita/ |
OSAGE — “Church Basement Ladies” has entertained audiences in hundreds of venues since the blissfully popular musical comedy opened in Plymouth, Minnesota, in 2005. And now North Iowa crowds and beyond will be able to enjoy the show – either for the first time, or the second, third or fourth, since repeat experiences are as much fun as the first — when the Cedar Summerstock Theatre production opens Thursday, June 29, at the Krapek Family Performing Arts Center at the Cedar River Complex in Osage.
This edition of the beloved show will have an exciting twist: Greta Grosch, who portrayed the hilariously menopausal Mavis in the original production in 2005, directs the CST production. Grosch has also written scripts for every one of the eight sequels of the show. Grosch said her CST actors — Lydia Kelly Campbell, Tea Doherty, Olivia Reiter, Elizabeth Vichness and Jack Bechard — are among the best she’s directed.
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“And they act and look convincingly older,” she said with a laugh.
The show is adapted from Janet Letnes Martin’s and Suzann Nelson’s 1997 book, “Growing Up Lutheran.” The comedy, centered in a rural Minnesota church, features characters seemingly every churchgoer knows: those ladies who faithfully labor in the church kitchen among the casseroles and cast iron. While serving meals for weddings, funerals and fundraisers, they also solve problems, debate recipes and offer a big dollop of laughter. As one promotion touted, “You’ll laugh so hard your side dish will hurt.”
College theater students from across the U.S., chosen through audition, come to Mitchell County each summer to make up the CST troupe that produces four musicals in 10 weeks. The summer, with education at its heart, has proved an artistic springboard for many, who today appear in regional and national productions. The CST, in its sixth season, is headed by founding executive artistic director, Nancy Nickerson Lee.
Show dates: June 29, 30; July 1, 15, 20, 21 at 7 p.m.; and July 2, 16 at 1 p.m. Tickets may be purchased online at www.cedarsummerstock.org; or at the door.
Lee added that “Church Basement Ladies” has several bus tours coming to see the show — another testament to its enduring popularity. | https://globegazette.com/news/local/church-basement-ladies-cedar-summerstock-theatre-krapek-family-performing-arts-center/article_1a1e987a-111d-11ee-b496-8f07850ba9fa.html | 2023-06-25T16:14:24 | 1 | https://globegazette.com/news/local/church-basement-ladies-cedar-summerstock-theatre-krapek-family-performing-arts-center/article_1a1e987a-111d-11ee-b496-8f07850ba9fa.html |
Red Way's inaugural flight to Orlando takes off at the Lincoln Airport on June 8.
HAYDEN ROONEY, Journal Star file photo
From its launch on March 30 to its first flight on June 8 , Red Way, an airline created to service Lincoln Airport, sold 10,000 tickets.
In its first two weeks of flying, it has sold 6,000 tickets — an increase of about 300%, CEO Nick Wangler told the Lincoln Airport Authority on Thursday at its regular meeting.
The numbers coincide with Red Way beginning service to Austin, Texas, and Nashville, Tennessee.
Wangler, an admitted numbers cruncher, said Red Way is selling about 429 tickets each day.
"Our goal has always been to push that daily average to as close to 500 as we can," Wangler said.
Red Way has had a solid start, says Wangler, who is happy with the early results, but he remains curious why flights to Minneapolis and Austin have not been as popular as he hoped they'd be.
Red Way began flights out of Lincoln Airport on June 8.
Pat Sangimino, Journal Star
Airport Authority member Nick Cusick asked Wangler if Texas — with Red Way flights to Houston and Dallas in addition to Austin — is overserved.
Wangler said it's too early to make that kind of determination.
"We don't have enough information yet to conclusively say, 'Aha, this is the problem. This is the issue,'" Wangler said. "That remains a bit of an unknown."
He didn't rule out Allegiant Airlines, a Red Way competitor, recently adding a flight to Austin out of Omaha's Eppley Airfield.
"Price might be an issue," he said.
Other nuggets that Wangler presented to the Airport Authority included the price of jet fuel, which has been well below what Red Way had budgeted.
To date, Red Way is spending an average of $2.78 per gallon on fuel, he said.
He also noticed an interesting trend where passengers have flown from Las Vegas to Lincoln, spent the night and taken a flight to Dallas the next day.
It's more cost-effective for them to stay the night in a Lincoln hotel than to fly directly to Dallas, he surmised.
"People have been asking me why we put a hub in Lincoln," he said. "I tell them we didn't. That's just the way they're flying."
Top Journal Star photos for June 2023
A'rielle Harvell (bottom), 5, slides down an inflatable water slide next to her sisters, Yahkira Harvell (top), 4, and Samirah Graham, 13, on Monday in central Lincoln. The temperature in Lincoln reached 96 on Monday and was in the 90s again on Tuesday. The National Weather Service is forecasting highs in the 90s and mostly sunny conditions for at least the next week.
JUSTIN WAN, Journal Star
David Campbell, a recent graduate from Union college's international rescue and relief program, climbs and repels from a tree alongside Mike Mikler (not pictured) on Wednesday, June 21, 2023, at Holmes Lake Park in Lincoln.
The duo, who had earlier created a giant swing, said they were climbing the trees for fun and practice. The program for International rescue and relief is a bachelor of science degree designed for students who want to serve and help others in disaster and humanitarian relief.
KENNETH FERRIERA Journal Star
Southeast Community College Professor Michael Mellon teaches anatomy of the human brain to his class Tuesday in Lincoln. A change to community college funding in Nebraska will result in higher property taxes to support SCC next year, but officials say a tax credit will offset those increases.
HAYDEN ROONEY, Journal Star
Crane removal equipment sits on Q St. between North 9th and 10th St. temporarily closing the section of Q until June 23rd, Monday, June 19, 2023, in Lincoln.
HAYDEN ROONEY Journal Star
Malone Ribbon Dancers, including Maisey Ratliff, 8, dance during Lincoln's Juneteenth celebration Saturday at Trago Park.
JUSTIN WAN, Journal Star
Scott Copeland (Left) and Donnette Thayer (right) play Irish folk music with friends during the Hub Farmers Market at Union Plaza park on Wednesday. The markets are Wednesdays, from 5-7 p.m., through Sept. 20.
HAYDEN ROONEY, Journal Star
Open Harvest employees shovel gravel at the Open Harvest ground breaking in the Telegraph District, Wednesday, June 14, 2023, in Lincoln.
HAYDEN ROONEY Journal Star
Dynasty Volleyball players Abigail Mullen (bottom left), Reese Messer (left), Claire Cisneros (top right), and Skyler Pierce (right) share snacks and stories with one another as they rest on the catwalk overlooking the volleyball courts ahead of their next match during the Midwest PreNationals tournament on Friday, June 9, 2023, at the Sports Pavilion Lawrence in Lawrence.
KENNETH FERRIERA Journal Star
Fisherman Salem Alsareni, catches a 24 inch carp, weighing in at six and a half pounds at Holmes Lake, Monday, June 12, 2023, in Lincoln.
HAYDEN ROONEY Journal Star
Angela Gebhardt walks next to Star City Chorus during the Star City Pride Parade Saturday at the Nebraska state Capitol.
JUSTIN WAN, Journal Star
Foster Care Closet employee Brooke Horton lifts boxes of diapers onto the bus before departing for Norfolk on Friday.
HAYDEN ROONEY, Journal Star
University of Nebraska-Lincoln chancellor candidate Rodney Bennett answers questions from students and staff who are part of the College of Law on Thursday at the Office of the President.
KENNETH FERRIERA, Journal Star
Terrance McIntyre gets his hair cut by Treveon Phinney at 402 Fades Barber Shop on Thursday at Gateway Mall.
JUSTIN WAN, Journal Star
Eliana Athena Vargas Smith, 2, plays in the fountain at Union Plaza park on Wednesday, when temperatures reached 88 degrees in Lincoln.
HAYDEN ROONEY, Journal Star
Children extend their arms outward as they reach for bubbles to pop during a family fun night ice cream party on Tuesday, June 6, 2023, at the Charles H. Gere Branch Library in Lincoln.
KENNETH FERRIERA Journal Star
Harper Trumble (top right) dances with her cousin Keegan VanDeWater (right) while Alexis Arai y Su Grupo perform as part of the Jazz in June concert series on Tuesday, June 6, 2023, at in the Sheldon Sculpture Garden at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in Lincoln. The first performers for Jazz in June drew a sizable crowd on Tuesday. The free concert series, held each Tuesday in June, will feature two sets of music from 7-7:45 p.m. and 8-8:45 p.m. Beyond the performances, the series will include education outreach coordinated by community centers and artists. A market offered food and drinks to hungry patrons. And a bike Valet will provided free, secure parking for bicycles from 5 p.m. until the end of the performance in the market.
KENNETH FERRIERA Journal Star
The Rev. T. Michael Williams signs the petition to repeal LB753 during Support our Schools Nebraska petition drive kickoff at the state Capitol on Tuesday.
HAYDEN ROONEY, Journal Star
Mia Masch, 5, has her hair adjusted by her father Ian while his pet parrot Mango rests atop his shoulder during an animal blessing ceremony at First-Plymouth Church.
KENNETH FERRIERA, Journal Star
Shriner clowns cover their hearts for the invocation before the Nebraska Shrine Bowl on Saturday at Cope Stadium in Kearney.
KENNETH FERRIERA, Journal Star
A rainbow is seen near Ralston High School stadium during the Nebraska High School Soccer Senior Showcase on Friday.
JUSTIN WAN, Journal Star
Grace Jacobson of Lincoln holds a rainbow umbrella over a coffin prop in front of the Governor's Mansion on Thursday, the final day of the legislative session.
JUSTIN WAN, Journal Star
Nikita (black) jumps into the dog pool as Pearl chases after her at Off Leash Dog Bar on Wednesday.
HAYDEN ROONEY, Journal Star
Lincoln East’s Carter Mick (10) poses for portrait , Monday, May 29, 2023, in Lincoln.
HAYDEN ROONEY Journal Star
Rebecca Rager greets her grandfather Alfred Zieg (from left) during a celebration before his birthday on Wednesday, in the Gramercy dining room on Saturday, May 27, 2023, at The Residence at Gramercy in Lincoln. 'It has been a life for sure," Alfred Zieg said during the celebration. "And on Wednesday I get to start all over again, right?"
KENNETH FERRIERA, Journal Star
Muggs, a 6 year-old chocolate lab fetches his toy from the water following his dive on Saturday at Paws 4 Fun in Lincoln.
KENNETH FERRIERA Journal Star
Fire fighters clear out hot debris pulled off of 411 Mulder Dr home after alert two back yard fire, Friday, May 26, 2023, in Lincoln.
HAYDEN ROONEY Journal Star
Reach the writer at 402-473-7391 or psangimino@journalstar.com
On Twitter @psangimino
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ORLANDO, Fla. — An Orlando event will help drivers save on Fourth of July travel this week.
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The retail store Old Navy is helping residents celebrate Independence Day with free gas.
Old Navy partnered with five Race Trac locations across five states for the promotion.
The campaign will kick off on Monday, June 26 in Orlando, the most popular Fourth of July travel destination last year.
Read: Summer travel: Gas prices holding steady nationally, Florida sees spike: AAA
At each gas station in the campaign, the first 250 cars will receive a $50 Race Trac gift card for gas and snacks. Old Navy credit card holders will receive two $50 gift cards.
Nationwide fans who follow Old Navy’s Instagram and TikTok accounts can win gas gift cards by sharing their summer travel plans.
Read: OIA sees 5 million travelers 2 months in a row
The company will start the giveaway at 9 a.m., and the exact location will be announced early Monday morning in partnership with local radio stations.
On Thursday, June 29, the brand will fill tanks in other popular July 4 travel destinations, including Atlanta, Ga., Dallas, Texas, New Orleans, La. and Nashville, Tenn.
Click here to download the free WFTV news and weather apps, click here to download the WFTV Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
©2023 Cox Media Group | https://www.wftv.com/news/local/free-gas-heres-when-old-navy-will-help-fuel-travel-orlando/CYN5JZORJRG5LKKJUED2YJYTQY/ | 2023-06-25T16:26:49 | 1 | https://www.wftv.com/news/local/free-gas-heres-when-old-navy-will-help-fuel-travel-orlando/CYN5JZORJRG5LKKJUED2YJYTQY/ |
ORLANDO, Fla. — Post Traumatic Stress Disorder can often go unnoticed by society.
The Orlando VA Healthcare System (OVAHCS) is addressing this issue, incorporating a new approach to PTSD services for Veterans and their families.
>>> STREAM CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS LIVE <<<
The OVAHCS PTSD team provides specialized treatment combining trauma therapy with Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) to help Veterans learn skills to manage stress, anxiety, emotions, or suicidal thoughts.
The Orlando VA is the only one in the country offering DBTPE treatment.
Clinical Psychologist Laura Meyers said the core pillar of the program is its emphasis on early intervention and comprehensive assessments.
“Every Veteran who seeks help is given a thorough evaluation, ensuring that their individual needs and experiences are properly understood,” she said.
Read: Free gas: Here’s when Old Navy will help fuel travel in Orlando
The treatment plan incorporates medications and evidence-based therapies.
Also, it includes alternative treatments such as yoga, mindfulness techniques, art or music therapy.
OVAHCS’s holistic approach helps families recognize and understand PTSD by offering support systems for loved ones, such as groups, counseling sessions, and workshops to heal together and foster resilience.
Read: 2 years since Surfside collapse: Florida officials honor the victims
The program strives to understand veterans’ challenges to accessing care, especially those in underserved communities.
In addition to the in-person services, the program is also offered virtually. Veterans can connect with therapists online, eliminating barriers to care and helping them understand they can seek help.
The program will keep evolving as research continues collaborating with universities and more healthcare institutions.
Read: Fear of flying? Here are 9 tips for anxious flyers
OVAHCS said their PTSD program has helped Veterans find support, and healing through their services, reclaiming their lives from the clutches of trauma.
Dr. Kara Boyer, OVAHCS Deputy Chief of Mental Health, said war wounds might be invisible but require understanding and treatment.
“By providing comprehensive and personalized PTSD services, we are not just healing individuals but reshaping the very fabric of Veteran’s health care.,” she said.
Read: ‘Nothing short of a miracle’: Dispatcher walks couple through delivering baby at home
“We don’t want anyone who selflessly served our country to suffer in silence,” OVAHCS Director Timothy J. Cooke said. “It is our hope that Veterans utilize our resources and make OVAHCS their sanctuary of hope for healing.”
To learn more about PTSD services at the Orlando VA Healthcare System, click here.
Click here to download the free WFTV news and weather apps, click here to download the WFTV Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
©2023 Cox Media Group | https://www.wftv.com/news/local/hope-healing-orlando-va-offers-innovative-ptsd-services/HEOPUHLNHFBQFESBQWUA3OSLSQ/ | 2023-06-25T16:26:51 | 1 | https://www.wftv.com/news/local/hope-healing-orlando-va-offers-innovative-ptsd-services/HEOPUHLNHFBQFESBQWUA3OSLSQ/ |
LAKE COUNTY, Fla. — A Central Florida public school is helping protect wildlife on its school grounds.
>>> STREAM CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS LIVE <<<
The National Wildlife Federation certified the Lake Pointe Academy’s habitat as part of its Garden for Wildlife program.
Over 5,000 schools nationwide have created wildlife habitats with natural food sources, clean water and cover.
The school’s Environmental Club and the Parent Teacher Student Association help fund the wildlife garden.
Read: Here’s what Lake County is doing to keep up with growth
Since the garden began two years ago, students have learned about Florida native plants, non-native species, invasive species, and water and soil conservation. Over 95% of the garden is made of Florida native plants.
Students now have the opportunity to experience nature up close, including how the plants attract butterflies and birds.
Read: Brevard County leaders look to increase school bus driver pay by $5
“As an E-STEM school, we are excited to expand our educational environment to include the garden,” said Assistant Principal Katie Van Beek. “Providing hands-on learning opportunities in an outdoor setting will help our students experience practical applications for the classroom curriculum.”
The school hopes to continue teaching the students about sustainability and science as the garden grows.
Click here to download the free WFTV news and weather apps, click here to download the WFTV Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
©2023 Cox Media Group | https://www.wftv.com/news/local/lake-county-public-school-protects-wildlife-with-outdoor-habitat/UXRPLJAJRVAT3K5RAGHJIFUSDQ/ | 2023-06-25T16:26:52 | 1 | https://www.wftv.com/news/local/lake-county-public-school-protects-wildlife-with-outdoor-habitat/UXRPLJAJRVAT3K5RAGHJIFUSDQ/ |
DULUTH — After a three-year hiatus, the Lake Superior & Mississippi Railroad is nearly ready to roll once again.
The COVID-19 pandemic and the extensive cleanup of the former U.S. Steel Corp. Superfund site tag-teamed to sideline the excursion rail service these past few years. But the volunteer-run railroad has faced a multitude of challenges in the past decade.
Harold Dols, an engineer and board member of the LS&M, said floodwaters forced damaged bridges to be replaced on the front end, and then the environmental remediation work at the U.S. Steel property caused people to question whether rail service through the area should be restored or if it simply should be replaced with a non-motorized recreational trail.
“So, it’s been a 10-year struggle for us, and we are ready to start rolling,” Dols said. “We’ve had some dedicated people just giving their all to keep this railroad alive. We’re an all-volunteer organization that believes in the LS&M’s history, the ride itself, the organization and what this provides tourists and the people of Duluth. It’s really a gem."
Ultimately, officials agreed the corridor could accommodate both a restored train line and a bike/pedestrian pathway.
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About a couple miles of track was temporarily removed to facilitate the cleanup of the U.S. Steel site, but David Bogrien said the line has been replaced, along with a few bridges, and should be ready for traffic shortly.
The LS&M doesn’t have a date certain for its resumption of service but is shooting for mid-July.
Would-be passengers are already asking for tickets, but LS&M volunteer Pat Johnson said sales won’t begin until an exact timeframe can be firmed up, likely in the next week or two. She advises people to watch the railroad’s website and Facebook page for the latest updates. The scenic railroad's season usually runs through mid-October, showcasing the fall colors of the St. Louis River valley.
Besides waiting for the tracks to be restored, the LS&M faced another difficulty. The railroad had used some of the downtime to tackle equipment repairs, including a replacement of the worn wheels of its main locomotive, a 1946 center-cab engine from the Flambeau Paper Co. in Park Falls, Wisconsin. But that project ran into supply chain delays, as parts that used to originate in war-torn Ukraine were no longer available.
The delay could have forced the LS&M to shorten its season even further but for the generosity of another organization, the Wisconsin Great Northern Railroad in Trego, which has temporarily lent the LS&M an engine. Bolgrien said the locomotive is similar to the LS&M’s, although it handles and brakes a bit differently. Volunteer crews will be training in the next few weeks to become comfortable with the new engine and to dial in their safety-first operations of it.
“We need to give a big shout-out to Greg Vreeland,” said Dols, referring to the Great Northern’s operator.
“It’s just a testament to the kind of extraordinarily generous people involved in these kinds of organizations,” Dols said.
The LS&M also has used some of the down time to undertake work on its 6-mile rail line and to make improvements to its railcars, including the reconstruction of its open-air “safari car.”
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“We have a very dedicated group of volunteers, and we didn’t lose many over the shutdown,” Bolgrien said.
He said the LS&M also has taken time to refine its storytelling.
“A big part of our mission is to really educate folks about the St. Louis River, to give them an experience that tells the cultural and environmental stories of the river. So, we took time to look at our narration and signage, to make sure it is correct and engaging,” Bolgrien said.
That story includes the role the railroad played in Duluth’s growth, the transformation of the river corridor from the unspoiled area American Indians treasured to the industrialized waterfront that followed and the efforts to restore the area years later.
Dols contends it’s a heritage worth preserving.
“We’ve been here for more than 40 years, and we hope to be here for another 40 years and counting,” he said. | https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/news/local/against-all-odds-duluth-scenic-rail-service-to-resume-operations-after-3-year-hiatus | 2023-06-25T16:36:09 | 1 | https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/news/local/against-all-odds-duluth-scenic-rail-service-to-resume-operations-after-3-year-hiatus |
We asked candidates for Duluth mayor, City Council and School Board how they stand on the issues. See how they answered using the links below.
The Duluth city clerk has
more information
about early in-person voting hours, voting by mail and how to obtain an absentee ballot.
Our newsroom occasionally reports stories under a byline of "staff." Often, the "staff" byline is used when rewriting basic news briefs that originate from official sources, such as a city press release about a road closure, and which require little or no reporting. At times, this byline is used when a news story includes numerous authors or when the story is formed by aggregating previously reported news from various sources. If outside sources are used, it is noted within the story. | https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/news/local/duluth-primary-voting-guide | 2023-06-25T16:36:20 | 1 | https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/news/local/duluth-primary-voting-guide |
STOCKTON, Calif. — At least one person was killed in east Stockton, the San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office said Sunday morning.
In a Tweet posted at 2:49 a.m. Sunday, deputies said they were investigating the homicide in the 2400 block of Myran Avenue.
The scene, along Myran Avenue between Cherokee Road and Robindale Avenue, is expected to be blocked off for several hours. Officials have not said how the person died or whether the killer had been identified.
Officers with the California Highway Patrol were at the scene Sunday morning along with deputes from the San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office.
Witnesses and people with information can call investigators at 209-468-4400.
Watch more Stockton news from ABC10: Stockton 99 Speedway hosting 'Drift Day' in attempt to combat sideshows | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/stockton/san-joaquin-sheriff-homicide/103-ea051b7a-836c-49ea-a35d-bc2d7a555314 | 2023-06-25T16:37:29 | 1 | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/stockton/san-joaquin-sheriff-homicide/103-ea051b7a-836c-49ea-a35d-bc2d7a555314 |
MONROE COUNTY, Pa. — Fire has been burning at a shopping plaza in Monroe County for hours.
It started just after 7:30 a.m. Sunday at the Fountain Court Shopping Center along Route 611 in Pocono Township.
The Monroe County Communications Center tells Newswatch 16 they have at least 15 of their crews there.
Help was called in from several other counties in the region, including Northampton, Lackawanna and Wayne, and even Warren County, N.J.
Officials say the fire reignited as crews worked to put the fire out. Nearly all the businesses in the plaza are destroyed.
There is no word on any injuries at this time.
Route 611 is shut down in both directions between Bartonsville Avenue and Serfas Drive. The public is asked to avoid the area.
This is a developing story, check back for updates. | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/monroe-county/fire-rips-through-monroe-county-shopping-center-pocono-township-route-611-flames-fountain-court/523-dbc53a55-5a11-4062-8ae1-b9d86fe88193 | 2023-06-25T16:47:17 | 0 | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/monroe-county/fire-rips-through-monroe-county-shopping-center-pocono-township-route-611-flames-fountain-court/523-dbc53a55-5a11-4062-8ae1-b9d86fe88193 |
The Mayor's Youth Commission has announced recognition awards for 16 local students nominated during the fourth quarter of the 2022-23 school year.
The commission created the awards program to recognize the community’s youth for their outstanding personal achievements and the important, positive contributions they make to the Kenosha community. Nomination forms can be obtained in the Mayor’s Office, Room 300, in the Municipal Building, or on the internet at www.kenosha.org under the tab Mayor/Administration.
Recipients include:
Liliana Andrews, an eighth grade student at The Brompton School, nominated by Nichole Hack. She is a member of the Transition Coaches, which is a group of eighth grade students who mentor sixth grade students. She creates and leads activities with the students to help them become better leaders. Along with creating and teaching individual lessons to the sixth grade, she helps to coordinate and host the middle school socials. She is a leader at directing students to set up, clean up and is great at creating activities during the socials. Outside of school, her extra-curricular activities include horseback riding and cheerleading.
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Sarah Bailey, a third grade student at Frank Elementary School, nominated by Julie Neumaier. She is a character leader of respect, craftsmanship, empathy, self-discipline, and trustworthiness. She has made incredible growth both academically and socially, with the ability to retain learning and use of “college words” in context on a regular basis.
Ryan John Edwards, a senior at Indian Trail High School, nominated by Dr. Tina Peterson. He has accomplished his academic goals by pursuing advanced placement classes, as well as college credit courses in high school. He graduated Magna Cum Laude and will be attending the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the fall to pursue a degree in Nursing and a minor in Biology. He was a member of the JV/Varsity Volleyball Team, JV/Varsity Baseball team, and Varsity Golf. He was also a member of National Honor Society, High School Honors Band, and the Jazz Band. He has 122 hours of community service from 2019-223.
Isabella Foltz, an eighth grade student at Lance Middle School. She continually completes top quality work, shows integrity, and demonstrates leadership qualities. Izzy participates at high levels in and out of the classroom and is a member of various teams and organizations. She also won the National Junior Honor Society Outstanding Achievement Award.
Emily Fonk, an eighth grade student at Lance Middle School, nominated by Sue Murray. Emily is a model student. She has an honors course load and has been on the honor roll each quarter. She is the National Junior Honor Society secretary and made a commitment to complete 100 hours of service this year. she sought out to volunteer in the Lance ID room, helping those with special needs. She is on the Lance track & field team and is a member of the Student Council. She plays the violin and is a member of the Chamber Orchestra.
Isabella Gentz, a senior at Tremper High School, nominated by Samantha Rodriguez. She has been very involved in youth apprenticeship at Tremper. She has also participated in tennis and student government. She has taken challenging classes throughout high school, achieving excellent grades. I
Jenna Gyger, in eleventh grade at Indian Trail High School and Academy, nominated by Daryl A. Strait. She is a thoroughly driven student, an exemplary learner, a good person, and an informed citizen whose humble approach to every discussion transforms the diverse perspectives of those around her into new knowledge. She is also an intern veterinarian at Kenosha Veterinary Clinic.
Garrett Haber, fifth grader at Nash Elementary School, nominated by Lacy Dusak. HE volunteers for safety patrol each day at school to help keep students safe. He also volunteers his time each day at school as a “buddy” to a second grade student, making his second grader feel like he has a best friend, someone that believes in him, and someone to look up too.
Mia Hunt, in second grade at Roosevelt Elementary, nominated by Mary Williams. From the beginning of the year, Mia went above and beyond to welcome a new student She also is quick to offer to help other students and gives quiet encouragement to her peers. Mia also has a brother in kindergarten and always checks in to make sure that he is happy and doing okay.
Joseph Mendoza, a senior at Tremper High School, nominated by Terri Hujik. He does not hesitate to take challenging classes like AP Literature and AP US History. Last summer he also had the opportunity to participate in the Humanities Citizenship Initiative in Ohio. This is a two week summer program at Columbia University where rising high school seniors reside in dorms at the university and read and discuss books chosen by a residing college professor. Joe has also taken classes through the Early College Credit program. He played on Tremper’s baseball team. J
Pierce Pereira, senior at Lakeview Technology Academy, nominated by Kristi Koschkee. He is an excellent scholar in all of his courses, many of them advanced placement courses. He also tutors students in the “Students for Academic Success” program. He is a member of the National Honor Society, an active Student Ambassador, as well as an officer for Lakeview’s Skills USA Chapter, and gives freely of his time to the community, both in and out of school.
Lily Elizabeth Peterson, a college freshman at Baylor University, a former Indian Trail High School & Academy student, nominated by Sue Kuryanowicz. While in high school, she took on several leadership roles as well as being involved in multiple competitions. She served as the ITHSA Vice President for both Student Council and Senior Class, as well as being an active member of the school’s National Honor Society chapter, a Link Crew/freshman orientation leader, a captain of the school’s track team, and a member of the school’s varsity tennis team. She was among the top five in her graduating class, regularly participated in community service throughout high school, and has maintained a 3.97 GPA throughout her entire freshman year of college. Since leaving high school, she has become an executive board member of Baylor University’s Society of Women’s Engineers, the school’s club tennis team and will be pursuing a master’s degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering.
Lucy Salmon, an eighth grade student at Lance Middle School, nominated by Katie Vitkus. She has maintained at 4.0 GPA in middle school while working a year ahead in math curriculum. She shows leadership, serving as Vice President in National Junior Honor Society and made it a personal goal to complete 100 hours of community service this school year. Lucy played on the Lance basketball team and competes on the track and field team.
Emily Slye, an eleventh grade student at Tremper, nomimated by Matt Kellner. She has thrived in academics, sports and community service. She has all A grades for her academic career. She is the captain of the girl’s soccer team at Tremper, which has won two State Cup Championships. She is also involved in Student Government and participates in various service projects that help the community.
Lakyn Sebetic, a third grade student at Nash Elementary, nominated by Mari Enwright. She is an ambassador of Nash’s motto of kindness, respect and hard work. She volunteers to help with fellow students.
Lesley Christensen, a third grade student at Nash Elementary, nominated by Kim Schmitt. She shows compassion with all of her classmates. She is an excellent student who excels in all subjects. She works hard every day in school and meets all deadline. | https://kenoshanews.com/news/local/kenosha-mayors-youth-commission-recognizes-16-local-students/article_c4ccd66e-0fac-11ee-8f13-e3637569623e.html | 2023-06-25T16:57:15 | 1 | https://kenoshanews.com/news/local/kenosha-mayors-youth-commission-recognizes-16-local-students/article_c4ccd66e-0fac-11ee-8f13-e3637569623e.html |
Originally published June 23 on IdahoCapitalSun.com.A group of five Idaho Republican legislators has come out against proposed GOP rule changes they say will harm young voters and party leaders.
Idaho GOP party officials will vote on 23 proposed rule changes and 26 proposed resolutions, during this weekend’s Idaho Republican Party state central committee meeting at Living Waters Ranch in Challis.
Two of the proposed rules drew opposition from five GOP legislators — Sen. Ben Adams, R-Nampa, and Reps. Kevin Andrus, R-Lava Hot Springs; Dustin Manwaring, R-Pocatello; Jeff Ehlers, R-Meridian; and James Petzke, R-Meridian.
One of the party’s top officials also spoke out this week, in a published commentary, against the proposed rules and other recent changes within the party.
“Most Idahoans don’t realize the gravity of several proposed rules being voted on this weekend,” wrote Daniel Silver, first vice-chair of the Idaho Republican Party. “They risk further fracturing our party. They will take power away from Idahoans and give it to a select few.”
PROPOSED RULE: A GOP PURITY TEST
One rule would make it so that voters who are affiliated with a different political party could have to wait for more than two years after affiliating with the Idaho Republican Party to vote in a Republican primary election.
The proposed rule states that voters must be affiliated with the Idaho Republican Party by Dec. 30 each year to vote in the next year’s primary election. But if a voter was affiliated with a different political party any time within the 12 months prior to changing their affiliation, they would need to wait an additional 12 months after Dec. 30 to affiliate with the GOP. The same proposed rule also would allow GOP county central committees and GOP legislative committees to determine party affiliation and make endorsements in county and legislative races, respectively.
In a joint letter they publicly posted Wednesday night, the five Republican legislators said the proposed rule would counteract efforts by young Republicans working on college campuses and in churches to court first-time voters who registered with the Democratic Party. Those young party volunteers are trying to persuade such voters to switch their affiliation to the Republican Party.
In their letter opposing the rule, the five Republican legislators said Democrats are already more effective at registering young and first-time voters. This proposed rule change could limit how converted new voters are able to participate in the Republican Party, they said.
“By placing a 25-month restriction for Republican affiliation, the current rule will effectively eliminate any success made on campuses, churches, and in our communities with students and young families. We are essentially telling our young voters they are not able to participate in our primaries for potentially up to four years,” they wrote in the letter.
PROPOSED RULE: REMOVE VOTING POWER FROM YOUNG, COLLEGE AND WOMEN GOP GROUPS
Another proposed rule would stop the Idaho Young Republicans, Idaho College Republicans and Idaho Federation of Republican Women from voting on party matters as members of the Idaho Republican Party’s executive committee. As of now, each group’s leader has a voting seat on the committee; the rule would make them non-voting members.
“It takes effort to keep younger voters engaged. We can attest to that as five Young Republican legislators,” the legislators wrote in Thursday’s joint letter. “While these rule changes may look good to some on the surface, we are certain they will have unintended consequences that will negatively impact Republican prospects for the future.”
The Idaho GOP has considered versions of the proposal before — tabling it in January for consideration at this summer’s meeting. Those backing the proposal argued that the groups shouldn’t have a vote on the party’s core committee because they aren’t elected by party delegates, but rather by their own group members.
Tracey Wasden, president of the Idaho Federation of Republican Women, told the Idaho Capital Sun after January’s GOP winter meeting that Republican women of Idaho worked hard for the party and contributed nearly 44,000 volunteer hours in the last election cycle.
“Over 50 years ago, they put the women, the Idaho Young Republicans and the College Republicans on the executive board back when we were not considered a red state,” Wasden told the Sun at the time. “And we helped turn that around.”
According to the Idaho Republican Party’s website, party leaders who are eligible to vote on the rules and resolutions this weekend will include:
- voting members of the state executive committee
- county Republican Party chairs
- state committeemen and state committeewomen
- the state youth committee person
- legislative district chairs
Among the other rules and resolutions up for consideration this weekend is a proposal to hold a new presidential caucus on the first Saturday in March of a presidential election year — if the Idaho Legislature does not act by Oct. 1 to restore the presidential primary that it unintentionally eliminated earlier this year. There is also a competing proposed rule to create a new Republican state presidential preference convention. | https://www.idahopress.com/news/local/politics/high-profile-idaho-republicans-speak-out-against-gop-proposals-as-party-leaders-gather-to-vote/article_145378f8-1216-11ee-8b52-efb61359c1c5.html | 2023-06-25T17:10:52 | 1 | https://www.idahopress.com/news/local/politics/high-profile-idaho-republicans-speak-out-against-gop-proposals-as-party-leaders-gather-to-vote/article_145378f8-1216-11ee-8b52-efb61359c1c5.html |
BLOOMINGTON — During World War II, disruptions in the food supply chain and rationing made it difficult to source fresh produce and kitchen staples. In summer 1943, first lady Eleanor Roosevelt proposed a sustainable solution: victory gardens. She planted one on the White House lawn to grow beans, tomatoes, carrots and cabbage, and she encouraged Americans to follow suit.
All over the country, people took to the soil, turning their backyards and community plots into productive vegetable gardens to support the war effort and make ends meet.
This movement included many patriotic McLean Countians who, too, planted victory gardens in various places. In Farmer City, community members grew 60,000 sweet potato plants and 45,000 tomato plants. Victory gardeners in Normal with limited space were strategic and planted peas early and removed them before planting sweet corn, beans and tomatoes in the same plot.
The 33 4-H clubs across McLean County were vital to the success of local efforts. The clubs tended to 85 victory gardens in addition to producing 240,000 pounds of pork, 160,000 pounds of mutton, and 32,000 pounds of poultry.
The Pantagraph reported that the goal for 4-H clubs in summer 1943 was to increase the size (ages 10-20) from just over 800 members to 1,000 members and for each club to produce enough food for one soldier.
This community took gardening so seriously that the destruction of one plot made the pages of the Pantagraph. In June 1943, four young boys were taken home by a police officer for tampering with a victory garden on North Roosevelt Avenue in Bloomington.
The stakes holding up the tomato plants were pulled up from the ground, leaving the stems to fall into the soil. They also plucked unripened green fruit from the vine.
The destruction of plots was considered unpatriotic. As their penance, the young vandals had to clean up and add plants to the victory garden they attempted to destroy. Police Magistrate Rolla Jones said of the incident, "Parents are responsible for the conduct of these youngsters, and interference with the garden is interference with the war effort."
In July 1943, the Office of Civilian Defense hosted a victory garden contest in Bloomington. Ninety gardeners entered and divided up into four geographic areas: the southwest, northwest, northeast and southeast sections of town.
Center and Front streets were the dividing lines. Winners from each section received one of 12 prizes for their first, second, or third-place wins: $5, $3, and $1, respectively, which are equivalent to $88, $53, and $18 today.
One grand prize, an additional $5, went to the overall winner, the best victory garden in town.
Illinois State Normal University agriculture professors C.E. Hudleson and John Green judged the contest from July 11-18. Both professors agreed they didn't see a single lousy garden, including the hundreds of other gardens they encountered that had not even entered the competition.
When asked about the sheer amount of food being grown in Bloomington, the judges said, "And we know that Bloomington should not suffer this winter from any lack of such foods as beans, tomatoes, and potatoes — if the weatherman cooperates."
The northwest section winner, Mrs. Andrew Hauptman of 1401 W. Forrest St., grew enough cabbage to produce about 100 pounds of kraut by early July and planted about 100 pepper plants.
Charles G. Arbuckle of 1002 E. Oakland Ave. won in the southeast section with 16 rows of potatoes and 140 tomato plants.
Te northeast winner, Mrs. Emma F. Forister of 517 E. Chestnut St., who was 80 years old at the time, did all the work in the garden except for the spading, and the judges commented that her plot was one of the most weedless. Mrs. Forister recounted that there had been a garden on that land since 1912.
The southwest and overall grand prize winner was James Albrecht of 908 W. Oakland Ave. Mr. Albrecht went to work at the defense plant, Williams-Oil-O-Matic, making sheet metal in the morning, and would come home around 4 p.m. to tend to his garden.
Mr. Albrecht hadn't had a grocery bill since May of that year, feeding his family from the garden's harvest. By the time he won the contest, his family had 20 quarts of beans and eight quarts of pickled onions canned and on their shelf, ready for winter.
Today, people still look forward to gardening every summer, but the scale of food production from "average" Americans in 2023 does not compare to 1943. In 1943, victory gardens supplied 40% of the nation's produce, but today about 90% of food consumed in Illinois is produced elsewhere.
Much of the produce consumed today travels hundreds, if not thousands, of miles to corporate conglomerate chain supermarkets before making it to our dinner plates.
Many folks point to our busier schedules, the economic barriers to homeownership and various environmental factors affecting our ability to garden in this "modern" age. Hence, the importance of community gardens.
Serving as a vital resource, community gardens not only provide space for people to garden who may not have room otherwise, but they also encourage teamwork and working collaboratively with neighbors to grow food for all.
Community gardens work to beautify neighborhoods, foster meaningful relationships, improve the soil, protect the watershed, and provide fresh produce to areas that would otherwise be considered food deserts. They teach children and adults the importance of protecting our environment and empower everyone through growing, preserving, and preparing food.
Eleanor Roosevelt’s victory garden on the White House lawn garnered media attention and became a nationally recognized community garden in the United States. Alas, her efforts and those of the patriotic gardeners across the country were merely a resurgence of communal harvest practices that have sustained people for thousands of years. A garden plot with beans, squash, and corn was central in many Native American communities, including the indigenous peoples that first called McLean County home.
Many lessons sprouted from the seeds sown by the victory gardeners and the communal harvesters before them that the McLean County Museum of History has taken to heart.
As grocery prices continue to rise everywhere, learning from the past and how we persevered through difficult times can help us be more sustainable and more united as people.
The museum is cultivating a victory garden at the Westside Community Garden, a West Bloomington Revitalization Project initiative, on the southeast corner of Roosevelt Avenue and Mulberry Street.
In the museum’s victory garden, heirloom vegetable varieties similar to those from 1943 are growing. The raised bed is full of napa cabbage and daikon radishes growing for the upcoming kimchi-making workshop with the University of Illinois Extension on Aug. 29. To learn more or to register for the workshop at the museum, visit https://bit.ly/kimchi929.
The museum's "Crafting History" series also emphasizes sustainability by providing participants with the materials and knowledge to take up practices done in the past that minimize waste in our lives. The upcoming workshop, "Dyeing with Dinner Scraps," looks at ways to use common kitchen ingredients to dye fabrics naturally. Participants will come away with two naturally dyed cloth napkins. If you want to participate in the June 28 virtual workshop, visit https://bit.ly/DyeingWithDinner. | https://pantagraph.com/news/local/history/victory-gardens-fed-wwii-effort-offer-lesson-in-sustainability/article_d4cf40e0-10a3-11ee-bfb6-cb076dc18769.html | 2023-06-25T17:20:07 | 1 | https://pantagraph.com/news/local/history/victory-gardens-fed-wwii-effort-offer-lesson-in-sustainability/article_d4cf40e0-10a3-11ee-bfb6-cb076dc18769.html |
WHITING — With loud cheers and much confetti, the Mascot Hall of Fame Class of 2023 was unveiled Friday Night at the hall's annual Cue the Confetti Celebration and Fundraiser.
Otto the Orange, the mascot of Syracuse University, and Slugger, the mascot of the Portland Sea Dogs, were the only two out of 18 nominees to meet the 60 percent threshold out of votes cast to receive the honor of being inducted in a ceremony that will be held at the hall, located at 1851 Front St., on Aug. 12.
Both mascots showed off their dance moves as they were greeted enthusiastically by the crowd of about 100 people who paid $75 to attend an evening of food and drinks, mascot trivia, entertainment provided by a deejay and the privilege of being the first to find out who the newest members of the hall will be.
A silent auction gave attendees the chance to bid on a variety of sports-related items that included such things as ticket packages to see the Cincinnati Reds, St. Louis Cardinals and Indianapolis Indians, along with an autographed puck signed by Montreal Canadiens team captain Nick Suzuki and a baseball signed by Kansas City Royals pitcher Brady Singer.
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"It's our biggest fundraiser of the year," said Karen Anaszewicz, the hall's executive director.
Money raised will be used to update and maintain exhibits and a portion will help see that students from underserved communities can attend on field trips.
Whiting Mayor Steve Spebar was among those in attendance. He explained how the hall stresses both fun and education and said it is being utilized more as people people learn about it.
"I believe this week we've had seven field trips," Spebar said.
Concerns waning in regards to COVID seems to be helping bring more visitors.
"Attendance has been spiking in this last year, which we're very excited for", said Valarie Reyes, special events coordinator. "We did bring back a lot of our programming, since we got rid of it due to COVID."
Florence Reedy came from Bloomingdale, IL, with her son, Edward, and her sister, Gina Sparacino.
"We come here for every event, because my son and my little sister love mascots," Reedy said.
Imani Reggans, of Chicago, came for the first time after being invited by her sister, Natiya Lozano, who also attended.
"I've had a lot of fun so far and it seems like a very fun and family-friendly environment," Reggans said. "Definitely something that I'd bring my family to to have a good time to learn about the history of sport."
The popularity of mascots is evident by the number of online selections cast.
"We had over 95,000 votes this year," Anaszewicz said.
Otto the Orange and Slugger will now join the likes of such legendary mascots as the Phillie Phanatic and Brutus Buckeye.
Otto has entertained Syracuse University fans since the early 1980's as over 100 people have worn the bright orange costume.
Slugger will have the distinction of becoming the first minor league mascot to be inducted. The grey harbor seal was born in 1994 and serves as the mascot for the Double-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox. | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/lake/whiting/mascot-hall-of-fame-unveils-its-2023-class/article_26bd11ba-12d0-11ee-8a40-03703e221e9a.html | 2023-06-25T17:27:35 | 1 | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/lake/whiting/mascot-hall-of-fame-unveils-its-2023-class/article_26bd11ba-12d0-11ee-8a40-03703e221e9a.html |
LAPORTE — Another deadline has been set over what appears to be a contested plan to annex the 39 North Conservancy District outside LaPorte.
LaPorte Mayor Tom Dermody has set a June 30 deadline for the district to sign a Memorandum of Understanding over the city’s intentions to annex more than 900 acres of partially developed ground along Ind. 39 from Severs Road to the Indiana Toll Road.
Dermody said the next steps will be decided if the district board fails to meet the deadline.
He said he established the deadline recently after his repeated attempts failed to get conservancy district board members to return to the negotiating table.
Dermody also said playing a role in his decision was a post on social media containing the names of every district property owner who signed a petition requesting annexation.
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He said the post was made after the city responded to a public information request from the district to release the names.
“It’s clear in my opinion that the only reason they wanted these names was to shame the individuals who signed,” he said.
The city started moving forward in the process after obtaining the signatures of 57% of property owners in the district wanting to be annexed.
Dermody vowed to back away from annexation and focus on other much-needed projects if property owners did not sign the petition by May 31.
Under state law, the signatures of 51% of property owners wanting to be annexed is required to move forward.
In previous discussions, the city agreed to compensate the district $2 million for the water and sewer lines property owners in the conservancy had installed for about $4 million over 20 years ago.
The city provides water and sewage treatment in the district.
As hoped, the infrastructure brought a considerable amount of new industry and higher end housing to the district.
More growth cannot occur, though, unless lines larger in diameter and a water tower are installed to meet demand for water from new customers.
The district could finance the estimated $10 million in necessary improvements on the backs of property owners.
If allowed to annex, the city has promised to pay all costs and compensate property owners for their investment in the infrastructure with credits on their water and sewer bills.
Dermody said homestead land owners would also see a reduction in their property taxes.
Shaw Friedman, attorney for the 39 North Conservancy District, said he doesn’t know why the deadline was set because the board decided a month ago not to resume talks unless given a copy of the city’s fiscal plan for servicing the district.
The board also wants to know in writing from the state whether it’s legal to compensate property owners with credits on their utility bills.
Friedman said the fiscal plan was recently handed over, but remains under review by the district’s financial advisor.
“We’re also wondering how the city intends to pay for all of the promised improvements without raising taxes on city and districts residents,” he said.
Additionally, he said no answer has been provided yet on the legality of the city’s proposed method of compensating property owners.
“We still don’t have that,” he said.
Friedman said there is no way the deadline is going to be met because of the still resolved uncertainties.
“The city needs to stop imposing ultimatums and negotiate in good faith,” he said.
Friedman denied he or any board member posted the names of the property owners on the petition.
“It simply didn’t happen,” he said.
He did say whoever did it, though, posted a public document.
Friedman said he warned the city not to pursue annexation because of the immense friction such an effort can generate.
Instead, Friedman said he urged the city to negotiate a new water agreement with the district that addresses improvements to the infrastructure. | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/laporte/another-deadline-set-in-annexation-battle/article_299fe532-106f-11ee-87a6-6f027012583e.html | 2023-06-25T17:27:41 | 1 | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/laporte/another-deadline-set-in-annexation-battle/article_299fe532-106f-11ee-87a6-6f027012583e.html |
Northwest Health hired a contractor to demolish the old Northwest Health — La Porte.
The healthcare system with hospitals in Valparaiso, LaPorte and Knox and is starting the last phase of demolition for the old hospital. The former IU Health Hospital was replaced with a newly built $125 million four-story hospital a block away at 1331 State St. in 2020.
Northwest Health LaPorte plans to start work on the last phase of demolition early this summer and complete it by year's end, said Ashley Dickinson, the CEO of Northwest Health.
It hired Gary-based Brandenburg Industrial Service Company to complete the razing. The healthcare system will then grade and seed the vacant sight, to prep it for redevelopment.
“At Northwest Health, we strive to be a good partner to the communities we serve by working together to improve the population’s health and well-being,” said Dickinson. “That’s another reason why we look forward to providing a beautiful, green, park-like space in the heart of downtown LaPorte for the community and our team members to enjoy. Our end goal is to develop it with the right partner, and in accordance with the vision of the city.”
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The former IU Health Hospital was acquired by Community Health Systems in 2016 and was then rebranded as Northwest Health a few years later. It was turned into a sleep lab, wound center, infusion center, physicians' offices and COVID vaccination center when the new hospital opened just down the street. Those services were then moved to the newly constructed 40,000-square-foot medical building that opened next to the new hospital last year.
NWI Business Ins and Outs: Maple + Bacon, deli and Divalicious Desserts Bakery & Cafe opening
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NWI Business Ins and Outs: Pierogi stand, Brown Skin Coffee and Alpha Family Resale opening; Ixxa and Dan's Pierogies updating | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/northwest-health-la-porte-hires-firm-to-demolish-old-hospital/article_30e4fc80-1121-11ee-a428-77a5d2129fb2.html | 2023-06-25T17:27:47 | 0 | https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/northwest-health-la-porte-hires-firm-to-demolish-old-hospital/article_30e4fc80-1121-11ee-a428-77a5d2129fb2.html |
There will be a variety ways to celebrate the Fourth of July holiday in the Bay Area. Here’s a few of the details:
Mill Casino blasts over the bay
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There will be a variety ways to celebrate the Fourth of July holiday in the Bay Area. Here’s a few of the details:
Mill Casino blasts over the bay
On Monday, July 3, the Mill Casino will be hosting their annual Fireworks over the Bay. The casino boasts the event is one of the Oregon Coast’s largest fireworks displays.
The fun is being expanded with two food trucks, the Mill Grill, beer and wine – as well as live music from 6 to 10 p.m. at the Mill Casino north parking lot.
Then the skies will light up over the Coos Bay shoreline at about 10 p.m. There will be a shuttle pick up/drop off at the south end between the mall and the Pony Village Cinema.
Fourth of July in the Park
On Tuesday, July 4, a celebration will take place at Mingus Park in Coos bay from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. with food, booths and activities from Boy Scout Troop #68, the Boys and Girls Club of Southwestern Oregon, The Coos Bay Fire and Police Departments, Coos Health and Wellness, Front Street Bike Works, Furry Friends, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, South Coast Head Start, Coos Forest Protective Service and more.
There will also be a free swim at Mingus Park from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Fireworks on the waterfront begin at dusk.
The South Coast Running Club’s Firecracker run sign up is at 9 a.m. and the race starts at 10 a.m.
Celebrations in Bandon
Several events are being planned in Bandon starting on Saturday, July 1, continuing throughout the weekend, and finishing in style on Tuesday, July 4th.
On Saturday, July 1, Bandon will have a First Saturday Art Walk and live music at Bandon Fisheries Warehouse Club.
Throughout the 4th of July Weekend, there will be an annual Cardboard Boat Regatta, Bandon Crab Derby, and Port of Bandon Boardwalk Art Show, as well as a beach labyrinth, Circles in the Sand.
Tuesday, July 4th kicks off with the annual 4th of July Celebration Parade down Hwy 101 and Old Town. The parade starts at 10 a.m.
At Sunset on July 4th, a Grand Fireworks Display will take place over the Coquille River, near the lighthouse. Event organizers said staking out a spot on the south side of the river offers the best viewing.
For more information, visit www.bandon.com/4th-of-july.
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More than 350 students, who combined received more than 500 degrees, celebrated a huge accomplishment during the 62nd commencement ceremony at Southwestern Oregon Community College.
SWOCC President Patty Scott said the Class of 2023 included nine high school students who earned associate degrees, at least 56 students who earned their GED as part of their journey to graduation, 12 veterans, 80 student athletes and 26 graduates from Curry County.
Scott told the Class of 2023 that their journeys to graduation were different but one thing they all shared was resilience and persistence.
“One person I talked to yesterday, her journey was 20 years to get to this point, one class at a time.”
Susan Anderson, vice chair of the SWOCC board of directors, told the graduates what they learned at SWOCC will guide them through life.
“Graduation is an amazing accomplishment, and you’ve done it,” Anderson said. “The skills you have learned here and used here will serve you well.”
SWOCC professor Lou Rushton, who started his educational journey at the college years ago, told the students no matter what happens in life, remain curious.
“It is unbelievable how quickly the time has gone by,” Rushton said. “The changes around is this fast-paced world are mind boggling.”
Rushton said technology has made it easy to be mentally lazy, but he encouraged the students to buck the trend and to think for themselves.
“One of the most powerful forces in our human spirit is curiosity,” Rushton said. “It’s what’s going to separate any of us from a string of ones and zeroes.”
Rushton gave the students two final assignments before they received their degrees. First, Nurture and care for their curiosity. Second, Stay connected and keep in touch with their SWOCC family.
Kaelynn Teagle spoke on behalf of the students, telling a story about a SWOCC security guard who treated her with great kindness the same night he died. She said that will impact her life forever.
“Don’t wait to live,” she said. “Don’t wait for life to happen for you. It’s also important to stop and appreciate your accomplishments. Whether you were here for one year, two years of 20, SWOCC is just a start.”
Few know that better than Dr. Eric Gleason. The distinguished alumni for 2023, Gleason had no plans to make education a key in his life when he first came to SWOCC. After serving his country, Gleason had GI Bill money, so he came to SWOCC. That decision changed his life.
“Mere feet from where you now sit is the achievement you strived to achieve,” Gleason said. “Congratulations, that’s a big deal. Once I sat in this very room doing the same thing. My decision to come to SWOCC changed my life more than anything I’ve done.”
After SWOCC, Gleason went on to earn bachelor, master and doctorate degrees, but he said SWOCC was the key to it all.
“I struggled my entire life when it came to school,” he said. “The support I received from staff here helped me believe I could do this. I would walk onto this campus is 2010 not sure I have it would take. I crossed the stage in June 2012, and eventually the stage at Arizona State University in 2018 with a doctorate.”
Gleason told the students to follow their own path, but to carry the knowledge that they can achieve anything.
“Your journey will be different than mine,” he said. “But it starts right here with the knowledge you can accomplish anything. Always bet on yourself and never let anyone decide your worth. You’re a Laker now. Welcome to the family.”
After the speeches ended, the graduates received what they came for – degrees, certificates and proof they did it. One by one, the 359 students walked forward, heard their name and accomplishment called and walked across the stage to the cheers of max crowd at Prosper Hall. | https://theworldlink.com/news/local/swocc-students-make-their-own-journeys-to-graduation/article_e7acc1c2-136b-11ee-9b45-5355217f8b9c.html | 2023-06-25T17:36:50 | 0 | https://theworldlink.com/news/local/swocc-students-make-their-own-journeys-to-graduation/article_e7acc1c2-136b-11ee-9b45-5355217f8b9c.html |
Top 10 reasons to join the Chamber: Number 5, Make Business Contacts.
As a businessperson, one of the most important things you do is to get the word out about what you produce, its excellent value, your great staff and where you can be found. At the Chamber of Commerce our purpose is to get people together to promote the development of a healthy economic and social climate.
These past couple years, with the dominance of the pandemic, we all had to find ways to make those connections virtually, and this past year we returned to actual gatherings.
Almost 30 years ago, a group of Chamber businesses and the college got together to propose an event that would inform us about the developments on the national, state and regional economic fronts and celebrate local efforts and successes throughout the past year. Through that effort the Economic Outlook Forum was launched. This past December, the Forum was totally in person, once again, with an outstanding community participation. This year will be our 31st session with special return of keynote John Mitchell.
The annual Chamber of Commerce Awards banquet is traditionally held the last Saturday in January. Besides acknowledging the Officers, Board members, and Committee Chairs for the past year, and introducing the members who will serve in those roles for the upcoming year, we have a variety of awards and recognitions which truly make this a community celebration. it’s a unique opportunity to make connections with a wonderful gathering highlighting our mutual successes.
How about becoming active in one of our committees like the Ambassadors or Transportation or the Legislative Action Team (LAT)? Not only are you visible in the community, but you are making it a better place to live and do business.
So, come on down and join the team today.
The Bay Area Chamber of Commerce, remember our business is helping your business, and like us on Facebook. | https://theworldlink.com/news/local/the-chamber-minute-make-business-contacts/article_36507112-136b-11ee-a1e3-6f3726337686.html | 2023-06-25T17:36:57 | 1 | https://theworldlink.com/news/local/the-chamber-minute-make-business-contacts/article_36507112-136b-11ee-a1e3-6f3726337686.html |
These stories were found in the Marshfield Sun Printing Museum newspaper repository stored in Marshfield High School.
1923
Bids for school are too high
The Marshfield school board last night opened bids for the construction of the new school but the bids were much higher than the estimate and the contract was not let.
It was decided that Architect White revise the plans and give the new specifications to the contractors so new bids could be received next Saturday afternoon at 4 o’clock when another meeting will be held. These bids must be in the hands of the clerk by noon Saturday.
In anticipation that the bids might be over the estimate they were opened last evening in private and will not be made known. There were two sets of bids, one for the general construction and the other set for the plumbing and heating.
It was decided that the three lowest bids made in each case be allowed to id the second time.
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Charged with stealing cow
Archie E. Martin is indicted by the grand jury
Officer arrested him Monday night when he is leading the cow toward slaughter house
COQUILLE — Archie E. Martin, who was arrested Monday night on a charge of stealing a cow, was indicted by the grand jury yesterday and his bond was fixed at $1000. He was expected to furnish bond. The cow which it is claimed he stole, belonged to John Scorby who lived near Riverton. Martin is in the cattle business and has a slaughter house.
The sheriff’s office got a tip that Martin intended stealing the cow and Deputies Sam Malehorn and Bert Smith and Traffic Officer Williams went to the place where it was said Martin would get the cow. It was after midnight when Martin took the cow across the river and was leading it down the road when he was arrested. He claimed that he was taking the cow to pasture. Martin was taken to jail and his case was immediately presented to the grand jury.
-----------------------------
North Bend girl receives honors
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Evelyn Carey, North Bend, Oregon, public schools, won first honors for her state in the last national safety campaign, it is announced by the highway education board. She has received a gold medal and a check for $15 and her essay will be entered in the national competition for three valuable prizes.
A silver medal and check for $10 have been sent Artie Appleton, a pupil in the Central school, Astoria, who wrote the second best.
1973
Coos Bay D-9 will embark on its public kindergarten this fall
Coos Bay School District 9 will embark this fall on its first public kindergarten program, open to all 5-year-olds in the district.
Notices will be sent to parents in the district setting forth guidelines for registering children in the program as plans continue to be worked out.
Kindergarten classes will be held only at Charleston, Madison Street, Blossom Gulch and Bunker Hill schools but students will be registered at the elementary school nearest the child’s home.
To meet state and district requirements, the child must be 5 years old on or before Nov. 15. Birth certificate or birth registration must be presented at the time of registration. In addition, a physical examination by the family doctor is recommended.
Registration fees are $2.50 per student and include insurance, readiness materials and school activity fund.
-----------------------------
Fran breaks Wilma Rudolph’s record in Cal Relays
Then finishes second to world record holder
It was a very successful weekend for members of the SWOCC Laker Track team, especially Fran Sichting and Ted Davis.
Fran went to Modesto, California to the Cal Relays and set one new meet record for the 100 yard dash with a time of 10.5 and finished second in the 440 and third in the long jump.
Davis on the other hand scored for the second straight year for the Lakers with a sixth place finish in the pole vault at the National Junior College Athletic Association’s national championships in Houston, Texas.
Fran was second in the 440 yard dash which she ran in 55.4 and finished behind Marilyn Neufville of the Los Angeles Track Club. Miss Neufville is the world record holder in the event.
In the long jump event Fran came within an inch of her lifetime best in her third place finish with a jump of 19 feet, 10 ½ inches.
2003
Reedsport golfers claim state crown
Reedsport’s girls golf team finished its season in stellar style, winning the Class 3A-2A-1A state championship at Eagle Crest Resort in Redmond.
The Braves shot a combined team score of 355 Tuesday on the Ridge Course at Eagle Crest to finish with a two-day total of 722, five strokes better than runner-up Tillamook.
It was Reedsport’s first state championship in girls golf and the school’s first team title in any sport since the football and boys golf teams both won in 1990.
“It was really exciting,” said Reedsport junior Emily Vaughn, who finished third in the individual race.
The Braves had finished one stroke out of the race for the fourth-place trophy last year, but exceeded their expectations this year.
“We had an idea that we were going to get a trophy, but maybe not a first-place trophy,” Vaughn said. “We all did good. Leslie (Wheeler) did really good yesterday.”
Wheeler tied for low round of the day with a 77 and was fifth overall at 163.
Vaughn shot her second consecutive 80 for a two-day total of 160, to finish one shot behind co-medalists Kelli Greenough of La Grande and Anna Jaramillo of Ontario.
Reedsport’s squad also included Aubrey Vaughn, Casey Neves, Crystal Lane and Savannah Buehler.
-----------------------------
Bandon Dunes expansion at final step
More visitors: Resort would almost double to 2,140 acres
In a second hearing before the Coos County Board of Commissioners, Bandon Dunes will ask for approval of a plan that will significantly expand the golf resort.
In February, Bandon Dunes received unanimous approval from the Planning Commission to amend the Coos County Comprehensive Plan and Zoning and Land Ordinance by rezoning the designation of the property from “forest” and “rural residential” to “Bandon Dunes Resort.”
To rezone the property, Bandon Dunes is requesting an exception be considered to provisions of Statewide Planning Goals regarding agricultural and forest lands, public facilities and services and urbanization.
After approval of the Planning Commission, the request went to the Board of Commissioners and a hearing was held in April. If approved, it would expand the 1,215-acre resort by approximately 925 acres.
The expansion is intended to ensure the resort will attract visitors year-round by adding a variety of lodging and recreational facilities, including two more golf courses, a new clubhouse, additional rooms, overnight facilities and residential units, among other amenities, according to General Manager Hank Hickox.
Hickox said the expansion would accommodate even more visitors, which would translate into benefits for the entire county. | https://theworldlink.com/news/local/this-week-in-coos-county-history/article_7f83abe2-136b-11ee-bcd0-33fc2cf3f930.html | 2023-06-25T17:37:03 | 1 | https://theworldlink.com/news/local/this-week-in-coos-county-history/article_7f83abe2-136b-11ee-bcd0-33fc2cf3f930.html |
MIAMI — After snapping their 10-game losing streak, the Pittsburgh Pirates (35-41) were back in the loss column after falling 4-3 to the Miami Marlins (44-34) in 11 innings on Saturday.
Down 2-0 in the eighth, the Pirates rallied to force extras and took a 3-2 lead in the top of the 10th, but were walked-off by Miami on a Jon Berti single in the 11th.
Andrew McCutchen recorded his 400th career double and 300th with the Pirates in the loss and finished the game with a pair of two-baggers.
The Pirates have a chance to split the series against Miami after being swept in each of their last three series prior to this four-gamer.
First pitch at loanDepot Park is scheduled for 1:40.
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©2023 Cox Media Group | https://www.wpxi.com/news/local/pirates-preview-chance-split-series-against-fish/ISZUTL6JSZCFPEDLMYPSSH2QH4/ | 2023-06-25T17:39:44 | 1 | https://www.wpxi.com/news/local/pirates-preview-chance-split-series-against-fish/ISZUTL6JSZCFPEDLMYPSSH2QH4/ |
LINCOLNVILLE, Maine — One man is dead after a house fire in Lincolnville over the weekend, according to the Maine Department of Public Safety.
The department's public information officer Shannon Moss said the Lincolnville Fire Department initially responded to the fire at 11 Miller Town Drive around 9:43 a.m. on Saturday, June 24.
Moss said while firefighters were trying to put the fire out, they came across a man in the home who had died. Crews then contacted the Fire Marshal's Office, and investigators responded to the scene.
Moss said the dead man was taken to a local funeral home where the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will do an autopsy. She also said no one else was inside of the home.
The house is a total loss. This investigation is ongoing. | https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/local/maine-department-of-public-safety-one-man-dead-after-lincolnville-house-fire-miller-town-drive/97-e06376d7-6b2f-45cf-8d79-48bd91ca7ec6 | 2023-06-25T17:40:33 | 0 | https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/local/maine-department-of-public-safety-one-man-dead-after-lincolnville-house-fire-miller-town-drive/97-e06376d7-6b2f-45cf-8d79-48bd91ca7ec6 |
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