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NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — After a night of severe storms that swept through parts of Central Arkansas, the City of North Little Rock has now opened a cooling center at the North Little Rock Community Center for residents that were impacted by the storms.
The center is located at 2700 Willow Street and will remain open overnight. Pets are also welcome, and vending machines will be available.
Anyone with questions about the cooling center can reach out to the community center at (501) 791- 8541. | https://www.thv11.com/article/news/local/north-little-rock-cooling-center/91-8a5df005-29a1-45ed-bcf5-68866d82c96d | 2023-06-26T22:49:36 | 1 | https://www.thv11.com/article/news/local/north-little-rock-cooling-center/91-8a5df005-29a1-45ed-bcf5-68866d82c96d |
WASHINGTON — The growing threat of ransomware attacks has Congress trying to build up the cybersecurity workforce.
It comes as the nation faces a shortage of cyber professionals because of burnout and stress.
“Consistently, cybersecurity workers leave more frequently than many other roles, even within information technology, which is already rife with many hiring challenges due to talent shortages,” said Will Markow, vice president of applied research advocacy at Lightcast.
The labor market analytics firm, Lightcast, tracked more than 660,000 cybersecurity job openings over the last 12 months alone.
“This means we are stepping on to the digital battlefield missing nearly a third of our Army. The consequences of this talent shortage echo across around country,” said Markow.
It’s an army that members from both parties want to grow quickly.
“We need not only enough people but the right people with the right skills, in the right jobs to meet the growing cyber threat,” said Rep. Andrew Garbarino, R - New York.
“We must continue to expand the federal government’s support for cybersecurity training while also tailoring efforts to align with the skills needed by private sector employers,” said Rep. Eric Swalwell, D – California.
During this recent congressional hearing, industry leaders talked about a high demand for these roles, and the reasons for the workers shortage.
One theory is what researchers call the “expectations gap.” They explain some employers believe they must hire workers with many years of experience. However, experts recommend considering candidates based on skill level instead of credentials alone. Markow said this also approach has multiple benefits.
“The companies that we see with the best retention rates are the ones that are taking more of a skills-based approached to hiring as opposed to a credentials-based approach to hiring,” said Markow. “If we look at companies that are hiring workers with less than a bachelors’ degree, they had better retention rates. We look at companies higher more a diverse workforce, they had better retention rates.”
Other companies say they’re attracting younger people by offering training programs with more flexibility.
“You can’t sit them and say you’re going to be a cyber defense analyst and that’s it. This rotational program is key to allowing them to see the different areas, specialties, roles that they can look at,” said Anjelica Dortch, senior director of U.S. Government Affairs at SAP.
Some companies are also recruiting more veterans who may have experience that transfers into this field.
Statement from CISA Director Easterly: “Building a robust cybersecurity workforce is vital not only for the future of CISA as America’s Cyber Defense Agency, but also to our national security,” said CISA Director Jen Easterly. “In order to combat evolving cyber threats from adversary nations and criminal gangs targeting our critical infrastructure, and to understand the security risks from emerging technologies like AI, we have to build up our nation’s cyber talent. At CISA, we’ve been leading by example. In my almost two years as Director, CISA has hired over 1,200 new employees and continues to onboard an average of 30 new hires each pay period. We are maximizing the use of multiple hiring authorities to attract and recruit top talent, while working to retain this talent by making CISA the best place to work in government. In November 2022, we hired our first Chief People Officer to drive the continued development of our People-First culture, with a dedicated focus on employee engagement, future of work, workforce recognition, and employee innovation. While there’s more work to be done, we are committed to building a world-class team and remain grateful for the strong bipartisan support of our partners in Congress.”
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EAST PALESTINE, Ohio — For the first time, trains are moving again in both directions in East Palestine.
Channel 11 got a walk-through at ground zero of the hazardous train derailment. It looks dramatically different than what we saw back in February.
>>> Vinyl chloride: What we know about the toxic chemical released at East Palestine train derailment
Since then, lives in the town and in parts of Beaver County have been disrupted by health concerns, and impacts on livelihood and properties.
More than 30 residents and businesses have sued Norfolk Southern as well as three school districts, the state of Ohio, and the Department of Justice.
A massive cleanup has been underway after the train cars carrying toxic chemicals went off the tracks. A regional manager for Norfolk Southern said they hit a major milestone for the community.
RELATED >>> EXCLUSIVE: Erin Brockovich travels to East Palestine, vows to help those impacted by derailment
”One of the promises we made to them was to remove the impacted materials beneath both tracks and areas in the center first and in the past few days, we completed that work,” said Christopher Hunsicker, Norfolk Southern Regional Manager.
The set of tracks has been fixed too. The westbound tracks opened Monday morning, and the eastbound reopened a couple of weeks ago.
Next, crews are testing and sampling the soil in this area next to the tracks. On the other side, they are working to remove the piles of affected soil. That work is expected to be done in August.
PHOTOS: Massive explosion at start of controlled release of chemicals at train derailment
So far, 70,000 tons of soil and 22 million gallons of water have been moved off-site.
Norfolk Southern plans to expand their clean-up efforts to other areas that may have been impacted by the derailment.
”We are taking our time, we want to be thorough and make sure it’s safe and make sure our cleanup efforts don’t affect the community,” said Hunsicker.
The regional manager said air monitoring continues daily and the quality is good. They’ve been sampling wells and the drinking water is fine.
Wildlife is also returning to the area too as conditions in the local streams are improving.
”We are still doing a lot of work on the streams and restoring those areas. We have seen some impact but our work has been those conditions dramatically,” said Hunsicker.
RELATED >>> PEMA launches dashboard for concerned Pennsylvanians following train derailment
Norfolk Southern said their goal is to get this town back to the way it was before the derailment. However, we were not given a timeline on Monday about when all the work will be officially completed.
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UPDATE: Highway 299 east of Redding reopens after vegetation fire
Update, 12 p.m.
Highway 299 in the Ingot area east of Redding has reopened after a vegetation temporarily closed the road earlier Monday.
The road was closed in both directions after flames from an RV on fire spread to surrounding vegetation.
Original story
Highway 299 in the area of Ingot east of Redding is blocked due to an RV fire that has spread to the surrounding vegetation, the California Highway Patrol said.
The fire was reported around 10:20 a.m. Monday across from the wrecking yard.
Aircraft that had been fighting the fire have been ordered to return to their base, according to scanner reports.
Ingot is about 20 miles east of Redding.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
David Benda covers business, development and anything else that comes up for the USA TODAY Network in Redding. He also writes the weekly "Buzz on the Street" column. He’s part of a team of dedicated reporters that investigate wrongdoing, cover breaking news and tell other stories about your community. Reach him on Twitter @DavidBenda_RS or by phone at 1-530-338-8323. To support and sustain this work, please subscribe today. | https://www.redding.com/story/news/local/fires/2023/06/26/highway-299-east-of-redding-closed-due-to-vegetation-fire/70357715007/ | 2023-06-26T22:50:11 | 1 | https://www.redding.com/story/news/local/fires/2023/06/26/highway-299-east-of-redding-closed-due-to-vegetation-fire/70357715007/ |
FREEPORT, Pa. — Storms rolled into the Freeport area between 6:30 and 7 p.m. Sunday, bringing strong winds through the region.
“The wind was blowing so hard from the south, and then all of a sudden it switched and started blowing from the northeast and coming back in,” said Clyde Vitale, who lives on River Forest Drive.
Vitale said when the wind changed direction, things really got bad.
“I was looking out my window, and I saw the tree fall down,” Vitale told Channel 11 News.
The tree he saw fall was his neighbor’s cherry tree, which they believed was at least 85 years old.
Trees are down in yards up and down Vitale’s street.
“Directly affected properties with big trees are about five, eight different properties with big ones, and then the power outage,” Vitale said. [It] came right across the power lines here with a tree across the road.”
The golf course also saw trees and large branches scattered across the fairways and greens, and one home had a new boat canopy destroyed.
While there is a lot of cleanup left to do, neighbors say they’re glad nobody was hurt.
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PITTSBURGH — The Senator John Heinz History Center is partnering with Kennywood to commemorate the park’s 125th anniversary.
A day-long program called “Kennywood Day: 125 years of Memories” will take place Sunday, July 9 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Kennywood is one of only two amusement parks in the United States to be designated as a National Historic Landmark.
“It is an honor the museum will be celebrating our 125th this season by hosting Kennywood Day in July. We are thrilled to have such a long-standing community partner in the History Center right in our own backyard,” said Kennywood General Manager Mark Pauls.
Visitors will be able to relive their Kennywood memories throughout all six floors with special programming, family-friendly games, carnival-themed food, a special artifact unveiling and more.
The day will include:
- Exploring the Kennywood “Park-ives” in the Detre Library & Archives (10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.)
- Ethnic Heritage Days cooking demonstrations featuring Chris Fennimore of QED Cooks (11 a.m. and 1 p.m.)
- Special presentation: “Kennywood and the Rise of the Amusement Park: An American Phenomenon,” a discussion with Lauren Rabinovitz, noted amusement park scholar and author of “Electric Dreamland” (noon)
- “That Kennywood Summer” screening and Q&A with WQED’s Rick Sebak (2 p.m.)
- A “Behind the Screams” panel featuring award-winning author Brian Butko and local amusement park historians Bryan Bartley, Rachel Cunningham, Rick Davis, Mike Funyak, Jim Futrell, Dave Hahner, and Jen Sopko (3 p.m.)
- A special unveiling of historic Kennywood artifacts that will be donated to the History Center collection (3:45 p.m.)
The program is included with regular admission to the History Center.
For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit heinzhistorycenter.org/events.
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WASHINGTON — Thieves may soon have a harder time selling stolen or counterfeit items online.
Starting on Tuesday, June 27, a new law takes effect that aims to improve transparency of high-volume third-party sellers on online marketplaces like Amazon and Facebook so that customers know more about who they are buying from before they click purchase.
The changes are part of the law known as the Integrity, Notification, and Fairness in Online Retail Marketplaces for Consumers Act, or the INFORM Consumers Act.
It requires online marketplaces to collect and verify financial information for certain third-party sellers and it requires some sellers to provide their contact information to customers so shoppers can contact them directly.
Rebecca Goff has a business that acts as a third-party seller online called Native Teaching Aids.
“We work with Native American tribes across North America and so we make language games, card games, board games, history timeline games from an indigenous perspective,” said Goff.
Goff said she welcomes the changes under the new law because her business has run into issues with outsiders from other countries reselling their items without permission.
“Because we collaborate with Native American tribes and First Nations, we try to guarantee as much as possible that everything is coming from us and getting out there and selling and they get portions back,” said Goff. “The way third-party sellers that would take our products out of the country and do it that way, would really dissolve all of that… So, being transparent also protects us as much as the consumer.”
Consumer advocacy groups like the U.S. Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) say improved transparency will help all parties.
“Cutting down on counterfeits and stolen goods for sale online helps consumers, helps businesses. It helps everybody,” said Teresa Murray, a consumer watchdog for U.S. PIRG. “We actually should see fewer product listings on some of these secondary seller websites and that’s a good thing. Consumers might think oh gosh it’s more difficult to find this thing, but that could actually be beneficial because that means that the fake products, the counterfeit products and the stolen products are not online.”
The changes only apply to high-volume third-party sellers, so that generally means businesses with more than 200 sales a year and one that makes at least $5,000 in profits a year.
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PITTSBURGH — A Pittsburgh man will compete on Jeopardy! this week.
Chris Ban, an oral and facial surgeon, will compete on the show on Tuesday night.
Caton will compete against the returning champion from Monday night and Erin Gold, a teacher from Colorado.
Will a local contestant win? Watch to find out!
Jeopardy! airs at 7:30 p.m. on Channel 11.
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ALLEGHENY COUNTY, Pa. — The trial for a woman accused of orchestrating abuse in the death of her 3-year-old stepdaughter began Monday.
“She was a beautiful little girl who had lots of love in her. She wanted to be held and loved,” Eilene Boggs Airhart told Channel 11′s Gabriella DeLuca.
Airhart was likely the only person who gave Bella Seachrist the love and attention that every child deserves. She was her babysitter from when she was 6 months old until 18 months.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE >>> Loved ones hold vigil for Oakmont toddler who died after alleged abuse from family members
“She was so cute. Dark skin, beautiful black hair, always smiling and always had a smile on her face,” she said.
She testified on Bella’s behalf in court today, in the trial against her stepmother, Laura Ramirez.
“I’m grateful, and I thank the Lord that I was the one who was able to give her the love, change her diapers, and to feed her, and to put her hair up in the little ponytails that no one else was doing,” Airhart said.
RELATED >>> Man convicted of murder in 2020 death of his 3-year-old daughter
According to investigators, Ramirez is the one who orchestrated most of the abuse toward her stepdaughter. Bella’s father, Jose Salazar-Ortiz, was found guilty of third-degree murder last month.
Investigators say the couple starved the little girl to death, tortured her, and physically abused her.
“I’m so sorry it happened. If I would have known how this would have ended up, I would have done everything in my power to get that little girl,” Airhart added.
The Oakmont Police Chief testified that when he first responded to the home when Bella died, Ramirez showed “no emotion,” and he found that odd.
But now, Airhart is choosing to believe that Bella is in a place where she will never be harmed again.
“Honestly, she’s in a better place. She’s smiling, laughing and finally running around like she could never do in the daycare,” she said
Investigators say the reason why Ramirez abused the little girl was because her dad, Jose, had an affair. Then, Bella was born.
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PITTSBURGH — A woman who killed her estranged husband and left his body wrapped in plastic was found mentally ill and guilty of involuntary manslaughter on Monday.
RELATED >>> Woman charged with killing husband, leaving body wrapped in plastic outside Pittsburgh home
“Wow. The judge knows better than that. The judge could have done better than that,” Joe Davis told Channel 11′s Gabriella DeLuca.
The family of the victim told Channel 11 they were taken by surprise when an Allegheny County judge determined Janet Winbush was mentally ill and guilty of involuntary manslaughter, which is a lesser charge than murder.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE >>> Trial starts for woman accused of killing estranged husband, wrapping his body in plastic
“It’s ridiculous that a person of her nature could get away with the crime she got away with,” Joe said.
In 2020, Winbush stabbed her estranged husband, Deric Davis, then shoved his body into trash bags with duct.
Then, for two weeks, she pretended not to know where he was.
“I’m hurt, I’m shocked. I have to go to Allegheny Cemetery and tell my brother that she got away,” Davis’ sister, Stacey Davis said.
Last week, 11 News showed you a video of detectives interviewing Winbush, where she confessed to stabbing Davis, but didn’t remember hiding his body.
During the trial, a doctor testified that Winbush suffered from “Battered Women Syndrome,” and mental illness, which likely played a role in the judge’s decision.
The family is still awaiting her sentencing and is hopeful she will spend significant time behind bars.
“I hope you rot in hell. The hell that you made for my brother, I hope that you go right to it,” Stacey added.
Winbush will be sentenced in September.
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ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — A task force to figure out the best way to spend tourist development tax money has narrowed its list down to 11 projects.
>>> STREAM CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS LIVE <<<
The TDT is money generated from hotel stays, and there are millions of dollars up for grabs. About 55 local organizations submitted plans to get a share.
READ: Sweet deal: Publix ice cream truck to dish out free treats in Orlando
On Monday, the Tourist Development Tax Citizen Advisory Task Force cut the list to 11 organizations. The rankings were based on how ready the projects are to move forward.
They are:
- Orange County Convention Center
- Florida Citrus Sports
- Amway Center
- Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts
- UCF Sports
- Mennello Museum of American Art
- Orlando City Baseball Dreamers
- Association to Preserve the Eatonville Community
- Orange County Regional History Center
- Association to Preserve African American Society, History and Traditions
- Orlando Urban Film Festival Foundation
READ: Giant snails, Mormon crickets: US dealing with regional infestations
The rankings were based on how ready the projects are to move forward.
The TDT Task Force provides advice and guidance regarding the applicant requesting large amounts of funding. Those recommendations go to the county commissioners who make the final decision at a later date.
READ:Volusia County Schools to break ground on new Tomoka Elementary School
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ORLANDO, Fla. — In less than a week, Florida’s concealed weapon license will be obsolete.
Starting Saturday, the Sunshine State will become a “permitless carry” state, which means anyone legally allowed to own a gun can carry it concealed without a license to do so.
>>> STREAM CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS LIVE <<<
That means training and a background check will not be required to carry concealed guns in public anymore
On April 3, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed into law one of the most controversial pieces of legislation this past session.
Read: Florida’s permitless carry law could deter criminals, attorney says
The current process for a permit involves a class, fingerprinting and a three-day waiting period. Starting July 1, the law will allow people to move through the process quicker than before.
Licensed retailers must complete the appropriate paperwork for the buyer and provide the buyer’s information to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. The National Crime Information Center will then check it.
Read: Advocates gather to protest Florida’s new permitless carry law
The change does maintain state and federal regulations regarding who can buy a gun, such as having to be 21 years of age and requiring background checks.
It also doesn’t give you the right to carry it where everywhere you want. You can’t carry it in places like an elementary or secondary school facility or administration building; a police, sheriff or highway patrol station; a courthouse, courtroom or polling place; any meeting like a school board, council of legislative meeting; or inside of the passenger terminal of any airport, unless the firearm is encased for shipping to be lawfully transported as baggage.
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ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Orange County detectives said they’re worried that a shooting that left one person dead and three others hurt could lead to even more violence and some “street justice.”
>>> STREAM CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS LIVE <<<
Officials said no one has come forward with any information despite dozens of witnesses and a reward.
The shooting happened near the intersection of North Hiawassee and Silver Star roads around midnight Saturday. More than 100 people were at the party at the Unity Banquet Hall and as of this morning, not a single person has come forward with information.
READ: Man, woman die in apparent murder-suicide at Orange County apartment complex
Detectives are saying they do not want people to take matters into their own hands.
“We’re scared of retaliation,” said Sgt. Joe Covelli, a homicide detective for the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. “We don’t want to see any of that in our community. There’s a way to handle things. You just have to let the process play out.”
Willie Bell, Jr. was one of the men shot who died from his injuries.
Detectives said an innocent bystander there to lock up the banquet hall was also shot and is fighting for his life.
Two other men shot have since left the hospital and won’t speak to detectives.
READ: 1 killed, 9 injured when roller coaster derails in Sweden
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RICHMOND, Va. — People who have been disqualified from voting in Virginia because of their criminal records filed a lawsuit Monday against Gov. Glenn Youngkin and state elections officials challenging the state’s automatic disenfranchisement of people with felony convictions.
The ACLU of Virginia and Protect Democracy — a nonprofit that focuses on voting rights — filed the lawsuit on behalf of three Virginia residents with felony convictions and Bridging the Gap in Virginia, a nonprofit organization that helps former inmates overcome barriers to their transition back into society.
The lawsuit relies on the Readmissions Act of 1870, which prohibited former Confederate states from including in their constitutions any provision that would disenfranchise their citizens other than people convicted of committing crimes that were common law felonies at the time.
In 1870, “common law” felonies were widely understood to be a distinct category of crime from “statutory” felonies and included murder, manslaughter, arson, burglary, robbery, rape, sodomy, mayhem and larceny, the lawsuist states. Virginia later amended its constitution to disenfranchise citizens for conduct that was not a common law felony in 1870. Today, Virginia’s criminal code designates numerous crimes as felonies, including drug offenses.
Youngkin’s administration recently confirmed it had shifted away from an at least partly automatic rights restoration system used by three of Youngkin’s predecessors.
The lawsuit says the impact of Virginia’s disenfranchisement provision “has been exacerbated” by Youngkin’s recent actions.
“While Virginia’s prior three governors restored voting rights to disenfranchised citizens with felony convictions based on specific criteria, Governor Youngkin has ended his predecessors’ restoration programs and resurrected an opaque and arbitrary rights restoration policy without any objective criteria or set timeframe for rendering restoration decisions,” the lawsuit states.
Macaulay Porter, a spokesperson for Youngkin, declined to comment on the lawsuit.
Tati Abu King, one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit, has applied to have his voting rights restored after spending 11 months in prison on a 2018 felony drug possession charge.
“I feel like I don’t have anybody to speak for me. I have no say on who represents me,” King said.
He went on to say he thinks voting rights “should be automatically re-afforded to the people once they have served their time. I feel like it’s a God-given right to have the right to vote.”
The lawsuit says Virginia has the fifth-highest number of citizens disenfranchised for felony convictions — at over 312,000 — and that Black residents have been disproportionately affected. Black Virginians comprise less than 20% of Virginia’s voting-age population but account for nearly half of all Virginians disenfranchised due to a felony conviction, the lawsuit states.
The lawsuit asks the court to declare that the Virginia Constitution violates the Virginia Readmission Act and to prohibit the defendants from “denying the fundamental right to vote to Virginia citizens who have been convicted of crimes that were not common law felonies” when the law was passed in 1870.
A separate lawsuit filed in April alleged that a discretionary process being used by Youngkin to decide which felons can have their voting rights restored is unconstitutional. | https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/2023/06/26/voting-rights-felony-convictions-lawsuit/0932b00e-1470-11ee-9de3-ba1fa29e9bec_story.html | 2023-06-26T22:58:06 | 0 | https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/2023/06/26/voting-rights-felony-convictions-lawsuit/0932b00e-1470-11ee-9de3-ba1fa29e9bec_story.html |
ROANOKE CO., Va. – UPDATE
The crash has been cleared, according to VDOT.
ORIGINAL STORY
A crash on I-81 North in Roanoke County is causing delays, according to VDOT.
The crash happened at mile marker 134.9, crews said.
As of 4:57 p.m., the north right shoulder was closed.
10 News has reached out to Virginia State Police for more information.
Stay with 10 News as this story develops | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2023/06/26/crash-on-i-81-in-roanoke-county-causes-shoulder-closure/ | 2023-06-26T23:12:30 | 0 | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2023/06/26/crash-on-i-81-in-roanoke-county-causes-shoulder-closure/ |
Va. – On Monday, Senator Mark Warner announced more than $1.4 billion in funding to expand broadband access in Virginia.
We’re told the funding was awarded through the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program, which was created by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
For years, Warner has fought to expand access to broadband in Virginia. He even called in Virginians to contact the Federal Communications Commission regarding internet coverage in their communities.
After this call for help, Warner was able to bring attention to a significant number of locations that were incorrectly reported on the FCC broadband coverage map.
“This will bring better connectivity, it’ll bring more opportunity to rural communities, it will mean that literally, you shouldn’t have to leave your hometown to get a world-class education and to find a world-class job,” Warner said.
Senator Tim Kaine was also a large contributor in securing the funding.
“I’m proud to have helped pass the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act that made today’s investments possible, and will continue to do all that I can to ensure that every Virginian has access to the tools they need to thrive — including broadband,” Kaine said. | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2023/06/26/more-than-14b-funding-announced-for-broadband-access-in-virginia/ | 2023-06-26T23:12:36 | 0 | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2023/06/26/more-than-14b-funding-announced-for-broadband-access-in-virginia/ |
ROANOKE, VA – “These incidents all have something in common, all four victims of gun violence over this weekend were teenagers,” said David Morris, deputy chief of the Roanoke City Police Department.
Three shootings in the span of two days. The latest leaving a teenage boy dead.
It happened Sunday night on 18th Street in Roanoke.
Nicole Ross is a member of FEDUP, a nonprofit that supports families who have lost loved ones to gun violence. She spent the morning helping the victim’s family cope with trauma.
”We are not oblivious to the hurt that they’re feeling,” Ross said.
Ross is also a member of the city’s gun violence prevention commission and said trauma-informed training is key, before and after a shooting.
”Roanoke City Schools talks about trauma-informed training and all of that is exactly what we need. Because these young children, they heard the shots. They’re seeing it, and they’re having to live with it,” Ross said.
Founder of FEDUP, Rita Joyce, said understanding the mental health issues that surround people who commit acts of violence is the first step in stopping it.
”We need more people to open up about the why. We know that it’s happening, but what is the ‘why?’” Joyce said.
Another issue, according to Mayor Sherman Lea, is getting people to come forward.
[WATCH: Roanoke police, leaders address recent gun violence in the city]
“We’re doing all that we can and will continue to work hard. It’s going to take everybody to help us solve these crimes,” said Lea.
Jerry Stokes, deputy chief with the Roanoke City Police Department, couldn’t provide specific details but said the department is bringing additional resources in the search for suspects.
“It’s one of the toughest things for cops to ever go to is seeing someone young like that, life ahead of them, to be cut down or even injured. Like the two at Cookout, that’s going to impact their life forever. That’s always impactful for an officer to have to deal with that, and we wanna see those folks get justice,” Stokes said.
The RESET team will be out in the impacted neighborhoods this week.
The mayor also said that while there is a youth curfew in place, parents need to be involved to curb violence. | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2023/06/26/roanoke-city-leaders-address-recent-string-of-shootings/ | 2023-06-26T23:12:42 | 1 | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2023/06/26/roanoke-city-leaders-address-recent-string-of-shootings/ |
ROANOKE, Va. – The Roanoke City Schools logo is getting a facelift.
The administration revealed the new logo on Monday alongside a series of new websites for all of the schools.
Officials said the new look embodies their mission of unified learning.
You can see a star in the middle of the logo, which stands for achievement, and of course, the Star City.
The websites can be translated into almost any language, and RCPS leaders said it’s accessible to people of all abilities.
“We’re going to carry it forward and celebrate that diversity, our unity, our commitment, our promise for transparency,” said Verletta White, superintendent. “We’re just looking forward to utilizing that and showing that through this and through the work that we do.”
The new logo and website will roll out on Wednesday, but administrators say that it may take a few months for everything to switch over. | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2023/06/26/roanoke-city-schools-unveils-new-logo/ | 2023-06-26T23:12:48 | 0 | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2023/06/26/roanoke-city-schools-unveils-new-logo/ |
LYNCHBURG, Va. – A car fire investigation is underway in Lynchburg.
On Monday morning around 5:45 a.m., Lynchburg police responded to a car fire in the 2000 block of Wards Road.
10 News obtained footage of the fire filmed by viewer Bryce Cowart which you can watch above.
Police say at this time, no arrests have been made, and the incident is under investigation. | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2023/06/26/see-it-car-set-ablaze-in-lynchburg/ | 2023-06-26T23:12:54 | 0 | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2023/06/26/see-it-car-set-ablaze-in-lynchburg/ |
The Mill Mountain Zoo has been around for decades and has been a must see for anyone in the Star City. First opening in the 1950s, the zoo has been home to not only many animals but countless smiling faces.
Join us as we flashback to the early days of the Star City’s Mill Mountain Zoo. | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2023/06/26/video-vault-mill-mountain-zoo/ | 2023-06-26T23:13:01 | 1 | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2023/06/26/video-vault-mill-mountain-zoo/ |
AUGUSTA COUNTY, Va. – On Monday, a funeral was held for Wintergreen Police Officer Christopher Wagner.
Wagner was shot and killed in the line of duty earlier this month.
More than one thousand people from across the country, including law enforcement departments from as far as Chicago and Wilmington, N.C., came together to celebrate the life of Officer Wagner.
Wintergreen’s Police Chief Dennis Russell was speechless at the turnout.
“It’s overwhelming. Chris was incredible, an incredible person. I have to say, if he was here right now he would probably say, ‘This isn’t for me.’ Chris did everything and asked for nothing in return,” said Chief Russell.
Officer Wanger’s father, Mark Wagner, spoke about his son’s passion for the job.
“He loved the job. He knew the job, he understood it and he and I talked about it a lot,” said Wagner.
Governor Glenn Youngkin and Lieutenant Governor Winsome Sears were in attendance.
Governor Youngkin spoke during the funeral, calling Officer Wagner and all law enforcement heroes.
The Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police is hosting an online fundraiser for the Wagner family.
So far, over $100,000 has been donated.
Learn more here. | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2023/06/26/wintergreen-police-officer-remembered-for-his-love-of-the-job-selflessness/ | 2023-06-26T23:13:07 | 0 | https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2023/06/26/wintergreen-police-officer-remembered-for-his-love-of-the-job-selflessness/ |
CALIFORNIA, USA — California has cited two Northern California mushroom farms for health and safety violations and proposed more than $165,000 in potential fines five months after a farmworker killed seven people in back-to-back shootings on the farms in Half Moon Bay.
Chunli Zhao, who had worked at the farms, is charged with seven counts of murder and one count of attempted murder in the Jan. 23 shootings that stunned the small coastal community about 30 miles (48 kilometers) south of San Francisco. He has pleaded not guilty.
Authorities say Zhao opened fire at California Terra Garden, where he previously worked, killing four co-workers and wounding another one. They said he then drove about 2 miles (3.22 kilometers) to Concord Farms, a mushroom farm he was fired from in 2015, and shot to death three workers.
The state's Division of Occupational Safety and Health, known as CAL/OSHA, filed 22 violations against California Terra Garden, Inc. and proposes $113,800 in fines, according to a Monday news release. Concord Farms faces 19 violations and $51,770 in fines.
The violations at California Terra Garden include an alleged failure to have a plan in place to notify employees of an active shooter threat and to tell them to take shelter. Violations at Concord Farms include a failure to address prior workplace violence and to develop a plan to prevent more in the future.
Other violations for both farms included a lack of training for Spanish- and Mandarin-speaking workers in a language they can understand and failing to secure labor camp permits for onsite worker housing.
Most of the farmworkers in the area are Latino and the two mushrooms farms are among the few that employ Chinese workers, advocates have said.
Efforts to reach the farms by telephone and email for comment were not immediately successful Monday. | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/california/california-mushroom-farms-cited-for-workplace-safety-violations/103-f8d05190-c129-46e0-be4b-6eabc88e1f52 | 2023-06-26T23:13:45 | 0 | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/california/california-mushroom-farms-cited-for-workplace-safety-violations/103-f8d05190-c129-46e0-be4b-6eabc88e1f52 |
YORK COUNTY, Pa. — A York man passed away nine days after a crash in Hellam Township, according to the York County Coroner's Office.
Angel Torres-Plaza Sr., 59, from York, passed away at WellSpan York Hospital on Friday, June 23 at 8:45 p.m.
According to police, the crash happened at 1:25 a.m. on Wednesday, June 14 when Torres-Plaza was reportedly heading westbound on Route 30 in the area of Kreutz Creek Road.
He was wearing his seatbelt when he lost control of the car, hit a tree and went down an embankment, leading to a difficult extraction.
Torres-Plaza was transported to WellSpan York Hospital with major injuries. Despite medical treatment, he passed away from his injuries nine days later. | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/york-man-dies-nine-days-after-crash-hellam-township/521-7f5ee058-16e9-4dbb-9f54-42cc47ee2f36 | 2023-06-26T23:16:38 | 0 | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/york-man-dies-nine-days-after-crash-hellam-township/521-7f5ee058-16e9-4dbb-9f54-42cc47ee2f36 |
STARKVILLE, Miss. (WTVA) — The Starkville Main Street Association took home two awards during the Mississippi Main Street Association’s awards luncheon on June 15.
George-Mary's, a boutique owned by Alesia Lucas, received the Outstanding Retail Merchandising award.
The Rex Theatre and chairman Kyle Jordan received the Outstanding Private Downtown Revitalization Project award. The theater recently underwent a massive renovation.
This is part of WTVA’s new special “Main Street Mississippi.” Open this link to view past stories.
Reporter Avery Hilliard will highlight 10 communities recognized by the Mississippi Main Street Association. | https://www.wtva.com/news/local/starkville-boutique-and-theater-recognized-by-mississippi-main-street-association/article_45362496-145c-11ee-ab08-a748be339d7f.html | 2023-06-26T23:19:33 | 0 | https://www.wtva.com/news/local/starkville-boutique-and-theater-recognized-by-mississippi-main-street-association/article_45362496-145c-11ee-ab08-a748be339d7f.html |
RIPLEY, Miss. (WTVA) — Storms Sunday evening damaged power lines and left thousands without power in Mississippi.
Thousands were without power in Tippah County as late as Monday afternoon.
County Supervisor Jimmy Gunn said power crews worked throughout the night and restored approximately 30% of power Monday morning.
This comes during the year’s first big heat wave.
On Sunday evening the Tippah Electric Power Association said customers should be prepared for multi-day outages as its workers assess and make repairs.
Tippah EPA customers, open this link to view active outages. | https://www.wtva.com/news/local/tippah-crews-working-to-restore-power/article_e3c0eab0-1466-11ee-bd79-0fb8ce5225ff.html | 2023-06-26T23:19:39 | 1 | https://www.wtva.com/news/local/tippah-crews-working-to-restore-power/article_e3c0eab0-1466-11ee-bd79-0fb8ce5225ff.html |
Relying less on septic systems: How DeLand's plans to upgrade utilities help environment
DeLand leaders broke ground Friday on a new city building as part of a $95 million expansion and enhancement of public services.
Changes to the utility services complex, including a new wastewater treatment plant, will help the city "meet future demand and reduce the reliance on septic systems in the region," Chris Graham, city spokesman, said in a news release.
Construction on the complex at 1102 S. Amelia Ave. is slated to begin later this year and be completed in the summer of 2026, Graham said.
What will the new Utility Administration Building house?
The new 24,000-square-foot utility administration/emergency support and response building will house personnel from both the utility and engineering departments, Graham said. There also will be rooms for training and facilitating support in emergencies.
Treating a growing city's wastewater
DeLand is the area's fastest-growing city, according to the 2020 Census.
An additional 20,000 people are expected to live in DeLand and the surrounding areas by 2035, which means the city needs to expand its wastewater treatment plant's capacity.
By 2040, it's expected the plant will treat 6.4 million gallons per day, Graham said.
Improvements to the plant include:
- Expanding the permitted daily treatment capacity from 6 million gallons per day to 8 million
- Replacing the gaseous chlorine disinfection process with the use of ultraviolet disinfection technology
The current plant serves 68,000 customers in DeLand and residents in northwest Volusia County.
Once improved, the plant "will help reduce total nitrogen flow to Blue Spring by 146,177 pounds per year and total phosphorus by 91,324 pounds per year," Graham said.
Volusia council approves contract:Pollution remediation plans for Blue Spring to be developed
Mandated remediation:DeBary plans to oust 2,300 septic tanks
Why cities are reducing reliance on septic systems?
The Legislature in 2016 identified 30 "Outstanding Florida Springs" in its Florida Springs and Aquifer Protection Act.
Twenty-four of those springs, including three in Volusia County, were deemed impaired by the levels of pollution, and municipalities set about developing plans to reduce the excessive nitrate pollution in the springs.
Septic systems account for about 54% of Blue Spring's nutrient load, followed by urban turfgrass fertilizers at 22%, according to the Blue Spring Basin Management Action Plan. | https://www.news-journalonline.com/story/news/local/2023/06/26/deland-public-services-upgrade-includes-enhanced-wastewater-treatment/70351898007/ | 2023-06-26T23:19:39 | 1 | https://www.news-journalonline.com/story/news/local/2023/06/26/deland-public-services-upgrade-includes-enhanced-wastewater-treatment/70351898007/ |
DALLAS — Judge Vonda Bailey is raising concerns about what is happening in the Dallas County civil and family courts.
She’s concerned three associate judges may not be eligible to hear cases because, she said, they don’t live in Dallas County -- which is required by law to sit on the bench.
According to the Texas Penal Code, an applicant must "...be a resident of this state and one of the counties the person will serve."
Associate judges appointed in Dallas County only hear cases in the county.
“Number one both the Texas government code, as well as the family code says that in order to be eligible for an appointment with an associate judge, you must reside in the county you are going to serve,” said Judge Bailey, 255th District Court.
Two of the associate judges, Tahira Merritt and Ronald Hurdle, have heard civil cases for years. But last week, the civil judges prohibited them from hearing any more cases while they investigate their residency.
Bailey said the two judges live in Collin County.
“You have to follow the law because it questions everything that we do behind the bench,” said Bailey.
This all came to light when attorneys filed an appeal in a case that Judge Merritt has already ruled on saying, “the associate judge is not upon information and belief a resident of Dallas County, and hence fails to satisfy the requirement.”
And on the morning of June 26, Judge Lorna Bedard was sworn in by Judge Kimberly Brown to be her associate judge. Judge Bailey said Bedard lives in Forney.
“Her application clearly says she lives in Kaufman County," said Bailey.
Bailey said she’s raised concerns for two weeks.
“It would be different if I didn’t say anything if I hadn’t put out a notice before she was actually hired,” said Bailey.
Judge Brown has not returned WFAA's calls or emails for comment nor have any of the associate judges.
The question is what happens to the cases the associate judges have already heard. Could they be overturned on appeal or voided? That is a question a higher court may have to determine. | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/3-dallas-county-associate-judges-may-be-prohibited-from-hearing-cases-over-location-of-homes/287-4cf8b33c-84e9-4188-9fd5-0a0908601333 | 2023-06-26T23:25:36 | 0 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/3-dallas-county-associate-judges-may-be-prohibited-from-hearing-cases-over-location-of-homes/287-4cf8b33c-84e9-4188-9fd5-0a0908601333 |
DALLAS — Lauren Siler and Lisa Flores knew time was not on their side.
But in the end, they got more time than they expected.
They first spotted Annie on an Instagram account that shares information about dogs at Dallas Animal Services in desperate need of help.
And Annie was desperate.
The post said the family who surrenderd her said she was 19 years old and had stopped eating and walking.
Annie was in jeopardy of being euthanized.
Working with The Pawerful Rescue, the best friends brought Annie home and immediately began spoiling her.
They were told they’d be lucky if they had a month with Annie.
She far exceeded all expectations.
Lauren and Lisa spent the next 12 months working off a bucket list filled with suggestions that came from friends and strangers who began following their journey on social media.
Annie ate In-N-Out and Whataburger and even appeared on a billboard.
Some of her Instagram posts racked up more than 4 million views.
After Annie was featured in a WFAA story, she also appeared in national news outlets.
A full year passed since Lauren and Lisa first saw Annie’s frosted 19-year-old face in the shelter, so they held a 20th birthday party for her on Saturday.
But on Sunday, Annie declined.
Lauren and Lisa rushed her to a vet and were forced to make the agonizing decision to let Annie go.
“She was with all the people who loved her. She was celebrated. She greeted every dog that came to her party, and then her body decided she was done,” Lauren wrote on Instagram. “I can’t help but think as she looked at me with her head in my lap that she was telling me, see I told you I could hang on for a year!”
Lauren expressed thanks to the millions of people who followed their story and shared in their journey.
“The best way to honor Annie is to foster or adopt a senior dog. Trust me. You won’t forget it,” she said. | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/annie-19-year-old-dog-surrendered-at-dallas-shelter-last-year-died-one-day-after-20th-birthday-party/287-059e50cd-b17b-4964-8147-c0cacad155b7 | 2023-06-26T23:25:42 | 0 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/annie-19-year-old-dog-surrendered-at-dallas-shelter-last-year-died-one-day-after-20th-birthday-party/287-059e50cd-b17b-4964-8147-c0cacad155b7 |
FARMERS BRANCH, Texas — Residents in Farmers Branch will soon be able to enjoy a new "first-of-its-kind" playground.
A glow-in-the-dark playground called Joya, meaning jewel in Spanish, has begun construction at Oran Good Park, near the intersection of Josey Lane and Valley View Lane.
The playground is expected to be completed this fall.
Joya is described as an inclusive play area that will be fun during the day and at night. It features an 18,000-square-foot main area and a 7,000-square-foot tot playground.
The main playground includes a 27-foot sphere with six levels of climbing, a zip line, swings, slides and an obstacle course -- all of which will feature LED lights for the nighttime.
The tot playground, for children ages 2 to 5, will be fenced with two gated entrances and will have play areas full of lights.
The Joya was approved in November 2021. It will be funded through $4 million from the Federal American Rescue Plan Act and $750,000 from a Texas Parks and Wildlife grant.
"It is so exciting to begin construction on a first-class, all-accessible playground like Joya at Oran Good Park, a public space that kids and families of all ages and abilities will enjoy year-round," said Deputy City Manager Mike Mashburn, who's described as the visionary behind the playground.
"We are looking forward to the grand opening of Joya, our City’s crown jewel, bringing to life the fun and joy that comes from a one-of-a-kind facility like this," he added.
According to officials, the Joya playground meets guidelines set by the International Dark Sky Association after a study was done by the city on light pollution. | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/construction-begins-glow-in-the-dark-playground-farmers-branch-texas-joya/287-eb74814c-a921-4a85-ad42-aeea361e0b9e | 2023-06-26T23:25:48 | 1 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/construction-begins-glow-in-the-dark-playground-farmers-branch-texas-joya/287-eb74814c-a921-4a85-ad42-aeea361e0b9e |
FORT WORTH, Texas — City IT operations are back to normal after a data breach last week led to some data from an internal information system to be posted online, Fort Worth officials said Monday.
The city said that it was made aware of the breach on Friday, June 23, but that no "sensitive information" was involved in the incident.
By noon Monday, the city said IT operations had returned to normal and that an investigation was underway.
"We can share with a high level of confidence that the method of access has been addressed, and there is no lingering unauthorized access to the City of Fort Worth computer systems," the city said in a statement.
Fort Worth's chief technology officer, Kevin Gunn, said over the weekend that a ransom was not demanded but that it appeared the hacking group behind the breach had a political motivation.
A group called Sieged Sec claimed credit of the breach and wrote in a social media post that "Texas happens to be one of the largest states banning gender-affirming care, and for that, we have made Texas our target."
The city said that the documents stolen by the hacking group contained information that would have been available to the public through an open records request.
Some of the examples of the type of information stolen were work orders in the city system, which include photographs, spreadsheets and emails between staff. An example from the city was photos of a pothole that needed repairs or sidewalk and street repairs and the supplementing documentation for those work orders.
"There has been no encryption of data or loss of access to data of computing systems," the city said in a Monday update.
According to the city, the hackers got into the city's system through stolen log-in information. The hackers claimed they hijacked the Fort Worth administrator's account. | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/fort-worth-texas-data-breach-it-operations-back-to-normal/287-91e0d2e1-49e4-45e6-b930-fa6e59d71860 | 2023-06-26T23:25:54 | 0 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/fort-worth-texas-data-breach-it-operations-back-to-normal/287-91e0d2e1-49e4-45e6-b930-fa6e59d71860 |
DALLAS — According to the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) Branch 132 President Kimetra Lewis, USPS letter carriers will have a 7:30 a.m. start time effective on Monday, June 26.
This comes after the death of 66-year-old Eugene Gates Jr. The NALC Branch said he collapsed in Dallas' Lakewood area while delivering mail door-to-door on Tuesday, June 20.
It's suspected that Gates' death is heat-related, but that has not been confirmed as of June 26. USPS officials and Gates' family are waiting on an autopsy to be completed.
The heat index was 113 degrees that afternoon at about 3:00 p.m. when the incident happened.
Gates' sudden passing has been directing attention to working conditions for letter carriers.
NALC Branch President Lewis, along with other sources, told WFAA that start times for letter carriers were originally 7:30 a.m. at the Lakewood Post Office, but it was recently changed to 8:30 a.m. due to lack of clerk staffing.
The day after Gates' death, Lewis said USPS management agreed to resume the 7:30 a.m. start time on Saturday. Multiple sources confirmed it was announced on Thursday morning to the Lakewood letter carriers.
Sources then said it was changed back to 8:30 a.m. before Saturday came around. Frustrated, Lewis spoke to local journalists about the situation. Then on Sunday, Lewis told WFAA mail carriers were notified that the 7:30 a.m. start would be effective beginning Monday.
This time, it happened.
In addition to that, Lewis was told the air conditioner was broken in Gates' USPS vehicle. She is looking into whether a ticket was filed for repair in the vehicle. Lewis said it is the mail carrier's responsibility to make sure their units are in working condition.
NOTE: The following video was uploaded on June 23
Gates' widow, Carla Gates, spoke to WFAA two days after her late husband's passing.
Gates had been a USPS letter carrier for almost four decades. He and Carla met at a Lancaster church in 2010, started dating in 2013, then got married two years later.
“When he meant yes, he meant yes. When he meant no, he meant no, and when he loved you, he loved hard,” Carla Gates said on Thursday. “If you came across his path, you would have never forgotten him.”
Carla Gates is now begging for more answers about her husband.
“Am I mad at the postal service? Yes. Am I angry? Yes. The mail will still be there, but my husband won’t.”
She believes the 7:30 a.m. start time is not enough during the extreme heat of Texas summers. She said it's already hot by that time. She remembers when her husband started his shift at 6:00 a.m., and believes that would be a better solution for letter carriers.
Carla Gates said, "Not just for the postal service, for anyone that is working out in this hot Texas weather outside, that's a death trap."
NOTE: The following video was uploaded on June 22
When asked about the start times for USPS letter carriers, the company said they have no further information at this time.
However, on Saturday, A USPS representative sent the following statement to WFAA:
“Our carriers deliver the mail throughout the year during varying temperatures and climatic conditions. This includes during the summer months when the temperatures rise throughout the country. The safety of our employees is a top priority and the Postal Service has implemented a national Heat Illness Prevention Program (HIPP) for all employees. In connection with the HIPP, the Postal Service provides mandatory heat-related and other safety training and instruction to all employees and assures they have the resources needed to do their jobs safely. Carriers are reminded to ensure they’re hydrated, wear appropriate clothing, including hats, get in the shade whenever possible, and to take sufficient amounts of water and ice with them out on their routes. Carriers are further instructed to contact 9-1-1 in the event they begin experiencing any symptoms of heat exhaustion or heat stroke, and they are provided with information to help them identify the symptoms associated with these two forms of heat illness.
Since 2003, all motor vehicles purchased by the Postal Service have been equipped with air conditioning. Thirty four percent of all current postal vehicles have air conditioning. The Long Life Vehicles (LLVs) used by many Postal Service carriers did not come equipped with air conditioning features from the manufacturers, and were purchased through the early 1990s. As of April 2022, 153,000 LLVs and Flex Fuel Vehicles (FFV) were still in operation, and all have fans.
The Next Generation Delivery Vehicles (NGDVs) will feature air conditioning among other features including improved ergonomics, and some of the most advanced vehicle and safety technology — including 360-degree cameras, advanced braking and traction control, air bags and a front-and-rear-collision avoidance system that includes visual, audio warning and automatic braking.” | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/usps-letter-mail-carrier-death-dallas-texas-new-employee-hours/287-88755616-eae8-4c8f-babd-84e1337c0f49 | 2023-06-26T23:26:00 | 0 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/usps-letter-mail-carrier-death-dallas-texas-new-employee-hours/287-88755616-eae8-4c8f-babd-84e1337c0f49 |
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Breaking news and the stories that matter to your neighborhood. | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/philadelphia-lifeguard-certifications-begin-monday/3592832/ | 2023-06-26T23:27:58 | 1 | https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/philadelphia-lifeguard-certifications-begin-monday/3592832/ |
Rain or not, fireworks fans line up in Detroit for a blast
Day-long scattered storms didn't stop crowds in the hours Monday before the 65th annual Detroit Ford Fireworks show on Belle Isle, but it may have slowed them down.
The wet weather, with temperatures in the low 70s and with heavy showers in the forecast before the expected 10:06 p.m. launch time, changed not only how some people were watching but also where. On Belle Isle, people sat through the rain in their cars, under canopies and even in tents they brought from home, but by evening, even there was still plenty of parking. Prime viewing spots often start filling up before then.
Despite the rain, the show is scheduled to go on, much to the joy of those watching the steadily falling rain.
"Even when it's raining, it's fun," said Sandra Gates, 66, of Detroit. Gates considers the fireworks a family tradition, and even the wet weather wasn't going to stop her or her loved ones. "We're sitting out in the rain because we didn't think we could bring a canopy."
Officially, canopies and tents weren't allowed, but it appeared officials were letting them slide because of the rain.
Parking, however, was a different story. Belle Isle opened its entrance for parking at 2 p.m., and people were being directed to the front half of the island. Hart Plaza and Spirit Plaza opened at 2 p.m. until capacity is reached.
Some attendees, though, were not fans of the crowd control on Belle Isle.
"We really don't like the setup this year, because we feel like it's too close," Sasha Tims said. Tims, 31, of Detroit said that although she has come to the fireworks show her whole life, she didn't expect to return because of the policing.
"Last year, we were on the beach and we were able to be where we wanted to be," Tims said. "We were able to move around better than last year."
Natasha Dowdell, a Detroit resident, said she had watched the fireworks from other spots in the city but was excited to be at Belle Isle this year. She was ready for whatever happened — her family waited in line for three hours and brought a tent, in addition to foldable chairs and barbecue.
"I have been wanting to come here for years and just never got a chance to," Dowdell, 34, said as the smell of barbecue overtook even the smell of rain. "You have to be prepared for this."
Dowdell and her sister, Shari Dowdell, 37, were some of the first to get on the island Monday. Shari said she was glad to see how the crowds on Belle Isle were handled this year.
"They were trying to get it organized in here," Shari said. "They had to have some kind of structure in order for it to move smoothly, and they did a good job.
Monday's show is scheduled to be 24 minutes long, and the theme is "Splash into Summer." Viewers can watch the show from along the Detroit River, although crowd restriction measures also are in place in riverfront parks. | https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/detroit-city/2023/06/26/rain-or-not-fireworks-fans-line-up-in-detroit-for-a-blast/70347607007/ | 2023-06-26T23:28:16 | 0 | https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/detroit-city/2023/06/26/rain-or-not-fireworks-fans-line-up-in-detroit-for-a-blast/70347607007/ |
Man charged with running $100M Ponzi scheme; FBI says many victims in Detroit area
The operator of a supposed professional trading firm has been charged with running a $100 million Ponzi scheme, according to federal prosecutors.
Many of the people Darren Robinson, 53, convinced to invest with the company, QYU, were from the Detroit area, according to a complaint filed Friday in federal court. One victim from eastern Michigan had invested more than $1 million since 2019. Collectively, several people from southeast Michigan invested tens of millions of dollars into QYU.
Federal agents began investigating QYU in 2022. The firm's marketing materials promised incredibly high returns for investors and said the firm was only paid on trading profits, not investor principal, but financial records showed hundreds of wire transfer deposits from apparent investors and no deposits to or withdrawals from trading accounts, Special Agent Paul Dunham wrote in the complaint.
QYU allegedly used money from new investors to pay older investors, according to the complaint. Investor money was also allegedly spent to pay for business expenses, compensate client managers and employees at QYU and to fund Robinson's lifestyle. One transfer indicated Robinson spent $800,000 on property in the United Arab Emirates.
Dunham said Robinson told investigators the representations he made to investors were false, and that he created fictional trading data and provided false account statements to investors.
"Robinson's statements to law enforcement confirmed what QYU's bank records appeared to indicate: QYU is a massive Ponzi scheme," Dunham wrote.
Robinson's firm operated out of Panama and the Cayman Islands, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of Michigan. Victims of the Ponzi scheme were all around the world, largely concentrated in the U.S., Canada and several other countries, according to the complaint.
U.S. Attorney Dawn Ison called Robinson's scheme "brazen."
"This defendant allegedly orchestrated a large-scale, multimillion dollar Ponzi scheme with victims across the globe," said James Tarasca, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Detroit field office. "Investment fraud can be crippling for its victims, and the FBI is committed to identifying and working with anyone impacted by this scheme."
Any potential victims who invested with QYU can contact the FBI at www.fbi.gov/QYU_holdings_victims. The FBI has identified many investors from southeast Michigan.
kberg@detroitnews.com | https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan/2023/06/26/fbi-many-victims-of-100m-ponzi-scheme-from-detroit-area/70357393007/ | 2023-06-26T23:28:22 | 0 | https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan/2023/06/26/fbi-many-victims-of-100m-ponzi-scheme-from-detroit-area/70357393007/ |
Easton Corbin has a vivid memory of the last time he was in Tucson.
“I remember being the hottest I’ve been in my life,” he recalled of that 2018 visit. “I was on a motorcycle in Tucson, caught up between red lights. There were two miles of red lights and I hit every red light there was. I had to stop and get water, I was dehydrated.”
The temperatures won’t be any cooler when he steps on the stage at Desert Diamond Casino on Friday, June 30, for his first concert here since that 2018 DDC show.
“I would rather have the heat than the cold,” he was quick to note.
Corbin comes here with his months-old album “Let’s Do Country Right,” his debut on the startup country label Stone Country Records and his first full-length album since 2015’s “About to Get Real.”
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The album brings him full-circle to the neo-trad country roots that he introduced back in 2010 with his eponymous Mercury Records debut. In his twangy rich baritone that fans early on compared to George Strait, Corbin leans more heavily into the style that brought him to the dance, rooted in stories about marrying the girl (“I’m gonna change her name but she don’t know it yet/She’s what I’ve been praying someday God would send”) and being from a long line of “Lonesome Drinkers.”
He pays homage to Merle Haggard in “Hey Merle” (“Yeah, you made ‘em go, ‘Ooh, ooh, ooh’ when you’d sing them songs”) and doles out advice to “drink a little ice-cold beer, have a little fun in here” in the title song before taking a stroll back to the time when he took a shiner defending a girl.
In between the heartbreak songs of losing the girl (“When you open your eyes/And that pretty little mind has a memory in it/I hope there’s still a little me in it”) and trying to replace the girl of your dreams (“Where do you go from a girl like her”), Corbin has a little fun with the rollicking “Wind You Up” and the blue-collar anthem of “Honky Tonk Land.”
“For me, it’s about keeping one foot traditional and one foot modern,” Corbin said of his approach to country music. “Country has become such a wide genre and just when you think it can’t get any wider, it becomes even wider. I always hope and pray that there will always be a place for traditional country music, and that’s what I do. … Nobody really does what I do out there.”
This is Corbin’s fourth career album — and the first one where he wrote most of the songs — but it feels as fresh and new as his first.
“That’s exactly what I was going for,” he said during a phone interview early this month. “They say that you have your whole life to write for your first record. After I separated from Mercury (in 2018) … it was like having your whole life to write for this record. I just wanted to get back in my roots and where I started and just take our time and write songs we loved. And if we loved it, great, and if we didn’t, go out and write another one.”
Corbin said he will play four or five tracks off the new album in between his early hits including the chart-toppers “A Little More Country Than That” and “Roll With It” off his first album. | https://tucson.com/life-entertainment/local/music/easton-corbin-tucson-concert-country-music/article_e803d828-0a0a-11ee-9353-8fa6ede8f497.html | 2023-06-26T23:28:30 | 1 | https://tucson.com/life-entertainment/local/music/easton-corbin-tucson-concert-country-music/article_e803d828-0a0a-11ee-9353-8fa6ede8f497.html |
A Pima County Sheriff's Department deputy who accused her supervisor of sexually assaulting her at a Christmas party last year has filed a $900,000 claim against him, Pima County and other law enforcement officials.
Ricardo Garcia, a sergeant in the department’s school resources unit, was arrested on suspicion of one count of sexual assault in January stemming from events at a house party he hosted. He was fired later that same month, the Arizona Daily Star previously reported.
The notice of claim, a precursor to a lawsuit, says the deputy attended a Christmas party for members of the school resource unit in December 2022 at the home of Garcia, her supervisor at the time. The claim seeks damages for the injuries and for the department’s inadequate response.
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At some point at the party the deputy felt that she was unable to drive home. Garcia and his girlfriend invited the deputy to stay in their spare room, where she went to rest and fell asleep, the claim said.
Sometime after midnight, Garcia allegedly sexually assaulted the unconscious woman. Another deputy at the party intervened and called for help, the claim said.
Garcia reportedly called and texted Joseph D. Cameron, the department’s chief of staff. After a conversation Cameron called another sergeant and asked him to contact Garcia in his capacity as a union representative, the claim said.
“The chain of command was not properly followed by either Ricky or Chief Cameron, as direct communication of this type is inappropriate under the circumstances,” the claim said.
The next day, the deputy was made aware of the incident. The deputy who intervened notified the department and a patrol car was sent to Garcia’s home.
The deputy was interviewed in the patrol car and taken home. Later that morning, she went to the hospital and underwent a rape kit, which confirmed Garcia’s DNA was present, the claim said.
The deputy had previously met Garcia in 2007 when she was at the academy, but lost touch after Garcia transferred. She later became a sheriff deputy and the two reconnected in 2021, the claim said.
The deputy says she has suffered “extreme post-traumatic stress symptoms,” and is seeking ongoing counseling, the claim said.
“The deputy has also experienced other pain, suffering, anxiety, harms and losses, including the inability to enjoy life and activities she previously enjoyed and difficulty in trusting others due to the defendant’s collective misconduct,” the claim said.
The claim also states that Sheriff Chris Nanos “knew or should have known that policies and practices of his department were inadequate to protect victims of crime” and that there was a “culture of avoiding proper channels and chain of command in conducting official business.”
“Failure to follow laws, rules and regulations caused and contributed to the deputy’s injuries and damages,” the claim said.
The deputy seeks $225,000 from each of the defendants: Pima County, Nanos, Garcia and Cameron.
“Defendants and the Pima County Sheriff’s Department conducted themselves in a manner, in their individual or official capacities that clearly violated the established rights of the deputy,” the claim said. “Their actions caused and/or contributed to serious ongoing, and likely permanent injuries sustained by the deputy that resulted in her assault and rape, and the mismanagement of the following investigation.”
Jamie Donnelly covers courts for the Arizona Daily Star. Contact her via e-mail at jdonnelly@tucson.com | https://tucson.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/pima-county-and-sheriffs-department-named-in-notice-of-claim/article_93757674-1444-11ee-8527-3340231b98d3.html | 2023-06-26T23:28:36 | 0 | https://tucson.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/pima-county-and-sheriffs-department-named-in-notice-of-claim/article_93757674-1444-11ee-8527-3340231b98d3.html |
Tucson police made an arrest in the killing of an 19-year-old man last week after they say his belongings were posted for sale at a nearby house.
The case started about 7:30 p.m. Thursday when Arath Robles Miranda was found unresponsive on the sidewalk on Tucson's south side, near South Ninth Avenue and West Ohio Street, police said in a news release.
The caller was performing CPR when officers arrived, but Miranda was declared dead at the scene. Miranda showed "signs of trauma," police have said.
On Saturday, homicide detectives learned that items belonging to Miranda were listed for sale at a house in the 100 block of West Michigan Drive, about three blocks from where Miranda was killed, the news release said.
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The department's SWAT unit eventually got into the house and found Francisco Sillik, 18, hiding in the attic area, the release.
Sillik was arrested and booked into the Pima County jail on suspicion of one count each of first degree murder and armed robbery. Bond was set at $750,000. | https://tucson.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/tucson-homicide-arrest/article_de78ff5e-1469-11ee-8c60-ef2d6dc0d001.html | 2023-06-26T23:28:42 | 1 | https://tucson.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/tucson-homicide-arrest/article_de78ff5e-1469-11ee-8c60-ef2d6dc0d001.html |
Tucson will soon be able to replace all of its diesel-powered buses with low-emission vehicles after receiving more than $21 million from the Federal Transit Administration Monday, a move the city says will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 2,480 metric tons.
Tucson received nearly $21.5 million from the FTA’s Low- or No-Emission Grant Program to buy 39 compressed natural gas-fueled buses, eliminating the remaining diesel buses on its fleet.
Compressed natural gas, or CNG, is a type of fuel produced by compressing gas to less than 1% of its standard volume and is mainly composed of methane. The gas powers many water heaters, stoves and furnaces and emits fewer greenhouse gases than traditional fuel, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
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The FTA announced the recipients of $1.7 billion worth of nationwide projects on Monday to replace high-emissions buses with options carrying lower carbon footprints. Arizona received $51 million of the funding.
Half of the buses supported by the federal grant funding across the country will be zero-emission models, according to the FTA. CNG-powered vehicles still create emissions, although significantly less than diesel-powered engines.
While the city has been intent on electrification efforts, Transportation and Mobility Director Sam Credio said purchasing CNG buses is a way to quickly lower the city’s fleet emissions at a much lower cost than electric vehicles, which can be around double the cost of CNG vehicles.
“Our goal with this program was speed. How quickly can we eliminate all of our diesel buses from the bus fleet? And by going with CNG, it allowed us to get there much quicker,” he said.
Sun Tran, the city’s public transit system, already has 106 CNG buses on its fleet, Credio said, making the use of the lower-emissions system “a tried and true technology.”
Tucson submitted a request for $27 million in grant funding to replace its aging diesel-powered buses with CNG buses and will provide $5.4 million of its own money in addition to the grant.
“I promised Tucsonans that I’d take clear action to create a clean and sustainable city, and with the support of our federal partners, I am doing just that,” Mayor Regina Romero said in a news release. “Decarbonizing the transit system will be a powerful victory for our community, bringing cleaner air and a brighter future for all Tucsonans.”
Contact reporter Nicole Ludden at nludden@tucson.com | https://tucson.com/news/local/government-politics/tucson--federal-grant-transit/article_ec2a6468-143b-11ee-a550-53cedcfc32a0.html | 2023-06-26T23:28:49 | 0 | https://tucson.com/news/local/government-politics/tucson--federal-grant-transit/article_ec2a6468-143b-11ee-a550-53cedcfc32a0.html |
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) — Johnson City Schools is working with the city of Johnson City to find avenues of revenue after a cut of around $2 million from its planned budget.
Washington County commissioners proposed cutting sales tax revenue that had been allocated to both the county and city schools since the early 1990s back in May. Commissioners approved this budget proposal on June 22.
Superintendent for Johnson City Schools, Dr. Steve Barnett, said he wished they could’ve been able to work this cut into their budget sooner.
“It’s one of those things where we start our budget in December of last year and the fiscal year begins July 1, so it’s late in the fiscal year to have this kind of information, this kind of cut,” said Barnett.
Barnett said they’ve been working through options since receiving news of the cut, but the options will have to be brought to the school board.
“We’ll be looking at things that can be moved, such as one-time capital expenses,” said Barnett.
Assistant City Manager for the City of Johnson City Randy Trivette said he has been in contact with the school system’s finance director to discuss their options.
Trivette said they have ideas like using money that becomes available as the district pays off debt and taking money originally planned for in the budget and paying for that out of their fund balance.
That leaves about $300,000 to $400,000 still left over to cover. Trivette said that may come from leftover money not used in the city budget.
“We’re always wanting to fund schools the best that we can fund them,” said Trivette. “And when we see some type of revenue reduction for our school system or our operating side, that’s never something that we’re ever happy about.”
Trivette said the reallocation of money now might be more evident as they plan for the next fiscal year.
“This year, it sounds like we’ve worked out enough ways to basically cover it,” said Trivette. “Next year, we’re going to start working a little early to see what may happen with those revenues next year and see what we need to juggle around to next year.”
Barnett said this cut will not affect employee pay increases.
Additionally, Barnett said there will need to be budget amendments made. No clear plans will be set until the school board can review them. The next Johnson City School Board meeting is on August 7. | https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/2-million-cut-from-johnson-city-schools-budget-wont-affect-employee-pay-increase/ | 2023-06-26T23:28:55 | 0 | https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/2-million-cut-from-johnson-city-schools-budget-wont-affect-employee-pay-increase/ |
GREENEVILLE, Tenn. (WJHL) – Tri-Cities fans of collectibles, trinkets, toys and merchandise are in luck.
On Saturday, the Tri-Cities Toy and Hobby Show will be held at 456 E Bernard Ave. in Greeneville. Some of the items that will be up for sale include comic books, models, action figures, vintage games and more.
All the proceeds from Saturday’s event will benefit ALPS Adult Day Services in Greeneville, which serves those suffering from Alzheimer’s and other neurocognitive disorders.
Micheal Stevens joined the First at 4 to give a preview of what vendors and customers can expect. | https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/first-at-four/tri-cities-toy-and-hobby-show-to-benefit-adult-daycare-service/ | 2023-06-26T23:29:01 | 1 | https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/first-at-four/tri-cities-toy-and-hobby-show-to-benefit-adult-daycare-service/ |
GREENEVILLE, Tenn. (WJHL)- Tusculum University’s Upward Bound Program is sending students to New York City.
The five-week program consists of classes that prepare students for college. It gives high school students an opportunity to experience everything that college has to offer, including on-campus living.
David Smith, Director of the TRIO Programs at Tusculum University, said the goal of the program is to make students comfortable with all aspects of college, not just the heavy course load.
“Once the students are enrolled in college, then they’re familiar with what the higher education landscape is,” said Smith. “They’re familiar with the rigor of the academics, they’re familiar with the cultural piece of what a college experience is, living in a residence hall, managing their time.”
The program offers a variety of STEM classes and other courses, such as theater and humanities. The Upward Bound Program replicates the daily schedule of a full-time college student.
“It’s important to students because it ensures that underrepresented students have a place in higher education and that they actually enroll in post-secondary education,” said Smith. “Thinking broadly, our programs change generational poverty, it changes families’ lives.”
Guadalupe Flores, a rising junior in high school, has been attending the Upward Bound Program for the past two years. She said it has helped her decide her college career path.
“It’s just a great opportunity for high school students to get out of their comfort zone, learn about some real-life scenarios,” said Flores. “There is work-study where you can go into a certain workforce, and it gives you a general idea of if that’s what you want to do for your future career.”
Flores said she wants to be an anesthesiologist.
“It’s just a great learning opportunity, and I think that everybody should use it to an advantage whenever they can,” said Flores.
The Upward Bound Program occurs every summer. High school students can apply on the Tusculum University website. | https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/tusculums-upward-bound-program-headed-to-new-york-city/ | 2023-06-26T23:29:07 | 0 | https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/tusculums-upward-bound-program-headed-to-new-york-city/ |
AUGUSTA -- A bill that proposes an expansion to background checks for gun sales in the state has narrowly passed the House of Representatives, but it's uncertain how much further it will go.
With a 69 to 68 vote, the house has passed a bill sponsored by house speaker Rachel Talbot Ross that would expand background checks to private firearms sales, transfers and gun show deals.
Many democrats claim the bill is an important step in controlling potential threats.
"This a really important measure that will do a lot towards closing this loophole that we've had in our background check law with private sales. It doesn't prohibit anyone from buying a gun. It doesn't stop the transfer of guns from family members or giving a gun as a gift," says Camden representative Vicki Doudera, "It simply says if you want to sell a gun to a private individual or you want to buy a gun through uncle henry's or something like that you need to have a background check."
Many Republicans claim there is no need for this bill to become a law, with some even claiming it's an unconstitutional infringement on second amendment rights. | https://www.foxbangor.com/news/local/house-narrowly-passes-gun-reform-bill/article_77ae5bcc-146c-11ee-b014-57d9afd6e4dc.html | 2023-06-26T23:29:25 | 0 | https://www.foxbangor.com/news/local/house-narrowly-passes-gun-reform-bill/article_77ae5bcc-146c-11ee-b014-57d9afd6e4dc.html |
AUGUSTA -- Throughout this year's legislative session, Democrats and Republicans in both the House and Senate have been fighting tooth and nail in order to pass bills benefiting Mainers.
Republican Representative Jack Ducharme III says this year's legislature statutory adjournment was set for June 21.
He says there's much work that needs to be done even though they're past the date.
"A lot of the debates on the floor end up being we propose our position or try to support our position and the other side supports their position, but it changes no one's mind," said Representative Ducharme III.
Others say the extra time has been worth it.
"You know it's gone very, very well. I serve on Health and Human Services and that's where we've seen really good, positive work for the people of Maine. We've worked really hard and we've passed some really good bills," said Democratic Representative Anne Graham of North Yarmouth.
Both lawmakers say there are still important measures that need to be addressed.
"We've proposed at least four or five different bills to provide tax relief. We found the money and then they [the Majority Party] said, 'No I guess we're not going to do that.' So it's clear to me that the Majority Party has no interest in doing any kind of tax relief for hard working Mainers," said Representative Ducharme III.
"We've heard lots and lots and lots about workforce and how we don't have a lot of nurses, how we don't have enough EMS people, we don't have enough police officers. And so we want to bring more people in and bring them to Maine, particularly young people, to grow Maine and improve our economy," said Representative Graham. | https://www.foxbangor.com/news/local/maine-lawmakers-reflect-on-this-years-legislative-session/article_6c5fa07c-146d-11ee-ba46-13d0f4271bb0.html | 2023-06-26T23:29:31 | 0 | https://www.foxbangor.com/news/local/maine-lawmakers-reflect-on-this-years-legislative-session/article_6c5fa07c-146d-11ee-ba46-13d0f4271bb0.html |
BREWER -- A group of spintresses and knitters inspired shear joy today as they presented their donation to a local cancer institute.
Through the international back-to-back wool challenge, the Mainely Spinners were able to raise nearly three thousand dollars.
The competition consists of two sections, the first part is creating a sweater completely from scratch, which includes shearing a sheep and spinning the wool into yarn.
The second part is raising funds for cancer research and treatment through donations and sponsors.
Everything raised was donated to Northern Light's Champion the Cure program.
"I think all of us have had family or friends that have been afflicted with cancers of one form or another, and so it feels good to be able to contribute to either the care or the research or future survivors," says Janet DeLaney, the coordinator of Mainely Spinners.
The Mainely Spinners placed third overall in the international competition. | https://www.foxbangor.com/news/local/mainely-spinners-donate-to-cancer-institute/article_710e36da-146b-11ee-a72d-8360db470a8c.html | 2023-06-26T23:29:38 | 0 | https://www.foxbangor.com/news/local/mainely-spinners-donate-to-cancer-institute/article_710e36da-146b-11ee-a72d-8360db470a8c.html |
ORRINGTON -- Members of the East Orrington Congregational Church youth group are offering their services to the community for the next week. The group, which calls themselves "The Reason," have decided for their recent mission project that instead of travelling elsewhere they wanted to offer support to their local community.
"We just decided to reach out to the community and see what needs we could meet there, so we're spending the week clearing brush, painting, leveling step, cleaning gravestones and things like that," said Doug Fogg, youth ministry director for EOCC.
Traditionally mission projects require traveling away, but this time the youth group wanted to do something for their own neighbors.
"We've done it in the past in different areas, Portland, Machias but we said why not our own community," said Reverend Carl Schreiber.
They have a crew of nine kids ranging from middle school to young adults all pitching in this week. They start their mornings at the church and then head out to different locations throughout the town to offer assistance to those who need it.
"Just having the youth have something they know they can be outside of the 'I' and serve the 'we' is just really remarkable because when they do it at the end of the week they're just amazed of how fun it was and how they feel inside," said Schreiber.
Members of the group talked about how they enjoy making memories with friends who all want to help the community.
"Just having fun if we're helping someone putting a smile on someone's face that's always fun to see," said 12-year-old Sully Harris, member of The Reason.
With their work they also hope to see improvements in community spirit.
"If we can do a little good and spread a little bit of good cheer just by going out and helping people it makes the world a better place," said Fogg.
The youth group meets every Sunday from 5-7p.m. and expect to continue into next week with any projects that don't get completed. More information can be found on their Facebook page. | https://www.foxbangor.com/news/local/orrington-youth-group-keeping-mission-project-local/article_4335680c-145a-11ee-a37f-63c08217e0de.html | 2023-06-26T23:29:44 | 0 | https://www.foxbangor.com/news/local/orrington-youth-group-keeping-mission-project-local/article_4335680c-145a-11ee-a37f-63c08217e0de.html |
BAR HARBOR -- College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor is teaming up with English Sculptor Andy Goldsworthy to create a piece of art that will span the entire campus.
The fifteen hundred foot long sculpture is called "Road Line" and will be comprised of granite curbstone.
It will start on Eden Street and run through the heart of campus and will eventually end at the ocean.
With Head Mason and Alum Devin Conner, this installation will be Goldsworthy's first permanent sculpture in Maine.
"I think Andy is really excited about the idea of the stone line being somewhat metaphorical to a students journey through not just college, but through life in general," said College of the Atlantic President Darron Collins. "I want people, and I think he (Goldsworthy) wants people to never look at curbstone the same way next time you're walking downtown somewhere and you see granite curbstone, you'll be reminded of this centuries long industry."
The project will officially begin on July 29th and will take around six weeks to complete. | https://www.foxbangor.com/news/local/sculptor-andy-goldsworthys-first-permanent-artwork-in-maine-to-be-at-college-of-the-atlantic/article_b3eb6e44-1468-11ee-bebc-33813c341ff5.html | 2023-06-26T23:29:50 | 1 | https://www.foxbangor.com/news/local/sculptor-andy-goldsworthys-first-permanent-artwork-in-maine-to-be-at-college-of-the-atlantic/article_b3eb6e44-1468-11ee-bebc-33813c341ff5.html |
ARKANSAS, USA — On June 25, severe storms and destructive winds rolled through several parts of Central Arkansas.
There were several reports of downed trees in streets, large hail, and even vehicles that were flipped over. The storms also caused over 100,000 reported power outages across the state.
In response to the storms, Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders issued a state of emergency in Arkansas on Monday.
This was issued due to the weather-related damages that created a great need for assistance and applies to all commercial vehicles hauling heavy equipment, transformers, oversized loads, necessary hardware, and other transmission and distribution equipment to line crews for the purpose of restoring power
The declaration allows emergency response vehicles to bypass Arkansas Department of Transportation weigh stations through July 1. Though it does not include vehicles that require permits to drive on Arkansas roadways, and the size and weight restrictions do still apply. The declaration only applies to weigh stations and to vehicles traveling in convoy.
These emergency response vehicles are authorized to bypass all Arkansas Department of Transportation weigh station facilities through July 1, 2023. This authorization does not include vehicles that require permits to operate on Arkansas’ roadways. This authorization does not relieve size and weight restrictions. This declaration only applies to weigh stations and to vehicles traveling in convoys.
The Governor is authorized to declare a regional emergency during the duration of the emergency conditions but shall not exceed 30 days from the initial emergency declaration. | https://www.5newsonline.com/article/news/local/governor-sanders-state-emergency-june-storms/91-b90e59f0-25ba-43d4-9baf-dfec602e8622 | 2023-06-26T23:30:00 | 1 | https://www.5newsonline.com/article/news/local/governor-sanders-state-emergency-june-storms/91-b90e59f0-25ba-43d4-9baf-dfec602e8622 |
DALLAS — According to the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) Branch 132 President Kimetra Lewis, USPS letter carriers will have a 7:30 a.m. start time effective on Monday, June 26.
This comes after the death of 66-year-old Eugene Gates Jr. The NALC Branch said he collapsed in Dallas' Lakewood area while delivering mail door-to-door on Tuesday, June 20.
It's suspected that Gates' death is heat-related, but that has not been confirmed as of June 26. USPS officials and Gates' family are waiting on an autopsy to be completed.
The heat index was 113 degrees that afternoon at about 3:00 p.m. when the incident happened.
Gates' sudden passing has been directing attention to working conditions for letter carriers.
NALC Branch President Lewis, along with other sources, told WFAA that start times for letter carriers were originally 7:30 a.m. at the Lakewood Post Office, but it was recently changed to 8:30 a.m. due to lack of clerk staffing.
The day after Gates' death, Lewis said USPS management agreed to resume the 7:30 a.m. start time on Saturday. Multiple sources confirmed it was announced on Thursday morning to the Lakewood letter carriers.
Sources then said it was changed back to 8:30 a.m. before Saturday came around. Frustrated, Lewis spoke to local journalists about the situation. Then on Sunday, Lewis told WFAA mail carriers were notified that the 7:30 a.m. start would be effective beginning Monday.
This time, it happened.
In addition to that, Lewis was told the air conditioner was broken in Gates' USPS vehicle. She is looking into whether a ticket was filed for repair in the vehicle. Lewis said it is the mail carrier's responsibility to make sure their units are in working condition.
NOTE: The following video was uploaded on June 23
Gates' widow, Carla Gates, spoke to WFAA two days after her late husband's passing.
Gates had been a USPS letter carrier for almost four decades. He and Carla met at a Lancaster church in 2010, started dating in 2013, then got married two years later.
“When he meant yes, he meant yes. When he meant no, he meant no, and when he loved you, he loved hard,” Carla Gates said on Thursday. “If you came across his path, you would have never forgotten him.”
Carla Gates is now begging for more answers about her husband.
“Am I mad at the postal service? Yes. Am I angry? Yes. The mail will still be there, but my husband won’t.”
She believes the 7:30 a.m. start time is not enough during the extreme heat of Texas summers. She said it's already hot by that time. She remembers when her husband started his shift at 6:00 a.m., and believes that would be a better solution for letter carriers.
Carla Gates said, "Not just for the postal service, for anyone that is working out in this hot Texas weather outside, that's a death trap."
NOTE: The following video was uploaded on June 22
When asked about the start times for USPS letter carriers, the company said they have no further information at this time.
However, on Saturday, A USPS representative sent the following statement to WFAA:
“Our carriers deliver the mail throughout the year during varying temperatures and climatic conditions. This includes during the summer months when the temperatures rise throughout the country. The safety of our employees is a top priority and the Postal Service has implemented a national Heat Illness Prevention Program (HIPP) for all employees. In connection with the HIPP, the Postal Service provides mandatory heat-related and other safety training and instruction to all employees and assures they have the resources needed to do their jobs safely. Carriers are reminded to ensure they’re hydrated, wear appropriate clothing, including hats, get in the shade whenever possible, and to take sufficient amounts of water and ice with them out on their routes. Carriers are further instructed to contact 9-1-1 in the event they begin experiencing any symptoms of heat exhaustion or heat stroke, and they are provided with information to help them identify the symptoms associated with these two forms of heat illness.
Since 2003, all motor vehicles purchased by the Postal Service have been equipped with air conditioning. Thirty four percent of all current postal vehicles have air conditioning. The Long Life Vehicles (LLVs) used by many Postal Service carriers did not come equipped with air conditioning features from the manufacturers, and were purchased through the early 1990s. As of April 2022, 153,000 LLVs and Flex Fuel Vehicles (FFV) were still in operation, and all have fans.
The Next Generation Delivery Vehicles (NGDVs) will feature air conditioning among other features including improved ergonomics, and some of the most advanced vehicle and safety technology — including 360-degree cameras, advanced braking and traction control, air bags and a front-and-rear-collision avoidance system that includes visual, audio warning and automatic braking.” | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/usps-letter-mail-carrier-death-dallas-texas-new-employee-hours/287-88755616-eae8-4c8f-babd-84e1337c0f49 | 2023-06-26T23:30:00 | 1 | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/usps-letter-mail-carrier-death-dallas-texas-new-employee-hours/287-88755616-eae8-4c8f-babd-84e1337c0f49 |
CENTRAL, Texas — Looking for something fun to do for Independence Day this year? 6 News has you covered.
Cities and organizations across Central Texas are holding events for the 4th of July, from fireworks extravaganzas to food truck vendors to legendary parades.
Here is a list of some of the local events going on this Independence Day.
Waco
Fourth on the Brazos 2023
The City of Waco is hosting its annual Fourth on the Brazos celebration and it will feature live music and an H-E-B Fireworks Extravaganza. There will be plenty of food trucks, family fun and more for all of those in attendance.
- Time - Gates open at 6 p.m.
- Cost - Free
View more information here.
Temple
Fourth of July Fun Fest & Fireworks Show
For 25 years in a row H-E-B has hosted this event in the City of Temple. Bring your lawn chairs, picnic baskets and blankets all in preparation for a fantastic firework display.
- Time - Show starts at 9:30 p.m.
- Cost - Free
View more information here.
Belton
Belton Fourth of July Celebration
Join 6 News and 30,000 others in Belton to celebrate Independence Day! The celebration will feature a half-mile parade through the center of Belton followed by a festival at Nolan Creek. There will be food, games, a petting zoo and of course a fireworks show.
- Time - Festivities begin at 10 a.m.
- Cost - Adult tickets start at $20 and Children's start at $17
View more information here.
Killeen
Killeen Independence Day Extravaganza
The City of Killeen will hold the Independence Day Extravaganza and fireworks show on July 1.
The event will be held at 200 E. Avenue D, and will run from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.
The Extravaganza will feature food trucks, live music, kids activities, craft vendors, a Jeep Jam and of course a fireworks show, which will begin at 9:30 p.m.
Four musical artists will perform starting at 5:30 p.m., rapper/hip hop artist J. Saenz, reggae artist Lady Shacklin, country artist Hayden Baker and Killeen native Rose Short.
Fireworks will be launched from the Killeen Athletic Fields and will reportedly be visible across the city.
- Time - 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.
- Cost - Free
View more information here.
Copperas Cove
Cove Life Church Fourth of July Celebration
Cove Life Church in Copperas Cove will host two days of Independence Day fun, from June 3 to June 4.
The church, located at 1206 W. Avenue B, will host its third annual Fourth of July celebration from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. both days of festivities.
The event will feature live entertainment including "American Idol" runner-up Colin Stough, Christian artist Jacob Crabb and worship leader and associate pastor Eddie James.
Festivities on July 3 will include carnival rides, kickball, 3-on-3 basketball and cornhole tournaments, a car show and a drone show.
July 4 activities will include carnival rides, a 5k, a car show, inflatables and a 25-minutes fireworks show to cap off the event.
Food and market vendors will also be present.
Parking for the event costs $5, with all proceeds supporting church initiatives such as youth programs.
- Time - 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. both days
- Cost - $5 parking
View more information here.
More from 6 News: | https://www.kcentv.com/article/news/local/4th-july-events-around-central-texas/500-903b8277-7bc4-448b-b21a-19a24d4e4faa | 2023-06-26T23:30:52 | 0 | https://www.kcentv.com/article/news/local/4th-july-events-around-central-texas/500-903b8277-7bc4-448b-b21a-19a24d4e4faa |
DULUTH — Two current judicial officers and a supervisor in the local public defender's office were named Monday as finalists for a judgeship in Duluth.
The Minnesota Commission on Judicial Selection said it was recommending Clarissa Ek, Jessica Fralich and Nicole Hopps for the 6th Judicial District seat vacated by Judge Sally Tarnowski, who died unexpectedly while on vacation in March.
Gov. Tim Walz is expected to make a selection in the coming weeks. He is not bound by the list, but governors have traditionally followed the commission's recommendations.
Ek, 45, is a child support magistrate for the 6th District. Serving at the pleasure of the district's judges, she is authorized to conduct hearings and issue orders for the payment of child support. As a former senior assistant St. Louis County attorney and Indian Legal Assistance Program staff attorney, she has significant experience in criminal, child protection and family law in district and appellate courts.
A veteran of the U.S. Air Force, Ek has also volunteered at First Witness Child Advocacy Center and the Program for Aid to Victims of Sexual Assault.
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Fralich, 49, likewise, has judicial experience, currently presiding over housing, harassment, order for protection, small claims, minor civil and family court matters as a referee for the 6th District. She was previously a prosecutor for St. Louis County, serving a stint as the head of the Iron Range division, and also handled real estate and family law in private practice.
Outside the courtroom, Fralich has served as a member of Men as Peacemakers' Domestic Violence Restorative Circles program, the Duluth Domestic Violence Response Team and the Range Coordinated Community Response Team.
Hopps, 42, is a managing attorney for the 6th District public defender's office, overseeing attorneys and support staff in southern St. Louis, Lake and Cook counties. Working in the areas of rehabilitative justice, diversion and welfare, she also maintains an active caseload of indigent clients.
In the community, Hopps has served with the Carlton County Community Outreach Program, the South St. Louis County Mental Health Court and Indian Child Welfare Act Court teams.
Ek and Hopps were both previously finalists for a seat on the Carlton County bench in 2021.
Tarnowski, 63, died March 6 after being struck by a car while on a morning run in Venice, Florida. She was one of the longest-serving members of the 6th District bench, having been appointed by Gov. Tim Pawlenty in 2007 before getting reelected to three full terms.
The 6th District includes 16 judges at six courthouses in St. Louis, Carlton, Cook and Lake counties. Judges appear on the ballot in all four counties and must live within the district.
Half of the district's judges are chambered in Duluth, but Walz, the second-term Democrat, has appointed only one: Shawn Pearson, who took office in 2021 as the Northland's first Black judge.
ADVERTISEMENT | https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/news/local/3-finalists-named-to-succeed-tarnowski-on-duluth-bench | 2023-06-26T23:33:35 | 1 | https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/news/local/3-finalists-named-to-succeed-tarnowski-on-duluth-bench |
DULUTH — A pair of B-52 Stratofortresses will fly over Duluth on Tuesday afternoon.
The two bombers will fly in formation with two KC-135 Stratotankers, demonstrating what aerial refueling looks like, though the planes will not be touching. The 92nd Air Refueling Wing at the Fairchild Air Force Base in Washington is organizing a series of flyovers between Minnesota and the Pacific Northwest to honor 100 years of aerial refueling.
The Duluth flyover is set for 2:30 p.m., but could be 15 minutes ahead or behind schedule. The planes will head north over Grand Avenue and downtown Duluth, according to the news release by the U.S. Air Force.
Flyovers prior to Duluth include St. Paul and Mount Rushmore and flyovers following Duluth include Fargo-Moorhead and Minot, North Dakota.
According to the Air Force, the first successful air-to-air refueling took place July 27, 1923, when gasoline passed through a hose from one biplane to another. The U.S. Army Air Service — a precursor to the Air Force — flew both planes.
ADVERTISEMENT | https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/news/local/b-52-stratofortresses-to-fly-over-duluth-on-tuesday | 2023-06-26T23:33:46 | 0 | https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/news/local/b-52-stratofortresses-to-fly-over-duluth-on-tuesday |
ST. PAUL — A former Superior gymnastics coach has pleaded guilty to a federal child pornography charge.
George Francis Deppa, 49, entered the plea at a hearing Monday afternoon before U.S. District Judge Kate Menendez. Deppa, formerly a coach at Twin Ports Gymnastics, also has been charged with multiple counts of child sexual abuse in Minnesota and Wisconsin state courts.
Records show that Deppa entered the plea to one of three counts of production of child pornography levied by a federal grand jury in May 2022. Authorities said they recovered three photographs of Deppa with a nude 15-year-old victim.
Deppa in May was found competent to proceed in court after being ordered in November to undergo a competency evaluation. Defense attorney Kurt Glaser indicated at the time that the parties were finalizing a global plea agreement, which was expected to resolve all of his pending cases across all three jurisdictions.
Additional details of the plea agreement were not immediately available; Deppa has yet to plead guilty in any of the state cases.
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Deppa was first charged in Wisconsin in May 2021 with two counts of sexual assault of a child under 16 years of age and one count of exposing genitals. He is accused of sexually touching two teenage students and trying to "make out" with them while they were out for rides in his boat and during sleepovers at his Superior home, according to a criminal complaint.
A third count of sexual assault of a child under 16 years of age was filed roughly two and a half weeks later. It alleges that Deppa, a coach at Twin Ports Gymnastics, sexually touched a third student during a private coaching session. The victim reported the incident to her parents after seeing news coverage of Deppa's arrest for sexual assault.
In St. Louis County, Deppa is charged with two counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct and one count each of second- and fifth-degree criminal sexual conduct.
Deppa is accused of subjecting one Minnesota victim to "extreme inhumane conditions," routinely drugging the girl before molesting or raping her from the approximate ages of 8-16. The victim, according to a criminal complaint, said the number of abusive instances was "too high to count."
Court documents state that two other girls also came forward to tell authorities that Deppa provided them with pills before touching their genital areas. One was 13 or 14 at the time and the other was 17, according to the criminal complaints.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Leo Brisbois indicated in May that the psychological evaluation revealed concerns about depression, but he said "those mental health needs do not equate to incompetence to stand trial" as Deppa has been able to understand proceedings and communicate with counsel.
Deppa is next scheduled to appear in Douglas County Circuit Court on July 17; no dates have been scheduled in his St. Louis County cases.
Menendez ordered a presentence investigation in the federal case and ruled that he remain in custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. A sentencing hearing was not immediately scheduled.
ADVERTISEMENT | https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/news/local/superior-gymnastics-coach-pleads-guilty-to-child-porn-charge | 2023-06-26T23:33:56 | 0 | https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/news/local/superior-gymnastics-coach-pleads-guilty-to-child-porn-charge |
AUSTIN, Texas — Dee Frazier and David Casto have been dating for almost a year. Early Sunday morning, a little after 2 a.m., they were sitting outside the bus stop near Sixth Street and Congress Avenue when Frazier said he put his head on Casto's shoulder. That's when they say a group of several guys approached them.
"One of them decided to, you know, basically just call us a homophobic slur, and Dee decided to get up and be like, 'What did you say?' And him being 6 foot, 9 [inches], they, I guess thought that was aggressive," Casto said.
The couple said it broke out into a fight that left both thrown onto the ground by the group.
"One of them was punching me undercut-style on my ribs and holding me back. And then all I remember was looking over and seeing my boyfriend, the terror in his eyes because he was being held over by two guys too," Frazier said. "I managed to wrestle myself away and grab David and pulled him back, and they were still trying to fight and whatever. Then David ran on the bus and was screaming at me, 'Dee, get on the bus.'"
"Dee was visibly shaken up, he was crying on the bus. I was trying to support him," Casto said.
The couple tells us the attack stopped when the bus came and they jumped on board to get away. They called EMS and police once they got home. The couple said they were left scraped, swollen and sore.
"I dislocated my pinky, so it's still a nice purple. And then Dee, he had a little bit worse as far as the scrapes go," Casto said.
"My ribs are extremely sore on both sides and it's kind of hard to breathe," Frazier said.
KVUE reached out to Austin police for more information about the case and the circumstances surrounding the incident. All they would confirm is they received a disturbance call and officers are taking a "holistic approach" to their investigation, including reviewing if this is a bias-motivated crime.
"I just never really thought that would ever happen in a place like this," Casto said.
APD said this incident is currently being investigated and to protect the integrity of the investigation, the department has no further information to provide at this time. | https://www.kvue.com/article/news/local/couple-attacked-bus-stop-downtown-austin/269-f55b37ba-ed15-4ce7-99de-0fca5153ea71 | 2023-06-26T23:34:46 | 1 | https://www.kvue.com/article/news/local/couple-attacked-bus-stop-downtown-austin/269-f55b37ba-ed15-4ce7-99de-0fca5153ea71 |
NEW HARTFORD, N.Y. -- Pep Boys parts and retail in New Hartford is now permanently closed, but the garage portion of shop remains open.
A couple of people reached out to WKTV to find out what happened.
Employees in the garage weren't sure, so the newsroom reached out to corporate.
They said that the parts business has been closed for a while, as the company announced a strategic shift to focus on service in 2021.
They added that the service center is open for business as usual in New Hartford. | https://www.wktv.com/news/local/parts-and-retail-at-pep-boys-in-new-harford-closed-service-and-tire-still-open/article_451d03d8-1463-11ee-bf9e-4b517c5bb37a.html | 2023-06-26T23:35:50 | 1 | https://www.wktv.com/news/local/parts-and-retail-at-pep-boys-in-new-harford-closed-service-and-tire-still-open/article_451d03d8-1463-11ee-bf9e-4b517c5bb37a.html |
UTICA, N.Y. -- For the first time in Utica history, the city now has a dog park.
Utica Mayor Robert Palmeri and North Utica Councilman Joseph Betrus cut the ribbon this morning on the new park located on Eldorado Road.
The park's fenced in area is 50 feet by 150 feet.
Both Palmeri and Betrus highlighted the importance of having the dog park in the city, citing that it's not just the animals that will benefit, but the families that own them as well.
"We need to make sure all of our residents find parks that meet their needs – including our four-legged residents," Palmeri said. "North Utica is a great place for our first-ever dog park, and I know the people of North Utica will take great care of this unique asset." | https://www.wktv.com/news/local/uticas-first-dog-park-now-open/article_dbc7db4a-1469-11ee-adc2-6f7ecc001f80.html | 2023-06-26T23:35:56 | 1 | https://www.wktv.com/news/local/uticas-first-dog-park-now-open/article_dbc7db4a-1469-11ee-adc2-6f7ecc001f80.html |
PORTLAND, Maine — The body recovered from Presumpscot River in Portland on Sunday has been tentatively identified.
Initial investigation suggests that the body was an out-of-state man in his 50s, after identification was found in his clothing, Portland Interim Chief of Police Robert Martin said Monday in a news release.
The body was found shortly before 3 p.m. Sunday in the area of the Riverside Golf Course.
An autopsy was conducted by the chief medical examiner's office, and cause of death is currently listed as drowning but could change based on the results of a toxicology test, according to the release, and the manner of death is undetermined.
"Investigators will be trying to locate relatives so that a DNA sample or dental records can be found to assist in the positive identification," the release stated.
Police ask that anyone with information about the case to contact them at 207-874-8575. | https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/local/body-found-presumpscot-river-out-of-state-man-tentative-identification/97-9fc8fdd9-d8e4-4129-82d0-13adf1b5cfb0 | 2023-06-26T23:36:50 | 0 | https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/local/body-found-presumpscot-river-out-of-state-man-tentative-identification/97-9fc8fdd9-d8e4-4129-82d0-13adf1b5cfb0 |
ORLANDO, Fla. – The Walt Disney Company has no basis for suing Florida’s governor in federal court over actions taken to reform the special district that governed Disney property, according to a new motion filed in the lawsuit between Gov. DeSantis and Disney.
Attorneys for Gov. Ron DeSantis and Meredith Ivey, the secretary for the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit on Monday afternoon, claiming the governor doesn’t enforce any of the laws at issue, so he can’t be sued.
Disney is suing DeSantis, the DEO secretary and the board of the newly-formed Central Florida Tourism Oversight District, claiming the defendants violated the company’s constitutional rights in the Contract Clause, the Takings Clause and due process in reorganizing the Reedy Creek Improvement District and nullifying the district’s deal to hand over a substantial amount of power to Disney before the state passed the law that created the CFTOD.
Disney also claims the state’s actions were retaliatory and violated the company’s First Amendment rights because it spoke out against the governor and the Florida Legislature in the passage of the Parental Rights in Education law, known to critics as “Don’t Say Gay.”
[STORY CONTINUES BELOW]
The attorneys, which include Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody, claim that any harm to Disney caused by the reorganization of the Reedy Creek Improvement District has to be “fairly traceable to the challenged action of the defendant.”
But, the attorneys say, Disney won’t be able to show that DeSantis and Ivey have the ability to enforce the laws that Disney challenged, because the laws do not endow either with any power. That’s even though the governor has the power to name members to the CFTOD or suspend them for failing to follow the law. They also say that even though DeSantis signed the law, it doesn’t mean he is enforcing it.
Moreover, the attorneys say DeSantis and Ivey have sovereign immunity, as well as legislative immunity, even against claims of retaliation and First Amendment violations.
The motion also says the CFTOD is filing its own motion to dismiss the lawsuit against the board members. It’s not known when that motion will be filed.
Gov.uscourts.flnd.463456.49.0 by Christie Zizo on Scribd
Get today’s headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily: | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2023/06/26/desantis-files-motion-to-dismiss-disneys-federal-lawsuit-against-him/ | 2023-06-26T23:36:55 | 1 | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2023/06/26/desantis-files-motion-to-dismiss-disneys-federal-lawsuit-against-him/ |
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — The suspect in a mass shooting last year that killed five people and wounded 17 at Club Q in Colorado Springs was sentenced Monday to five life sentences without the possibility of parole for murder and an additional 2,208 years for attempted murder to run consecutively.
Anderson Lee Aldrich pleaded guilty to murder and other charges during an emotional Monday court hearing in which some victims relatives vowed to never forgive the “evil” attack.
Aldrich's guilty plea came seven months after the shooting and spares victim’s families and survivors a long and potentially painful trial. An investigation is still pending at the federal level.
Aldrich pleaded guilty to five counts of murder and 46 counts of attempted murder. Aldrich also pleaded no contest to two counts of bias-motivated crimes, one a felony and the other a misdemeanor.
“That is the longest sentence ever achieved in the 4th judicial system and the second, to my knowledge, longest sentence ever achieved in the state of Colorado," said District Attorney Michael Allen at a news conference, adding that it was "second only to the sentence achieved in the Aurora theater shooting case.”
Allen said the death penalty at the federal level compelled Aldrich to plead guilty at the state level. Colorado does not have the death penalty.
“The death penalty, the threat of the death penalty in the federal system, were a big part of what motivated this defendant to take this plea," Allen said.
Colorado Springs Police Chief Adrian Vasquez said at the news conference that the U.S. Attorney's Office requested that no additional documents, evidence or videos be released pending the conclusion of the federal investigation.
“While the conclusion of the state investigation has resulted in justice being found for our victims, CSPD will honor the continued pursuit of justice at the federal level and will not be releasing anything at this time," Vasquez said.
Victims’ family members and survivors spoke at Monday's hearing about how their lives were forever altered by the terror that erupted just before midnight on Nov. 19, when the suspect walked into Club Q and indiscriminately fired an AR-15-style semiautomatic rifle.
The line to get through security early Monday snaked through the large plaza outside the courthouse as victims and others queued up to attend the hearing.
“This thing sitting in this courtroom is not a human, it is a monster,” said Jessica Fierro, who’s daughter’s boyfriend was killed. “The devil awaits with open arms.”
The father of a Club Q bartender said Daniel Aston had been in the prime of his life when he was shot and killed.
“He was huge light in this world that was snuffed out by a heinous, evil and cowardly act,” Jeff Aston said. “I will never again hear him laugh at my dad jokes.”
Daniel Aston’s mother, Sabrina, was among those who said they would not forgive the crimes.
Another forgave Aldrich without excusing the crime.
“I forgive this individual, as they are a symbol of a broken system, of hate and vitriol pushed against us as a community,” said Wyatt Kent, Aston’s partner. “What brings joy to me is that this hurt individual will never be able to see the joy and the light that has been wrought into our community as an outcome.”
Aldrich mostly looked down as the victims spoke.
“I intentionally and after deliberation caused the death of each victim,” Aldrich told the judge.
Aldrich, who is nonbinary and uses they and them pronouns, had been arrested over a year before the attack for threatening their grandparents and vowing to become “the next mass killer.” But, charges in that case were ultimately dropped.
> Video below: The full news conference after the sentencing:
Monday's guilty plea follows a series of jailhouse phone calls from Aldrich to The Associated Press expressing remorse and the intention to face the consequences for the shooting.
Several survivors told the AP about a planned plea agreement after being approached about Aldrich's comments. They said prosecutors had notified them that Aldrich will plead guilty to charges that would ensure a sentence of life behind bars.
Aldrich hinted at plans to carry out violent attacks at least a year before the Club Q assault. In June 2021, Aldrich's grandparents told authorities that they were warned not to stand in the way of a plan to stockpile guns, ammo, body armor and a homemade bomb to become “the next mass killer.” Aldrich was then arrested after a standoff with SWAT officers that was livestreamed on Facebook and the evacuation of 10 nearby homes, telling officers “If they breach, I’m a f----ing blow it to holy hell!” Aldrich eventually surrendered.
However, the charges against Aldrich were thrown out in July 2022 after Aldrich’s mother and grandparents, the victims in the case, refused to cooperate with prosecutors, evading efforts to serve them with subpoenas to testify, according to court documents unsealed after the shooting. Other relatives told a judge they feared Aldrich would hurt their grandparents if released, painting a picture of an isolated, violent person who did not have a job and was given $30,000 that was spent largely on the purchase of 3D printers to make guns, the records showed.
Aldrich was released from jail then and authorities kept two guns — a ghost gun pistol and an MM15 rifle — seized in the arrest. But there was nothing to stop Aldrich from legally purchasing more firearms, raising questions immediately after the shooting about whether authorities should have sought a red flag order to prevent such purchases.
The El Paso County Sheriff’s Office said it would not have been able to seek a court order stopping Aldrich from buying or possessing guns because the 2021 arrest record was sealed after the charges were dropped. There was no new evidence that they could use to prove that Aldrich posed a threat “in the near future,” the sheriff’s office said.
Investigators later revealed that the two guns Aldrich had during the Club Q attack — the rifle and a handgun — appeared to be ghost guns, or firearms without serial numbers that are homemade and do not require an owner to pass a background check.
Aldrich told AP in one of the interviews from jail they were on a “very large plethora of drugs” and abusing steroids at the time of the attack. But they did not answer directly regarding the hate crimes charges. When asked whether the attack was motivated by hate, Aldrich said only that was “completely off base.” Aldrich's attorneys, who have not disputed Aldrich's role in the shooting, have also pushed back on hate being the reason.
Some survivors who listened to the recorded phone calls saw Aldrich's comments as an attempt to avoid the death penalty which still exists in the federal system. Colorado abolished it in 2020 and life without prison is now the mandated sentence for first-degree murder in the state. They objected to Aldrich's unwillingness to discuss a motive and their use of passive, general language like “I just can’t believe what happened” and “I wish I could turn back time.”
SUGGESTED VIDEOS: Latest from 9NEWS | https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/local/club-q-shooting-suspect-guilty-plea-colorado-springs/73-0161a6e0-8b4a-481d-9e25-a116c51ed411 | 2023-06-26T23:36:56 | 0 | https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/local/club-q-shooting-suspect-guilty-plea-colorado-springs/73-0161a6e0-8b4a-481d-9e25-a116c51ed411 |
SANFORD, Maine — Once home to a thriving mill, the city of Sanford is now in need of a new label. There's a grass-roots group of community members on a mission to determine what that is, and they want to revitalize the downtown at the same time.
Friends of Downtown, Sanford started meeting about two years ago and is made up of people who live in the area and are passionate about bringing the downtown back to life. Recently, the group applied for a $10,000 seed grant from the nationwide Community Heart & Soul initiative to try to determine what residents like about where they live, what they want for the future, and how they believe that can be achieved.
"We want to hear from everyone in the community," Mary Hastings, the small business advocate for the Sanford Regional Economic Growth Council, said. "We want them to let us know what they love about their community, what's the history they want to keep, and where do they want to go in the future."
Hastings said the Community Heart & Soul process is divided into five parts:
- Establishing home pride and confidence
- Watching volunteerism increase
- Helping local officials gain a better understanding of what matters to residents
- Increasing investment in the city or town
- Giving residents space to honor the importance of history and culture
"There are a lot of big initiatives that are happening that the city has made investments in and that are coming up, and we want to make sure that we're going in the right direction," Hastings said.
Sanford is the 15th Maine municipality to become a Community Heart & Soul city or town. These municipalities exist from Maine to Florida to Texas to Washington state. Hastings said here in Maine, the work has been really successful in other communities.
"Some of those communities made [feedback] actually a part of their comprehensive plan, which is huge," Hastings said.
To get that feedback, volunteers are going out into the community for what Hastings calls "story-gathering" sessions. Essentially, they ask people who either live in or visit Sanford what they like about the area and what they would like to see change. Those answers will then be complied into a document and given to city leaders.
Lee Burnett, a former journalist and board member of Friends of Downtown, Sanford, is one of the volunteers conducting interviews.
"It's like making whiskey," Burnett said. "You have to start with a lot of mash. Then you distill it down and extract it and get the essence. That's what we're doing. We're getting to the heart and soul of Sanford."
Burnett said so far, he has heard that community members like the small-town feel of the city. He said people seem to want the revitalization of the mills and empty storefronts and more shopping opportunities.
"What kind of a town are we?" Burnett said. "We're not a mill town anymore. The mills left a long time ago. We used to have a cute downtown. That got torn down."
Laura Bell, the new owner of Moe's Italian Sandwiches in the downtown area, said she's excited to see the results of this project a few years down the line.
"I think it's important to keep everything in front of mind and to move while the world is moving," Bell said, later adding, "I mean, it can only help us if we're getting more foot traffic in here."
"We're going to design a future that the residents can buy into," Hastings said.
You can learn more about the Community Heart and Soul cities and towns nationwide here. | https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/local/sanford-springvale/friends-of-downtown-sanford-on-a-mission-to-revitalize-city-with-community-heart-and-soul-initiative/97-3ac9b985-9a3b-4058-b12e-55b17bb61ff1 | 2023-06-26T23:37:02 | 1 | https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/local/sanford-springvale/friends-of-downtown-sanford-on-a-mission-to-revitalize-city-with-community-heart-and-soul-initiative/97-3ac9b985-9a3b-4058-b12e-55b17bb61ff1 |
ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – A citizen task force examining the most responsible ways to spend millions of dollars generated by Orange County’s tourist development tax produced a ranked list of recommended projects Monday.
A $586 million Orange County Convention Center improvement project topped the recommendations made by the Tourist Development Task Force.
The installation of a roof on Camping World Stadium, renovations to the Amway Center arena, enhancements to the front lawn of the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, and the construction of a “sports village” at the University of Central Florida rounded out the top five recommendations.
“We really tried to depoliticize the process so that we could get objective input from our residents about the priorities that they would make for the spending of the tourist development tax receipts,” Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings said.
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Thirty members of the task force completed a survey of about 50 proposed projects, evaluating the proposals on criteria that included the projects’ readiness and return on investment.
By next month, the task force is expected to conduct two additional surveys evaluating the proposed projects.
The Board of County Commissioners, which will make the final decision on how to spend the tourist development tax proceeds, will receive the task force’s recommendations on July 25.
A list of the task force’s recommendations is provided below:
- Orange County Convention Center improvements — $586 million
- Camping World Stadium roof — $800 million
- Amway Center renovations — $256 million
- Dr. Phillips Performing Arts Center front lawn enhancements — $145 million
- UCF Sports Village construction — $176+ million
- Mennello Museum of American Art museum expansions — $29 million
- Orlando City Baseball Dreamers domed stadium construction — $975 million
- Association to Preserve the Eatonville Community Zora! campus construction — $87+ million
- Orange County Regional History Center renovations — $52.5 million
- Association to Preserve African American Society, History and Traditions museum renovations — $20 million
- Orlando Urban Film Festival Foundation “Rock-N-Soul” Fest — $20.5 million
Get today’s headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily: | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2023/06/26/orange-county-convention-center-tops-list-for-tax-dollar-uses-task-force-finds/ | 2023-06-26T23:37:02 | 0 | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2023/06/26/orange-county-convention-center-tops-list-for-tax-dollar-uses-task-force-finds/ |
BALTIMORE — A group of parents are furious after they said their kids summer girl scout camp was canceled while the kids were already in custody of the camp officials.
It happened on Sunday as campers were being taken to the Camp Conowingo site and it left parents scrambling to figure out how and why this happened.
Tria Tucker and her 16-year-old daughter Shelby are just some of the people who were impacted and are now working to get answers from Girl Scouts of Maryland.
“It is a shame, it is disheartening, it’s disrespectful to parents and families,” Tria said.
It’s how Tria described the communication between leaders at Girl Scouts of Central Maryland and its participants when their camp was abruptly canceled this week.
This is a tradition that’s been in their family for decades.
“I went to the camp as a camper back on the 70’s, my daughter’s been going there since second or third grade,” Tria said.
But after attending camp for almost eight years, Shelby said this year camp was much different than she had remembered.
“Last week at camp, it was a complete and utter disaster. There were complete staffing shortages, there was a lack of routine, there was a lack of tradition. Like usually we have a lifeguard, we did not have a lifeguard last week so nobody could swim. We didn’t have a nature specialist, that completely cut off activities that involve like the woods,” Shelby said.
They said multiple people in leadership were either fired or they quit. And while kids were being taken to the camp for the second week, 20 minutes before they arrived at the location in Cecil County, some of the campers received a message about the cancellation in a group chat.
“Stating that camp was canceled for the week. Something the counselors on the bus hadn’t even been notified of,” Shelby said.
Violet Apple, who’s the CEO of the Girl Scouts of Central Maryland sent WMAR-2 News a letter stating that camp was canceled this week because of staffing shortages and that they notified family members by phone calls and emails.
But the Tuckers said that’s not entirely true, because hours after the decision some parents still hadn’t received word.
“There were campers who didn’t get home until after 8:00 last night after having been put on a bus at 9:00 a.m. yesterday morning,” Tria said.
And since yesterday, it’s been the same problem trying to get more answers about when their money will be refunded, and if camp will resume for any of the remainder of the summer.
“I’ve left messages, I’ve tried to call, there’s a myriad of parents who left messages we’re getting no feedback at all,” Tria said. | https://www.wmar2news.com/local/girl-scouts-of-central-maryland-cancels-summer-camp-due-to-staff-shortages | 2023-06-26T23:37:03 | 1 | https://www.wmar2news.com/local/girl-scouts-of-central-maryland-cancels-summer-camp-due-to-staff-shortages |
WINDHAM, Maine — Windham police say they are investigating two vandalism incidents involving racist words and symbols.
The Windham Police Department wrote in a Facebook post that the incidents occurred in June along separate sections of Windham Center Road.
The incidents would be considered criminal mischief since the property damaged by this graffiti is owned by the state of Maine. They're also hate crimes, according to police.
"There is no place for racism, bigotry or hate in the Town of Windham," the post stated.
Police asked anyone with information on the vandalism to call 207-892-2525.
For the latest breaking news, weather, and traffic alerts, download the NEWS CENTER Maine mobile app. | https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/local/windham/windham-police-investigating-racist-vandalism-incidents-crime/97-a74327a7-8dbd-4ae9-9e61-d7c84518ef96 | 2023-06-26T23:37:08 | 1 | https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/local/windham/windham-police-investigating-racist-vandalism-incidents-crime/97-a74327a7-8dbd-4ae9-9e61-d7c84518ef96 |
BALTIMORE — From songwriting to bird songs, and beat making to bee keeping, one summer camp keeps kids learning, without cutting out classic summer fun.
Nonprofit Beyond The Natural Foundation offers a summer camp for grades 2nd through 7th.
The main goal of the camp keeps, keep kids learning during the long break from school, through music.
"Math and music go hand in hand with our activities. Kid are learning fine motor skills, coordination and critical thinking through our song writing and production class, they're doing engineering activities as well," said Robert Levine III, founder of BTNF.
Kids have a chance to show off their new skills in two showcase performances.
The camp also goes on field trips to places like Washington D.C. and embraces nature with things like bee keeping classes.
Breakfast, lunch and snacks are included in the camp.
Each session is four weeks long.
There's still spots open for the current session and the next.
For more information, clickhere. | https://www.wmar2news.com/local/local-nonprofit-holds-summer-camp-with-a-musical-twist | 2023-06-26T23:37:09 | 0 | https://www.wmar2news.com/local/local-nonprofit-holds-summer-camp-with-a-musical-twist |
Power outages are piling up in Maryland due to severe thunderstorms.
According to BGE, 155 outages have been reported, affecting exactly 5,171 customers.
Residents in Pikesville say power lines fell into the streets causing a fire in the middle of the road.
Officers have also been seen on Stevenson Road in Pikesville to help.
Stay with WMAR-2 News as continue to monitor outages. | https://www.wmar2news.com/local/thousands-left-without-power-amid-severe-storm | 2023-06-26T23:37:15 | 0 | https://www.wmar2news.com/local/thousands-left-without-power-amid-severe-storm |
Carter In The ClassroomFocusing on unique things school districts are doing to help children succeed. | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/carter-in-the-classroom/students-learning-practical-life-lessons-to-help-for-their-future/3284778/ | 2023-06-26T23:51:24 | 1 | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/carter-in-the-classroom/students-learning-practical-life-lessons-to-help-for-their-future/3284778/ |
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The latest news from around North Texas. | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/electricity-demand-rises-as-temperatures-soar/3284762/ | 2023-06-26T23:51:30 | 1 | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/electricity-demand-rises-as-temperatures-soar/3284762/ |
St. Anthony Mayor Donald Powell and Gooding Public Works Director Larry Bybee discuss some of the organizations that impact community health in their cities. The academy features interactive discussions between participants from the 14 cities, helping them learn and form relationships with each other.
St. Anthony Mayor Donald Powell and Gooding Public Works Director Larry Bybee discuss some of the organizations that impact community health in their cities. The academy features interactive discussions between participants from the 14 cities, helping them learn and form relationships with each other.
courtesy Nick Jezierny
The Community Health Academy works to create healthier Idaho communities.
courtesy Community Health Academy
A detailed look at one of the worksheets that participants used to identify organizations that impact community health.
Four out of the 14 cities joining this year's Blue Cross of Idaho Foundation for Health's Community Health Academy are in eastern Idaho.
The annual program has been held for Idaho communities for six years. It takes mayors and city officials from around the state and teaches them how to be involved in their community's overall health.
The program takes place over a five-month period and concludes with each community receiving a $20,000 check dedicated to its community's health. This year's program launched Friday.
"We had a huge turnout this year, the largest turnout so far," said Courtney Frost, the senior program officer.
Frost said the communities as rural as Bonners Ferry and Grace to larger areas such as Nampa and Twin Falls have completed the academy.
This year's participating cities include Ammon, Blackfoot, Pocatello, Tetonia, Buhl, Dayton, Gooding, Hazelton, Lapwai, Mountain Home, Parma, Post Falls, Stanley and St. Anthony.
"This program is available no matter the population size or where they are located," Frost said. "We just want to be the best health partner we can be."
During the five months, the academy teaches classes on different health subjects and brings in experts to give further insight. Subjects include classes on child care, housing, city walkability and much more.
Frost says the program brings in city officials to talk about more than just a policy or a disagreement. Instead, the cities can build networks to help improve the health of Idaho communities.
Along with health experts, Frost says the academy provides a variety of resources. She recognized that "We are not the experts. Community health is not one size fits all."
"This is better than just cutting a check and walking away."
The academy does not have a say in what the money is used for. However, the only requirement is that the money is put toward any subject covered during the previous five-month course.
The money has been previously put toward building new basketball courts, creating new comprehensive plans and building ADA-compliant playground equipment, Frost said.
"We understand that each community in Idaho is different and their definitions of health are different," Frost said.
Frost said the program has especially impacted in smaller cities in Idaho. The resources and knowledge provided opens doors to opportunity.
"In small communities, (they) see the potential of what they can do," Frost said. "We try to make it actionable for everyone."
Frost said the academy has left a footprint all across Idaho and hopes many will "lean in to how they can create healthy communities."
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Tell us your personal accounts and the history behind articles. | https://www.postregister.com/news/local/four-eastern-idaho-cities-join-community-health-academy-program/article_aee6a04c-1460-11ee-9684-cfbcdabe090b.html | 2023-06-26T23:54:16 | 1 | https://www.postregister.com/news/local/four-eastern-idaho-cities-join-community-health-academy-program/article_aee6a04c-1460-11ee-9684-cfbcdabe090b.html |
Trees and grass line the pathway in Heritage Park, which will celebrate the completion of phase one of its construction with a ribbon cutting Wednesday.
The city of Idaho Falls is celebrating the completion of phase one of Heritage Park with a ceremony Wednesday next to the Snake River.
courtesy photo city of Idaho Falls
Trees and grass line the pathway in Heritage Park, which will celebrate the completion of phase one of its construction with a ribbon cutting Wednesday.
The city of Idaho Falls’ iconic River Walk continues to expand with the unveiling of Heritage Park, a new 14-acre park on the banks of the Snake River. A ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held at noonWednesday, and members of the community are invited to attend.
“We have been looking forward to this day for years,” said Idaho Falls Parks and Recreation Director PJ Holm in a news release. “Parks provide our community with a place to enjoy the outdoors, connect with nature, and engage in physical activity. Heritage Park will celebrate our community’s heritage as well as the rich natural resources and beauty Idaho Falls has to offer.”
Heritage Park is situated on Snake River Parkway, across Sunnyside Road from Ryder Park. This event will showcase many of its newest amenities. Food will be available at the ceremony free of charge.
"The park's been open for all this time, but this is the completion of that first phase," said Eric Grossarth, city public information officer.
Phase one “includes the addition of grass, trees, an irrigation system, some paved pathways, rockwork, the creation of a stream/small pond, etc.,” Grossarth wrote in a message to the Post Register.
Work will continue to update and install more of the features outlined in the park's master plan.
“Upon completion of all phases, the park will include an expansion of the River Walk, nature trails and walkways, heritage stops, a nature-themed playground area, an interactive stream designed for youth water play, surface water gardens, shelters, lighting, benches, parking and other features,” the release said. “… Heritage Park will highlight the natural, cultural, and historical heritage of Idaho Falls as part of the city’s larger trail system nestled along the beautiful Snake River.”
Heritage Park is designed for the entire family to enjoy, Grossarth said, and it plays off the natural beauty of the river.
"This is right, of course, along the Lower (Power) Plant of the city (for) Idaho Falls Power," he said. "The water falls over there, but there's also some little inlet stream areas that go along the pathway. There's been some rock work kind of similar to what's down at the rock garden on the north end of the park."
Heritage Park is being realized thanks to the donations of numerous groups and individuals. The Idaho Falls Rotary Club contributed more than $1 million. The Stafford and Woody Smith families donated the land. Snake River Landing and Ball Ventures provided for parking and construction, and Matt Morgan provided dirt for the project, according to the release.
Volunteers from JustServe also laid sod in parts of the park several weeks ago.
“This park has been a great opportunity to take the challenge of creating a choice destination that celebrates this prominent location along the Snake River and making it a reality,” said Holm in the release. “We were able to do so with great collaboration with community partners, and we look forward to people enjoying the icon for years to come.”
Currently, Idaho Falls has more than 30 parks. However, city officials believe that Heritage Park will be a gem among them.
"It's a great place to be down there," Grossarth said. "People have been down there fishing. I've taken walks down there with my family. The vision is it's going to be the choice destination for Idaho Falls there."
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Tell us your personal accounts and the history behind articles. | https://www.postregister.com/news/local/heritage-park-readies-for-grand-opening/article_8bc5fbda-145b-11ee-bd28-3797680baeca.html | 2023-06-26T23:54:22 | 1 | https://www.postregister.com/news/local/heritage-park-readies-for-grand-opening/article_8bc5fbda-145b-11ee-bd28-3797680baeca.html |
Soaring achievement: Knoxville rocketry team places fourth in international contest
A piece of Knoxville soared high above the Paris Air Show at the Paris-Le Bourget Airport on June 23 as Hardin Valley Academy Team 1, better known as the AeroHawks, capped off their first year of competition with a fourth-place finish at the International Rocketry Challenge in France.
The competition challenges middle and high school students to build rockets within a careful set of parameters, hoping to inspire them toward STEM career fields. This year, the competition required students to design and launch rockets capable of carrying a raw chicken egg 850 feet in the air and returning it to earth in 42 to 45 seconds without cracking it.
The team from the U.K. placed first, followed by teams from France and Japan.
How did the AeroHawks get to Paris?
On May 20, the Hardin Valley team of seven students and their coach, student rocketry veteran Tim Smyrl, stunned the community when they won first place and $20,000 at the American Rocketry Challenge, the world's largest rocketry competition.
The AeroHawks include team captain Zaen Grissino-Mayer, 16; Halley “Mickey” Dandena, 17; Henry Harvey, 16; Bailey Mounts, 16; Caleb Mulder, 16; Khalil Ortiz, 16; and Otilia Scolnic, 16.
To win the national competition held each year in The Plains, Virginia, the AeroHawks had to beat 797 teams from 45 states. And before they could get to Virginia, they had to finish in the top 100 teams in the nation, chasing a perfect score of zero for achieving the right height, flight duration and egg protection requirements.
Along the way, they faced obstacles both figurative and literal, as they fished their rocket out of a tree and worked through a failed ignition on the day of the national competition. Eventually, however, they became national champions and won an all-expenses-paid trip to Paris.
"This is something that happens to other people," Dandena, who heads to the University of Tennessee this fall, told The Tennessean earlier this month. "It felt like something out of a fairytale."
Rocketry community celebrates the home team
The international competition in Paris is the culmination of five national rocketry challenges held around the world.
The American Rocketry Challenge is sponsored by the Aerospace Industries Association and the National Association of Rocketry. In a press release, Eric Fanning, president and CEO of AIA, congratulated the AeroHawks.
“I am deeply proud of the Hardin Valley Academy team for representing our nation and solidifying their place as elite contenders. Through this remarkable journey, they honed their engineering skills, tested their limits, and discovered the true meaning of teamwork on the global stage," Fanning said in the release.
In March, the AIA signed a Space Act Agreement with NASA to further expand rocketry opportunities to underserved students as a gateway into careers in STEM.
More information on the AeroHawks' performance and on how the American Rocketry Challenge brings 5,000 students together each year can be found at rocketcontest.org.
Daniel Dassow is a reporting intern focusing on trending and business news. Phone 423-637-0878. Email daniel.dassow@knoxnews.com.
Support strong local journalism by subscribing at knoxnews.com/subscribe. | https://www.knoxnews.com/story/news/local/2023/06/26/knoxville-students-place-fourth-in-international-rocketry-challenge/70356753007/ | 2023-06-26T23:58:31 | 0 | https://www.knoxnews.com/story/news/local/2023/06/26/knoxville-students-place-fourth-in-international-rocketry-challenge/70356753007/ |
NORTHERN MICHIGAN (WJRT) - An Alma man has been arrested after leading officers on a vehicle pursuit in Northern Michigan on Sunday.
Just after 7 p.m., a trooper from the Michigan State Police Gaylord Post responded to an attempted carjacking and stolen pickup truck in the Waters area.
Otsego County: Troopers from the MSP Gaylord Post arrest a man during a pursuit in Cheboygan County who attempted a carjacking and stole a pickup truck in Waters.https://t.co/etVsbT1FD9 pic.twitter.com/JPe4hkdZpF
— MSP Seventh District (@mspnorthernmi) June 26, 2023
According to a press release from MSP, the suspect allegedly attempted to carjack a CPL holder at a gas station in Waters. The suspect then allegedly assaulted the CPL holder, before fleeing after the CPL holder displayed his firearm. MSP adds that the suspect found an unlocked pickup truck in the parking lot with the keys inside, before stealing it.
The owner of the vehicle called 911. A trooper from the Michigan State Police Gaylord Post located the vehicle going northbound on I-75 south of Indian River. The trooper followed the vehicle until an officer from the Tuscarora Police Department took position behind him, before attempting to pull the man over. The man did not stop and the pursuit was initiated.
An officer from the Mackinaw City Police Department successfully deployed stop sticks while in an inactive construction zone on I-75 near Hebron Town Hall Road.
The pursuit continued until the trooper performed a PIT maneuver and the stolen vehicle was disabled.
The 27-year-old suspect was taken into custody and lodged in the Otsego County Jail. Charges include one count of Attempted Carjacking, one count of Unlawful Driving Away of a Motor Vehicle and a Habitual Offender Fourth Offense Notice. He will also be facing additional charges of Flee and Elude in Cheboygan County.
The man's identity has not been released as of this time. | https://www.abc12.com/news/local/alma-man-arrested-after-vehicle-pursuit-on-i-75-sunday/article_98fa6da4-146f-11ee-86ea-fb484d1f02a2.html | 2023-06-26T23:58:44 | 1 | https://www.abc12.com/news/local/alma-man-arrested-after-vehicle-pursuit-on-i-75-sunday/article_98fa6da4-146f-11ee-86ea-fb484d1f02a2.html |
GENESEE COUNTY, Mich. (WJRT) - Genesee County has wrapped up its first American Rescue Plan-funded water infrastructure project.
The Genesee County Drain Commission built new elevated storage tanks, which are designed to help with drinking water supply during peak hour demand, to increase water pressure and to be able to provide residents with water in case of an emergency.
"Our goal is once all of our facilities and plans are put in place, to be able to sustain ourselves to stand alone, for up to 6 months with no outside power, with no outside input," said the Genesee County Drain Commissioner Jeff Wright.
The project did cost $5.3 million.
$2 million came from the American Rescue Plan. | https://www.abc12.com/news/local/genesee-county-unveils-new-water-storage-facility/article_b85d7a16-1464-11ee-8e33-539e4adbf539.html | 2023-06-26T23:58:50 | 0 | https://www.abc12.com/news/local/genesee-county-unveils-new-water-storage-facility/article_b85d7a16-1464-11ee-8e33-539e4adbf539.html |
SAGINAW, Mich. (WJRT) - Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist was in "Old Town Saginaw" Monday morning to visit two small businesses that plan on opening soon.
Gilchrist started his visit at Gee'Ques Wood Smoked Barbecue, one of the two "Match on Main" recipients.
The "Match on Main" is a Michigan Economic Development Corporation program that awards grants of up to $25,000 to local businesses seeking support.
These dollars were appropriated to be sent to be invested in the community," said Gilchrist. "We've been intentional about saying that the people who have traditionally been locked out of opportunity are designed into an opportunity for Michigan's future."
Gilchrist also visited Michigan Cream & Sugar, another "Match on Main" grant recipient. | https://www.abc12.com/news/local/lt-gov-garlin-gilchrist-visits-match-on-main-recipients-monday/article_042ea7b4-145e-11ee-aeac-7baa93103f95.html | 2023-06-26T23:58:56 | 1 | https://www.abc12.com/news/local/lt-gov-garlin-gilchrist-visits-match-on-main-recipients-monday/article_042ea7b4-145e-11ee-aeac-7baa93103f95.html |
LAPEER, Mich. (WJRT) - A tentative deal between registered nurses at McLaren Lapeer Region Hospital and McLaren Lapeer Region Hospital.
According to the Michigan Nurses Association, the tentative deal was reached Saturday. Details of the tentative agreement have not been released yet but will be after the membership has had a chance to review and vote on it. The agreement only becomes final if ratified by the membership. The ratification vote is scheduled for Thursday, and the deal details will be revealed on Friday.
About 250 registered nurses work at McLaren Lapeer. Their previous contract expired on May 9.
On June 1, 100% of the registered nurses voted to authorize a strike. This meant that they would allow negotiators to consider a strike. Nurses would then give the hospital 10 days before walking off the job.
“Nurses care deeply about the future of our hospital and our patients,” said Carie Babcock, RN, a nurse at McLaren Lapeer and president of their local Michigan Nurses Association (MNA) bargaining unit. “That’s why we have stayed strong and united in advocating for what our patients need in terms of safe, high-quality care, and what nurses need to be able to do our jobs. This tentative agreement achieves our members’ goals when it comes to staffing the hospital safely and providing compensation that will recruit and retain nurses in our community.”
Last month, nurses held an informational picket with more than 100 attendees.
“We want to thank the community for supporting us – they understand that nurses’ working conditions are their care conditions,” said McLaren Lapeer nurse Ashley Witmer, RN. “Through our solidarity over these past months and our willingness to do whatever it takes, my colleagues and I are acting collectively to put patients first. This tentative agreement makes me hopeful that we can now move forward and keep the focus on making our hospital the best it can be for our community.”
McLaren Lapeer Region released the following statement in response to the tentative agreement:
We are pleased to announce that following 16 hours of negotiations Friday through Saturday morning, McLaren Lapeer Region and Michigan Nurses Association (MNA) reached a tentative agreement on June 24 for a new nursing contract for more than 200 registered nurses. The hospital and union have agreed to terms on a three-year labor contract.
The bargaining committees have worked hard for approximately four (4) months to reach an agreement that provides our nurses with market-competitive wages and benefits; a safe, positive work environment; and staffing improvements that address the Hospital’s and nurses’ concerns.
The new agreement allows McLaren Lapeer Region to continue delivering the high-quality care that our community expects from their community hospital.
McLaren Lapeer Region will provide more information about the new labor contract following MNA’s member meetings for ratification. Ratification is scheduled for June 29. | https://www.abc12.com/news/local/registered-nurses-with-mclaren-lapeer-reach-new-tentative-agreement/article_ccffda4c-144e-11ee-bd1f-e739cfe9a61c.html | 2023-06-26T23:59:02 | 0 | https://www.abc12.com/news/local/registered-nurses-with-mclaren-lapeer-reach-new-tentative-agreement/article_ccffda4c-144e-11ee-bd1f-e739cfe9a61c.html |
WILDWOOD — Although a Superior Court judge dismissed the charges against a trio of Wildwood men, including the current and former mayor, the state Attorney General’s office does not plan on giving up that easily.
A spokesperson for the office said Saturday the state plans to push forward with the charges.
On Friday, Judge Bernard DeLury Jr. dismissed state charges alleging Wildwood Mayor Pete Byron, former Mayor Ernie Troiano Jr. and current Wildwood City Commissioner Steve Mikulski had all fraudulently participated in the state Health Benefits Program.
Attorneys for Byron and Mikulski said Friday they hoped the state would take a closer look at the charges and decide not to pursue the case further, either through appeal or through newly filed charges.
“We sincerely hope that they take this opportunity to take a second look at the case, or lack of case, that they have against all three defendants,” said Eric Shenkus, a public defender in Cape May County representing Byron.
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In a prepared statement on Saturday morning, a spokesperson with the office of Matthew Platkin indicated the charges were dismissed on a technicality and had been done “without prejudice,” meaning the state could revisit the charges.
“The court did not dismiss the indictment based on the merits of the state’s case against the defendants,” the statement reads. “While the state is currently reviewing the court’s opinion and assessing litigation options, the state has every intention of prosecuting this case to the fullest extent of the law.”
Platkin announced the charges in March, which included second degree official misconduct, second degree theft by unlawful taking, third degree tampering with public records and fourth degree falsifying or tampering with public records. | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/attorney-general-s-office-does-not-plan-to-give-up-case-against-trio-of-wildwood/article_17b0284a-1435-11ee-bcab-ab3d6de6152d.html | 2023-06-26T23:59:41 | 1 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/attorney-general-s-office-does-not-plan-to-give-up-case-against-trio-of-wildwood/article_17b0284a-1435-11ee-bcab-ab3d6de6152d.html |
The Brigantine 12-and-under softball team captured the Atlantic Babe Ruth South League championship with a 17-13 victory over Buena on June 19.
It was the first time Brigantine won the title.
Grace Repici went 3 for 3, knocked in three runs and scored one for the winners. She pitched one inning and struck out one. Luna Chavez went 3 for 3 with three stolen bases, two RBIs and a run.
Cassidy Derrickson tripled to go with three runs and an RBI. Ceana Kelly struck out five in four innings. She scored two and drew a walk.
Lily Fuller went 2 for 3 with two stolen bases and scored once, and Addison Goodman went 2 for 3 with five stolen bases and two runs. Emma Lutz pitched one inning, striking out one and allowing one run. She also scored once.
Caroline Muccifori, who was a standout softball player at Moorestown High School and competed at The College of New Jersey, is Brigantine’s head coach. Tom Repici is the assistant. Brigantine Mayor Vince Sera and the rest of the City Council will honor the team at 6 p.m. July 12.
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Middle Township 15, Northfield 1: Grace Hall pitched all six innings to earn the win in a District 16 Senior League game Friday.
Hall gave up three hits and struck out six. Juliet Thomas had four hits and three RBIs for Middle, and Charlotte Romberger added three hits and three RBIs.
Baseball
District 16 12U Little League
Hammonton 12, Greater Wildwood 1: Hammonton won in four innings Sunday.
Hammonton pitcher Brayden Bendig went 3 for 3, including a double, and Colton Robinson went 3 for 3 with two runs. Bendig pitched the first two innings. Joseph Baglivo worked the third, and Robinson pitched the fourth.
Catcher Colin Peeke was 3 for 3 with two runs, and Domenick Elkin went 1 for 2 with a homer and three RBIs. Bryan Falciani went 2 for 2 with two RBIs.
Hammonton will host Greater Wildwood at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at Hammonton Lake Park in its final game of pool play.
Northfield 8, Absecon 2: Chase Kern went three innings Sunday to earn the victory.
Kern gave up three hits and two runs (one earned), with five strikeouts. Noah Gillespie had two hits and four RBIs. Vaughn Burgan added two hits and two RBIs, and Kern contributed two hits.
Absecon’s Harry Sugden pitched four innings and struck out nine. Michael Newhall got two hits for Absecon.
Upper Township 2, Northfield 1: Upper pitcher Andrew Pashley earned the win Wednesday, working 2 1/3 innings, allowing one run and striking out three.
Matt Stankiewicz got one hit and scored for Upper.
Northfield’s Noah Gillespie pitched five innings and struck out eight. Gavin Sutley doubled and scored for Northfield, and Angelo DeCicco added a single and a sacrifice bunt. | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/sports/local/brigantine-wins-south-league-softball-title-roundup/article_1833697a-1459-11ee-91c2-cb90a6c8e097.html | 2023-06-26T23:59:47 | 1 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/sports/local/brigantine-wins-south-league-softball-title-roundup/article_1833697a-1459-11ee-91c2-cb90a6c8e097.html |
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The Richmond Police Department Crash Team has identified the dirt bike driver who was in a fatal collision on East Broad Street on Friday night as Jamaal Russell, 27, of Richmond.
At around 8:19 p.m. Friday, officers were called to East Broad and North Seventh streets for the report of a collision between a dirt bike and a GRTC bus.
Officers arrived and found an injured adult male, Russell, the sole occupant of the dirt bike, down in the roadway. He was transported to a hospital but succumbed to his injury.
The bus driver halted the bus at the scene after the collision. There were no injuries on the bus.
The RPD Crash Team responded. Investigators determined the collision occurred when the bus, operating eastbound, made a left turn onto North Seventh Street. Russell, operating the dirt bike westbound on East Broad Street, collided with the side of the bus.
Investigators also determined the dirt bike was not legally permitted to operate on the roadways. At this time, investigators have not filed charges in this case.
Anyone with further information is asked to call RPD Crash Team Investigator G. Drago at (804) 646-1369 or call Crime Stoppers at (804) 780-1000. The P3 Tips Crime Stoppers app for smartphones may also be used. All Crime Stoppers methods are anonymous.
Jim's parking lot on Grace between 3rd and 4th streets.
This November 1926 images shows the view down Grace Street, the “Fifth Avenue of Richmond,” near Third Street downtown. Merchants in the district were anticipating a number of large buildings, including a new Loew’s Theatre, for the thriving thoroughfare.
This July 1961 photo shows the corner of Second and Grace streets in downtown Richmond. At the time, the local parking board recommended the corner for a parking garage to help expand capacity in the area.
This August 1964 image shows Southern Bank & Trust’s main office at Second and Grace streets in downtown Richmond. A Wells Fargo bank branch occupies the site today.
In January 1950, the Bank of Virginia branch at Fourth and Grace streets in downtown Richmond was just days away from its opening ceremonies. In January 2017, the building became home to Champion Brewing Co.
In September 1977, the former Flair Inc. women’s clothing store at Fifth and Grace streets in downtown Richmond was closing. The building would soon house Worths, another women’s clothier. In 2016, Secret Sandwich Society opened in the space.
This May 1957 image shows a stretch of businesses along Third Street between Broad and Grace streets in downtown Richmond. Among them were a locksmith, optician and beauty salon.
Cafeteria plans August opening - The new cafeteria of Hot Shops, Inc., a corner shop in the Grace Street Parking, Inc., garage at Seventh and Grace Streets, probably will be ready for occupancy in August or September, Edwin Hyde, president of the parking facility disclosed yesterday. Hyde said that Doyle & Russell, the contractors are rushing the finishing work on the cafeteria. It will seat approximately 300 persons and will contain the latest in cafeteria equipment, Hyde said. June 10, 1951
12-22-1962 (cutline): City streets became crowded yesterday as some offices closed early. Traffic was slow moving on slush-covered Grace Street after 4 p.m.
08-18-1953 (cutline): A year ago last week, the city trimmed some of the trees in the 700 block of West Gracee Street. The cutting provoked sharp woods of complaint from some of Richmond's tree lovers. The city said the trimming was all for the best.
Jim's parking lot on Grace between 3rd and 4th streets.
RTD Staff
This November 1926 images shows the view down Grace Street, the “Fifth Avenue of Richmond,” near Third Street downtown. Merchants in the district were anticipating a number of large buildings, including a new Loew’s Theatre, for the thriving thoroughfare.
Times-Dispatch
This July 1961 photo shows the corner of Second and Grace streets in downtown Richmond. At the time, the local parking board recommended the corner for a parking garage to help expand capacity in the area.
Staff photo
This August 1964 image shows Southern Bank & Trust’s main office at Second and Grace streets in downtown Richmond. A Wells Fargo bank branch occupies the site today.
Staff photo
In January 1950, the Bank of Virginia branch at Fourth and Grace streets in downtown Richmond was just days away from its opening ceremonies. In January 2017, the building became home to Champion Brewing Co.
Staff photo
In September 1977, the former Flair Inc. women’s clothing store at Fifth and Grace streets in downtown Richmond was closing. The building would soon house Worths, another women’s clothier. In 2016, Secret Sandwich Society opened in the space.
Staff photo
This May 1957 image shows a stretch of businesses along Third Street between Broad and Grace streets in downtown Richmond. Among them were a locksmith, optician and beauty salon.
Staff photo
Cafeteria plans August opening - The new cafeteria of Hot Shops, Inc., a corner shop in the Grace Street Parking, Inc., garage at Seventh and Grace Streets, probably will be ready for occupancy in August or September, Edwin Hyde, president of the parking facility disclosed yesterday. Hyde said that Doyle & Russell, the contractors are rushing the finishing work on the cafeteria. It will seat approximately 300 persons and will contain the latest in cafeteria equipment, Hyde said. June 10, 1951
Times-Dispatch
12-11-1965 (cutline): Surge of Christmas shoppers heads for Richmond stores today. This view is near the corner of Fifth and Grace Streets.
Staff photo
02-12-1957: Grace Street
Staff photo
07-24-1949 (cutline): Grace Street between Fourth and Fifth was deserted on a usually busy Saturday afternoon while Richmonders sought cooler spots.
Staff photo
12-22-1962 (cutline): City streets became crowded yesterday as some offices closed early. Traffic was slow moving on slush-covered Grace Street after 4 p.m.
Staff photo
05-05-1963 (cutline): The same view today found one child-toting woman coatless in warm but wet and windy weather...The temperature was in the 60s.
Staff photo
08-18-1953 (cutline): Trees planted a year ago on Grace Street appear to be flourishing.
Staff photo
11-28-1959: Grace Street
Staff photo
08-19-1966: Grace Street
Amir Pishdad
12-01-1962: Grace Street
Staff Photo
01-15-1953: Grace and Fourth Streets
Staff photo
02-12-1957: Grace Street
Staff photo
09-23-1958 (cutline): Parking garage, other business were built in 1950. May Co. and Hot Shoppes Cafeteria occupied first floor space.
Staff photo
12-13-1954: Grace Street
Staff photo
09-03-1954: Grace Street
Staff photo
11-28-1959: Grace Street
Staff photo
08-18-1953 (cutline): A year ago last week, the city trimmed some of the trees in the 700 block of West Gracee Street. The cutting provoked sharp woods of complaint from some of Richmond's tree lovers. The city said the trimming was all for the best. | https://richmond.com/news/local/dirt-bike-rider-fatal-collision-identified/article_61a69f4a-146e-11ee-bf2a-076dc71e9fdb.html | 2023-06-27T00:02:50 | 0 | https://richmond.com/news/local/dirt-bike-rider-fatal-collision-identified/article_61a69f4a-146e-11ee-bf2a-076dc71e9fdb.html |
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Two kids and one adult were taken into custody on Monday after throwing rocks and a cinder block at oncoming traffic, according to the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office.
Officials say that some of the rocks were as big as softballs. The three suspects were booked on multiple counts of criminal mischief and reckless endangerment. The name of the adult suspect was not immediately released.
Authorities began receiving 911 calls from motorists around 4 a.m. Multiple drivers claimed that their cars were being struck by rocks in the area of NE 223rd Ane. and NE Sandy Blvd. MCSO says that drivers were also struck by rocks while traveling on Interstate 84 and that one car was hit by a cinder block.
Responding deputies saw three people running from the location, who were eventually apprehended. No serious injuries have been reported, according to MCSO.
If there are additional drivers who were hit by a rock in the area of NE 223rd Ave. and I-84, MCSO encourages them to file a police report | https://www.koin.com/local/multnomah-county/kids-threw-rocks-cinder-block-at-passing-cars-authorities/ | 2023-06-27T00:09:06 | 1 | https://www.koin.com/local/multnomah-county/kids-threw-rocks-cinder-block-at-passing-cars-authorities/ |
HELENA, Ala. (WIAT) — Three people were taken to hospitals after two teenagers were hit by a train while walking along tracks in Helena Monday afternoon, police confirm.
According to the Helena Fire Department Chief Peter Valenti, the incident occurred at around 2:43 p.m. Monday on the trestle in the River Woods subdivision. Valenti said the two teenagers were walking along the trestle when they were struck by the train.
Helena Police Department Chief Brad Flynn stated in a press conference that the teens have since been transported to Children’s Hospital in Birmingham with “serious and critical” injuries. He also confirmed that an HPD officer was also transported to a local hospital after receiving injuries during the rescue operation.
Police and first responders are currently working the scene of the crash near the end of West Trestle Way.
Stay with CBS 42 as this story develops. | https://www.cbs42.com/news/local/2-teens-hit-by-train-in-helena/ | 2023-06-27T00:11:43 | 0 | https://www.cbs42.com/news/local/2-teens-hit-by-train-in-helena/ |
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — A once-popular coffee shop in downtown Birmingham has served its last cup of joe.
Revelator Coffee, which had a spot in Birmingham since 2014, closed their doors for good Friday, with only a note posted to the door to show they had closed. The closure comes as other notable businesses, such as John’s City Diner and the YMCA building on 4th Avenue North, have closed downtown in recent months.
Longtime customer Lauren Damond said she was stunned to learn that Revelator had closed.
“This was a super cool spot,” Damond said. “It didn’t have a lot, but the things they had were really good.”
Damond said that as opposed to a big-chain cafe, Revelator had the feel of a small coffee shop and always had a lot of good items to choose from.
Revelator’s closing was surprising due to it once being a fast growing, rising star in the industry that once had 20 locations across the country. Today, there is only a location in New Orleans and one on campus at Birmingham-Southern College. Patrick Murphy, a professor with UAB’s Collat School of Business, said that rapid growth coupled with a global pandemic was the likely driving force behind the closing.
“What I see is a fast-growing business that got a little bit ahead of itself and a little bit over its skis and then got hit with that pandemic and as we exited and navigated around that as a society and just made it not feasible for them to continue operating profitably,” Murphy said.
Murphy said that while Revelator is no more, he is confident the next big thing will soon find its way soon to the vacant location.
“I think it’s always unfortunate to see an entrepreneurial venture close in your community,” Murphy said. “However, you can rest assured that there will be another to rise up and take its place eventually.”
Attempts to reach Revelator’s corporate office were not successful. | https://www.cbs42.com/news/local/revelator-coffee-closes-after-nearly-10-years-in-birmingham/ | 2023-06-27T00:11:49 | 1 | https://www.cbs42.com/news/local/revelator-coffee-closes-after-nearly-10-years-in-birmingham/ |
A year ago Saturday, the U.S. Supreme Court made a decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health that overturned Roe v. Wade, putting abortion rights in flux across the country.
Access in northern Arizona was already limited — which is still the case a year later — yet some steps have been taken toward expanding reproductive healthcare, especially in Flagstaff.
About 25 people gathered in front of Flagstaff City Hall Saturday afternoon as part of a protest organized by the Flagstaff Abortion Alliance (FAA) to advocate for better access to reproductive care. Flagstaff residents had gathered in the same place a year earlier to protest the Supreme Court decision the evening it was announced.
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“We are trying to keep this issue in the public consciousness and eventually work toward restored services,” said Debra Block, one of FAA’s founders who helped organize the protest.
She added: “I think the actual work towards services is the most important work, but I think keeping this in the public consciousness is also critical. I think people don’t understand until they need services, or someone they know needs services, how dire it is.”
She referenced the Gender Equity Policy Institute’s January State of Reproductive Health in the United States, which found that 6 in 10 women live in a state that limits reproductive care and that those living in a state that banned abortion after Dobbs were up to three times as likely to die in the perinatal period.
“We want abortion to be a civil right for all women, and as long as it’s not, we go back centuries,” said Sylvia Huerdna, who has lived in Flagstaff her entire life. “Our daughters and our granddaughters, they have less rights than we did as grandmothers; we’re stepping forward for our sisters and granddaughters and our daughters.”
Flagstaff resident Lindsey Spear said she attended the protest with her family to ensure “there’s a voice to what should be our rights.”
“I think it’s always been a battle to have equal rights for women’s healthcare, [and] if we don’t keep fighting for it, it’s just going to go away,” she said. “A lot of times when you’re quiet, things slip under the radar and it’s just accepted as the new normal.”
“I love doing this sort of stuff for most rights, just because it brings a sense of community to everything and more awareness,” added her son, Leo Spear.
Many of those attending the protest saw it as one of several ways to address the need for abortion rights.
To Huerdna and Dan Greenspan (who is Spear’s husband), voting was the most important way to achieve the goal. Spear said community involvement, awareness of local politics, easy-to-access information and group efforts also have helped.
“If nothing else, we have to let everybody know that everybody who feels the same way is not alone,” Greenspan said.
Block said she had been advocating for abortion rights since she was 12 years old — before the Roe decision.
“I’m an advocate for justice. I’m an advocate for human rights, civil rights,” she said. “It’s horrifying seeing everything being rolled back right now. I was a child of the ‘60s and ‘70s, and we made incredible strides, and now we’re seeing it ripped away and it’s horrifying. Now we’re seeing all these people yell ‘freedom.’ Freedom for what? That’s not freedom; you’re imposing your beliefs on other people.”
Access in northern Arizona
Abortion is legal in Arizona through the first 15 weeks of pregnancy, though for Flagstaff residents, the nearest clinics offering abortions are in Phoenix.
In a briefing hosted by the National Institute for Reproductive Health Wednesday, Dr. DeShawn Taylor, the president and CEO of Desert Star Family Planning in Phoenix, noted that abortion access was being restricted in Arizona even before Dobbs.
“Because of the restrictions that had existed prior to the Dobbs decision, people were already having trouble accessing abortion care here,” she said. “Due to all the restrictions that passed — over 40 of them here in Arizona since 2009 — people had to come down essentially to the Phoenix metro area to receive abortion care.
“There were already people increasingly self-managing their abortions, there were already people leaving the state who live closer to states where access was more easy for them. ... It is very easy for someone to realize they’re pregnant and then be too far along to have an abortion in our state. Fifteen-week bans are not reasonable.”
The most recent advance vital statistics report from the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS), published in May, covers data from 2021 — at least six months before the Dobbs decision. Of 1,500 total pregnancies reported in Coconino County, 1,300 resulted in births, with 190 abortions and 10 fetal deaths (the report rounds numbers for anonymity).
According to its website, Planned Parenthood Arizona currently offers abortion services at its locations in Glendale and Tucson (up to 15 weeks for those 18 and older). Its location in Flagstaff, the Flagstaff Health Center, is still open but does not offer abortions. It offers abortion referrals as well as birth control, emergency contraception and pregnancy testing among its other services.
The greatest need Susan Shapiro, who volunteers for FAA and Indivisible Northern Arizona, saw in northern Arizona is access to care within the region.
“There are 40 different laws on Arizona books that each one of them creates a little bit more of a barrier,” she said. “Your appointment has to be in person with a doctor that has access to a local hospital, you can’t have pills legally mailed to you and on and on and on. ... It gets back to the fundamentals: can you see a doctor here? Can you get access to the care you need?”
When the nearest clinic offering abortion services is over two hours away, those barriers are magnified, she said. Some might have resources to make one trip, but not two, or they aren’t able to find the childcare to stay between their two appointments required by the waiting period.
She also noted that these difficulties have greater effects on marginalized communities.
“For someone who has some privilege, who has money, who can afford to pay for the gas, pay for the service, pay for the childcare, all those kinds of things, you could probably get that done. But if you have either no job or have a minimum-wage-type of job, and you’re remote, all of that is magnified even more,” she said. “I think we need to also keep in mind the voices of people who don’t have the resources to be able to access care, especially when it’s not local.”
Alliance efforts
The Abortion Alliance also recently passed its first anniversary, as it was originally formed in response to a leaked draft of the Dobbs decision. In its first year, the organization has staged several events to raise awareness and petitioned city council to adopt a resolution, among its efforts to expand access.
Various subsets of the alliance are currently helping with a statewide ballot initiative as well as working on legislation and asking for clarity on the services available within the state university system.
“We realize we’re not going to close the gap in a day, so any incremental thing we can do, we’ll pursue,” Shapiro said.
A statewide coalition is in the early stages of working to get an initiative protecting abortion rights in Arizona on the 2024 ballot. FAA was invited to join the steering committee and will be helping to gather the almost-400,000 signatures needed to put the initiative on the ballot.
Shapiro said she had mixed feelings about the organization’s progress over the past year because of the size of the need. Overall, however, she said she was proud of the “baby steps” FAA had been able to take to reduce the “wide gap” in care created by the Dobbs decision.
“I think we’re living in a time when the bar is so low and the goal is so high that we’re happy with any step we can take, but we really feel that’s still a wide gap that needs to be filled and we’re very hopeful about the ballot initiatives,” she said.
Shapiro continued: “We’re grateful that [Gov. Katie Hobbs] been able to veto some of the various horrible legislation, but it’s a long time ‘til 2024. Assuming we get enough signatures, assuming the ballot initiative passes and becomes law — that’s a long way away and there’s a huge gap of access to care that exists right in this moment that we are not able to fill.”
Contraceptive availability
Students and professors at Northern Arizona University are also working with FAA, asking the Arizona Board of Regents (ABOR) to clarify what reproductive care the three state universities can offer after the passage of statute 15-1630.
According to that statute, “no abortion shall be performed at any facility under the jurisdiction of the Arizona board of regents unless such abortion is necessary to save the life of the woman having the abortion.”
The group is asking ABOR to create a tri-university task force to better outline student needs, what services they can offer and how to best communicate them under that statute.
With a change in legislation as a goal, Julian Bernhardt, a student at NAU who leads FAA’s university chapter and is the student government’s vice president of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), said the idea behind the request for a task force is “to understand how to best serve our students within the boundaries of the law.”
“The law does not say that we can’t provide emergency contraception via Plan B; the law does not say that we cannot provide more education on referrals; the law does not say that we cannot form coalitions with other universities in order to address the sexual assault crisis on our campuses,” they said. “These are things that we really need to be talking about under these circumstances. Students like myself cannot really focus on their education when their life is put on pause due to matters of health.”
When students ask Bernhardt for resources on reproductive health, they said they usually send those students off campus — to Desert Star in Phoenix, to FAA, to Coconino County Health and Human Services. Though Campus Health Services is “very good at providing STI screening and they’re very good about providing knowledge of certain things,” the statute has meant limited reproductive health options at NAU as well as limited knowledge of how to communicate them.
Bernhardt also advised students to seek help from those around them.
“Find the people you can trust, find your community. Your community is where it’s all at in the end,” they said. “There are students who are passionate about this and there are people who will help you.”
The group is also developing ways to meet those needs at NAU.
Another member of the NAU student DEI administration has proposed a “sexual orientation” program meant to give students an introduction to various aspects of sexual and reproductive health. It would include presentations from healthcare clinics, professors and campus health.
At NAU specifically, Bernhardt said, the group’s desire is to work together with the university to expand access to emergency contraception. They’re starting with an effort to bring a Plan B vending machine to campus.
The DEI administration of student government is working with the local chapter of Planned Parenthood Generation Action and the Abortion Alliance, as well as with other students and campus groups.
Similar machines have been installed at 36 universities across the country, Bernhardt said, providing students with a discreet, low-cost way to access contraceptives.
“Plan B is legal. It is not abortion, it is emergency contraception, it should be widely available to the student body. ... This is harm reduction,” they explained. “ ... We don’t want individuals to harm themselves going to seek care, and they shouldn’t have to feel the judgment and the taboo. This is not a taboo subject that we’re talking about; this is your health.”
To get the machine to campus, the group needs approval from the building manager, obtain the machine, get funding from partners to keep it supplied and running, and meet with university leaders about what the program looks like.
“I think this is going be the last thing I do before I graduate,” said Bernhardt, who will be starting senior year in the fall.
They were optimistic that the effort would succeed. They advised northern Arizona residents more generally to “stay vigilant” as the Dobbs decision’s anniversary approached.
“We have to remember to stay vigilant and to be ready to hold these individuals accountable,” they said. “Your voice has power, your vote has power; know your community, know the people around you. Remember that we are all human and that we’re all here to help each other. But remember that when it’s time, we need to vote them out because this cannot happen again. And it will happen again. It will continue to happen again if we don’t do something about it.”
Shapiro cautioned against focusing on exceptions in discussing abortion access.
“At the end of the day, I think our focus should be on trusting women,” she said. “Trusting women and giving women freedom to make choices — and I include people who can get pregnant in that — freedom to make their own choices about their body.”
More about FAA can be found on the local Women’s March Facebook page: facebook.com/womensmarchflagstaff/. | https://azdailysun.com/news/local/abortion-access-efforts-continuing-in-flagstaff-a-year-after-dobbs-decision/article_6d35aa16-122c-11ee-8032-b7610a166a75.html | 2023-06-27T00:13:38 | 1 | https://azdailysun.com/news/local/abortion-access-efforts-continuing-in-flagstaff-a-year-after-dobbs-decision/article_6d35aa16-122c-11ee-8032-b7610a166a75.html |
LOCAL
Coroner seeks help finding deceased Muncie man's family
Douglas Walker
Muncie Star Press
MUNCIE, Ind. — The Delaware County coroner's office is seeking the public’s help in finding family members of a Muncie man who died last week.
Thomas Dennis Fisher, 48, died June 19 at IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital.
According to Gary Vannatta, Delaware County's chief deputy coroner, Fisher is believed to be from California and had apparently lived in the Muncie area since 2019.
To this point, efforts to locate members of his family have been unsuccessful. Vannatta said relatives of Fisher might have resided in Rice Hill, Oregon or Walla Walla, Washington
Anyone with information on Fisher's survivors is asked to call the coroner's office at 765-747-7724. A voice-mail message can be left if the call is made when the office is not staffed. | https://www.thestarpress.com/story/news/local/2023/06/26/coroner-seeks-help-finding-deceased-muncie-mans-family/70358185007/ | 2023-06-27T00:13:44 | 1 | https://www.thestarpress.com/story/news/local/2023/06/26/coroner-seeks-help-finding-deceased-muncie-mans-family/70358185007/ |
Q: My cat will not eat anything but dry food, but my veterinarian recommended adding some canned food to his diet. Is that a good recommendation, and how do I get my cat to eat the canned food?
A: Cats are intelligent, loveable, and for the most part, easy to live with, so they can be terrific pets for people; however, at times, they can also be very stubborn and willful, so making them do anything they do not want to do can be very challenging.
The best example is when you are trying to give them a medication; this can be an all-out war if you have a cat that does not want the medication. This also can relate to food, as cats can be very picky and finicky when it comes to their food choices.
When it comes to nutrition for a cat, it is essential to try and emulate a more natural diet they might eat if they were out in their typical habitat. Their diet would primarily be small rodents and birds that they hunted, and it would be low in carbohydrates and high in fat and protein.
It is also important to note that they would go through periods of fasting in between these meals as they hunted for the next meal. They would get a lot of exercise and eat a high-protein diet periodically.
This is different from what happens when we make them stay indoors and feed them an unlimited amount of dry kibble that is high in carbohydrates. However, once a cat has been given the opportunity to eat as much dry kibble as they want throughout the day, it can be tough to take that away from them as they become carbohydrate addicted.
With a high carbohydrate load and minimal exercise, most cats will gain weight and become more susceptible to diseases such as diabetes. So, limiting the amount of food you feed and making them eat a higher protein and lower carbohydrate diet is essential for their natural metabolism.
Canned food is typically higher in protein and lower in carbohydrates. It has the added benefit of a higher water content, so it is, in fact, better for your cat metabolically. This does not mean you cannot feed a dry kibble; it just means it cannot be the bulk of the diet.
I recommend meal-feeding cats twice daily with some canned and a small amount of dry. Whatever they do not eat needs to be removed so that they can then fast until the next meal.
With cats, this transition must be done very slowly over many weeks, as they will make your life miserable if you do it too abruptly. You can add canned chicken or tuna to the canned food to entice them to eat it or mix the dry food in with the canned, so they must eat it to get to the dry food.
Q: Does joint supplementation help a dog's joints? I have heard that it does and that it doesn't, and now I am confused!
A: Unfortnately, joint supplements for dogs have not gone through rigorous FDA testing to determine the efficacy of any of the supplements, and there needs to be more good data available to support that it does what it is supposed to do for the joints.
However, in the clinic, when we place a dog with joint disease on a good quality joint supplement that is given consistently, we see improvements in their mobility. This must be done in conjunction with weight loss and exercise to help with joint mobility and function. It is important to note that you must use a good quality, reputable joint supplement product as not all are made the same. Please ask your veterinarian for recommendations. | https://azdailysun.com/news/local/ask-the-vet-getting-your-pets-to-eat-canned-food/article_3acf599c-144c-11ee-9737-0f1ad774dd48.html | 2023-06-27T00:13:44 | 0 | https://azdailysun.com/news/local/ask-the-vet-getting-your-pets-to-eat-canned-food/article_3acf599c-144c-11ee-9737-0f1ad774dd48.html |
LOCAL
Free swimming offered Thursday at Tuhey Pool
Star Press
MUNCIE, Ind. — A "summer splash celebration" is being offered Thursday at Tuhey Pool.
Free admission will be offered to the first 400 "youth and families," according to a press release. Hours for the event are noon to 5 p.m.
The event is being sponsored by the Muncie Police Department and the Delaware County Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative. | https://www.thestarpress.com/story/news/local/2023/06/26/free-swimming-offered-thursday-at-tuhey-pool/70356731007/ | 2023-06-27T00:13:50 | 1 | https://www.thestarpress.com/story/news/local/2023/06/26/free-swimming-offered-thursday-at-tuhey-pool/70356731007/ |
The Flagstaff Fire Department responded to a reported fire on the railroad tracks near the crossing at North Fanning Drive and Route 66 Monday afternoon around 3 p.m.
Crews on scene told the Arizona Daily Sun that a railroad tie was on fire when they arrived. No one was injured and the fire was quickly extinguished, using a Flagstaff fire engine. Police units from the Flagstaff Police Department remained near the tracks after the fire was put out to make sure that it wasn’t likely to smolder or spread, given the afternoon’s high winds.
Members with the Flagstaff fire crews said they’re not sure what would have caused this kind of fire. The Arizona Daily Sun has reached out to BNSF for comment and more information about the incident. | https://azdailysun.com/news/local/flagstaff-fire-police-departments-respond-to-railroad-tie-on-fire-near-fanning-east-route-66/article_7f7d2274-1472-11ee-8ad2-1b93f329f80a.html | 2023-06-27T00:13:51 | 0 | https://azdailysun.com/news/local/flagstaff-fire-police-departments-respond-to-railroad-tie-on-fire-near-fanning-east-route-66/article_7f7d2274-1472-11ee-8ad2-1b93f329f80a.html |
ATLANTA — An Atlanta radio personality has taken to social media to call out a popular cheesesteak restaurant in Buckhead for what she claims was a racially-insensitive incident.
Darlene McCoy Jackson, who is part of the Praise 103 team, shared her experience at Woody's Cheesesteaks on Irby Avenue in an Instagram live video that has since gained significant attention.
According to her, when she placed her order, an employee used the racially insensitive term "darky" to identify her on the receipt.
"I place my order. What is your name? I said, Darlene. This joker put darky, d-a-r-k-y."
Displaying the receipt in her video, McCoy Jackson expressed her displeasure with the incident and her subsequent interaction with the employee. She alleged that she requested the employee change the name on the receipt, but instead, he allegedly refused to accommodate her request and declined to refund her money.
"I'm like, What? But I don't want to be called Darky, so cancel my order and give me my money back. He says, 'I'm not doing that. I don't give money back,'" she said in her Instagram live.
The radio personality claimed the employee appeared to be Hispanic. However, Woody's has not disclosed the name or race of the employee involved.
McCoy Jackson expressed her dissatisfaction with how the situation was handled and believes that further action should be taken. She shared her intention to consult with her attorney regarding the matter.
A representative from Woody's Cheesesteaks sent the following statement to 11Alive:
"At Woody's Cheesesteaks, we care deeply about treating all guests with respect. Recently a guest experienced an incident that was not aligned with the values our business upholds and the service our customers expect. Through an internal investigation, we did find the incident resulted by mistake; nevertheless, it should not have. We have apologized to the customer, issued a refund and are actively working with our staff to ensure this does not occur again." | https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/atlanta-radio-personality-claims-cheesesteak-shop-employee-racially-insensitive/85-ae326b3a-f3f9-41b9-8273-eb7656017f7f | 2023-06-27T00:24:24 | 0 | https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/atlanta-radio-personality-claims-cheesesteak-shop-employee-racially-insensitive/85-ae326b3a-f3f9-41b9-8273-eb7656017f7f |
ATLANTA — A prominent realtor who died after being struck by a fallen tree near Buckhead Village during at outbreak of severe storms is being remembered by those who love him.
George Heery Jr. was a respected and distinguished real estate agent who worked for Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby's International Realty. He was also a caring father of two, a brother to three siblings, and a husband.
Heery's legacy will live forever, according to those who knew him best.
"He was a gentle man," said David Boehmig, the CEO of Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby's International Realty. "He was a family man, he loved his wife and his kids and he was just a fun person to be around."
Boehmig said he and Heery have worked together for 15 years, when Heery first became a trusted member of their team.
"George was a man that had the unique ability to put himself above the conversation that was going on to understand the other side of a transaction or interaction with another agent he was working with and really understand their perspective so that he could develop a balanced and thoughtful response. That was really a strength of his," he added.
Heery was also able to help Kevin Glass find his first home in the United States. Shortly after, Heery became one of Kevin's first friends here, too.
"I think Atlanta has just lost one of those super solid, dependable, reliable human beings who was 10,000% honest, invested in the people that he was working with and invested in his family and his community," Glass said.
Glass said they first met in 2009 when his family was relocating to Atlanta from Uzbekistan.
"We relocated here in the midst of the Great Recession. So, buying a house was complicated, especially as I was a British citizen, my wife was a German national, and we were both living in Uzbekistan and had never lived and worked in the U.S. had no credit history here," he explained.
"Of course, all of the credit markets had dried up. George actually became our power of attorney because we had to go back to Uzbekistan, to finish out our time there. He ultimately ended up being persistent and dogged in everything that he did with with us as a family in terms of finding our home and securing a mortgage at that really tough time as well. He was fantastic," Glass said.
Glass added that Heery loved going on walks, and that they would both often see each other during their paths.
"We literally walk the same places that he does. I would often meet him on that route on my way home from work every day, on my way home from the school every day," he said.
Lee Yarbrough Gidley also remembers the first time she met Heery. She said she has sold hundreds of homes, but the experience she had with the Heery brothers, while selling one home in particular, stands out the most to her.
"For those of us who maybe don't sell $100 million worth of homes in Buckhead, to work with someone like that, it's really an honor. You know it's going to be a pleasant experience but it's just up and above that: funny, kind, and warm," she said.
Heery had over 20 years of experience in real estate development, financial analysis, investment sales, market analysis and corporate re-engineering.
The Heery family is one of the most renowned in the history of Atlanta. George Heery Sr., his father who died two years ago at the age of 93, helped design historical landmarks like Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium and the Georgia Dome. He also helped design facilities on the campus of Emory University and the Atlanta History Center.
"I happen to know a bit about the family and about his father in particular, who was so philanthropic and inclusive of everybody in the city," Yarbrough Gidley said. "He wasn't just about Buckhead, and that's something that really speaks to my heart. To have that kind of family legacy, people are going to remember "Jr." like they remembered "Sr." [his father]. The reputation is just sterling."
Neal, Heery's brother, said George was the "family's rock," and that while George was the youngest of the siblings, they looked up to him like a leader. He said George loved dogs, too, and hopes that in lieu of flowers, donations are sent to the Atlanta Lab Rescue.
Meanwhile, Boehmig said their sales meeting Tuesday will focus on Heery, and telling stories to fondly remember the man who adored his community.
"He dripped integrity," added Glass. "He was incredibly ethical. He was super measured and thoughtful in his approach to pretty much everything that he did to be honest."
READ: Beloved, prominent Atlanta realtor identified as man killed by fallen tree during severe storms
Heery leaves behind his wife, Constanza who works at the German consulate in Atlanta, and two sons, 25-year-old Liam 25 and 19-year-old Aide.
His son, Liam, wrote on Facebook:
"An unspeakable tragedy has occurred last night. My father was and forever will be an incredible man. My family is incredibly grateful for all the support we have received. I love you dad. The world will not be the same without you."
The Atlanta City Council issued the following statement after the passing of the prominent realtor:
“We are deeply saddened to hear about the untimely and tragic loss of George Heery Jr. He made remarkable contributions to our community and left an indelible mark on the real estate industry through his unwavering dedication to his clients. Our thoughts are with his family as they navigate through this profound loss. We are hopeful they will find strength and solace in the cherished memories that they have of George. We send our heartfelt condolences to his beloved wife, Constance, his sons, and Neal, his brother and business partner.” | https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/atlanta-realtor-killed-fallen-tree-remembered/85-7c8b71a7-c79a-4a2e-830a-6633f9a5fe25 | 2023-06-27T00:24:30 | 1 | https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/atlanta-realtor-killed-fallen-tree-remembered/85-7c8b71a7-c79a-4a2e-830a-6633f9a5fe25 |
ATLANTA — Drivers traveling along an Atlanta road known for potholes are seeing some relief. Repaving crews are making progress along Dekalb Avenue.
After years of complaints, the roadway is seeing new life and some commuters say they're surprised, calling the nearly finished project a miracle amid metro Atlanta construction.
Bicyclist Ashley Carst, who also lives in the area, says the road improvements will provide a lot of relief to commuters.
“I think it will save people a lot of money on their cars and bikers will be able to safely bike on the street now," Carst said.
While some residents like Lindsay Eckhaus say the construction has been frustrating, she says it's worth it to have a smooth ride.
“Now that it’s mostly finished – I’m happy. It’s great to not be driving on potholes and concerned that my tires aren’t going to pop," added Eckhaus.
Repaving began in May and officials say it is still ongoing. Crews have been shutting down portions of the roadway every night on the weekends.
City leaders say there are more improvements to come including bike lane and traffic signal upgrades. The full $1.75 million project is expected to be done later this year. | https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/dekalb-avenue-improvements/85-1695addf-d189-43d4-9bf4-a7d3d564b323 | 2023-06-27T00:24:36 | 1 | https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/dekalb-avenue-improvements/85-1695addf-d189-43d4-9bf4-a7d3d564b323 |
CHEROKEE COUNTY, Ga. — Ena Hennessee's story is unique, with twists and turns she never saw coming, but she's adapting.
The tattoo artist works in Cherokee County and wears dozens of tattoos across her arms, back and body. She took up bodybuilding and CrossFit a few years ago as well, adopting a life of dedication, strength, toughness and resilience.
Hennessee depends on these virtues to get her through life, along with her husband, Alex, and dog. Hennessee showed off her black diamond wedding ring from Alex, a police officer in Johns Creek.
“I wouldn’t be here today without him," she said. "He runs the place, but we support each other. I don’t believe I could be here without him.”
The couple recently wanted to start a family, so she visited a fertility doctor. However, on May 31, she said a doctor discovered she had a cyst on her one remaining ovary.
“All of this happened very, very fast, like very, very quickly. We just thought the cyst comes off, the ovary heals and he can get his procedure reversed and we can try naturally," she said. “Upon the finding of cancer in the remaining ovary, unfortunately, a fertility doctor can’t retrieve eggs from a cancerous organ.”
She just underwent her first round of chemotherapy, which she must take every three weeks. She now has a new routine, trading her squats for steps. She carefully walks around her yard instead of running races and testing her muscle-building limits.
Hennessee is also getting support from her community. Law enforcement in Cherokee County and across metro Atlanta have already donated thousands of dollars in her fight against cancer. It's that support this hopeful mother is counting on to get her through the battle and onto her next chapter.
"If I get through this, if all goes well, we would love to adopt," she said. "I try to be the most positive you can be about whatever comes my way, and I try to do better and we must be better and take care of one another."
Hennessee is determined to adapt - and determined to do it with hope and support.
"It’s just incredible how awesome people pull together and take care of one another in a time like this," she said. "It’s the belief that I’m in good hands, and I just tell myself that.” | https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/ena-hennessee-ovarian-cancer/85-6cbeba55-228a-460b-97c3-f099adeade0e | 2023-06-27T00:24:42 | 0 | https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/ena-hennessee-ovarian-cancer/85-6cbeba55-228a-460b-97c3-f099adeade0e |
ATLANTA — Georgia Power crews were out in full force restoring power to homes and businesses across the state. Sunday’s storms left hundreds of thousands of customers in the dark.
By Monday morning, more than 200,000 customers already had power restored. However, thousands were still left to go, leaving many homes owners on the search for solutions like generators.
“We woke up this morning thinking the power would be back on and my husband looked at me and said, 'It’s time for a generator. We can’t do this anymore,'” Buckhead resident Caroline Wynne said.
Like many others, the Wynne family lost power Sunday evening. One day later, the power is still out. The kids are at home and they both have work.
“So, none of my work computers were charged up, my iPads, my cell phones for work," Wynne said. "I just ran to Publix yesterday and spent several $100. So, we’re told that it really only keeps for about 12 hours if you don't open the refrigerator, which I have little kids and the fridge has been opened."
Wynee said last night was the last straw and they’re finally ready to get a generator. They’re not the only ones. Will Hogan, the owner of the Generator Supercenter in Roswell, said their phones have been ringing off the hook all day.
“As of Friday, we probably were about a month out. We’re probably going to be about months after last night,” Will Hogan said.
And while home standby generators help with the obvious -- appliances, lights and air conditioning -- they can also help beyond that.
“If power goes out and you don't have a power supply to your oxygen machine, those people could die,” Hogan said.
Hogan said the cost for whole home standby generators can vary depending on the type and size.
Smaller air cooling generators can run between $11,000 and $14,000. But liquid cooling -- larger ones -- could cost from $25,000 to $60,000. These click on automatically and run on natural gas or propane.
“If you look at it like an insurance premium, you’re paying $1.50 a day to have backup power,” Hogan said.
Of course, there are also portable generators, homeowners can get from the hardware store, which are gasoline operated. They can help run small appliances that plug into them. Those run from $800 to $5,000 -- plus the cost of gasoline to refill them.
Wynne said a home standby generator makes the most sense for their family.
“Just not having power is a big security threat, not being able to turn on our alarm system," she said. "So, I think having a generator will give our family a little more peace of mind."
While home standby generators are installed by professionals, generator safety really comes into play with portable generators people purchase at hardware stores. From carbon monoxide to shock hazards, Georgia Power shares tips online to keep families safe. 11Alive has also compiled a list of resources here. | https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/generator-solutions-power-outages-prices/85-ce7a3751-9d20-4e0c-bfe6-3a9c79462f44 | 2023-06-27T00:24:48 | 1 | https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/generator-solutions-power-outages-prices/85-ce7a3751-9d20-4e0c-bfe6-3a9c79462f44 |
ATLANTA — The sign at an Atlanta church, known for its inclusivity of the LGBTQ+ community, has been defaced with messages of hate.
On Monday, 11Alive crews saw a worker cleaning up graffiti on the sign of The Church at Ponce and Highland in Atlanta's Poncey-Highland neighborhood. The word "demon" and a homophonic slur were seen spray-painted on the church's sign, which has a Pride Flag next to it. Its church sign read "God is proud of you."
The worker was also seen putting up a camera next to the sign.
On its website, the church says it's "a multiracial, pro-LGBTQ, economically diverse, member-led Atlanta church devoted to radical inclusivity, thoughtful spirituality, and caring community." The church defines "radical inclusivity" as being accepting of all regardless of "social status, education, race, age, gender identity, sexual orientation, mental ability, physical ability, position, or any other distinction."
The Atlanta Police Department said it's aware of the incident and is working with the church. 11Alive has also reached out to officials at The Church at Ponce and Highland for more details.
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/the-church-at-ponce-and-highland-sign-vandalized-atlanta/85-b303fedc-b82c-4afd-9ea2-9c2d20de48f1 | 2023-06-27T00:24:55 | 1 | https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/the-church-at-ponce-and-highland-sign-vandalized-atlanta/85-b303fedc-b82c-4afd-9ea2-9c2d20de48f1 |
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — Wichita Animal Action League is hosting Barks, Boots & BBQ, their biggest fundraiser of the summer, from 5-8 p.m. on Sunday, July 9, at Hidden Lakes Venue, 537 W. MacArthur Rd.
WAAL says the event is to raise money for the Pets of Life program, which is designed to help keep the animals of Planeview in good homes, out of the shelters and give their owners access to free pet resources when available.
Marc Baker & Untamed Country will be performing live. Matt’s Meats will be serving pulled pork sandwiches.
There will be games, competitions, pony rides, an ice cream sundae bar, adoptable dogs and more!
Children under two are free. Tickets for children aged two to 10 are $12.50. Tickets for Adults are $25.
To purchase a ticket, click here.
Personal pets will not be allowed at the event. | https://www.ksn.com/news/local/wichita-animal-action-league-hosting-biggest-fundraiser-of-the-summer/ | 2023-06-27T00:25:01 | 1 | https://www.ksn.com/news/local/wichita-animal-action-league-hosting-biggest-fundraiser-of-the-summer/ |
ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — On Monday, attorneys for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis asked a federal court to dismiss the Walt Disney Company lawsuit against the governor, arguing that he and the Secretary of Florida’s Department of Economic Opportunity are “immune” from the suit.
>>> STREAM CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS LIVE <<<
In the documents obtained by ABC News, attorneys for DeSantis argue that “neither the Governor nor the Secretary enforce any of the laws at issue, so Disney lacks standing to sue them.” (pg. 3)
READ: 11 Central Florida projects up for millions of dollars in revenue
The lawyers also added that DeSantis “is entitled to legislative immunity, which shields “both governors’ and legislators’ actions in the proposal, formulation, and passage of legislation.” (pg. 3–4)
In April, Disney sued DeSantis and other Florida officials over a campaign alleging was “patently retaliatory, patently anti-business, and patently unconstitutional.”
READ: Sweet deal: Publix ice cream truck to dish out free treats in Orlando
DeSantis and Disney have been at odds with each other for over the past year, following the company’s publicly criticizing the Parental Rights in Education Law that restricts content concerning sexual orientation and gender identity in grades kindergarten through third grade. Critics have dubbed the law as the “Don’t Say Gay” law.
Read the document below:
Motion to Dismiss by Adam Poulisse on Scribd
READ: In less than a week, Florida will become a ‘permitless carry’ state
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/desantis-asks-federal-judge-dismiss-disney-lawsuit-claims-immunity/4JTDJPVD7NBRRF2PL2JXBME62I/ | 2023-06-27T00:28:01 | 0 | https://www.wftv.com/news/local/desantis-asks-federal-judge-dismiss-disney-lawsuit-claims-immunity/4JTDJPVD7NBRRF2PL2JXBME62I/ |
GROVELAND, Fla. — Since Sunday the City of Groveland has told residents to boil their water before using it after a water main break.
>>> STREAM CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS LIVE <<<
On Monday morning, many living in the Lake County community lined up early in their cars to receive cases of free water at Cherry Lake Park.
The free water was being handed out by first responders, city workers, and even the Groveland Mayor Evelyn Wilson.
Mayor Wilson said she considers herself a mayor of the people.
“I am them. I was going to request, as we have done in the past, to provide cases of water, " said Wilson
According to the mayor, the problem that continues was caused by a main break in the City of Groveland water plant three sunshine system.
Read: In less than a week, Florida will become a ‘permitless carry’ state
While the water in the City is running Monday for most residents and businesses, the pressure remains low whether using the shower, sink and toilets are barely flushing, according to residents receiving the free water.
Read: 11 Central Florida projects up for millions of dollars in revenue
Groveland resident John Carriero said his hand smelled like bleach.
“I’ve been washing dishes with bleach. I guess we just got to eat out,” added Carriero
Read: Sheriff: 12 family members arrested in Winter Haven drug trafficking ring
As of Monday health experts have asked Groveland residents to boil their water for at least the next couple of days.
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/groveland-city-officials-hands-out-free-water-after-boil-alert-issued/TFOLF3T75FBDRMVBQY5H6W4JQM/ | 2023-06-27T00:28:07 | 1 | https://www.wftv.com/news/local/groveland-city-officials-hands-out-free-water-after-boil-alert-issued/TFOLF3T75FBDRMVBQY5H6W4JQM/ |
As the nation prepares to celebrate it's independence there are ways you can prepare your pet for the lights, sounds and smells that come with fireworks.
Pet owners know that dogs, cats and other animals can be sensitive to bright lights and loud sounds. Fireworks come with both and the addition of a burning smell that can bring many pets to the end of their rope.
Dr. Michelle LaCoste of Animal Medical Hospital in Mason City sees dogs every year whose owners thought they were secure, but managed to injure themselves in panic.
"Every year, we see dogs who go through plate glass or get hit by a car when they escape their fenced yard," she said. "With the noise and the lights, they can overreact and don't behave the way you would normally expect."
The best way to protect your furry friends is by providing them with a safe, comforting space that includes soft, snuggly favorites and activities they find comforting.
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"It's best if you can be there with them," said Clare Lukich, general manager of PetCo in Mason City. "If you can't, make sure they are in a comfortable room. It's comfort your pet wants, so give them as much as you can."
LaCoste advocates for keeping your dog, cat or other animal in the house. "Outdoor rabbits should be brought in during times of fireworks discharge. Birds should be covered and blinds and curtains drawn for their safety."
"It's best to have them in a basement or interior room that has limited exposure to the flashing lights. Use padding, blankets and pillows to dampen the sound. Play music or a noise cancelling device," she said.
LaCoste sees anxious pets regularly. "There are over-the-counter medications and devices. Use what you think is best for your pet, but if they have moderate or severe anxiety, prescription medication will work better."
Lukich says Thundershirts are a popular item for dogs. "It's a snug, slightly weighted wrap they can wear that's like a hug. Many dogs find them calming. There are lots of options for anti-anxiety pills and chews. It's best to give them about half an hour before a noisy event starts," Lukich said.
LaCoste also recommends planning ahead. "If you need anti-anxiety medications, you'll want to get your appointment way before July 3."
By preparing a safe and comfortable place for your pets to ride out the festivities, you'll have a happier, safer home for your animal. | https://globegazette.com/news/local/pets-safety-fireworks-lacoste-lukich-anti-anxiety-dogs-cats-birds/article_4d8b115e-1459-11ee-a2f3-b326129d7b1c.html | 2023-06-27T00:36:22 | 0 | https://globegazette.com/news/local/pets-safety-fireworks-lacoste-lukich-anti-anxiety-dogs-cats-birds/article_4d8b115e-1459-11ee-a2f3-b326129d7b1c.html |
PORTLAND, Ore. — Firefighters from Portland Fire & Rescue responded to a fire at a Northeast Portland home on Monday afternoon that threatened to spread to nearby structures, according to initial reports from the agency.
PF&R said around 4 p.m. that fire crews were heading to the 700 block of Northeast Church Street, just north of Northeast Killingsworth, for "reports of a porch on fire" that was spreading to the house.
Fire crews reported "heavy fire" upon arrival, with flames spreading to a nearby fence. Firefighters began putting water on the flames, but PF&R said that the gas meter appeared to be feeding the fire. The agency requested that the gas company respond.
Within 15 minutes, PF&R said, crews had placed hose lines in order to protect structures. All residents of the house were "accounted for and safe."
The gas meter was soon shut down, which PF&R said reduced the flames that firefighters had to knock down.
By 4:30 p.m., PF&R said that the fire had been extinguished with minimal interior damage to the home.
Three residents were displaced by the fire, and officials contacted the Red Cross to respond. A fire investigator has been requested to determine how the fire started.
This is a developing story and will be updated with more details as they emerge. | https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/fire-northeast-portland-home-vernon/283-67c68afc-a93a-4e1e-91ee-44ae6d9e4c28 | 2023-06-27T00:43:17 | 0 | https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/fire-northeast-portland-home-vernon/283-67c68afc-a93a-4e1e-91ee-44ae6d9e4c28 |
PORTLAND, Ore. — Portland is preparing to debut its first Safe Rest Village specifically serving homeless people who live in RVs and trailers. City and Multnomah County officials held a pre-opening tour of the site on Monday afternoon.
The Sunderland RV Safe Park is part of the Safe Rest Village program, but while the other five planned villages will provide residents with tiny homes to serve as transitional housing, the Sunderland site aims to be an outdoor shelter for homeless residents who live in their own vehicles.
The site is operated by The Salvation Army and Multnomah County's Joint Office of Homeless Services, according to a news release from The Salvation Army.
"The Sunderland site has been ready since November and I am relieved the good people at The Salvation Army and Multnomah County have signed the contract! Soon Portlanders suffering from chronic homelessness living in RV’s can improve their lives in this innovative safe park setting," Commissioner Dan Ryan said in a statement.
The site is funded in part by $1 million from the state and federal grant funds from the American Rescue Plan. The news release said the site would open soon, although an exact date was not specified.
The village is located off of Northeast Sunderland Avenue to the west of Portland International Airport, an area that is already home to large numbers of homeless residents living in RVs and trailers lined up along Northeast 33rd Avenue.
It will have room for 55 vehicles, and residents will have access to case manager and on-site mental and behavioral health services just like at the other Safe Rest Village sites.
The site has had a long road to become operational. As Ryan noted, it's been move-in ready for months, but the county and the Salvation Army were still working out the specifics about the budget and operational rules in order to hammer out a contract.
The six Safe Rest Villages were all originally planned to be open by the end of 2021, but the actual rollout has been far slower than that timeline — the first of them didn't open until June 2022, and some of the five tiny home sites still have not opened.
The Safe Rest Villages are separate from the more recently announced Temporary Alternative Shelter Sites, a planned series of six large-scale sanctioned campsites that Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler announced earlier this year.
The mass campsites are similarly intended to provide homeless residents with safe areas and access to services, but they may or may not include shelter pods, and they're intended to house more people per site. | https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/homeless/portland-homeless-rv-park-open-soon/283-72ce8c15-5a6b-4c80-bcb3-a64aaaecffb9 | 2023-06-27T00:43:23 | 1 | https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/homeless/portland-homeless-rv-park-open-soon/283-72ce8c15-5a6b-4c80-bcb3-a64aaaecffb9 |
PORTLAND, Ore. — This last September, Portland General Electric made the call to shut off power for 37,000 customers across Oregon, including in Portland's West Hills. It happened as a windstorm approached the area during a stretch of hot and dry weather.
For Portland, it was the first time that part of the city had its power shut down in advance of a storm. At the same time, Pacific Power cut electricity to 10,000 customers in the areas of Otis, the Santiam Canyon and east of Sweet Home.
The concern in this case was that high winds could knock down trees and take down powerlines. Energized lines could spark and start dangerous fires, which spread particularly quickly amid strong winds.
It isn't a trifling concern. Oregon has, of course, seen its fair share of wildfires — it's a natural phenomenon that's occurred for thousands of years. But the wildfires of September 2020 were something unprecedented for the state. Pushed by sustained, strong winds after a long, dry summer, the fires killed 9 people, burned 1,800 square miles in Oregon and destroyed nearly 5,000 homes and other structures. Entire towns were devastated.
Pacific Power recently lost a class action lawsuit by homeowners who argued that the utility was at fault for some of those fires after it chose not to de-energize power lines before the winds arrived. Other companies, including PGE, did shut down power in some of their service areas.
But even before that judgment, it was clear that Oregon's utilities were adjusting to a new paradigm that the 2020 fires accelerated — thus the "public safety power shutoffs" of 2022.
On the lookout
Both PGE and Pacific Power have beefed up their weather forecasting abilities in recent years, which is why The Story's Pat Dooris recently met with PGE Fire Weather Meteorologist Lisa Kriederman at the company's new operations center.
"Before this job as the meteorologist for PGE, I was with the National Weather Service as an incident meteorologist, and what I did was I would go out to these wildfires — I would dispatch out to these and be their on-site meteorologist, with my number one priority being the safety of firefighters," Kriederman said. "So that was a big, you know, that that was my main priority, and I took that to heart and it was a stressful thing. But it was something that I knew I had to do, and I had the tools to do it, just as I do here. I have the certain weather models. I look at the certain thresholds. I talk to people out in the field and it's a team effort."
Now that Kriederman is at PGE, she'll be one of the main experts deciding whether to shut off power as summer storms approach. She'll rely on a wide range of high-tech systems to help inform her decision.
Those include a live satellite map showing how weather systems are moving. It was sensitive enough to show a streak of smoke from wildfires up in Canada that was brought south by a weather system.
"So the smoke is this light grey area stretching across southern Oregon and into Idaho," Kriederman said.
There's also a map crowded with public and private weather stations across Oregon broadcasting real-time temperatures, plus wind speed and direction.
"If we clicked 'all' then it would pretty much turn it black," Kriederman explained, "because there are so many weather stations across the area now."
There's also PGE's power shutoff map, highlighting in pink the areas most at risk should a wildfire break out.
"You have more potential there for that risk than other places in our service territory," Kriederman said.
But one of the most impressive pieces of technology is the suite of 26 cameras augmented with artificial intelligence and posted above the treeline for those areas on the power shutoff map. They can "see" for 30 miles and accurately detect smoke within 10 miles. It's a high-tech version of the classic forest lookout towers.
"These cameras are constantly scanning 360 degrees around them to see if there's any potential for any smoke," Kriederman added.
When the cameras spot something, they send out an alert. They also learn to tell the difference between steam, fog and smoke.
Kriederman demonstrated by showing Dooris an alert from that day, a barely visible trace of smoke.
"We can dial right in here, and it's gonna go through ... and it's very, very hard to see, but just for an instant I did see a little wiggle right there," Kriederman said.
"Wow, because I was looking at this stuff over here," Dooris responded, gesturing.
"Right. Which is probably fog or something," Kriederman said. "And so there's little crosshairs where that artificial intelligence is saying, 'Hey — something is right here."
A second alert drew their attention to another slight thread of smoke, captured by the camera's cursor.
"Just a little wisp," Dooris said.
"It's gonna be right at the top of the triangle," Kriederman said. "Another look … can you see it?"
The cameras not only send an alert and a video clip of the smoke, they also pinpoint a location on a map.
It's 'game time'
On top of monitoring all of this surveillance equipment, Kriederman will use a computer to generate predictions for what the weather will do in various locations based on current conditions, assumptions and 30 years of historical observations.
She knows that making to call to shut off power is not a decision to be taken lightly. During a hot summer, people are relying on air conditioning or fans to keep safe and cool. Many people with serious medical conditions rely on equipment that needs power to operate. But the alternative could be sparking a fire that grows to consume homes and even take lives.
"It's something that we take very seriously. Public safety is our number one priority," Kriederman said
"I know, but do you stay up at night worrying about it or ... " Dooris asked.
"Well, yes, but that's just the meteorologist in me," she replied. "I am always wondering what the weather is going to be doing ... but it's something that the 20 years of experience I've had that I have dialed into what is important for wildfire weather."
While Kreiderman hopes the weather cooperates this summer, her experience tells her that it may not — which is why she's here.
"I do look forward to fire season, just because that has been my focus for so many years ... I don't want to come across as enjoying destruction, but it is 'game time' — and the reason why wildfires spread is because of weather," she said. "So it's nice to understand and watch as it evolves, what happens to these fires and what that weather pattern is doing and what was the meteorological feature that really got certain fires going and some others not so." | https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/the-story/wildfire-season-pge-power-shutoffs-meteorologist/283-c2fa6c5a-55ca-4e5a-b165-bca3f2d27de9 | 2023-06-27T00:43:30 | 1 | https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/the-story/wildfire-season-pge-power-shutoffs-meteorologist/283-c2fa6c5a-55ca-4e5a-b165-bca3f2d27de9 |
DALLAS — According to the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) Branch 132 President Kimetra Lewis, USPS letter carriers will have a 7:30 a.m. start time effective on Monday, June 26.
This comes after the death of 66-year-old Eugene Gates Jr. The NALC Branch said he collapsed in Dallas' Lakewood area while delivering mail door-to-door on Tuesday, June 20.
It's suspected that Gates' death is heat-related, but that has not been confirmed as of June 26. USPS officials and Gates' family are waiting on an autopsy to be completed.
The heat index was 113 degrees that afternoon at about 3:00 p.m. when the incident happened.
Gates' sudden passing has been directing attention to working conditions for letter carriers.
NALC Branch President Lewis, along with other sources, told WFAA that start times for letter carriers were originally 7:30 a.m. at the Lakewood Post Office, but it was recently changed to 8:30 a.m. due to lack of clerk staffing.
The day after Gates' death, Lewis said USPS management agreed to resume the 7:30 a.m. start time on Saturday. Multiple sources confirmed it was announced on Thursday morning to the Lakewood letter carriers.
Sources then said it was changed back to 8:30 a.m. before Saturday came around. Frustrated, Lewis spoke to local journalists about the situation. Then on Sunday, Lewis told WFAA mail carriers were notified that the 7:30 a.m. start would be effective beginning Monday.
This time, it happened.
In addition to that, Lewis was told the air conditioner was broken in Gates' USPS vehicle. She is looking into whether a ticket was filed for repair in the vehicle. Lewis said it is the mail carrier's responsibility to make sure their units are in working condition.
NOTE: The following video was uploaded on June 23
Gates' widow, Carla Gates, spoke to WFAA two days after her late husband's passing.
Gates had been a USPS letter carrier for almost four decades. He and Carla met at a Lancaster church in 2010, started dating in 2013, then got married two years later.
“When he meant yes, he meant yes. When he meant no, he meant no, and when he loved you, he loved hard,” Carla Gates said on Thursday. “If you came across his path, you would have never forgotten him.”
Carla Gates is now begging for more answers about her husband.
“Am I mad at the postal service? Yes. Am I angry? Yes. The mail will still be there, but my husband won’t.”
She believes the 7:30 a.m. start time is not enough during the extreme heat of Texas summers. She said it's already hot by that time. She remembers when her husband started his shift at 6:00 a.m., and believes that would be a better solution for letter carriers.
Carla Gates said, "Not just for the postal service, for anyone that is working out in this hot Texas weather outside, that's a death trap."
NOTE: The following video was uploaded on June 22
When asked about the start times for USPS letter carriers, the company said they have no further information at this time.
However, on Saturday, A USPS representative sent the following statement to WFAA:
“Our carriers deliver the mail throughout the year during varying temperatures and climatic conditions. This includes during the summer months when the temperatures rise throughout the country. The safety of our employees is a top priority and the Postal Service has implemented a national Heat Illness Prevention Program (HIPP) for all employees. In connection with the HIPP, the Postal Service provides mandatory heat-related and other safety training and instruction to all employees and assures they have the resources needed to do their jobs safely. Carriers are reminded to ensure they’re hydrated, wear appropriate clothing, including hats, get in the shade whenever possible, and to take sufficient amounts of water and ice with them out on their routes. Carriers are further instructed to contact 9-1-1 in the event they begin experiencing any symptoms of heat exhaustion or heat stroke, and they are provided with information to help them identify the symptoms associated with these two forms of heat illness.
Since 2003, all motor vehicles purchased by the Postal Service have been equipped with air conditioning. Thirty four percent of all current postal vehicles have air conditioning. The Long Life Vehicles (LLVs) used by many Postal Service carriers did not come equipped with air conditioning features from the manufacturers, and were purchased through the early 1990s. As of April 2022, 153,000 LLVs and Flex Fuel Vehicles (FFV) were still in operation, and all have fans.
The Next Generation Delivery Vehicles (NGDVs) will feature air conditioning among other features including improved ergonomics, and some of the most advanced vehicle and safety technology — including 360-degree cameras, advanced braking and traction control, air bags and a front-and-rear-collision avoidance system that includes visual, audio warning and automatic braking.” | https://www.myfoxzone.com/article/news/local/usps-letter-mail-carrier-death-dallas-texas-new-employee-hours/287-88755616-eae8-4c8f-babd-84e1337c0f49 | 2023-06-27T00:44:00 | 0 | https://www.myfoxzone.com/article/news/local/usps-letter-mail-carrier-death-dallas-texas-new-employee-hours/287-88755616-eae8-4c8f-babd-84e1337c0f49 |
ELK GROVE, Calif. — A 14-year-old was arrested and charged with 12 counts of burglary over the weekend in Elk Grove.
Police said he targeted an Elk Grove neighborhood, and they believe there could be more victims out there.
One resident said she was awoken to police at her door, who said her car window had been busted open.
"I got scared. I was thinking next what's it going to be, like my house. It was scary of course. Invasion of privacy," said the Elk Grove resident, who did not want to be identified.
She said she is one of the people who had her car broken into over the weekend near the intersection of Lyndale Circle and Spring Ridge Way.
According to police, a 14-year-old was arrested Saturday and booked on suspicion of 12 counts of burglary, petty theft and possession of burglary tools.
Neighbors like Patricia Worth, who have lived in the area since 2001, are shocked the suspect is so young. She said the neighborhood used to be quiet and safe, but since the area is easily accessible, some find a way to quickly break into cars.
Worth's fear is the area could turn into a place of gang violence with teens fighting over turf.
The broken window will end up costing the Elk Grove resident about $225 since she only has liability insurance. She's already thinking about installing video surveillance cameras in case there is a next time.
"Knock on wood, I hope it's not gonna happen. They didn't take anything though, but they opened the glove compartment. There's nothing in there except for the registration. Good thing they didn't take that," the woman said.
Police said the teen has been taken to Juvenile Hall and additional charges may be added.
WATCH ALSO:
ABC10: Watch, Download, Read | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/elk-grove/elk-grove-car-break-ins/103-fc8c9e7d-c4c9-4725-89c1-bd11a83ee3d8 | 2023-06-27T00:49:35 | 1 | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/elk-grove/elk-grove-car-break-ins/103-fc8c9e7d-c4c9-4725-89c1-bd11a83ee3d8 |
Two weeks after the Lancaster County Attorney's Office moved to dismiss first-degree murder charges in a fatal September shooting outside a Lincoln strip club, a judge has dismissed felony charges against three of the alleged shooter's co-defendants, according to court filings.
Judge Thomas Zimmerman, who earlier this month dismissed Jahhrasta Fletcher's murder charge in the shooting death of 33-year-old Robert Brannon, tossed a case Monday that had been filed against Said Salahuddin.
Police had accused Salahuddin, 27, of driving Fletcher away from the downtown strip club in the early morning hours of Sept. 25 following Brannon's shooting.
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Salahuddin had been charged with accessory to a class 1 felony, itself a felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison.
Zimmerman also dismissed felony accessory charges against two of Fletcher's relatives, including his mother, 44-year-old Cristel Sabin, and his brother, 21-year-old Jahhfarr Fletcher, according to court filings.
Both Sabin and Jahhfarr Fletcher still face felony evidence tampering charges stemming from the shooting, but Zimmerman on Monday dismissed the accessory charges — the most serious charge either of them faced — at the request of prosecutors.
Jahhrasta Fletcher, the 22-year-old once accused of murdering Brannon, still faces five felony gun, drug and weapons charges — some of which stem from the September shooting.
The series of dismissals have all come at the request of prosecutors after Lancaster County Attorney Pat Condon announced June 15 that his office "does not believe there is sufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Mr. Fletcher was not acting in self-defense" when he allegedly shot Brannon in an alley behind the Foxy Gentlemen’s Club at 1801 O St.
“In certain cases it is also the state’s burden to disprove an affirmative defense, such as self-defense, beyond a reasonable doubt," Condon said in a news release June 15. "Ethically, to proceed forward with a charge, the prosecution must believe that it can meet this high burden of proof."
Surveillance video of the shooting showed Brannon lunging at Jahhrasta Fletcher before the 22-year-old pulled a gun and shot several rounds toward Brannon, who returned fire as he fell to the ground, Police Sgt. Kenneth Koziol said in the affidavit for Fletcher’s arrest.
In a press conference announcing Jahhrasta Fletcher’s arrest the next day, Lincoln Police Chief Teresa Ewins said he stood over Brannon and fired another round into the Omaha man before fleeing.
Police said Brannon had been shot at least five times, with gunshot wounds to his left eye, chest, left arm and hip, according to the affidavit.
He died at the scene.
Investigators found a semiautomatic handgun beneath Brannon’s body and shell casings from two different handguns, police said in court filings.
At a hearing earlier this month, prosecutors said the confrontation that led to Brannon's death is thought to have been the result of a drug debt owed between the men.
In court records, LPD Investigator Tim Cronin alleged Jahhfarr Fletcher woke the morning of the shooting to his brother handing him a gun and asking him to "get rid of it."
Jahhfarr Fletcher allegedly sold the gun to a friend for $500, then told the friend to lie to investigators.
Sabin, the Fletchers' mother, allegedly destroyed Jahhrasta Fletcher's clothes and deleted home surveillance footage that showed him coming and going from their central Lincoln duplex in the immediate aftermath of the shooting, according to court filings.
The 44-year-old and her younger son, Jahhfarr Fletcher, are out of jail on bond.
Jahhrasta Fletcher remains behind bars at the Lancaster County jail, where he is being held on a $500,000 percentage bond. He must pay $50,000 to be released. | https://journalstar.com/news/local/crime-courts/lancaster-county-attorney-drops-more-charges-in-lincoln-strip-club-shooting/article_f9633cbc-1464-11ee-93c9-474fbb0ac7c5.html | 2023-06-27T00:52:36 | 1 | https://journalstar.com/news/local/crime-courts/lancaster-county-attorney-drops-more-charges-in-lincoln-strip-club-shooting/article_f9633cbc-1464-11ee-93c9-474fbb0ac7c5.html |
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